Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Death of Cui Ba

Tap... tap... tap... The sound of approaching hoofbeats echoed through the curtain of rain. "Who would come at a time like this?" The thought flashed through Huang Jian's mind as he rose to peer into the downpour. "Boss, could it be the remnants of Longba?"

Ding Quan had already stood, his eyes cold and sharp like a lone wolf, fixed on the darkness ahead. His thoughts aligned with Huang Jian's: who else could it be but Longba’s survivors at such an hour? In the next instant, a swift steed appeared before him, ridden by a man and a woman. His gaze narrowed suddenly, and he turned to shout behind him, "Enemy attack! Get up, all of you!"

Jin Wei’s bandits were clearly well-trained; at Ding Quan's bellow, five hundred men resting behind him sprang to their feet, moving swiftly to gather at his back. Without the need for orders, they slipped into a state of vigilance, crossbows raised and aimed at the horses in the night. The arrow tips glimmered like cold stars in the darkness.

"Ling’er, open the way for us," Lei Yan leaned forward from his saddle, speaking softly by Qing Ling’s ear. She felt a warmth at her ear as his voice, carried on a wave of heat, entered her. "Alright," she replied gently, her laughter ringing like silver bells. Infused with true energy, her laughter rolled forward under her control, crashing toward the bandits ahead.

"What the hell is that?" Huang Jian cursed instinctively, those rippling, nearly transparent white waves so vivid against the night. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief, but before he could look again, a splitting pain seized his head, and he clutched his skull, screaming in agony.

The cries of pain spread like contagion; Ding Quan hadn’t yet ordered the archers before he too was screaming, hands on his head. Hundreds of bandits behind him, without exception, collapsed screaming. Qing Ling’s surprise at their agony made her raise her pitch.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!...

Explosions swept the mountain’s base in an instant. Hundreds of heads burst like punctured balloons, spraying red and white fluids. Not a soul survived. Strangely, though, the thirty-six bandits riding behind Lei Yan remained utterly unaffected.

"So this is the difference between cultivators and warriors?" Lei Yan paused, stunned by the carnage before him. But remembering Cui Ba’s peril, he swung his hand, "Move quickly!" He pressed his legs to his horse, charging up the mountain.

The thirty-six bandits following Lei Yan, faces expressionless out of habit, were inwardly terrified. Hundreds wiped out in a blink—this defied all understanding.

At the hollow of Falling Sun Mountain, Jin Ding gazed toward the ravine. Suddenly, hoofbeats sounded; he turned instinctively, seeing dozens of warriors rushing toward him, led by a man and woman atop a horse. Jin Ding waved a hand behind him, shouting, "Stop them!"

His words had barely fallen before two hundred elite members of the Listening Tide Pavilion surged forward.

Lei Yan glanced at Qing Ling and saw her face pale. He smiled wryly: "Seems killing hundreds in a moment isn't easy even for a Foundation Stage cultivator." He leapt from his mount, and with a series of sharp cracks, the necks of over a hundred bandits caved in. None saw the scarlet figure clearly before death.

Perhaps influenced by Lei Yan’s slaughter, the thirty-six bandits plunged into the melee, ferociously cutting down the remaining elite warriors.

As bandit after bandit fell, Jin Ding’s heart ached. He had spent countless effort raising these men, only for them to die so easily—he could not accept it. Anger surged within him, and powerful innate energy gathered instantly in his right fist, glowing conspicuously in the night. Gathering all his strength, Jin Ding sprang forward, aiming a crushing punch at Lei Yan, intent on shattering him.

"Brother Lei, look out!" Sensing the surge of Jin Ding’s energy, Qing Ling cried out uncontrollably.

The blood-red figure halted abruptly, spun, and sent his right fist crashing to meet Jin Ding’s, defending head-on with an earthen punch.

Boom!

The fists met and parted; a surge of powerful energy struck Lei Yan’s hand, sending him flying backward.

"Brother Lei!" Qing Ling exclaimed, leaping from her horse to catch Lei Yan mid-air. "Are you alright?"

"I’m fine." Lei Yan shook his head. The blow hadn’t injured him; he had intended to use its force to tumble into the ravine, but Qing Ling had intercepted him. Smiling bitterly as he landed, he said, "Am I really so useless, Ling’er? Look at him."

Qing Ling relaxed at his words, looking across to see Jin Ding frowning at them. Jin Ding’s arm was broken, bone piercing the skin and dripping blood.

"Baldy, get your men up here! I want them to die horribly!" Jin Ding roared in fury.

Hmph! Lei Yan’s figure flashed, landing a punch on Jin Ding’s chest, moving so fast he left afterimages in the air. Jin Ding saw the blur and Lei Yan was upon him; he tried to dodge, but Lei Yan’s fist had arrived. Helpless, Jin Ding gathered his energy in his left hand to meet it.

Boom!

The water-style energy crashed against Jin Ding’s left hand like a relentless tidal wave, shattering his gathered force in an instant. Feeling Lei Yan’s energy invade his body, Jin Ding’s expression changed, rallying his remaining energy to resist—but it was immediately dispersed. In a blink, Lei Yan’s force crushed his internal organs; his legs buckled and he fell, unwilling.

With Jin Ding dead, Lei Yan plunged down the ravine, Qing Ling close behind, and the thirty-six bandits followed after finishing off the elite.

Lei Yan had barely landed when a whistling voice came from the darkness. Lu Kai swung two giant axes, cursing, "Take your grandpa’s axe!"

As the axes fell, Lei Yan raised his hand to catch the blade. The earth beneath his feet sank instantly, Lei Yan’s brow furrowed; he sensed innate energy in Lu Kai’s axe. He shouted angrily, "Idiot, it’s me!"

Lu Kai paused in the darkness, recognizing the voice but unable to place it for a moment. After a few breaths, he shouted, "Young Master, you’re finally here!"

"Where’s foster father?" Lei Yan didn’t waste time on greetings, his heart anxious for Cui Ba’s safety.

Lu Kai’s face darkened at Lei Yan’s question. "Cui Ba was injured saving Old Second Leng—badly."

"Lead the way," Lei Yan said grimly.

Following Lu Kai, Lei Yan reached a flat clearing where dozens of bandits stood, and Cui Ba lay stretched out on the ground. With his keen sight, Lei Yan immediately spotted Cui Ba’s pallid face and quickened his pace. The bandits parted to let him through. Old Second Leng, standing by Cui Ba, brightened; in Longba, all knew Lei Yan’s medical skill was legendary.

Lei Yan nodded to Old Second Leng, then bent down, placing three fingers on Cui Ba’s pulse. The motion seemed to rouse Cui Ba; he opened his eyes slowly, weakly shaking his head, "Lei’er, don’t trouble yourself..."

"Foster father!" Lei Yan didn’t remove his hand, brow furrowed. By feeling the pulse, he already knew Cui Ba’s meridians were shattered.

Cui Ba forced a faint smile at Lei Yan, but the effort aggravated his internal injuries and he coughed repeatedly. "I know my own wounds best—my meridians are gone, I won’t survive." He paused to catch his breath, signaling with his eyes for Lei Yan and the others to keep silent. "Lei’er, I lived this long just to wait for you." He tried to raise his hand, but his injuries rendered him immobile. He glanced at Lei Yan, then at his chest, indicating Lei Yan should retrieve what was within.

Lei Yan understood, opened Cui Ba’s shirt, and took out a piece of sheepskin.

Cui Ba looked at the parchment, a flicker of unwillingness in his eyes. "This is all of Longba’s assets. If we can’t escape disaster this time, dissolve Longba. Old Second Leng!"

"Here, sir," Old Second Leng answered, sadness in his eyes.

"After my death, let Lei’er decide everything. I hope you all survive..." Before he could finish, Cui Ba breathed his last.