C12 Qing Qi's Thought Process

Xu San had taken the young lady hostage, leveraging her safety as leverage. For a brief moment, neither side could engage in combat.

At this point, the caravan's guards had suffered significant losses. With the turncoat Xu San now down to only seven men, the bandits had also taken hits, mostly at the hands of Jiang Kun.

Had it not been for Jiang Kun's rousing speech that ignited their fighting spirit, the bandits would have slaughtered the guards with ease, as if mowing down grass.

For Jiang Kun, he was backed into a corner. His burning desire was to behead Xu San and flee the bandit encirclement with the young lady.

But that was merely wishful thinking.

Heilong's gaze was calculating. The prospect of winning over the beauty made releasing Xu San a viable option, but he suspected Xu San's surrender might be a ruse—a ploy to buy time and escape.

Xu San, on the other hand, had only survival on his mind. To him, talk of loyalty and honor was nothing but empty words.

After a long silence, Heilong decided the beauty was worth the risk and finally agreed, "Alright, I accept your terms."

Xu San exhaled in relief and commanded, "Have your men step back ten paces."

Heilong nodded and, with a gesture, his men withdrew.

"Good." Xu San then gestured towards Heilong's steed. "I want your horse. Bring it here."

"Consider it done." Heilong dismounted and led the horse to Xu San.

Meanwhile, Jiang Kun, seizing the moment of distraction, stealthily advanced towards Xu San.

As Heilong delivered the horse, he chuckled, "Now, you can see my good faith, right?"

Xu San didn't reply but pointed to the crossbow in Heilong's hand. "Throw it away."

He feared that once he mounted, Heilong might shoot him from behind.

Without hesitation, Heilong tossed the crossbow aside. Just then, Xu San caught sight of Jiang Kun approaching and yelled, "Stop him!"

In the same breath, Xu San struck Lee Furong's head with his dagger, leapt onto the horse, and with a sharp slap to the reins, he spun the horse around and galloped off into the distance.

He had meticulously planned this all along. Knocking Lee Furong unconscious was a tactic to put Heilong at ease, while Jiang Kun was tasked with buying him time, allowing him to make a longer getaway.

His methods were underhanded and disgraceful, yet they worked with uncanny effectiveness.

Lee Furong felt a sharp blow to her forehead, which sent her reeling with dizziness. Struggling to maintain her balance, she swayed and then collapsed to the ground.

Upon seeing the young lady fall, Jiang Kun was filled with urgency. He propelled himself off the ground, leaping high into the air with a saber gripped firmly in his left hand, and brought it down hard towards Heilong's head.

Heilong let out a cold smile and sidestepped the saber, then, seizing the moment as Jiang Kun was still in midair, he punched forward fiercely, landing a blow squarely on Jiang Kun's chest.

Bang!

Jiang Kun's chest went numb, his breath caught in his throat, and the long saber slipped from his grasp into Heilong's hands.

With a malicious laugh, Heilong performed a flourish with the saber and, in a swift backhanded strike, severed Jiang Kun's left arm.

The agony of losing an arm was unbearable, even for the sturdiest of men. Jiang Kun fell to the ground, writhing in pain.

"Thought you could ambush me? Did you really think I'm as defenseless as a clay figure? Hahaha!" Heilong bellowed with laughter, then turned his attention away from the fallen man and advanced toward Lee Furong.

"My little beauty, I've arrived. Once we're back at the stronghold, we'll celebrate our nuptials."

The sight of Jiang Kun's dire predicament filled the remaining caravan guards with despair. Preferring death over torture, they lost all hope.

"Hahahaha!"

Just then, a boisterous laugh echoed from a distance.

The laughter captured everyone's attention, halting even Heilong's advance toward Lee Furong. He turned to see where it was coming from.

Lee Fei had successfully drawn all eyes to himself as he emerged from the shadows, striding towards Heilong with what he considered his most dashing gait.

Lee Fei's actions weren't driven by a desire to play the hero; he had his sights set on these bandits, intending to bring them all under his control.

After careful deliberation, Lee Fei understood that his path had already diverged from that of the Imperial Court. There was no turning back to righteousness, so he resolved to embrace the life of an outlaw, relishing in the freedom it brought him each day.

Some tasks were simply too cumbersome for him to handle alone. With a team of assistants, he could avoid a lot of hassle.

As Lee Fei walked, he silently recited a spell, concealing one hand behind his back, ready to unleash a dark element blade.

Heilong stood before Lee Furong, eyeing Lee Fei with a squint. "Who might you be?" he inquired.

Lee Fei responded with a grin, "Funny enough, I'm just like you—a thief."

"So, we're in the same line of work," Heilong remarked. "Are you looking to join my band?"

Lee Fei's smile grew even wider. "What a coincidence, I was about to extend the same invitation to you."

Heilong's eyes widened in disbelief. "Just who are you?"

"You're not yet worthy of my name," Lee Fei replied icily. "But I'll offer you a chance. Kneel and surrender to me, and I'll spare your life."

Lee Fei's declaration left everyone in shock. The caravan's guards inwardly sighed, having expected a formidable character, only to be met with what seemed to be a fool.

The bandits around them burst into laughter, thinking Lee Fei was delusional, perhaps still half-asleep.

Heilong, feigning disbelief, turned to his men and said, "Brothers, am I hearing things? He's demanding that I kneel and submit to him."

"Boss, this guy's lost his mind. Let me take him down," one bandit called out.

"Just killing him would be too kind," another sneered. "I want to use his head for a chamber pot."

"Step aside, his life is mine to claim," a third insisted.

The bandits, bristling with indignation, closed in on Lee Fei.

Heilong chuckled. "Kid, you see, without lifting a finger, my men are ready to end you. What makes you think I should bow to you?"

"This is why—the dark element blade."

In that moment, a sleek black blade materialized in Lee Fei's palm, its core a complex array of dark element runes, far sharper than any ordinary blade. With a gentle thrust of his palm, the dark blade shot forth, reaching Heilong in an instant.

The dark element blade moved with such speed that Heilong had no chance to react. A black shadow flashed before his eyes, and then a sharp pain shot through his neck as his head was severed from his body.

Lee Fei advanced a few steps, suppressing his revulsion as he lifted Heilong's head, displaying it prominently before him.

He addressed the bandits with a stern voice, "Submit or die—the choice is yours."

Had I been seeing things?

The bandits hesitated, their advance slowing, then collectively they came to a halt, staring at the head in Lee Fei's grasp with uncertainty.

All they had seen was Lee Fei's hand thrust forward, and then Heilong's head tumbled to the ground. Could this be sorcery?

While they were still reeling from the shock, a cloud of black mist rose before Lee Fei, shrouding him completely.

Eventually, the mist dissipated, revealing four skeletal soldiers. Though Lee Fei was unable to summon stronger skeletons at the moment, he had managed to increase their numbers.

The sight of the ambulatory skeletons delivered a visual impact that was overwhelming for the bandits. They exchanged glances and, as if by silent agreement, knelt down.

This man was unnervingly powerful. If they refused, would he turn them into walking skeletons too? The thought was terrifying.

"We are willing to submit, willing to submit," they declared.

Lee Fei breathed a sigh of relief. To create such an intimidating presence, he had expended nearly three-quarters of his magical energy. If the bandits had chosen to fight, his only option would have been to flee.

"Ah..."

A piercing scream erupted from behind Lee Fei. He spun around to find Lee Furong awake from her faint, her face contorted in pain as she pointed at herself incessantly.

Lee Fei offered a slight smile and inquired, "Miss, what is it you wish to say?"

With tears brimming in her eyes, Lee Furong implored, "You're standing on my hand. Please, lift your foot."

Embarrassed, Lee Fei quickly stepped aside. Noticing the bandits still kneeling, he composed his expression and declared icily, "Rise, all of you. From now on, anyone who betrays me will endure a life more torturous than death."

The bandits respectfully complied and rose to their feet after a heartfelt display of loyalty.

One particularly shrewd bandit scurried over to Lee Fei, gestured towards Lee Furong, and asked, "Black Dog's the name, Head Honcho. Shall I tie her up and bring her to your room tonight?"

Truth be told, the suggestion momentarily tempted Lee Fei. Yet, his conscience wouldn't allow such an act. Even as a bandit, he maintained his principles.

Lee Fei cleared his throat and replied, "There's no need. I have no interest in her. Go round up the caravan's people."

Black Dog nodded, "Understood, Big Brother."

With Lee Fei's command, he swaggered over to the other bandits and began issuing orders.

Before long, a group of six, including Lee Furong, was herded together. Jiang Kun was in the worst state, having lost an arm, yet he was somehow staying conscious.

Lee Furong soon learned about the events that transpired during her unconsciousness. Lee Fei had emerged out of nowhere, used magic to slay Heilong, and subsequently took control of the bandits.

The story seemed far-fetched, and this young man didn't strike her as villainous. Yet she couldn't help but wonder why he'd claimed to have no interest in her.

The inner workings of a woman's heart are a mystery, decipherable only by the divine.

Lee Fei couldn't fathom Lee Furong's thoughts, but he noticed her peculiar gaze. He coughed lightly and inquired, "Miss, what are you staring at?"

Lee Furong, eyes wide with realization, pointed at a skeleton soldier and exclaimed, "Ah, now I remember! You were the one causing trouble at the city gate. Hmph!"

Lee Fei offered a slight smile and admitted, "Indeed, that was me."

Lee Furong proposed, "Then, may I request a favor? As long as you agree, you can ask for anything in return, except for my body."

This conversation was taking an increasingly bizarre turn. What did she mean by 'except for my body'? Had he implied anything of the sort?

Lee Fei responded earnestly, "Miss, while I may be handsome and appear somewhat flippant, I assure you I am a person of integrity and kindness. How could you suggest otherwise?"

The bandits exclaimed, "How can you claim to be kind when you wield such sinister sorcery?"

"Okay, perhaps I misspoke," Lee Furong replied earnestly. "Would you be willing to help me transport the merchandise to the prefecture? In return, I'll have my father reward you handsomely."

Her proposal left everyone speechless. The idea of bandits serving as escorts for a trade caravan was utterly bizarre—a notion without precedent.

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