"Who!?" Sima Guangtu stiffened all over and shouted loudly from the rear.
He hadn't expected that at such a time, someone would launch a surprise attack.
No one answered.
Sima Guangtu squinted and scanned the surroundings. From his angle, he couldn't see Zhang Rongfang hiding behind the big tree.
Immediately, he raised his bow and arrow, aiming at Zhao Dachong.
Since the other party was here to rescue...
Swish.
Suddenly Zhao Dachong's body lying on the ground moved, and she swiftly slid to the left.
Her left hand was tied with a thin line.
Just this moment of delay, Sima Guangtu inwardly cursed, but it was already too late, as Zhao Dachong had been pulled behind a large rock on the side.
"Move up! Everyone press forward!" Sima Guangtu shouted in frustration.
The other dozen mountain bandits looked at each other and slowly began moving forward.
Suddenly, one of them halted, using his dao to prod the grass in front of him.
Thump.
A muffled sound, and a simple animal trap in the grass was triggered, sharp bamboo fiercely piercing into the mud, startling him.
"Leader, there's a trap ahead!"
The group immediately stopped in their tracks.
They were experienced in the mountains and forests and were familiar with hunter's animal traps.
As long as they weren't careless, they could maybe clear a path, but it would waste time.
And right now, time was what they were lacking.
"Second leader, anyway, that person is already crippled, injured like that couldn't pose any threat, let's give up. There are people fighting behind..." one headman was reluctant to risk his life.
Earlier, the half-crippled Zhao Dachong managed to kill two of them, and now this new guy appeared, instantly killing one and setting traps.
They could kill, but who wanted to risk their lives in this situation?
After all, he was just trying to save someone.
Sima Guangtu thought it over and indeed agreed. Though he was still somewhat displeased, but...
"Since that's the case, retreat!" He stopped talking nonsense, "Back and say that ugly woman is dead! Understand?"
"Understood, understood, anyway that woman won't get up again, injured like that, tsk tsk..." A small headman laughed along.
The group didn't waste words anymore and quickly retreated.
Zhang Rongfang carried his senior sister Zhao Dachong, picked her up behind the tree trunk, and hearing them retreat, he sighed in relief.
Just now, launching a sneak attack, he burst forth with all his strength, and since those bandits were just ordinary soldiers without martial arts, it worked.
But if the dozen or so people had all rushed forward, he'd have no choice but to run.
He wasn't three-headed and six-armed, nor was he invulnerable; many of these dozen people held weapons, including an archer targeting him.
Facing them head-on was definitely not feasible.
Even assuming all these people were regular soldiers, if there were one or two skilled fighters among them...
The situation would be even worse.
Thankfully they were scared away now. He stopped thinking further, quickly used clothing to tightly bind arteries, helped stop the bleeding, and swiftly carried her towards Qinghe Palace.
If he didn't hurry, Senior Sister Dachong might lose too much blood, then there would truly be no chance of rescue.
*
*
*
Xiao Rong lay on the ground, his chest and back were all covered with sword wounds.
Blood dyed his Taoist robe red and also stained the nearby grass red.
Not far away, Xiao Qingying had cried herself hoarse, only writhing on the ground, making dry, raspy noises.
But by now, no one paid attention to the father and daughter anymore.
Huang Jude and a bunch of bandits were confronting Chen Wuyou, Jiao Teng, and the six martial cultivators from Qinghe Palace who had arrived later.
Leading the Qinghe Palace entourage was a beardless white-haired old Daoist.
The old Daoist had snow-white hair, stood with his hands behind his back, carrying a wide black iron ruler on his back, standing in front of Zhang Xintai and Qi Mountain and others.
"I didn't expect it was truly you playing tricks. Chen Wuyou, I've always turned a blind eye to what you and your father have done before. But...."
The old Daoist sighed lightly.
"I originally thought that although you're obsessed with infighting within the sect, you still had a sliver of principle about the sect's ethics. But now...."
"Dean Tang! Do you think with such few men, you dare spew nonsense here?" Chen Wuyou's face darkened.
He couldn't believe that Dean Tang actually personally led people here.
Dean Tang Sha was one of the three strongest in Qinghe Palace on the surface now, a true fifth-grade master!
The crucial part was, Tang Sha's martial arts were perfectly suited for execution in such a forest.
Though these bandits seemed numerous, most could only win in favorable conditions, their physical endurance and courage had been worn down in numerous escapes.
What's more deadly, Huang Jude's group, if things look bad, would absolutely not fight desperately alongside them.
"More people? Heh." Tang Sha coldly chuckled, "Lord Chen, this time we'll greatly rely on you."
As soon as his voice fell.
Around the forest, numerous soldiers quickly emerged rustlingly.
All were clad in leather armor, wearing iron hats, members of the Great Spirit's regular army.
The leader, tall and burly, sported a big belly, covered entirely in leather armor, even the head and eyes were concealed tightly.
The seemingly solid and heavy leather armor seemed not to affect him at all.
As he walked, his steps were relaxed, wielding a saber and a round shield, striding at the forefront of the many soldiers.
"As expected by Daoist Tang, this group of rats was finally lured out." Lord Chen laughed heartily.
"I'll owe this accomplishment to Daoist Tang's efforts!" He waved his large hand, and dozens of soldiers rushed in unison.