Sun Yunso settled into the lead carriage, he gently closed his eyes, letting the sounds around him grow faint.
He took a deep, silent breath, feeling the world slow down, its noise and chaos receding into the distance. The stillness was almost palpable, a sense of calm washing over him like a soothing balm.
Lei Mei blinked in confusion.
"Sun Yunso?"
His breathing became calm and steady as he focused entirely on the sounds outside.
A strange, unseen energy emanated from him, sweeping quietly over the battlefield, and in that instant, everything seemed to fall into place.
"..."
His eyebrows narrowed ever so slightly.
He noticed them, standing out among the crowd of bandits, three individuals who seemed different from the others. Their Seidan, was much stronger and more refined than what he normally saw in people.
"Three Seijinists."
Lei Shun looked at him in surprise.
"What do you mean by that? "
Sun Yunso's eyes slowly came to life, the colorless orbs flickering open as he reached down to rest a hand on the hilt of the sword that hung at his side, a habitual gesture that spoke of a deep-seated readiness, a sense of always being prepared for what might come next.
The ordinary thieves didn't pose the real danger, it was those three that did, and with that, he swung open the carriage door without saying another word.
Lei Mei instinctively reached out.
"W-Wait!"
Sun Yunso stepped onto the snow-covered road. His black robes swayed gently in the winter breeze as his calm gaze swept across the battlefield.
"Don't worry, this won't take long."
The fighting around him continued without pause. None of the bandits realized another swordsman had entered the battlefield.
Lei Shun stood there, quietly observing as Sun Yunso entered the battlefield, a small, subtle smile creeping onto his face.
It seems like things are finally making sense now. My gut feeling was right all along. He got out of the carriage too, and he kept looking at the young man with the sword.
"So he's a Seijinist."
Lei Shun stayed calm, not like his sister, and watched quietly, wanting to know just how good the young man really was. He didn't panic, but instead, he observed the situation carefully, trying to figure out what the young man was capable of doing.
Meanwhile Sun Yunso walked across the snow-covered road. He made no attempt to rush. His hand rested lightly on the sheathed sword hanging from his waist as he followed the presence he had sensed moments earlier.
The clash of swords and the cries of the wounded slowly disappeared into the distance, but he didn't notice, his attention completely absorbed by the three mysterious figures blended in with the bandits, their presence seeming almost surreal amidst the chaos.
Before long they stopped.
A short distance away, a figure stood, anticipating his arrival. The man, with a hint of mischief in his expression, wore a self-assured smile, exuding an air of confidence that was hard to ignore.
"I wasn't expecting to see someone like us watching over those caravans, but now I'm wondering, where's the other one?"
Sun Yunso looked at him without changing expression.
"...Other one?"
The bandit frowned.
"Don't tell me. It's just you?"
Sun Yunso didn't really get what the man was saying, and to be honest, he wasn't interested enough to even ask him to explain.
The bandit clicked his tongue and turned his head slightly.
"Oi, you can come out now."
As another figure emerged from behind the tree, it became clear that he was a different man altogether.
This one stood out because he had a pair of curved blades attached to his waist, a notable contrast to the first man. His eyes met Sun Yunso's, and he let out a sigh that seemed to convey his disappointment.
"So this is the other one? I thought he'd be stronger."
The two men slowly spread apart. One moved to Yunso's left and the other circled to his right.
Without realizing it Sun Yunso had been surrounded.
"So, you guys are resorting to teaming up on me instead of taking me on one on one?"
"Honestly, we don't really care about doing the right thing. We're only in it for the money, that's all that matters."
"Is that so? I now understand."
No one moved because they all waited for the first strike.
The two bandits slowly closed in from either side but neither rushed. Both waited for the slightest opening. Sun Yunso lowered his head slightly. His hand rested calmly on the hilt of his sword.
"May your souls descend into the deepest depths of hell."
The two bandits frowned.
"...What?"
"What did he just say?"
In that fleeting moment, their focus slipped, and Sun Yunso seized the opportunity. With a gentle touch, his thumb pressed against the guard, and the blade glided smoothly out of its resting place.
Shing.
"Moliu...Silent Current."
The two bandits attacked at the exact same moment.
Clang!
Sun Yunso's blade intercepted both weapons in a single motion. Before either man could react his sword changed direction.
It was so quiet that the two bandits didn't even notice they had been hurt until it was too late, the blade had done its job without making a sound.
They stood motionless.
"Huh?"
A faint mark showed up on the necks of both of them, a thin line that seemed to appear out of nowhere.
Their eyes widened.
Blood splattered across the snow as their bodies crumpled to the ground, falling almost at the same time.
Sun Yunso gave his blade a quick flick, sending the blood flying off its edge.
In one smooth movement, he slid the sword back into its sheath.
He didn't even bother to look back at the bodies, just kept walking towards the last cultivator.
Lei Shun was filled with amusement.
After witnessing what Sun Yunso had done, he was certain that the supposed guard that his younger sister had hired was actually a Seijinist like him.
He placed his hand on his mouth, still amazed.
"Okay then, I think I should also show that I'm also like him as well."
The battle continued to rage across the snow-covered road. Steel clashed against steel as desperate cries echoed through the mountain pass.
One by one the escorts fell.
They had fought with every last bit of energy they had, but in the end, their bodies just gave out. Even though they knew they didn't stand a chance against the Black Fang Bandits, not one of them had tried to escape - they had all chosen to stand their ground and fight to the very end.
These brave men put up a fierce fight and ultimately gave their lives to defend the caravan they were supposed to protect.
Now, only one of the five escorts was left, and that was Sun Yunso.
It was all over in a flash, the fight finishing way sooner than anyone could have predicted.
The Black Fang Bandits had taken a beating, too. There were dozens of them surrounding the caravans at first, but now only about ten were left standing, and one of them was their leader, Zhang Pojun.
He gazed out at the battlefield, taking it all in, before tossing his head back and letting out a loud, hearty laugh. The sound of his loud laughter filled the quiet air of the mountain pass, echoing off the surrounding peaks.
"I have to say, I am impressed . Normally, when people hear the name Black Fang Bandits, they just give up, tremble in fear and hand over all their stuff. But you guys, actually decided to put up a fight, even though you knew you'd lose. That takes guts. And I've got to admit, I respect that. But respect isn't going to keep any of you alive."
Zhang Pojun slowly pulled out his sword, the blade sliding quietly out of its scabbard.
Shiiing.
The polished steel reflected the pale sunlight. He rested the sword on his shoulder, a grin spreading across his face. His gaze swept across the battlefield.
He laughed and said, "Now, who's going to be next? I'm sure one of you still has some energy left to put on a show for me."
Lei Mei's face had gone pale.
She took a step back without thinking, and in that moment, Lei Shun quickly moved to stand in front of her, using his own body to shield his younger sister from harm.
The last remaining escort stood several paces away.
He was a mess, his clothes all ripped and bloody, his fists bruised and swollen. His breathing was labored, like he'd been running for hours, and every muscle in his body ached with exhaustion. It felt like his whole body was begging him to just stop, to collapse and rest, but something kept him going.
He took another step forward, and then another one.
Zhang Pojun looked at him with a bit of admiration in his eyes.
"...You've got courage."
The escort just stood there, not saying a word, and then he suddenly charged at him. He threw a wild punch, a desperate attempt to defend himself. But what happened next was totally unexpected - Zhang Pojun let out a deep sigh.
"A shame."
A swift flash of metal sliced through the air, sudden and sharp.
Slash.
The escort stopped dead in his tracks, and for a split second, everything was silent. Then, without warning, he crashed to the ground with a heavy thud.
Thud.
Zhang Pojun wiped the blood off his blade, his face showing no feeling at all.
"Courage alone is never enough."
Lei Shun took a closer look at what had just gone down and was able to figure everything out pretty quickly.
Zhang Pojun had a pretty clever plan. He figured that if he could wear everyone out completely, they'd be too tired to defend themselves, and then he could strike when they were at their weakest.
It may seem like a cowardly move, but when you think about it from a battle perspective, it's actually a really smart tactic.
Lei Shun took a quick glance at Sun Yunso, who was slowly closing in on Zhang Pojun with his sword at the ready, prepared to strike at any moment. He couldn't help but smile, knowing he was in for a treat, and now he was eager to get in on the action too.
Zhang Pojun's face lit up with a smile as the sound of footsteps echoed from behind him, getting closer and closer.
He spun around, his huge sword at the ready, preparing for whatever was about to happen.
"I have to say, taking down those two Seijinist from the Black Fang Bandits is no easy feat. Now, I'm guessing you're on the hunt for the last one, since you likely sensed that there were three of them in total."
He lifted his arms.
"Guess what, you're looking at the third one. Now tell me what are you going to do?"
Sun Yunso didn't say a word, just kept moving in, creeping closer and closer.
He finally showed up, stopping about six meters away from Zhang Pojun. Then, he raised his blade, pointing it directly at Zhang Pojun's face.
"Does it matter what I'm going to do? Whatever it shall be, will only result in your death."
Zhang Pojun paused for a moment, and then a snicker escaped his lips.
"You're an interesting one I see. With those words, I'd believe you're someone who appreciates poetic justice but it's just they carry something dark and that's what makes this interaction of ours even more exciting."
Sun Yunso stared coldly, his eyes devoid of emotion, as he kept his blade fixed on his opponent.
Zhang Pojun was still smiling until he remembered something.
"I know that you caught three Seijinist but you somehow missed another one. Why is that?"
"Another Seijinist?" Sun Yunso asked.
He suddenly remembered that one of the two people he had fought had said exactly the same thing, and it stuck in his mind.
If there was another Seijinist, where could they be located? That was the question at hand but not knowing that he was amongst them the entire time and couldn't contain himself.