167: Chapter 167 Bandit Night Raid

That night.

Su Family Village.

All around was pitch black.

In the courtyard at the center of the village, the faint echoes of men and women flirting could still be heard.

Meanwhile, on a mountain path less than five miles from Su Family Village, a group of people was approaching on horseback.

There were about seventy or eighty of them, each disheveled and unkempt, wearing mismatched leather armor with sabers at their waists and various weapons in their hands.

Leading them was a burly, bald man riding a tall black horse; his face was covered in rolls of flesh, and a fierce light flickered in his triangular eyes.

This man was none other than Ma Liu, the notorious horse bandit leader within a hundred-mile radius.

"Brothers, put your backs into it! Su Family Village is just ahead!"

Ma Liu shouted at the top of his lungs.

The group of Bandits behind him immediately let out a series of excited, strange cries.

Beside Ma Liu, the Second-in-Command, who was as thin as a monkey, leaned in, licked his parched lips, and smiled flatteringly.

"First Boss, I've looked into it. That kid Su Bai has taken the main army to attack Ze City. Now, Su Family Village only has a few dozen greenhorn disciples and his beautiful wives!"

"I heard Su Bai left behind quite a few cultivation resources in that village—a ton of Spirit Stones and Medicinal Pills! If we grab them this time, we'll hit the jackpot!"

After hearing this, a glint of greed flashed in Ma Liu's triangular eyes.

Ma Liu had risen from a poor woodcutter to where he was today by relying on his boldness, meticulousness, and ruthlessness.

Two years ago, he happened to find a fragmented cultivation technique in the mountains and had the great fortune of eating a Thousand-year-old Lingzhi mushroom, which forcefully strengthened his Physique to the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Since then, he had led his brothers to act tyrannically within the borders of Yunzhou, burning, killing, and looting, while the local authorities could do nothing about him.

After all, Ma Liu was a Foundation Establishment Cultivator; as long as he was cautious, nothing would go wrong.

"Hehe, cultivation resources?"

Ma Liu grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth, and said happily:

"I am already a powerhouse of the Foundation Establishment Stage. Giving those Spirit Stones and Medicinal Pills to those greenhorns is a waste; they might as well be offered to me!"

The Second-in-Command's eyes darted around, and the smile on his face became even more lewd as he said to Ma Liu:

"First Boss, there's one more thing. I heard Su Bai's first wife, Zhou Qingying, is the daughter of the Jiedushi Residence and looks like a Heavenly Immortal! And his two concubines are each more exquisite than the last..."

As he spoke, the Second-in-Command rubbed his hands together, his drool nearly dripping.

Ma Liu glanced at him and cursed irritably:

"Look at you, so pathetic! Fine, once I'm done enjoying myself, I won't forget you."

Upon hearing this, the Second-in-Command immediately beamed with joy and cupped his hands repeatedly.

"Thank you, First Boss! Thank you, First Boss!"

Just then, a young girl's voice suddenly came from the back of the group.

"Dad! What are you all talking about?"

Ma Liu looked back, and his brow furrowed immediately.

The one speaking was his daughter, Ma Zhenhua.

This girl was only eighteen this year; having grown up in the bandit den since she was a child, she had a wild temperament and was skilled at riding and archery, even more formidable than a man.

What's more, this girl was actually a good seed for cultivation; after tinkering on her own for two years, she had actually reached the Ninth Level of Qi Refining.

"Zhenhua, why did you follow us again? Didn't I tell you to stay at the stronghold?"

Ma Liu looked at his daughter with a bit of a headache and said.

Today, Ma Zhenhua was wearing leather armor, her long hair tied in a ponytail, riding a chestnut horse with a long saber in her hand, looking heroic and spirited.

Hearing Ma Liu's words, Ma Zhenhua curled her lips in disdain:

"Dad, you say that every time, but doesn't it always end up with me cleaning up your messes?"

"Besides, this Su Family Village is just a bunch of greenhorn disciples. What's there to be afraid of? With my cultivation at the Ninth Level of Qi Refining, I can take them all down with one hand!"

Ma Liu was left speechless by his daughter and could only cough twice.

Seeing that her father had stopped talking, Ma Zhenhua added:

"But Dad, I heard that Su Bai has been causing quite a stir in Yunzhou City lately and seems quite capable. If we blatantly rob his hometown like this, won't he retaliate?"

As soon as she said this, the Second-in-Command nearby quickly chimed in:

"Young Miss, you worry too much! Su Bai is currently in Ze City. By the time he returns from the war, we'll have long since fled back into the mountains. No matter how powerful Su Bai is, can he really come into the mountains to find us?"

After hearing this, Ma Zhenhua snorted coldly:

"Hmph, that's only because Su Bai hasn't met my father. Otherwise, he'd be forced to drop his armor and flee for his life!"

"How can a little general from a peasant background like him even be compared to my father?"

These words made Ma Liu feel incredibly gratified.

Rubbing his bald head, he burst into loud laughter:

"Well said! With my cultivation at the Foundation Establishment Stage, I've truly never feared anyone in this Yunzhou region!"

The surrounding Bandits also laughed along.

The laughter echoed through the night sky, startling a flock of birds.

"Alright, enough talk, let's go!"

Ma Liu squeezed his horse's flanks and took the lead, charging toward Su Family Village.

Seventy or eighty warhorses thundered along the mountain path, kicking up a cloud of dust.

They moved rapidly through the darkness toward Su Family Village.

...

Su Family Village.

On the Martial Arts Arena, those twenty-nine Su Family Village Disciples were still kneeling on the bluestone slabs.

After a full day of exposure to the sun and wind, coupled with the cold air seeping into their bodies at night, their legs had already lost all sensation from kneeling.

A few with weaker Physiques had long since fainted.

The remaining people were also slumped over, lacking even the strength to speak.

Zhao Ding, who was in charge of guarding them, sat by the edge of the Martial Arts Arena, holding a jug of wine and taking occasional sips.

"The General is truly angry this time. These kids deserve it."

Zhao Ding muttered to himself.

Just then.

The faint sound of horse hooves came from outside the village.

Zhao Ding was stunned for a moment, then he suddenly stood up, his expression changing drastically as he looked into the distance.

The sound of hooves!

And judging by the noise, it certainly wasn't just one or two people; there had to be at least dozens of horses!

Where did so many horses come from in the middle of the night?

Zhao Ding threw his wine jug aside and roared at those on the Martial Arts Arena:

"Stop kneeling! Something's happening! Get up, quick!"

The twenty-nine people were startled at first, but then they also heard the approaching hoofbeats. Their faces turned pale as they struggled to stand.

But having knelt for a day and a night, their legs had long since gone numb. How could they possibly stand?

For a moment, the Martial Arts Arena was in total chaos.

Zhao Ding was anxious and shouted at the sentries on duty at the village's perimeter:

"Quick! Go ring the alarm bell! Bandits are coming!"

Before his voice could fade.

"Boom—"

The village gate was smashed open by a massive force, sending wood splinters flying.