Entering a Bandits' Den

There was no way an establishment opened in a place like Wind Sand Market could be normal. Xie Yuan had known that before stepping inside.

Still, he had considered it. This place was so close to West Pass, the first stop upon entering the Western Desert from Great Li. No matter what, it could not possess overwhelmingly powerful forces.

It was simply that spies and informants from every faction gathered here, making the situation extraordinarily complex. If one lacked sufficient strength, one could be quietly buried beneath the sand without anyone ever knowing;

but if one displayed enough strength, one could keep the peace with others.

After months spent escorting caravans, although the level of martial prowess he had encountered then had not been high, Xie Yuan had learned much. Masters only needed to concern themselves with cultivation, but escorts struggling through the bottom rungs of the martial world had countless matters to consider. This had given Xie Yuan abundant experience and a keen nose.

Compared to disciples like Huang Zifeng, raised and taught by a great sect, Xie Yuan's instincts were sharper in a place like this.

This was the sort of place where the more weakness one showed, the more likely one was to draw hungry wolves.

While his companions were still warily meeting the gazes of those around them, Xie Yuan had already seated himself calmly at a table, leaving the other four stunned.

He looked at them and gave a simple, honest smile.

"Senior Brothers, Senior Sister, aren't you sitting?"

Huang Zifeng's mouth twitched downward. He had thought Zhang Shan was about to offer some insightful opinion. Had the fool simply been too dull to sense anything?

He had actually thought this kid was a little sharper than the others. So it had been an illusion... In such an obviously problematic place, he was far too slow-witted, far too guileless. All he knew was how to eat.

His brows furrowed slightly as he deducted two points from Zhang Shan in his mind.

The group sat around the table and silently waited for their food in the hushed restaurant.

Huang Zifeng quietly surveyed the surroundings, his gaze tightening.

"When I came here before, the pressure did not feel this great, nor were there this many people... Has something happened recently?"

He naturally had his reasons for daring to bring Xie Yuan and the other four here.

According to what Cui Zhi had told him while taking him around different places, Wind Sand Market was a mixed bag of dragons and fish. Powerful figures might not necessarily be gathered in the market itself, but it was a good place to hone one's abilities in the martial world beyond cultivation.

Yet there seemed to be more people in the market today than before, putting him on guard. After letting the group gain some experience, he intended to find their target and minimize their stay here.

Before long, the waiter came trotting over with several dishes: a plate of peanuts, a plate of fennel beans, a plate of soy-braised beef, a plate of meat buns, and a pot of clear wine.

Xie Yuan looked at the plate of meat buns with some hesitation and muttered, "Surely it won't be this cliché?"

Though Situ Qin had taught him to love fine food, he still did not dare try these things.

Huang Zifeng remained unmoved. After exchanging a glance, the Lin Family Siblings silently took out silver needles and tested each dish. Before they could reach a conclusion, a snort of laughter sounded behind them, followed by a seductive voice.

"If you're afraid my food is poisoned, then don't eat it. Why put yourselves through this?"

The Lin Family Siblings were instantly embarrassed and did not know how to respond. Then Pei Yu said coldly, "I bought it. I can do whatever I want with it."

The Boss Lady glanced at him blandly.

"You haven't paid yet."

Pei Yu walked to the counter, pulled a glittering Gold Ingot from his clothes, and slapped it onto the countertop.

The Gold Ingot shone so dazzlingly that it was like tossing a slab of fat into a pack of wolves. In an instant, it drew the attention of everyone in the tavern. The burly patrons at their tables stared fixedly at it.

Huang Zifeng's brows instantly knitted together, but it was already too late to stop him. He could only reflexively place a hand on his sword hilt.

He looked coldly toward Pei Yu, only to spot a faint curve at the corner of Pei Yu's mouth from this angle. He froze briefly, and the displeasure on his face subsided a little.

The fair-faced Boss Lady stared at the Gold Ingot with her mouth hanging open, her eyes gone wide. She was nearly drooling. Fortunately, she held it back in time, or the thick powder on her cheeks would have been washed away in two tracks.

She reached for it instinctively, forcing out a radiant smile.

"Fine, fine, fine. Do whatever you like with the food. You can even feed it to dogs..."

Her fingers touched the Gold Ingot. She gave it a tug, but it did not move at all. Pei Yu had no intention of letting go.

The Boss Lady looked up and found Pei Yu staring at her with a faint smile.

"Besides the meal money, there's payment for information here. Is it enough?"

"That depends on what you want to know."

The Boss Lady raised a brow without agreeing outright.

Pei Yu said blandly, "Are there any utterly wicked External Refinement Martial Artists around here? Preferably about four of them."

The Boss Lady froze at his question, then suddenly burst into exaggerated laughter.

"What kind of question is that? People like the ones you want are hard to find? Everyone in this hall is one!"

She extended a slender, scallion-like finger and swept it across everyone in the hall. Then she smilingly jerked her chin toward the outside.

"And throughout all of Wind Sand Market, if you kill nine out of every ten people, you won't kill a single innocent one. There'll even be fish that slipped through the net. Utterly wicked? What a fresh phrase, hehehe!"

Pei Yu's face reddened under her laughter. Feeling that he had made a mistake, he could not help growing irritated from embarrassment.

He was about to take back the Gold Ingot when the Boss Lady suddenly slammed a hand down on it.

The Boss Lady narrowed her eyes, baring a row of neat, pearly-white teeth in a broad grin.

"What? You've already handed over the money, and now you want it back?"

Pei Yu's expression shifted. For a moment, he did not know whether to release it. Yet the Boss Lady's grip was incredibly strong. He could not pull it free no matter how he tugged, so he could only let go of the Gold Ingot and return to the table in embarrassment.

"Finish eating and get the hell out of here. This isn't a place you should be."

The Boss Lady picked up the Gold Ingot, bit it with her teeth, and spoke around it.

None of the five had any appetite for the food, though Xie Yuan had other reasons.

After hurriedly taking a few bites, they rose and left the Western Desert First Inn.

In one corner of the room, several burly men exchanged glances and silently stood up.

The waiter pretended not to see them. He cleared away the leftovers and tidied the tables and stools before approaching the Boss Lady and asking in a low voice, "Boss, those kids are all green. Do you think we should..."

Just as he was about to make a gesture, the Boss Lady said lazily, "Those fellows can't handle them."

"What?"

The waiter froze. Those were clearly fledgling youngsters fresh out of the gate, while the men who had just followed them out were all ruthless characters from around here. Could they still fail?

"One of them is formidable. Just wait and see."

The Boss Lady offered no explanation. Fan in hand, she lay down in the reclining chair behind the counter and propped her long legs high atop it. Her skirt slid down slightly, exposing a stretch of delicate, smooth, pale calf.

She had not even bothered to put on her embroidered shoes properly. They dangled from her toes, swaying back and forth. Her jade-like feet hanging beyond the counter drifted idly through the air, just as dazzlingly white, seeming to glow amid this land of windblown sand.

Yet neither the waiter nor the clearly unsavory patrons in the inn dared look sideways. They acted as though they could not see this sight that could stir the beast in any man's heart. Some who could not help themselves even lowered their heads and ate in silence, terrified that their gaze might stray even slightly in that direction.

Outside Wind Sand Market.

Once Xie Yuan's group of five left Wind Sand Market, the omnipresent stares were gone, and the pressure on them noticeably eased.

Huang Yifeng looked at Pei Yu and asked in a deep voice, "Junior Brother Pei, you know the saying that wealth should not be flaunted, especially in a place like this, don't you?"

"Of course."

Pei Yu's reply was brief, even colder than Huang Yifeng.

Huang Yifeng said nothing further and merely asked, "Then why did you do that...?"

"To fish. Rather than seek them out ourselves, it is better to let the prey come to us."

Pei Yu said solemnly.

A skilled hunter often appeared in the guise of prey?

Xie Yuan thought with interest and glanced behind them.

But wasn't he afraid of hooking a shark with this sort of fishing?

Sure enough, Huang Zifeng also focused his gaze slightly.

"It's not a bad idea, but have you considered what you'll do if you hook an enemy you can't handle?"

Pei Yu paused, then said arrogantly, "There should not be any enemies in Wind Sand Market beyond our capabilities."

His words carried immense confidence, far exceeding what an External Refinement Martial Artist should possess.

Huang Zifeng frowned.

"I don't know where your confidence comes from, but if you underestimate your enemies, the only one who will die is you."

"..."

Pei Yu fell silent. It was unclear whether he had taken the words to heart.

The group continued onward in silence. Xie Yuan glanced to the side, saw that no one was speaking, and put on a nervous expression.

"Do you think someone might be following us?"

"Not yet..."

Pei Yu shook his head, then suddenly froze. His expression changed slightly.

"They're already this close?"

Lin Zhen also instantly heightened her guard and sensed that something was wrong.

Huang Zifeng watched coldly from the side, thinking that if not for Zhang Shan's fool's luck in being scared at just the right moment to remind them, they might not have noticed their enemies until they had crept right up close.

Wind and sand swept across their faces, and dunes rose and fell. The terrain appeared open at a glance, but in truth it was full of cover.

The four disciples immediately drew their swords and formed a formation. Lin Cheng shouted deeply, "Who blocks our path? Stop hiding your heads and showing your tails."

The dunes were silent for a moment. Then several burly men in black emerged from behind them. They were the patrons from the tavern!

"One, two, three... seven, eight!"

Lin Cheng and the others revealed expressions both tense and excited. Looking at the burly patrons atop the dune, they shouted, "Who are you? Why did you follow us here? What do you want?"

"Too much bullshit, and all fancy-like."

The leading brute sneered.

"We followed you because we want money! Hand over every Gold Ingot you have, and leave that girl behind for us to have some fun with. Then I'll spare your lives!"

As Lin Zhen watched the men openly rake their eyes over her, her gaze turned cold and her hand tightened around her sword.

She had originally possessed the delicate charm of a sheltered young lady and the lively prettiness of a wealthy family's daughter, bright and lovely in every way.

After suffering great upheaval and cultivating on Yunshan Mountain for several months, she had trained diligently. Nourished by Spiritual Qi, her figure and skin had improved even further, while her temperament had become calm and resolute. She now carried a touch of mature feminine grace and was far more captivating than before. The little beauty had become a great beauty, making Huang Zifeng, who had already been interested in her, deeply moved.

But to these bandits who spent every day roaming the desert, a woman from the Central Plains like her was simply poison. Their eyes now gleamed. Though they claimed to want money, what they truly wanted was her.

Huang Zifeng lowered his eyelids slightly and had already sentenced these brigands to death. It only remained to see whether his junior brothers and sister could kill them themselves.

Hearing his sister insulted, Lin Cheng's eyes widened. He snorted.

"No money, no person. There is one life here, though. Let's see how many lives you have to take it!"

"You don't know what's good for you. Fine, you're pretty fair-skinned too."

The leader waved a hand and shouted, "Get them!"

The eight fierce highway bandits erupted with killing intent, drew their sabers, and charged down the dune.

"Three at the fourth level, five at the third."

Xie Yuan saw through their strength in an instant, raising his brow. This group was not weak.

Were there casually this many fourth-level fighters just after entering Wind Sand Market?

Pei Yu and Lin Zhen each took on one fourth-level and one third-level bandit. Though Huang Zifeng intended to watch from the sidelines, the enemy did not know he planned to hold back. One fourth-level fighter was assigned to attack him, so he tangled with the man while observing the performances of the other four.

The remaining three third-level fighters grinned viciously as they faced Xie Yuan and Lin Cheng.

"Kill these two in two swings, then go back and help the boss take that little girl down. We'll get to enjoy ourselves afterward too!"

Lin Cheng's face darkened. He said in a low voice, "Junior Brother Zhang, we're outnumbered. Let's be careful."

"Alright, Senior Brother Lin."

Seeing that the three trial disciples were all slightly tense upon first entering battle, Xie Yuan's eyes shifted. He circled one third-level fighter with his sword, kindly leaving the other two for Lin Cheng to train against.

"Junior Brother Zhang..."

Lin Cheng froze. He had intended to coordinate with Xie Yuan, but seeing him already fighting his opponent with clanging strikes and immense enthusiasm, he could only grit his teeth and face the other two himself.

Huang Zifeng tangled with the fourth-level fighter nearby. With his strength, allocating even a fraction of his attention was enough to deal with the man. He was simply toying with his opponent.

Most of his attention was focused on the others, silently assessing them.

"Junior Sister Lin's swordsmanship is practiced and her cultivation solid, but this is her first life-and-death fight, and she is facing two opponents. She cannot fully let loose, which is normal. Still, she is clearly adapting more and more, standing firmly beyond defeat. Mm, very good...

"Junior Brother Pei is a Sword Sect disciple, yet he is flustered while dealing with two petty thieves. He needs more tempering."

Although Pei Yu's performance was no worse than Lin Zhen's, he received rather different treatment.

Huang Zifeng then looked to the other side.

"Junior Brother Lin's martial arts are rigidly textbook. As a third-level fighter, he can face two opponents at once. So-so. Hm? Some of his sword moves are rather eye-catching. Wasn't it said that his aptitude was poor?"

He watched a little longer, sensing that Lin Cheng's sword moves often contained unexpected flashes. They did not seem like something a person at this stage, with this level of aptitude, could have developed. He nodded slightly.

"It seems he has some spark after all. As for Zhang Shan...

"Why is he taking so long in a one-on-one fight? Does his opponent have elders, cultivation methods, and Inner Strength like a Sword Sect disciple?"

Huang Yifeng was greatly dissatisfied and repeatedly shook his head.

They were disciples of a great sect, after all. Setting aside all other martial inheritances, merely cultivating Inner Strength set them far above these crude External Refinement Martial Artists.

Of these men, only the leader possessed a trace of Inner Breath, and it was barely worth mentioning. He held no advantage whatsoever against Lin Zhen.

Once the three gradually became accustomed to fighting after several exchanges, the bandits began to falter despite their vicious attacks and oppressive killing intent. Their numbers quickly dwindled.

They could not win even when outnumbering their foes. Once they lost people, they stood even less of a chance. The bandits instantly collapsed into defeat.

When Xie Yuan's opponent saw his companions fall one after another, he was scared out of his wits.

Damn it! We ran into tough opponents! The one in front of me is the weakest. Either I run now, or I take him hostage...

As he thought this, the limp-looking sword before him extended toward his chest. As before, he casually tried to knock it aside, only to find that the sword would not budge in the slightest.

Before he could understand what was happening, the sword had already plunged into his chest and pierced straight through him.

The bandit stared blankly at his opponent and found his expression casual, his gaze calm. There was not the slightest trace of a novice about him. He was entirely an old hand.

"You..."

He suddenly understood, but the moment he opened his mouth, blood gushed out. He crumpled limply to the ground.

"Junior Brother Zhang! Oh... I was just saying I'd come help you."

Lin Cheng had just finished off his opponent. When he turned around, Xie Yuan had almost simultaneously killed his own opponent as well. The coincidence made him pat his chest.

The three of them all took several deep breaths. Their first life-and-death battle, their first time killing someone—the corpses strewn across the ground still shocked them deeply.

But after a moment, they were Sword Sect disciples after all, and quickly regained their composure. Only the hands gripping their swords remained a little tight.

Huang Zifeng watched silently from the side and nodded to himself.

"They adapted quite quickly. And this Zhang Shan remained as still as a mountain. Who would have thought... his face was pale after all. Looks like he's just a blockhead."

From the corner of his eye, he had seen how decisive Xie Yuan's final strike had been. It must have been an outburst under the pressure of life and death. His impression of him improved slightly; he was not completely rotten wood.

Huang Zifeng then watched as they searched several bandits according to the methods taught by the outer sect, but found nothing of value. There were not even many copper coins—poor enough to make a clanging sound.

"Does that... count as completing the trial?"

Lin Zhen asked. Having just killed someone, they were trembling slightly, yet also somewhat excited. After all, the battle had been far too easy for them.

Huang Zifeng pondered for a moment.

"If that is all, the effect will be limited. Since we have now proven our strength, returning to Wind Sand Market should be much safer. Let's go gather more information. I keep feeling that something has been happening around here lately."

The others all nodded slightly. They had only wandered through the market briefly before, merely skimming the surface, and had not sensed anything unusual. Now that most of the trial was complete and their nerves had settled somewhat, it was the perfect time to experience the real jianghu.

The five returned to Wind Sand Market and found that the looks around them had indeed changed. They could not help but lift their heads and straighten their backs.

When they entered Western Desert First Inn again, they clearly felt the atmosphere around them tighten. The guests studied them with solemn gazes, while the waiter and the Boss Lady also looked at them strangely.

"Didn't expect that, did you? We're not weak!"

All three disciples had similar thoughts.

Huang Zifeng stood at the back and had Pei Yu step forward to ask again.

Standing before the counter, Pei Yu saw the Boss Lady place her jade-like foot before him. Feeling somewhat uncomfortable, he shifted sideways a step and said calmly,

"Boss Lady, can you actually buy information here or not?"

"Of course you can. Did I lie to you just now? Wasn't what I said correct?"

The Boss Lady drew back her leg, her eyes shining.

"What do you want to know? Money in one hand, goods in the other."

Pei Yu casually took out another gold ingot, making Xie Yuan and the other burly men's eyelids twitch in unison.

"This guy is too rich... Money means nothing to him!"

"Has anything happened around here recently? Near Wind Sand Market."

Pei Yu asked blandly.

The Boss Lady beamed as she took the gold ingot, then bit it with her teeth. After confirming it was genuine, she smiled sweetly.

"Yes, of course there has.

"Lu Lao San has recently grown tired of Su Xing hounding him, so he directly moved a large force of bandit cavalry under his command here to encircle and suppress him. He swore to block Su Xing's route back to Great Li through Gourd Pass, and ordered everyone to make way for him.

"Right now, the area is full of Lu Lao San's men. Wind Sand Market has already been taken over by him."

At the mention of Lu Lao San, Xie Yuan narrowed his eyes. He had not expected to encounter this old acquaintance again.

But upon hearing the rest, he vaguely sensed that something was wrong.

As his gaze darkened, Huang Zifeng suddenly spoke in their stead, his tone grave.

"Wind Sand Market is under Lu Lao San's control? What does that mean?"

The Boss Lady's grin stretched wider and wider, until some of the thick white powder on her face began to fall away.

"Hee hee hee, it means everyone here belongs to Lu Lao San!

"The people in my inn, the people outside it, the ones you just killed—they were all bandit cavalry!

"Little ones, you killed bandit cavalry and still dared to return to the bandit cavalry's main stronghold. I truly don't know whether to call you foolish... or foolish?"