"Where did you come from, old Daoist? How dare you meddle in the Green Tiger Stronghold's affairs!"
"You stinking Daoist, you're courting death!"
The one-eyed Mountain Bandit's screams jolted the other three Mountain Bandits, who had been waiting for Ayu's mother to come up the mountain, out of their reverie.
When they saw that Xu Taiping was alone, their alarm instantly turned to anger. They surrounded him, cursing loudly.
"Old Daoist, let our brother go, and we can let you leave with that boy."
The bald bandit even drew a ring-pommel saber from his waist with a metallic rasp and pointed it coldly at Xu Taiping.
In the dim light, they had not seen clearly what Xu Taiping had done. They merely assumed he had caught the one-eyed bandit off guard with a sneak attack, which was why they held him in such contempt.
"You want me to let him go? Certainly."
Xu Taiping released his grip on the one-eyed bandit's neck.
Immediately, the one-eyed bandit lost his footing and fell to the ground with a thud.
"But he probably can't walk now. You'll have to help him."
Glancing at the one-eyed bandit struggling on the ground, Xu Taiping raised his head expressionlessly and spoke in an utterly calm voice.
Seeing Xu Taiping actually release the one-eyed Mountain Bandit, the Mountain Bandits' faces lit up.
Their threats to make Xu Taiping release their companion were not really meant to save him, but to test the depths of Xu Taiping's strength.
"If he really had any strength, why would he obediently let him go?"
The bandit holding the crossbow muttered under his breath, then glanced at the bald bandit beside him and said,
"Second Brother, I'll go bring Blindy over."
The bald bandit nodded.
The crossbow-wielding bandit immediately hurried up to