Chapter 7: Bandit Cultivators Appear
“It’s quite strange. Based on when I started, my talent in the Yi Wood Azure God Art is mediocre. I shouldn’t expect any progress without three to five years of painstaking effort. But why do I feel like my spellcasting effect today has slightly improved compared to last week? Is it a delusion, or have I truly made progress?”
Bai Zichen pondered for a moment, looking at the Spiritual Field in front of him, until Bai Pangzi’s distant shouts roused him. He decided not to overthink it.
Perhaps he was just that kind of alternative Genius, one who struggled with initial comprehension but would advance rapidly once he had a Breakthrough.
Bai Pangzi had a shovel on his shoulder and a large bag of miscellaneous small mechanisms on his back, making him appear even more cumbersome.
“Zi Chen, today we’re going to set up traps behind the cliff to catch pheasants. I’ve brought all the tools. Let me tell you, these pheasants taste incredibly tender, and the feathers on their tails are beautiful. Later, I’ll have my mother make them into shuttlecocks for us to play with at night; they even glow.”
In the time it took to wake up, Bai Pangzi had already planned out the day’s work.
Bai Zichen nodded slightly. He was young and had a low cultivation level, so he couldn’t Cultivate the Changchun Skill for more than an hour each day, or his body wouldn’t be able to withstand it.
After completing his morning lessons, there wasn’t much serious business to do before sunset, so it was perfectly fine to go relax with Bai Pangzi.
“Alright, but we can’t go far. Song Yi told me not to let us leave a one-li radius from Qingfeng Cliff, or she’d ground us for three days straight.”
“Got it, we’ll just be behind the cliff. I’ve already found two suitable spots for traps.”
Bai Pangzi was still a bit afraid of his mother and obediently agreed, “Last time that pheasant got away. This time, with Zi Chen here…”
Boom!
A loud bang interrupted Bai Pangzi’s excited chatter. Both of them looked up at Qingfeng Cliff; the sound had come from above.
“What’s going on? It’s daytime and there’s no thunder. Did someone’s Spell experiment go wrong and blow up a house?”
Bai Zichen and Bai Ying exchanged glances. Just as they were about to run home, Bai Zichen pulled him back, stopping their feet.
“What’s wrong?”
“Something’s not right, look over there!”
Bai Zichen’s heart tightened. He pointed towards the peak, where a thick black smoke was rising, as if a large fire had broken out.
Just then, a figure flashed in the distance. It was Song Yi, rushing down from the cliff. She had completely lost her usual composure and grace. Her gauze skirt had a large hole, and one of her shoulders hung unnaturally, drooping limply by her side.
“Ying’er, Zi Chen, run!” Seeing the two, Song Yi suddenly stopped, a determined glint in her eyes. She turned around and stood firm, “Run, go to the Main Peak, quickly!”
“Mother, what’s happening?”
Bai Pangzi was terrified. He frantically dropped all the items on his body and was about to run towards Song Yi.
“Don’t come over! Didn’t you hear Mother tell you to go to the Main Peak? Do you want to be locked in the Quiet Room for three days again and not allowed out?!”
Song Yi didn’t look back. She conjured a piece of red gauze, which, when unfurled by the wind, expanded to several zhang square. “Zi Chen, you’re sensible, quickly take Ying’er and run!”
“Where do you think you’re going? All of you, stay here!”
Three men, their faces covered with black cloths and dressed in black, rushed down from Qingfeng Cliff. The leader, looking at the scene, said viciously.
“They even set up layered defensive Restrictions around their home. We almost got ambushed by a woman!”
Song Yi forcefully struck her chest, spitting out a mouthful of vital blood onto the red gauze. The seemingly thin layer of gauze actually entangled the three men, making it difficult for them to Breakthrough and advance for a moment.
“Oh no, they’re Bandit Cultivators!”
Bai Zichen’s head buzzed. He hadn’t expected the worst-case scenario to actually happen: Bandit Cultivators had invaded the Bai Family’s territory. And from the looks of it, it wasn’t just a few scattered individuals, but a large, organized force. The patrol team hadn’t even issued a warning yet, so it seemed they were also in trouble.
After nearly a month of peaceful days, everyone’s guard had lowered, and they had inevitably relaxed their vigilance.
Several thoughts flashed through his mind, but Bai Zichen’s hand movements were unaffected. With a flick of his wrist, two Shen Xing (Divine Travel) Talismans were already in his hand. He slapped them onto himself and Bai Pangzi, then pulled him and ran towards Hanxiu Peak.
Two Qi Refining Stage 1 Cultivators would be of no use staying here, and might even hinder Song Yi, causing her to be distracted. The best choice now was naturally to follow the Elder’s instructions and head to the Main Peak.
Hanxiu Peak, as a Medium Grade Spiritual Vein, was where the Clan Hall, Council Chamber, Library, and so on were located. It could be said that the essence of the entire Bai Family was gathered here.
Moreover, it was where the Family’s Magical Array could exert its greatest effect. To find a way to survive, going there was the only option.
Bai Pangzi seemed to be scared witless, completely dazed. He was pulled by Bai Zichen, running wildly without saying a word, letting his body run on instinct.
Just as they reached the foot of Qingfeng Cliff, they heard an angry roar from the mountain. Turning his head, Bai Zichen saw the red gauze had already shattered into several pieces, falling all over the sky. Song Yi collapsed to the ground, a long weapon pinning her to the ground, her blood quickly staining the earth beneath her feet.
“Song Yi!”
Bai Zichen cried out in grief. This Elder, who spoke softly and acted meticulously, who prepared delicious meals for her Family every day, whose husband was often away, managed the household in an orderly fashion all by herself.
It was such a gentle female Cultivator who, when facing three Bandit Cultivators, erupted with astonishing courage, not retreating a single step, and buying precious time for the two of them.
“Song Yi was Qi Refining Stage 4. Her desperate, life-sacrificing act of using her vital blood to activate her Magical Artifact only delayed the three Bandit Cultivators for a moment and even cost her life. These three must all be Middle Stage Qi Refining Cultivators, and there might even be Late Stage Qi Refining Cultivators among them.”
After a brief period of sadness, Bai Zichen’s head throbbed, but his thoughts became even clearer.
“Even with the Shen Xing (Divine Travel) Talisman’s boost, it will take an incense stick’s worth of time to reach Hanxiu Peak. There’s a high chance we’ll be caught by the Bandit Cultivators behind us, and who knows if we’ll encounter other Bandit Cultivators on the way. My only advantage is that I’m more familiar with the Family’s paths than these foreign Bandit Cultivators!”
Bai Zichen hadn’t forgotten the thick smoke that had risen from a nearby peak earlier. It was clear there was more than one team of Bandit Cultivators nearby.
This was a planned, premeditated looting operation targeting the Bai Family!
Seeing a fork in the gravel path ahead, Bai Zichen pulled Bai Pangzi and ducked into the nearby rockery and stone forest. Their figures were quickly concealed by the layers of rockery.
Not taking the main road, although it would add several li to their journey, was safer and more covert since outsiders were unfamiliar with the paths in the rockery and stone forest.
“Senior Brother, those two little brats ran really fast. Should we chase them down and kill them?”
“What valuable things could two little brats have? Of course, we should first search the rooms up there to see if there’s anything valuable!”
The leader, referred to as Senior Brother, pulled his long halberd Magical Artifact from Song Yi’s body. Then, as if remembering something, he said, “But Elder also said before we set off to kill as many of these Celestial Family members as possible. Those two little brats are yours. They’re probably just starting to Cultivate, so you can catch them and kill them with one strike each, then we’ll regroup at the target location!”
“Yes, Senior Brother.” The questioner seemed somewhat resentful, but clearly dared not disobey this Senior Brother’s command, so he could only chase in the direction Bai Zichen and the others had fled.
“What Elder’s command? He just wants one less person to share the spoils from the dead on the mountain! When I return this time, I’ll refine the Hundred Ghost Banner, and you’ll see what’s coming to you. You’ll be the first on the main banner then!”