Chapter 507: Encountering Bandits on the Road

Lin Chao had listened to lectures all day, and his stomach had long been growling with hunger.

Sitting in the cafeteria, he ate his meal quickly.

Beside him, Zhao Tai was also eating: "I envy you, heading to the Prefecture Academy so soon.

I hear there are many beautiful women at the Prefecture Academy; it's truly something to yearn for.

As for me, sigh, I've been busy all day just moving things, preparing for that damn Sacred Bath Day!"

Sacred Bath Day is the biggest festival of the Holy Sect.

Every year on this day, the Holy Sect and all the forces subordinate to it hold sacrificial rites.

This time, the Qingxu Sect's Sacred Bath Day will be presided over by Lin Chao's master, Jiang Boye.

"Sigh, I'm still working myself to the bone doing manual labor, while you'll be off to the Academy in a few years.

When people compare themselves to others, why is the gap so large?" Zhao Tai said with resentment.

Currently, Zhao Tai does not yet have a master.

Among the Ordinary disciples, his status is not high.

And his talent is actually only slightly better than Lin Chao's.

However, Lin Chao can add points, which is incomparable.

"You guy, you reached Golden Core on the sly; that's really not righteous," Zhao Tai said.

Lin Chao just smiled: "You should work hard too."

"Work hard my foot!" Zhao Tai took a sip of soup, but the soup was too bland, not even having much salt in it, "In this life, I'm just like this; as for going to the Academy, there's no need to even think about it."

Reaching Golden Core at twenty is a bit of a stretch for Zhao Tai.

"Staying here isn't bad either," Lin Chao thought for a moment and sighed, but then he remembered something, "After I leave, please help me look after Hua Popo, and my master."

"Does your master even need me to look after him? Shouldn't he be looking after me?" Zhao Tai chuckled, patting Lin Chao on the shoulder, "Don't worry, I'll keep your business in mind, brother."

"Many thanks," Lin Chao said earnestly.

"Once you go to the Academy, don't come back to this godforsaken place.

Look at our Qingxu Sect, it counts as a top-tier force in Luo Ma County.

But what kind of stuff do we disciples eat?

Only by going to a big place can you eat well and live well.

More importantly, in small places like ours, it's chaotic with war, and there are rebel armies everywhere," Zhao Tai lamented.

Lin Chao agreed with Zhao Tai's words.

He is a member of the Qingxu Sect, so he doesn't feel it as much.

But in reality, Luo Ma County is not very peaceful.

Gangs, associations, bandits, rebel armies—all sorts of things are everywhere.

Just among the rebel armies near Luo Ma County, Lin Chao can name four or five groups.

Among them, the most famous is the Damang Bandits, who recently arrived in Luo Ma County.

Who knows when these rebels might get bold enough to break through the county seat.

The life of the Commoners at the bottom can hardly be described by the word 'bitter'.

"Actually, I quite admire Gongshu Ji.

If his ideals were successfully realized,

then the conflict between the North and South would truly cease to exist.

In this world, everyone would have a suitable path for advancement.

Power would no longer be held only in the hands of a few."

Hearing this, Lin Chao also sighed with some emotion.

Gongshu Ji's ideas are good, but they are destined to never be realized.

Sometimes, Lin Chao is also an idealist.

During the time of the Martial Emperor, he was enough to suppress an entire nation; in the imperial court, there was only his voice.

Yet, there were still many things he could not do.

People are not robots; they have their own thoughts.

Therefore, many idealistic things are destined to never truly succeed.

At most, one can take a step closer to the ideal.

If we are talking about realizing one's ideals and ambitions, the methods of the Master of Light from the previous world are actually the most likely to succeed.

"Why have you become so sentimental?" Lin Chao smiled.

"I've experienced a lot."

"You haven't even grown your hair out yet, haha," Lin Chao mocked Zhao Tai.

At night, Lin Chao ate in Jiang Boye's courtyard.

Hua Popo cooked in person, preparing a table full of sumptuous food.

There was chicken, duck, fish, pork, and other meats.

Among them, there was also a rabbit that Lin Chao had caught on the mountain.

Jiang Boye did not have so many rules, and Hua Popo also sat at the table to eat together.

"The day after tomorrow, you will head to the Academy.

When you arrive at the Academy, give this letter to a person named Qin Li," Jiang Boye pulled out a letter and handed it to Lin Chao, "The address is Xuanshui Street..."

Lin Chao memorized the letter and the address: "This disciple will certainly deliver the letter."

Hearing this, Jiang Boye smiled: "Now that you are going to the Academy, I can consider myself to have a successor."

"From now on, the world's troubles will have nothing to do with me. I will spend my remaining years here at the Qingxu Sect, planting some vegetables and watering some flowers."

During these days, Lin Chao could also clearly feel that Jiang Boye no longer had that sense of urgency as before.

It was more like everything had been resolved, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

"It's a pity I won't be able to see the Sect Master presiding over the Sacred Bath Day with my own eyes," Lin Chao said casually.

"Once you graduate from the Academy, whenever you have time to return to Luo Ma County, you will naturally see it."

The three of them ate their meal, in a harmonious and happy mood.

……

The Damang Bandits, inside the camp.

The Great Leader Mo Quan had a sharp glint in his eyes: "Is everything prepared?"

The several subordinate leaders hurriedly stood up to respond: "Everything is prepared. We are just waiting for the Great Leader to give the order, and we can attack the Qingxu Sect!"

Greed was revealed in the eyes of these people.

To them, the Qingxu Sect definitely counted as a fat sheep.

"How many crossbows are there?" Mo Quan asked.

"Reporting to the Great Leader, there are five heavy crossbows."

"Five... that is enough." Mo Quan was very excited.

The power of five heavy crossbows was enough to suppress and kill many people.

The Qingxu Sect had been at peace for a long time and did not have many proper soldiers.

To Mo Quan, as long as his group of bandits used the heavy crossbows to break open the gates of the Qingxu Sect, they would be like wolves entering a flock of sheep.

Although Mo Quan also craved gold, silver, and jewelry.

But he knew that he had been targeted by that old man.

So this time, he could only take away the Dao Soldiers and Dao Soldier Embryos.

He was incomparably wary of that old man.

"Sacred Bath Day shall be the day of the Qingxu Sect's destruction!" Mo Quan's eyes were filled with arrogance.

……

A group of twenty people rode on horses, hurrying toward the Academy.

Lin Chao was also among the crowd.

The leader was Zhao Qingyan, a disciple of the Qingxu Sect Master; he wore a green robe, and his gaze was like a torch.

The ten students present could all be considered frail scholars.

After all, to enter the Academy, except for Lin Chao, the other nine practiced Literary Arts and had no time to practice martial arts.

However, the journey to the Academy was bumpy, so the Qingxu Sect specifically dispatched a team to protect them.

The leader of the guards was a Deacon, surnamed Wu, named Wu Shouxin.

Wu Shouxin was a Sixth-grade Martial Artist, but he was burly and massive, with a pair of maces on his back; one look told you he was not to be trifled with.

The tall and fierce Wu Shouxin appeared exceptionally fawning in front of Zhao Qingyan.

Along the way, everyone rode horses, exhausted from the travel; those students who practiced Literary Arts all looked very tired.

After all, they had already been on the road for ten days.

In another four or five days, they would reach the Academy.

"Young Master Zhao, we are still a few dozen miles from Yangling County city. Since it is getting late, shall we find an inn to rest?" Wu Shouxin said.

Zhao Qingyan looked at the sky and nodded: "Let's pick up the pace and go to the village ahead."

Being out in the wilderness here, there were naturally no inns.

If there were any, they would be in the village ahead.

The group rode their horses and continued forward.

"I'm exhausted." Liu Wenli was panting; although he was riding a horse, it was still unbearable for him.

Lin Chao handed over his water skin: "Do you want to drink some water?"

Along the way, ten disciples were heading to the Academy.

As for Lin Chao, those people did not look down on him, but they were not close either.

Only Liu Wenli had a better relationship with Lin Chao.

Liu Wenli finished the water, and his body felt a bit better: "I really don't know when we will arrive."

As Liu Wenli spoke, he looked at Lin Chao: "Brother Xia, why is your body so good?"

Along the way, Xia Yang's performance was much better than his, and he had hardly complained.

Lin Chao smiled; when he first arrived, his body was much worse than Liu Wenli's: "Eat more meat and exercise your body more."

Beside them, a student suddenly said: "As scholars, should we learn from vulgar martial artists?"

In his words, he was very contemptuous of martial artists.

This sentiment was highly approved of by many students.

Even if a martial artist is strong, so what?

They are nothing but brutes.

Only by practicing Literary Arts can one truly govern the world and rule over a region.

Nearby, many of the Qingxu Sect members who were guarding these disciples had their expressions change slightly.

However, they did not flare up.

Because in this world, Literary Arts were simply higher-end than martial arts.

Lin Chao did not argue.

Liu Wenli, who was standing to the side, said, "If time allowed, I would also like to practice martial arts; at least having a healthy body is a good thing, isn't it?"

"Besides, it happens to be a chaotic time in the world; practicing martial arts allows one to protect oneself when encountering danger."

"Practicing Literary Arts to become a governor of a region—are you still afraid of those bandits?" The man had a look of disdain on his face.

It was as if the whole world were under his control.

The other students present also laughed one after another, clearly approving of his words.

The group rode their horses and continued moving forward.

Suddenly, Wu Shouxin pulled on the horse reins: "Stop!"

"What is it?" Zhao Qingyan asked with some confusion.

"Up ahead... it seems something is not right." Wu Shouxin frowned.

Ahead was a forest, yet there was no sound of birds chirping.

Lin Chao also narrowed his eyes and looked ahead.

At this moment, the sound of galloping hooves arrived.

"Horse bandits?" Seeing the people approaching, Wu Shouxin's expression changed slightly.

The surrounding guards also raised their weapons at this time, blocking the front.

The students who had just looked down on martial artists were now trembling, terrified to the point of being unable to function.

Wu Shouxin held a pair of maces and rode forward: "Great Kings, we are students from the Academy; I ask that you Great Kings let us pass."

As Wu Shouxin spoke, he tossed a bag of broken silver and threw it into the hands of the horse bandit leader.

Generally speaking, Academy students have a lofty status.

These horse bandits would not truly do anything to these students.

After all, if they were to kill these students, it would be a slap in the face to the Academy.

The Academy would certainly send a large army to exterminate them.

The horse bandit leader took the broken silver, a smile in his eyes: "Are you from the Qingxu Sect?"

Hearing this, Wu Shouxin's expression changed.

This place is nearly a thousand miles away from Luo Ma County.

The horse bandits here actually know about the Qingxu Sect.

Are they here with ill intent?

Wu Shouxin looked ahead; the number of horse bandits was not large, only about thirty people.

However, every one of them looked fierce and malicious, appearing to have human lives on their hands.

If they fought head-on, they would undoubtedly die.

"Great King... do you feel the silver is not enough?" Wu Shouxin asked tentatively.

The horse bandit leader narrowed his eyes: "I won't waste words with you.

I don't want to go against the Academy, but, among you group of people, there is someone I want to kill."

The horse bandit leader had killing intent in his eyes: "Who is Xia Yang?"

Hearing this, Lin Chao was slightly stunned.

Liu Wenli was the same, his heart tightening.

Wu Shouxin forced a smile: "Great King, have you mistaken the person? We don't have anyone named Xia Yang here."

"Don't play games with me!" The horse bandit leader's eyes were fierce. "Back then, I wiped out a wealthy family; I didn't expect one person to survive and even become a disciple of your Qingxu Sect.

If he were just Ordinary, that would be one thing, but now that he has become a disciple of the Academy, he cannot be let go.

Otherwise, if he ever becomes successful one day, I will end up dead."

The horse bandit leader held a large saber and pointed at the crowd: "Hand over Xia Yang, and I will let you go.

Otherwise... you will all die."

As the horse bandit leader spoke, he rode forward and slashed his saber at Wu Shouxin.

He was demonstrating his martial power.

Seeing this, Wu Shouxin hurriedly took out his pair of maces to block.

However, the saber strike had astonishing force, and Wu Shouxin was almost knocked off his horse.

The two separated upon contact, and the horse bandit leader showed a look of mockery: "With your kind of trash, it won't take even a stick of incense to kill you all.

Either hand over Xia Yang, or... you all die."

Wu Shouxin's expression was extremely ugly.

The students present all showed expressions of fear.

At this moment, Zhao Qingyan stepped forward: "Great King, if I let my junior brother swear an oath to the Taiyi Heavenly Venerable that he will never cause trouble for you again, can you let us go?"

"I don't believe in oaths; only by killing him can I sleep soundly!" The horse bandit leader held his saber, his eyes fierce.

Hearing this, Zhao Qingyan suddenly sighed: "Junior Brother Xia Yang, I can only wrong you."

After Zhao Qingyan finished speaking, he pointed to a guard beside him and said: "This person is Xia Yang."

The person pointed at had a look of fear in his eyes, but in the end, he did not speak or struggle.

These guards were also students of the Qingxu Sect, and they looked no different from those who had joined the Academy.

And Lin Chao and the other students also carried weapons, so they looked the same.

Zhao Qingyan looked at that guard with a helpless expression: "Junior Brother Xia Yang, for the safety of everyone, I can only wrong you.

I, Zhao Qingyan, will take good care of your friends."

That guard was trembling all over, but he still braced himself and looked at the horse bandit leader: "I am Xia Yang; do as you please."

"Tsk tsk, interesting." A smile appeared in the horse bandit leader's eyes. "Do you really take me for a three-year-old child, to be toyed with so carelessly?"

"Clearly, that one is Xia Yang!"

The bandit leader pointed at Lin Chao, a trace of killing intent in his eyes.

Zhao Qingyan was slightly stunned, not quite understanding why this bandit knew the appearance of Junior Brother Xia Yang.

At this moment, Lin Chao also narrowed his eyes.

He felt that things were not that simple.

"I am Xia Yang." A look of agitation appeared in Lin Chao's eyes, "It was you... who killed my family?"

The bandit leader's eyes showed a smile: "Your entire family, old and young, all died under my blade."

"Come with me, and I won't touch the others; otherwise... everyone will have to die."

Seeing this, Liu Wenli's eyes revealed an expression of anger.

Zhao Qingyan also frowned, feeling helpless.

As for the other few students, their expressions varied.

Many among them hoped that Xia Yang would hurry up and go with these bandits so as not to implicate them.

(End of this chapter)