Hidden Cave

"Oh?"

The bandit's final words stirred a flicker of interest in Xu Yan.

He gave the bandit an icy look and slowly lowered his finger.

"Speak. If it really is useful to me, I might spare your life."

With a trace of curiosity on his face, he waited to hear the bandit's secret.

The bandit before him was a burly man of about forty named Li Tieniu, with a tiger's back, a bear's waist, and a face covered in thick whiskers. He had originally been a village blacksmith, but after suffering abuse at the hands of a wealthy household in his village, he had decided to go all the way and become a bandit at Horse Mountain Stronghold. Though he had killed the wealthy landowner with his own hands, he had also committed no small number of killings over the years.

His brute strength had earned Wang Jinbiao's favor, and he had gradually become a trusted subordinate. That was how he had learned Wang Jinbiao's secret.

Kowtowing to Xu Yan, Li Tieniu said, "Immortal Master, Wang Jinbiao was originally just a hunter in the mountains. His ability to develop martial arts that made him impervious to blades and spears has something to do with a certain place."

"Wang Jinbiao considers that place the Forbidden Ground of Horse Mountain Stronghold, and it's always guarded. I was fortunate enough to accompany him there once, but he left me on the outskirts, so I never reached its heart. Still, I'm certain his body-hardening martial arts must have something to do with that place."

After speaking, the bandit remained on his knees before Xu Yan.

At this, something stirred in Xu Yan's heart.

After being struck by his spell, Wang Jinbiao had indeed been in better shape than these three bandits. Of that, he was absolutely certain. Could the man have developed such body-hardening martial arts with the help of some spiritual treasure?

At the thought, he fixed his eyes on the bandit before him and said in an utterly cold voice, "If you dare lie to me, you know what will happen to you!"

As those icy words fell, the kneeling bandit hurriedly shook his head. "How would I dare deceive you, Immortal Master? If you don't believe me, I can take you there right now."

"Good. Get up and take me there," Xu Yan ordered, rising to his feet.

"Thank you, Immortal Master!" Li Tieniu let out a long breath. His life was safe for the moment.

With that, Li Tieniu turned and led the way.

Just as Xu Yan stepped out of the cave, a clear voice tinged with fear reached him.

"I-Immortal Master..."

Xu Yan had no desire to acknowledge the red-clad girl calling from inside the cave. She was not a vicious bandit, so he could spare her life, but whether she could make it down the mountain was a matter of her own luck.

Seeing the cold young man remain unmoved and follow the bandit farther and farther away, the red-clad girl bit her red lip with her pearly teeth. Her brows drew together slightly, as though she had reached a decision.

"I-Immortal Master, I also have a secret that will definitely be useful to you, but I have one condition!"

As she spoke, the girl clasped her hands tightly together, looking extremely nervous.

Xu Yan stopped in his tracks. He turned and looked expressionlessly at the frightened red-clad girl, saying each word distinctly, "If you dare lie to me, you know what will happen to you!"

"I... I certainly wouldn't dare deceive you, Immortal Master, but my condition is that you must take me home." Meeting the young man's icy gaze, the red-clad girl gathered her courage and spoke.

He stared hard at the red-clad girl for several breaths. Only after deciding that she did not seem to be lying did Xu Yan nod.

"In that case, follow me." With that, he followed the bandit toward the stronghold.

Only then did the girl behind him relax her taut body, and she hurried after them.

The bandits' stronghold stood at the very summit of Horse Mountain, a little over ten li uphill from the mountainside. At Xu Yan's speed, he could have reached it in mere moments.

But because his two companions were ordinary mortals, covering those ten-odd li took more than an hour.

They passed several checkpoints along the way, and the bandits on guard all paled at the sight of Li Tieniu. They knew he had accompanied the stronghold chief to capture the red-clad girl, yet now Li Tieniu and the girl were both here, while the chief and their three brothers had not returned. The guards began to suspect what had happened. Once Li Tieniu told them who Xu Yan was, they all fell to their knees and bowed, not daring to obstruct him.

Soon, the three reached the stronghold.

The stronghold had been built along the contours of the mountain, with a simple wall of earth and stone stretching several hundred zhang. Behind that crude wall lay the bandits' dwellings.

Even from a distance, they could hear the deafening clamor of gongs and drums.

The stronghold was decked in red and flowers, brimming with festive cheer. Seven or eight banquet tables had been set out in the square before the assembly hall, each packed with bandits exchanging cups and drinking toasts in a lively uproar.

The arrival of the three immediately shattered the mood.

At the table nearest them, a bald, burly man had been competing with another bandit in drinking. Seeing the three suddenly enter, his expression changed slightly. He promptly smashed down his wine bowl, pulled a pair of bronze hammers from beneath the table, and sprang out.

"Li Tieniu! Why have you come back alone? Where's the chief? And who's this little brat?"

"How dare you! Kneel and welcome the Immortal Master!" Li Tieniu roared with all his strength.

His roar rang out like thunder, instantly carrying across the entire square and silencing the noisy crowd. Every bandit set down his wine bowl, and all eyes turned toward them.

"Li Tieniu! Fuck your bullshit! What fucking Immortal Master? Die!" The bald man was the second-in-command of Horse Mountain Stronghold. Blind drunk, he refused to believe a word Li Tieniu said and immediately raised both hammers, bringing them crashing down toward the three.

Seeing this, the other bandits hurriedly seized their weapons and charged at them with fierce cries.

Xu Yan's expression chilled. He flicked all ten fingers, sending balls of flame shooting toward the charging bandits. In mere moments, the square became a sea of fire.

Seeing Xu Yan slaughter the bandits in the space of a breath, Li Tieniu grew even more fearful. "Immortal Master, please follow me," he said respectfully, then led him toward Wang Jinbiao's secret chamber.

"Stay here."

The red-clad girl had been about to follow them, but Xu Yan's icy voice stopped her.

"Yes, Immortal Master."

The red-clad girl bowed to him and obediently retreated to a corner of the square.

The two soon reached Wang Jinbiao's secret chamber.

Once inside, Li Tieniu lifted a section of the floor without a word, revealing an opening three feet across. Looking down through it, Xu Yan saw nothing but darkness. Even with his keen spiritual perception, he could make out only a few zhang ahead. All he could determine was that it was a winding cave sloping downward. Where it led, he could not tell.

"Immortal Master, follow me. This Hidden Cave leads to the Forbidden Ground."

With that, Li Tieniu found a torch in the secret chamber, lit it, and jumped down first.