Chapter 34: The Bandit Chief Falls

Xuan Shiyan let out a soft breath and dispersed the spiritual power gathered at the tip of his sword. Looking at the figure standing there with sword in hand, a faint smile passed through his eyes.

Sun Mazi froze in place. Cold sweat slid down his forehead.

The backlash from forcibly burning his essence blood was already showing. After the ghost-head blade shattered, it only got worse.

His aura was chaotic now, spiritual power crashing wild inside him. The ferocity from before was gone.

Yan Li’s sword tip hovered an inch from his brow. Half an inch more would kill him.

“You… who the hell are you?” The bandit chief, so fierce and arrogant moments ago, now sounded shaky.

Yan Li watched him coldly. “Someone here to kill you.”

A dark figure appeared silently behind Sun Mazi.

Xuan Shiyan raised a hand and summoned a golden rope. “Bind.” The rope instantly trussed Sun Mazi up.

Sun Mazi struggled. The moment he tried to use his spiritual power, his injuries flared. He spat out a mouthful of blood, his knees buckled, and he crashed down to kneel.

He spat out the blood foam and looked up at Yan Li with a savage grin. “You think beating me is the end? Do you know who’s behind me? Let me go while you still can, or when my master arrives…”

Before he finished, a silver-white sword light flashed past.

Sun Mazi’s voice cut off. A thin red line appeared on his neck. His eyes bulged.

Pfft.

His head shot into the air, blood spraying, and his body collapsed.

Silence fell for a moment. Even Lao Zhao swallowed.

The silver flying sword trembled once, and every blood bead fell away.

Yan Li raised a hand and recalled the sword. He said one word, flat. “Noisy.”

The bandits who had escaped death saw their leader beheaded on the spot. Their morale collapsed. They threw down their weapons and ran, but the caravan guards stopped them after only a few steps.

In moments, the remaining bandits were either dead or captured.

With the bandit chief dead, the Spirit-Trapping Formation broke apart. The blood-red array patterns dimmed one by one.

As the fighting ended, order slowly returned to the gorge. Some counted goods, others bandaged the wounded.

The air still smelled thickly of blood.

Yan Li walked over to Sun Mazi’s corpse. Nearby, the severed head on the ground still stared with wide eyes.

He glanced at it, then beckoned. The storage ring on the corpse flew into his palm.

He swept his spiritual sense through it. There were quite a few demon beast materials and various pills, several bloodstained magic tools, a pile of jewelry of unknown origin, and even a few strange cultivation manuals. But spirit stones were pitifully few.

For the entire wealth of a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator, it was far too shabby.

Xuan Shiyan came over and took a look. He raised an eyebrow. “A little light.”

Yan Li nodded.

True. Considering how much Sun Mazi’s gang had plundered in Clearwind Gorge, the contents of the storage ring did not add up.

Xuan Shiyan smiled. “Looks like the Bounty Pavilion’s information is murky too.”

They exchanged a glance and said no more.

Lao Zhao frowned and muttered, “A peak Foundation Establishment cultivator squatted in Clearwind Gorge for so long, yet the Bounty Pavilion kept listing him as late Foundation Establishment. Those bastards really do have someone behind them.”

Shopkeeper Li was silent for a while and did not answer. Some matters were not for people at their level to touch.

He quickly composed himself and cupped his hands solemnly to Yan Li and Xuan Shiyan. “If you two had not acted today, my caravan would likely have been lost here.”

He turned and walked to the carriage, taking a jade box from a hidden compartment.

The moment the lid opened, rich spiritual energy spilled out.

In the center of the jade box lay a spirit fruit, green as jade. Faint scale patterns showed on its skin, and spiritual light flowed across it. It was clearly no ordinary item.

“Jade Scale Fruit?!” Someone blurted out. Even Lao Zhao could not help looking twice.

Shopkeeper Li carried the jade box to Yan Li with both hands. “Please accept this Jade Scale Fruit, Fellow Daoist.”

Yan Li glanced at the fruit. “This is your cargo. We took the bounty. We came to kill Sun Mazi. There is no need for this.”

Shopkeeper Li shook his head. “A bounty is a bounty. Saving my life is saving my life. If not for you two today, never mind the cargo, my life and dozens of people in the caravan would have ended here.”

He smiled bitterly. “There are indeed three Jade Scale Fruits in this shipment, but I am escorting them for someone else. I cannot decide their fate. As for this one…”

He patted the jade box lightly. “I acquired it separately myself. I had planned to take it to Tianque City and try my luck. Now that you two have saved my life, what is one Jade Scale Fruit?”

He pushed the jade box forward again. “Please, Fellow Daoist, you must accept it.”

Yan Li was silent for a moment, then reached out and took the jade box. He tossed something. A storage ring landed in Shopkeeper Li’s palm.

Shopkeeper Li was startled. “Fellow Daoist, this is…”

Yan Li said calmly, “Sun Mazi’s. What’s inside is yours.”

Shopkeeper Li froze. “How can I accept this?”

Yan Li looked at him. “If you don’t take it, I won’t take the fruit.”

Shopkeeper Li blinked, then laughed. At last he cupped his hands and said seriously, “Then this Li will shamelessly accept.”

Lao Zhao watched the storage ring, silent for a moment. Then he suddenly cupped his hands to Yan Li. “Fellow Daoist, Lao Zhao is convinced.”

By now the caravan had nearly finished cleaning up. The noise in the gorge gradually died down.

Yan Li glanced at the sun sinking west, nodded slightly to Shopkeeper Li, and, carrying Yan Shu, turned and summoned his silver flying sword.

Xuan Shiyan also released his black sword.

“We will go ahead.”

“Fellow Daoist, wait.” Shopkeeper Li hurried forward a few steps. “I have not yet asked your honored names. If you come to Tianque City later, please allow me to play host.”

Yan Li stopped on his sword and looked back. “Yan Li.”

Shopkeeper Li was startled and quickly cupped his hands. “So it is Immortal Maiden Yan.”

Yan Li’s eyelid twitched, but he could not be bothered to explain.

Shopkeeper Li noticed nothing and turned to Xuan Shiyan. “And this is?”

Xuan Shiyan could barely hold back his smile. He cleared his throat and cupped his hands first. “Xuan Shiyan.”

“So it is Fellow Daoist Xuan,” Shopkeeper Li said with a cupped-hand smile.

He silently memorized both names and bowed solemnly again. “This Li will remember this kindness.”

Lao Zhao also cupped his hands. “Thank you both! When you reach Tianque City, I can’t promise much, but I can afford to buy you a drink!”

Yan Li nodded slightly, accepting the gesture. “Farewell.”

He turned. The silver flying sword shot into the sky.

Xuan Shiyan smiled and cupped his hands to everyone, then rode his sword after him.

Two sword lights cut across the sky, one after the other.

“Madam, wait.”

The flying sword ahead trembled with a hum.

Xuan Shiyan’s expression turned serious. He immediately corrected himself. “Senior Brother.”

Only then did the sword aura ahead slowly withdraw.

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