A place like Wind Sand Market—if any shop here were normal, that would be a miracle. Xie Yuan had known that before stepping inside.
Still, he had considered it. This place lay 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 tangled. If one's strength fell short, one could be quietly buried beneath the sand without anyone ever knowing.
But if one displayed enough strength, one could remain safe and sound among the others.
After months of escort work, though the level of martial strength had not been high at the time, Xie Yuan had learned much. That was how escorts were: experts only needed to concern themselves with cultivation, while escorts struggling through the lower reaches of the martial world had countless matters to consider. This had given Xie Yuan abundant experience and a keen nose.
Compared with disciples like Huang Zifeng, raised and taught by a great sect, Xie Yuan's instincts in a place like this were far sharper.
This was a place where the weaker one appeared, the more readily one attracted hungry wolves.
While his companions were still warily meeting the gazes of those around them, Xie Yuan had already settled calmly at a table, leaving the other four startled.
He looked at them and gave a simple, guileless smile.
"Senior Brothers, Senior Sister, aren't you sitting?"
Huang Zifeng's mouth drooped. He had thought Zhang Shan was about to offer some brilliant insight. Was it possible the fellow was simply too slow to sense anything?
He had actually thought this brat somewhat sharper than the others just now. So it had been an illusion... In such an obviously problematic place, this fellow was absurdly dull, absurdly honest. All he knew was how to eat.
His brows furrowed slightly as he deducted another two points from Zhang Shan in his heart.
The group sat around the table and silently waited for their food amid the deathly quiet tavern.
Huang Zifeng covertly surveyed the surroundings, his gaze tightening.
"When I came here before, I didn't feel this much pressure, and there weren't so many people... Has something happened recently?"
He naturally had confidence in bringing 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 people might not necessarily be found within the market itself, but it was an excellent place to temper one's ability to navigate the martial world beyond mere cultivation.
Yet there seemed to be more people in the market today than before, putting him on guard. After letting the others gain some experience, he intended to find their target and minimize their time here.
Before long, the waiter trotted over with several dishes: a plate of peanuts, a plate of fennel beans, a plate of 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 something this clichéd?"
But even though Situ Qin had cultivated his love of fine food, he still did not dare try such a thing.
Huang Zifeng remained unmoved. After exchanging glances, the Lin Family Siblings silently took out silver needles and tested the dishes one by one. Before they could reach a conclusion, a scoff came from 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 trouble?"
The Lin Family Siblings instantly looked embarrassed, unsure how to reply, when Pei Yu said coldly.
"I can do whatever I want with something I bought."
The Boss Lady glanced at him and said blandly.
"You haven't paid yet."
Pei Yu walked to the counter, took a glittering gold ingot from his chest, and slapped it onto the countertop.
The gold ingot shone so brilliantly that it was like throwing a slab of fat into a wolf pack. In an instant, it drew the attention of everyone in the tavern. The bold patrons at the tables all stared at it without blinking.
Huang Zifeng's brows immediately knotted, but it was already too late to stop him. He could only instinctively place a hand on his sword hilt.
He looked coldly at Pei Yu, only to see the faint curl of his lips from this angle. Huang Zifeng paused in surprise, and the displeasure on his face eased somewhat.
The pale-faced Boss Lady stared at the gold ingot with her mouth hanging wide open and her eyes glazed. She nearly began drooling. Fortunately, she held herself back in time, or else two tracks would have been washed through the thick powder on her cheeks.
She reached out instinctively and forced a radiant smile.
"Good, good, good. Then do whatever you like with the food. You can even feed it to the dogs..."
Her fingers touched the gold ingot. She tried to pull it, but it would not budge. 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 cost of the meal, there's money here to buy information. Is it enough?"
"That depends on what you want to know."
The Boss Lady raised a brow but did not agree outright.
Pei Yu said evenly.
"Are there any utterly wicked External Refinement Martial Artists around here? Nearby would be best. Around four people."
The Boss Lady froze at his question, then suddenly threw back her head in 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 stretched out a finger as slender as a fresh scallion and swept it across everyone in the hall. Then she smiled sweetly and jerked her chin toward the outside.
"And the whole of Wind Sand Market, too. If you killed nine out of every ten people, you wouldn't kill a single innocent one—and you'd still leave fish that slipped through the net. Utterly wicked? What a novel phrase, hee hee hee!"
Her laughter made Pei Yu's face redden slightly. Feeling that he had made a mistake, he became embarrassed and angry.
Just as he was about to withdraw the gold ingot, the Boss Lady slammed her hand down over it.
The Boss Lady narrowed her eyes and bared a row of neat, gleaming white teeth.
"What? You've already handed over the money, and now you want it back?"
Pei Yu's expression changed slightly. For a moment, he did not know whether to let go. Yet the Boss Lady's hand was immensely strong. He could not pull the gold ingot free no matter how he tugged, so he could only leave it behind and return to the table in embarrassment.
"Finish eating and get the hell out of here. This isn't a place for you."
The Boss Lady picked up the gold ingot and bit it with her teeth, speaking around it.
None of the five had any appetite for the food. Xie Yuan, of course, had his own reasons.
After hurriedly taking a few bites, they rose and left 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. He tidied away the leftover dishes, tables, chairs, and benches as if nothing had happened, then approached the Boss Lady and asked in a low voice.
"Boss, those few are all greenhorns. Do you think we should..."
Just as he was about to make a gesture, the Boss Lady said lazily.
"Those fellows won't be able to do anything to them."
"What?"
The waiter was stunned. Those were clearly a few wet-behind-the-ears youngsters, while the men who had just followed them up the mountain were all ruthless characters around here. Could they still fail?
"There's a powerful one among them. Just wait and see."
The Boss Lady did not explain. Holding a palm-leaf fan, she reclined in the lounge chair behind the counter and propped her long legs high on the countertop. Her skirt slipped down slightly, revealing a section of smooth, pale calf.
She could not even be bothered to put on her embroidered shoes properly. They dangled from her toes, swaying back and forth, while her jade-like feet hanging over the counter rocked idly. They were just as dazzlingly white, seeming to glow in this land of swirling sand.
Yet neither the waiter nor the clearly unsavory patrons in the inn dared let their eyes wander. They acted as though they could not see the scene that was enough to 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 gazes might accidentally drift even slightly in that direction.
Outside Wind Sand Market.
After Xie Yuan's group of five left Wind Sand Market, the ever-present gazes were gone, and the pressure on them visibly eased.
Huang Yifeng looked at Pei Yu and asked in a deep voice.
"Junior Brother Pei, you understand the principle that wealth should not be displayed, especially in a place like this, don't you?"
"Of course."
Pei Yu answered simply, even colder than Huang Yifeng.
Huang Yifeng said nothing further, only asked.
"So you did that...?"
"To fish. Rather than look for them ourselves, it's better to let the prey come knocking."
Pei Yu said in a deep voice.
A skilled hunter often appeared in the guise of prey?
Xie Yuan thought with interest, glancing behind them.
But fishing this way, wasn't he afraid of hooking a shark?
Sure enough, Huang Zifeng's gaze sharpened slightly as well.
"The idea is not bad. But have you considered what you'll do if you draw enemies you can't handle?"
Pei Yu paused, then replied with arrogant coolness.
"There should be no enemies within Wind Sand Market beyond our range of strength."
His words radiated confidence far beyond what an External Training Realm martial artist ought to 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, and it was impossible to tell whether he had taken the warning to heart.
The group continued onward with their heads lowered. Xie Yuan glanced sideways, saw that none of them spoke, and put on a nervous expression.
"Do you think someone might have followed us?"
"Not yet..."
Pei Yu shook his head, then suddenly froze. His expression shifted slightly.
"They're already this close?"
Lin Zhen instantly became alert as well, sensing that something was wrong.
Huang Zifeng watched coldly from the side, thinking that if Zhang Shan had not stumbled into a timely warning out of sheer fool's luck and fear, they might not have noticed anyone until their pursuers had crept right up close.
Wind and sand swept across their faces, and dunes rose and fell. The landscape appeared open at a glance, but in truth, cover lay everywhere.
The four disciples immediately drew their swords and formed a battle formation. Lin Cheng shouted in a deep voice.
"Who blocks the road? Stop skulking about like a rat hiding its head and showing its tail!"
The dunes remained quiet for a moment. Then several burly men in black emerged from behind them. They were the patrons from the inn!
"One, two, three... seven, eight!"
Lin Cheng and the others showed expressions of both tension and excitement as they looked at the bold men on the dune and shouted.
"Who are you? Why did you follow us here? What do you want?"
"You sure talk a lot of crap, all fancy and refined."
The leading burly man sneered.
"We followed you, naturally, because we want money! Hand over every gold ingot you have, then leave that little lady behind for us to have some fun with, and I'll spare your lives!"
Lin Zhen saw the men openly sizing her up. Her eyes turned cold, and her grip on her sword tightened.
She had originally possessed the fresh, delicate charm of a sheltered young lady and the pretty liveliness of a wealthy family's daughter.
After suffering great upheaval and cultivating on Yunshan Mountain for several months, she had practiced martial arts diligently. Nourished by Spiritual Qi, her figure and skin had improved further, while her temperament had become tranquil and resolute, carrying more of a mature woman's allure. She had grown from a little beauty into a great beauty, far more captivating than before, making Huang Zifeng—who had long been interested in her—feel his heart stir.
To these bandits who spent every day roaming the desert, a Central Plains woman like her was simply poison. Their eyes now shone brightly. More than 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 junior sister could kill them all themselves.
Hearing his sister insulted, Lin Cheng's eyes widened. He snorted coldly.
"No money, and no person either. There is one life here, though. It depends on how many lives you have to take it!"
"You don't know what's good for you. Fine, you're pretty fair-skinned yourself."
The leader waved his hand and shouted.
"Get them!"
The eight fierce bandits blocking the road erupted with imposing force, drew their cleavers, and charged down the dune.
"Three at the Fourth Level of Practice, five at the Third Level of Practice."
Xie Yuan instantly saw through their strength. His brow rose. This group was not weak.
They had only just entered Wind Sand Market, and there were casually this many Fourth Level of Practice martial artists?
Pei Yu and Lin Zhen each drew one Fourth Level of Practice bandit and one Third Level of Practice bandit. Though Huang Zifeng intended to watch from the sidelines, the enemy did not know he planned to stand aside, so they sent a Fourth Level of Practice fighter against him as well. He entangled himself with the man and observed the others' performance.
The remaining three Third Level of Practice bandits grinned viciously as they faced Xie Yuan and Lin Cheng.
"Kill these two in two strokes, then go back and help the boss take down that little lady. We'll get to enjoy ourselves afterward too!"
Lin Cheng's expression 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 somewhat nervous in their first real battle, Xie Yuan's eyes shifted. He circled one Third Level of Practice opponent 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 Xie Yuan was already clanging away, fighting his opponent with immense relish. Lin Cheng could only grit his teeth and face the other two himself.
Huang Zifeng tangled with the Fourth Level of Practice fighter nearby. Given his strength, he only needed to devote a fraction of his attention to deal with the man. He was completely toying with his opponent.
Most of his attention was fixed on the others in the field as he silently evaluated them.
"Junior Sister Lin's swordsmanship is proficient and her cultivation solid, but this is her first life-and-death battle, and she's fighting two against one, so she can't fully let loose. That is normal. But she is clearly adapting more and more, holding herself firmly in an invincible position. Mm, very good...
"Junior Brother Pei is a Sword Sect disciple, yet he's all flustered dealing with two petty thieves. He still needs tempering."
Although Pei Yu's performance was no worse than Lin Zhen's, he received rather different treatment.
Huang Zifeng looked toward the other side again.
"Junior Brother Lin's skills are rigid and methodical. At the Third Level of Practice, he can fight two alone. 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 and found that Lin Cheng's sword moves often contained unexpected flashes, not something this level of cultivation and aptitude should have produced. He nodded faintly.
"It seems he has a bit of inspiration. As for Zhang Shan...
"Why is he still fighting for so long one on one? Is his opponent also a Sword Sect disciple, with elders, martial arts manuals, and Inner Strength?"
Huang Yifeng was deeply dissatisfied and shook his head repeatedly.
After all, they were disciples of a great sect. Setting aside other martial inheritances, merely possessing Inner Strength put them beyond these crude External Refinement Martial Artists.
Among these men, only the leader possessed a trace of Inner Breath. It was better than nothing, but against Lin Zhen, it gave him no advantage at all.
Once the three gradually grew familiar with the fight after several exchanges, even though the bandits' attacks were vicious and their killing intent oppressive, they steadily began to falter and rapidly lost men.
They could not win even with more people, and after losing numbers, they had even less chance. The bandits instantly collapsed into defeat.
When Xie Yuan's opponent saw his companions falling one after another, his soul nearly fled in terror.
"Damn it! We've run 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 soft, limp sword before him extended toward his chest. Just as before, he tried to casually knock it aside, only to discover that the sword did not move in the slightest.
Before he could understand what was happening, the blade had already pierced his chest and run him clean through.
The bandit stared blankly at his opponent. Xie Yuan's expression was casual, his gaze calm, without the slightest trace of a newcomer. He was plainly 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! Ah... 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 foe. The timing was so coincidental that he could not help patting 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 shook them.
But after a moment, they were Sword Sect disciples after all, and quickly composed themselves. Only their hands gripping their swords remained somewhat tight.
Huang Zifeng watched silently from the side and nodded to himself.
They adapted pretty quickly. As for this Zhang Shan, he stood as steady as a mountain. Who would've thought... his face is still pale. Seems he's just a blockhead.
From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Xie Yuan's final sword strike just now. It had been exceptionally decisive, likely an eruption under the pressure of life and death. His opinion improved slightly—he was not entirely rotten wood.
Huang Zifeng then watched them search several bandits according to the methods taught to outer disciples. Yet they found nothing of value, not even more than a few copper coins. They were poor enough to jingle.
"Does this count as completing the trial...?"
Lin Zhen asked. Having just killed someone, they were still trembling slightly, yet also somewhat excited. After all, this battle had been far too easy for them.
Huang Zifeng pondered for a moment.
"If that's all, the effect will be limited. Now that we've proven our strength, it should be much safer to return to Wind Sand Market. Let's go gather more information. I always feel that something has been happening around here lately."
The others all nodded slightly. They had only wandered around the market briefly before, merely skimming the surface, and had not sensed anything in particular. Now that most of the trial was complete and their hearts had settled somewhat, it was the perfect chance to experience the true martial world.
The five returned to Wind Sand Market and found that the looks around them had indeed changed. They could not help lifting their heads and puffing out their chests.
When they entered Western Desert First Inn again, they clearly felt the atmosphere congeal. The customers examined them with grave looks, while the shop assistant and the Boss Lady regarded them strangely as well.
Didn't expect that, did you? We're not weak!
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 raise her jade-like foot before him. Feeling somewhat uncomfortable, he shifted sideways and said calmly,
"Boss Lady, can you actually buy information here or not?"
"Of course I can. Did I deceive you just now? Wasn't what I said correct?"
The Boss Lady drew back her leg, her eyes gleaming.
"What do you want to know? Money in one hand, goods in the other."
Pei Yu did not hesitate to pull out another gold ingot, making Xie Yuan and the other burly men's eyelids twitch together.
This guy is too rich... To him, money isn't money at all!
"Has anything happened around here recently? Near Wind Sand Market."
Pei Yu asked indifferently.
The Boss Lady beamed as she took the gold ingot, then bit it with her teeth. Once she confirmed it was genuine, she said with a smile,
"Yes, of course.
"Lu Lao San has recently grown sick of Su Xing hounding him. He directly deployed a large force of bandits under his command to encircle and suppress him here, swearing to cut off Su Xing's route back to Great Li from Gourd Pass. He even ordered everyone to clear the way for him.
"Right now, the entire area is filled with Lu Lao San's men. Wind Sand Market has already been taken over by him."
At the mention of Lu Lao San's name, Xie Yuan narrowed his eyes. He had not expected to run into this old acquaintance again.
But upon hearing the rest, he vaguely sensed that something was wrong.
As his gaze darkened slightly, Huang Zifeng suddenly spoke in their place, 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 even some of her thick white powder began to fall away.
"Hee hee hee, it means everyone here belongs to Lu Lao San!
"The ones in my inn, the ones outside, the ones you just killed—they're all bandits!
"Little ones, you killed bandits, yet you still dared return to the bandits' main stronghold. I truly don't know whether to call you foolish... or foolish."
Before you continue