Chapter 3: Chapter Three: The Green-robed Woman

Although he had encountered bandits robbing him, Gu Zhao was not overly afraid.

First, the weakness transmitted by the Five Thunder Talisman was gradually fading; he would soon be able to teleport away.

Second, he finally remembered that he already possessed magic power—he sensed it, and felt his strength, stamina, and endurance steadily increasing; he was not without means of resistance.

But no matter what, all he could manage was self-preservation; he had no chance of saving the villagers of this village.

Then Gu Zhao noticed the Green-robed Woman’s reaction.

The Bandit Chief was brimming with confidence and had not yet sensed anything, but Gu Zhao, accustomed to watching TV dramas and novels, had already noticed something was off.

Though her attire was not luxurious, it was clearly unlike that of the villagers; according to the burly man, she was merely passing through and seeking lodging.

Around the woman, all the villagers huddled together with their heads down, as if she were utterly alone, with no one else accompanying her.

If so, in this ancient society teeming with strongmen and clearly lacking safety, how could a woman traveling alone dare to face bandits without fear?

This woman was undoubtedly a master!

Recalling the Five Thunder Talisman’s earlier reaction, and the way his magic power had grown by absorbing some substance from the surrounding air, Gu Zhao suspected this world was not merely an ordinary ancient one—it harbored martial artists, even supernatural powers.

Thus, Gu Zhao examined the woman more closely.

“Hahaha! A flower with thorns—I like it!”

The Bandit Chief paid no heed to the Green-robed Woman’s words; instead, he laughed boastfully, “Tonight you’ll find out—I may be ugly, but my nose is big!”

The onlookers burst into laughter.

“She’s a fiery beauty—perfect for our boss!”

“Take her back to the hideout, bed her, and tomorrow she’ll be sweet as pie!”

“What a lovely little lady—more beautiful than the boss’s last two wives!”

The Bandit Chief’s bristly beard seemed to gleam with cold light; his left hand gripped his nine-ringed blade upside down, his right hand reached out again to pinch the woman’s chin.

This time, unlike before, his hand moved diagonally, swift as lightning, nearly leaving a trail of afterimages—he touched the woman’s snow-white skin in the blink of an eye, grinning grotesquely, “Little lady, your face…”

His words cut off abruptly.

The Green-robed Woman did not dodge; she let his hand rest on her cheek, gazing at him calmly, speaking softly, “My face is not for just anyone to touch.”

The Bandit Chief’s right hand rested against the woman’s cheek, his mouth half-open, expression frozen—as if he had turned to stone.

He was still smiling, but the smile looked stiff and grotesque.

He seemed to want to speak, yet could not utter a single word.

The only thing he could move was his eyes.

But since he faced away from his men, they could not see his gaze—once flippant, now uncertain, then instantly transformed into terror.

The bandits still laughed, some even making lewd remarks.

The Green-robed Woman smiled faintly, tilted her head slightly, her crimson lips trembling as if she had blown a silent whistle.

The next instant, the bandits who had been laughing and teasing all changed expression.

In Gu Zhao’s vision, it seemed an invisible shockwave swept through—whether those surrounding them in mirth or those smashing up the hut, every bandit’s face turned pale, then twisted into grotesque agony.

Some, more fragile, suddenly rolled their eyes back and collapsed backward.

Others clutched their heads in agony, groaned and struggled for a moment, then swayed and fell face-first.

“Thud! Thud!”

“Clatter! Clatter!”

The bandits lay sprawled everywhere, weapons scattered haphazardly.

In the space of a breath, all twenty or thirty bandits were felled; Gu Zhao glanced at the nearest one and saw his pupils dilated—he was beyond saving.

Throughout it all, not a single bandit cried out.

Throughout it all, the Green-robed Woman’s gaze never left the Bandit Chief’s face.

The Bandit Chief’s eyes had shifted from terror to pleading.

“My lord, do you still wish to make me your mountain bride?” the woman asked, her voice laced with amusement.

The Bandit Chief wanted to shake his head, but he could not move at all.

The woman sniffed softly and blew another gentle breath.

The next instant, the Bandit Chief’s pupils dilated wildly, then his entire body collapsed like a sack of bones, limp and silent.

…

From the Bandit Chief’s lewd advance to the Green-robed Woman’s slaughter of every bandit present, it took only a few sentences; by the time the villagers realized they were saved, the bandits were already dead.

Gu Zhao was stunned.

Though he had guessed the woman was a master, he had never imagined she was this high—like a skyscraper.

One breath, and twenty or thirty bandits dropped dead!

This place was definitely not a martial arts world!

Starting with a high-stakes battle?

Gu Zhao was utterly astonished, unable to resist raising an eyebrow.

After killing dozens of bandits, the woman turned around; Gu Zhao finally saw her face.

Her features were exquisite, her figure supple, her expression gentle, her lips curved in a smile—she looked like a refined lady who never stepped beyond her courtyard, utterly unremarkable for having just slaughtered dozens of bandits and saved a mountain village.

The villagers, now realizing what had happened, looked at her with a mixture of fear and gratitude, unsure how to react.

The first to rise was an old man, supported by a young girl beside him; he bowed deeply to the woman, trembling, “This old man thanks you, Miss, for saving our lives.”

But the Green-robed Woman did not respond to them; instead, she turned her gaze to Gu Zhao, her eyes gleaming with unusual light.

Gu Zhao looked at himself, then at the villagers around him.

Barefoot, dressed in pajamas—completely out of place in this environment.

Trouble—she’s going to notice me!

Gu Zhao tensed, frantically searching his mind for an excuse, when he saw the Green-robed Woman’s lips curl upward—her expression shifted from calm to excitement, her jade skin flushing pink, “If it were you, my lord, I wouldn’t refuse.”

“That brute stirred my desire, but he was too ugly,” the woman said, gazing at Gu Zhao, her eyes now shimmering with warmth, soft and moist, “Thankfully, you are here—so I won’t be left without release.”

Gu Zhao: ⚆_⚆???

The woman smiled faintly, stepped toward Gu Zhao, her lotus steps light, her willow waist swaying—she transformed in an instant from a cold, detached maiden into a seductive, lustful enchantress.

“My lord, rest assured—I will bring you the utmost pleasure in this world,” the Green-robed Woman whispered with a tender smile, “Even if I drain your spiritual energy until you become a withered corpse, you will never regret it.”

Gu Zhao: ⚆_⚆!!!