C14 Meeting a Beauty on the Way

The Nine Dragons Sky Mandate clung to the wound on his finger, relentlessly drawing Gu Feng's blood. The more it consumed, the more intense the green glow became. Eventually, the glow was fully absorbed, and as it vanished into the palm-sized Bronze Mandate, the nine Divine Dragons engraved upon it seemed to spring to life, more vivid than ever, as though they might take flight at any moment.

The nine Divine Dragons, once a uniform bronze, now shimmered in nine distinct colors, each representing a different hue: green, red, white, black, yellow, gold, blue, green, and purple. Gu Feng observed them transform, and he could almost see them come alive, a subtle spiritual energy coursing through their scales, their eyes blinking occasionally with a fierce light that seemed to command the world.

"Can it be?" Gu Feng blinked in disbelief and refocused on the Mandate. The colors of the nine Divine Dragons had reverted to their original bronze, except for one that remained green. "It was real, I wasn't seeing things."

Gu Feng was certain he hadn't been mistaken; the Divine Dragons had indeed displayed a spectrum of colors, but inexplicably, all but the green had vanished.

"Mother, did you see that? The nine-colored Divine Dragons?" Gu Feng, beaming with excitement, turned to Xianyue.

"What nine-colored Divine Dragons? Oh, wait, why is one of them green? It's not usually like this. Could it have changed after absorbing your blood?" Xianyue remarked, noticing the change in the Bronze Mandate in Gu Feng's hand.

Hearing Xianyue's words, Gu Feng silently affirmed, "Just as I thought, no one else can see its movements!"

At that moment, a barely perceptible energy flowed from the Sky Mandate into Gu Feng's mind: 'Energy insufficient, seal cannot be unlocked.'

Energy insufficient, unable to unlock the seal? Gu Feng grew more convinced that something was indeed sealed within. Considering how experts in this world could absorb and refine the innate talents of powerful beast souls, Gu Feng whispered to himself, "Could it be that what's sealed inside is..."

He shook his head, dismissing the thought. "No point in speculating. Even if it is that fearsome thing sealed away, with my current level of cultivation, attempting to open it would be fatal. Unless the Nine Dragons Sky Mandate accepts me as its master. If only there was a second Bronze Mandate to merge with this one, then maybe I could ascertain its true nature."

"Feng, do you possibly know the origin of this Sky Mandate?" Xianyue asked, relieved to see it had stopped absorbing blood.

"I can't be certain until we find its counterpart and unite the two halves," Gu Feng replied, glancing at the object before shaking his head. "Mother, we should get going."

In the days that followed, Gu Feng and his companions encountered no remarkable adventures. Their journey was safe and uneventful. Gu Feng, however, found himself longing for encounters with teams like those who dealt in soulstones, or to witness a Soul Beast and its nemesis meet their mutual demise. But his wishes were in vain. Instead, they came across a mysterious woman whose face was obscured by a veil. Though her features were hidden, Gu Feng could tell from her attire that she was quite shapely and young.

The veiled woman noticed Gu Feng and his companion trailing behind her. She cast a brief, starry-eyed glance over them before continuing on her way, seemingly indifferent to their presence. While she seemed unconcerned with Gu Feng, he was very much interested in her, especially after catching sight of her. Internally, he cursed his luck, debating whether to discard the brocade bag he carried.

Yet, Gu Feng chose not to act rashly. Discarding the bag could lead to dire consequences if discovered. Instead, he feigned nonchalance and kept close behind the elegant stranger, calling out to her, "Miss, traveling alone can be perilous. Why don't we join forces? There's safety in numbers."

She responded with nothing more than a cold snort, continuing on her way without giving Gu Feng's attempt at conversation any heed.

Her second-level Body Tempering cultivation was of no concern to her, and she paid no mind to Gu Feng's words. Gu Feng, keeping a short distance behind her, focused on the road ahead. Little did the woman know that the person she'd been seeking these past few days was right beside her. Gu Feng was no fool; he knew well the adage that the most dangerous places could be the safest.

"Mother, if Grandma inquires about us, what will you tell her? Do you think she might cast me out because of my situation?" Gu Feng pondered, concerned about his grandmother's reaction. The Gu family had risen to prominence thanks to his grandmother's lineage, and now that Xianyue had also left the Gu family, he worried whether they would still be welcomed.

"I don't think so," Xianyue said, a hint of concern in her voice after hearing Gu Feng's words.

"Mother, perhaps we should find a small city where we can live a secluded life," Gu Feng suggested, thinking of the tens of thousands of taels of silver he had. The fortune had come from the silent woman before him.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. If it really comes to that, then we'll consider living in seclusion," Xianyue replied, unaware of the considerable sum Gu Feng possessed.

The beautiful woman before them remained silent, yet she was attentively listening to Gu Feng and his mother's conversation. She surmised that they were a mother and son seeking refuge. With not a penny to her name, a fleeting thought of silencing them crossed her mind. Ultimately, she shook her head, not out of sympathy for Gu Feng and his mother, but because her kind nature prevented her from acting on such thoughts. It was as if Gu Feng had narrowly escaped death's door; had she chosen to act, she could have easily taken their lives in an instant.

Just then, several burly men leaped out from the underbrush along the narrow path, blocking their way and loudly confronting Gu Feng and his mother with a brazen demand: "I planted this tree, I paved this road. If you want to pass, pay the toll."

The group was small but formidable, consisting of nine men—four at the third level and five at the second level of the Body Tempering Realm. They were a force to be reckoned with. Gu Feng knew he stood no chance against them in a direct confrontation. He could handle three or four, but not nine seasoned bandits, especially when they were armed.

However, Gu Feng wasn't worried. He couldn't gauge the full extent of the mysterious beauty's strength, but her presence gave him confidence. Having followed her for a while, he had detected a hint of gunpowder about her. These bandits, emerging so boldly, were surely signing their own death warrants. They had clearly underestimated the trio, mistaking Gu Feng and his mother for mere second level Body Tempering practitioners.

The first one was inscrutable, leading them to believe she was just an ordinary person. After all, someone at the third level of Body Tempering should be able to sense the presence of someone from the Dawning Realm, especially given the girl's striking figure and her youthful attire. They concluded that she couldn't possibly be beyond the Dawning Realm. If she wasn't, then she must be ordinary. That was their line of thinking, but Gu Feng saw it differently. If she were truly ordinary, her baggage wouldn't contain such valuable items.

"What are you gawking at? Hand over your belongings, now! Men to the left, women to the right, and prepare to be searched," the brutes demanded with sleazy grins, eyeing Xianyue and the enigmatic woman, drool practically falling from their mouths.

"Sweetheart, don't fret. I'll be gentle with you, it won't hurt a bit!" jeered another bandit.

"Beauty, why not come back with us and become the mistress of our stronghold? I'll cherish you, ensuring your nights are blissful beyond compare. What do you say?" A burly man boasted, thumping his chest, "Look at how strong I am. I can guarantee satisfaction tonight, making you the happiest woman alive."

"Beauty, miss, there's no need to be scared. If you don't resist, I won't harm you. Just be a good girl. Hmm, you're quite shapely, and what we have here is quite ample. Hehe, just my type," another leered, ogling the 'treasures' on Xianyue's chest as he spoke, saliva dripping with anticipation.

Gu Feng could only shake his head in disbelief at these men. By their tone, one would think they hadn't been near a woman in years, each displaying the lecherous demeanor of a desperate cur.

He couldn't really blame them, though. Xianyue was simply too alluring, with her mature beauty, regal grace, and elegant poise. Any man over thirty would find it hard to resist the urge to sweep this divine beauty off her feet. And then there was the veiled woman beside her, whose figure was even more captivating, leaving them salivating with desire.

Hearing their crude remarks, Gu Feng couldn't help but smirk to himself, thinking, "Go on, keep talking. The filthier, the better. Soon enough, I'll witness the exact manner of your demise."

Gu Feng's intuition was spot on. He watched as the veiled young woman let out a cold snort, her voice as chilling as the depths of winter, "Seeking death!"

The sword is the undisputed monarch of all weapons, and with its unsheathing, a streak of crimson light flashed. The nine men were clueless about what had just happened. One of them felt a slight pain in his neck, touched it gently, and to his horror, found his fingers smeared with fresh blood. His face registered shock as he gazed at the girl before him, her face obscured by a white silk veil. He tried to speak, but no words came out; his last sights were of the sky, then the grass, and finally, the dirt...

With a macabre roll, several heads tumbled from their necks.

Even more astonished than the bewildered bandits was Gu Feng. He had clearly seen her standing a good seven or eight meters from the bandits, yet with a mere flick of her sword, they were dead. This led Gu Feng to one conclusion: Sword Qi, indicative of a level above the Qi Movement Stage.

Upon witnessing the woman dispatch the bandits, Gu Feng rushed over to rummage through the bodies, finding nothing of value.

"Hmph, you two are quite audacious, to wander the mountains at merely the second level of Body Tempering," the woman with the veil remarked coldly upon observing Gu Feng.

Her voice made Gu Feng inwardly curse, "Damn, her voice is so sweet. I'm curious about her looks. Had I known, I would've sneaked a peek at her bathing."

Having searched all nine bodies and found not a penny, Gu Feng stood up, puzzled. "This doesn't add up. How can bandits be so destitute? It makes no sense."

Ignoring the veiled woman's expression, Gu Feng's gaze swept the area, eventually settling on a particularly dense and tall thicket nearby. With a grin, he dashed over and emerged with several bundles.

"I knew it; bandits can't be penniless," Gu Feng said, confirming his suspicions as he inspected the five bundles, clearly the spoils of the bandits' plunder.

The mysterious woman had intended to press on with her journey, but upon seeing Gu Feng unearth five bundles from the underbrush, she paused, her striking eyes, as radiant as jewels, fixed on him. She watched as he pulled out a trove of silver coins, banknotes, medicinal pills, and dozens of first-grade soulstones.

"Come here, beautiful, don't just stand there. We're all friends here, and there's enough to go around," Gu Feng said upon noticing the woman with a frosty demeanor standing by herself.

"Who's 'we'? Watch your words. And for the record, these are my spoils of war," the woman behind the veil retorted sharply after hearing Gu Feng's comment.

"Pfft, spoils of war? If I hadn't found them, you'd be clueless about the treasure trove right under your nose. Here, this share is for you—several hundred silver taels. Take it, and don't bother thanking me," Gu Feng said as he handed her a portion of the silver.

Gu Feng noticed her reluctance. Her eyes, as brilliant as stars, seemed to fixate on the banknotes in his hand. "What's the matter? Is it not enough? Given your high level of cultivation, these low-grade soulstones are of no use to you. Why not let me have them for my training? And these banknotes, they do amount to a few thousand taels, but you have no use for them, right? Beauties like you are typically supported by men; no amount of money on your person would ever be spent. As for these pills, they seem quite common. If you fancy them, I could spare a few for you."

Despite his words, Gu Feng felt a twinge of fear. He was worried she might resort to her usual methods of killing for loot and leaving bodies to decay in the desolate wilderness.