Aside from a few strong groups who were able to endure the bandits' attack through laborious effort, there were only a few who unhesitantly abandoned the tributes and fled when they saw that the situation was bad for them. All the sects who fought were completely slaughtered!
There were quite a number of players who wanted to b.u.t.t in to profit from the chaos, but once they were revived in Guanlin Temple, they knew just how bad the situation was for them.
The tributes that were supposed to be offered to the emperor on his birthday were not items that they were entitled to take!
The Forest Union stabbed them in the back while they fought against each other. Their abilities were greatly reduced, and they did not have the power of the imperial court to protect them. Like that, most of the tributes were snatched by the bandits.
Of course, there were also unique exceptions.
A few players caught wind of a new development from the battle replays recorded in different regions.
The groups who had only a few tribute boxes would be attacked by only a few bandits. The chances of bandit leaders in Mystical Realm appearing were also reduced. Only the big sects who had looted the tributes wantonly and had lots of them attracted numerous bandits. The bandit leaders in Mystical Realm would join the fight against them, and they would die even faster!
Hence, on that day, the teams that escort few tributes but had great power managed to successfully block a few waves of ambushes, and they did not lose the tributes in their hands.
The rarer an item was, the more valuable it was!
Due to the bloody tragedies that were caused by the players themselves when they looted the tributes from everywhere in the beginning of the quest and the answer of the imperial court as well as the Forest Union, the tributes that were still left in the hands of a handful of players became even more valuable. The sects began to search for their location at all costs.
In truth, if most of the sects could promise each other not to encroach on each other's tributes and grow strong together, it would have been fine. However, the valuable treasures, manuals, and medicine they'd had were lost, so there was no way they would just watch as a handful of people used those items to become stronger than them.
Under the trend stirred by benefits, greed, and ambition, an even more bloody massacre began in the world of martial artists.
Even Shaolin Temple, who was respected for its high moral integrity among the other sects, was dragged into the disaster that made all the wanderers' faces pale when they heard about it.
Thirteen staff-using monks charged quickly through a government-made road at the foot of the mountain. Each of them had blood and dirt on their faces, and they looked exhausted.
Behind them was a carriage carrying a tribute, but it no longer had its flag nor a canopy. There were three brocade boxes in it. As the horse pulled the carriage, it rattled forward with loud noise.
"We're almost there!"
A group of Shaolin disciples with Jieba dots[1] on their heads cast a glance at Mount Song, which towered into the sky, and released breaths of relief. Excitement and enthusiasm shone in their eyes.
"Let's work a little harder! In just half a mile, we'll reach Shaolin temple's territory!"
The group was elated. They patted the horse and made it hurry forward.
"Careful! There's someone!"
When they passed by a pavilion, the people in the lead focused their gazes up ahead and alerted the people behind them.
Bright light lit up in the eyes of the monks. Their robes fluttered, and their qi surged. They looked at the pavilion that was not too far from them!
At that moment, there were two players sitting in the pavilion, and though they seemed friendly, they were actually at odds with each other.
One of them was a middle-aged man with an unkempt face. He hugged a pot of wine while drinking without control in front of the stone table, as if he wanted to forget himself. He would occasionally smack his lips.
"Good wine!" He sounded as if he was enjoying himself greatly.
The man across from him was rather young. His blue robes fluttered in the wind while his hero's bandana danced behind him. The lines of his face were gentle, but they also showed his determination. He gave off a refreshing air and was very handsome, unlike the unkempt middle-aged man drinking in an unconstrained manner. While he gave him a faint smile, he toyed with a very normal-looking jade slit ring in his hand. Even when the group of people from Shaolin Temple passed them by, he did not cast them a glance.
However, the thirteen staff-using monks from Shaolin Temple did not believe that the duo in the pavilion were incense-pilgrims who were there to visit Shaolin Temple. The monk in the lead whispered an order to his companion.
"Round Heart, send a signal. Have our brothers in the temple come and receive us…"
The person behind him quickly moved forward and stared at the people in the pavilion while he brought out something from his Universe Bag and threw it into the air.
Hiss!
A fiery red light swiftly rose into the air, accompanied by a shrill hiss.
A spark that could not be considered as dazzling spread out in the sky.
The reaction of the duo in the pavilion differed.
The expression of the unkempt middle-aged man changed slightly. He cast a glance at the signal in the sky before his expression returned to normal.
The young man in the blue robes did not even look up. It was as if there was nothing in the world that was as attractive as the jade slit ring in his hands. He did not move, as if he had not heard the sound.
The group of monks looked at each other in shock.
They had already released their signal, so soon, their senior and junior brothers would come forward from the temple to provide reinforcements, but the two people did not even move an inch. Could it be that their target was not them… or had they given up on stealing their tributes?
Besides…
The open area around the pavilion was rather wide. It was impossible for anyone to hide there, which meant that there should be no ambush.
Even though they thought in that manner, the Shaolin Monks did not dare let down their guard. They carefully protected the tribute carriage and continued forward.
The unkempt middle-aged man stopped drinking. He placed his pot of wine on the table, and a hint of puzzlement appeared on his face as he stared at the blue-robed young man across from him, who just continued inspecting the jade in his hands.
In truth, when he arrived at the pavilion, the young man in blue robes had already been waiting there.
The blue-robed young man had an extraordinary bearing and exceptional elegance. He looked very young. Before the middle-aged man arrived, he stared in the direction of Mount Song. There was a faint, sentimental look in his eyes that suggested attachment along with grief. Even though he looked as if he had become another person now, it was not difficult to tell that he had some feelings for Mount Song, or rather, Shaolin Temple…
It was precisely of this person's strange behavior that the unkempt middle-aged man thought that he had come with the same goal in mind.
However, when the Shaolin Monks passed by, the young man did not even cast a glance at them. He also did not react to their signals, which made the middle-aged man hesitate.
'Could it be that this boy didn't come here for the tributes?'
When he saw that the Shaolin Monks' carriage had left their sight and the young man still refused to move while inspecting the jade slit ring in his hands, the unkempt middle-aged man finally stood up from his seat while swaying.
"With a pot of wine I brewed myself… I will wander the land. This humble monk will not keep you company any longer."
The unkempt middle-aged man left the young man with the blue robes in the pavilion. With unsteady and uneven footsteps, he headed in the direction from which the monks had come.
The wind blew gently.
The young man could hear the occasional sounds
of weapons clashing, along with hasty roars.
Chapter 116 - High-tier Body Fortification Technique, Break the Formation!
The thirteen staff-using monks belonged to Shaolin Temple!
In Happy's memories from his past life, their abilities were much better than those of the thirteen swordsmen who followed North Placating Duke, who came from the imperial court of the desert.
The thirteen staff-using Shaolin Monks had astonishing combat abilities, and they also practiced Demon Slaying Staff Formation. They understood the essence of making someone fight continuously against a greater number until they destroyed them. As the monks took over each other's places in the formation, even if they had to face an attack by dozens of Blessed Realm players at the same time, they could easily receive the attacks and destroy them. They gained a name for themselves during the quest for the emperor's birthday.
Speaking of which, those thirteen people were Happy's senior brothers in his previous life. However, his abilities had been low at that time, so he had been nothing in their eyes.
"In my past life, you lost your tribute during the final leg of the quest, and all your work came to a waste. This time, I will clean up the mess for you."
When he heard the violent sounds of battle that came from the government-made road ahead of him, the blue-robed young man slowly stood up from his seat. Obviously, he was Happy, who had hurried over day and night until he reached the foot of Mount Song.
He changed into tight-fitting black clothes. With them, Happy's calm and indifferent face became even more mysterious and extraordinary. He brought out a black piece of cloth and tied it around his head tightly to cover his face before he jumped out of the pavilion.
*****
The battle happened at the crossroads up ahead.
Clang! Clang…
The thirteen staff-using monks guarded the brocade boxes with angry faces. They did not leave their spot and fought fiercely against the thirty or so players around them. There were around ten strong archers at both sides of the government-made road not too far in the distance. Their gazes sparkled, and their arrows targeted one monk while they worked together with the people who surrounded them to bring chaos to their staff formation.
With just one glance, it was clear that these people had prepared their attack after meticulous planning and preparation. They had to have been eyeing the thirteen staff users for a long time.
The monks might have advantage in group battle, but the Blessed Realms who ambushed them were not mediocre players. They did not linger in battle and only attacked at the right time by using the archers in the distance, forcing the monks to multi-task.
They could not abandon their carriage, which meant trouble surrounded them soon. Three monks were injured, and once they were shot, their fighting abilities were greatly reduced. It became difficult for them to maintain their staff formation.
However, their opponents continued to move around them and did not attack. They played a game of cat and mouse with them while occasionally launching a powerful in hand with the archers. The thirteen staff-using monks were furious and incredibly indignant.
"You shameless sc.u.m! If you have the ability, don't hide and attack us head on!"
"Hahahaha… If we're sc.u.m, so be it! No matter what, the tribute in your hands is now ours! Along with your lives!"
The ambushers were completely unbothered by the curses of the monks. They chuckled coldly and continued to use their strategy to whittle down the thirteen staff-using monks' stamina. They worked to gradually destroy Demon Slaying Staff Formation.
"If you have the guts, come! Metal Wall!"
As the monk who served as the leader roared, the thirteen Shaolin Monks changed their tactic. They began spinning the iron staffs in their hands madly, making them look like spinning discs. They changed places, and for a period of time, the shadows of the staffs flickered about. The volleys of arrows could not stop their movements. Even the players who wanted to attack were dazzled. They were caught in a situation where it was difficult for them to advance and retreat, and a number of them were injured.
The thirteen staff-using monks took advantage of long weapons being able to completely cover their user!
"Child's play."
A person rushed out of the group of attackers. He was well-built and dressed entirely in black. His gaze was fierce and sharp, and he spread his arms wide, like a machine. He jumped forward, and like an eagle, he dove down on the nearest Shaolin Monk.
"Get lost!"
The thirteen staff-using monks reacted extremely quickly. Three formed a neat row and went forth in small but swift footsteps. Various shadows could be seen from their Gold Melding Staffs as they moved, and they struck the person who came forth with the momentum of lightning.
Boom!
The person's waist, t.h.i.g.hs, and c.h.e.s.t were injured at the same time. He cried out in pain before he leapt away.
However, when they struck the person, a lot of damage was reflected back at them. The three Shaolin Monks felt their qi surge in them. They took a step back, and an abnormal red flush colored their faces.
The monks only narrowly avoided the nightmare of being destroyed when those behind them swung their staffs.
However, arms of the first three monks were shot by arrows. Their actions were no longer as agile as before. It was impossible for them to continue maintaining the staff formation.
The gaze of the leader of the monk turned fierce, and he glared at the person who had attacked them just then.
"Iron Shirt!"
The monks then noticed that the person who had been struck by their three companions had managed to regain his footing after only taking a few steps back. His facial color was the same as before, and his voice was very loud. He did not seem to have been injured at all.
Even with a body fortification technique at Grandmaster Realm, no one should not have such a terrifying defensive, right?!
"You're just a frog in the well!"
A cold snort reached their ears. The person from before jumped up and pounced on them again.
"Go back to where you came from!"
If a normal player was struck in this manner, no matter how good they were, they would have sustained severe internal injuries.
However, the man had managed to neutralize all the force after taking three steps back. He looked up slowly to reveal a smug and savage expression.
The thirteen staff-using monks' expressions changed drastically.
"A high-tier body fortification technique."
"You have some intelligence at least." The person smiled coldly before his smile fell away. In its place was a grim an unhesitant look. "Attack!"
The archers shot their arrows at the same time.
The thirty or so Blessed Realm players attacked as well.
The monks' combat abilities had been drastically reduced. They had lost the protection of the staff formation, and they could no longer withstand the encirclement from three or more players in the same realm as them. Besides, there were also professional archers who launched sneak attacks at them from the side.
In less than ten moves, the thirteen staff-using monks were killed one by one. Their blood dyed the carriage and tribute they had protected for days.
"The people from Shaolin Temple should be here soon. Get the tribute box and go!"
The group moved incredibly quickly. Once they got rid of the thirteen staff-using monks, they quickly gathered the items and left a mess on the ground. Soon, they disappeared without a trace.
Right after the group left, the unkempt middle-aged man from the pavilion appeared next to the corpses of the thirteen staff-using monks. He surveyed the area with a scowl and shook his head while sighing nonstop.
"Darn it all, if I knew that these monks were so useless, I would have gotten rid of the archers for them!"
Once he finished speaking, he cast a glance in the direction in which the group had left. He hesitated over whether he should chase after them
or not.
They had around fifty Blessed Realm players. Their operation showed uniformity and planning, which meant that they should be men from some clan or assault group. It would be very difficult for him to snatch the tributes from a proper organization.
While the unkempt man pondered over his choices, his expression suddenly changed. With a tap on the ground, he vanished from his spot at the speed of lightning.
The sound of horse hooves thundered!
"Giddy up!"
"Surround them!"
The well-built man with the black attire ran at the front, as if there was wind under his feet. He did not even dare to look back. There was fear and anger on his face.
'Darn it all! I wouldn't have said anything if we ran into bandits from Forest Union right after we got the tribute… but why is there a Mystical Realm NPC among them?!'
Chapter 117 - The Oriole is Behind You
"Ah!"
"Damn it! Run!"
As more and more rushed out from the forest, a grave expression appeared on the unkempt man's face while he hid behind a fork in the road.
There were more than seventy Forest Union bandits on horseback chasing after the players. More than half of them were archers, and all of them were equipped in full armor. Their archery skills were extraordinary. They had only chased after the group for a few seconds, but they had already killed seven and caused eight others to flee while injured!
The unkempt middle-aged man naturally did not believe that forty or so Blessed Realm players would be terrified of seventy Blessed Realm bandits. He held his breath carefully and stood in a rather hidden corner quietly. He watched the group of people charge past and studied the bandits behind them.
Soon, he noticed that most of the players who had been killed were killed in one hit by a man who held a silver longbow.
He was very eye-catching. His hair was disheveled, and his gaze was as fierce as that of a lion. His arms were as thick as an ape's, and he gave off the feeling that he was valiant and overbearing. The fine horse beneath him was entirely red. His eyes burned brightly, and there was a diamond shaped mark on his forehead. He looked incredibly dashing!
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