Shooting Mountain Bandits, Stirring Up Mountain Wind
Then, more than ten people suddenly emerged from both sides of the mountain path. Each of them carried a large knife on their shoulder, their faces full of ferocity, and they grinned.
The leader was a short man with a square face, from Mountain Wind Stronghold, nicknamed "Fang Kidney." Because of his short stature, he would often cut people in half at the waist with his knife during fights, hence the name "Fang Kidney."
"Stop, stop, stop."
"Didn't you hear me tell you to stop?!"
Fang Kidney shouted a few times, glared, and then channeled his inner energy.
Uncle Fu and the others felt a jolt in their ears and saw stars, so they had no choice but to stop.
"Which village are you from? You seem quite wealthy." Fang Kidney's eyes were like green beans, but he had practiced martial arts and his eyes shone brightly. In addition, living in a bandit's den for a long time had given him Sha Qi, and his glare was chilling.
"Grandpa, we're from Black River Village, we're from Black River Village."
Uncle Fu stepped forward to negotiate.
"Black River Village?"
Fang Kidney pondered for a moment, "Oh... I remember now..." As he uttered the word "remember," he swung his large knife and sliced off half of Uncle Fu's ear.
He said fiercely, "Fine, fine, you're broke, aren't you?"
"Last time, the Fourth Master brought people to your village to teach you about farming and mediate village conflicts. Several girls in your village were so enamored with the Master's good looks that they insisted on coming to the stronghold with him."
"You say we put in all the effort and didn't even get paid for our hard work, and you didn't even offer a token of appreciation, yet now you have money to go to the city market?"
"Feelings are a lie."
When Fang Kidney spoke, it caused the bandits to burst into laughter, which was quite amusing.
But then they saw that several of the men in the village had red eyes. Among the teasing and joking, the women who had been abducted to the mountain were their sisters.
After Fang Kidney finished speaking, he kicked Uncle Fu to the ground.
"Uncle Fu!"
The crowd gasped in surprise. He had arrived armed with machetes and clubs, but now dared not wield them.
Fortunately, there was snow on the ground, which slowed the fall. Uncle Fu cried out in pain, but he was still able to move.
"Sir, please... please let us explain."
"We sold our old ox to... and that's how we got some grain."
Uncle Fu struggled to his feet, clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, and said with a forced smile.
"Sir, this half of the grain is all a tribute to you."
"Please, have mercy and give us a way out. Leave us half of this grain; it will barely get us through the winter."
"You said we must live first, so that we can constantly offer sacrifices to you, right?"
Fang Kidney nodded and said, "That's true. I think you're quite shrewd, old man. Here's what we'll do: bring over 60% of the grain."
Uncle Fu felt a pang of regret, but he had no choice. He had ten bags of coarse yellow millet, and he reluctantly gave six bags to Mountain Wind Stronghold.
There are at least four bags left.
"Another bag, please."
Fang Kidney laughed.
"This... this..." Uncle Fu was in a great dilemma, but he could only endure it and had another bag handed over.
"Old man, what a pathetic fellow. You've lived a life that's come to nothing. You have no regrets."
"No wonder he's lived so long; he must have some tricks up his sleeve."
The bandits chatted and laughed. Suddenly, Fang Kidney drew his knife and, with two swift movements, cleaved open the remaining three sacks of grain.
Yellow millet grains were scattered all over the ground, mixed in with the snow.
"Take it."
"You'd better hurry, it's getting dark soon."
Fang Kidney laughed smugly.
"Asshole!"
Unable to contain his anger, a young man raised a stick and charged at the man's Fang Kidney.
"No!" Uncle Fu's expression changed, and he hurriedly tried to stop him. But it was too late; the man had already struck Fang Kidney on the shoulder with his stick.
Fang Kidney, raised his shoulder, and the stick snapped in two. He grinned maliciously, "Good lad, you've got guts, daring to lay a hand on me." He grabbed the man.
The man roared, "Without food, you certainly won't survive. It was worth it for me to chop you down with this stick!"
"You got what you deserved." Fang Kidney looked at the others, "What about them? Besides, that blow you gave me didn't even scratch me."
"Hehe, when the big knife cuts you later, it'll really hurt..."
Suddenly, a strange noise was heard.
The word "pain" had barely left his lips when an arrow shot out, pinning the Fang Kidney to the ground.
Being struck by a stick wouldn't hurt, but this powerful flying arrow truly pierced flesh and bone.
It hurts so much!
His smug expression instantly twisted into a grimace.
But the arrow, imbued with powerful Inner Qi, pierced through his shoulder and embedded itself in the ground, causing him to howl in pain, yet he was unable to get up.
Li Xian fired another arrow.
One, two, three...
Those ordinary mountain bandits were all slit in the throat, dying swiftly and decisively.
One of the bandits reacted quickly, drawing his knife to parry. Suddenly, Li Xian descended from above and kicked him in the lower back. With a "bang," the bandit was paralyzed and fell to the ground, his limbs twitching and trembling.
"Look at the knife!"
A bandit immediately attacked, but Li Xian, arriving first after being caught off guard, punched him in the face.
Li Xian's actions were ruthless from the moment he appeared.
Having dispatched several men in quick succession, his divine might had already intimidated everyone. He noticed a bandit standing only three steps away, looking bewildered. He immediately strode forward and punched the bandit in the chest. His Inner Force penetrated the bandit, shattering his heart.
He then turned around and swung his narrow knife, killing another bandit with a single blow.
In that instant, seven or eight bandits had died.
The remaining three bandits, having lost all will to fight, fled desperately. Li Xian drew his bow again...
Call out--
The arrow flew in a perfect arc.
One of the bandits fell.
[You shot and killed a bandit, Proficiency +4]
Li Xian's expression was indifferent, and he loosened his grip.
[You shot and killed a bandit, Proficiency +4]
The last bandit had already run quite far, and was partially hidden by green plants.
Li Xian pointed his bow upwards, channeled his inner energy, and shot the arrow. The arrow flew through a higher and longer arc, with indescribable grace.
The final arrow was driven in.
[You shot and killed a bandit, Proficiency +4]
In the blink of an eye, not a single one was spared.
Does it hurt?
Li Xian walked towards Fang Kidney and stepped on the arrow hole.
"Screw you!"
"You dare touch me? I'll make sure you all pay!"
Fang Kidney said sternly.
Li Xian took out an arrow and plunged it into the man's left shoulder, drawing blood. "Does it hurt this time?"
Fang Kidney stubbornly remained silent. Li Xian sneered, "You certainly have backbone."
It's a pity you didn't live long.
Without another word, Li Xian nocked a bow and slowly drew back the string. During this process, Fang Kidney's expression clearly showed fear; he was about to beg for mercy...
An arrow had already been shot, pinning his head to the ground.
"No..."
He uttered the last word, and died with his eyes wide open in disbelief.
"Sir... this..."
Uncle Fu and the others showed no joy.
"Bury these bodies."
"Pretend this never happened."
Li Xian calmly said, "Oh, and remember to loot the corpse."
"Hurry up!" Uncle Fu snapped out of his daze and ordered everyone to dig a pit and bury the body.
The group consisted of farmers who, working together, quickly dug a large pit, threw all the corpses into it, and buried them completely.
A total of seven taels of silver, along with several iron knives and spears, were found.
Li Xian gave three ounces to Uncle Fu, saying, "If this matter is exposed, Black River Village will surely be looted. But if we don't resist, we'll either starve or freeze to death."
"You need not panic. Just follow my orders, and we will be able to meet any challenge head-on."
"In any case... things can't get any worse."
Li Xian's calm demeanor impressed everyone.
The farmers' eyes gradually hardened; having no way out, they had no choice but to listen to the old man Guard.
"Sitting in Black River Village, Mountain Wind Stronghold is bound to be a formidable stronghold sooner or later."
Li Xian thought to himself that he could not possibly defend the area alone. He should arm the villagers to increase their assistance.
Li Xian told them to take those knives, clubs, axes, hammers, and other weapons back to the village and bury them in a large pit.
It might still be possible to retrieve and use it at that time.