27: Chapter 27 The Five Fiends of Broken Wind

It was late in the seventh month of the lunar calendar, and the chill of autumn was growing stronger.

A cool breeze blew steadily across the plains; the gentle autumn wind brushed past the wild grass and trees, carrying a hint of desolate, crisp air.

A level official road wound through the vast plains, lined with stretches of woodland. Up ahead, it ran alongside a slow-flowing river where the banks were lush with verdant trees and dense shade.

A well-ordered convoy was slowly making its way into the riverside woods.

The Wang Family was a renowned first-class martial arts Family in Yunlan County, possessing deep foundations and a trade network spanning several neighboring counties.

The leader of this convoy was none other than the Wang Family's direct descendant, Young Miss Wang Qingwan.

She was twenty-four years old and possessed impressive martial talent. Though not peerless, she had cultivated steadily and was now a Peak second-rank expert. In recent years, she had begun taking over various Family affairs.

Her trip to Qingyang County was to purchase rare medicinal herbs and Vicious Beast meat produced in the Qingyang Mountains on behalf of her Family.

The Qingyang Mountains were rich in resources, supplying medicinal herbs and Vicious Beast materials to the entire region and exporting them to major commandery cities, yielding immense profits.

The convoy moved in an orderly fashion, with carriages following one after another. The guards were disciplined, their auras condensed. In the center of the procession, an elegant ebony carriage moved steadily; sitting inside behind simple curtains was Wang Qingwan.

Just as the group entered the riverside forest, the surrounding atmosphere suddenly grew heavy.

The guard captain, Wang Hu, instantly became alert. His eyes narrowed as he raised a hand, and all the guards immediately stopped and went on high alert.

This Wang Family guard captain had a stable cultivation level, being a true Middle Stage third-rank expert. Having escorted merchant caravans across the land for many years, he was highly experienced and immediately sensed something was wrong.

"Everyone, on guard!"

The moment his low shout fell, five figures stepped slowly out from the shadows of the dense forest, blocking the path ahead.

The five figures possessed powerful auras. Their clothing was neat and practical, their accessories cold and hard, and their eyes were dark and piercing. A murderous aura, honed from years of slaughter, washed over the scene.

Being well-traveled, Wang Hu immediately recognized them as the criminals feared across several neighboring counties—the Duanfeng Five Fiends.

The five committed crimes together, acting with ruthlessness and decisiveness. They specifically targeted the caravans of major families, possessing seamless teamwork and extremely high combat strength.

Moreover, the five were extremely cautious, often fleeing far away as soon as they succeeded and changing their names. The Zhenwu Division had been pursuing them for years.

The man in the lead was burly, with a heavy air of slaughter between his brows. His blood-qi was thick and condensed, faintly suppressing Wang Hu; he had likely reached the Late Stage of the third rank.

The remaining four were all at least at the Early Stage of the third rank. Their five martial auras intertwined and overlapped, blanketing the forest and making it difficult for the guards to breathe.

"A convoy from the Wang Family of Yunlan? What a coincidence. The herbs and Vicious Beast meat from the Qingyang Mountains are quite valuable. However..."

The Fiend Leader spoke in a cold, deep voice, his gaze landing on the elegant ebony carriage in the middle of the convoy with undisguised greed. "Compared to the Wang Family's Young Miss, they are not worth mentioning. It seems we, the Duanfeng Five Fiends, have found a real treasure today."

The guard captain took a step forward, his Middle Stage third-rank blood-qi erupting to forcibly resist the opponent's pressure. His expression was solemn.

"My Wang Family is a first-class Family in Yunlan. We abide by the rules of trade and have no grievances with you. Why risk everything to offend the Wang Family? If you withdraw now, my Wang Family can offer a small reward to turn hostility into friendship."

"No grievances?" One of the Duanfeng Five Fiends sneered, his tone arrogant. "We walk the Jianghu looking only for profit, not grudges. The caravans of first-class families are our best prey."

As he finished speaking, his killing intent was fully revealed. He then stomped his foot, sending a surge of energy outward as he lunged toward the front-line guards like a leopard.

The other three Martial Artists, excluding the Fiend Leader, followed close behind.

The crisp clanging of clashing weapons instantly erupted as a brutal slaughter began.

The Wang Family guards were naturally not ordinary low-level Martial Artists; each was a capable second-rank fighter. However, despite their numerical advantage, they still found themselves struggling against third-rank experts.

The guard captain did not Move; since the opponent's Late Stage third-rank leader hadn't acted, he didn't dare to Move rashly. Although he knew he was no match for the leader, he had no choice—he was the convoy's strongest combatant.

The Duanfeng Five Fiends had worked together for years, their offense and defense complementing each other. Their Moves were ruthless and cunning, each strike aimed directly at vital points.

The Wang Family guards suffered continuous casualties, their defensive line collapsing at a visible rate. Blood stained the grass by the river, and the situation became critical.

Inside the ebony carriage, Wang Qingwan sat still. Sensing the fierce fighting outside and the powerful, malevolent aura, her fists clenched slightly. The maid beside her was trembling with fear.

Wang Qingwan secretly circulated her Peak second-rank blood-qi. She was well aware of the massive gap in strength; the enemy had a Late Stage third-rank leader, and the other four were also at the third rank. Her guard unit alone could not possibly resist them.

She had already prepared for the worst in her heart, calmly observing the battle for any opportunity to break the deadlock.

The slaughter grew more intense. The Wang Family guards were in full retreat, and their total defeat was imminent.

The leader of the Duanfeng Five Fiends stood at the rear, coldly overlooking the scene, in no hurry to strike.

Firstly, if Wang Hu couldn't withstand the pressure and joined the fray, the leader could find an opportunity for a sneak attack to end it in one blow and avoid a prolonged fight. Secondly, he was guarding against any other hidden experts in the convoy.

Now, he only had to wait for his four brothers to completely crush the guards, and then he could easily seize the entire convoy and capture Wang Qingwan.

As soon as the Duanfeng Five Fiends emerged, Lin Qing had retreated into the woods along with the other Loose Cultivators.

When the battle began, Lin Qing silently observed the situation. Seeing the Wang Family's steady retreat, he intended to use the dense forest to slip away.

But just as the battle was about to completely collapse...

The sound of hoofbeats came from the official road ahead, and then five figures appeared from around the bend.

The man in the lead wore green robes and had a tall, upright posture. Behind him, several young people also dressed in green rode alongside.

As the autumn wind swirled fallen leaves, the man pulled on his reins, his gaze calmly surveying the two sides locked in combat within the forest.

The newcomer was none other than Ye Lingchuan of the Qingxuan Sect.