Chapter 26: Exterminating Bandits in the Mountains

Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Exterminating Bandits in the Mountains

Returning home from town, Fang Xu was just about to cultivate when he suddenly realized that his previously ample supply of Qi Blood Pills had been completely depleted last night!

Based on his estimates, the seventy Qi Blood Pills he had bought from Qinxiang House should have been enough for him to cultivate to the Martial Disciple realm.

But now, all seventy Qi Blood Pills were exhausted, and he still hadn’t broken through to a Martial Disciple. The reason was the bunch of "little cuties" housed in his body—they were simply too meticulous when it came to Refining Viscera.

Because of this, a significant portion of his Qi Blood Power was invisibly consumed.

Money!

When he sold the Blood Food Shop, he had over a thousand taels of silver in his hands, but it hadn’t even been half a month...

Looking at the remaining three hundred silver notes and a few pieces of broken silver, Fang Xu shook his head.

Martial Dao cultivation truly was a bottomless pit!

Because of the Blood Food Shop incident, he had already offended the Wu Family. If he went back to buy more Qi Blood Pills, would they even be willing to sell to him?

Harboring these concerns, Fang Xu arrived at the entrance of Qinxiang House.

"Young Master Fang, it’s been a while," the old Shopkeeper Chu Li greeted warmly at the door of Qinxiang House.

Fang Xu offered a forced smile in response, his head craning to peek inside the shop. "Wu isn’t here?"

Chu Li cupped his hands and said, "The boss is in the back hall. Are you looking for her, Young Master Fang?"

Fang Xu waved his hands repeatedly. "No, no, no! I’m just here to buy Qi Blood Pills."

Look for Wu Ningxue?

He didn’t want to bring trouble upon himself.

Pulling out three hundred silver notes from his chest, Fang Xu said, "Elder Li, I’ll take thirty Qi Blood Pills."

Chu Li accepted the silver notes, carefully verified their authenticity, and then quickly instructed a shop assistant to bring thirty Qi Blood Pills for Fang Xu.

"Has Elder Li been feeling unwell lately?" Fang Xu asked suddenly, remembering Chu Li’s mere 6% Life Value.

Feeling unwell?

Chu Li stretched his body and asked in confusion, "Not at all. Why do you ask, Young Master Fang?"

Fang Xu shook his head and smiled. "Just showing some concern for your health, sir."

Chu Li wasn’t Wang Erhu. They didn’t have much of a relationship, so Fang Xu wasn’t about to specifically warn him to be careful of anything.

"Thank you for your concern, Young Master Fang." Chu Li smiled awkwardly. He personally escorted Fang Xu to the door, said, "Please come again," and turned back into Qinxiang House.

Watching Chu Li’s retreating figure, Fang Xu pondered for a brief moment before heading straight home.

Taking out ten Qi Blood Pills at once, he divided them into five portions and consumed them at intervals of a few breaths. Using his consciousness, Fang Xu guided the Qi Blood Power generated by the pills to surge toward the little cuties wrapping his five viscera.

Upon devouring this Qi Blood Power, the little cuties inside his body immediately began their refinement of his five viscera.

Based on the results of Refining Viscera from last night, Fang Xu estimated that thirty Qi Blood Pills, supplemented by a small amount of Blood Food, would be enough to refine his five viscera to the peak of his current realm.

Once his five viscera were sufficiently refined, he could attempt Opening Acupoints to unlock the Acupoint Secret Treasure, breaking through to the realm of a Martial Disciple.

Having swallowed the ten Qi Blood Pills, he didn’t need to focus on cultivation. Instead, he went to the kitchen, cut off a piece of Blood Food weighing twenty catties, and slowly washed it by the well.

Time flew by, and night soon fell.

By this time, the Blood Qi Power in his body was mostly consumed. Fang Xu swallowed another ten Qi Blood Pills and began practicing fist techniques in the courtyard.

Late at night, within Tilan Mountain.

In front of a massive cave, battle cries shook the heavens!

Government Soldiers clad in standard black armor and wielding Broadswords were engaged in fierce hand-to-hand combat with a group of vicious bandits. The corpses of numerous bandits lay scattered haphazardly in front of the cave, and a thick stench of blood permeated the night sky.

On the outskirts of the battlefield, Lv Yuan stood quietly beside Yun Wan, holding a massive weapon resembling a Horse-Cutting Saber.

"Miss Yun, this is the third bandit lair." Yun Wan remained silent, her eyes quietly watching the slaughter before her.

"Have you found the leader of these bandits?" she asked slowly after a long while.

Lv Yuan swept his gaze over the fighting crowd. "Jiang Tian, go search the cave and capture the leader of these thugs!"

Not far away, a burly, bare-handed man with braided hair heard the order. He obliterated the bandit minion in front of him with a single punch, wiped the splattered blood from his face, and cupped his hands. "Understood!"

Not long after Jiang Tian ducked into the cave, a sudden explosive shout erupted from within, immediately followed by the frantic clashing of metal weapons!

Sensing the aura of combat inside the cave, the previously nonchalant expression on Lv Yuan’s face suddenly vanished. His eyes glinted sharply as he smiled faintly. "To think there’s a big fish among these thugs."

"Miss Yun, I’ll go take a look." After cupping his hands to Yun Wan, Lv Yuan’s figure exploded into motion, charging straight toward the cave!

BOOM!

Shortly after Lv Yuan rushed into the cave, a terrifying blast rang out from within. Then, a figure dressed in brown clothing flew straight out of the cave!

The brown-clad figure hurtled out, slamming viciously into solid rock and shattering the massive boulder to pieces.

SPURT!

A mouthful of fresh blood sprayed from the man’s mouth, and drops of blood slowly trickled down the messy beard at the corner of his lips.

Inside the cave, Lv Yuan and Jiang Tian walked out shoulder to shoulder.

"Boss, I was careless," Jiang Tian said, hanging his head in shame. A hideous gash hung across his face.

Lv Yuan shot him a cold glare. "As a Prefecture Commander and a Martial Artist at the Third Realm of the Martial Master stage, you were nearly slain by a First Realm bandit. I’ll settle the score with you when we get back!"

With that said, he strode over to the brown-clad figure with his greatsword in hand, hoisted the man up, carried him over to Yun Wan, and tossed him onto the ground.

"Miss Yun, this man should be the leader of these bandits."

Yun Wan glanced at the man on the ground and said flatly, "Over a month ago, did you and your men intercept and kill someone traveling from Fenglin Town to Qinghe County Town?"

Hearing this, the bandit leader stared at Yun Wan’s graceful figure and chuckled lewdly. "Little wench, I’ve killed too many to remember!"

SHING!

As soon as his voice faded, the longsword in Yun Wan’s hand abruptly unsheathed!

Accompanied by an arc of blood spraying high into the air, the bandit leader’s neck was cleanly slashed open by the sharp blade. He lost his life in an instant!

"Next location!"

Sheathing her sword, Yun Wan spoke with a cold expression.

"Miss Yun, there seem to be some treasures plundered by the thugs inside the cave. Should we transport them back to Huangzhou?" Lv Yuan hurried after her and cupped his hands to ask.

When he went inside earlier, he saw a significant amount of gold, silver, and treasures looted by these bandits.

Yun Wan’s footsteps paused briefly. "Have a Commander squad inventory the items and transport them back to Huangzhou."

Lv Yuan quickly cupped his hands, then looked over at Wang Erhu, who was busy finishing off the wounded nearby. "Erhu, have your Commander lead the brothers to tally the treasures in the cave and transport them back to Huangzhou Prefecture!"

Wang Erhu froze for a moment before replying with full delight, "Yes, Commandant!"

Compared to fighting bandits in these vast mountains, escorting money back to Huangzhou was undoubtedly a cushy job.

Not only was it safe, but the treasures in the cave would also allow them to skim a little off the top.

The main battalion of Government Soldiers gradually moved away, leaving only Wang Erhu’s Commander squad in front of the cave, busy cleaning up the battlefield and tallying the loot.

"Commander, how much are we taking?" Looking at the chests of treasure being carried out, a Government Soldier rubbed his hands together and shouted to his own Commander.

The Government Soldier Commander looked at the massive pile of gold and silver in front of him. He grabbed a handful of quail-egg-sized golden beans from the pile and said, "Two for each of the five squad leaders, one for everyone else, and twenty for the Commandant!"

Hearing his words, all the Government Soldiers quickly crowded around, happily dividing the golden beans among themselves.

Each golden bean weighed a full tael, roughly equivalent to two hundred silver taels. It was enough to equal half a year’s salary for them.

"Erhu, I’m entrusting the Commandant’s twenty beans to you. When we get to Huangzhou, deliver them to his wife."

Tossing a cloth bag containing twenty golden beans to Wang Erhu, the Prefecture Commander said.

Wang Erhu caught the cloth bag, shoved it into his chest, and replied, "Yes, Commander!"

"Keep your hands clean!

"We’ve taken what we should. Don’t touch what we shouldn’t!

"Load the carts! Move out!"

Accompanied by the shout of the Prefecture Commander, the hundred Government Soldiers instantly sprang into action. They loaded all the treasures onto carts and hurried toward Huangzhou.