Capturing Slaves

The people approaching were from the Kai clan, sent to investigate their clan leader's murderer and search for traces of the Wen clan.

The rider spotted a masked figure in the middle of the road and shouted warily, "Who dares block the path of the Kai clan?"

At his shout, the people inside the carriage climbed out one after another. Weapons in hand, they looked ready to charge and kill like savage demons.

Standing in the middle of the road, Wenlong saw the Kai clansmen leave the carriage and shouted, "Just in time!" Several stones flew toward them.

At the same time, several more stones shot out of the woods toward the Kai clansmen. Wenzhu, hidden among the trees, had launched her attack as well.

A series of thuds rang out as the Kai clansmen charging toward Wenlong fell to the ground and lay motionless.

The Wen clansmen who arrived afterward hurried forward in a flurry of hands and feet, using ropes to bind the six Kai clansmen securely.

Wen Tiancheng ordered his clansmen to take the bound captives behind the hill, lead away the two horses and the carriage, and erase the traces they had left.

Walking up to Wenlong, Wen Tiancheng patted his son's shoulder. "Well done, Long'er. I wonder whether these Kai clansmen have anything on them that might give us clues about their investigation."

Wenlong nodded and went forward with Shitou to carefully search the Kai clansmen's clothing and belongings.

They found nothing suspicious. "Father, let's leave that aside and capture more Kai clansmen first," Wenlong said, reminding his father to focus on taking captives and interrogate them at leisure afterward.

"Good. Shitou and Linzi, scout ahead. Everyone else, stay here in ambush. All the youngsters should cover their faces to avoid trouble later." After assigning everyone their tasks, Wen Tiancheng concealed himself in the woods as well.

Before long, Shitou hurried back again, panting. "Clan leader, another group of Kai clansmen is coming. There are probably a dozen or so."

Wen Tiancheng's gaze sharpened. He quickly made arrangements, telling everyone to prepare for another attack.

Soon, the group of Kai clansmen entered the ambush. Wenlong and Wenzhu exchanged a glance and struck simultaneously, sending out another shower of stones.

Caught completely off guard, many of the Kai clansmen were struck and fell. The Wen clansmen were about to rush forward together and fight those still standing.

Wenlong raised a hand to stop them. "Eldest Sister, it's time to see the fruits of your training." Without answering, Wenzhu sprang out with her sword.

Wenzhu wielded her longsword like a spirit serpent darting forth, every strike aimed straight at a vital point. With her nimble footwork, she dodged so deftly that her opponents were knocked to the ground without even touching the hem of her clothes.

Wenlong, Shitou, Wenye, and Linzi all had their faces covered and held Iron Throwing Darts. If Wenzhu proved outmatched, their darts would surely take lives in an instant.

The longsword danced through dazzling flourishes in Wenzhu's hand, and wherever its light passed, an enemy fell. She wove nimbly among her opponents, giving them scarcely any chance to fight back.

Even Wen Tiancheng and the other clansmen watched with their jaws hanging open. They knew Wenzhu was strong, but they had never imagined she could wield a sword as though no one stood in her path.

After a fierce exchange, Wenzhu subdued every Kai clansman. Only then did the clansmen awaken as if from a dream and hurry forward to help bind the enemies.

The youngsters' outstanding martial skills filled the clansmen with pride. They themselves had long practiced martial arts, yet now they probably could not match these youths.

Daniu in particular could pin down every uncle who sparred with him, wielding his great long saber. In a fight to the death, they would probably fall within just a few exchanges.

Now they had witnessed Wenzhu's martial skills-even a young woman like her was so formidable. Her longsword appeared and vanished like a ghost, and against a burly man's heavy chopping saber, she used four ounces to move a thousand pounds, dealing him a devastating blow.

The uncles all felt their own martial skills were no longer fit to show. They looked utterly dispirited. Had they gone out to fight first, wouldn't they have made themselves a laughingstock before the younger generation?

Wen Tiancheng assigned Shitou and Linzi to continue scouting ahead.

"Uncles, execute any captives who have killed our clansmen. Execute the badly wounded too-we have no way to treat them," Wenlong suggested.

Everyone agreed. At Wen Tiancheng's direction, several clan uncles went down the slope to examine the Kai captives.

This time, they waited until evening without seeing any more Kai clansmen arrive. Once the Kai clan discovered that no one had returned that night, they might send a large force the next day.

When the time came, they would fight if they could, and retreat to the Ancestral Grounds if they could not. Capturing a dozen or so Kai clansmen had at least taught them a small lesson.

The night passed uneventfully, and dawn soon arrived. The clansmen busied themselves making breakfast. Even if the Kai clansmen came, noon was the earliest they could reach this place.

After noon, Shitou and Linzi returned from scouting ahead with a report. Sure enough, a force of nearly a hundred people wearing Kai clan clothing was approaching, with both ox carts and horse-drawn carriages.

They really had sent a large force. Wen Tiancheng's expression grew grave. There were several times as many enemies as before; this would be a hard battle.

He quickly gathered the clansmen to discuss their response. "There are too many enemies this time. We can't meet them head-on. We need a plan to outwit them."

Wenlong stepped forward, a gleam of intelligence in his eyes. "Father, we can set traps along both sides of the road, then send some of our people around their flanks."

Wenzhu nodded in agreement. "I'll lead the youngsters in a surprise attack from behind and catch them off guard." Wen Tiancheng nodded his approval and began deploying everyone.

When the Kai clansmen entered the trapped area, several crashes rang out, and many of them plunged into the traps.

At the same time, Wen Tiancheng took the lead, drawing his bow and firing the first arrow. Seeing this, the other clansmen wasted no time. Arrows rained down toward the Kai clansmen's heads.

Wails rose throughout the Kai ranks, their cries and screams filling the air.

The Wen clansmen charged out from both sides and clashed with the Kai clansmen in a chaotic melee. Wenzhu and Shitou led the youngsters in from behind, throwing the Kai formation into complete disarray.

Great long saber in hand, Daniu hacked fiercely at the front. His opponents tried to parry, but they could not withstand him; he cleaved through men and blades alike. Wherever he went, Kai clansmen fell.

At the sight of Daniu's ferocity, the Kai clansmen felt their livers and gallbladders split with terror, screaming in fright.

Wenlong seized the moment to shout, "Lay down your weapons and you'll be spared! Resist and die!"

The enemies had no heart left for battle. They threw down their weapons and surrendered, terrified that a moment's delay would see Daniu cut them in two.

The battle could hardly be called fierce. It was simply a slaughter by the Wen clan. Some Kai clansmen saw how badly things were going and began fleeing in panic.

Wenlong and Wenzhu were relatively merciful, using only hidden weapons to strike their sleep acupoints and knock them unconscious. The other clansmen aimed their arrows straight at their opponents' heads.

Seeing this, the Kai clansmen no longer dared even to flee. They could only wait obediently for the Wen clansmen to come and bind them. Any resistance meant death.

To ensure his clansmen's safety, Wen Tiancheng had instructed them long beforehand to protect themselves first and capture enemies second. Anyone who resisted was to be killed.