Three Fiends Ridge, Leaf-Picking Fairy Ji Sanniang

Li Yan slept for a full day and night. When he woke up again, it was already the morning of the third day.

Upon seeing Li Yan emerge, the butler quickly stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"Young Master Li, breakfast is ready. Please help yourself."

"Thank you, Uncle Fu."

As they spoke, Uncle Fu's gaze flickered to the crescent blade slung across Li Yan's back. His eyes narrowed slightly before quickly concealing his surprise.

Li Yan caught all these subtle changes. It was clear that the butler knew exactly what had happened from the very beginning.

Simple congee and side dishes were the most comforting. After eating, Li Yan first went to an escort agency in town. With gold and silver paving the way, it was easy to learn about the specific situation of Three Fiends Ridge from the escorts.

According to the escorts, when they escorted goods, they would rather pass through Black Cloud Stronghold and honestly pay the toll than go through Three Fiends Ridge.

The eighteen people on Three Fiends Ridge were all lunatics!

The boss, Heart-Shattering Hand Zhao Xincheng, loved to dig out hearts and livers. Once he personally robbed them, at least half of the travelers would die with their hearts gouged out.

The second, Hall-Piercing Palm Zhao Chijiu, would disembowel people with his attacks and loved to eat human livers raw.

All eighteen of them had preferences that chilled the blood and made one's liver and gallbladder turn cold. Passing through Three Fiends Ridge was like stepping one foot into the Yellow Springs; life and death depended entirely on fate and the whims of others.

Furthermore, these fellows were truly like family. If they found something good, they would share it with each other. If someone was overwhelmed, the others would rush to their aid as quickly as possible.

When Li Yan left the escort agency, he already had a plan in mind.

At noon, when the sun was high in the sky, Li Yan appeared outside Three Fiends Ridge. As soon as he arrived, he saw a carriage hesitating at the entrance.

"Young Master, are we really going this way?" the servant driving the horse was filled with panic and dread.

"Oh, Old Wang, why are you becoming so long-winded? It's just Three Fiends Ridge. Back when you and Father were dominating the battlefield, you weren't this hesitant... Besides, maybe we'll be lucky and won't even encounter those people?"

"Young Master!"

Snap The sound of a folding fan closing came from inside the carriage. "Alright, stop the nonsense. When we get back, I'll ask Father to increase your monthly pay."

While they were talking, the old servant driving the horse was extremely reluctant. Suddenly, he saw Li Yan approaching with a travel pack on his back. He was surprised and a little pleased. He immediately dismounted from the carriage and walked two steps to Li Yan.

"Greetings, young hero. I am Wang Fang. I pay my respects to you, young hero."

Li Yan looked at the old man coldly and said nothing. The curtain of the carriage beside him was lifted by a folding fan, and a voice filled with impatience came out, "Old Wang, what are you doing?"

Hearing this, Wang Fang bared his teeth and made a face towards the carriage, waving his hand.

"Ahaha, may I ask if young hero is also passing through Three Fiends Ridge?"

"Is there something?"

"Yes, yes. To be honest, young hero, my master and I are also passing through Three Fiends Ridge. However, there are bandits here, and my master and I are afraid we can't handle them. So, we'd like to travel with young hero..."

As he said this, Wang Fang seemed to remember something. He quickly reached into his怀 (bosom/pocket) and took out a gold ingot, respectfully handing it to Li Yan. "Of course, we won't let young hero work for nothing. This ten taels of gold will be a deposit. Once we pass Three Fiends Ridge, we will have a generous gift for you."

Li Yan glanced at the old man, then at the young man in the carriage whose face he couldn't see. Li Yan did not take the gold ingot and walked straight into Three Fiends Ridge with his pack.

Seeing this, the old man mistook it for the young man's heroic spirit and dislike for material wealth. However, he quickly urged the carriage to follow.

Although this place was called Three Fiends Ridge, one didn't actually need to climb mountains. To pass through, one only needed to traverse the long canyon between the three mountains.

As soon as they entered the valley, the hazy clouds and mist almost obscured their vision. It was difficult to see more than ten feet away.

Li Yan walked cautiously, and Old Wang behind him, driving the carriage, was even more afraid to be careless.

"Heh heh, mountain canyons have always had strong winds. This is my first time seeing such a misty and foggy canyon."

"Hush! Young Master, speak less. We are in danger right now."

"Ai~ Old Wang, you're getting more cowardly as you get older. Do you really think those people inside won't notice us just because we entered this place?"

As if to confirm his words, the enveloping mist suddenly began to swirl rapidly. At the same time, a strong wind howled through the valley. The wind brushed past the stone walls on both sides, sounding like the wails of ghosts.

Then, a sinister voice echoed through the valley: "Hehehehehe, today is quite lively. Two young men with full Blood Essence have arrived. It's perfect, you can both stay to serve me."

"That old fellow can forget it. His Blood Essence is dry and he's old and faded, completely useless. Hurry up and take your old horse and get lost."

"Oh no, it's Leaf-Picking Lady! She likes men!"

Leaf-Picking Lady Ji Sanniang was ranked sixth among the eighteen people in the mountain. Her strength was at the Qi Condensation Fifth Level.

Legend had it that Ji Sanniang was the most soft-hearted among the eighteen. As long as there were no young and strong men in the traveler's group, and they paid an appropriate amount of money, she would not make things difficult for them.

But if there were young and strong or handsome young men in the group, they were truly out of luck.

It was said that after these men were abducted, she would indulge them night after night until their vital essence was depleted, leaving them like withered bones before throwing them back into the mountain to fend for themselves.

"Hmph! To behave so improperly as a woman, and to rebel against heaven, abducting young and strong men. A woman like you should be captured and drowned in a pig cage!"

The young master's angry roar came from inside the carriage, causing Old Wang's face to change drastically.

Before Old Wang could speak, the sinister female voice sounded again: "Hahahaha, boy, you're not old, yet you speak such wild words."

"Why should men be allowed to have three wives and four concubines and enjoy themselves every night, but we women are not allowed to have three husbands and four wives and take all comers?"

"Don't worry, I, Sanniang, am skilled and have many tricks. Once you become my person, I guarantee you won't want to leave for a single moment!"

Hearing this, Li Yan's mouth twitched. Big sister, please shut up! If you keep talking, this world will be ruined!

Li Yan's head ached. The young master, however, was furious. He had never been teased like this in his life. His parents would never tolerate this!

"What a lewd and evil woman, watch as this young master captures you first!"

As the words fell, the sedan curtain was suddenly lifted, and the young master shot out like an arrow breaking through the air, directly crashing into the depths of the thick fog.

The next moment, fluctuations of True Qi surged from above. A fan tore through the air, and sharp claws ferociously attacked without pause.

Sensing the anomaly overhead, Wang Fang inwardly lamented his misfortune. He suddenly turned to look at the motionless Li Yan beside him and hastily pleaded, "Young hero, my young master is in grave danger, please lend your aid."

Li Yan glanced at him and said indifferently, "No."

"This... why is that?"

"Others are monitoring the battle. If I make a move, they will too."

"What?"

Wang Fang exclaimed in shock, only to hear sinister laughter erupt from all directions: "Hahahaha, boy, you have sharp senses indeed to have detected Zhao Chijiu's presence."

"Boy, how dare you touch my sixth sister, scram!"

"Bang!"

A muffled thud echoed as the young master was sent flying back even faster than he had gone out, crashing into the carriage, shattering the rear panel, and tumbling onto the ground several times.

Lying on the ground, the young man wanted to say something, but a mouthful of fresh blood came out first.

"Let's go!"

Without a word, Li Yan grabbed Wang Fang with one hand and moved towards the young man.

"Where do you think you're going!" Zhao Chijiu's voice rang out, and the sound of rapid air-piercing speed came from the air.

Hearing the commotion, Li Yan directly pulled off the bundle on his back and flung it into the mist, shouting loudly, "Look out for the hidden weapon!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Chijiu quickly slowed his pace and simultaneously struck out with a palm, hitting the bundle squarely.

The bundle suddenly exploded, and a faint golden light was still very clear in the mist. Gold ingots dazzled Zhao Chijiu's eyes.