Bandits of Mount Qi, You've Been Tricked!

Shi Yinyu saw it all with absolute clarity. Beneath the pristine moonlight, Wang Yu stood tall and poised against the wind, while behind him, a rigid Han Dingyuan plunged headlong from the broken wall. Shi Yinyu's pupils contracted. Without a shred of hesitation, she leaped down from the ruined parapet, waved her sleeve to unleash a cloud of white mist that engulfed the surroundings, and vanished into the darkness in the blink of an eye. Ma Bojun gave his spear a flourish and praised, "Brother Yu! Brilliant swordplay!" "With Han Dingyuan gone, more than half of our trouble is eliminated," Wang Yu chuckled. This was the plan they had settled on from the very beginning. The Four Great Bandits of Mount Qi were no ordinary outlaws; every one of them was a first-rate master, and none would be easy to kill. Had they rashly blocked their path, Shi Yinyu's poisons and Han Dingyuan's archery might well have allowed every last one to escape. Thus, they had resolved to concentrate all their might on eliminating one of them first. Knowing little about the true depths of Shi Yinyu's poisons, they had made their target Han Dingyuan, whose ranged mastery posed the greatest danger to their group. One could not be deceived by how easily Ma Bojun had deflected Han Dingyuan's Mother-and-Son Yin-Yang Arrows the previous night. In truth, Han Dingyuan's archery was superb, and his martial prowess was formidable. Zhao Shan and Zhao He ranked among the finest guards in the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor, yet against Han Dingyuan, they could barely put up any resistance. Zhao Shan's three throwing knives had flown like lightning, only for Han Dingyuan to deflect every one of them with a single flick of a long arrow, proving the uncanny precision of his strength. And when Zhao He faced the two short arrows flung by Han Dingyuan, he had not even dared to catch them bare-handed, demonstrating the terrifying power behind his inner energy. Even so, Han Dingyuan's foundation was ultimately insufficient, and he was certainly no match for Ma Bojun. And so, after Ma Bojun's all-out spear strike had broken his spirit, Zhao Shan and Zhao He had depleted his stamina and stripped him of his arrows, leaving Wang Yu to step forward at the very end and send him to the grave with a single strike. Of course, all of this presupposed that Wang Yu himself was strong enough! "Reporting to the Prince, the Shuntian Army has unearthed treasure at the northwestern royal palace, and the Mount Qi bandits have already rushed there," a man in black suddenly materialized, one of the palace imperial guards who had accompanied Wang Yu to the northwest. Another black-clad guard vaulted over the wall, bringing fresh intelligence. "The Prince previously cautioned that the treasure in the northwestern palace might be a fake. Several of us scouted in the opposite direction and discovered the Shuntian Army's forces near the market ruins by the east gate, accompanied by nearly a hundred large carts." "The east gate, just as expected." Li Yunxiu emerged from behind a wall. "Leaving through the east gate, there are several oases nearby where they can hide, and it is not far from the Western Regions trade route. It will be easy for them to blend in, and with a little disguise, crossing back through the pass will be child's play." Qianqian stepped out from the shadows, lightly hopped onto a half-collapsed wall, and swung her feet leisurely. "Shall we head to the east gate and block them?" "Of course not," Li Yunxiu smiled faintly, issuing commands. "Have twenty riders from the Iron Eagle Cavalry tie tree branches to their horses' tails and create the appearance of a massive gathering outside the west gate, tricking the enemies at the east gate into feeling safe enough to leave the city. "The rest of the cavalry will assemble at an oasis farther beyond the east gate and wait until the Shuntian Army has completely left the ancient city, losing their terrain advantage, before launching an ambush. We won't seek to slaughter them, only to drive them off. "As long as we do not enter the west gate, the Mount Qi bandits will sooner or later realize the treasure in the northwestern palace is a fake. When that happens, they will inevitably clash with the Shuntian Army guards stationed at the palace and those lying in ambush by the west gate. "We will watch for our chance. If the Mount Qi bandits prove too foolish to see through the truth of the Loulan royal palace on their own, we can always lend them a hand and make sure they aren't taken for fools." Ma Bojun roared with laughter and nodded repeatedly. "Splendid, splendid! If the Mount Qi bandits and the Shuntian Army can tear into each other like dogs, that only makes things easier for us." Wang Yu sheathed his sword. "Let's go!" …… To the northwest of the ancient city, at the Loulan Royal Palace. Beneath the moonlight, torches blazed with crackling ferocity, shedding bright firelight that nonetheless failed to quench the bloodshot greed in many men's eyes. "Get out of the way!" snarled a brawny man stripped to the waist, clutching a string of gold beads in his left hand and hefting a ghost-head saber in his right. "Chieftain Xu, our two sides already agreed that we would repel the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor together before dividing the treasure," a minor officer of the Shuntian Army insisted, blocking the palace entrance. "Our army is already in position at the west gate. Are you planning to break your oath?" "Who the hell told you we had to beat back the prince's manor before splitting the loot? Those are two completely different matters!" Chieftain Xu barked in fury. "Fighting the manor is one thing, and dividing the treasure is another! Sharing the gold first won't stop us from slaughtering those imperial lapdogs!" Facing this vicious band of outlaws, the squad leader felt a twinge of dread, but he truly could not let them through. The moment they stepped inside, the truth would be exposed. "The treasure is right here; it isn't going anywhere. Why must Chieftain Xu be so impatient?" the squad leader continued to urge. "Our top priority is wiping out the Prince of Zhenxi's forces, or none of us will escape being hunted down across thousands of miles by the Iron Eagle Cavalry." "Who the hell is going to listen to your reasoning? Do we know the prince's manor better, or do you?" Chieftain Xu squeezed the gold beads, baring his teeth. "Let me see the treasure, or we have a fight right here and now!" In order to lure both the Mount Qi bandits and the Iron Eagle Cavalry toward the northwestern palace, the Shuntian Army had scattered a substantial amount of gold, silver, and jewels in the surrounding area—pearls, agates, jades, cat's-eyes… Yet they had never expected the Mount Qi bandits to be even more reckless and impatient than anticipated. At the sight of these treasures carefully hoarded by the Kingdom of Loulan over centuries, their eyes had turned entirely red. Those who had already grabbed jewels were satisfied enough for the moment, but the bandits who had come away empty-handed had only one thought burning in their minds: charge into the palace and plunder the hoard. Who among them had any heart left to fight a war first? Just at that moment, Niu Zilian and his retinue arrived at the palace. Everything at the east gate was proceeding without a hitch, and the focus had now shifted to luring the Iron Eagle Cavalry into the city through the west gate to spark a chaotic melee with the Mount Qi bandits. As the mastermind of this scheme, Niu Zilian naturally had to make an appearance; otherwise, the Mount Qi bandits would grow suspicious. Besides, he was fully confident in his ability to retreat unscathed. "Where are Mr. Li and Old Mr. Feng?" Niu Zilian asked. "Has Ma Bojun arrived?" A raspy voice drifted down from a withered tree nearby. Niu Zilian looked up to see an elderly man with graying hair and a weathered, grotesque visage perched upon a dry branch, his entire person seeming to meld into the dead desert poplar. Niu Zilian cupped his hands. "The Iron Eagle Cavalry is hovering outside the west gate. Ma Bojun and his men should be arriving very soon." "Didn't Brother Han and Fairy Shi come with you?" Another voice rang out from the top of an adjacent wall. Standing there was a handsome, middle-aged man in blue robes, carrying a sword on his back and lightly stroking the three wisps of his long beard. Perched atop the moonlit wall, he looked every bit like a sword immortal descending to the mortal realm. These two were none other than the final two of the Five Great Bandits of Mount Qi: Old Freak Black Wind, Feng Li, and the Impermanence Sword, Li Wuchang. One was a northwestern blade master whose saber techniques were blindingly fast, vicious, and tricky—honed through the wind and sands of the northwest, his blade had terrorized countless souls, making him the most senior figure among the Mount Qi bandits. The other was a swordsman from the Central Plains, originally from the Taihua Sect. Having violated his sect's rules, he had fled into Mount Qi to become a bandit. Over more than a decade, he had blended northwestern martial arts into his own, developing a style that harmonized orthodox and unorthodox techniques, full of treacherous angles and deadly deceit, earning himself the title of Impermanence Sword. "We have not seen General Han or Fairy Shi since this morning," Niu Zilian replied, his expression entirely natural. "Shouldn't they have returned long ago to meet with you two?" Feng Li and Li Wuchang exchanged a glance. Han Dingyuan and Shi Yinyu had indeed rendezvoused with them that morning, but after discussing the terms of cooperation with the Shuntian Army, they had returned to Loulan City to keep watch over both the army and the prince's manor. By all rights, now that all three factions were converging, they ought to have shown themselves by now. Even as the two pondered this, a scout on horseback came galloping toward them at breakneck speed. "Dust is still billowing outside the west gate! The Iron Eagle Cavalry hasn't entered the city!" "Why haven't they entered yet?" Niu Zilian frowned at the news. "Their reaction is far too slow!" According to the Shuntian Army's scouting over recent days, aside from themselves and the Mount Qi bandits, the ancient city harbored Loulan spies, scattered martial artists from the Western Regions, and a mysterious group of black-clad men. Niu Zilian had no doubt that this band of black-clad men was the imperial guard of the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor. The Iron Eagle Cavalry had been stationed nearby for some time. There was no way they would ignore an objective as massive as the Ancient City of Loulan without sending scouts inside. And the moment they investigated, it was impossible for them not to learn of the treasure appearing at the Loulan Royal Palace. If they didn't charge in quickly to seize it, once the Shuntian Army and the Mount Qi bandits scattered with the spoils, they wouldn't get a single copper! Feng Li licked his wind-chapped lips and looked down at Niu Zilian. "Since the Iron Eagle Cavalry hasn't arrived yet, Military Strategist Niu, could you allow this old man to see this famous Loulan treasure? "To be frank, I've lived a long life and heard plenty of tales about treasure maps, but this is the first time I've ever experienced one in the flesh. Let me broaden my horizons and open my eyes, so that when I go down to the netherworld, I'll have something to brag to my ancestors about." A sharp gleam flashed in Li Wuchang's eyes. "Since this is a partnership, Military Strategist Niu ought to show a partner's sincerity. Guarding the treasure so jealously that you won't even let us catch a glimpse is hardly the attitude of an ally." Niu Zilian glanced at the sky, which was already beginning to pale, inwardly cursing everyone in the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor as useless fools. He had calculated the timing to perfection: the treasure's trail would be exposed, and the Mount Qi bandits and the Shuntian Army would assemble just as the morning sun was about to rise. That way, the Iron Eagle Cavalry would not hesitate over their reluctance to fight at night and could charge the city with confidence. Yet here the Mount Qi bandits and the Shuntian Army were on the brink of coming to blows at the palace, while the Iron Eagle Cavalry was still dragging its feet outside! Niu Zilian waved a hand behind him, and several men emerged from the palace carrying two large chests, setting them down behind him. The next instant, the lids were thrown open. Under the brightening sky, everyone clearly saw the chests heaped to the brim with gold and silver coins, as well as an assortment of vessels crafted from precious metals. Niu Zilian cupped his hands toward Feng Li and Li Wuchang. "In truth, we have only just uncovered the hoard ourselves. The King of Loulan buried the treasure beneath the palace grounds, and my men are still digging. These two chests were only unearthed moments ago. Exactly how much remains beneath the earth, even I cannot say. "If both our factions dig together, friction will inevitably arise. Why not wait until we have crushed the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor? Then our two families can excavate together and split everything right down the middle. What say you?" Feng Li and Li Wuchang lapsed into contemplation. Naturally, they knew the nature of their fellow bandits; the Mount Qi outlaws were an alliance of multiple strongholds, and the two of them were merely chieftains of two major camps who could not fully speak for the rest. "If that is the case, then we shall…" Before Feng Li could finish, a figure clad in black darted out from behind the palace, roaring hoarsely, "The Shuntian Army is tricking you! They hauled the real treasure away long ago! The rest of the chests inside the palace are stuffed with nothing but rocks!"