Transaction, the Furious Fierce Wind Bandits

Strength +5

Speed +2

Constitution +3.5

Experience +120

Obtained Falling Star Spear Fragment

As the orb of light entered his body, Li Yan felt thoroughly refreshed.

So this was what fighting a BOSS felt like. The grunts only gave tiny bits of attributes, but a BOSS gave so much—he had even dropped a skill!

Unable to wait, Li Yan checked his current stats.

Name: Li Yan

Realm: Body Tempering Seventh Layer

Strength: 94.8

Speed: 86

Physique: 90.5

Spirit: 22

Martial Arts: Hundred Beasts Marrow Quenching Scripture, Fifth Layer (0/1600); Hundred Battles Saber, Mastered (0/600); Falling Star Spear Fragment (Completion/1000);

Remaining Experience Points: 361

Very good. As long as his speed also broke through ninety points, he could step into the Body Tempering Eighth Layer. If word of this rate of advancement got out, it would scare someone to death.

Just as he was thinking, a sound came from behind him. Shangguan Xiyun cautiously emerged from the mist.

"Didn't I tell you to wait on the mountain? Why did you come down?"

Shangguan Xiyun pursed her lips and did not dare speak. On the way down, she had seen many corpses. This savage-looking fellow was truly terrifying.

Just then, Shangguan Xiyun spotted Xu Sanqiang's head and cried out, "Xu Sanqiang?! You killed Xu Sanqiang?"

"So I killed someone. Why are you so surprised?"

"No, we can't stay here. Hurry, we have to go!"

As she spoke, Shangguan Xiyun grabbed Li Yan and tried to leave, but Li Yan did not budge.

Shangguan Xiyun seemed extremely anxious and hurriedly said, "You don't understand. Xu Sanqiang was the Third Boss of the Fierce Wind Bandits. Because he was young, the other two bosses doted on him greatly. Once news of his death gets out, the other two will surely lead a large force to hunt us down."

At that, Li Yan's eyes lit up slightly. More people coming to surround him? Weren't they just bringing him experience?

But Shangguan Xiyun continued, "The Fierce Wind Bandits' Second Boss, Yuan Feipeng, is already a Meridian Opening Second Layer expert. His Tearing Wind Claws are incomparably vicious. They say that once he strikes, his opponent cannot even leave behind an intact corpse."

"And their leader, Wang Dingtian—no one has ever seen him fight. All they know is that he stands eight chi tall and moves like a mountain. He must be an expert who cultivates a Hardening Technique, and he is absolutely no weaker than Yuan Feipeng."

"If we stay here, we will certainly die."

Good heavens, the weakest was at least Meridian Opening Second Layer. They really could not stay here.

After thinking for a moment, Li Yan said meaningfully, "Just now, I already saved you twice."

"Ah? Wasn't it once..."

"They searched the mountain twice, so naturally that makes twice. Otherwise, you would have been caught the first time!"

Shangguan Xiyun puffed out her little cheeks. She might be a little adorable, but she was not foolish. Li Yan could not fool her!

Seeing Shangguan Xiyun's puffed-up cheeks, Li Yan continued without the slightest embarrassment at being seen through. "Look, I never took a reward for saving you the first time. This makes the second time, and I still have to take you home..."

"Don't worry. As long as you can send me back to the Shangguan Family, I'll have my father give you whatever you want."

"Very well. I want a cultivation method, of the highest grade you can obtain."

"Alright!"

Shangguan Xiyun agreed without any hesitation. "Anything else?"

"Yes, but I haven't thought of it yet. I'll tell you when I do... Wait here for a moment."

With that, Li Yan walked over to Xu Sanqiang's corpse. The man was roughly the same build as Li Yan, so Li Yan casually stripped off his robe. After washing up at a mountain spring nearby, Li Yan appeared again looking like an entirely different person.

"You... you are..."

"Let's go. Where is the Shangguan Family? Lead the way."

"Alright... What should I call you?"

"Wan Sanhuo."

Before long, the two seized two horses from the Fierce Wind Bandits and set off from the foot of the Nine Desolations Mountain Range, heading for Dongjiang City three hundred li away.

Feng Hui Mountain. Its perilous peaks stretched endlessly, forming a natural barrier.

Watchposts and camps stood atop the various peaks. This was the Fierce Wind Bandits' temporary stronghold.

The Fierce Wind Bandits had emerged two years ago. Their entire band was made up of strong, able-bodied men. Any prey they set their sights on left no survivors, and they came and went like the wind.

Under this savage way of doing things, the Fierce Wind Bandits rapidly expanded, and now numbered a thousand men.

At this moment, inside Loyalty Hall in the camp halfway up the main peak, two men sat quietly, both with their brows tightly furrowed.

At the lower seat, Yuan Feipeng, with his eagle eyes and straight brows, rolled an Iron Walnut in his hand, his eyes filled with gloom.

Recently, they had received astonishing news: Shangguan Huang, famed for loyalty and righteousness, possessed a priceless treasure.

If they could obtain that treasure, they would no longer need to live this business of licking blood from the edge of a blade.

As luck would have it, they had learned that the Shangguan Family's third young lady would be returning to Dongjiang City.

"Elder Brother, I always feel this matter is too much of a coincidence. We had just learned that Shangguan Huang possessed a treasure, and then we found out Shangguan Xiyun's whereabouts, even knowing the exact timing."

Seated in the place of honor, Wang Dingtian, past fifty, propped his head up with one hand. His broad, commanding posture displayed all the dominance of a powerful bandit.

"Heh heh, Second Brother, there is no need to worry so much."

"What does Elder Brother mean? With Elder Brother's wisdom, you must have seen the problem as well. Aren't you afraid..."

"Eh, it won't happen. Second Brother, don't let unfounded worries trouble you."

Wang Dingtian said with a cold laugh, "For one thing, the Fierce Wind Bandits only established this stronghold recently. Outsiders have no way of knowing about it."

"The source of the treasure's information is absolutely not a problem. As for the news about that little girl... heh, I deliberately kept watch over her."

"Second Brother, there are some things I cannot tell you yet. But rest assured, the source of the information is certainly reliable."

"As long as we pull off this job, why should we brothers continue living without a fixed home, licking blood from the edge of a blade?"

"With that wealth, we brothers can live in pleasure for the rest of our lives. Don't you like women of status and standing? When the time comes, we'll go to the Imperial City and stay at the Imperial Entertainment Bureau for a whole month."

As Yuan Feipeng listened, his brows gradually relaxed. He seemed to think of something, and a flicker of longing flashed through his eyes.

Then Yuan Feipeng said excitedly, "Since Elder Brother has everything under control, this little brother will say no more. Now we only need to wait for Third Brother to bring her back."

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the hall. A subordinate entered and reported, "Report! Some brothers who went out with the Third Boss have returned..."

"Hmm? The underlings are back. Where is Third Brother?"

"The Third Boss..."

"First Boss, Second Boss, the Third Boss is dead!"

Outside the door, miserable wails rose. Several men ran in with pale faces, dropped to their knees with a thud, and burst into loud sobs.

"What?! What exactly happened? What happened to my Third Brother?"

Yuan Feipeng was the first to lose his composure. In two strides, he rushed forward and lifted the speaker by the collar.

Seeing Yuan Feipeng's rage, the man did not dare conceal anything and hurriedly recounted the entire course of events in detail.

When he learned that Xu Sanqiang had ultimately been beheaded with a single slash, and that even his corpse had not been recovered, Yuan Feipeng flew into a towering rage. A faint earthy-yellow glow flickered over his palm. Then he clenched his five fingers and crushed the reporting man's throat as though it were tofu.

"Men! Muster three hundred troops and follow me down the mountain. We will avenge my Third Brother!"

"Yes!"