Chapter 252: Suppressing the Bandits 2

Bai Lang stepped onto the sandbank; this first sandbank was small enough to take in at a glance. The reeds grew to half a person's height, and there was not a soul on the sandbank, though birds, rodents, and snakes were plentiful. Bai Lang tapped his toe and leapt to the raised center—here the reeds were not taller than the surroundings by about half a person's height. Standing in the middle, he gazed at the other sandbanks scattered about; a thin mist curled about, revealing only the nearest three or five, while deeper parts vanished into the fog.

'Skilled at lurking, like dragons and snakes in the water…… but useless against me.' Bai Lang chuckled, eyeing the mist before him; a gentle wind swirled around him, setting the reeds swaying. To avoid losing his way, he could only summon a raging gale and charge in, while the martial arts of the four top bandits among the water thieves also flowed through his mind. 'Chief Langli Baite Gao Shun cultivates the Overturn Sea, Stir River Coiling Dragon Strength, and the Liu brothers practice nothing more than the Golden Carp Transforming Dragon Great Law…… all are first‑rate water‑based skills.'

Bai Lang carefully compared the two sides' strength. These four water bandits were not listed on the Person Ranking, presumably because they were too old; the chief elder brother Gao Shun was over fifty, and the three brothers were in their forties, while the Person Ranking only included promising experts under forty. 'The names of these two martial arts sound impressive, but who knows if they live up to them? Still, on the river they ought to have a great advantage.' Bai Lang thought about an escape route—no matter how arrogant or stubborn he might be, it was still necessary to secure a retreat.

It wasn't about tempering a sword heart, seeking an unbending, forward‑rushing resolve; Bai Lang felt his own intention needed no polishing—just act as he pleased. Though the White Tiger was fierce and unyielding, it wasn't a stubborn blockhead. He relaxed his view of the four opponents, believing he could handle two, but any more would likely be too much. Still, he couldn't sneak in; better to meet force with force first—after all, his martial arts might already be approaching the Internal Realm, and he was quite confident.

Da Ma Hou was an Internal Realm expert; Bai Lang glanced at the old fellow and thought he was only a bit stronger than himself—a misconception, yet Bai Lang still considered himself quite strong, which was the White Tiger's true arrogance and conceit. For he had truly seen a great master, one presumably stronger than a Dharma Body. Having seen such a master, looking at an Internal Realm expert—hahaha, what are you?

Bai Lang no longer needed the reeds; the distance between the next sandbanks was absolutely something his Lightness Skill could easily skip across. He now grasped the True Meaning of 'Wind Following the Tiger' in the Southern Dipper White Tiger Fist, and his Lightness Skill was no trivial matter. 'I come with the wind, I go with the wind. This Lightness Skill may be called the Gale Myriad Miles Body Method.' He was still pleased with himself, and his body had already reached the next sandbank.

This sandbank was still tiny—just enough for three people to lie down side by side, with only a bit of grass growing on it. Bai Lang nodded and passed on; the next sandbank was not small, spanning several li, and there was plenty of land inside that could be cleared for farming—though such soil could probably only grow melons; planting grain would just lead to starvation. Hence the so‑called 'farmers' here—no need to ask what they actually do. 'Noodles with knife‑cut strips or wonton noodles?' Bai Lang snickered, then used his Lightness Skill to reach the sandbank's center.

He didn't need to blast the mist away with a gale yet, for this was merely the outskirts. Sure enough, there were several mu of farmland, a few thatched huts, and cooking smoke curled up. Bai Lang saw the boats dragged ashore, and outside there were clothes drying—these garments, even at a glance, didn't look like what a farmer working the fields here would wear. He was now dressed in a hero's shirt, lacking only a hero's hat with an embroidered ball stuck on the ear to play a performer. 'If I'd known, I should have asked Da Ma Hou for a set of official robes… Grandfather, I really can only look presentable in official attire.'

When Bai Lang had walked more than ten steps from the thatched hut, the people inside finally noticed him. The ones who rushed out looked like bandits to him—appearance follows nature—what good looks could one expect from those who rob and plunder on the water? Six or seven men and women charged out, while breathing could still be heard from inside the hut; each of those six or seven wielded a weapon—swords, spears, shields, lances, hooks—and from within the hut Bai Lang heard the twang of bowstrings being drawn.

'You all are full of spirit and qi, your killing intent overflowing—you certainly aren't from a farming background; more likely you fish all day and eat your catch, yet you probably couldn't cultivate such skill.' Bai Lang said with a grin, 'Today your affairs are settled; may you travel well, and let me reap some profit.' Without waiting for their reply, he launched straight into action. This move was his trial of a new method: using his own 'qi' to drive his muscles into a violent strike, while his true qi commanded the wind, turning the air into a projectile.

'This is the Emitting Wave, though its power is just so‑so—still, the True Qi Splitting Void Palm would be a bit more fitting.' After Bai Lang threw the strike, he waited to see its effect; the wave glowed faintly, struck a sturdy woman wielding a knife and shield, then popped with a 'pa'. It was normal for the wave to burst, but the shield and the woman behind it were blown to pieces—a sight most pleasing. 'Is that all the power it has?' Bai Lang muttered.

At that moment his form flickered among them; with a casual sweep he seized the spears and poles, then a shake dislocated every joint of those six or seven. Bai Lang pressed his palm down one after another, and all but one of them had their heads shoved into their bellies. Just then an arrow was loosed; Bai Lang pinched it with two fingers, twisted, and cried, 'Two‑Finger True Vacuum Grasp!' The arrow flew straight back, and the sound of a body hitting the ground came from inside the hut.

'Actually it's just a tossed‑aside arrow—no rebound at all, hahaha.' Bai Lang laughed, grabbed the last surviving fellow by the collar, and asked, 'How do you get to your stronghold?'

The man stammered, unable to speak, his whole demeanor a little off. 'Had I known, I wouldn't have used such heavy hands—if some family knew those soul‑searching arts, how nice that would be.' Bai Lang casually crushed the fellow's skull. Entering the hut, he saw two corpses lying on the floor; the arrows had pierced their skulls, and the internal force on the shafts shook their brains into tofu‑like pulp—beyond saving. With Bai Lang's current martial prowess, even if an arrow only pierced an arm, that internal force would still transmit, shattering bone all the way from small to large, until every bone in the body was crushed to death.

That would still be preferable to having one's brain shaken into tofu and dying swift and painless.

Bai Lang entered the hut; under the sensation of the Western White Tiger's golden qi, he thrust his hand down and a large pit appeared in the ground, inside which lay a chest filled with gold and silver. Opening the chest, a faint bloody scent rose. 'Sure enough, they died well—all thieves.' Bai Lang stored the gold and silver in his waist‑worn jade pendant; this storage treasure of his could now hold ordinary items, but if he placed heavenly materials and earthly treasures within, its vital energy would be drained dry.

He had inspected several thatched huts, each containing loot taken from the river's bandits. Bai Lang swept his arm, wind lifting the corpses and shoving them straight into the river, then set the huts ablaze. 'You've watched long enough; perhaps it's time you showed yourself and pointed the way?' After killing and setting fire, Bai Lang stood on the sandbank and spoke aloud.