Chapter 56: Mountain Bandits

"Third Chieftain...."

"Our Zheng Family Village... has already paid this month’s grain tribute."

Zheng He saw the ugly man and his heart sank.

But he was the village chief, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and step forward.

"I know... I didn’t come down from the mountain tonight for grain."

"The day before yesterday, I saw a lovely young girl in your Zheng Family Village. I took quite a liking to her."

"Tonight, I’ve come specifically to propose a marriage."

The Third Chieftain grinned, baring his teeth.

Hearing this, Zheng He said hastily, "Third Chieftain, you must be mistaken. We don’t have any lovely girls here in Zheng Family Village."

A shifty-eyed bandit sneered, "Who says there aren’t? We’re talking about Zheng Liu’s eldest daughter."

The moment he said that, the expression of a torch-bearing villager instantly turned to panic, and he turned to leave.

"Third Chieftain.... It’s the middle of the night. This isn’t the right time to discuss this."

"Let’s find a time to talk tomorrow."

Zheng He didn’t dare provoke the ugly man, speaking in a subservient tone.

"Zheng He!"

"Don’t you pull that crap with me."

"If I don’t take someone back with me tonight..."

"I’ll bathe your village in blood!"

The Third Chieftain sneered menacingly.

The bandits behind him let out strange cries, randomly swinging their steel blades.

The expressions of the Zheng Family Village villagers turned to panic.

They knew the Black Wind Mountain Bandits were truly capable of such things.

’They’re a pack of crazed animals!’

"You... you people!"

Zheng He wanted to say something forceful, but he felt a villager beside him tugging on his sleeve.

He swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

Just then, a few bandits suddenly appeared from behind, dragging a young woman with them.

"Third Chieftain, your foresight is truly godlike."

"Just as you predicted, the moment Zheng Liu heard you’d arrived, he ran home to have his daughter escape from the back of the village."

"He never expected we were already lying in ambush there. We caught her red-handed."

One of the bandits said with a laugh.

"Alright, we’ve got her."

"We’ll have the wedding when we get back."

The Third Chieftain roared with laughter.

He turned as if to leave.

The villagers of Zheng Family Village, meanwhile, seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, showing no intention of intervening.

"Let go of my daughter!"

Just then, Zheng Liu, wielding a woodcutter’s knife, charged forward with a face full of fury, ready to fight the bandits to the death.

Instead, a crowd of Zheng Family villagers held him back, saying things like, "This is fate."

Zheng He’s hands trembled as he watched, his old eyes looking as if they would split from rage.

"Enough!"

"When did our Zheng Family Village become a pack of cowards!"

"Even if it costs me my old life today!"

"I can’t let these bastards take Ling’Er!"

The alcohol went to his head, and he stood alone, blocking the path of the Black Wind Bandits.

"Damn old bastard!"

"I’ve been itching to get rid of you for a long time!!"

"I’ll chop you in half!"

A bandit roared impatiently, swinging his steel blade down at Zheng He.

Many of the Zheng Family Village villagers screamed.

It was as if they could already see the old village chief being cut down.

SWOOSH!

At that moment, a figure appeared before the old village chief, his right leg snapping up in a heavy forward kick!

BAM!

The bandit felt as if he’d been struck by a giant bell mallet. He felt his internal organs shatter from the kick, the world spun wildly before his eyes, and then everything went black.

COUGH, COUGH, COUGH~~

The bandit who had been sent flying convulsed unnaturally on the ground, continuously coughing up blood. It was a scalp-numbing sight.

For a moment, the entire scene fell deathly silent.

Zheng He’s eyes widened, staring in disbelief at the tall figure.

He had thought he was a dead man for sure.

He never expected to be saved by Han Yuan.

"You bastard!"

"You dare meddle in our affairs!"

The Third Chieftain finally snapped back to his senses and roared at Han Yuan.

Han Yuan gave him a cold look and cracked his neck. "Tonight, I am meddling... what are you going to do about it?"

"Then you can die!"

The Third Chieftain roared.

He violently swung the steel blade in his hand, slashing forward!

SWOOSH!

His strike was extremely fast and fierce, clearly backed by Power.

Han Yuan simply extended a hand.

To everyone’s utter disbelief, he caught the blade.

Then, with a squeeze... he twisted the blade into scrap metal.

This time, even the Third Chieftain was dumbfounded.

"Body... Body Tempering..."

He had never imagined it.

That Zheng Family Village was hiding a Body Tempering Martial Artist!

’Moreover, an ordinary Body Tempering Martial Artist probably couldn’t do what he just did.’

"So?"

"Still want to fight?"

Han Yuan smiled.

"No more fighting!"

"No more fighting!"

"I didn’t know a senior was present!"

The Third Chieftain hurriedly begged for mercy, even kneeling before Han Yuan.

"Alright..." Han Yuan nodded.

The Third Chieftain breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.

’I’ve already made up my mind. As soon as I get back to the stronghold, I’ll report this to the First Chieftain and have this guy slaughtered!’

Just as he was about to stand up, he suddenly heard a sentence.

"Remember to say that earlier in your next life."

Han Yuan’s leg shot out like lightning, kicking the Third Chieftain squarely in the head.

Piercing Kill Kick!

BAM!~

The terrifying explosive force of the kick ripped the Third Chieftain’s head clean off, taking his spine with it!

The bloody and brutal scene made the scalps of the Zheng Family Village villagers tingle with fear.

The group of bandits was even more terrified, trembling all over.

Then, they saw Han Yuan flash them a small smile.

That smile.

Was chilling to the bone.

The next moment, Han Yuan drew his Cold Blade and unleashed a flurry of whistling strikes.

The bandits only felt a cold sensation on their necks, not even realizing what had happened.

But the villagers of Zheng Family Village watched, their spirits terrified.

One after another, heads flew into the air.

The scene was exceptionally bloody.

A few breaths later, only the shifty-eyed bandit was left alive.

The rest of the bandits were now headless corpses.

Even Zhang Cang looked on, his expression horrified.

The moment Han Yuan sheathed his blade, the gazes directed at him were filled with awe and fear.

Zheng Liu and his daughter kowtowed to Han Yuan repeatedly, thanking him.

"That’s enough."

"You can go back now."

Han Yuan said lightly.

The crowd of villagers quickly dispersed.

"Thank you so much this time, Hero Han!"

Zheng He’s eyes filled with grateful tears.

"No need to thank me... I’m no hero."

"I only stepped in because I admired your backbone, old sir."

Han Yuan said, waving his hand dismissively.

"What backbone... I just didn’t want to live anymore."

Zheng He shook his head with a bitter smile.

"Village Chief, you should head back first."

"I’m going to take care of the remaining trouble."

Han Yuan said softly.

Zheng He seemed to guess what Han Yuan intended to do and said hurriedly, "Hero Han, the First Chieftain of the Black Wind Bandits is also a Body Tempering expert. His Black Light Sword technique is sinister and vicious. Even the County Yamen won’t get involved, letting them run rampant and prey on the common people."

Han Yuan’s eyes lit up. "So you’re saying the Black Wind Stronghold should have extorted a lot of money and treasure?"

"They should have..." Zheng He nodded.

"Then I have even more reason to go."

Han Yuan grew excited.

He kicked the shifty-eyed bandit and barked, "Lead the way!"