Night soon fell, shrouding Mǐlín Mountain in an eerie silence.
Deep within the mountain forest, wolf howls and tiger roars occasionally echoed, adding to the already misty and somber atmosphere of Mǐlín Mountain.
Clad in black combat attire, Liú Yúnxuān was almost one with the darkness.
Behind him were the Third Elder, Liú Tiānqiáng, and the Fifth Elder, Liú Tiānwǔ, along with twenty meticulously selected elites of the Liú family, each a master of the Blood Burning Realm High Stage.
Under Liú Yúnxuān's keen senses, this group moved like ghosts, silently weaving through the dense forest, heading straight for the bandit stronghold.
According to the accounts of the clan members who had escaped and the reports from scouts dispatched earlier by the Fourth Elder, the bandits' lair was located on an easily defensible slope deep within Mǐlín Mountain.
"Patriarch, the bandit den is just ahead," the Third Elder said in a low voice, pointing to a place ahead where faint firelight could be seen.
Liú Yúnxuān nodded slightly, his eyes cold.
According to the scouts' reports, this mountain stronghold was not large, built along the slope of the mountain, with high mountains on both sides, making it very hidden. If not for the escaped clan members keeping a mental note of their direction of disappearance, the scouts would not have been able to find the exact location; otherwise, it would be easy to get lost here.
The fortress walls were quite sturdy, entirely constructed from massive stones, and figures could be seen moving back and forth on the several watchtowers on both sides. Outside the houses, there were about a hundred people.
At this moment, they were in the woods below the slope, not far from the stronghold. In Liú Yúnxuān's perception, most were in the Body Tempering Realm, with fewer than twenty in the Blood Burning Realm, among whom three auras were particularly strong, reaching the Ninth Level of Blood Burning Realm.
There were also two even more powerful auras of potent vitality.
One aura was wild and overbearing, at least the Fifth Level of Golden Body Realm! The other was weaker, also possessing the cultivation of the Fourth Layer of Golden Body Realm.
These two must be the bandit leaders.
"As expected, there's something fishy," Liú Yúnxuān sneered inwardly.
Two Golden Body Realm experts and three Ninth Level Blood Burning Realm cultivators – this force, no matter where it was, would be considered a powerful entity. How could they be willing to be mere bandits raiding and plundering in Mǐlín Mountain? And they chose to do so right after our Liú family had just established its might, after they kidnapped our people?
"Third Elder, Fifth Elder, you each take half the men. Clear out the outer sentries and patrols, and seal off the exits of the stronghold. No one is allowed to escape."
"Yes, Patriarch!" A fierce glint flashed in the eyes of the two elders as they immediately took the order and led their men to spread out to both sides.
Liú Yúnxuān's figure flickered, appearing and disappearing like a phantom. This was precisely the Flowing Light Refracting Shadow Steps acquired at auction.
On the way here, he had completed this cultivation technique through the system and then cultivated it to perfection.
Combined with his cultivation of the Golden Body Realm Eighth Layer, his speed was astonishing. In just a few leaps, he silently crossed the stronghold's walls and landed on the roof of the main hall like a falling leaf.
The main hall was brightly lit.
To the left of the bonfire, a burly man with a meat-filled face, bare chest, and a hideous scar on his chest was tearing into a beast leg.
This was the leader of these bandits, known as "Butcher" Tu Gang, who was a ruthless killer with a cultivation of the Fifth Level of Golden Body Realm. He wielded two great axes, his strength ferocious; even someone in the Sixth Layer of Golden Body Realm would find it difficult to gain an advantage.
On the other side was a middle-aged man with a sinister expression and a goatee. He was the Second Boss, known in the martial world as "Poison Scholar" Jia Wen, with a cultivation of the Fourth Layer of Golden Body Realm. His mastery of poison could kill without a trace.
Below, three sturdy men were drinking. They were the three Ninth Level Blood Burning Realm leaders.
"Brother, do you think that Liú family brat will really come? We've been waiting here for days," a scarred leader asked impatiently.
Tu Gang casually tossed aside the bone he had finished gnawing and wiped his oily mouth: "Why the hurry? Didn't we just capture their people today? They kidnapped our people, and he's bound to come! The ten million ransom is just a cover; the real goal is to force him out! Of course, if he really brings ten million, that would be perfect, hahaha."
Jia Wen then added, "Third Brother, please be patient. Old Master Chen personally promised that as long as we cooperate with them and eliminate Liú Yúnxuān here, all troubles in Huailing County will be resolved for us afterward, and there will be further generous rewards. Mǐlín Mountain will then be our true foundation."
The scarred leader snorted, "The Chen family has a good plan, using our territory and hands to avenge their daughter and son-in-law. But Liú Yúnxuān is said to be a formidable character; even Wang Hu fell at his hands. Can we defeat him?"
"What are you afraid of?" Tu Gang glared, interrupting him. "That useless Wang Hu only relied on his family's Top-grade Martial Skill to swagger around. If he hadn't handed over his own martial skill to the Chen family and gained their support, how could he have established a foothold in Ziyun Town?"
"I've been immersed in the Fifth Level of Golden Body Realm for years, and my Mountain Splitting Axe Technique is unparalleled in its ferocity. How can Wang Hu compare to me?"
"Besides, with Brother Jia Wen's undetectable poison techniques and our years of cooperation, even someone in the Sixth Layer of Golden Body Realm wouldn't be able to take advantage of us easily. If they come later, you three should find opportunities to stay away; you can't withstand the battle between Golden Body Realm experts."
"Moreover, with Old Master Chen and the Great Elder personally overseeing this, Liú Yúnxuān will be walking into a trap if he dares to come. He'll have no escape!"
"Don't worry, let's eat. The brothers on guard are all first-rate experts. We'll know immediately if there's any disturbance."
Before he finished speaking, there was a loud "boom" from the roof of the main hall. The roof beams turned into countless wood fragments and shot inwards.
"Who," the few men looked up.
A voice appeared behind them: "Quite tasteful, this meat is cooked well."
The expressions of the five men in the hall changed instantly! When did this happen?
"Liú Yúnxuān?!" Tu Gang spun around abruptly, grabbing the enormous battle axe leaning beside him, a mixture of shock and rage. "How did you get in?!"
With so many sentries outside, how could there have been no alarm?
Liú Yúnxuān didn't answer him. "Two Golden Body Realm experts, three Blood Burning Realm cultivators. Instead of finding a place to run a legitimate business and earn money steadily, isn't that better than being bandits? You actually came to my Ziyun Town to kidnap my Liú family members? Who gave you the audacity?"
Jia Wen's eyes flickered, and he said sternly, "Brat, you're courting death! Brother, attack!"
Before his voice faded, he had already flashed to the side like a ghost, and several hidden weapons shot out, their angles sharp and deadly, aiming directly for Liú Yúnxuān's vital points.
"Brat, take a look at this grandpa's twin axes." Tu Gang leaped instantly, his two great axes descending like divine wrath towards Liú Yúnxuān's forehead.
At the same time, the three Blood Burning Realm leaders, seeing that the situation was not good, immediately withdrew and moved outwards.
The poisoned hidden weapons struck him with crisp clangs, repelled by a golden light.
Simultaneously, facing Tu Gang's powerful blow, he neither dodged nor retreated. The Dragon Tiger Energy and the Mystic Armor Heart Protection Art were superimposed, and he raised his right hand.
"Clang..." A sharp metallic collision sound rang out. Tu Gang was sent flying back instantly.
"What?" Tu Gang broke out in a cold sweat. Even someone in the Sixth Layer of Golden Body Realm would not dare to meet his attack head-on. Not only did this person block it, but the immense force had also sent him flying back. How was this possible? Was this level truly the Sixth Layer of Golden Body Realm?
Tu Gang was repelled, crashing heavily against the wall behind him.
His arms went numb, his tiger's mouth split, and blood flowed down the axe handle, his eyes filled with horror.
His brute strength was so easily defeated by this opponent!
"Brother!" Jia Wen's face changed drastically upon seeing this. His palms instantly turned green, and a foul, pungent odor permeated the air.
"Butcher, attack together!"
"Get him!"
Tu Gang, who had just landed, shook his body and immediately stood up again, charging at Liú Yúnxuān with his double axes.
"Poisonous Fiend Domain!" Jia Wen roared. This was his signature skill, the Poison Shadow Hand. Wherever his palm wind passed, poisonous gas continuously spread. His movements were erratic, and in an instant, Liú Yúnxuān was surrounded by a large amount of poisonous gas, forming a poisonous domain.
He had used this move to kill several cultivators in the Third and Fourth Layers of Golden Body Realm.
This poisonous mist could not only corrode the vital energy shield but also penetrate the body through the pores, damaging the meridians, making it extremely terrifying.
At the same time, Tu Gang suppressed the churning vital energy, his muscles bulging, and his vital energy instantly boiled!
"Mountain Splitting Chop!" He stomped the ground fiercely, and the entire person charged towards Liú Yúnxuān like a cannonball. His double axes crossed, and the oppressive aura instantly shattered the surrounding tables and chairs.
Poisonous mist restricting movement, a deadly dual axe attack head-on! Tu Gang and Jia Wen had cooperated for many years, and this combined attack was seamless. How many masters stronger than them had met their demise with this move?
Facing this tacit yet deadly pincer attack, a hint of surprise finally flashed in Liú Yúnxuān's eyes.
The invisible protective energy formed by the Mystic Armor Heart Protection Art and his own Golden Body Realm defensive aura rippled slightly. The poisonous gas sealed off all around, attempting to invade his body, was quickly dispersed.
"How is this possible?!" Jia Wen's eyes nearly bulged out of his sockets. His signature move couldn't even break through the opponent's defense?!
At the same time, facing Tu Gang's mountain-splitting, stone-shattering dual axe chops, he directly executed the Flowing Light Refracting Shadow Steps, like a phantom, flashing behind Tu Gang and slashing at his back.
Tu Gang spat out a mouthful of blood, crashing heavily into the bonfire.
As Jia Wen was about to speak, his vision blurred. He could only watch as his head spun several times in mid-air before he lost consciousness.
The headless corpse staggered a couple of steps, then collapsed to the ground, twitched a few times, and fell silent.