Road-Block Tiger Wang Ba had been moments away from looting the caravan when Liu Yun and the others suddenly appeared and ruined his plans. Furious, he roared:
"Liu Yun! What exactly do you two want?"
Liu Yun had just witnessed the bandits attempting to kill Thunderblade He Ping. Her chivalrous heart ignited, and without a second thought she replied:
"A hero aids the distressed. When injustice is seen, the sword must be drawn. That's all!"
Wang Ba snarled,"Then you're seeking your own death! Don't blame me!"
With a sharp glare, he shouted:
"Brothers—ALL TOGETHER! KILL!"
In an instant the sky exploded with battle cries.Steel flashed, horses screamed—chaos erupted like a battlefield.
Swords clashed, men cursed, wounded shrieked; bodies collided, horses toppled. The caravan's forty or fifty fighters met more than a hundred bandits, and the longer they fought, the more frantic and tangled the battle became—just like a desperate fight on the warfront.
Just then, from not far away, another column of riders appeared, every man raising a broad scimitar and shouting loudly. Both bandits and caravan guards were startled.
The bandits began crying out:
"The steppe riders! The steppe riders are here!"
For bandits, nothing was more terrifying than the mounted archers of the frontier—skills no cutpurse could ever match.
Wang Ba shouted:"Mount up!"
On the newcomers' side, Wu Tong led the charge—of course, riding in the vanguard.The steppe cavalry loosed arrows with both hands while galloping, and bandits fell from their horses one after another.
Soon the two sides collided in mounted combat. Wu Tong, without even fully drawing his Sleeping Dragon Saber, swept out a horizontal slash—invincible wherever the blade passed. Behind him rode elite steppe warriors; how could mere bandits withstand such force?
Within moments the bandits were slaughtered, scattered, and routed.Road-Block Tiger Wang Ba, shocked to see Wu Tong leading steppe cavalry, thought:
How in heaven's name did Wu Tong gain the power to command steppe soldiers?
The bandits could no longer hold. The steppe troops cut through them like wind through dry grass.Utter defeat.Wang Ba had no choice but to flee with the remnants of his gang.
A battle poem rises over the desert:
Desert smoke rises, trembling the sky.Who dares shoot the mighty eagle on high?A bent bow and saber by the rider's side—Through distant realms, the proud heroes ride.
At this perilous moment, the caravan had been on the brink of annihilation.Without Wu Tong and the steppe soldiers, their goods would have been taken, and their lives lost.
Thunderblade He Ping led the caravan forward and bowed:
"Our deepest thanks to Hallmaster Wu of the Loyalty Hall for saving us!"
The caravan leader then offered a chest of gold and silver in gratitude.Wu Tong said:
"Nigmet, divide this chest among the brothers."
The Uyghur elite troops—nimble, deadly, and famed across the plains—were overjoyed.
Nigmet bowed deeply."Thank you, Hallmaster Wu!"
Wu Tong's heroic magnanimity shone through.The steppe soldiers, grinning ear to ear, offered repeated thanks.
Wu Tong waved it off:"No need for formality. You all fought by my side. This is but a small token—take it."
Then Wu Tong and his group escorted the caravan to its trading site before taking their leave.
Arrival at Shuǐyuè Hermitage
Because the Western Holy Sect traded with the nations of the Western Regions near the Chagha Valley by the Tianshan Mountains, Wu Tong and his companions headed first to Shuiyue Hermitage.
It was the evening of the eighteenth day of the seventh month when they arrived.From within the hermitage came gentle waves of chanting.The place exuded the serenity of ancient Buddhas, the glow of oil lamps, and the echo of wooden fish. The surroundings were tranquil, sacred, and dignified.
Two young girls were practicing martial arts in the front courtyard. When they saw Wu Tong's group riding in, they stared for a moment—then suddenly shouted:
"Uncle!" "Auntie!"
The nuns inside, hearing the commotion, came out to investigate.
Wu Tong quickly dismounted and approached respectfully.
"This junior, Wu Tong, pays respects to all masters."
The nuns nodded in approval—his manners were impeccable.
At this moment, the Tianshan Saint Nun herself stepped outside.Seeing Wu Tong and the others, her expression showed surprise.
"Hallmaster Wu, what brings you to my humble hermitage?"
Wu Tong replied,"It is a long story. Might we speak inside?"
The steppe soldiers remained outside out of respect—they would not enter the sacred grounds. The Saint Nun led the three guests along the stone path. The serene air soothed their hearts. It had been half a year since Wu Tong and Liu Yun last visited.
Inside the hall, Wu Tong recounted everything from the beginning:
The Loyalty Hall had been ordered to escort Princess Ningguo for marriage to the Uyghurs. But the Western Holy Sect abducted young women from Uyghur tribes to sell to slavers. The khagan commanded Wu Tong's group to pursue the sect.
On their way to the Chagha Valley near Tianshan to carry out the mission, they made a detour to visit the Saint Nun—bringing treasures bestowed by the khagan for building and supporting the hermitage, and to visit the two girls training here.