Volume Three: Rising Fame Chapter Fifteen: Duel Amidst the Brawl

The so-called bandits were mostly cultivators who had committed crimes and were now fugitives. Ordinary folk, at most, would prey upon the occasional lone traveler; few would dare attempt the brazen act of raiding entire villages. After all, this was a world where everyone practiced cultivation—a realm rife with demons and strange beasts. Even those without talent for cultivation would learn body-strengthening techniques, gaining some means of self-defense. Should any foolish commoner attempt to pillage a village without vastly superior numbers, the villagers would surely rise up, snatching nearby weapons and fighting back. The mountain folk, after all, possessed a fierce spirit honed by battling wild beasts.

“How do you see it?” Qingyang De’s gaze shifted thoughtfully to Li Yu.

The garrison was stationed in a carefully selected location, on the edge of the heartland of Green Mountain County. To reach the county’s borders from here would require a forced march of seven or eight days. The sudden emergence of banditry in such a place made Qingyang De’s first instinct question whether it was a trap laid by another clan. Yet he quickly realized that if another clan had infiltrated this area, it would be a grave insult to the Qing clan’s border defenses.

“When marching out, of course I defer to you,”

Li Yu looked at Qingyang De with some puzzlement; he wondered why his opinion was being sought. He knew perfectly well his own limitations—he had no experience with matters like this and no right to dictate. He was not some all-knowing prodigy.

“Why don’t we go see for ourselves?” Qingyang De suggested. “Bandits appearing here is probably just a coincidence. There shouldn’t be much danger—consider it a warm-up exercise!”

He prided himself on the Qing clan’s governance of Green Mountain County: overall peace and strict law prevailed. Yet banditry could never be fully eradicated. Many cultivators—whether of the divine or martial path—after committing crimes, could only endure the hardships of hiding for a few days before succumbing to boredom. Larger towns were tightly regulated, so most would gather small groups and roam between villages.

Li Yu considered for a moment, “Should we go now?”

He suddenly remembered Stone Village, which had also been pillaged by bandits. In this situation, he was no longer the novice who had just signed in to obtain entry to this world. If he could help, he was willing.

Despite carrying the title of a sixth-grade cultivator, with the thunderbloodline and daily sign-in rewards, anyone who underestimated him as merely a sixth-grade would pay dearly—Qing Yuan was a prime example.

They set out at once—both moved swiftly and decisively. Considering the bandits’ numbers, mostly ordinary people, they brought three hundred Qingyang soldiers along.

Under the cover of night, Li Yu and Qingyang De led the way, followed by three hundred armored cavalry. The group melted into the darkness, the only sound a faint friction of iron plates.

“Are there many bandits like these?” Li Yu rode steadily, astride a tiger-shaped beast.

Riding was a minor part of the Qing clan’s curriculum. After all, his goal as a third-grade divine cultivator meant he would soon master flight—riding was hardly essential. Li Yu, however, did not hesitate to max out his proficiency.

“Not many,” Qingyang De replied. “Most cultivators of grade rank enjoy high status and are well cared for—they rarely turn to crime.”

But if they were wanted by the Qing clan, they could not hide for long. Unable to enter major towns, they would target villages instead. This was the main source of banditry in Green Mountain County, and the reason it was so hard to control. Of course, such people only enjoyed their status outside the Qing clan—in the clan, anyone below sixth-grade was just an ordinary citizen, living a modest but comfortable life.

“Your riding skills are impressive,” Qingyang De observed. Li Yu’s technique surpassed even some cavalrymen.

The tiger-shaped beast had snake-like scales on its limbs and wore chilling armor. It looked imposing but was actually extremely ferocious—without skill, few could ride it.

Qingyang De was fairly certain Li Yu had had little chance to practice within the clan, so how was he so proficient?

“I attended a few lessons—it’s not difficult,” Li Yu nodded, gazing ahead. “We’re almost there.”

He could already discern the village’s outline, its fires glowing brightly in the distance.

Just as he finished speaking, a group of cavalry approached—scouts who had been dispatched earlier. They were split into two teams: one checking for ambushes, the other investigating the village itself.

Qingyang De, still pursing his lips, saw the scouts draw near. His adjutant accelerated, moved out of formation, and brought back the report.

“General, resistance in the village is nearly over. The bandit leader is an eighth-grade divine cultivator; our investigation found six ninth-grade martial cultivators and two ninth-grade divine cultivators among them, for a total of twenty-eight.”

“Send two teams to encircle them!”

Qingyang De deliberated, then issued the order. Two hundred soldiers split off, accelerated, and spread out in a line, surrounding the village as if hunting a monstrous beast.

“Should we go straight in?” Qingyang De squinted at the village now within arm’s reach.

‘Why do they keep asking my opinion…’

Li Yu was at a loss. It was his first time facing such matters, and he had resolved to follow orders throughout.

He did not know that Qingyang De had been instructed by Qing Heng before departure: one, to draw closer to Li Yu—opportunities to travel together were rare; two, to expose Li Yu to more of the world.

Their assessment indicated that Li Yu held a deep curiosity about the world, yet had never experienced it since joining the clan. Thus, Qingyang De continually sought his opinions—both as a gesture of goodwill and to fulfill the lord’s task of broadening Li Yu’s horizons.

“We’re clearly stronger—why not just go in?” Li Yu, unable to bear Qingyang De’s intense gaze, voiced his thoughts.

Behind them was a hundred-strong cavalry, each a nondescript eighth-grade divine cultivator. Their opponents were little more than a handful of scattered bandits.

“We have overwhelming force,” Qingyang De nodded, riding forward, “Well said.”

Li Yu followed close behind, muttering, “If the bandits resist, let them choose—either single combat or a group beating!”

The bandit leader was only an eighth-grade divine cultivator; whether it was one-on-one or facing a hundred, the outcome would be the same. Let him choose—no one could say they were bullying him.

The cavalry behind them remained silent. With Qingyang De’s gesture, they dismounted their weapons as they entered the village.

Under the moonlight, their blades, black as ink, seemed to absorb the lunar radiance, giving off not the slightest glint of cold steel.