Two-one-five. Li Muzhan paused.

His feet leapt to the carriage shaft, landing atop the high cover, gazing out at the peak of the watchtower. These three hulking men stood like iron towers, bare-chested, their dark skin gleaming as if cast from metal.

Their heads were shaved smooth; at a glance, they resembled monks, but upon closer inspection, they were not—there were no tonsure marks. Xiao Yuan also lifted the curtain and hopped out, springing onto the carriage roof to stand beside Li Muzhan.

Her faint, delicate fragrance drifted directly into his nostrils. A small, pale hand reached up to her curved brow, peering out.

She pouted, a soft, petulant complaint escaping her lips: "Who are these fellows? They aren't even wearing clothes—how utterly barbaric!" The three great men had coarse, fleshy faces and fierce eyes.

They stood in the middle of the road with their arms crossed, casting sidelong glances at the escorts. The hulking man in the center had a square face.

He sneered, "Have your leader speak!" Elder Zhang stepped forward, cupped his hands in a salute, and said with a smile, "Three heroes, from whence do you hail? What business might you have with us?" The square-faced man snorted, his voice rough and booming, "Where are you all headed?" Elder Zhang chuckled, "We are traveling to Changqing City.

We hope the three heroes will grant us passage, please!" A bronze-armored guard stepped forward, presenting a black cloth pouch with both hands. Elder Zhang took it, testing its weight; a soft clinking sound, the collision of silver ingots, emerged from within.

He tossed it casually to the three great men, smiling, "A small token, just enough for the three heroes to have a drink." A round-faced man nearby caught it, pulled open the drawstring to glance inside, then quickly tightened it and secured it to his waist. He eyed Elder Zhang with a grin, "You old fellow are quite generous!" "Heh, heh, heh.

Out on the road, one extra friend means one extra path. Consider it making a friend," Elder Zhang replied, his smile warm and affable, radiating kindness.

Xiao Yuan pouted, impatiently letting out a delicate huff. "Elder Zhang, really!

These are mere minnows; we should just knock them down. Why bother smiling at them!" Mei Ruolan's gentle voice drifted over.

"The situation in Hexi is intricate and complex. Anyone who can hold their ground cannot be taken lightly.

Elder Zhang is seasoned and prudent." Xiao Yuan sighed in resignation, languidly saying, "Zhanran. If it were you, what would you do?" Li Muzhan smiled faintly.

"I would do as Elder Zhang has done." "Hmph, you are truly dull," Xiao Yuan shot him a look. Li Muzhan shook his head with a slight chuckle.

He said no more. For a martial artist, killing is easy, but the immediate satisfaction of killing often invites endless trouble.

The trouble caused by killing one person often requires killing several, or even dozens, to resolve. If he had killed Feng Shangkun, the trouble would have been infinite.

The retaliation from the Crimson Blood Hall had been slow to arrive, feeling like a massive stone pressing upon his heart. As time passed, this stone grew heavier and heavier, weighing him down until he could barely breathe.

Even though his Zen cultivation was profound and he understood the ways of the world, he could not shake off this pressure. The Crimson Blood Hall was not comparable to the Mei Manor.

If they did not move, they did nothing, but once they struck, it would be a force capable of crushing everything in its path, like a sudden storm of thunder and lightning. The Mei Manor's strength was insufficient; it was like an egg hitting a stone.

This was the consequence of killing. However, sometimes, killing was necessary.

If you didn't kill them, they would kill you. How could one simply sit and wait for death?

The square-faced man in the center pointed at the carriage. "What's loaded inside?" Elder Zhang smiled.

"Heh, heh, some cloth, nothing of value. Three heroes, please be magnanimous.

Thank you, thank you!" "Open it and let us see!" the square-faced man demanded coldly. Elder Zhang showed a troubled expression, hesitating slightly.

The round-faced man drew his saber, the tip pointing at Elder Zhang, and shouted loudly, "Hurry up! The Boss told you to open it, why aren't you opening it yet!" The faces of the escorts darkened, their eyes flashing with sharp light, brimming with annoyance.

Elder Zhang was usually cheerful and unpretentious, but everyone respected him. These three fellows were being so rude; it was truly infuriating!

The three paid no mind to the hostile glares. Instead, they squinted at the escorts with challenging expressions.

Seeing their utter confidence, Elder Zhang turned to glance at Elder Ouyang. He had been stalling for time, allowing Elder Ouyang to probe carefully.

Elder Ouyang possessed a strange technique that greatly enhanced his hearing when activated, like the legendary Clairaudience. Elder Ouyang stepped forward, his tone chilling.

"Silence! Announce your names!" "Heh heh, old fellow, you truly are ignorant of the world.

Take a look at this!" The round-faced man patted his own bald head. Elder Ouyang frowned, saying coldly, "The Bald-Headed Marauders?" "Heh heh, you're wise enough, then!" the smaller of the big men chuckled smugly.

Elder Ouyang spat out a single word coldly: "Scram." "How dare you!" the big man roared in anger, preparing to draw his blade. The square-faced man in the center raised a hand to stop him, frowning deeply.

"Who are you people?" "You are not worthy to know my name!" Elder Ouyang sneered. He glanced around, then said coldly, "Tell everyone else to come out." The square-faced man let out a string of cold laughs.

"Good! Good!

Such arrogant words!" He pursed his lips and let out a long, piercing whistle. Immediately, rustling footsteps sounded, and over a hundred men emerged from the forest, surrounding the caravan, each holding a knife or sword, glaring menacingly.

These men wore varied clothing and carried mismatched weapons; they clearly looked like a ragtag assortment. However, every one of them had sharp eyes and considerable cultivation.

The murderous intent in their eyes was hard to conceal; they were clearly desperate outlaws who had spilled much blood. Though their attire and weapons differed, they shared one thing: every single one was bald.

Over a hundred bare heads shimmered under the sunlight, instantly brightening the area considerably. Elder Ouyang glanced over, stroked his beard, and sneered, "So few men?

I heard the Bald-Headed Marauders number in the thousands, and their leader is a notable figure. You three are merely underlings!" The square-faced man roared with laughter and waved his hand.

"Why use a butcher's cleaver to kill a chicken? We don't need the leader to deal with you lot!" "Exactly!" the round-faced man nodded vigorously, completely agreeing.

Elder Ouyang turned, cupped his hands from a distance toward the carriage. "My Lady, how shall we deal with them?" Mei Ruolan, seated inside the carriage and not showing her face, spoke with a clear, cool voice that drifted out evenly.

"Kill them all. Don't let a single one escape." "Understood!" Elder Ouyang replied in a deep voice.

Elder Zhang pointed at the three men, shaking his head and sighing. "You three, you truly refuse a toast only to demand a forfeit.

Alas... Misfortune caused by heaven can be survived, but self-inflicted misfortune leaves no way out!" The round-faced man's eyes bulged.

"Old man, shut your mouth! Open your dog eyes wide and see clearly—who has more people here, and who calls the shots!" Elder Zhang shook his head, his figure flickering once before returning to its original position.

Smack! A crisp, clear sound echoed.

The big man clutched his left cheek, staring at Elder Zhang in shock. Elder Zhang smiled sweetly.

"Heh heh, little fellow, don't glare. I am teaching you on behalf of your father—one must respect the old and cherish the young!" "Old thief, you seek death!" The big man's face flushed red.

He crossed the distance to Elder Zhang in three strides, drawing his saber and slashing out. A streak of silver light flowed from the weapon.

Hiss! A dark streak suddenly appeared, flying straight toward the big man's chest.

Alarmed, he hastily retracted his saber, crossing the blade to block, protecting his heart. With a sharp metallic clang, his saber was deflected, and his momentum momentarily stalled.

Hiss! Another soft whistle sounded, and the dark streak pierced directly through his chest.

The square-faced man beside him rushed forward, slashing his saber down, attempting to sever the dark streak, but he missed by a hair, only cutting empty air. The dark streak vanished in a flash.

A goose-feathered arrow flew past the round-faced man's back, trailing a cloud of blood. His burly body arched violently, resembling a lobster, and he was flung backward as if pulled by an immense force.

He flew back nearly ten feet before landing heavily with a thud, lying utterly still—already dead. The square-faced man’s face turned ashen.

He looked down at his blade, then took a deep breath. He pointed his saber at Li Muzhan in the distance and cursed loudly, "You despicable thief of a monk!

Sneaking and ambushing—what a truly vile scoundrel!" Li Muzhan stood upon the carriage roof. A light breeze stirred his monk's robes, making them flutter gracefully.

He held the Ice Jade Bow and smiled faintly. "If others do not offend me, I will not offend them.

If others offend me, I will repay them tenfold. Gentlemen, if you leave now, it is not too late.

Consider this a misunderstanding!" The big man sneered, pointing the tip of his saber. "Bullshit misunderstanding!

Thief monk, today I swear to take your dog head!" Li Muzhan shook his head and smiled, drawing an arrow and drawing the bow. Whoosh.

The dark streak flashed, and the goose-feathered arrow whistled forth. The big man sneered and brought his saber down to cut.

Hmph. The dark streak was split, and the arrow fell to the ground.

The big man laughed triumphantly, about to speak, when his smile froze; he felt something was wrong. Hiss.

Another dark streak shot toward him. He swung his saber, but missed; his arm was stiff, unable to keep pace with his mind—he was just a fraction too slow.

Normally, a tiny delay would not matter, but at this moment, that fraction decided life or death. The goose-feathered arrow bored through his throat, trailing a spray of blood before falling onto the official road behind him.

"You..." He pointed his saber shakily at Li Muzhan twenty feet away, filled with unwillingness. Li Muzhan shook his head and turned to the crowd.

"My Lady, are they all to be killed?" Mei Ruolan replied coolly, "Yes. The Bald-Headed Marauders are brutal and tyrannical, never leaving survivors.

Killing them is serving justice." "Good!" Li Muzhan nodded. While they were speaking, the big man’s saber slipped from his grasp, falling with a clang.

His body slowly tilted backward before crashing down with a thud, motionless. Li Muzhan knew he died unsatisfied, feeling cheated by a hidden attack.

Li Muzhan's internal energy might not have been exceedingly deep, but its purity far surpassed that of ordinary people. By attaching the Arrow-Anchoring Art to the arrow, it became substantial.

When the saber met the arrow, the internal energy seeped along the blade into the big man's meridians. When the big man swung his saber to block the second arrow, this internal energy interfered, causing a momentary sluggishness—that instant determined his fate.

Clang! A cold light flashed.

Elder Ruiyang drew his sword, pointing it at the remaining great men, and roared, "Kill! Leave not a single one alive!" "Kill!" The escorts roared in unison.

Groups of four began their attacks. Suddenly, the sounds of clashing blades and swords, shouts, screams, and loud curses filled the air.

The travelers on the road quickly retreated far away, unwilling to approach the carnage. Li Muzhan lowered his voice.

"Senior Sister, Xiao Yuan, protect the Lady. Be careful!" "What are you going to do?" Xiao Yuan asked quickly.

Li Muzhan smiled. "I'm going to take a look." Before Xiao Yuan could respond, he floated away gracefully.

While airborne, the Ice Jade Bow was continuously drawn back, and arrow after arrow shot out, dark streaks piercing through the heads of the Bald-Headed Marauders. By the time he leaped out of the main circle and into the woods, he had already slain over twenty men.

Every arrow found its mark; he had grasped the true essence of the Flying Cloud Archery, surpassing Feng Shangkun by a degree. He leaped into the forest, his figure instantly dissolving into a phantom, gliding forward without a sound.

The trees were dense. Outside the sun was scorching, but inside the forest it was stuffy, and the light was deeply dimmed.

Pinching an arrow between his thumb and forefinger, infusing it with Yin essence energy, he drew the Ice Jade Bow fully and released it gently. A dark streak shot out, utterly silent.

Thump. A muffled sound, as if a heavy object had fallen.

His movements did not cease, his path unpredictable—a blend of Flitting Light and Shadow with Cloud Dragon Nine Appearances, swift and agile. His hands continuously drew the bow, launching dark streaks, all without sound.

"Hmph!" Suddenly, a delicate shout was heard. Li Muzhan's expression changed, and his figure folded sharply as he recoiled violently—it was Xiao Yuan's voice.

I exerted my life force to rush out this chapter, utterly exhausted. However, for the sake of your rewards and support, I must push myself again, to see if I can write another chapter.

D