This Woman Has Malicious Intent

"This is bad. There are other experts in the bandit stronghold. Minjun, take care of your junior disciples."

Without waiting for Ding Minjun's response, Miejue took a breath of True Qi and leaped up. She soared through the air like a great goose, heading towards the distant stronghold.

Her figure flickered a few times before disappearing from everyone's sight, leaving no trace.

As Miejue left, the remaining dozens of bandits around them let out a long sigh of relief.

It felt like the great sword hanging over their heads had been removed, bringing a sense of security.

After their worries eased, the surrounding bandits looked at Ding Minjun, Gu Shaoan, and Zhou Zhiruo in the center of the field with doubt.

They wanted to step forward and finish off Gu Shaoan and the others, but thinking of the strength Gu Shaoan and Ding Minjun had displayed earlier, and Miejue's current whereabouts, they remained hesitant.

For a moment, they didn't know whether to continue fighting or to flee for their lives.

At the same time, Gu Shaoan had already moved to Zhou Zhiruo's side, making it easier for Ding Minjun to protect them both later.

But just as Gu Shaoan looked up at Ding Minjun, he met her thoughtful gaze.

Seeing the cold curve of Ding Minjun's lips, Gu Shaoan's heart sank.

This woman has bad intentions.

Almost as soon as Gu Shaoan had this thought, Ding Minjun seemed to have made up her mind.

She then shouted loudly, "Junior disciples, these bandits must be killed. Not a single one of them can be left alive today."

After speaking, Ding Minjun quickly took a few steps and leaped forward, charging towards a group of bandits. Screams immediately erupted.

Watching Ding Minjun wield her sword, reaping the lives of the surrounding bandits, and recalling her words, the bandits who were still hesitating whether to flee or stay began to harden their hearts one by one.

They glared fiercely at Gu Shaoan and Zhou Zhiruo.

Gu Shaoan's mind raced. He understood Ding Minjun's intentions perfectly now. She was driving the bandits into a corner, forcing them into a desperate fight. Her goal was not only to eliminate these bandits but also to use them to eliminate him and Zhou Zhiruo.

Cursing inwardly, Gu Shaoan sheathed his sword without delay and said to the still bewildered Zhou Zhiruo beside him, "Senior Sister, stay close to me later."

Zhou Zhiruo looked bewildered, not understanding why Gu Shaoan's expression had become so serious. However, she could clearly feel the menacing stares of the bandits in the distance. Nodding in response to Gu Shaoan, she tightly gripped the wooden sword in her hand.

As both of them prepared themselves, seeing Ding Minjun relentlessly slaughtering the bandits around her, the remaining bandits finally lost their patience and charged towards Gu Shaoan and Zhou Zhiruo.

Looking at the bandits rapidly approaching, Gu Shaoan's eyes were as calm as an abyss. His left hand tightly gripped the scabbard, while his right hand encircled the hilt of the sword, True Qi circulating within him.

A few breaths later, the first two bandits reached Gu Shaoan and Zhou Zhiruo. They swung their great swords, both aimed at Gu Shaoan. The fierce sword wind howled, showing no hesitation despite their target being just a child.

The moment they swung their swords, Gu Shaoan's hand, which was around the hilt, pressed down. His fingers tightened instantly.

Zheng--.

A clear sword hum echoed as the sword in the scabbard shot out like a bolt of lightning. Illuminated by the firelight, a flash of sword light suddenly appeared in the eyes of the two bandits. It was as brilliant as a rainbow after rain, and as fleeting as a shooting star.

Thwack, thwack.

The sharp blade sliced through the legs of the two bandits in front of him as if cutting tofu. Two muffled sounds of flesh being cut. The blade penetrated about an inch and two fen deep, cutting the skin and tendons but not the bone. The two bandits whose legs were cut felt a surge of intense pain, causing them to instantly lose their balance and fall to the ground, screaming.

After injuring two bandits with one sword strike, Gu Shaoan's sword momentum was not yet exhausted. He used the terrifying initial speed of his draw and his spinning motion to execute the third stance of the Sunset Swordplay, "Melting Gold, Boiling Sea." The long sword swept horizontally. The sword light, like the soft yet deadly glow of the setting sun, grazed the outer sides of the knees of the three bandits following closely behind. It penetrated about an inch into the flesh, directly severing the patellar tendons below their knees (the spot tapped for the knee-jerk reflex).

"Ugh."

Three suppressed cries of pain. The three bandits felt a piercing pain in their knees as if struck by heavy hammers. Not only could they not attack, but they also involuntarily dropped their weapons and clutched their knees, howling in agony.

From drawing his sword to injuring the enemy, to spinning and slicing knees, the entire process was as fast as a fleeting moment. As the five bandits in front of him fell, Gu Shaoan had already sheathed his sword. He then pulled Zhou Zhiruo back several steps, creating a small distance of life and death between them and the bandits still charging.

But after a few steps, more bandits surged past the injured ones and reached Gu Shaoan and Zhou Zhiruo. Gu Shaoan remained unmoved, like a reef. Every time a bandit entered his predetermined danger zone, the sword in his scabbard would dart out like a venomous snake's tongue. Each strike was precise, either stabbing the wrist holding the weapon, sweeping the ankles and lower legs, or slashing the knee bends. The sword light only hovered around the lower extremities, never going deeper.

But with every sword strike, several people would inevitably fall to the ground, their screams unending.

Zhou Zhiruo watched the blood splatter and the enemies cry out as they fell, a mixture of shock and fear gripping her. Yet, she forced herself to remain calm, clutching her wooden sword tightly to Gu Shaoan's side.

The mountain bandits were numerous. If they were at full strength, Gu Shaoan alone might have been able to use his agility and footwork to kite them, defeating them one by one.

But the crucial point was that Gu Shaoan had already gone through consecutive battles, his stamina significantly depleted, and he was beginning to feel exhausted.

Beside him was Zhou Zhiruo, who was also utterly exhausted, her Internal Energy almost completely depleted.

With the enemy outnumbering them, and their own movements restricted, if they were to fight head-on, they would have to rely on evasive maneuvers and footwork to find opportunities for a killing blow.

Killing several more would only exhaust their remaining strength, leaving them in a passive position.

It was better to do as they were doing now, to wound rather than kill, focusing attacks on the bandits' legs to limit their movement, conserving their own energy. They would retreat when the enemy advanced, avoiding being surrounded by the bandits.

The cries of pain continued incessantly.

In just a moment, another seven or eight bandits, screaming and clutching their legs, fell within a few feet of Gu Shaoan and Zhou Zhiruo.

The sight of these figures, howling and writhing on the ground in agony, finally intimidated the remaining bandits, who immediately became hesitant.

However, a few other bandits were instead provoked by Gu Shaoan's actions, their ferocity ignited, and they charged mindlessly towards Gu Shaoan, who was now gasping for air.

From a distance, Ding Minjun, who was busy fending off bandits on the other side, caught a glimpse of Gu Shaoan's situation out of the corner of her eye. Her brow furrowed sharply.

The continuous, precise, and efficient series of sword strikes, the calm composure and control of the rhythm in the face of danger – it all far exceeded her expectations.

"How can his sword be so fast?"