Translator: AnubisTL
After replenishing supplies in Jingyang City, Li Qing boarded a carriage and left the city without any lingering thoughts.
The outcome of the chaotic battle between the two factions in the city was something that could easily be guessed.
Without the drive of profit, continuing to fight would only deplete each other's strength and increase casualties.
Most likely, both sides would cease hostilities, and from then on, the Black Demon Gang would be locked in a life-and-death struggle with Sun Qi, the Number One Sword of Qingzhou.
However, what Li Qing never expected was that after traveling for four days and finally nearing Chongning County, the Black Demon Gang Leader, in a desperate move, publicly revealed what the treasure Sun Qi had taken actually was.
In an instant, the entire martial world of Qingzhou, no, the entire Maple Country, was thrown into an uproar.
Outside Chongning County.
After traveling north for several days, the temperature here was relatively less scorching. In fact, summer was the most comfortable season in this region, while the other seasons were bitterly cold.
On the official road, a carriage was suddenly stopped by a group of bandits when it was still a mile or two away from the city gate.
The coachman's face immediately turned pale, and he stammered, "There... there are bandits blocking the road."
In front of the carriage were several bandits on horseback, carrying Wolf Tooth Clubs and other imposing weapons.
On both sides, seven or eight more bandits with menacing expressions and armed with swords and spears closed in, cutting off any escape route for the carriage.
Faced with this situation, even the horses seemed to be startled, becoming restless.
The leader of the bandits, carrying a Wolf Tooth Club, chuckled and rode forward a few steps, saying, "Chongning is just ahead. If you want to pass, leave your toll."
After he finished speaking, there was no response for a long time. The coachman trembled slightly all over, and no answer came from inside the carriage.
"How interesting. Could there be a young lady inside the carriage?" The bandit leader licked his lips, his gaze turning wolfish.
Hearing this, the other bandits burst into malicious laughter.
"Hahaha!"
"If she's not speaking, she might indeed be a shy and delicate young lady."
"Don't be afraid, little lady, we're coming~"
"Hey, coachman, who's the young lady you're carrying in your carriage? Tell us!"
"..."
Just as the bandits were taunting and closing in, a voice finally came from inside the carriage.
"Keep moving forward. Don't be afraid."
"Gulp."
Hearing Li Qing's calm tone, the coachman's anxious heart instantly steadied. He swallowed hard and then flicked the reins.
Crack!
The carriage began to move forward again. Seeing this, the bandits blocking the road showed looks of disdain.
Were they trying to force their way through? How delusional! Did they think the weapons in their hands were fake?
If the carriage dared to approach, they could easily cut down both the people and the horses.
Just as this thought crossed their minds, a sharp whistling sound suddenly rang out.
"Whoosh!"
A nail the size of a finger shot out from the gap created by the swaying carriage curtain.
The bandit leader didn't even have time to react before a bloody hole appeared in his forehead.
Thud!
The bandit boss fell from his horse, startling the surrounding outlaws into a panic.
"Boss?"
"It's a hidden weapon, be careful!"
Before the words could even settle, another Bone-Piercing Awl shot out with lightning speed.
Whoosh!
The sound of slicing air rang out again, and another mounted bandit fell to the ground.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three consecutive sounds of slicing air echoed, and three more bandits met their untimely deaths!
Everything happened so quickly. In an instant, including their boss, five people were dead!
"It's a Martial Path expert, run!"
"The boss is dead, flee!"
Immediately, the more than twenty bandits who had surrounded the area felt a chill run down their spines.
It was too easy, the deaths were far too simple.
The mounted bandits, clearly the higher-ups, were about to shout to stabilize the situation when the carriage curtain was finally drawn aside.
However, what emerged first was not a person, but a tiger that had been seething with anger for a long time!
"Roar!"
A young tiger, no larger than an adult mutt, suddenly charged out, letting out a roar filled with the might of a tiger.
The horses blocking the path ahead were all startled, becoming restless and difficult for their riders to control.
Though still young, the tiger had been eating meat for quite some time, naturally exuding the aura of a fierce beast.
Of course, it wouldn't be this little tiger that would ultimately deal with these bandits.
In the next moment, a figure wielding a massive hammer suddenly emerged from the carriage.
It was none other than Li Qing, his face calm, showing no expression.
As he burst out of the carriage, he moved with a speed that surpassed even the horses.
Boom!
The giant hammer was swung with exaggerated force, the sharp wind carrying with it a sense of oppression that even the air seemed to feel.
The hammerhead, forged from Ink Gold, reflected a dark, heavy sheen under the sun.
The mounted bandits were plunged into despair. The person they had tried to rob was not only an External Strength Expert but also wielded such a terrifying weapon.
Bang!
Without any suspense, several bandits, along with their horses, were sent flying by the powerful swing of the hammer.
The first person to be struck by the Peerless Hammer had half his body turned into pulp.
Blood splattered across the dusty official road, the metallic scent filling everyone's nostrils, causing all present to tremble with fear.
Someone shouted at that moment:
"Run!"
Like monkeys scattering when the tree falls, the bandits who had surrounded the carriage fled in all directions, terrified of being hunted down by the demon wielding the giant hammer.
Li Qing stood tall with the hammer in hand, waiting for the carriage to approach him. Once it did, he climbed back onto the carriage, glancing back at the fleeing bandits with no intention of pursuing them.
The carriage driver's face was pale, clearly shaken by the recent events.
No wonder he dared to raise a tiger; he truly was a fearsome figure.
With such strength, there was naturally no need to worry about the dangers of raising a tiger.
This was the first time Li Qing had encountered highway bandits since entering Qingzhou.
However, it was within his expectations that bandits who engaged in such activities wouldn't even have an External Strength Expert among them.
Generally, those who have reached the level of Outer Strength are considered notable figures. In other factions, they can usually manage quite well and wouldn't stoop to such lowly deeds.
After dealing with the bandits, the carriage Li Qing was riding in smoothly entered the city.
However, as soon as they entered the county town, he was struck by a topic that everyone on the streets was eagerly discussing.
"I think the Black Demon Gang Leader has gone mad. How could there be any Immortals in this world? And he claims that the treasure he obtained is a chance to become an Immortal. How ridiculous!"
"..."
(End of the Chapter)
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