Chapter 41 One-Hit Kill
On the open ground, a large crowd of people had already accelerated their packing and prepared to leave.
They had no desire to become entangled in this conflict.
Especially once the horse bandits arrived, there was no telling if they would launch a thorough pillage.
Losing wealth was a minor matter; losing one's life was a major disaster.
Seeing this, Gao Hongzhe ran into the middle of the crowd and shouted at the top of his lungs:
"Everyone, do not leave! If we unite, we can certainly resist the horse bandits!"
"If we eliminate the horse bandits, we won't have to worry about being plundered along this trade route ever again!"
In response, the crowd merely cast sideways glances at Gao Hongzhe, looking at him as if he were an idiot.
As everyone finished loading their baggage onto the carts, they prepared to depart from the Haypost.
Just at that moment.
The sun rose.
The sunrise over the vast desert dyed the horizon in brilliant shades of gold.
With the first light of dawn appearing, the chill of the long night receded.
Yet, atop the nearest sand dune, a group of horsemen suddenly emerged.
This group of riders had a clear objective and galloped directly toward the Haypost.
"It's... the horse bandits!"
"It's the Saber-Wielding Bandit!"
Someone with sharp eyes shrieked in terror.
The entire Haypost instantly plunged into chaos and panic.
No one had anticipated that the horse bandits would arrive so quickly.
The crowd scattered in terror.
They were not fleeing.
Encumbered by their cargo, it was utterly impossible to outrun the pursuit of mounted bandits.
Instead, they were searching for places to hide their valuables, hoping to minimize their losses.
True to their reputation, the horse bandits moved like the wind, swiftly reaching the entrance of the Haypost.
On the open ground, a sudden silence fell.
Everyone huddled together anxiously, awaiting their impending fate.
The horse bandits dismounted in unison and strode into the Haypost.
They were covered in dust, clearly having ridden hard through the entire night.
Yet the aura of unbridled cruelty radiating from their bodies exerted a crushing sense of oppression.
As the bandits stepped onto the clearing, the gathered crowd instinctively retreated backward.
Walking at the very front was a lean, middle-aged man.
He wore a yellowish sheepskin coat, a wind-proof turban wrapped around his head, and a sabre belted at his waist.
Years of enduring the harsh desert winds had left his skin extremely weathered and rough.
His features were entirely ordinary, nothing out of the ordinary.
Yet, from his entire being emanated an infinite self-confidence, bordering on arrogance.
It was as if everyone present was nothing more than livestock waiting for the slaughter in his eyes.
His gaze swept casually and indifferently across the entire area.
Not a single soul dared to draw a heavy breath.
The scene seemed frozen in time.
At that moment.
Liang Jin finally opened his eyes and looked toward the middle-aged man.
He knew instantly that this person was none other than the Saber-Wielding Bandit!
Because from this man, Liang Jin felt a wave of intense oppression.
In particular, the stench of blood clinging to this person was overwhelmingly heavy.
He had undoubtedly killed countless people!
And he had certainly not merely slaughtered ordinary mortals—he had killed martial artists as well!
Sure enough.
Within the Wandering Oriole Troupe, the pimp hurriedly ran to the side of the Saber-Wielding Bandit and fawned:
"Chieftain, you've finally arrived."
"It was this punk right here who killed our men last night!"
Saying this, the pimp pointed a finger directly at Liang Jin, and even went so far as to spit in Liang Jin's direction.
Hearing this, the Saber-Wielding Bandit looked at Liang Jin with a contemptuous smile.
He raised his hand and beckoned to Liang Jin.
This was a gesture signaling Liang Jin to step forward and fight him to the death.
Liang Jin was just about to rise to his feet.
When he suddenly recalled what Liu Yuan had told him.
This caused Liang Jin to change his mind; he steadied his composure and continued to sit quietly.
Seeing that Liang Jin remained unmoved, the Saber-Wielding Bandit merely chuckled softly.
Then, he took a step forward and walked toward Liang Jin.
The remaining horse bandits stayed in place, holding the reins of their mounts.
They had no intention of interfering.
Because they knew that their leader alone was more than enough to kill Liang Jin!
And their leader had not killed a martial artist in a long time; he had long been eager to use a martial artist to hone his blade.
The steps of the Saber-Wielding Bandit were unhurried.
One step.
Two steps.
Three steps.
It felt as though every single step was treading directly upon Liang Jin's heart.
Plunged into the epicenter of the Saber-Wielding Bandit's killing intent, Liang Jin felt the pressure mounting heavier and heavier.
He could barely resist the urge to spring to his feet immediately and prepare for battle.
"This is bad!"
"Before the fight has even begun, I cannot let his momentum cow me!"
Liang Jin rapidly steadied his mind.
He regulated his breathing, relaxed his entire body, and ensured his stamina wouldn't be prematurely exhausted under the overwhelming pressure.
Meanwhile, the rest of the people in the clearing felt their hearts leap into their throats.
It was not only Liang Jin who felt the pressure; they were likewise bearing the killing intent radiating from the Saber-Wielding Bandit.
Those with weaker mental fortitude began to tremble uncontrollably.
Gao Hongzhe stood nearby, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles had turned completely white.
The Saber-Wielding Bandit drew closer.
The short distance of seven zhang was now reduced to merely three zhang.
Yet to the onlookers, it felt as though an eternity had passed, as if the Saber-Wielding Bandit had traversed an immensely long road.
Finally.
Someone could no longer bear this oppressive atmosphere and intended to act in advance.
Two men stepped out from the crowd.
Wielding sabres, they blocked the path of the Saber-Wielding Bandit.
"Saber-Wielding Bandit!"
"Ten years ago, you massacred our entire village, a blood debt of hatred as deep as the sea!"
"Today, having returned from studying under masters, we are bound to avenge our fathers and elders!"
"You shall die by our hands today!"
As the two men shouted, their eyes were filled with intense and burning hatred.
A stir rippled through Liang Jin's heart.
He had not expected that Liu Yuan had actually told the truth this time.
The intense pressure emanating from the Saber-Wielding Bandit was also broken by the challenge of these two men.
The Saber-Wielding Bandit halted his steps, the corners of his mouth curling upward in a mocking sneer.
He raised a hand and beckoned dismissively at the two men.
Unable to endure such provocation any longer, one of the men made the first move.
"Die!"
He roared in fury, hoisted his long sabre, and viciously slashed toward the Saber-Wielding Bandit!
The blade-light shone like snow, its chilling aura biting to the bone.
Liang Jin's eyebrows twitched at the sight.
A martial artist!
And a Seventh-Rank one at that!
The moment this man made his move, Liang Jin instantly gauged his strength.
Who could have imagined that in a tiny, insignificant place like the Haypost, a Seventh-Rank martial artist was actually concealed!
Seventh-Rank against Seventh-Rank!
Perhaps, just as Liu Yuan had claimed, he might not even need to make a move himself.
The next instant—
The Saber-Wielding Bandit struck!
"Clang!"
His sabre left its scabbard with a crisp, piercing ring.
The blade flashed like a shooting star, appearing and vanishing in the blink of an eye.
"Such a fast blade!"
Liang Jin's heart gave a violent jerk.
The Saber-Wielding Bandit's sabre was so fast that he could barely trace its movement with his eyes!
To be hailed as the fastest blade in this region was truly no empty title!
With a single stroke of this blade, the outcome was decided.
The man's sabre had slashed through empty air, while the Saber-Wielding Bandit's weapon had already pierced straight through his chest.
As the Saber-Wielding Bandit yanked his blade back, a jet of fresh blood spurted forth.
Splatterings of blood landed on the Saber-Wielding Bandit's grimly smiling face, making him look utterly like a fiend from the netherworld!
"Thud!"
The man's corpse crashed heavily to the ground.
Liang Jin's breathing rhythm was disrupted.
He had known the Saber-Wielding Bandit was powerful, but he had never imagined he would be formidable to this degree.
To kill a peer of the same Seventh-Rank realm required nothing more than a single slash!
Against such a terrifying foe, how could victory ever be achieved?
At this moment.
The other man saw his companion slain by a single strike, an expression of utter disbelief washing over his face; this expression quickly morphed into one of stark terror.
It was as if he had run into a ghost!
Faced with the Saber-Wielding Bandit, he began to tremble uncontrollably.
Though he gripped the hilt of his sabre, he lacked the strength to draw it from its scabbard.
At this moment, the man didn't even have the courage to unsheathe his weapon!
Yet the Saber-Wielding Bandit didn't even deign to look at him, walking straight past his side.
It was as if such a person was simply unworthy of dying beneath his blade.
As the Saber-Wielding Bandit brushed past, the man was pushed to the verge of a complete psychological breakdown.
Tears and sweat mingled freely on his face, and his eyes turned bloodshot.
The unpayable blood debt finally drove him to draw his blade!
"Ahhh!"
With an enraged roar, the man finally managed to pull his sabre from its scabbard.
Sneak-attacking from behind was hardly honorable, but as long as he could exact revenge, he cared nothing for his reputation.
Without looking back, the Saber-Wielding Bandit slashed backward with a backhanded stroke.
"Whoosh!"
The blade-light flickered and vanished.
The Saber-Wielding Bandit continued walking forward, not sparing another glance.
The man, who had only just managed to unsheathe his blade, stiffened instantly, and then crumpled limply to the earth.
Blood pooled out from beneath him, soaking deep into the desert sands...