Ning Rongrong quickly stood back-to-back with Ning Tianchen, summoning her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
This was the standard defensive stance taught by the clan to ensure no blind spots.
Watching the firelight draw closer, Ning Tianchen said grimly, “Damn it, we walked right into a bandit trap.”
These bandits likely relied on pre-set traps and waited to collect the loot.
Under the cover of night, moving recklessly would only trigger more traps, completely cutting off their escape.
“Brother Tianchen, what should we do?” Ning Rongrong asked, her face pale and her voice frantic.
“Don’t worry, Rongrong.
Bandits aren’t always soul masters.
Even if they are, they might not be stronger than us.”
Soon, two groups merged into a mob of over twenty men, surrounding them.
“We cleared this road.
If you want to pass without paying, you’re disrespecting our stronghold!” the leading brute arrogantly declared.
“Heifeng Stronghold?” Ning Tianchen asked casually.
The brute was momentarily stunned, then laughed when he saw their youthful faces.
“I didn’t expect two brats.
Since you know our stronghold, you should know the rules!”
Ning Tianchen rolled his eyes.
Do all bandit strongholds use the same generic names?
“I don’t know your rules.
We didn’t mean to intrude.
If we offended you, we’ll leave now,” Ning Tianchen said firmly.
“Leave?” The brute waved his hand, and his men stepped forward, brandishing broadswords.
“Our rule is: men leave their money and go.
Women stay to entertain our brothers.
This little girl is quite a beauty.
We can take her back, raise her for a few years, and have our fun then.”
“Hahaha.”
Ning Rongrong was terrified, gripping Ning Tianchen’s arm tightly.
“Since there’s no room for negotiation, I’ll use you for practice.” Ning Tianchen’s eyes turned cold.
Yellow, yellow, and purple soul rings appeared beneath his feet.
“A three-ring Soul Expert!”
Seeing his rings, many bandits backed away in fear.
A Soul Expert was a formidable force; in small cities, they were often clan leaders.
The brute’s expression turned grave.
He wasn’t afraid of Ning Tianchen’s strength, but the faction behind him.
A genius this young reaching the Soul Expert realm definitely belonged to a major family.
Offending them would bring disaster to the stronghold.
“Don’t retreat!
If their family tracks us down, we’re all dead!
Attack together!
The wealth they carry is enough for us to live comfortably for half a lifetime!”
His men gained courage.
Half of them were soul masters with ten-year rings, and three were two-ring Grandmasters.
The brute himself revealed three rings—he was also a Soul Expert.
“Rongrong, buff me,” Ning Tianchen whispered, raising his Seven Kill Sword.
Before the enemies could fully summon their martial souls, his sword was already coated in sword aura.
“Seven Treasures Spin, Out Comes the Glaze.
Seven Treasures Have Names: First is Strength, Second is Speed.”
Seven-colored light surged into Ning Tianchen, boosting his strength and speed by thirty percent.
The brute hadn’t recognized the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda at first, but the incantation confirmed it.
“They are from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan!
We must kill them!”
The brute led the charge with his machete.
“Too late!” Ning Tianchen roared, sweeping his Seven Kill Sword horizontally.
A fierce sword aura erupted.
Ordinary bandits with no soul power were sliced in half instantly.
The soul masters suffered varying degrees of injuries.
“The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan has a guardian Douluo who uses a sword.
Are you his disciple?” The brute was horrified by the sword aura’s power, but he had no choice but to fight to the death.
“Whether I am or not, you’ll find out when you’re dead.”
“First Soul Skill, Azure Dragon Break.”
The sword aura, amplified by the pagoda, easily slaughtered the weaker soul masters.
The three Grandmasters struggled to block it.
Ning Tianchen didn’t give them a chance.
With his boosted speed, he moved like a phantom, cutting them down one by one.
“Stop right there!” The brute suddenly appeared beside Ning Rongrong, pressing his broadsword against her neck.
Ning Tianchen turned around.
The lackeys were dead.
Only the leader remained.
Ning Rongrong didn’t beg for mercy.
“Brother Tianchen, ignore me!
Kill him!
If I die, tell Dad that in my next life, I’ll listen to him.”
“Shut up!” the brute yelled, then stated his demands.
“Kid, you don’t want her to die.
Give me twenty thousand gold soul coins, and I’ll let her go once I’m down the mountain.”
Ning Tianchen played along.
“What else?
State all your demands.”
The brute thought for a moment.
“I want a shop.”
“No problem.”
“I want twenty beauties to serve me.”
“Easy.”
“I want a mansion, and you must never look for me again.”
“Agreed.”
“I also want…”
As the brute daydreamed, Ning Tianchen’s third soul ring quietly lit up.
The brute grew wary but continued his demands when Ning Tianchen didn’t move.
Suddenly, a cold light flashed in the darkness.
Multiple flying blades shot from the side, piercing the brute’s neck and severing his sword arm.
“External Spirit Bone Skill: Flying Feather Blades.”
Countless feather blades returned to Ning Tianchen’s back as his external spirit bone, the sword wings, spread open, gleaming with a deadly chill.