This Woman Has Malicious Intent

"This is bad. There are other masters in the mountain stronghold. Minjun, take care of your junior brothers and sisters."

Without waiting for Ding Minjun's reply, Miejue took a breath of true energy and leaped up, streaking through the air like a great goose towards the distant mountain stronghold.

Her figure flickered a few times before disappearing from everyone's sight, leaving no trace.

Seeing Miejue leave, the remaining dozens of mountain bandits around them let out a long sigh of relief.

It felt like the heavy blade hanging over their heads had been removed.

After relaxing, the mountain bandits around them looked at Ding Minjun, Gu Shao'an, and Zhou Zhiruo in the center of the field with doubt.

They wanted to step forward and finish off Gu Shao'an and the others, but thinking of the strength Gu Shao'an and Ding Minjun had displayed earlier, and Miejue's current unknown whereabouts, they were still apprehensive.

For a moment, they didn't know whether to continue fighting or to flee.

At the same time, Gu Shao'an had already moved to Zhou Zhiruo's side, making it easier for Ding Minjun to protect the two of them later.

But just as Gu Shao'an looked up at Ding Minjun, he met her thoughtful gaze.

Seeing the cold curve of Ding Minjun's lips, Gu Shao'an's heart sank.

"No, this woman has bad intentions."

Almost as soon as Gu Shao'an had this thought, Ding Minjun seemed to have made up her mind.

She immediately shouted, "Junior brother, junior sister, these mountain bandits must be killed. Not a single one of them can be left alive today."

After speaking, Ding Minjun strode forward a few steps and leaped up, charging towards a group of mountain bandits. Screams immediately erupted.

Looking at Ding Minjun, who was reaping the lives of the surrounding mountain bandits with her sword, and recalling what she had just said.

The mountain bandits who were still hesitating whether to flee or stay began to harden their hearts one by one.

They all glared ferociously at Gu Shao'an and Zhou Zhiruo.

Gu Shao'an's mind raced, and he understood Ding Minjun's intentions.

She was driving the dogs into a dead-end alley, forcing these mountain bandits into a desperate fight.

The goal was not only to eliminate these mountain bandits but also to use them to eliminate him and Zhou Zhiruo.

Curses echoing in his mind, Gu Shao'an sheathed his sword immediately and said to the still bewildered Zhou Zhiruo beside him, "Shijie, stay close to me later."

At this moment, Zhou Zhiruo looked bewildered, not understanding why Gu Shao'an's expression had become so solemn.

However, she could clearly feel the menacing gazes of the mountain bandits in the distance.

She nodded in response to Gu Shao'an and tightly gripped the wooden sword in her hand.

As both of them prepared themselves, and seeing Ding Minjun relentlessly slaughtering the mountain bandits around her with her sword, the remaining mountain bandits finally couldn't hold back and charged towards Gu Shao'an.

Looking at the approaching mountain bandits, Gu Shao'an's eyes were as calm as an abyss. His left hand tightly held the scabbard, his right hand circled the sword hilt, and true energy circulated within him.

A few breaths later, the two leading mountain bandits rushed in front of Gu Shao'an and Zhou Zhiruo, swinging their sabers, both cleaving towards Gu Shao'an.

The sharp blade wind whistled, not slowing down at all because the target in front of them was just a child.

The moment the two swung their sabers, Gu Shao'an's hand, which was circling the sword hilt, pressed against it, and his fingers tightened abruptly.

Zheng—

A melodious sword hum echoed, and the long sword in the scabbard suddenly transformed into a bolt of lightning.

Reflected in the firelight, a sword gleam suddenly appeared in the eyes of the two mountain bandits.

It was as brilliant as a rainbow after rain, and as fleeting as a shooting star in the sky.

"Pfft, pfft."

The sharp sword blade cut through the legs of the two mountain bandits in front of him like slicing through tofu, accompanied by two muffled sounds of steel cutting flesh.

The blade sank an inch and two fen, cutting the skin and tendons, but not the bone.

The two mountain bandits whose legs were cut by the sword blade felt a surge of intense pain in their wounded legs. The strong pain caused their bodies to instantly lose balance and fall to the ground, screaming incessantly.

After injuring two mountain bandits with one sword, Gu Shao'an's sword momentum was not yet exhausted.

He used the terrifying initial speed of drawing his sword and the force of his spin to execute the third move of Sunset Swordplay, Melting Gold Boils the Sea.

The long sword was dragged horizontally. The sword light, like the soft but deadly afterglow of the setting sun, brushed past the outer sides of the knees of the three mountain bandits who followed closely behind.

The blade sank an inch into the flesh, directly severing the patellar ligaments (the spot tapped for the knee-jerk reflex) below their knees.

"Ugh."

Three suppressed cries of pain. The three mountain bandits felt a piercing pain in their knees as if they had been hit by a heavy hammer. They couldn't even attack, and they involuntarily dropped their weapons, clutching their knees and howling in pain.

From drawing his sword to injuring the enemy, to spinning and cutting knees, the entire process was as fast as a fleeting moment.

As the five mountain bandits in front of him fell, Gu Shao'an had already sheathed his sword. He then pulled Zhou Zhiruo and retreated several steps, creating a small distance of life and death from the bandits rushing behind them.

But after a few steps, more mountain bandits surged past the injured and fallen ones, charging towards Gu Shao'an and Zhou Zhiruo.

Gu Shao'an remained unmoved, like a reef.

Whenever a mountain bandit stepped into his predetermined danger zone, the sword in the scabbard would dart out like a poisonous snake flicking its tongue. Each time, it would precisely stab the wrist holding the weapon, sweep across the ankles and calves, or slash diagonally at the knee joint.

The sword light only lingered in the lower body, never going deeper.

But with every sword strike, several enemies inevitably fell, their screams echoing endlessly.

Zhou Zhiruo watched the scene of blood splashing and enemies groaning on the ground, a mix of shock and fear gripping her. Yet, she forced herself to stay calm, tightening her grip on the wooden sword and staying close to Gu Shao'an's side.

The mountain bandits were numerous. In his prime, Gu Shao'an alone might have used his agility and footwork to evade, pick them off one by one.

The problem was that Gu Shao'an had already gone through a series of battles, his stamina significantly depleted, and he was feeling the strain.

Beside him was Zhou Zhiruo, equally exhausted, her inner force almost completely gone.

With more enemies than allies, and their movements restricted, a direct confrontation would inevitably require him to rely on evasive maneuvers and footwork to find opportunities for a killing blow.

After killing several, if his remaining strength was exhausted, he would only be putting himself in a passive position.

It was better to do as he was doing now, injuring but not killing, focusing on the bandits' legs to limit their movement and conserve his own strength. When they advanced, he retreated, avoiding being surrounded by these mountain bandits.

The groans continued without pause.

In just a moment, another seven or eight mountain bandits cried out in pain, clutching their legs and falling within a few feet of Gu Shao'an and Zhou Zhiruo.

The figures writhing and screaming on the ground finally intimidated the remaining bandits, who hesitated and stopped advancing.

However, a few other bandits were provoked by Gu Shao'an's actions, their reason lost as they charged towards Gu Shao'an, who was now gasping for breath.

In the distance, Ding Minjun, who was busy fending off bandits on the other side, caught a glimpse of Gu Shao'an's situation with her peripheral vision. Her brow furrowed sharply.

The continuous, precise, and efficient sword attacks, the calm composure in the face of danger, and the control over the rhythm far exceeded her expectations.

"How can his sword be so fast?"