Are You Worthy?

The distance from Holy Soul Village to Notting City was not far. On foot, it only took half a day.

However, Yang Ming was traveling by carriage, which would shorten the journey considerably.

In theory, at the carriage's speed, they could reach Notting City in just two hours.

Of course, nothing was absolute. Theory was only theory because reality was always full of unexpected twists.

When Old Jack saw a band of more than forty bandits blocking the road ahead of the carriage, his heart skipped a beat, and he silently cursed his luck.

The bandits wore green hoods and red scarves that concealed their faces completely, leaving only their shifty eyes exposed. Each wore half armor and gripped a broad saber, its blade gleaming brightly.

The bandits had set up caltrops across the road. Their sharp spikes could easily pierce the belly of the weak carriage horse, so Old Jack did not dare force his way through.

Without hesitation, Old Jack hurriedly turned the horse around, intending to leave.

However,

the bandits had already spotted Old Jack from afar. How could they let such easy prey escape?

"Hyah! Hyah! Hyah..."

A burst of hoofbeats thundered toward them as more than forty bandits rode over on fine horses.

The horses beneath the bandits were not the weak beasts used to pull carriages. They were all excellent steeds built for speed.

In less than fifteen minutes, the bandits had caught up from behind.

Left with no choice, Old Jack yanked hard on the reins and brought the carriage to a halt.

More than forty bandits closed in and surrounded the carriage.

The bandit leader pointed his blade diagonally at Old Jack and said arrogantly,

"I planted this tree, and I built this road. If you want to pass through here, pay the toll first."

This was Old Jack's first encounter with bandits.

By all rights, although Notting City was close to the border of the Heaven Dou Empire, it was not a large city and there was little profit to be had there. There should not have been any bandits.

But seeing that the bandits' arms were thicker than his thighs, Old Jack suppressed his doubts. Afraid that they might harm Yang Ming and Tang San, he hurriedly pulled out a money pouch from his pocket. Inside were Yang Ming's tuition and living expenses, along with some loose change for daily necessities.

"Good sirs, is this money enough?"

"You old man know what's good for you."

The bandit leader took the money pouch, weighed it in his palm, and nodded in satisfaction.

Just as Old Jack thought the bandit leader would let them pass, the man spoke again.

"Who's inside that carriage? Let me have a look."

Old Jack's expression tightened. He waved both hands nervously, forcing a miserable smile as he said,

"Good sir, there's no one in the carriage."

"No one, really?"

"Really, really!"

Old Jack nodded frantically, like a pecking chicken, terrified that something might go wrong.

The bandit leader suddenly flashed a vicious grin. He shoved Old Jack aside and lifted the carriage curtain, revealing Yang Ming and Tang San sitting opposite each other inside.

"You damn old man, you're not very honest, are you? Aren't there two living people in this carriage? And you dared tell me there was nobody? Do you take me for blind, or do you take me for an idiot, huh?"

The bandit leader yanked Old Jack off the carriage and kicked him to the ground. He planted his large foot on Old Jack's chest, stared down at his aged face, and slapped his cheek with the flat of his saber as he sneered,

"Damn old man, I've changed my mind. Those two children in your carriage are quite good-looking. If I sell them to some noble lords with unusual tastes, I might make a fortune. So you can leave, but the two children must stay."

The instant the flat of the blade struck his face, Old Jack felt the icy chill of the saber and went pale with fright, terrified that this desperate criminal might bring it down on him.

But,

when he heard that the bandit leader intended to sell Yang Ming,

and sell him to nobles with special tastes,

Old Jack did not know where he found the strength. He suddenly wrapped both arms tightly around the bandit leader's leg and pleaded humbly, "Good sir, don't you want money? I still have more at home. Tell me how much you want, and I'll give you all of it! Even if you want my burial money, take it all. As long as you spare these two children, I'll do anything you ask. I'll even serve you like an ox or horse."

Several times, the bandit leader tried to pull his leg free from Old Jack's grip. But Old Jack's arms clung around it like the roots of an ancient tree, strong and tight. No matter how hard the bandit leader struggled, he could not break free.

"Fine, you damn old man, you dare bargain with me? Do you not even know how to write the word death?"

The bandit leader snorted and sneered,

"Didn't you say you'd do anything? Then come on. As long as you kneel and crawl through my legs, then call me Grandpa three times, maybe if you make me happy, I'll change my mind and let you and the two children in the carriage go."

A man's knees were worth gold!

What the bandit leader said was nothing less than trampling on Old Jack's dignity as a man!

Any normal man would have been enraged!

Old Jack was consumed by fury, his face flushing red.

But when he looked at the two children in the carriage, especially Yang Ming, whom he had adopted yet always treated as his own grandson,

Yang Ming's talent was so outstanding, and his future so bright. He had boundless potential and should not, could not, fall here!

I've lived long enough. So what if I lose this old face? As long as Yang Ming makes something of himself and rises above others in the future, that will be enough.

With that thought, Old Jack pressed his lips together and gritted his teeth so hard that his jaw muscles bulged. A trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth as his knees began to lower toward the ground.

At that moment, Yang Ming's furious roar rang out.

"Stop!"

Seeing Yang Ming jump down from the carriage with his spear in hand, Old Jack panicked. His eyes reddened as he cried anxiously,

"You little rascal, can't you see how dangerous this is? Why are you getting down here?"

Though his tone was harsh, every word was filled with concern for Yang Ming.

"Grandpa." Yang Ming helped Old Jack to his feet, glaring coldly at the surrounding bandits. His voice gradually turned icy as he said, "If I have to sacrifice your dignity in exchange for my own life, then what meaning is there in me staying alive?"

"Yang Ming is right!"

Tang San also jumped down from the carriage and stood shoulder to shoulder with Yang Ming.

"You two..."

Seeing the two half-grown children protecting him behind them, tears blurred Old Jack's cloudy eyes, and his voice choked several times.

He was proud of the children, but he also regretted his own helplessness.

"Heh heh."

Seeing the deep grandfather-grandson affection between Yang Ming and Old Jack, the bandit leader gave a cold laugh. He pointed his broad saber diagonally at Yang Ming, then stuck out his tongue beneath the red scarf and licked his dry, cracked lips with a vicious grin.

"You little brat who doesn't know his place, do you think that toy spear in your hand can do anything to us?"

"Are you worthy?"