The passengers on the flying boat outnumbered the sky bandits by more than six to one, and in terms of cultivation, they might not have been inferior to these bandits.
Yet at this moment, only a handful of people—family members of the abducted girls—dared to resist. There were even cowards who dared not step forward when their own sisters were being taken.
Schnauzer clenched his fists until they creaked. He wanted to rescue the girls and fight the sky bandits.
But he didn’t know the right moment to act, so he could only look to Xiao Zhuang and Bai Xiu for help.
Bai Xiu was also frowning deeply, calculating the combat strength of the sky bandits and estimating how many passengers might step forward to fight.
Xiao Zhuang?
Seeing Schnauzer’s gaze, Xiao Zhuang quietly slipped him a handful of Strength Talismans. Without any explanation, he leaped out.
“In broad daylight, under the clear sky, how dare you villains commit such heinous acts!
Release that girl! I shall vanquish you in the name of the moon!”
This righteous roar was like a beam of light illuminating the hearts of all the demons present, filling some of the passionate youths with strength and courage.
But when they turned to look, the one who had rushed out was a three-heads-tall little kid.
The hope that had just ignited in the abducted girls was instantly dashed. A hero had indeed emerged, but this hero was a chibi version, not even reaching the height of the bandits’ legs.
However, they soon changed their minds. The hero might be chibi-sized, but his combat skills were surprisingly effective.
With the boost from the talismans, Xiao Zhuang moved swiftly—one punch to kill the chicken, two kicks to crush the eggs—quickly completing the neutering mission on seven or eight sky bandits.
The abducted girls suddenly saw the light: what a brilliant move.
Aim for the crime, strike where it hurts. Mother need not worry about my purity anymore—it made perfect sense.
Seeing Xiao Zhuang engaged in battle, Schnauzer and Bai Xiu immediately charged out.
Learning good deeds is hard, but picking up bad habits comes naturally!
Although Shisan used the Egg-Crushing Fist due to his height limitations, the other two found the move despicable yet effective, so they followed suit with their own lineage-ending kicks.
The sky bandits instantly broke into cries of “Father!” and wails of agony. Where did these three freaks come from? They were even more shameless than bandits!
The bandit leader, seeing resistance, sensed trouble. If the crowd’s fighting spirit was stirred up, things would turn dire.
He had to crush these troublemakers quickly and decisively.
This leader was a late Golden Core vulture—ruthless, cunning, and battle-hardened.
If Xiao Zhuang hadn’t blocked in time, Bai Xiu would have been nearly sliced in half by the leader’s flying saw.
The saw-toothed flying wheel slashed across Xiao Zhuang’s body, drawing a line of blood. Even the passengers who had wanted to turtle up in cowardice were moved.
A five- or six-year-old child knew to fight the bandits—could it be that they lacked even that much courage?
Someone shouted, “Let’s fight them with everything we’ve got!”
Instantly, the passengers erupted. Those with decent cultivation immediately began battling the sky bandits.
If one-on-one wasn’t enough, then two or three teamed up against one. Even an old granny whacked a bandit’s head with her cane.
The deck descended into chaos.
The gloomy-faced bandit, seeing the situation deteriorate, let out a sharp screech. No one knew what kind of bird his true form was, but the sound was piercing and grating, forcing the demons to cover their ears involuntarily.
Seizing the moment of hesitation, the bandit let out a sinister cackle, tore off his clothes to reveal Thunderblast Talismans on his body, and declared:
“Since you refuse to appreciate my mercy, don’t blame me for what comes next. We can all perish together!
Once I detonate these Thunderblast Talismans, the flying boat’s shield will shatter. We’re a thousand meters in the air.
No matter how high your cultivation, you’ll all be smashed into pulp upon hitting the ground. None of you will escape!”
The bandit leader shook his shoulders and unfurled a pair of massive wings. “Go on, keep fighting! What does it matter how strong you are? Your grandpa can fly! Hand over those three troublemaking brats, and we’ll take the Spirit Stones and leave. Otherwise, we’ll blow up this Flying Boat, and none of you will survive.”
Xiao Zhuang immediately sensed the danger. This couldn’t wait—if the passengers decided to sacrifice him as a scapegoat, his heroic act would be for nothing. With this thought, he shouted, “If my death can ensure everyone’s safety, I’m willing to sacrifice myself!”
As all eyes turned to him, Xiao Zhuang’s eyes welled up with tears as he clasped his hands in a salute. “Uncles, aunts, brothers, and sisters, I was abducted to the Nether Realm as a child. I only know I was taken from Lingjian Mountain, but I don’t know who my parents are. This trip through the Cross-Realm Gate was my attempt to find my family at Lingjian Mountain, but fate is cruel, and I’ll die here. If any of you meet someone from Lingjian Mountain searching for their child, please tell them: Shisan was unfilial and couldn’t serve his parents in their old age!”
Before the shock could settle among the crowd, Xiao Zhuang charged straight toward the gloomy-faced man. Caught off guard, the man was tightly grabbed by Xiao Zhuang. No one knew what this kid had eaten growing up, but his strength was astonishing—the man couldn’t shake him off and was dragged down by the boy’s momentum, plummeting straight off the Flying Boat.
Amid the gasps of the passengers, Xiao Zhuang didn’t hesitate, clinging tightly to the man as they fell. The Sky Bandit hadn’t had time to detonate his Thunderblast Talisman, so Xiao Zhuang decided to help him out. Relying on his own sturdy physique, he activated two Heavenly Thunder Talismans, instantly triggering the Thunderblast Talisman on the bandit.
Those on the boat heard a deafening explosion as the falling bandit was blown to pieces. The fair-skinned boy who had just been speaking moments earlier now plummeted downward through a mist of blood.
Without a second thought, Schnauzer leaped off the Flying Boat, transforming into his true form and diving through the blood mist toward Xiao Zhuang. Though Xiao Zhuang’s body was tough, the explosion had left him dazed. As his vision cleared, he saw a massive Husky swooping down. With fluffy paws and soft pads, Xiao Zhuang felt as if he’d been scooped into a cloud—so soft he could no longer feel the wind.
After catching Xiao Zhuang, Schnauzer held him against his chest, curling into a furry ball as they fell toward the glowing portal of the Small Mystic Realm.
Everything happened too fast for anyone to process. By the time Bai Xiu reacted and rushed to the edge of the Flying Boat, Schnauzer and Xiao Zhuang had vanished without a trace. The Secret Realm closed instantly as the demon crossed its threshold, leaving only scattered blood mist in the air. No one knew where the giant dog that had leaped overboard had landed.
Seeing both his brothers disappear, Bai Xiu flew into a rage. Gripping his silver whip, he charged into battle against the Sky Bandits. In fights, momentum is everything. The bandits, seeing their opponent’s crimson eyes and desperate ferocity, grew fearful. As their morale wavered, the previously oppressed passengers found their courage.
Xiao Zhuang’s tragic and heroic death had shaken the cowards to their core. The passengers surged forward—even the delicate young women who had been weeping moments earlier now stabbed at their captors with hairpins.
Chaos erupted. By the time everyone calmed down, the dozens of arrogant Sky Bandits had been beaten to pulp. The Flying Boat’s manager finally emerged from hiding, pleading with some strong young men to help pile the bandits’ corpses into an empty room, awaiting the enforcement squad of Shuangji City to handle the aftermath when the Flying Boat landed.
Bai Xiu watched them bustling about, leaning dejectedly against the ship’s railing as he spaced out.
Although the three of them hadn’t known each other for long, he genuinely adored these two younger brothers.
That silly fool had no sense of caution—he believed whatever Bai Xiu said, and even when tricked, he’d just laugh happily without holding a grudge.
Though Shisan was clever, sharp-tongued, and ruthless in action, he had always treated the two of them well.
Bai Xiu used to think that smart people always pursued profit and avoided harm, but today, when Shisan took a blow for him, he realized he was wrong.
A childhood friend you’ve known for over a decade might betray you, while a friend you’ve only met for a month can be entrusted with your back.
True friendship does exist in this world—it’s just that he hadn’t encountered it before. And now that he had found it, he lost it again because of his habitual overthinking.
Both Shisan and Xiao Rui had flight talismans on them, so they shouldn’t have fallen.
This sudden disappearance mid-air was likely due to encountering a Small mystic realm.
All he could do now was pray—pray that these two younger brothers could emerge safely from the Secret Realm.
Even if they no longer wanted anything to do with a coward like him who had betrayed their friendship!