Chapter 210: Robbery Once Again

Peaks clustered and twisted like soaring dragons, their ridges winding and undulating.

A narrow mountain path meandered between steep cliffs, where dense trees stood tall and birdsong echoed now and then—a true paradise on earth.

At this moment, a group of figures slowly emerged along the trail.

“Senior Brother, why didn’t we use the sect’s battle vessel for this journey? My feet are practically blistered after so many days of walking,” a young girl complained to the man beside her, dressed in deep blue robes.

“Junior Sister, trekking across mountains and rivers is also a form of cultivation. Although the battle vessel is convenient, think about it—your cultivation has advanced by a stage during this journey, and all the junior brothers have benefited as well. Would that have been possible if we had flown all the way?” The leading man, tall and dignified, with sharp eyes and a stern, proud expression, answered calmly.

The girl nodded thoughtfully. “Senior Brother, I’ve heard the Flame Hell is extremely dangerous. Could we be in danger too? And there’s also that mysterious ferocious beast—what if we run into it?”

Lei Hengfeng paused. “Junior Sister, this journey is not for leisure. Flame Hell is a place of trials, filled with peril. Even now, we must not be careless.”

Lei Hengfeng felt a bit helpless toward his junior sister. Although she had only recently joined the sect, her talent was extraordinary—within just eight short years, her cultivation had already reached the middle stage of Divine Entry. However, her personality was difficult to handle. If she could endure hardship, with such talent, even reaching the Grand Perfection stage wouldn’t be impossible.

“I know, but with Senior Brother here, where could there be danger? Besides, the scenery here is so beautiful, how could it possibly be dangerous?” Xing Yueyu stuck out her tongue playfully. Her senior brother was always so serious—so un-cute.

“The more beautiful a place is, the more dangerous it may be. Remember that, Junior Sister,” Lei Hengfeng replied with a shake of his head.

He wasn’t sure whether bringing his junior sister along on this trip to Flame Hell was the right decision. The main purpose of this journey was to train the junior disciples, but more importantly, it was to investigate the situation in Flame Hell.

Recently, the area consumed by the flames had been expanding, and the temperature had been rising steadily. He needed to find out exactly what was happening.

“I don’t believe you! Such a beautiful place couldn’t possibly be dangerous. You’re just being an alarmist, Senior Brother. You don’t know how to enjoy life at all,” Xing Yueyu said playfully.

The surrounding disciples smiled as well. They all found this charming junior sister quite likable.

Still, their senior brother’s serious demeanor was somewhat intimidating.

…

“Young lady, your senior brother is right—beauty often hides danger,” a soft, eerie voice suddenly drifted from ahead, startling everyone.

Lei Hengfeng’s expression stiffened. Xing Yueyu froze in place, instinctively stepping beside her senior brother.

“Who’s there? Show yourself!” Lei Hengfeng barked.

At that moment, Lin Fan stepped forward with his hands clasped behind his back, followed closely by fourteen bandits.

“There’s no need for alarm. We mean no harm—we’re just here for a little robbery,” Lin Fan said calmly, smiling politely as he spoke of robbery with the utmost seriousness.

These past fifteen days had been tough for Lin Fan.

While passing through a dangerous area, he had encountered a beast tide. A massive swarm of ferocious beasts came charging, shaking the heavens and earth.

At the time, Lin Fan had been thrilled—if he could eliminate all the beasts in that tide, the experience gained would be unimaginable.

However, upon seeing some Celestial-tier beasts among the horde, he immediately abandoned that idea.

In the end, Lin Fan and Sha Dulong had hidden quietly while the tide of beasts swallowed the carriages behind them.

Thus, Lin Fan and his group had been forced to travel on foot for ten days straight, surviving only on wild plants and enduring great hardship.

Now, as they approached Flame Hell, Lin Fan was preparing to investigate the location marked on the Seven Sage Treasure Map and find a city to resupply when Sha Mexiong rushed over and reported that a group of people had been spotted.

Already desperate, Lin Fan’s eyes lit up at the news. This was a golden opportunity—how could he let it slip away?

Since joining Lin Fan, Sha Dulong and the others had abandoned their old ways of banditry.

But when their leader gave the signal to strike, they were suddenly filled with excitement.

“Senior Brother, these are the mountain bandits? They don’t even know who we are,” Xing Yueyu said cheerfully, showing no fear.

Lei Hengfeng, however, remained alert, eyeing Lin Fan and his group warily.

Sha Dulong’s cultivation was at the middle stage of Divine Entry, his aura vast and powerful—Lei Hengfeng could sense that clearly. If that were all, he wouldn’t be too concerned. But what unsettled him most was Lin Fan himself, whose presence was completely undetectable—no trace of aura at all.

“Who are you people?” Lei Hengfeng blocked his junior sister protectively and demanded.

Lin Fan observed the group of disciples, sizing them up. They looked well-fed and prosperous, clearly carrying abundant resources.

Still, Lin Fan was a high-ranking figure of a great sect—he wouldn’t stoop to murder and robbery. But in times of need, a little “charity” shouldn’t be too bad.

“It doesn’t really matter who we are. The key point is—please stand still and don’t move. We’re only here for robbery, not for lives,” Lin Fan declared, adhering to his three principles of robbery:

No killing, no assault, only taking valuables.

“Outrageous! We are disciples of Daozhong Mountain. How dare you rob us!” One disciple stepped forward angrily.

Such a situation was unprecedented. If they returned and told their seniors that they had been robbed by mountain bandits during a cultivation journey, they’d be laughed out of the sect.

“Didn’t you hear what our master said? Don’t waste time—just hand over your valuables,” Sha Mexiong said joyfully. Having been a bandit for so long, this was his favorite part of the job. Now that he had joined their master, he could return to his old ways, and his blood was boiling with excitement.

Robbery required a bold entrance, fierce intimidation, and scaring the enemy into submission.

“Senior Brother, why bother talking to them? Just kill them all,” one disciple whispered.

Lei Hengfeng hesitated, unable to make a decision. The man before him exuded a dangerous aura.

“Haha! Lei Hengfeng, who would have thought that even your Daozhong Mountain disciples would be robbed!” Just then, the leaves in the forest rustled, and a sharp, slightly effeminate voice echoed from afar.

A white-robed man with flowing hair stood atop a long sword, soaring through the air. His handsome face, lightly powdered, bore an air of arrogance, as if he were the sole sword god in the world, making others feel inferior.

“Li Lingfeng,” Lei Hengfeng’s expression darkened as he recognized the newcomer, a flicker of displeasure crossing his mind.

“These petty bandits have decent cultivation, but they’re nothing but trash. Let me send them straight to the underworld with one sword strike,” Liu Lingfeng said arrogantly, fingers poised in a flowery gesture. His sword spun gracefully in midair before returning to its sheath on his back.

Dressed in snow-white robes and landing silently, he was a peerless, effeminate swordsman.

Lin Fan studied the man carefully, nodding approvingly.

This young man could be molded.