The clothing on this group of people is mostly ragged, yet each of them wields a sword or saber, brimming with evil qi!
Leading the group are two individuals: one is a bald, burly man with a tiger’s back and a bear’s waist, wielding a Ghost Head Saber. Though it is clearly winter, he only wears a single layer of clothing, his muscles bulging like iron and stone.
Just by standing there simply, he exudes a strong presence.
In the crowd, he feels quite like a crane among chickens!
The other is a lean, middle-aged man, holding a curved saber with a sinister glare, like that of a venomous snake.
"I am Yang Han, a steward of Jade Cauldron Tower!"
Yang Han steps forward a few paces, looks at the bald giant, and suppresses his anger to speak in a deep voice:
"Are you, by any chance, the boss of the Black Wind bandits, Iron Tiger?"
"Yes, it’s me!" The bald man grins, revealing a mouthful of white teeth.
"Indeed it’s you! I know this is Black Wind Stronghold territory, but in the past, our Jade Cauldron Tower has always paid its dues when passing."
Yang Han’s gaze is icy as he questions with a heavy voice: "I understand the rules of the road, and Black Wind Stronghold has always been after money, not lives. So why now does Iron Tiger break them?!"
"Rules?!"
Iron Tiger scoffs disdainfully: "What are rules? In this territory, my word is the rule!"
With that, he sneers coldly: "Your Jade Cauldron Tower is too big; in the past, I’d never dare offend, but now, hehe..."
He doesn’t finish his sentence, but swings his Ghost Head Saber, emitting a strange wailing sound: "Brothers, kill them all; whoever kills the most, I’ll reward heavily! And that little damsel, remember to save her for me!"
"Yes!"
"Haha, boss truly cherishes beauty!"
"Hehehe... less chatter, since the boss has spoken, no one can harm this little damsel, maybe after the boss has had his first taste, we can continue!"
"Kill!"
...
Seeing a pack of ferocious mountain bandits charging like wolves and tigers, many in the caravan shiver in fear, their legs trembling, but some grit their teeth and grab long knives to face them.
In an instant, the sounds of battle and shouting arise.
Thud!
Gu Yuan also seizes the chance to strike, his long sword stabbing forth like a snake’s tongue, piercing through a bandit’s throat.
As the sword withdraws, it brings with it a slick of scarlet blood!
Clang!
Having killed one person, Gu Yuan doesn’t blink, his hand steady and the sword light spins, instinctively blocking the incoming long knife from the left, emitting a clear clang of metal.
Without waiting for the opponent to change his move, he steps forward, slicing open the entire face of the bandit before him with the sharp tip of his sword.
A line of blood expands, and the bandit slowly falls to the ground, red and white fluids mingling as they flow.
"This kid is ruthless and his sword venomous, brothers, let’s join forces!"
Seeing this, several nearby bandits are shocked, but there are those whose bloodshot eyes are spurred by rage, charging forward together.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Yet Gu Yuan wields his sword with flying agility, his sword light dancing like a spiritual snake, ferocious and resolute. In just moments, five more are slain by his hand.
Many bandits, witnessing this, are startled, instinctively stepping away from him.
Bandits are human too, though fierce and cunning, bolder by nature, they still fear death!
After killing several people, Gu Yuan remains calm, feeling no discomfort, like a seasoned executioner; the bandits under his sword are like pigs under a butcher’s blade, falling one by one without stirring his heart.
Dodging several overt and covert attacks, casually cutting a bandit’s throat, Gu Yuan gains an insight.
"So, the Spiritual Snake Swordsmanship should be used like this..."
No matter how exquisite a sword technique, if it doesn’t draw blood, doesn’t experience real combat, it’s hard to fully master and refine it to the pinnacle!
Gu Yuan had already touched upon the essence of the Spiritual Snake Swordsmanship, but lacked experience and real combat.
Now, with these bandits to validate and test his moves, his swordsmanship absorbs and expands like a sponge in water, progressing swiftly, becoming increasingly proficient, fierce and adept!
"Hasn’t this kid just been learning martial arts for a month, how can his swordsmanship be so refined!"
Seeing Gu Yuan’s prowess, Xia Xiuxue and Yang Jianfei are taken aback.
Though both have achieved Great Success in Marrow Refining, with rich experience in combat, handling the situation is not easy, mainly because their fine clothes attract concentrated attacks and sieges.
Left and right parrying, feeling somewhat strained.
Assuming Gu Yuan and the others had shallow cultivation, facing such chaos, it would be good enough if they could last a while and share some of the attacks.
Unexpectedly, while Zhou Zhong and Guo Jin did perform averagely, Gu Yuan’s performance nearly dazzled their eyes!
Just a rookie who hadn’t learned martial arts for long, yet he wielded his sword as if a seasoned Sword Dao expert, fiercely resolute, advancing and retreating in order.
In killing bandits, calm and composed, like slaughtering chickens!
Though the bandits slain by his sword died miserably, some were beheaded, some had their hearts pierced, and others had their entire faces peeled off.
This scene is truly shocking!
"So Brother Gu is actually so fierce?"
Zhou Zhong, swinging his axe, barely forces back two fierce bandits, spotting Gu Yuan cutting down bandits one by one, his eyes almost bulging.
"Kid, let me take you on!"
Seeing Gu Yuan as a tough opponent, a figure rushes from several dozen yards away like a leopard leaping across a ravine, speaking as they come from afar to close, with remarkable speed.
Whoosh——
The curved saber slices the air, tearing through the atmosphere!
The sinister gleam like a snow-white ribbon, erecting the hairs, slashing towards Gu Yuan’s neck!
"A master!"
Gu Yuan’s scalp nearly explodes, his heart tightens.
In this moment, he neither retreats nor evades, but steps forward, a surge of power rising from his foot, amplified layer by layer through the leg muscles, until his waist is tightly tense, his spine stiff and upright, ultimately releasing a formidable force, driving his long sword to slash out.
Clang——
The fierce sword light shatters open, dazzling like lightning, yet containing an extraordinary killing intent!
Ching!!!
Sword meets saber, erupting in a piercing clash of metal.
Gallons of fierce wind scatter from the point of collision, tousling Gu Yuan’s hair and the hem of his garment.
Gu Yuan grunts, feeling intense pain and numbness from the swelling force in his wrist.
The long sword seems to struggle under the pressure, humming and buzzing.
Yet this strike, Gu Yuan manages to withstand!
Furthermore, this sword wasn’t a move from Spiritual Snake Swordsmanship.
The Spiritual Snake Swordsmanship, with its agile and fierce sword momentum, is ultimately a lower-grade martial arts swordsmanship, having its limitations.
Sufficient for ordinary martial masters, but facing the terrifying strike just now, it wouldn’t hold, let alone withstand directly.
Yet Gu Yuan’s strike was his integrative mastery of the Spiritual Snake Swordsmanship, coupled with personal insights, instinctively wielded in the face of crisis!