Slaughter

The moment those words were spoken.

Everyone's expressions changed drastically, fury surging through them. Several martial artists clenched their fists until they crackled.

This was going too far!

They were bullying them far too much!

Everyone looked toward Gu Dajiang. So long as he nodded, they would not hesitate to fight to the death.

Gu Dajiang's eyes were colder than ever. In the end, he merely spat out one word:

"Give it!"

He took a long look at Wang Chong, already having made up his mind. Once they returned to the village, he would definitely bring men back to settle the score. Whatever they gave now, they would take it back with interest!

Let him hold onto it for now.

Gu Dajiang snorted inwardly. Anyone who mistook this Blood Refining Realm expert for a simple, honest farmer would likely suffer dearly for it.

Everyone from Gu Family Village looked as though their parents had died, clenching their fists in unwillingness.

Yet Wang Chong, standing across from them, felt waves of inexplicable chill. He stared at Gu Dajiang before suddenly bursting into loud laughter.

"Brother Dajiang, what spirit! I, Wang Chong, admire you!"

"Boys, clear the way!"

The bandits whooped strangely as they rushed into the forest, opening up a safe passage.

Gu Dajiang remained expressionless.

"Let's go!"

He and the other martial artists watched Wang Chong and his men in the distance vigilantly, guarding against these rule-breaking bandits suddenly attacking.

The Gu Family Village caravan accelerated through the pass.

Gu Sheng did not dare relax for even a moment. He kept watching from the corner of his eye, ready to react at the slightest sign of trouble.

Fortunately.

Nothing happened until everyone had passed through the Mangniu Mountain trail.

Only after the caravan had traveled far beyond Mangniu Mountain did everyone finally breathe a sigh of relief. The atmosphere was somewhat gloomy. Having been humiliated twice in a row by Wang Chong's group left them feeling deeply frustrated.

Gu Sheng frowned tightly, his grip on his longbow never loosening.

"Gu Dajiang... he's endured too much."

"He seems to have some concern holding him back, but yielding like this won't make Wang Chong, that greedy outsider, stop. Having just arrived, Wang Chong needs to establish his authority. He might just see us as easy prey..."

Gu Sheng had a feeling.

Gu Dajiang's concerns were likely related to the purpose of this trip into the city.

The caravan was fully loaded and moving slowly. If the bandits truly wished to pursue them, they could intercept them ahead.

A shadow gradually rose in Gu Sheng's heart.

He pulled Gu Erniu over and said quietly:

"Brother Erniu, be careful later. I have a feeling the road back won't be peaceful either."

Gu Erniu froze. Just as he was about to argue, he suddenly stiffened, alarm filling his eyes.

"You mean..."

"That's right. Anyway, it's best to stay cautious."

Neither of them intended to warn Gu Dajiang. Their words carried little weight, and saying anything would not be of much use.

Of course.

They did not need to remind him.

Gu Renxu was already repeatedly urging the drivers and porters to move faster. Clearly, Gu Dajiang was not without worries.

Gu Sheng could see that Gu Dajiang at the front, along with the martial artists guarding him, all looked alert as they periodically watched the surrounding woods. Gu Xiaojiang kept gazing into the distance ahead, as though waiting for something.

Time passed.

The Gu Family Village caravan traveled without obstruction, not even encountering a single bandit.

Yet Gu Sheng's unease only grew stronger.

Suddenly.

The whistle of arrows slicing through the air rang out in the forest, followed by several cries of agony. Gu Sheng's heart jolted as he saw several villagers struck by arrows and collapsing to the ground in pain.

He was extremely sensitive to the sound of arrows cutting through the air. The instant he noticed it, he immediately pulled Gu Erniu behind cover.

"Enemy attack! Take cover!"

Gu Dajiang roared furiously, his qi and blood surging like thunder.

The villagers scrambled and crawled for safety.

The enemy's arrow fire was highly organized. Two more volleys took down several villagers who failed to dodge in time, though most of the arrows struck the carts and horses.

Gu Sheng's pupils shrank. He watched a hunter on his right, who had just been speaking, clutch his throat and fall to the ground, his eyes full of agony. In an instant, Gu Sheng's limbs turned cold, and a nameless rage rose within his chest.

The pungent smell of blood filled the air. In the blink of an eye, several living people had lost their lives.

From the forest across from them.

A cold shout rang out.

"Brothers, kill them!"

Everyone recognized that rough voice. The burly man wielding a spiked mace charged at the forefront, vicious and ferocious. He looked at the Gu Family Village caravan as though it were a herd of pigs and sheep awaiting slaughter, without the slightest trace of mercy.

It was Wang Chong!

Behind him came a group of fierce bandits wielding sabers and swords.

Gu Dajiang was both shocked and enraged. He drew a broad-backed saber from somewhere, his furious face flushed red.

"Wang Chong, we've already paid the toll, yet you still refuse to let us go. Do you really think Gu Family Village is easy to bully?!"

"Kill them!"

Gu Dajiang roared, stomping on his horse's back and leaping into the air. Saber in hand, he charged forward. He moved like a tiger, powerful and domineering.

The other martial artists charged out behind him as well.

Clang!!

A piercing metallic ring erupted as the spiked mace collided with the broad-backed saber. Both Wang Chong and Gu Dajiang were forced back.

Wang Chong sneered.

"Gu Family Village? You only have three Blood Refining Realm martial artists. Once I kill you today, let's see who in Mangniu Mountain dares come after me!"

"Your Gu Family Village will be the stepping stone for me, Wang Chong, to establish myself in Canghe County!"

Wang Chong was no fool. Over the past few days, he had thoroughly investigated Gu Family Village's circumstances.

They had three Blood Refining Realm martial artists, but at least one had to remain behind to guard the village.

If he killed one now, then even if Gu Family Village wanted revenge afterward, they would have to think twice.

He laughed wildly. The spiked mace weighing over a hundred jin seemed weightless in his hands as it came smashing down with a howling wind, carrying overwhelming pressure.

The Blood Refining Realm.

It tempered flesh and blood, granting even the weakest practitioners the strength of a thousand jin!

Gu Dajiang's palm turned bluish-black. The veins on the back of the hand gripping his saber bulged, and his arm muscles swelled, not inferior in the slightest.

His saber danced with fierce force, like the Eastward River, its momentum vast and mighty.

The two remained locked in battle, but Wang Chong held a slight advantage and suppressed Gu Dajiang.

Greed gleamed in Wang Chong's eyes.

"A mere one hundred and fifty taels—do you think I, Wang Chong, am some beggar? I could shit on your head and you wouldn't dare make a sound. The Gu Dajiang I heard about wasn't this sort of man. That can only mean one thing: you're carrying something valuable!"

"Gu Dajiang, hand it over, and I'll turn around with my brothers and leave. How about it?"

Wang Chong still had enough strength to disrupt Gu Dajiang's focus.

Gu Dajiang's heart skipped a beat. Only then did he realize Wang Chong had seen through the clues. These rebel soldiers and bandits truly were not fools.

"Bullshit!"

He glanced around from the corner of his eye. Gu Family Village was clearly at a disadvantage, and he could not help shouting:

"Hold on, everyone! Gu Jingang is already on his way with men! When he gets here, not one of these thieves will escape!"

The morale of Gu Family Village's side immediately soared.

Wang Chong's expression darkened, and his attacks became increasingly ferocious as he sought a quick end to the battle.

Gu Sheng drew his bow and nocked an arrow, his gaze focused. One arrow pierced through a bandit's throat. With perfected archery paired with a two-stone bow, ordinary people were almost always killed in a single shot!

Hearing Gu Dajiang's words, Gu Sheng felt relieved. It was probably not a lie.

Before setting out, he had noticed one martial artist was missing. So that person had gone to send word and arrange support.

The battlefield was now a chaotic melee. The bandits' martial artists had engaged Gu Family Village's martial artists, while the remaining ordinary bandits charged toward the villagers with sabers and swords. The villagers scattered in terror, fleeing into the forest.

Gu Sheng restrained himself.

Although his archery was exceptional, he did not have the ability to turn the tide of battle. He did not want to attract too much attention and be targeted by a martial artist.

Since he knew reinforcements would arrive soon, the best course for now was to keep himself alive.

Gu Sheng fired occasional arrows, rescuing people whenever possible as he fled into the forest with Gu Erniu.