Translator: CinderTL
One hour later.
"Ah..."
Xu Sanyan wrapped his arms around Xiu He's waist and let out a long sigh.
"Mmm... Master..." Xiu He's face was flushed, her eyes hazy as she murmured softly.
"Go prepare the meal," Xu Sanyan said as he pulled up his pants.
"Mm," Xiu He replied, lowering her head to clean up.
Xu Sanyan went to the courtyard to practice his stance, his mind pondering over the words Wu Jue had spoken.
Dafeng Town was a major stronghold in the northwest, the wealthiest in the region, and everyone wanted a piece of it. However, the over thousand soldiers stationed there were no mere decorations.
The soldiers were well-equipped, highly trained, and backed by the town's walls, supported by the local populace and powerful families. Without a force of three to five thousand, it would be impossible to take the town.
Why was Wu Jue so determined to bite off this tough bone?
Unless there was an irresistible temptation!
Xu Sanyan habitually narrowed his eyes. The northwest was known for its sandstorms, and squinting effectively prevented sand from getting into his eyes. Over time, it had become a habit.
Just then, there was a knock at the door. "Bang, bang, bang... Fourth Master, the boss wants to see you."
Xu Sanyan pushed open the courtyard gate. "Has Third Sister returned?"
"Yes, she's waiting for you."
"Good," Xu Sanyan nodded and headed towards the meeting hall.
The third-in-command, Tang Huanhuan, was Wu Jue's adopted daughter and the only female bandit in their hideout.
"Third Sister."
As soon as Xu Sanyan entered the room, he saw a young woman with rough skin casually sitting in a chair, dressed in a white sheepskin coat. She had a long ponytail tied at the back of her head and was tilting her head back to drink, revealing a long scar on her chin.
Tang Huanhuan turned her head and mumbled, "Don't lock the door tonight, I'm staying at your place."
"Mm," Xu Sanyan nodded.
The two had been involved for quite some time, and no one found it strange.
Wu Jue clapped his hands and looked around at the three of them. "Now that everyone's here, let's get down to business. Tomorrow, we gather our men and head to Dafeng Town!"
Tang Huanhuan perked up immediately, and Xu Sanyan could tell from her expression that she had just learned the news.
"Dafeng Town? That place has over a thousand soldiers. How are we supposed to fight?" Tang Huanhuan asked.
Xu Sanyan also turned to look at him.
Wu Jue shook his head. "Not that many. Only about five hundred remain, as most have been relocated."
Xu Sanyan frowned. "Even five hundred soldiers are more than we can handle."
Second-in-command Liu Hong sat calmly to the side, sipping his tea.
"It's not just us. We have the Jin family and Geng the Cripple's group as well," Wu Jue revealed a secret.
Xu Sanyan pondered silently. He knew of Geng the Cripple, another bandit leader whose forces were slightly stronger than theirs, numbering over two hundred.
As for the Jin family...
Xu Sanyan furrowed his brows in thought. "The Jin family from Dafeng Town?"
"Is there any other?"
"But why..."
Before Xu Sanyan could finish, Wu Jue interrupted, "Are you wondering why the Jin family would ask outsiders to attack their own people?"
Xu Sanyan nodded, and Tang Huanhuan also leaned in to listen.
Wu Jue's lips curled into a somewhat sinister smile. "Hmph, these powerful families can be even more ruthless than us. The Jin and Ma families of Dafeng Town have been feuding for years, but now things are different."
Wu Jue paused for effect, seeing both of them looking at him, then continued leisurely,
"The Ma family has produced a genius, a once-in-a-generation talent!"
"The Jin family can no longer sit idly by, so they've contacted us to uproot the problem. Once the job is done, we'll receive three martial arts manuals, plus one thousand taels..."
Wu Jue paused, then emphasized, "Of gold!"
"That's quite the offer."
Xu Sanyan's face showed a hint of surprise, then he lowered his head slightly, his eyes flickering with thought.
Tang Huanhuan voiced her concerns, "Could this be a trap? Is the Jin family colluding with the authorities to set us up?"
Liu Hong put down his teacup and chuckled lightly. "No, because the authorities can't afford the consequences. Think about it, if they open the town gates and let us in, the townspeople won't fare well."
"If too many civilians die, the officials wouldn't have enough heads to chop off. They wouldn't dare take such a risk."
"Moreover... there really are only five hundred soldiers left."
Xu Sanyan understood Liu Hong's meaning. Even if the five hundred soldiers set a trap, they wouldn't be able to stop them, especially with Geng the Cripple's group joining forces. Each of them was a swift and skilled rider, and even with the town's terrain hindering them, five hundred soldiers wouldn't be enough to stop them.
Together with Geng the Cripple's men, they numbered close to four hundred, all mounted. What could five hundred soldiers do to stop them?
"I'm curious, what kind of genius has the Ma family produced to make the Jin family go to such lengths?"
Tang Huanhuan's focus was somewhat unusual.
Xu Sanyan was also curious; he hadn't heard about this before.
Liu Hong's expression turned serious as he slowly explained, "The Ma family's genius is named Ma Tianqing. He's only eleven years old and has already reached the pinnacle of Qi Refinement!"
Wu Jue added, "If he's allowed to continue developing, he might truly have a chance to glimpse the legendary Celestial Being realm. If that happens, the entire northwest will be under the Ma family's control."
Martial arts were divided into three major realms: Qi Refinement, Inner Qi, and Celestial Being, each with three stages: initial, intermediate, and pinnacle.
Ma Tianqing was only eleven years old. If he truly had the potential to reach the Celestial Being realm, it was an outcome no one wanted to see.
Xu Sanyan and Tang Huanhuan exchanged glances, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes. Both of them were only at the Qi Refinement stage, far from reaching the pinnacle.
This eleven-year-old Ma Tianqing was more advanced than them!
Xu Sanyan hadn't been in this world for long, so his progress wasn't a fair comparison, but Tang Huanhuan was a local, having practiced martial arts since childhood and now nearly twenty years old.
In terms of age, they were almost a generation apart.
Wu Jue said fiercely, "If that kid escapes this time, none of us will have peace in the future. So this time, we must kill him!"
"Mm."
The three of them nodded solemnly.
Wu Jue picked up his teacup. "Go back and prepare. We leave at dawn tomorrow."
"Alright."
Xu Sanyan stood up and left, though he still had many concerns in his heart, but he couldn't voice them in front of Wu Jue.
Because his biggest concern was Wu Jue himself. Xu Sanyan suspected that Wu Jue wasn't being entirely truthful.
Tang Huanhuan also dragged her feet as she followed, carrying an empty gourd of wine. The two walked side by side towards their home, neither speaking.
When they arrived home, Xiu He had already prepared the meal. Xu Sanyan ate a bit absentmindedly, then went to lie down on the bed.
Soon after, Tang Huanhuan also climbed onto the bed, kicked off her boots, removed her clothes, and slipped under the covers, wrapping her arms around Xu Sanyan.
Xu Sanyan gently patted Tang Huanhuan, feeling her breath, and slowly closed his eyes, his mind filled with countless thoughts.
"What do you think... what is Father's true motive?"
Tang Huanhuan suddenly spoke.
Xu Sanyan's lips curled slightly. It seemed he wasn't the only one who had caught on.
That old man Wu Jue was nearly sixty, bald, and still pushing himself so hard. If it was just for money, Xu Sanyan wouldn't believe it even if beaten to death.
A thousand taels of gold was a lot, but it wasn't worth taking such a huge risk.
Wu Jue had earned enough over the years to live comfortably and leisurely for the rest of his life. As for those three martial arts manuals...
Pfft...
Xu Sanyan inwardly scoffed. In martial arts, it wasn't about knowing more techniques; mastering one or two was enough. The worst thing was to be a jack of all trades but master of none. What would he do with so many martial arts? They couldn't be eaten.
At Wu Jue's age, what was he most afraid of?
Of course, death!
With Wu Jue's initial-stage Inner Qi cultivation, he could only live to about ninety. Adding in the hidden injuries from years of battles, living to eighty would be a stroke of luck.
Therefore, what he most desired was something that could extend his life.
But what could prolong life?
Xu Sanyan's lips parted slightly. "A cultivation method."
Tang Huanhuan added, "A cultivation method for longevity."
The two exchanged glances, both seeing the desire in each other's eyes.
(End of the Chapter)
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