Wen Qingye’s guess was correct. Both Zhao Xia and Zhao i were at the Refining Essence Fourth Layer Heaven, while Zhao Hao’s cultivation was indeed the highest of the three, having already reached the Refining Essence Fifth Layer Heaven.
Wen Qingye asked, "You’re all students from Celestial Academy. Are you here to travel and gain experience?"
Zhao Xia nodded and said, "Yes. On one hand, we’re heading to the Hundred Break Mountains to gain experience. On the other, we’re here to complete the academy’s Inner Courtyard assessnt. The requirent for the assessnt is the head of the Black Cloud Mountain chieftain."
"Inner Courtyard assessnt?" Wen Qingye’s eyes showed a flicker of confusion.
Zhao i rolled her eyes at Wen Qingye. "Our Celestial Academy’s Inner Courtyard assessnt isn’t just at a different ti from your Qig Mountain Academy’s—the content is completely different, too. For our Inner Sect assessnt, as long as you’re strong enough, you can apply at any ti. Then you get an assessnt mission. Complete it, and you beco an Inner Courtyard student."
Zhao Xia nodded. "That’s right. Our assessnt this ti is to annihilate the bandits of Black Cloud Mountain and retrieve the head of their chieftain."
Wen Qingye nodded. ’So the three siblings are here to complete an assessnt mission.’
Yunshan, his eyes rimd with red, said from the side, "They took my grandpa, too! Please, you have to rescue my grandpa quickly!"
Zhao i imdiately bent down and picked up Yunshan. "Of course we will. We’ll definitely help you save your grandpa."
Zhao Xia looked at Wen Qingye and said, "You take care of Little Yunshan for now. The three of us should be back by tomorrow."
Before Wen Qingye could speak, Yunshan chid in, "I don’t need anyone to look after ; I can take care of myself! Let Benefactor go with you all. He’s really strong!"
Zhao i chuckled. "What are you talking about? He’s only at the Refining Essence Second Layer Heaven..."
"Little i!" Zhao Xia frowned at Zhao i.
Wen Qingye glanced at the three of them and nodded. "I’ll go with you. I have so knowledge of dicinal herbs. The Black Cloud Mountain chieftain is skilled in Poison Refining, so I might be of so help."
’The Black Cloud Mountain chieftain might have a Purple Jade Flower. There’s no way I’m giving up on a dicinal ingredient that could cure Xiaxia.’
Zhao Xia considered it for a mont, then nodded. "Alright, that works too."
After a brief discussion, they prepared to set off. By now, a portion of the villagers had already been captured, and the rest had hidden away. The entire village seed eerily empty.
The group walked along an ancient path leading into the mountains. The surrounding woods were shadowy and silent; aside from the occasional passing animal, there was nothing.
"Is your arm all right?" Zhao Xia asked, looking at Wen Qingye.
Wen Qingye smiled. "It’s nothing serious. I can still wield a sword."
Blinking her big eyes, Zhao i stared at Wen Qingye’s arm and said, "Well, you’d better be able to protect yourself. We won’t have ti to babysit you."
Zhao Xia shot Zhao i a glare. "Little i! No one will think you’re mute if you stop talking for a minute."
Wen Qingye nodded. "It’s fine. I know Zhao i is just being direct and speaking her mind."
Zhao i pursed her lips. "You want to be like Little Hao? He’s such a blockhead, hugging that sword all day. He doesn’t know anything else."
Zhao Hao showed no reaction to Zhao i’s words, simply continuing to walk forward while clutching his sword.
Zhao Xia gave Zhao i a helpless look, then turned to Wen Qingye with an apologetic smile.
After they had walked for about a double-hour, Zhao i started clamoring for a break. The group found a large boulder and sat down beside it to rest.
Wen Qingye took out a healing pill. He crushed it into powder between his hands and sprinkled it onto his arm. He imdiately felt a cool sensation, followed by a pain that pierced him to the bone.
"I’ve seen other people treat their wounds, and it always looks really painful. How co you don’t seem to feel anything?" Zhao i asked, watching Wen Qingye.
Wen Qingye smiled. "They must have been seriously injured. This is just a surface wound, a minor injury."
Zhao Xia watched Wen Qingye’s face. His words might have fooled Zhao i, but they didn’t fool her. She knew that surface wounds could sotis be more agonizing than internal ones, yet Wen Qingye hadn’t even flinched when he applied the dicine. She couldn’t help but study him for a few extra monts.
Suddenly, Zhao i looked at her sister. "Sis, what are you staring at so intently?"
Zhao Xia seed to snap out of a daze. Her face flushed slightly as she retorted, "What would I be looking at?"
"If you weren’t looking at anything, why is your face red?" Zhao i muttered.
Just then, Wen Qingye raised an eyebrow.
Zhao Hao said coolly, "People are coming. Bandits from Black Cloud Mountain."
Wen Qingye clearly saw the chilling killing intent in Zhao Hao’s eyes. ’I didn’t expect him to be so eager for a fight.’
Zhao Hao spoke slowly. "The man up front on the black horse is the strongest. I’d say he’s at the Peak of Refining Essence Fifth Layer. The others aren’t as strong—two are at the Refining Essence Fourth Layer Heaven, and three are at the Refining Essence Third Layer Heaven. The rest are just small fry."
Wen Qingye saw the bandits ahead, a question forming in his mind. ’They look like they’re fleeing. Did sothing happen up on Black Cloud Mountain?’
Zhao Xia looked at Wen Qingye. "Just hold out for a while. As long as you can last for the ti it takes an incense stick to burn, Little Hao will have finished his opponent and will co help you."
Wen Qingye nodded. ’I’m not worried at all about facing three Martial Artists at the Refining Essence Third Layer Heaven.’
Seeing Wen Qingye nod, Zhao Xia breathed a small sigh of relief and turned her gaze forward again.
Gradually, the figures drew nearer, until the bandits were almost upon them.
SWISH!
Seeing the bandits so close, Zhao Hao could no longer restrain himself. The sword in his hand shot forward.
"Who goes there? Ambushing the n of Black Cloud Mountain? You got a death wish?"
The burly man on the black horse deflected the Sword Qi and let out a fierce roar. All the bandits halted and looked over. The mountain path was quite flat at this point, and the bandits fanned out in a line. The ones at the rear were weaker, standing scattered behind the main group.
Carrying his sword, Zhao Hao was the first to step forward. He faced the horde of bandits without a trace of fear and said, "The one who’s here to take your lives."
"Hahahahaha!"
"Hahaha!"
Seeing Zhao Hao’s young, almost boyish face, the bandits couldn’t help but erupt in laughter.
"Gale Sword!"
Zhao Hao wasted no more words. With a great shout, his body and sword blurred into motion, closing in on the lead bandit. The flash of his blade was incredibly fast; in the blink of an eye, he was upon him.
The lead bandit was shocked. ’This kid may be young,’ he thought, ’but his strength is the real deal!’
The bandit imdiately cast aside his contempt, his expression turning grim as he faced the incoming blade.
Zhao Xia, Zhao i, and Wen Qingye stepped out as well.
"Brothers, look! Two fine ladies! Co on, let’s tie ’em up!" Seeing Zhao Xia and Zhao i, the two bandits at the Refining Essence Fourth Layer Heaven felt their eyes light up. They spurred their horses and charged forward.
Zhao Xia drew a purple iron whip, kicked off the ground, and shot forward to et them.
In the blink of an eye, Zhao i was also clashing with the other bandit.
The remaining bandits spotted Wen Qingye and sward toward him.
"Brothers, get him for ! Tear him limb from limb and chop him into paste!"
"Kill—!"
The dozen or so bandits surrounding Wen Qingye roared, their eyes bloodshot with killing intent and their faces twisted in savage expressions.
The first to reach him were not the three bandits at the Refining Essence Third Layer Heaven, but several others who were only at the Qi Cultivation level or had just broken through to the Refining Essence Realm.
Wen Qingye could have killed them even back when he was at the Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer Heaven, to say nothing of his current level at the Refining Essence Second Layer Heaven.
"Spiritual Snake Chaotic Dance!"
The sword in Wen Qingye’s hand swung out, trailing a cold gleam of light. Shards of Sword Qi flew forth, moving like a swarm of slithering spiritual snakes.
The swift, venomous spiritual snakes surged forward. The bandits only registered a flash of silver light before their limbs went limp.
PFFT! PFFT! PFFT! PFFT! PFFT!
Before any of the bandits could react, the sword light pierced their throats, one after another. Blood sprayed through the air like blossoming flowers, vivid and dazzling.
In the blink of an eye, Wen Qingye had already withdrawn his sword. The throats of the dozens of bandits who had charged him were all pierced. With expressions of terror frozen on their faces, they collapsed to the ground one after another.
*Hiss!*
The three bandits at the Refining Essence Third Layer Heaven, who had been hanging back, stared at each other and sucked in a sharp breath.
Even though they were vicious n who lived by the blade, they couldn’t help but tremble as they looked at Wen Qingye.
He had killed dozens of bandits with a single wave of his hand, each one felled by a single strike to the throat. Such Swordsmanship... they had never seen anything like it. A seed of terror began to sprout in their hearts.
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