The Seven Bandits of the Western Desert, Gao Old Village

West Xuan Commandery, Gold-Wielding Guard Office.

The events that occurred in West Xuan Commandery tonight were too significant to be concealed, or rather, some people never intended to conceal them at all.

Upon returning to West Xuan Commandery from the Divine Capital, Garrison Commander Wang encountered a whole mess.

But he couldn't dwell on his rage; his first thought was, "Yu Tunzhou?!"

"Was it Yu Tunzhou who killed Jin Xiongfei?!"

Deputy Xiao He nodded in confirmation. He felt a pang of emotion when he recalled the young man who had come to his door with the commander-in-chief's token to retrieve information.

Could it be that this young man harbored the intention to kill Jin Xiongfei from that very day?

Xiao He casually reported the matter to the town garrison.

Garrison Commander Wang was shocked. Did Yu Tunzhou still possess Commander-in-Chief Feng Xu's token?

Perhaps this kid is already a secret agent of their Gold-Wielding Guard!

No wonder, no wonder! Now that's how it all makes sense!

When he went to headquarters to report, Commander-in-Chief Feng specifically emphasized to them that all news about the Yu Tunzhou must be sent to headquarters as soon as possible.

The reason is simple - the Old Wang was interested.

Garrison Commander Wang made a decisive move and said in a deep voice, "Bring me my Thousand-Li Eagle and report this matter to the Commander-in-Chief of the Divine Capital immediately!"

Xiao He was taken aback. "Are you sure?"

Those are exotic Demon Beast kept within the Gold-Wielding Guard. They can travel thousands of miles a day and are strategic resources. Logically speaking, unless someone in West Xuan Commandery rebels, it is impossible to use them.

"Do as I say, the sooner the better!" Garrison Commander Wang said in a deep voice, thinking to himself that this was something the Old Wang was interested in!

Xiao He immediately set off.

The events that occurred in West Xuan Commandery that night quickly began to spread in all directions.

As one of the transportation hubs in the Western Desert, this place is involved in many things.

With the relentless efforts of the Gold-Wielding Guard, the message was delivered to the Divine Capital in just two days.

That morning, Feng Xu received the latest news.

--

After reading the news, he looked pleased. This incident clearly showed the character of the young man. Yu Tunzhou had indeed not disappointed him, nor had he disappointed Brother Lu.

However, some details in the news still need to be confirmed.

Feng Xu frowned. What did he mean by saying that in this battle Yu Tunzhou seemed to have mastered the Unity of Heaven and Celestial Person, and used the Dharma Aspect Divine Ability to kill Jin Xiongfei Late Divine Ability Stage?

How can someone who has reached the level of "Yu Tunzhou" possibly comprehend the realm of Unity of Heaven and Celestial Person?

Could it be—the pioneering work before the Dao Embryo is formed?!

Thinking of this, he immediately sent the secret letter to the Old Wang.

Upon hearing the news from the Western Desert, the figure who had been busy with his farmland straightened up, looked thoughtfully in the direction of the Western Desert, and shook his head, denying one of Feng Xu's conjectures. "Back then, Lu Huaiqing did make some progress in the Form Refinement Perfection, but both of his progress were in the physical body, not in the Inner Heaven and Earth realm."

The old man also fell into thought. How could Form Refinement Perfection, without imitating its true form or forging a physical body, open up its own Inner Heaven and Earth and thus touch the outer world?

From Martial Dao perspective, this is something that is impossible to achieve under any circumstances; otherwise, there would be no need for the Divine Ability Realm.

If not Martial Dao, then it must be the art of immortality?

From the old man's perspective, there didn't seem to be any ancient or Ancient Method that could enable the Yu Tunzhou to this extent.

Even the half of a peerless immortal Immortal Method that he unexpectedly obtained during his exploration of immortal abodes and grotto-heavens could never accomplish this.

Being able to comprehend the Unity of Heaven and Celestial Person and invoke the power of the outer world to suppress enemies, one cannot be considered weak in any era.

Ultimately, it all comes down to the fact that Yu Tunzhou's cultivation period was too short.

The cultivation of Immortal Method is much slower than that of modern Martial Dao, with much higher thresholds and requirements.

If the Immortal Dao immortality had not declined and the Martial Dao had not emerged, the number of cultivators in this world would, in the old man's estimation, be at least half gone.

"What stage has this lad reached in his cultivation of Nature Cultivation?" the old man suddenly asked.

Feng Xu replied, "We have arrived at Pure Land."

Judging from the information in the Human Emperor's Tomb, Yu Tunzhou reached the level of the Pure Land last month, a speed that would make countless people envious.

The old man narrowed his eyes slightly. Could it be that this young man has already reached the perfect state of [Purity of the Void, blossoming of wisdom]?

This was the only answer he could think of at the moment.

"Interesting, this lad really knows how to surprise people." The old man laughed heartily. "No wonder he's the Martial Dao successor chosen by both Lu and Old Mo; he's truly extraordinary!"

"Little Xu, I remember Yanleng is currently in the Western Desert?"

Feng Xu replied, "Yanleng recently fought and killed the last of the Seven Bandits of the Western Desert, but was seriously injured and fled. His whereabouts are currently unknown."

The old man didn't care at all. It wasn't that he wasn't worried about Feng Nuwa's death, but rather that it was Feng Nuwa's own choice. Since she had chosen this path, she shouldn't regret it even if she died for it.

No one else has the right to feel sorry for him.

"Find Yanleng and tell her the news." The old man smiled and said, "Young people need to experience more challenges. How will they know who is stronger and who is weaker, or who has a wider path to follow, if they don't try?"

Feng Xu remained silent; this man was as willful and malicious as ever.

"Laughing through a cup of wine, killing amidst the Mortal World— " The old man raised his head, squinted at the sun in the sky, and finally smiled wryly, "Killing someone and then reciting poetry, how come this kid has picked up that bad habit of Lu's too?"

Upon hearing this, Feng Xu smiled knowingly, then felt a touch of sadness.

Once upon a time, there was a cowherd who had never read a book. After being exposed to Martial Dao, he devoured ancient and modern classics, as well as Buddhist and Daoist texts.

Thinking of this, Feng Xu remained silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Your Old Wang, the situation in the Northern Dark Continent has been rather unfavorable lately. The imperial court has cut off supplies to them, forcing them to relinquish control of the grand formation."

The old man had already bent down and only threw out two sentences at him. "You underestimated Lu Huaiqing."

"Is it a bad thing for others if the imperial court doesn't want to show any leniency?"

Star Palace.

With their control over the Three Rankings, the Star Palace and the Jixia Academy possess world-class intelligence capabilities and are qualified to share intelligence with forces such as the Gold-Wielding Guard.

After receiving the latest intelligence, Mo Shougui and Daoist Purple Mountain sat facing each other, then looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Junior brother, it seems you still underestimate this boy," said Daoist Purple Mountain sincerely.

Mo Shougui's lips twitched, but he showed no excitement, inwardly cursing what kind of monster this kid was!

A single move combining the Dharma Aspect technique with the unity of Unity of Heaven and Celestial Person to instantly kill Late Divine Ability Stage?

--

Damn it, I'm only at the Late Divine Ability Stage!

There's a two-month difference between the two dates, and this kid has already grown to the point where he can kill him?

Thinking of this, Mo Shougui couldn't help but feel a little dazed, the scene of talking with Yu Tunzhou in the cave vividly appearing in his mind.

He murmured to himself, "If you strike a rock and find fire, and then encounter wild grass, it will ignite a prairie fire—could it really be interpreted that way?"

The current situation of Yu Tunzhou is truly a wildfire; its momentum has already begun, and how many of its peers can suppress it?

"Junior brother, what are you saying?" Daoist Purple Mountain asked in confusion.

Mo Shougui sighed, "I was saying, if I had dared to elevate Yu Tunzhou from first place in the candidate list directly to the top ten, I would have been condemned by the entire world."

Daoist Purple Mountain couldn't help but agree, "Managing the rankings has never been an easy task, as the order of rankings is always the most controversial."

By the way, junior brother, have you noticed this?

"Senior brother, are you referring to what seems to be the Unity of Heaven and Celestial Person?" Mo Shougui asked seriously. "It seems that Yu Tunzhou has also embarked on the path of exploration."

"Indeed, now six people on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking can be confirmed to have embarked on this path," Daoist Purple Mountain said softly. "Just as our patriarch predicted, Martial Dao will flourish, and what follows will be both a golden age and a chaotic one."

Mo Shougui voice, "It's time for our Star Palace to make its move."

In the Western Desert, there is an unnamed earthen fortress.

Yellow sand swirled, and the wind, carrying sand and gravel, lashed against the earthen fortress, howling and howling.

The earthen fort was not large. It was originally a rest stop for a caravan, but it was later occupied by a group of bandits and became their outpost on the Western Desert.

This band of bandits numbered about thirty men, led by Zhao Cang, nicknamed "Vicious Vulture." They usually robbed small caravans and kidnapped passersby, living a mediocre life. They wanted to climb higher, but never found a way.

But today, Zhao Cang felt that his luck might be about to change.

"Are you sure the information is accurate?" Zhao Cang stared intently at his skinny, monkey-like subordinate.

"It's absolutely true, boss! West Xuan Commandery has been under lockdown recently!"

Zhao Cang suddenly stood up and paced back and forth for a few steps.

If he remembered correctly, Yu Tunzhou was Lu Huaiqing's disciple, and Lu Huaiqing—

"Get Laozi steed ready!" Zhao Cang roared, then looked at his subordinates and said in a deep voice, "Tell me everything again, without embellishment or omissions!"

Yes, yes----

A moment later, Zhao Cang walked out of the earthen fortress, mounted the expensively trained demon steed, and charged alone into the yellow sand desert, raising a long cloud of dust behind him.

An hour later, he arrived at an open space.

He dismounted and strode forward, soon encountering an invisible barrier. With one step, the scene before him suddenly changed.

Outside, the sun blazes and the sand scorches, but inside, a cool breeze blows and the vegetation is lush. A pool of emerald green water lies quietly in the center, with a few stone houses and tents scattered along its shore.

Zhao Cang, disregarding the wondrous sight of this fragment of blessed land, quickly approached the central tent after being inspected by the guards, and respectfully greeted them from outside, "Master Man, I have news to report!"

A moment later, Zhao Cang walked out of the fragment of the blessed land with joy. He hadn't been wrong; he had indeed come to the right place!

After he left, the person inside the tent slowly walked out.

Standing nine feet tall, with a broad back and thick waist, his hair tied in a bun, his face full of fleshy muscles, and his eyes as gloomy as a hawk's, he was Sun Xiongman, the fifth-ranked of the Seven Bandits of the Western Desert, known as [Ghost Blade].

"A successor to Lu Huaiqing?"

Sun Xiongman muttered to himself, a ferocious smile spreading across his face, which was covered in thick, fleshy muscles.

In a sense, he should also thank Lu Huaiqing.

If it weren't for this person, that old geezer would never have released him.

Let's use this boy's head as a sacrifice for the flag.

Furthermore, this kid actually managed to seemingly grasp the profound mystery of the Unity of Heaven and Celestial Person upon Form Refinement Perfection ----

Sun Xiongman's gaze was deep and unfathomable. His Inner Heaven and Earth was complete, and he was only one step away from the External Scenery, stuck on the comprehension of the Unity of Heaven and Celestial Person.

It seems my good fortune has arrived. Once I capture this boy and force him to reveal his secrets, it might help me break through to the final step.

That old geezer always says that it's good to cultivate oneself in the mountains. Can you really obtain such a method in the mountains? You still have to go outside to compete and fight for it!

Upon returning to the earthen fortress, Zhao Cang immediately summoned all his subordinates.

"Starting today, everyone go out! Keep a Laozi watch on official roads, country lanes, oases—anywhere passable! Report immediately if you spot a young martial artist, around sixteen or seventeen years old, traveling alone westward!"

--

The other subordinates exchanged glances, clearly showing fear.

Someone whispered, "Old Ya, that guy can even kill those at the Late Divine Ability Stage. Even if we stick together, we're no match for him."

Zhao Cang sneered, "Who gave you permission to go? Just find this guy, and the barbarian craftsman will reward you!"

If there were a list of must-eat foods in ancient times, Yu Tunzhou would definitely vote for Yangchun noodles.

This is the kind of thing you never want to eat again after trying it once, but if you've never tried it before, you'll always crave it and want to try it again.

This sounds fancy, like something out of a highbrow art, but when you actually eat it, it's just a bowl of plain noodles in clear broth, with only scallions and soy sauce. You have to pay extra for lard.

At a roadside noodle stall, Yu Tunzhou put down his bowl and chopsticks, finally getting to taste the Jianghu cuisine that appeared so frequently in martial arts novels.

He looked at the notice board where a large crowd had gathered and asked, "Shopkeeper, are they looking at some discounts?"

In front of that notice wall, Yado was no ordinary person; most of them were martial artists with strong Qi and Blood, and they were mostly in Form Refinement.

The stall owner brought over a bowl of hot soup, smiling warmly, and said, "Young hero, that's the government updating the bounty list."

"Bounty?"

"Yes, it's something the imperial court came up with. We're already in the central part of the Western Desert. The city is alright, but deep in the Gobi Desert, bandits roam everywhere, and the government can't keep up with the raids. So they just put out a bounty, letting martial artists from the common people hunt for the animals, and then they'll take the heads as a reward."

Yu Tunzhou took a sip of the hot soup.

I've long heard that the further Western Jue Continent Western Desert, the more chaotic things become, and that the Western Jue Continent has long since broken free from the control of the imperial court. Now, after a cursory look, it's clear that this is no exaggeration. Even the government can't manage it, and they have to rely on the power of the people.

After leaving West Xuan Commandery, he traveled westward, passing through Two Rivers Commandery along the way. Since there were no young masters there worthy of challenging him, he continued westward.

We have now entered the central region of the Western Desert.

"Young hero, are you interested?" The stall owner, clearing away the bowls of noodles, kindly advised, "Those guys up there are no pushovers; they're all ruthless individuals who live on the edge. I heard that last month, even a near-expert in the Divine Ability Realm was killed."

At the next table, a young man was holding a bowl of noodles when his chopsticks suddenly froze in mid-air, as if struck in the chest by something sharp. He took a deep breath before continuing to eat.

Yu Tunzhou glanced at her, then looked away and asked, "On my journey here, I've heard that not long ago, a female knight-errant accepted a bounty in Donghe County and then ambushed and killed the last of the Seven Bandits?"

The stall owner, Ya, was startled and quickly gestured for Yu Tunzhou to stop talking. He glanced around before lowering his voice and saying, "Young hero, be careful what you say. I've heard that bandits and outlaws are hunting that girl. There have been many strangers in the city lately; they're all spies for those bandits and outlaws. Don't get yourself into trouble."

The Yu Tunzhou, seemingly lost in thought.

After he finished speaking, several pairs of eyes did indeed glance at him discreetly.

With his current Primordial Spirit perception, he could clearly sense the malice emanating from two of them.

It seems that the Seven Bandits of the Western Desert are doing everything they can to kill Feng Yanleng, and they have even planted spies in this county town.

Should we lure these guys somewhere and deal with them first? What good can bandits and outlaws be?

Just as Yu Tunzhou was pondering this...

Suddenly, someone shouted from the street corner, "Today, the young master of Gao Old Village has achieved great success in his Divine Ability and cordially invites heroes from all directions to gather together. Anyone of the Form Refinement or above is welcome to come and join the fun!"

The Yu Tunzhou and spat out a mouthful of hot soup.

They looked on in astonishment.

What kind of village is Gao?

A moment later, Yu Tunzhou found out the details of Gao Old Village.

In Donghe County, the most powerful force is Gao Old Village, even the local government and the Gold-Wielding Guard are ranked below it.

The manor lord, [Thick Earth] Fu Baichuan, is Late Divine Ability Stage martial artist. He possesses exceptional physical strength, capable of striking targets from near and far. He can even withstand a Half-Step External Scenery expert without being at a disadvantage, making him one of the most formidable warriors in the surrounding area.

Over the years, Gao Old Village, as the strongest local force, has made a name for itself in both resisting bandits and cultivating local martial artists.

Now, Fu Baichuan's son Fu Yaowu, is over twenty-seven years old and has already broken through to the Divine Ability Realm. That's why he's hosting a banquet for martial artists from all sides. I heard that he's also invited people from the surrounding area. Just because of Zhuangjing, Yu Tunzhou wanted to broaden his horizons and maybe even get a free meal.

Out of the corner of his eye, Yu Tunzhou noticed that the martial artists who had previously harbored ill intentions towards him were now following the crowd toward Gao Old Village.

Could it be that this group wasn't spies searching for Feng Yanleng's whereabouts, but instead headed for Gao Old Village?

Yu Tunzhou got up, paid the bill, and followed slowly behind.

We just rounded a corner.

Two figures suddenly darted out; one attacked to subdue the enemy, while the other held a knife to the side of the Yu Tunzhou.

"Kid, when did you first come to mind? You like to pry into other people's business?"

A deep voice rang out, and two fierce faces came into view.

"Let's go chat in the alley next door."

Yu Tunzhou looked terrified and obediently complied.

A moment later, a strange noise came from the alley. Yu Tunzhou weighed the few taels of silver in his hand and walked out alone, thinking to himself that these two guys were too poor.

He looked up in the direction of Gao Old Village.

These two were indeed bandits, belonging to the Seven Bandits of the Western Desert. I used my Primordial Spirit to suppress them and induce them to reveal their purpose for coming here.

One reason was that there were rumors that Feng Yanleng had fled to the vicinity, so he came to investigate. However, this was just a side effect, as there have been too many similar false rumors lately.

Their true purpose was to ascertain the strength of Gao Old Village in preparation for the upcoming attack by [Illusory Spider] Hua Nongying.

The Seven Bandits of the Western Desert ----

Yu Tunzhou remembers this.

Originally, the second, fifth, sixth, and seventh members of the Seven Bandits were all part of Master Lu's plan to become sacrifices for the Martial Ancestor as he emerged from his cave.

The newly appointed seventh brother died at the hands of the cold-blooded heroine Fengyan Lengfeng.

The speed at which updates and iterations occur is truly astonishing.

This [Illusory Spider] Hua Nongying is the sixth of the Seven Bandits of Xinchu, with the strength of Half-Step External Scenery cultivator. It is said that he is skilled in the art of attacking with the Primordial Spirit and has few rivals of the same level.

This man, who had joined the ranks of the Seven Bandits of the Western Desert, lacked the military achievements to intimidate all sides, and was preparing to take action against Donghe County.

The so-called "Half-Step External Scenery" is a special level defined by the vast difference between supernatural Divine Ability and External Scenery.

At this stage, martial artists have already forged their Inner Heaven and Earth and entered the External Scenery, only lacking the final Unity of Heaven and Celestial Person, so that their Inner Heaven and Earth can resonate with their outer world.

Generally speaking, martial artists at this level can easily overwhelm those in the Late Divine Ability Stage, but there are exceptions.

For example, Master Fu of Gao Old Village, with his unique horizontal martial arts skills, could withstand a master who Half-Step External Scenery.

However, Hua Nongying's specialty is the art of attacking with Primordial Spirit, which is precisely the nemesis of this Master Fu.

This person's choice of Donghe County and Gao Old Village was not arbitrary.

Thinking of this, Yu Tunzhou prepared to follow Luo's previous plan: to visit Gao Old Village, get a free meal, and incidentally give the other party a heads-up.

He was, after all, a powerful figure who protected a county town; he shouldn't have degenerated into a bandit and outlaw.