Horse Thief

Following Xiao Liu and three other bandits out of the stronghold, Xiang Yang let out a long breath. Though his trip to Black Wind Mountain Stronghold had passed without incident, the pressure had been immense. Had it been someone else, who knew what might have happened? He might not even have made it up the mountain before dying beneath Xiao Liu's arrows.

"Young Brother Yang, despite your young age, you've got courage to spare. You dared to come alone to our Black Wind Mountain Stronghold. I, Old Six, dare say that you'll achieve great things someday. I hope that next time you come, we can have a proper drink. It'll be my treat."

Xiao Liu believed the ransom matter was as good as settled, so he was in high spirits. As he led Xiang Yang down the mountain, his mouth never stopped chattering. It was not often that he ran into an outsider; if he did not boast properly, he feared it would suffocate him.

Xiang Yang echoed him with a smile on his face, but his heart was a field of bitter frost. Black Wind Mountain Stronghold was the greatest tumor poisoning the common people of the nearby villages. How many had died at their hands? How many families had they torn apart? If he got the chance, the next time he came, he would bring people to wipe out this whole gang.

After parting from Xiao Liu and the other bandits, Xiang Yang reached the familiar mountain path. Carrying the Thick-backed Saber, he hurried to where he had tied his horse. Brushing aside the obstructing branches and vines, he found that the Yellow Dappled Horse, which had been quietly waiting there, had vanished. Only half-chewed weeds and two pairs of mud-stained footprints remained.

Xiang Yang frowned and crouched down, planting the Thick-backed Saber at his side. He pinched up a small clump of dirt and examined it closely, a thoughtful look appearing in his eyes. The mountain path was covered in soil; anyone climbing the mountain could not avoid getting mud on them, so ordinarily there was nothing to see.

Yet in his eyes, aside from the black soil, there was also some caked gray stone powder mixed in, much like what had been scattered across the ground in Black Wind Mountain Stronghold.

This gray stone powder could dispel dampness and keep things dry. People living in the mountains generally spread some around their homes; otherwise, after years of exposure, they could easily fall ill. But on Black Mountain, apart from Black Wind Mountain Stronghold, where else was anyone living?

Had bandits come down the mountain, or had someone, like him, gone up the mountain and then come back down?

Tossing aside the black dirt, Xiang Yang pulled out the Thick-backed Saber and held it in hand. Following the footprints, deep and shallow, as well as the weeds and shrubs that had been pushed aside or struck down nearby, he tracked them all the way down another mountain path. At the foot of the mountain, he spotted two burly men walking slowly along.

The two were tall and powerfully built, dressed in brown cloth garments, each holding a weapon. One was leading Xiang Yang's Yellow Dappled Horse, while the other was stuffing preserved fruit or something similar into his mouth and chewing.

Hearing movement behind them, the two stopped and looked back. The sight of Xiang Yang's gleaming Thick-backed Saber startled them, and they drew their own steel sabers. But after looking more carefully, they relaxed.

"Eh, isn't this Xiang Da Niu's son? What was his name, Xiang Yang? What are you doing here?"

The man leading the horse had a pair of drooping brows that made him look rather comical, but his tone was unpleasant, brimming with contempt.

When Xiang Yang heard someone recognize him, he reacted just like they had and was startled as well. He thought his identity had been exposed and discovered by the bandits.

But after taking a closer look at the two men, he also relaxed. Though he could not say he knew them, they were familiar faces he had seen several times. Both were members of the Giant Bear Gang in Anyuan County, usually collecting protection money from bustling stalls and shops. Xiang Da Niu had once taught them a lesson.

"What am I doing here? You stole my horse. If I'm not here, where should I be? And you two—running wild in the county town was not enough for you? What, do you want to take to the hills and become bandits now?"

Xiang Yang strode toward the two men, saber in hand. This horse had been lent to him by Zhou Fugui. If it was lost, it would be difficult to explain.

Moreover, these two could not possibly have gone up the mountain for a stroll. They certainly had some connection to Black Wind Mountain Stronghold. On this trip, aside from meeting Poison Scholar and Hu Qiang and learning that Hu Qiang had been injured, he had gained little else. He therefore wanted to capture the two and force answers out of them.

These two men were both minor leaders of the Giant Bear Gang, strong and vicious by nature. Seeing Xiang Yang speak so rudely, they exchanged a glance and sneered repeatedly.

"You little brat, while your old man was alive, we still feared him a little. Now that he's kicked the bucket, you're still acting all high and mighty. Who do you think you're talking to? Looking to die?"

One man tied the horse to a small tree beside the road, while the other advanced with his steel saber. This man had once bullied a widow selling wontons in the street, only for Xiang Da Niu to catch him and give him a brutal beating. He had hated him ever since.

But Xiang Da Niu not only knew martial arts, he was also a constable of the County Yamen, so the man had not dared retaliate. Now, seeing Xiang Yang alone and outnumbered, he wanted to settle the score. Besides, was there not a saying that a father's debts were paid by his son? Out here in the wilderness, he could kill him and no one would know.

Xiang Yang tightened his grip on the Thick-backed Saber in his right hand and swallowed. Though he was proficient in the basic saber arts and had practiced the Iron Crotch Technique all night, he had never truly fought anyone before. Now that a real battle had come, he was indeed somewhat nervous.

"Die." Seeing Xiang Yang's nervousness, the man opposite him was delighted. He thought Xiang Yang was nothing but a showpiece who had not learned Xiang Da Niu's skills. With a cold snort, he charged forward with his steel saber, gathering all his strength and viciously chopping at Xiang Yang's head. If that strike landed, Xiang Yang's skull would be split open.

Xiang Yang stood there blankly, as though frozen by fear. But before the steel saber fell, a glint of cold light flashed through his eyes. He twisted aside and raised the Thick-backed Saber, giving it a slight upward flick. First, he evaded the burly man's slash; then he carved open the man's right arm, blood gushing out in a stream.

"Ah! Old Li, attack together! Kill this brat!" The sight of bright red blood and the sting of pain drove the man half-mad. Shouting with his steel saber in hand, he began hacking wildly at Xiang Yang.

The clang of metal striking metal rang out at the foot of the mountain. Xiang Yang fixed his eyes on the steel saber before him, his own movements no slower as he met each strike with astonishing reflexes. From time to time, he seized an opening to slash back. Before long, the man's face, chest, and left abdomen had all been cut open, blood spurting from him until he looked like a man made of blood.

Before the other man could even react, he saw his companion's miserable state and felt fear creep into his heart. This brat is a little strange. Looks like he learned his old man's saber arts. He won't be easy to deal with.

Once his heart wavered, his courage weakened. He could only hold his saber at the side and probe cautiously. When his companion's strength ebbed and he collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, he saw Xiang Yang turn his gaze toward him and immediately started to run.

But Xiang Yang lunged forward in a single bound, rolled to the ground, and with two swift slashes cut open the backs of the man's knees to let the blood flow. The man had rushed forward too quickly, and with his legs injured, he crashed to the ground, knocking out several teeth. Terror flooded his heart even more.

Xiang Yang rose to his feet, leaning on his saber and breathing hard. His heart pounded wildly, his arms were numb, and his right hand had gone limp, with barely any strength left.

Yet unlike his exhausted and powerless body, Xiang Yang's phoenix eyes grew brighter and brighter, filled with confidence. He had emerged completely unscathed after defeating two strong adult men. This proved that his strength had already far surpassed what it once was.

"Thanks to the Iron Crotch Technique. Otherwise, no matter how exquisite my saber arts were, without enough strength, they might have knocked my saber straight out of my hand."

Xiang Yang silently thanked the Wordless Book once more for its reliability, then walked toward the two men beneath their terrified gazes.