Haunted Wilderness
In the desolate Hundred Miles Wilderness, a rugged ancient path winds like a serpent.
The setting sun cast a lingering glow, as the western wind howled, swirling the remnants of leaves in the branches, filling the air.
A sense of desolation permeated the heavens and earth.
Creak… Creak…
A dull sound of hoofs break the silence of this desolate ancient path.
Startled, several birds returning to their nests fluttered and soared in all directions.
In a mountain hollow, a canvas-covered carriage jolted and swayed, traversing the uneven ruts and gullies.
A robust figure sat on the carriage shaft, gripping the reins tightly with powerful hands, struggling to control the swaying carriage and maintain steady progress.
Amidst the dust kicked up by the carriage, six formidable warriors on horseback followed closely behind.
Clad in sturdy armor and armed with long swords, their expressions were solemn. Their gazes constantly scanned the surroundings, clearly serving as the carriage’s protectors.
“Is Second Young Master alright? Once we pass this mountain hollow, we will reach the ancient path, and the road ahead won’t be as treacherous,” the man on the carriage shaft shouted loudly, glancing back at the carriage with a slight frown, a hint of concern in his eyes.
“Don’t worry, Uncle Hai. I’m holding up well. It’s just that I’ve burdened everyone with my presence!”
A clear voice, tinged with fatigue and a hint of youthfulness, emanated from within the carriage.
“Hehe! Second Young Master, no need to worry. These family guards are all full of profound strength. This mountain path won’t tire them. It’s just that your physique is frail. We were sent by the family head to bring you back from the Medicine Valley. If anything were to happen along the way, I wouldn’t know how to explain it,” Uncle Hai shouted anxiously, displaying a hint of worry.
“Alas!”
The young man inside the carriage sighed softly.
“If it weren’t for Three Yin Extinguishing Veins, how could I have spent ten years in the Medicine Valley, permeated with the scent of medicinal herbs…”
Amid their conversation, the carriage shook violently once again, and struggled to climb out of a pit.
Slowly, it ascended onto the flat ancient path.
As daylight faded, dusk swallowed the last remnants of the setting sun, shrouding the surroundings in a hazy veil.
“Go!”
Suddenly, the carriage accelerated. With the thunder of the hooves, a cloud of dust on the ancient path was stirred up.
If they didn’t reach the nearby Pingling Town before darkness fell, they would likely have to spend the night in the desolate wilderness.
“Stop!”
Uncle Hai, who was driving the carriage, suddenly let out a loud shout, bringing the moving carriage to an abrupt halt.
“What’s wrong?”
The young man inside the carriage asked.
“Second Young Master, there might be some trouble ahead!”
Uncle Hai’s tone carried a hint of seriousness.
The young man in the carriage slightly pulled back the curtain.
In the bewildering twilight, he saw three figures completely wrapped in black cloth, standing in a row, blocking the path in front of the carriage.
They remained silent and motionless, exuding a chilling aura, only their six eyes gleaming with a cold light, appearing eerie and mysterious.
Were they bandits obstructing the road?
Or ruthless robbers seeking wealth?
How could bandits or robbers gather in this rarely visited Hundred Miles Wilderness?
No one would be foolish enough to come here to rob travelers.
Moreover, their attire, concealing their true identities, usually belongs to two types of people: assassins or killers!
The young man shared his thoughts with Uncle Hai.
At this moment, Uncle Hai felt a bit uneasy.
These three black-clothed people suddenly appeared like ghosts, silently blocking the path, without stirring up any dust.
Based on their agility, he knew that if they were here to cause trouble, it would be a significant problem.
But why them? They were a group of passerby couldn’t be more ordinary. To speak disparagingly, they were not even worthy of being hunted down.
Moreover, the young master inside the carriage, who had been isolated from the world for ten years due to his affliction, was even smaller and more insignificant than an ant.
How could this group of inferior people suddenly become targets of a hunt?
It was too absurd, too unbelievable.
Meanwhile, the six armored warriors behind the carriage swiftly positioned themselves on either side of Uncle Hai, gripping their sword hilts, assuming a vigilant stance.
Their movements were quick and agile, clearly indicating rigorous training.
Uncle Hai casually glanced left and right, pondering whether he could handle one of the black-clothed people, but he was unsure if his guards could fend off the other two.
His heart was filled with anxiety, yet he clung to a glimmer of hope. Perhaps the other party was not here for them; it was just a false alarm.
“If not sure whether it’s misunderstanding, why not asking them?”
The young man in the carriage seemed to understand what he was thinking and offered a hint. Upon hearing this, Uncle Hai paused for a moment, realizing that his random speculations were futile and only caused confusion. Whatever was destined to come would come, whether it brought fortune or calamity, one must face it sooner or later, as there was no escape.
“Who are you? And why do you block the road and hinder my path?” Uncle Hai spoke with a commanding voice. It resonated like a grand bell, shaking the surroundings with a powerful presence.
As his words fell, the echoes lingered, and there was a long silence.
The cold wind howled, enveloping the world in silence.
“I see from your appearance that you are neither bandits nor fierce outlaws. Your attire suggests two possibilities: either assassins or killers. Which one are you?”
Uncle Hai cautiously used the young man’s words to probe.
“Neither!”
Suddenly, one of the black-clad people uttered a single word, his voice chilling and hair-raising.
With a simple word, the young man’s initial speculations were completely overturned.
If they were neither bandits nor assassins, then who could they be?
What were their intentions?
“Leave the carriage! You can leave unharmed. Otherwise…”
The leader among the black-clad people squeezed out a few words, carrying no emotions.
He appeared to be the leader of the three.
Upon hearing this, Uncle Hai’s eyes flashed with surprise.
They had actually come for the second young master.
How could this be possible?
There must be some mistake somewhere.
Uncle Hai suddenly felt that his mind was not functioning properly.
“Master, could it be that you have mistaken your target? Do you know who is inside the carriage?”
Uncle Hai asked again, hoping it was just a misunderstanding.
“Hmph! Second Young Master of the Lu Family, Lu Suifeng. Coming from the Medicine Valley and is now heading to Hongye City. There is no mistake!”
Each word spoken by the black-clothed person struck the crowd with a resounding impact.
Uncle Hai was taken aback, his face filled with astonishment.
He had lost his usual calm and composed demeanor and instinctively gripped the hilt of his sword at his waist, ready to draw it.
He never expected that the other party would be so well-informed about their whereabouts.
“Who you are… and what do you intend to do?” Uncle Hai questioned.
“It doesn’t matter who we are. What matters is that you leave the carriage behind, and you can safely go on your way. Otherwise, the bodies of those who stand in our path will lie in the desolate hills, blood staining the ancient road.”
With each word spoken by the black-clothed person, the killing intent emanating from him grew stronger.
“Covering your face, naturally, you dare not reveal your true identity. But the people of the Lu Family in Hongye City are not to be trifled with! If you want to take the carriage, you’ll have to step over our corpses!”
With no room for retreat, Uncle Hai raised an eyebrow, as if he had suddenly transformed into a fearless hero, exuding an aura of bravery in the face of death.
Though the face of the black-clothed man was hidden behind a black veil and couldn’t be seen, a flash of anger passed through his eyes.
Then, his hands, wrapped in black clothing, lifted slightly to the sides.
The two black-clad men beside him suddenly spread their arms like a pair of black wings. They soared into the air like bats in the dark night, and pounced towards Uncle Hai, who was still seated on the carriage shaft.
Three icy sword lights crossed a distance of ten meters, descending from the air.
Almost simultaneously, the guards on either side of Uncle Hai unsheathed their long swords. Six snow-like sword glimmers slashed towards the two bats that approached in an instant.
Clang!
The sound of blades colliding resounded through the air, and sparks flew like silver stars.
A dazzling cold light suddenly pierced through the sea of sword glimmers, shooting toward the carriage curtain like an arrow…
Choking!
Uncle Hai, who had been sitting on the carriage shaft, finally moved.
He leaped up, and at the same time, his long sword roared out of its sheath. Accompanied by a sharp breaking wind, it slashed towards the dazzling cold light that was approaching.
Boom!
The clash of sword and blade in the void produced a loud explosion.
Uncle Hai felt a violent tremor in his arm, and his long sword was suddenly thrown out of his hand.
In just one move, he couldn’t even defend against the opponent’s attack, and his entire body was sent flying by a powerful force.
The razor-sharp and chilling sword light of the black-clothed person swept away the long sword, advancing straight towards the carriage curtain…
“Ah!”
The black-clothed assailant let out a thunderous cry, unexpectedly dropping the long sword from his hand…
It turned out to be a broken sword without a blade!
His eyes revealed a look of horror as his figure suddenly shot backward. After performing a swift turn in the air, he swiftly disappeared into the hazy twilight.
The other two black-clothed people, amidst the fierce onslaught of the guards, not only did not falter but seemed to be at ease.
In just a few exchanges, they skillfully evaded real attacks while launching deceptive ones.
With slight negligence from the guards, they were instantly struck by the swords, falling to the ground.
In terms of cultivation and martial skills, these guards were far inferior to the black-clothed people.
If it weren’t for their hesitation in the face of the guards’ fearless fighting style, the battle would have ended long ago.
Unexpectedly, the two black-clothed people caught a glimpse of their leader seemingly encountering a stroke of bad luck.
Otherwise, why would he suddenly abandon them without even exchanging a word of greeting and hurriedly flee?
In an instant, the two of them no longer had the intention to continue the fight.
They exchanged a glance, and with a swing of their swords, they forced their opponents back, then hastily retreated.
A thrilling and bloody battle abruptly ended in the blink of an eye.
The four remaining guards, still standing, were momentarily at a loss, standing dumbfounded on the scene.
It was only when they felt a wave of pain coursing through their bodies that they realized each of them had been left with several varying depths of sword wounds, their bodies now stained with blood.
And the two companions were lying amidst a pool of blood with their breath feeble and their fates uncertain.
“Second Young Master!”
Uncle Hai staggered towards the carriage from several miles away. His clothes was tattered and blood was seeping from the corner of his mouth.
The impact from that strike had shaken his internal organs, causing his vision to blur. It took him great strength not to lose conscious.
The force of that heavy blow sent him flying eight or nine meters away and made him crashed into a rocky outcrop. He was completely unaware of what had transpired afterward.
It was only when he struggled to get back on his feet that tranquility had returned to his surroundings…
In that instant, the first thought that crossed his mind was the Second Young Master!
What had happened to him?
Had he already met a tragic end, his body separated from his head?