The Legendary Grand Bandit

The Legendary Grand Bandit . . . 

The eagerly awaited day of the exit finally arrived, and it brought with it a crescendo of chaotic battles that reverberated throughout the vast expanse of the mine. Frenzied looting became the order of the day as desperate miners sought to grab every last resource they could. Weaker souls found themselves robbed of their hard-earned hauls, and far too many paid the ultimate price with their lives.

Tragically, even immortal kings, who were considered the apex of power in this realm, were not immune to the relentless hazards lurking within the mine's depths. 

Qin Wentian was no stranger to the dangers and the greed that pervaded these tunnels. He crossed paths with numerous thieves, and he offered no quarter to those who dared to test his resolve. Their lives paid the price for their avarice, and their spoils, including their spatial rings, were claimed by the man who had become a force to be reckoned with. This was the brutal code of conduct that governed life within the mines – no one could afford to show mercy, and only the strong survived. Thus, the number of meteor stones in Qin Wentian's possession continued to swell. Yet, as the moment of exit approached and the radiant glow of the colossal spatial gate bathed the mine, a sense of melancholy washed over him.

His spatial rings harbored a wealth of meteor stones, some of them even of the emperor grade. Yet, the prospect of relinquishing 90% of his hard-earned treasures left a bitter taste in his mouth. It was an unsettling notion. Despite his unrivaled power within the mine, as an immortal king, he couldn't possibly harbor designs on the Realmlord's possessions. That path would lead to nothing but his own demise, and the Realmlord's vast network of subordinates, including the formidable Jialan Monarch, would ensure that fate.

As the guards announced the impending exit, a collective exodus ensued. It had been a decade since the mine last produced a bountiful harvest, and these precious meteor stones were too valuable to squander. Every ten years, these mines spewed forth riches, but the cost was steep, measured in the lives of those who toiled in its depths. Some would spend a decade trapped within, striving to gather enough meteor stones to secure their freedom. These unfortunate souls, often the weakest among them, watched as their painstakingly acquired treasures were stripped away by their more powerful counterparts.

But, regardless of their circumstances, one ironclad rule held sway: no one could abscond with the mine's treasures for their personal gain.

As the two exited the mine, Qin Wentian and Yang Yun'er found themselves surrounded by a multitude of guards. This harvest was subject to rigorous oversight, with two immortal emperors dispatched from the Jialan Emperor Palace to supervise the proceedings. With the watchful eyes of the emperors and an army of immortal kings tasked with accounting for every stone, no one dared to cause any trouble.

It was worth noting that these immortal emperors were different from those Qin Wentian had encountered in the Jialan Emperor Palace. The sheer number of immortal emperors at the Jialan Monarch's disposal hinted at his formidable influence in the Azure Mystic Immortal Realms. Such a concentration of power naturally positioned him as a dominant force among the realm's elite.

As Qin Wentian observed those around him, all dutifully surrendering their interspatial rings for scrutiny, a sense of unease gnawed at him. The prospect of losing 90% of his precious meteor stones felt like a painful blow.

…

Even for an ordinary mine, the Jialan Monarch took no chances. There were three teleportation arrays connecting the mine to the Jialan Emperor Palace, offering swift reinforcement if needed. Guards maintained a vigilant presence around these arrays, particularly on the day of the harvest. Among them, numerous peak-stage immortal kings served as the elite guardians of the Jialan Monarch's domain.

At one teleportation array, two such peak-stage immortal kings stood guard. They appeared to be in deep meditation, but their vigilant immortal senses remained keenly alert. Suddenly, both men sensed something amiss. Their immortal senses honed in on a peculiar presence, and moments later, a colossal lion materialized before their eyes.

This lion exuded an ominous aura, and its green eyes bore into the minds of the two guards. Struggling against its control, they desperately sought to resist, but the green light had already taken hold within their minds. The gigantic lion had become their puppet master.

The other teleportation arrays had similar experiences. The guards stationed there found themselves ensnared by the green-eyed lion's influence, their minds now obedient to its will.

A commanding voice pierced their minds like a dagger, leaving no room for doubt or hesitation. Compelled by this unseen force, the mind-controlled experts unleashed their most devastating attacks upon the teleportation arrays. The earth quaked as thunderous roars reverberated through the entire mountain range. Those who had just emerged from the mines were shaken to their core, their faces contorted with a mix of fear and astonishment.

The two immortal emperors, normally unshakable pillars of authority, were overcome by a profound sense of dread. Their complexions turned an ashen hue.

Under normal circumstances, no one dared to tamper with a mine. But when someone dared to take such audacious action, there could be no doubt about their identity: these were brazen bandits. Moreover, it seemed to be a well-organized and sizable bandit group.

One of the immortal emperors swiftly retrieved a message crystal and projected his immortal sense into it, sending an urgent message, "Monarch, we are under attack by bandits, and the teleportation arrays have been destroyed."

As his words faded, a suffocating pressure descended from the heavens. A group of formidable experts unleashed their auras, each one boasting at least the cultivation level of an immortal king. Their presence exuded a battle-hardened intensity, a testament to their experiences in countless life-and-death struggles.

In the Supreme Ancient Immortal Realms, bandits were often more fearsome than the standard forces of the nine monarchs. Even with comparable cultivation bases, the bandits' relentless exposure to mortal peril sharpened their combat skills to a fine edge, making them ruthless adversaries.

While Qin Wentian remained in the dark about the unfolding events, Yang Yun'er's face turned ashen. She urgently grasped his arm and whispered, "Bandits!"

"Bandits?" Qin Wentian's eyes narrowed. He couldn't help but recall his initial encounter with Jialan Mingyue in Windthunder City, where she had accused him and Beiming Youhuang of being bandits. Little did he know that his first foray into meteor stone mining would bring him face to face with actual bandits.

What astonished him even more was that these bandits appeared more organized than the guards in the employ of the Jialan Monarch. Each one was clad in formidable armor, ready for battle at a moment's notice. Their faces were shrouded in secrecy, a common practice among cautious bandits who sought to maintain anonymity. Some retired bandits even integrated seamlessly into urban life, leaving no trace of their criminal past.

Hovering in the skies above, a menacing demonic lion materialized. Its eyes radiated an eerie jade-green glow as it surveyed its surroundings.

"Evil Emperor!" The two immortal emperors froze in their tracks. As emperors themselves, they found themselves gripped by a rare sense of fear. The name "Evil Emperor" bore heavy significance in their hearts. It was the moniker assigned to this formidable demonic lion – a true demon emperor.

However, it was clear that the demonic lion was not the leader of the bandit group.

The Evil Emperor, a formidable demonic lion, had once served as the mount of a supremely powerful bandit known as the Night Empyrean in ages past.

In the annals of the Lifelong Realm, the Night Empyrean's name was legendary. His fearsome strength was unrivaled, and he had conducted daring raids on numerous mines, even laying claim to an exceedingly valuable one. The audacity of his exploits had drawn the attention of the Realmlord himself. Eventually, two Empyreans joined forces, crafting a complex trap that led to the Night Empyrean's demise, albeit at a significant cost to their own forces.

This chapter of history had unfolded many years ago, and it seemed inconceivable that the mount of the Night Empyrean would resurface within one of the mines controlled by the Jialan Monarch today.

Were the remnants of the Night Empyrean's forces plotting a comeback?

However, a puzzling element remained. While these bandits appeared united, they were not the same as the Night Empyrean's original followers. A significant portion of his forces had been eradicated. If the Night Empyrean still lived, why would he target such an ordinary mine?

The two immortal emperors bristled with cold determination, their memories of the legendary bandit etched deep in their minds. They had not forgotten the history of the Night Empyrean, which had led to the alliance of the Lifire Empyrean and another Empyrean to defeat him. Even the nine monarchs under the Lifire Empyrean had participated in that monumental battle.

"Who are you?" one of the immortal emperors demanded, his gaze fixed on a figure perched atop the demonic lion. This figure was fully clad in imposing armor, revealing only a pair of eyes gleaming with sharpness.

Silence enveloped the space, creating an eerie tension. The bandits descended, their auras and imposing presence sending shivers through the onlookers.

Uncertain and fearful, Yang Yun'er turned to Qin Wentian for guidance. She had not expected to survive her ordeal in the mine, and upon exiting, hope had briefly rekindled within her. But now, it appeared that hope might give way to despair.

Qin Wentian's expression mirrored her unease. The skies were filled with numerous immortal emperors, and the demonic lion alone surpassed his capabilities. Even the two immortal emperors in the service of the Jialan Monarch displayed trepidation.

"Kill all the guards, leave none alive," a cold voice from one of the bandit's immortal emperors ordered, sending a chill through the crowd.

With the bandits' overwhelming might, how could anyone stand against them? It seemed that attempting to escape offered the sole chance of survival, as their situation spiraled out of control.

"LET'S RUN FOR IT!" The moment had grown dire, and the majority of those present feared that their lives would be far worse if the bandits took control. Fleeing remained their only hope for survival, even if the odds were against them.