Chapter Fifty-three: The Band of Fierce Outlaws

Inside the hall.

Before anyone could recover from the shock, Elder Zhuang Xiran, seated at the head, had already transformed into a streak of white light and vanished.

“What’s happening?”

“Why does it feel like the entire hall is about to collapse?”

“What’s causing such a commotion outside?”

“Could it be someone attacking the mountain gate?”

“Let’s go, we need to see what’s going on.”

More than a hundred cultivators specializing in spiritual plants hurriedly rushed out in a chaotic stream.

Qin Ming was equally astonished; the deafening crash just now seemed frighteningly close.

He rushed outside for a look.

The scene was chaos—an uproar everywhere. Looking up, Qin Ming was shocked to see that the sect’s defensive formation of the Spiritfeather Gate had been breached in one spot.

This was a second-tier high-grade defensive formation!

“Fellow disciple, what just happened?” Qin Ming stopped a panicked Spiritfeather Gate disciple.

“It... it seems something happened at Elder Zhuang’s herb garden,” the disciple stammered, clearly unsure, and hurried toward the garden.

Qin Ming’s brow creased as he hesitated, considering whether to escape from this place of trouble.

Suddenly—

“Damn, that was brutal! Even the second-tier defensive formation was smashed through—what monsters!” The wiry cultivator who had sat behind Qin Ming came rushing back from the direction of the herb garden.

Qin Ming blinked in surprise and asked, “Fellow, do you know exactly what happened over there?”

The wiry cultivator stopped, a look of schadenfreude on his face as he chuckled, “You might not believe it, but just now, a gang of fierce bandits used a high-level breaking talisman to breach Spiritfeather Gate’s defensive array. While Elder Zhuang Xiran was lecturing away from the garden, they looted the spiritual herb garden.”

“They even stole Elder Zhuang’s Seven-Colored Lotus of Purity—a second-tier supreme spiritual plant! I checked the scene; plenty of other precious herbs and spiritual medicines were lost as well.”

“Elder Zhuang has gone to pursue the bandits.”

“Who knows if he’ll catch them.”

Qin Ming pieced together the events and fell into deep thought, still reeling from the shock.

From the beginning to the end of the assault, barely half a cup of tea’s time had passed—it all seemed meticulously planned.

What truly stunned everyone was that Spiritfeather Gate allowed those bandits to escape entirely.

Wait!

Qin Ming recalled the details, feeling a sense of déjà vu.

After a while, he asked, “Didn’t the other Spiritfeather Gate cultivators try to stop them?”

“They did. Even the foundation establishment elders stepped in.”

“But after just one exchange, they lost and were struck by a spell, left severely wounded and unconscious in the herb garden.”

Qin Ming was shocked again. “What? Are those bandits high-level foundation establishment cultivators?”

“That seems likely. And I suspect these bandits had an inside accomplice within Spiritfeather Gate, probably someone important,” the wiry cultivator analyzed confidently. “Otherwise, how could they have pinpointed the weak spot in the defensive array so quickly?”

Qin Ming continued, “How many bandits were there?”

“According to Spiritfeather Gate, five, all wearing special concealing masks—no way to tell who they were. Judging by their techniques, they seemed like evil cultivators.” The wiry, middle-aged cultivator pondered, then said, “Looks like you and I are thinking the same thing.”

“Such brazen evil cultivators are almost certainly the five wanted by Golden Cloud Valley.”

“We’d best steer clear of such calamities!”

“The farther we stay away, the better.”

In that moment,

The warning bell of Spiritfeather Gate tolled continuously.

Dong! Dong! Dong!

A large number of elite disciples began to assemble, piloting magical vessels in pursuit of the culprits.

In the crowd,

Qin Ming spotted Jiang Kun, who was following a stern-faced elder, getting scolded and looking thoroughly miserable.

Under the elder’s guidance, Jiang Kun joined the search party.

“Tsk tsk, even the disciplinary hall elites are all mobilized. Spiritfeather Gate means business this time,” the wiry cultivator commented, watching the mass of cultivators fly out.

“Fellow, this isn’t a place to linger. Who knows what else might happen next?”

“With such upheaval, Elder Zhuang surely won’t be inclined to lecture or take disciples.”

“Ai... best to head back to Qingyang Market. Want to travel together?”

Qin Ming hesitated, then politely declined, “Thank you for your offer, but I plan to observe a bit longer.”

“In that case, I’ll take my leave.” The wiry cultivator mounted his magical vessel and sped away.

Qin Ming stood in place, pondering for a moment. He retrieved a spiritual flying shuttle from his storage pouch, then chose another direction and used his magic to fly toward Qingyang Market at the fastest speed.

...

Three hundred miles from Spiritfeather Gate, in a swamp.

Inside an underground cavern,

Five masked, black-robed cultivators hid from pursuit.

One, wearing a pig-headed mask, clutched a seven-colored lotus and said excitedly, “With this Seven-Colored Lotus of Purity, big brother, your cultivation will advance even further!”

The two wearing monkey and dog masks were equally ecstatic.

“That’s right! We got more than expected this time—a haul of second-tier spiritual materials. With the loot from our extortion of Golden Cloud Valley, we’ll have enough resources to reach late foundation establishment. We’ve struck it rich!”

“Haha, who would have thought Elder Zhuang’s herb garden would be so lucrative!”

“By the way, should we deal with Spiritfeather Gate’s informant...?”

The tall, black-robed cultivator in the center, wearing a Buddha mask, spoke calmly, “After this, none of you should show yourselves. Leave the Wild Marshes for now and find a place to cultivate. Leave the rest alone.”

“Big brother, Elder Zhuang won’t find us here, will he?” the pig-masked bandit asked cautiously.

“Relax. I’ve set up a second-tier illusion array above us. Ordinary foundation establishment won’t see through it,” replied the Buddha-masked cultivator, taking the lotus with composure.

Just then,

A white streak of light swept above the swamp, stopping in midair.

It was Elder Zhuang Xiran. His face twisted with rage as he glared down, roaring, “Scoundrels! How dare you challenge me! Once I force you out of hiding, you’ll taste the agony of soul extraction!”

He sent a transmission talisman back to the sect, then unleashed spells, bombarding the swamp below.

Instantly, the power of foundation establishment magic descended.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Inside the cavern,

“Big brother! How did Elder Zhuang find us?” The pig-masked bandit was frantic.

The Buddha-masked cultivator showed no sign of panic. He took the Seven-Colored Lotus of Purity and said coldly, “The problem is here—Elder Zhuang must have left a special mark on it.”

“But... even if he’s tracked us, so what?”

“I’d like to see how formidable Spiritfeather Gate’s foundation establishment really is.”

“You four leave first and meet at the usual spot. I’ll deal with him.”

With that, the Buddha-masked cultivator looked upward, transformed into a streak of black light, and shot out.