Upon hearing the words "Cyan Bamboo Ridge," many people’s expressions changed drastically.
It’s important to know that recently, the most notorious and powerful bandits around Wuxiang City were indeed from this Cyan Bamboo Ridge.
Their rapid rise was simply astonishing.
Rumor even had it that the Great Village Chief of Cyan Bamboo Ridge was a Fourth Realm Martial Artist.
This was also why Meng Lei was so cautious on this escort mission.
He aimed to avoid this bandit group.
But unexpectedly, after a safe journey here, they encountered people from Cyan Bamboo Ridge on the very first day of their return trip.
Just as many were paralyzed with fear, Zhao Ya, however, disregarded all that and raised his hand to unleash a sleeve arrow, aiming straight at the speaker’s face.
It was precisely as the speaker finished talking; Zhao Ya’s timing was so accurate, and his angle so cunning, that he truly grasped the essence of a sneak attack.
The speaker did not expect to be ambushed and only realized something was amiss upon hearing the menacing wind.
Nevertheless, this person reacted extremely quickly, evading the arrow with a spontaneous iron bridge bend in such a critical moment.
Zhao Ya couldn’t help but sigh inwardly, lamenting the missed opportunity.
If he could have taken down the leader with one arrow, it would have been a great morale boost for his side.
Don’t underestimate morale; it often plays a pivotal role in turning the tide during battles.
However, this thought only flashed by, and Zhao Ya immediately drew his saber, shouting grimly, "Drive them back, or none of us will survive!"
Having encountered Cyan Bamboo Ridge once before, Zhao Ya was acutely aware of these bandits’ brutality.
The only strategy left was to swiftly counterattack to have a chance at survival.
Meng Lei reacted even faster, drawing his saber and charging directly at the leader with a slash.
Ma Ling was just regaining his composure, still shaken by the sudden arrow earlier, overwhelmed with shame and anger.
He was, after all, the Village Chief of the Patrol Stronghold, holding the sixth golden seat in Cyan Bamboo Ridge.
He had thought this raid would be an easy and enjoyable hunt, which was why he eagerly launched the attack first.
But unexpectedly, he almost got injured by a hidden arrow, which would be a huge disgrace if it were to spread back to the mountain.
In the darkness, he couldn’t tell who had shot the arrow, so he could only vent all his fury on everyone from the Changlong Escort Agency.
Faced with the charging Meng Lei, Ma Ling sneered, raising his spear to block the incoming slash.
"Since you insist on seeking death, don’t blame me!"
With that, his spear thrust forward like a dragon, aiming straight for Meng Lei’s chest.
Meng Lei parried the attack, and the two of them were locked in battle.
During the fight, Meng Lei was full of shock.
For the bandit from Cyan Bamboo Ridge wielded an impressive spear technique and strength, matching his own, indicating he was a Third Realm Martial Artist as well.
This discovery made Meng Lei’s heart gradually sink.
Were the external forces of Cyan Bamboo Ridge truly this formidable?
Despite the growing dread inside him, Meng Lei gritted his teeth and fought Ma Ling with all his might for the sake of the escort.
Meanwhile, Zhao Ya, Luo Qiang, and Lin Sheng led the porters in a fierce confrontation with the people from Cyan Bamboo Ridge.
Zhao Ya maneuvered with lightweight body techniques, darting through the crowd, taking advantage of every opportunity to strike with his saber.
After beheading a foe, he swiftly disappeared again, ensuring he would not be trapped in an encirclement, moving with extreme slipperiness, frustrating the enemies to the point of shouting in vain.
Moreover, Zhao Ya kept a close watch on Meng Lei’s situation, ready to unleash his sleeve arrow at any moment, aiming for a stealthy attack.
Because Zhao Ya understood that if the leader was defeated, these bandits would crumble without a fight.
However, just at that moment, he suddenly felt a warning, his body instinctively shifting just as a sword light flashed past, striking where he had just stood.
Zhao Ya was slightly shaken.
From that single sword light, it was clear the attacker was very skilled; crucially, in Jianghu, anyone daring to wield a sword was no ordinary person.
Learning the sword was easy, but mastering it was incredibly difficult. You could learn to swing a spear in three months, but spending three years with a sword might still leave you struggling against a lesser opponent.
Despite his surprise, Zhao Ya’s actions were swift, shooting off a sleeve arrow toward the source of the sword light.
With a tearing sound akin to ripping silk, a groan came from the darkness.
Zhao Ya rejoiced inwardly, his arrow had finally hit its mark.
Seizing the opportunity, he thought of nothing else but to press the advantage against his wounded opponent.
Zhao Ya pushed his lightweight body technique to the limit, charging directly at the sword-wielder.
As he drew closer, he vaguely saw a petite figure, hearing seductive sounds from her mouth, indicating the Confusion Powder on the arrowhead was taking effect.
It’s actually a woman?
This thought flickered by, yet Zhao Ya’s saber did not pause, slashing obliquely toward the figure.
Regardless of gender, since she dared to ambush him, she could only face death.
Yet unexpectedly, Ma Ling, who was entangled with Meng Lei, was almost scared out of his wits upon seeing this scene.
Braving the risk of being slashed by Meng Lei, he rushed over, arriving just in time to intercept Zhao Ya’s lethal blow to the woman with his spear.
A clanging sound resonated.
Zhao Ya felt a tremendous force shock through his wrist, nearly causing his Meteorite Iron Saber to slip from his grasp; he couldn’t help but feel a chill in his heart.
So this is the power of a Third Realm Martial Artist?
A hastily arrived strike almost disarmed him; if it were a full-strength blow, he reckoned withstanding it would be incredibly tough.
For a moment, fear filled Zhao Ya’s heart. Seeing his attack fail, he immediately retreated.
Ma Ling didn’t pursue but eagerly inquired, "Are you okay?"
"No problem!"
The woman quickly pulled out a pill from her pocket, swallowed it, removed the sleeve arrow from her shoulder, and looked angrily in the direction Zhao Ya had fled.
The dim light and Zhao Ya’s pre-combat disguise with soot had prevented her from seeing his face clearly.
But none of this dampened her rage.
Especially the strange feelings in her body and the sounds she couldn’t help but make after being hit by the arrow, which made her incredibly ashamed and furious.
"Kill them all, leave none alive!" the woman coldly declared.
Ma Ling felt a shiver and instinctively nodded, then resumed his battle with the oncoming Meng Lei.
Simultaneously, the woman took out a specially crafted firework, pulled the fuse.
A burst of fireworks illuminated the sky, lighting up the mountains and fields instantly.
Moments later, footsteps sounded from the forest, as two more groups emerged from the darkness, charging at the Changlong Escort Agency.
Zhao Ya had already noticed this scene, realizing the gravity of the situation.
It was evident that Cyan Bamboo Ridge was well-prepared, not merely robbing the escort but intending to wipe out the Changlong Escort Agency altogether.
In his urgency, he rushed to Meng Lei’s side.
"Chief of the Escort, the wind is tight!"