“Bah! What a pauper, no wonder he became a bandit.”
Ning Yue curled his lip, pocketing a few hundred taels of small coins. Besides that, there was a cloth scroll covered in tiny, densely packed characters. Ning Yue just glanced at it and grinned.
Jie Mai Qinlong (Arresting Dragon Vein) — This seems to be a Earth-grade cultivation method!
A man cannot get rich without ill-gotten gains, just as a horse cannot grow fat without extra fodder at night. Ning Yue finally understood why some people loved being mountain bandits.
No kidding, money comes so fast!
A Earth-grade cultivation method, if in the hands of some minor noble families, would even be treasured as an ancestral secret art, forbidden to be practiced by non-direct descendants. In the hands of certain experts, it would be a trump card not easily revealed.
Ning Yue had been muddling through in the army for over a year and had never heard of any colleague being able to practice a cultivation method of this level, nor was it even in the military merit exchange ledger.
Of course, this was largely due to Earth-grade cultivation methods having high cultivation requirements and being difficult to master.
It also indirectly demonstrated the preciousness and power of such cultivation methods!
Pulling down his face mask, Ning Yue carefully identified the man against the memories in his mind. It was indeed the second-in-command of Bald Mountain.
Then, he severed the head, wrapped it in a Black-Clothed Man’s garment, and carried it in his hand.
He wondered how many second-class merits the head of a second-in-command could exchange for? But the two thousand taels of silver bounty were certainly his.
After finishing up, Ning Yue didn't linger but hurried towards the inner city.
The enemy had even dispatched Forging Bone Realm experts. Ning Yue figured his current cultivation was best kept out of the way.
The thrill of killing a bandit solo and turning the tide from the brink of death was indeed satisfying, and the rewards were incredibly high, but the danger was too great. And Ning Yue was a pauper most of the time, so it was a one-time thing.
How could fighting alone compare to the sweetness of ganging up with many people?
He just wondered how long his superior could hold out against a Forging Bone Realm expert?
...
“You’re giving up already?” Xue Ren, with a saber on his shoulder, kicked the bandit leader, who lay sprawled like a dead dog before him.
The One-Eyed Mountain King had long lost his previous arrogance. His night suit was slashed to pieces, crisscrossing saber marks covered his entire body, and his once swollen physique had deflated back to normal, making him appear somewhat thin.
It seemed he only had one breath left.
If he hadn't wanted to keep him alive, Xue Ren wouldn't have gone to such great lengths.
“Uncle Fu!”
“This old servant is here!” A black-robed elder instantly appeared before Xue Ren like a phantom.
“Did you clearly see the origins of the people who just stopped you?”
Uncle Fu picked up a piece of cloth in his hand and said, “These two men’s martial arts are not inferior to this old servant’s, and they have learned a variety of techniques, deliberately hiding their tracks, making them difficult to identify. To ensure young master’s safety, I could only go all out and had no time to worry about anything else.”
A cold light flashed in Xue Ren’s eyes.
“To deal with me, they were willing to use two Blood Exchange Realm experts. Heh heh, they truly think highly of the Xue Family.”
In the entire Gu City, there were only a handful of warriors who could reach the Blood Exchange Realm. In the army, they would at least hold the position of Baihu, besides the four great families and the City Lord’s mansion.
For ordinary forces, breaking through Yijin (Tendon Changing) and entering the Forging Bone Realm was already extremely rare; talent, innate bone structure, and the most precious opportunities were all indispensable.
If Uncle Fu hadn't desperately held off the two powerful enemies tonight, and Ning Yue and the other had not successively lured away the enemy leaders, who knows who would have won this battle?
“Right, how are those two?”
“Ning Yue broke through during the battle and, using the element of surprise, cut down the enemy with one strike. He has already gone to the inner city gate to report.” Uncle Fu’s voice still held unconcealed surprise.
“What?!” Xue Ren’s heart churned.
Breaking through during battle?...
Killing an Yijin (Tendon Changing) Realm warrior with one strike across realms?...
Neither of these things sounded like something an ordinary person could achieve.
Even warriors of the same realm, no matter how disparate their strength, could at least hold out for a dozen rounds.
The annual grand military competition was always protracted, spanning dozens of sessions and lasting over half a month.
Let alone a warrior separated by an entire major realm.
“He really killed that second-in-command with one strike?” Xue Ren still couldn't quite believe it. Although he had taken some effort to capture the bandit alive, he felt that even he couldn't instantly kill the One-Eyed Leader with one strike.
Uncle Fu added, “According to this old servant’s observation, his saber technique is exquisite. He has probably cultivated that Night Battle Eight Desolations saber technique to perfection.”
“It’s probably more than that. His innate bone structure has likely transformed.” Xue Ren said with emotion, looking up at the gray night sky, “Alas, worthy of being a soldier I trained!”
Uncle Fu: “...”
After a moment, Xue Ren continued to ask, “How is my cousin? Is he injured?”
Uncle Fu’s face showed a hint of disdainful smile and said, “Young Master Youwei was alert and hid in a dark alley. No matter how the enemy cursed, he wouldn’t come out. However, when this old servant arrived, young master’s pants were a little wet.”
“To avoid embarrassment, this old servant could only take the bandit away and did not inform young master’s cousin.”
“Hahahaha.” Xue Ren was a little gleeful. Before Uncle Fu finished speaking, he burst out laughing.
Then, feeling it was inappropriate, he defended, “This is not his fault. My cousin has always been cautious, and the incident happened so suddenly. It’s rare enough that he managed to escape from the enemy’s hands...”
At this point, Xue Ren’s voice paused noticeably, then he said with a desolate tone, “It’s just... I just hope he won’t blame me in the future.”
Whether a warrior cultivates martial arts to refine himself or faces an enemy in battle, the first and foremost quality is “courage.”
A warrior without courage is like having his weapon broken in his hand, while a courageous person is invincible, even able to kill enemies across realms, unyielding.
In Xue Ren’s opinion, no talent, innate bone structure, or fortuitous treasures were as important as this word!
As he spoke, hurried footsteps could be faintly heard in the distance.
Xue Ren’s ears twitched, and he quickly gave Uncle Fu a few instructions.
Subsequently, Uncle Fu’s body dispersed into the darkness like mist, leaving behind his last words: “This old servant would also like to remind young master, this old servant just scoured the outer city and did not see a single soldier.”
“I know. The plan remains unchanged.” Xue Ren’s eyes were as deep as the night. He flicked a pill with his finger, directly inserting it into the mouth of the One-Eyed Bandit.
The One-Eyed Bandit immediately lost all signs of life.
Not long after, Ning Yue had already arrived with Xiao Wenjie and the large contingent of soldiers.
Xue Youwei trailed far behind everyone.
The terrifying battle just now had left him with lingering fear. He had hidden in the dark alley for so long, so long that he felt time had stopped, but he still dared not move.
His light-footed skill was not as fast as his opponent’s, and his saber was not as sharp as the enemy’s. He clearly knew that he had lost his courage, and once he faced them, he would surely die!
Fortunately, there had been no more cursing from the Black-Clothed Man outside for a long time, and then he heard the sound of a large group of soldiers galloping on horseback. Only then did he cautiously straighten his somewhat damp clothes and trail far behind Ning Yue and the others.
However, when he clearly saw what appeared to be a human head hanging from Ning Yue’s waist, Xue Youwei’s heart suddenly jolted.
The bandit, at whose hands he had almost lost his life, had been counter-killed across realms by Ning Yue?!
But Ning Yue’s clothes at this moment... were only slightly dirty?!
This was too unscientific!
“Your subordinate greets Zongqi. I am late in coming to your aid, please forgive me, Zongqi.” Ning Yue dismounted, cupped his hands, and lowered his gaze, his eyes unable to hide his astonishment.
A Forging Bone Realm expert, enough to hold the position of Baihu in a military garrison, was actually counter-killed across realms by his own Zongqi?!
One must know, the higher the realm, the more difficult it was to kill enemies across realms. His own reversal could not be compared to Xue Ren’s. And looking at Xue Ren’s current state, his clothes were only slightly dirty?!
This was too unscientific!
He himself had broken through, and taken advantage of a sneak attack, to defeat the enemy with one strike.
But what about Xue Ren?
He remembered that Xue Ren had only entered the Yijin (Tendon Changing) Realm a little over a year ago. The direct descendant of an aristocratic family, his strength was indeed not to be underestimated. Killing enemies across realms was merely an ordinary feat for him.
Damn it, if I had known, I would have just rushed over and lent Zongqi a hand! Ning Yue secretly regretted it endlessly.
“You, come here.” Xue Ren gestured for Ning Yue to come forward, then grabbed Ning Yue’s arm, leaning most of his body weight onto him.
Ning Yue’s arm suddenly sank, and Xue Ren’s faint voice came to his ear, “Hold on, I’m out of strength.”
Xiao Wenjie also followed, and seeing Xue Ren and the One-Eyed Bandit at his feet, he said with some emotion, “This bandit is not weak, he has probably stepped into the early Forging Bone Realm. I didn’t expect Young Master Xue’s strength to be unfathomable, actually being able to kill this person across realms. He is truly no less than Xue Zhenfu back in the day!”
There were clear records in the military of killing enemies across a major realm: one hundred thirteen people in the Yijin (Tendon Changing) Realm, ninety-seven of whom died in battle, a truly near-death experience.
Among the sixteen victors, eleven later died from severe injuries and exhaustion; the remaining five are now all renowned figures, and Xue Zhenfu is one of them.
After Xiao Wenjie finished speaking, he looked at the bandit beside him and shouted, “Men, take this bandit back and have the coroner carefully examine the body. I want to know who was so audacious tonight as to dare to assassinate a court official!”
“Yes!” Two petty officials in black immediately stepped forward, intending to pull the bandit up and take him away.
Xue Ren, however, shook his head and said, “No need to trouble Brother Xiao. Youwei, you come.”
Xue Youwei was called out and was at a loss for a moment, “Ah?! Me?”
But he quickly reacted, stepped forward, and propped up the bandit. The once infamous One-Eyed Leader of Bald Mountain lay limply in Xue Youwei’s arms like a dead dog, allowing himself to be dragged without resistance.
Xiao Wenjie’s face was a little grim, and he said directly, “Young Master, are you perhaps distrusting me? This person, in my hands, will certainly not be lost. Since you are already injured, you should rest well.”
“I, Xiao, am not an ungrateful person. If someone dares to target the Xue Family, they must first ask if my saber, Xiao Wenjie’s saber, agrees!”
“Brother Xiao, you’ve misunderstood me,” Xue Ren explained, “I’m just afraid you’ll snatch my military reward silver...”
Xiao Wenjie was stunned, then also laughed: “Young Master is always joking. Since that’s the case, I, Xiao, will respectfully obey.”
Xue Ren didn’t know when he had picked up his subordinate’s bad habit, but it was just right for deflecting now.
He flicked his sleeve.
Ning Yue supported him, Xue Youwei dragged the “dead dog,” and the three men and one “corpse” slowly headed towards the military camp.
As soon as they left Xiao Wenjie’s sight, Ning Yue curiously turned to Xue Youwei and asked, “Brother Youwei, what about the bandit who was chasing you? Did you counter-kill him too?”
Ning Yue patted the human head at his waist, “This is a great merit, with a lot of reward silver! Why didn’t you bring his head?”
Xue Ren felt like laughing.
Xue Youwei felt like crying. He hurriedly replied, “I didn’t kill him, I... I don’t know where he ran off to?”
“Huh? Why are your pants wet?!”
“I wasn’t careful and fell into a ditch.” Xue Youwei used the cover of night to hide his guilt.
“No wonder it stinks.” Ning Yue lightly covered his nose and said with realization.
“Hahahahaha — *cough*!” Xue Ren burst into laughter, but his laughter stopped abruptly as he coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood...
Xue Ren fell backward!