Smoke curled from cooking fires, and the morning glow painted the sky like a picture.
In an oasis under the jurisdiction of five sects, including the Leaving Fire Sect, Green Mist Mountain, and Mystic Moon Cave.
Morning here began with crisp birdsong. Women went to the stream for water, men inspected the irrigation channels, and children laughed as they chased butterflies. The oasis carried their lives and hopes.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
The warning bells rang out, shattering the oasis's peace.
Thunderous hoofbeats rolled in. Seven or eight riders appeared on the horizon, racing like a whirlwind and kicking up towering clouds of dust. In the blink of an eye, they were upon them.
A band of horse bandits charged toward the oasis with ferocious momentum. Their scar-faced leader brandished a long saber, its blade flashing with an icy gleam beneath the sun.
Their mounts were no ordinary horses. Their scales glimmered, and they were large and powerfully built. These were Dragon Scale Horses, shaped like horses and covered in azure scales. They could travel four or five thousand li a day without tiring.
"The horse bandits are here! Everyone, be careful!"
That cry instantly shattered the oasis's tranquility. A cloud of fear swiftly descended upon everyone. Outside the stone stronghold came shouts and neighing horses, while chaos erupted within.
"Hide quickly! Bandits are attacking! Everyone, grab your weapons!"
Many able-bodied youths organized the elderly and children into hiding, then rushed to the gate with sharp blades in hand.
The people of the Northern Region were fierce by nature. Though terrified, they resolutely took up arms to protect their homes and loved ones.
"Hand over all the source in your village!" a horse bandit roared as he charged before the stronghold.
"Sir, the source from our village was already handed over to the Green Mist Sect a few days ago," an old man said with a fawning smile.
"Don't try to scare Laozi with the Green Mist Sect. Don't think I don't know you've hidden some away! Hand over three jin of source right now! One tael less, and we'll level your village!" The bandit remained unmoved, growing even more arrogant.
With no other choice, battle finally erupted. The residents fought to the death and struggled bitterly to hold on, but they gradually began to falter.
Like hungry wolves, the horse bandits slaughtered without restraint. Blood swiftly stained this land that had once been full of life.
The scar-faced bandit viciously kicked aside an old man who tried to stop him, then laughed wildly. "You worthless trash dare resist Laozi?"
Another bandit grabbed a woman by the hair and cursed, "You poor wretches hid so little and still dare oppose us! Today, I'll sell every last one of you to the Source Mine, so you'll wish you were dead!"
The residents had fallen into despair. Just as doom was about to descend, a piercing sound suddenly tore through the air overhead.
A group of cultivators arrived, dressed in Holy King Sect attire. The sight of the oasis's devastation instantly ignited their fury.
The blazing sun hung high overhead, the desert scorched beneath it, and amid the surging sandstorm, the Holy King Sect disciples met the horse bandits head-on.
"Your evil deeds are beyond count. Today is your end!"
A Holy King Sect disciple let out an angry roar. Divine patterns across his body lit up at once, and crimson-gold chains danced like spiritual serpents, carrying overwhelming spiritual power as they rapidly coiled toward the bandit leader.
The bandit leader's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly raised his saber to block it. Clang! Sparks flew, and cracks appeared across the saber's blade as it failed to withstand the blow.
At the same time, a female disciple formed a seal with her delicate hands. A short sword appeared, wrapped in blazing flames, and shot like a meteor toward a horse bandit who was about to kill a child.
The bandit hastily swung up a wolf-tooth club carved with strange runes to block it. Blazing fire collided with sinister dark power, erupting in a blinding burst of light.
Another disciple possessed astonishing divine strength, and his battle intent now surged skyward. Like a bolt of black lightning, he instantly charged into the bandits. Every punch carried rolling sonic booms, and wherever his fist wind swept, bandits were sent flying.
In an instant, divine patterns flashed and Treasure Light surged into the sky. All manner of divine weapons crisscrossed the battlefield. The horse bandits immediately fell into disarray, panicking as they tried to flee, only to discover in terror that their escape route had already been cut off.
Though the horse bandits were fierce and brave, under the Holy King Sect disciples' coordinated assault, they quickly collapsed. They fell to the ground one after another and begged for mercy, and peace finally returned to this stretch of desert.
At that moment, an elder holding a whisk lightly waved it. A vast force surged forth like invisible shackles, binding the bandits tightly. The judgment they deserved awaited them.
Once the battle ended, the residents who had survived the disaster gathered around, their eyes filled with gratitude and awe. The elder took out a Merit Book and carefully recorded the disciples' achievements in this battle.
Then, the village elder slowly approached him with doubt and concern, saying, "Thank you, immortal elders, for saving us. We truly cannot repay such kindness!"
Then his gaze turned astonished, for he had clearly recognized the other man. "Elder Chen, it's really you? Weren't you missing for years? I even heard that you had been imprisoned by the Green Mist Sect..."
"That is correct. I was indeed imprisoned by them before because I refused to join those people from the Green Mist Sect in their wrongdoing." Elder Chen nodded slightly, his expression calm.
"A few days ago, our sect master came here to train and discovered that the people of the five great sects had committed far too many heinous deeds, so he purged them all.
"Afterward, in order to maintain order here, the sect master gathered those remaining people who had kept themselves clean and founded the Holy King Sect. After the sect master rescued me, I naturally joined it as well.
"Now, all the territories once held by the five great sects have been taken over by the Holy King Sect." The Green Mist Sect elder spoke slowly and gently as he looked at the village elder.
"Our sect master is compassionate. These past days, under his orders, we have been striking in all directions to wipe out those wandering horse bandits. Most of them are remnants of the five sects.
"Once we have eliminated all these vile bandits, we will also send disciples to patrol the borders day and night. From then on, you may live in peace, free from the threat of bandits."
The village elder was overjoyed, his gratitude boundless.
Then, filled with curiosity, he could not help stepping forward to ask, "After I saw you destroy the horse bandits, you recorded something in a book. What was that?"
Elder Chen patiently explained, "This is the Merit Book. Every disciple has one, and it is specifically used to record the good deeds of Holy King Sect disciples. Whenever they ease the people's burdens and solve their troubles, every contribution is entered into it.
"Whether it is drawing water from great rivers to nourish the earth, dispersing sandstorms covering the heavens and obscuring the sun, or using divine abilities to spur the growth of oasis vegetation, such things may be effortless for cultivators, but they can truly improve your lives.
"Moreover, the Holy King Sect will select promising residents for cultivation. If there are children with exceptional aptitude, they will be able to embark upon the path of cultivation and change the fate of themselves and their families."
After hearing this, hope ignited in the village elder's eyes. He sighed with emotion. "That would be wonderful. I only hope life will be more peaceful from now on. These years have already been difficult enough in this desert, and we have often suffered harassment from horse bandits. It has truly been unbearable."
Elder Chen gently patted the village elder's shoulder and reassured him, "Rest easy. With the Holy King Sect here, such disasters will never happen again!"