A Weak, Helpless, and Pitiful Target

It seemed she hadn't expected Gu Shaoan's thought process to be so peculiar, nor his reaction to be so swift. She immediately realized that when he and Zhou Zhiruo had spoken of killing people that night, she had also been eavesdropping from the shadows.

Miejue found this both exasperating and amusing. She lightly smacked Gu Shaoan's forehead.

"It was just a coincidence, not eavesdropping."

After replying to Gu Shaoan, Miejue strode forward a few steps to the mountain stronghold's gate. Her True Qi surged, and she unleashed a powerful palm strike, shattering the gate, which was constructed from thick wooden stakes, into pieces and kicking up clouds of dust.

With the gate breached, Miejue remained unfazed. She turned, one hand behind her back, and addressed Ding Minjun.

After handing her sword to Zhou Zhiruo, Ding Minjun untied the waterskin at her waist. She then took a burning wooden stick from a brazier used for illumination at the stronghold's entrance and walked into the stronghold.

Gu Shaoan and Zhou Zhiruo, who had to stand on tiptoe, watched as Ding Minjun splashed the water from the waterskin onto the houses near the stronghold's gate. Then, she touched them with the burning wooden stick, and the houses immediately erupted in flames.

Only then did Zhou Zhiruo realize that the waterskin hadn't contained water at all, but rather Tung Oil, used as an accelerant.

Watching Ding Minjun set the fire, Zhou Zhiruo nudged Gu Shaoan with her arm and whispered, "Junior Brother, aren't we here for Bandit Suppression? Why are we setting fires?"

Gu Shaoan explained, "Master probably wants to use the fire to lure out the mountain bandits inside the stronghold, as well as the three bandit leaders who know martial arts. At the same time, the fire will serve as a signal to our other senior sisters and aunts who are waiting in hiding."

"I see!"

Zhou Zhiruo's face showed understanding. She looked at Gu Shaoan and said, "Junior Brother, you're so smart. Master and Second Senior Sister didn't say anything, yet you understood the underlying purpose."

Gu Shaoan chuckled, "Senior Sister just lacks some experience. Once she's been through more things, she'll be able to understand these matters."

While they were talking, Ding Minjun returned from her task and rejoined Miejue and the others.

All the structures in the stronghold were wooden houses.

Fueled by the Tung Oil, the fire quickly grew fierce. Savage flames greedily licked at the connected wooden houses, illuminating the area near the gate as if it were broad daylight.

Thick smoke billowed upwards, carrying embers and drawing distorted, ferocious trails across the dark night sky.

"Fire! Fire!"

"Put out the fire!"

Chaotic shouts exploded into the quiet night of the mountain stronghold like cold water thrown into boiling oil!

Figures rushed from all directions, converging on the gate.

Most of the mountain bandits were disheveled, some even shirtless, their faces illuminated by the firelight in stunned disbelief.

After regaining their senses, they quickly and frantically searched for anything that could hold water.

They swarmed towards the most intense part of the fire like a disturbed beehive, buzzing with activity.

However, as they neared, they saw several figures standing tall before the shattered gate. Their surging momentum faltered.

Those who could be mountain bandits, while not necessarily brilliant, were certainly not fools.

The fire today was strange, and several figures had suddenly appeared before the mountain stronghold.

Among them, Ding Minjun, Gu Shaoan, and Zhou Zhiruo were carrying weapons.

Anyone would see that these four, two adults and two children, weren't just lost travelers who happened to stop by the mountain stronghold late at night.

Facing these bandits, Miejue didn't say a word. With a leap, (she) soared into the air like an eagle and charged into the crowd.

Seeing this, Ding Minjun also drew (her) long sword and followed closely.

Miejue's Internal Energy had already transformed into True Qi, and (her) Emei martial arts had been honed for thirty years. Her strength was unimaginable.

As Miejue charged into the bandit group, (her) movement technique was like a swimming dragon. With palms flying, (her) hands created palm shadows that filled the sky.

The move used was "Immortal's Support," the greatest killing move from Golden Summit Cotton Palm.

In just one exchange, seven bandits were struck by Miejue's palms, their skulls crushed.

Although these bandits were fierce in their daily lives, that was only against ordinary people.

When had they ever seen a master like Miejue, who possessed such a killing intent and struck with such ruthlessness?

One slightly smarter bandit signaled to three others beside him. They bypassed Miejue and charged towards Gu Shaoan.

They had indeed targeted Gu Shaoan and Zhou Zhiruo at the mountain stronghold's entrance, who appeared weak, helpless, and pitiable.

However, as these four bandits moved towards Gu Shaoan and Zhou Zhiruo, Miejue only glanced at them with her peripheral vision and said loudly, "Shaoan, take care of Zhiruo."

"Okay!"

Gu Shaoan responded casually.

"Senior Sister, keep up!" (his) voice was curt. Zhou Zhiruo's heart tightened. (She) took a deep breath, gripped (her) wooden sword, and followed closely!

At the same time, Gu Shaoan circulated his Internal Energy within his body according to the cultivation route of Three Manifestations of the Divine Dragon. With a tap of his foot, (his) body moved forward rapidly.

Although he was just a child, his speed was several times faster than those bandits.

Seeing Gu Shaoan make his move, Zhou Zhiruo, despite a hint of fear in her heart, still held her wooden sword and stepped forward.

Seeing Gu Shaoan and Zhou Zhiruo not retreat but advance, charging towards them, the four robbers grinned menacingly.

The leader raised the long saber in his hand and slashed at Gu Shaoan.

The saber wind howled! Gu Shaoan's expression was calm, and his speed increased instead of decreasing.

At the critical moment, (his) waist twisted strangely like a nimble snake, and (his) long sword rose accordingly.

His long sword suddenly transformed into a cold, sharp gleam that swept low across the ground, precise and swift.

"Tch."

The icy blade fiercely pierced the bandit's exposed right ribcage from below as he swung his saber.

As Gu Shaoan subtly moved his wrist, rotating the blade embedded in the bandit's body once before yanking it out.

"Pfft!"

Instantly, blood splattered!

The bandit's sneer froze, replaced by agony and bewilderment.

Before the bandit could even cry out in pain, a cold glint suddenly flashed across his neck.

[Congratulations to player for killing Mountain Bandit, Achievement Points +5.]

The blade slit his throat. Gu Shaoan didn't even pay attention to the prompt that popped up.

Infusing Internal Energy into the soles of his feet, he stomped down hard. The entire person became like a reversing whirlwind, lunging towards the three Mountain Bandits charging at Zhou Zhiruo on his left!

Seeing Gu Shaoan kill someone in an instant and then pounce like a phantom, the three were struck with sheer terror.

One instinctively raised his saber to block, another wanted to retreat.

It was precisely these two's movements that created openings for them.

Gu Shaoan, who had already reached the two, sank his body like a mountain. With a sudden downward shift in his sword stance, illuminated by the surrounding firelight, Gu Shaoan's long sword seemed to split into several sword lights, like overlapping mountain shadows.

It was a move from the Sunset Swordplay, specifically targeting the enemy's knees and feet, "Thousand Peaks Receiving Radiance."

The two bandits only saw a blur before their eyes, and then both felt a piercing pain in their knees.

Their bodies aching, they each toppled to the side.

And just as they fell, two sword lights flashed, passing across their throats one after another. The blades sank an inch deep, wounds instantly appearing, blood gushing like a spring.

[Congratulations to player for killing Mountain Bandit, Achievement Points +5.]
[Congratulations to player for killing Mountain Bandit, Achievement Points +5.]