Chapter 4, Intersection

Gu Shenwei was certainly not that foolish. He stood among the bandits, surrounded by an endless expanse of Gobi desert; escaping would be tantamount to seeking death. Moreover, his hands were bound, and he was tied together with a group of captives

Gu Shenwei suddenly stood up, driven by a moment of impulse, even contemplating going out to fight his enemies to the death. However, reason quickly took precedence. Regardless of the origins of those assassins, his father Gu Lun, his master Yang Zheng, and his two elder brothers were all powerless to resist, and he himself was even more vulnerable. The fact that he had survived was already a considerable miracle

Gu Shenwei had not yet understood what had happened when he felt a tight grip on the back of his neck. A large hand firmly seized him, and its owner leaped onto a horse, leaving Gu Shenwei suspended in the air, his feet no longer touching the ground

You have received the money, yet you still won't let me go

The scar-faced bandit sensed the gaze directed at him from below, glanced down at the young captive, his eyes cold and merciless, "Run away."

Gu Shen felt as if his back had been broken, the pain penetrating to the bone. However, what terrified him even more was the internal martial arts manual that had been stolen; it was the most precious heirloom of the Gu family, more important than his own life

Gu Shen had no way of knowing the identities of these individuals, considering them merely as enemies. He resembled a young beast cornered, emitting a low growl from his throat and displaying his not-so-sharp claws

He looked at the book with sorrow, noticing the text on it, but was taken aback: he recognized those characters, each one of them, yet together they clearly formed an account book, with not a single sentence related to internal energy cultivation

As one was about to reach the secret manual, a sudden strong wind swept in close to the ground. Nearby, the torch that had been discarded by the bandits flickered like a snake's tongue, its flame dancing erratically. Upon touching the fluttering pages of the book, it immediately ignited joyfully.

Return it to me! Gu Shenwei rose up with determination

Strangely, the robbers were all craning their necks towards the northern mountain pass, each displaying a restless expression, as if they were waiting for someone.

Two hours ago, Gu Shenwei still believed he was guided by "divine will," but unexpectedly, he became a captive of bandits, mingling with a group of filthy and panicked men and women

A dirt road running from north to south passes through a narrow mountain pass. After winding for several miles, it converges with the main road running east to west, where over a hundred people have already gathered at the intersection

An aged robber surveyed the newly arrived gang and captives with a gloomy gaze, suddenly speaking: "The harvest is not great, Flying Eagle"

What is this thing? The robber was very angry

It is likely that a special emotion was reflected in his gaze. The elderly bandit glanced at him again, but did not say much, and continued to gaze towards the mountain pass in the north

They are filthy robbers and thieves, and their numbers are far fewer than Gu Shenwei believes; in fact, there are only five of them. The sound of the whistle, the hoofbeats, and the torches amplify this scene.

The scar-faced bandit spat on the ground, thick phlegm brushing past Gu Shenwei's scalp, as he had no regard to answer the question posed by this ignorant young man

In the Western Regions, no one is unaware of the unparalleled King.

Although the tone was harsh, Gu Shenwei had already faintly realized that he, like other men and women, was viewed as money in the eyes of the robbers, just like those beasts.

The bandits were adept at looting the valuables from the ruins, and within less than the time it takes to burn an incense stick, they returned to the courtyard with their large and small bundles of spoils, whistling as they prepared to leave

Gu Shenwei understood the identities of these individuals and, in a fit of rage, shouted, "Let go of me!" as he struggled to seize the package.

The robber struck him in the face with a punch, nearly knocking him unconscious. He tossed aside the book, pulled out a rope, and bound him tightly before jumping off the horse to join the others in the ruins in search of valuable items

Gu Shenwei only wanted revenge, and naturally did not care about the outcome three years later; now, however, he has lost even this hope of mutual destruction

Six bandits drove the captives and livestock eastward, while Gu Shenwei exerted himself to follow closely, unable to spit out the white silk in his mouth

In that instant, Gu Shenwei suddenly realized something. The oilcloth wrapping the book was tossed in front of him, revealing a corner of white silk. Before it was lifted, he opened his mouth and bit down on the corner of the silk, and while lying on the horse's back, he had already swallowed the silk into his mouth

The waiting individuals have yet to arrive, causing the robbers to grow increasingly restless, cursing under their breath. They are not accustomed to being so close to their peers, and two groups have already engaged in a fight over this, resulting in several injuries, but fortunately, no fatalities occurred

Before the hooves had even touched the ground, a large hand suddenly released its grip, causing Gu Shen to fall heavily to the ground. He cried out in pain, rolling twice before managing to stand up, only to find himself surrounded by horse-riding swordsmen. Under the illumination of numerous torches, each one looked like a hungry wolf, greedily staring at a small prey.

Gu Shenwei's hands and feet were bound, and he could only squirm like a worm, struggling desperately. He finally fell from the horse to the ground and then exerted all his strength to crawl towards that book.

Gu Shen curled up in pain as the robber grabbed the rope on his body, intending to haul him back onto the horse.

The robber's laughter grew louder, completely disregarding the young man. He stuffed the silver into his own bosom and then struck the young man heavily on the back with his palm. After that, he took out the small oilcloth bag along with the *illustration*.

Most people were wearing tattered leather garments, seemingly never washed, glistening with oil under the rays of the morning sun. Everyone carried weapons, their eyes fierce, resembling a group of ferocious beasts forced to gather together.

The "secret manual" that he had painstakingly found and rescued turned out not to be the "Hehejin" quick training method, which left Gu Shen feeling as if he had been doused with a bucket of cold water. In his simple revenge plan, this manual held an extremely important position; without it, relying solely on his meager martial skills, he would need to practice diligently for at least thirty years to be qualified for revenge

Among all the captives, Gu Shenwei was indeed the dirtiest, covered in sweat, dust, and ashes, resembling a human figure sculpted from mud

Gu Shenwei waited for a long time, but no one brought up the topic of "tiger" again, so he had to ask himself, "The tiger you are following is quite formidable."

The robber whistled, abruptly tore off the oilcloth cover, and then froze; inside was a thin book. He flipped through a few pages, but he did not recognize a single word.

The scar-faced thief known as "Flying Eagle" spat again, "A tiger leaves no food under its jaws"

Gu Shenwei's heart suddenly sank; the strength of his enemy was beyond his expectations

New whistles join from all directions, some long, some short, rising and falling like a group of noisy raptors fighting over food, quickly entering the ruins of the manor, the sound of hooves tramping, as if hundreds or thousands of people have rushed in

The bandit, Feiying, kept his lips tightly sealed, as if he had not heard the words at all. After a long while, he finally said coldly:

As dawn approached, a group of bandits halted at a T-junction. Gu Shenwei felt that this place was not too far from his home, but he rarely left the estate and had no recollection of this road.

Near the small village at the foot of the mountain, there was a robber guarding a dozen captives and over thirty cattle and sheep. The captives had their arms tightly bound and were tied together in a chain. Gu Shenwei was also thrown to the ground, re-tied, and placed at the end of the line of captives

Strangely, the fierce and menacing bandits were all crowded on the west side of the intersection, while the vast open space directly across the road remained completely deserted, as if that empty area were hiding ghosts and monsters.

Gu Shenwei's heart suddenly skipped a beat; the "tiger" must be the one who exterminated the Gu family. The bandits clearly knew the details. He had always thought that the assassin who wiped out the Gu family was hiding their tracks, making them difficult to trace.

Taking advantage of the bandits' inattention, Gu Shenwei spat out the white silk he had been holding for half a day. He did not dare to check it and secretly stuffed it into his bosom. He had already been searched once and hoped not to be subjected to a second search.

Sovereign of the Realm

This fire has also burned Gu Shenwei's heart. The thing he regrets the most now is not having diligently practiced the family martial arts, as he is unable to even defeat an ordinary bandit

Is there a tiger greater than the one who stands alone at the top?

The massacre of the Gu family is a fatal wound, the first wave of assassins has feasted and retreated unscathed, and behind the assassins, a pack of wolves and crows are in pursuit.

Hey, this guy is a peer, and he got ahead of us!

The bandit who captured Gu Shenwei also returned, placing two bundles on the horse's back. His haul was not as substantial as that of others, leaving him in a rather poor mood. He walked over to the young man and kicked him hard.

There are clearly factions among the various bandits, divided into several groups. In their peripheral vision, there is an atmosphere of vigilance, with their hands always positioned close to their weapons, ready for battle at any moment

The bandits mounted their horses one after another, leaving the village and descending the mountain

Gu Shen bent down, having just hidden behind a broken wall. A torch was thrown into the air, tumbling as it flew over his head

He rolled onto the book to extinguish the flames, then hurriedly rolled away to avoid the nearby torch, biting the book and moving it further away. In the end, he managed to save the family heirloom, but only a portion of it, as the first few pages were almost completely burned.

Gu Shenwei felt somewhat baffled by his capture, as it was surprising that so many bandits had gathered near the Gu family estate. Such individuals were said to have been eradicated years ago. He looked up at the bandit who had seized him, hoping to obtain some information from him.

Matters in the world often unfold in this manner; after an earthquake, there is always a torrential rain, followed by fierce winds. Misfortune resembles an animal under attack, with the blood that drips inevitably attracting more predators, followed by scavengers, then nocturnal creatures, then flies, and finally even smaller organisms, until that mass of flesh, blood, and bone completely disappears

The "Hehejin" quick cultivation method has significant side effects. The heads of the Gu family have always kept the secret manual carefully hidden, allowing their descendants to view it only with great caution. It is said that an ancestor once practiced this method, achieving remarkable internal strength and doubling their power. Coupled with the family's unparalleled sword and spear skills, they gained considerable fame. However, just three years later, they died suddenly under mysterious circumstances, and the manner of death was horrific.

The robber, like others, wore leather felt even in the scorching summer. He was robust, with a thick beard and a dirty face, and there was a scar on his left cheek

The long whip silently struck from the darkness, and Gu Shenwei fell to the ground once more. The bandits erupted into excited laughter, and one of them bent down to grab the young man, unceremoniously placing him across the horse's back and searching him. They found a small pouch of silver in the boy's arms, raised it high, and shouted: