Chapter 276: Horse Bandits

This “Yansheng Evil-Suppressing Technique” was actually a trophy that Wu Ming obtained from a visiting expert of the Ding Marquis.

In ancient times, Yansheng techniques were specifically designed to counteract fortune, indiscriminately affecting both the rich and the poor. Even though Li Zongyi was already a Qianhu of the Bureau of Strange Affairs, equivalent to a seventh-grade official, he could not escape this fate.

Moreover, this person was neither a Reincarnator nor a Privileged One, thus wouldn’t attract much attention, making him an ideal target and test subject.

“Just a Qianhu of the Bureau of Strange Affairs in one province suddenly dies… I’m not yet close enough with Xie Ling’er to go that far. Well then! Let me make you suffer from a serious illness for several years, with unbearable headaches so that you can’t handle affairs. I suppose that will prevent you from stirring up trouble, won’t it?”

After thinking for a moment, Wu Ming lowered his head. A flash of light appeared in his hand, and a small wooden doll materialized.

With a casual gesture, a stream of energy was drawn from within the study, condensing into a human form. Its face bore an eighty percent resemblance to Li Zongyi.

If Zhou Yuanzhen had done this, even as a highly respected expert, he would have had to carefully investigate Li Zongyi’s birth date and time, collect hair and blood, and take great risks to create a Yansheng object. However, for Wu Ming, everything came naturally.

“Hmph!”

At this point, he blew toward the illusory human figure, and immediately it attached itself to the wooden doll, revealing eyes like an eagle’s and a gaze like a wolf’s, poised to roar.

“Hehe… quite the air of authority!”

Wu Ming sneered coldly, then flicked his fingernail against the wooden doll’s head!

Puchi!

A crack instantly appeared, exposing the wooden grain inside, and the doll’s expression turned to terror and pain.

“Ahh!”

At the same time, in another room, Li Zongyi, who had just lain down on his bed, cried out loudly, shot up, grabbed his head with both hands, and his face twisted in agony.

“Husband?”

His wife immediately jumped up in alarm. Seeing the contorted muscles on Li Zongyi’s face and his bloodshot eyes, she became deeply worried: “Are you feeling unwell? I’ll go call a doctor right away!”

“I… I have unbearable headaches!”

Li Zongyi gritted his teeth: “Someone must be casting a spell on me! Hurry and go… Ah… This pain is killing me!”

Before he could finish speaking, he screamed in agony and fainted. Accompanied by his wife’s piercing cries, the entire mansion was thrown into commotion.

“Hmm? I suppose it’s taken effect!”

Hearing the uproar, Wu Ming nodded slightly. With a flash of clear light in his hand, he pressed the wooden doll against a sandalwood beam in the study!

Gulu!

A ripple passed over the sandalwood, and the doll actually merged into it seamlessly, like water blending into milk, leaving no trace on the outside.

Of course, such a Yansheng object needed to be near the victim to gradually take effect.

After finishing these tasks, Wu Ming turned and left, exuding an air of profound humility and hidden prowess.

“To break my Yansheng technique, one would at least need a fifth-level Earth Immortal… Given Li Zongyi’s connections, there’s absolutely no way he can get someone of that level to help him, so he won’t be able to counter it!”

“And even if by some chance he survives, finds the Yansheng object, and saves his life, it won’t affect me…”

Ordinary Yansheng objects are closely linked to the practitioner; once destroyed, the curse immediately backfires, resulting in a near-certain death!

However, Wu Ming had already mastered the “Yansheng Evil Suppression Technique” to such an extent that it became formless and intangible, transcending physical limitations through objects and achieving a state akin to natural creation. Even if the curse were destroyed, he himself would remain entirely unharmed.

When spellcraft reaches such a level, it is practically Dao itself!

…

Yezhou borders Dingzhou and has eight commanderies, a land of outstanding people and beautiful scenery. There is a mountain called “Shi,” where the locals mostly make a living by washing silk. Shi women are known throughout the province for their tenderness and charm, pursued by countless men.

However, in the late years of the Great Zhou dynasty, bandits ran rampant. The local Jiedushi (military governors) and rebel forces were intertwined, leading to continuous warfare. The city had been captured several times, forcing the provincial governor and inspector to abandon their posts and flee! The people lived in misery!

Now, within the entire Yezhou, only two regional warlords remain, entangled with swarms of rebel forces, struggling to cope.

In the gaps between these major powers, mountain and highway bandits are everywhere. Due to the many mountains in Yezhou and the current chaos, there are indeed numerous strongholds. These bandits range from hundreds to thousands in number, gathering with a roar, flaunting their might for a time, even making the regional commanders cautious and conciliatory.

Near Shishan Mountain, there is a notorious bandit gang led by someone known as “Hei Tianfeng.” He commands several thousand fierce bandits and even seized a horse caravan, forming a cavalry unit of several hundred riders who move swiftly like the wind. Both the Jiedushi and rebel kings pay close attention to them and have repeatedly tried to recruit them.

…

Ah Xia is a peasant girl who has lived for generations at the foot of Shishan Mountain. Right now, she is carrying a bundle of firewood on her shoulder. Her slightly soot-streaked face is drenched in sweat, trickling down her fair neck, leaving gray-black streaks.

“With this, I suppose tonight will be a bit better?”

Ah Xia exhales a warm breath, lost in thought.

According to her father, decades ago before the world descended into chaos, life in their village was quite good.

Thanks to the reputation of the Shi women and the gossamer-thin, feather-light white silk they produced, they could trade for enough millet and salt for the entire year.

Even a few years ago, selling daughters was enough to get by.

Ah Xia still remembers one of her older sisters, who was bought away by a wealthy merchant wearing silk robes with shining silver coins. It was said she was to be sent to a noble household where she would eat well and dress warmly every day.

With many daughters in the family, this was at least a way to survive. If it weren’t for her young age back then, she might have been taken away too.

But all of this changed after the arrival of Hei Tianfeng’s gang.

“Ah Xia, you’re back!”

Half an hour later, a small village surrounded by water appears before Ah Xia. People on the street greet her with warm smiles.

“Ah Xia is so capable… Haha… I wish my third daughter could be like her when she grows up!”

An old man leans against his doorframe, stretching lazily in the sun, his crinkled eyes slightly teary.

Peaceful and serene, although food has been scarce lately, Ah Xia is still quite satisfied with her current life.

“If only those cursed horse bandits would come less often…”

Ah Xia bites her lip, thinking silently.

“Black… Black Tianfeng!!!”

However, as if fate conspired against her, just as this thought crosses her mind, a shrill scream tears through the sky.

“Dang! Dang!”

Accompanied by urgent drumbeats, the entire village is suddenly thrown into commotion. Men and women, old and young, all grab hoes, poles, and even bamboo spears, rushing to the village entrance to confront the approaching horsemen.

“Ha ha… Greetings to all the respected villagers! I’m back again!”

A rider dashes like the wind to the village entrance. The black stallion rears up, snorting thick white breaths from its nostrils, like a fierce beast ready to devour its prey.

The rider’s horsemanship is superb. He then laughs: “Same old rules: hand over one dan of grain, five bolts of cloth, and three women, and I’ll leave immediately without a word. Otherwise… hehe…”

“Third Commander…”

Amid the villagers’ uproar, an old man dressed in a long green hemp robe steps forward, his face filled with distress: “You came several months ago, and the village really doesn’t have much surplus grain left. Please show mercy!”

“Old Master Li, you know the rules too… If grain and cloth are insufficient, people can be used instead… If that’s still not enough, my brothers can only raze the village…”

The Third Commander sneers coldly.

Actually, in the past, this was mostly a threat. After all, leaving the village intact allowed them to come back and harvest from it like crops. Wantonly looting and killing everyone would leave nothing for next year.

This reasoning wasn’t the Third Commander’s idea; it was the First Commander, Hei Tianfeng, who had said it.

He always respected the First Commander the most. If the big brother said so, there must be a reason.

“…Unless a major battle is coming, the big brother said we must expand. We don’t want to do this either… But if we don’t rob these people, what will my brothers eat? Where will we get women? The consumption during wartime and peacetime are completely different!”

The Third Commander thinks inwardly: “If the big brother’s plan succeeds, next year we won’t be horse bandits anymore, but officials with government titles!”

Since the decision has been made to go all out, this last fat sheep must be bitten hard, even if it means killing it.

“Qiang!”

Behind him, the horse bandits laugh loudly, even drawing their long knives, some still stained with fresh blood.

Seeing the bloody blade in the rider’s hand and the ragged cloth behind, as well as the scattered carts loaded with grain sacks, Old Li feels a chill in his heart. His lips tremble as he calls out: “Huzi, open the cellar!”

“But this is our seed for spring planting!”

Huzi, the honest young man, protests urgently, only to be slapped hard by Old Li: “Go quickly!”

Old Li turns around, his teeth clenched tightly: “And the cloth and women… everyone… pitch in!”

His eyes are already fixed on Ah Xia and several other young women.

Knowing that grain and cloth couldn’t all be handed over, they had to offer several women instead. This is the tragedy of the chaotic times!

“No! No!”

At the thought of being taken into the bandits’ den, Ah Xia steps back repeatedly, looking at the familiar faces around her, finding them suddenly so strange.

“Alright! Get moving!”

A rough, impatient voice comes from the horsemen, making the Third Commander dare not delay as he nods repeatedly: “Yes! Big Brother!”

“Even Hei Tianfeng himself has come out?”

Old Li is deeply alarmed but can do nothing.

In an instant, women’s cries fill the air.

Ah Xia struggles desperately, but firm and unyielding hands push her forward with a pile of grain and several bolts of cloth toward the village entrance, ready to be handed over to the horsemen.

“Sorry to trouble you… Haha!”

The Third Commander laughs loudly, about to whistle and leave, when a soft voice sounds.

“Never thought Hei Tianfeng would turn out to be such trash. You’re really giving us a bad name!!”

“Hmm, who is it?”

The Third Commander immediately narrows his eyes, his fierce gaze sweeping around, making others dare not meet his eyes.

Peng!

Suddenly, the ground shakes violently. The earth in the middle of the horsemen splits open, and countless small stones fly in all directions.

The horses are startled and scatter in panic, no matter how the bandits shout and call out.

Gazhi! Gazhi!

The sound of metal clashing rings out as a huge black shadow bursts forth, wielding two razor-sharp claws several feet long in a sweeping motion.

Cizha!

In an instant, blood sprays as several horses are sliced in half. The bandits riding them are thrown off, their bones broken, screaming in pain. Those less fortunate are cut in two and die instantly.

“Roar! Roar!”

As the dust settles, the stunned bandits finally see the black shadow is actually a massive steel monster, its two lantern-like eyes fixed directly on their leader!