"Of course, we are going to capture her! Since the master values his own sister so dearly, once I have her in my grasp, I can do whatever I please," the head of the bandits proudly declared.
She believed that her plan had already succeeded and couldn’t help but smirk, feeling an immense sense of joy.
Ever since she had encountered Chu Ye, his strength and wit had left an indelible impression on her. Only a man of his caliber was worthy of her, becoming her esteemed husband!
The second-in-command wore a troubled expression. "But she provided us with talismans, helping the Heishui stockade village overcome adversity. It seems she wants Chu Nanli’s life. We can’t just disregard our integrity, can we?"
"You fool, we are thieves, what integrity are you talking about!" the head of the bandits scoffed. "Regardless, we are going to abduct her! Whoever dares to harm my future sister-in-law shall meet their demise!"
With the leader’s proclamation, the others naturally had no objections.
They shared the same belief that, as thieves, their lives were on the line, so what use was there for integrity? As the hour approached, the head of the bandits led the way towards the Jingji Camp.
The Jingji Camp housed no less than twenty thousand soldiers. Yet, their audacity to launch a nocturnal assault on the garrison was not solely reliant on their courage but also the talismans they possessed.
As they neared the Jingji Camp, the second-in-command took out a bell and vigorously shook it.
The peculiar sound emitted by the bell had no effect on the members of Heishui stockade village, but those within the Jingji Camp were tormented by splitting headaches and a debilitating weakness.
Even when holding bows and arrows, they lacked the strength to draw them, unable to aim properly.
The same applied to the soldiers who rushed out.
They were unable to wield their weapons, their minds in a daze, completely unaware of their surroundings.
"Kill!" the leader bellowed, wielding a large blade as she charged forward, cleanly decapitating several individuals.
The bandits of the Heishui stockade village rode on horses, trampling over the heads and bodies strewn across the ground, accompanied by the sound of the bell and their cries, as they followed the leader into the Jingji Camp.
Chaos had already engulfed the Jingji Camp.
Many soldiers, upon hearing the sound of the bell, were left dumbfounded.
Although they outnumbered their assailants, they were reduced to mere shields during this critical moment.
Chu Hanlin and Chu Ye were protected by talismans, thus avoiding any harm. However, they hadn’t anticipated that the Heishui stockade village would dare to launch a nocturnal assault on the garrison, completely catching them off guard.
"Father, it seems they are heading towards Sixth Sister’s tent!" Chu Ye quickly noticed the issue.
Having just slain a bandit, Chu Hanlin looked at his subordinates, each seemingly in a trance, their anxiety palpable. Hearing his son’s words, he couldn’t help but tremble slightly in fear.
"Go!" Chu Hanlin shouted. "Go and protect your Sixth Sister!"
Before Chu Hanlin could say anything else, Chu Ye had already rushed towards Nanli’s tent.
However, before this happened, Nanli heard the sound of the bell, causing her head to ache.
She felt her soul being shaken!
The sound of the bell grew closer and closer.
It seemed as though it aimed to tear her soul apart, to shatter it!
Yet, Nanli’s mental strength was formidable. She focused her mind, resisting the effects of the bell. It no longer had any impact on her. She slung her bag over her shoulder, preparing to lend a hand.
But just as she was about to leave, a figure flashed at the entrance of her tent. Nanli became alert, her Xuanyue Sword already in hand.
However, she had miscalculated.
A basin of water was thrown at her from outside! She tried to retreat, but it was futile. The water was abundant, at least a few basins’ worth, and she couldn’t dodge it in time.
Her heart sank as she suddenly understood why they had thrown water at her.
It was a clever move to render all her talismans useless by soaking them!
She glanced at her damp bag, a cold smile curling at the corner of her lips.
Two imperial guards led the way as they entered, their eyes falling upon Nanli, who appeared drenched and disheveled like a bedraggled bird.
Unable to contain their amusement, they chuckled softly, "Miss Chu, feeling chilly?"
"Is this the Emperor’s command or someone else’s?" Nanli inquired.
If it was an order from Emperor Muwu, she would truly have to reevaluate whether this ruler was too capricious.
One of the imperial guards sneered coldly, remarking, "Indeed, the Emperor did send us to protect you, but alas, we have long been loyal to the Yang family."
The other guard added, "Miss Chu, we truly apologize, but the rewards they offered were simply too enticing. Your mastery of the Dao may be formidable, but without your talismans, what can you do now?"
Even though Nanli was soaked through, she remained poised like a jade bamboo. Her appearance exuded elegance and refinement, with a golden hairpin adorning her intricately styled hair, adding a touch of delicacy.
In a calm voice, she declared, "You may underestimate others who practice the Dao, but never underestimate me, understand?"
Tonight, she would make them realize that she was not a merciful and non-violent person.
The so-called cultivation was not about rigidly adhering to rules, but about adaptability and resourcefulness.
For despicable beings like them, who disregarded human life, she would not hesitate to eliminate them.
In doing so, she would not accumulate negative karma or diminish her merits!
As the imperial guards listened to Nanli’s bold words, they couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
"Look at her..." However, before the guard could finish his sentence, his head detached from his body.
Blood splattered onto the ground.
Nanli raised and then lowered her sword, her expression cold and composed, as she leisurely stated, "Well, then, watch closely. When I’m provoked, I’m not someone to be trifled with."
The soldiers’ souls shattered upon hearing the sound of the bell, their fragmented spirits condemned to a wretched existence not only in this life but also in the underworld, unable to be reincarnated!
If her talismans were intact, she could have saved many souls.
But now, they were all destroyed because of them!
Nanli had no intention of wasting time, and her sword, Xuan Yue, understood its master’s intentions.
Having dealt with ghosts and demons countless times, it was now eager to taste human blood!
The only regret was that their blood was too tainted.
These individuals had accumulated too much negative karma, and in the underworld, they would suffer torment in the Hell.
Although the other imperial guard was shocked, he had already chosen this path and could not turn back.
He declared, "Kill her!" And he charged forward.
Several soldiers followed suit, raising their weapons, ready to strike Nanli mercilessly.
Nanli raised her eyes, her pitch-black gaze filled with fierceness.
As their blades clashed, the soldiers widened their eyes, realizing that they could not withstand Nanli’s immense strength.
Though their bones remained unbroken, their arms had gone numb, rendering them unable to grip their weapons.
The rumors were not unfounded.
During the competition in the Qianlong Palace between Lu Zheng and Chu Nanli, they believed Lu Zheng had intentionally conceded, unwilling to engage in a battle with a woman.
Little did they expect that it was true!
This Miss Chu truly possessed the strength of a bull!
In a short span of time, these men either lost their heads or were struck fatally, their breaths extinguished.
Without sparing them a glance, Nanli immediately retrieved her Tianxing brush. While her talismans were no longer usable, the Tianxing brush still served its purpose. However, drawing the symbols immediately would deplete a significant amount of her energy.
The sound of bells echoed from all directions.
The Jingji Camp was vast, and without her talismans, Nanli, relying solely on the Tianxing brush, was unable to create a massive protective formation.