Chapter 61: No Law In The Desolate Mountains
The arrivals were all dressed in dark green martial uniforms, with the leader wearing a brocade cloud-embroidered jade belt and a silver-threaded curved saber at his waist. He had a face sharp like a knife, brows raised like blades, and a pair of eyes full of defiant provocation.
Beside him, one person had an unpleasant expression, holding a bow in hand as if annoyed about something, his pair of cold eyes sweeping over Su Yan.
This person was none other than the Little Mountain Association’s leader Gu Hong; that earlier arrow had been shot by him.
‘That thief has a strong life, dodging my one arrow.’
Acting on a sudden impulse, the arrow missed. Though annoyed, it wasn’t enough to make him overly angry; there were plenty of methods to deal with this lowly scum who opposed him.
“Yin Ruguang, want to make a move?”
Li Jinshan was furious inside, coldly staring at the leader from Seven Blades Martial Arts School.
One of Seven Blades Martial Arts School’s True Disciples, the second disciple Deer-Slaying Blade Yin Ruguang.
The Desolate Mountains were not like the outside world; here, fists were the rules.
Given the relationship between Golden Ape Martial Arts School and Seven Blades Martial Arts School, even fighting to the death wouldn’t be strange.
Yin Ruguang raised his brow and said frivolously, “Brother Li misunderstands. Gu brother and I were just hunting, and we had a misunderstanding. But, to be fair, highway robbery gets you wanted—does Brother Li want to try?”
His words hid a needle in the silk: in the Desolate Mountains, there was no law. If you had the ability to enter, you might not have the life to leave; dead was just dead.
At most, it would be said they were killed by a feral beast, the person vanished—who could investigate, and no one would.
That was the rule.
But similarly, profit came first in all things. On this road in and out, no matter how great the enmity between the two sides, they could not strike lethally; violators would be jointly attacked.
That was also the rule.
If everyone targeted this road with dirty tricks, then no one’s business could continue.
Yin Ruguang and Gu Hong’s provocation relied on this rule, certain that Li Jinshan wouldn’t dare to fight fiercely.
As for losing a disciple or two, that really wasn’t a big deal—unless it was a True Disciple or their own son.
“Roar”
Just as he was about to reply, a tiger roar suddenly came. Moments ago, the sudden change had Su Yan attacked, and everyone confronting each other.
Who would have thought Li Shun would get distracted here at the worst time, caught by the fierce tiger’s opportunity—a tail sweep sent him stumbling.
“Hahaha, this is your Golden Ape Martial Arts School’s new disciple? Not impressive at all.”
Seeing this, Yin Ruguang became even more brazen. Even a nearly ranked old tiger couldn’t be suppressed—what Golden Ape Martial Arts School, just a monkey after all.
“Su Yan!”
Anger flared in Li Jinshan’s heart: useless for accomplishing anything, expert at ruining things.
Hearing this, Su Yan knew Li Jinshan had been cornered by Yin Ruguang’s words and couldn’t act conveniently.
So he strode over. Before even arriving, he already spoke: “Step back.”
At this time, Li Ying, Ma Xiaodong, Liu Yinglong and the others’ faces stiffened, but they immediately retreated a bit.
Su Yan strode over; the vicious tiger, seeing him alone, also pounced.
The vicious tiger leaped, its orange-yellow striped body pressing down like a mountain.
Su Yan was unhurried; in a flash, with the Old Ape Lifts the Mountain variation thrust, his double arms exerted force, blocking the tiger’s shoulders and shaking it flying away.
The thousand-catty giant tiger flew backward five or six meters, crashing straight into Yin Ruguang and Gu Hong’s side.
A dull thud on landing, the tiger smashed onto hard pebbles, bones cracking audibly.
The vicious tiger struggled up, already in fear; Su Yan’s qi locked on, eyes like blades.
The vicious tiger actually turned tail and ran straight toward Gu Hong and the others.
“Hmph, child’s play.”
Gu Hong’s eyes showed mockery; Yin Ruguang was even more disdainful.
Just a nearly ranked old tiger thrown over—could it really make them lose face?
Hand on curved saber, preparing to strike.
“Brothers, be careful!”
Su Yan shouted a reminder, as if worried the vicious tiger would hurt people.
However, before this shout, he had already taken down the fine steel longbow from his back, hand like lightning, arrows like meteors—swoosh swoosh, three or four consecutive arrows shot out in succession.
“Not good!”
Those three or four arrows were extremely fast, curving as they slashed past the vicious tiger’s side, heading straight for Gu Hong, Yin Ruguang, and the others.
Seemingly shooting the tiger, actually shooting people!
The tiger not yet arrived, the arrows’ cold gleam already closing in.
Yin Ruguang swung his saber like a white ribbon, flashing past; two arrows were slashed down, cut surfaces smooth as mirrors.
Gu Hong held a bow in hand, no sharp weapon; furious inside, he swept with the bow, likewise blocking them.
However, just as he looked up, more breaking-air sounds came—arrows in a line, consecutive and arriving.
Yin Ruguang swung his saber like lightning, successively slashing them down; such archery couldn’t trouble him.
But Gu Hong had only one bow; under consecutive arrows, his swings were inevitably restricted, and targeted by Su Yan—three angles in a row, four or five arrows.
While swinging the bow arm, his body could only dodge, appearing somewhat disheveled; in haste, his brocade robe was torn open.
At this moment the tiger reached them, just trying to flee; fury blazed in Yin Ruguang’s eyes like blades, curved saber slashing—a blade qi split the vicious tiger in two, killing it on the spot.
Blood sprayed like rain, scattering on them, on their clothes, quite disheveled.
Saber cuts deer head, head falls before it can eat—Yin Ruguang earned this reputation for his fast blade.
However, at this time, no matter how fast the blade, it couldn’t match the speed of a ‘boomerang.’
“Hahahaha, Seven Blades Martial Arts School truly has great blade technique, impressive. My junior brother’s archery is unskilled—even shooting a tiger misses; thanks to Brother Yin for handling it.”
Li Jinshan laughed loudly, almost like a tiger roaring through the mountains.
While speaking, he had quietly stepped forward, body blocking in front of Su Yan, aura condensing like an ape, ferocious eyes locking ahead.
This action meant even if Yin Ruguang ignored the rules and suddenly killed, he couldn’t pass this barrier.
Yin Ruguang’s face turned iron-blue, knowing he had been toyed with, gaze almost murderous.
“Su Yan… I’ve noted you down. Don’t die in the Desolate Mountains—we’re leaving!”
Yin Ruguang’s sudden provocation failed, losing face; even he didn’t dare openly ambush and kill now.
Not to mention the numbers disadvantage—really escalating the conflict would break the rules, and he couldn’t bear that.
They left in frustration, his resentment toward Su Yan increased a bit more.
“Brother Yin, it’s all my fault. If not for my sudden impulse to shoot that mountain hunting lowly scum, how would you lose face.”
Entering the woods, following the original path back to prepare to return to the Seven Kill Martial Arts School and Little Mountain Association teams.
Gu Hong immediately apologized to Yin Ruguang.
Though annoyed inside, Seven Blades Martial Arts School was on good terms with Little Mountain Association; he couldn’t fall out over this.
Waving his hand, he said, “No matter. That kid didn’t sit right with me either—what’s his background?”
Gu Hong disdainfully said, “Mountain hunting lowly scum who attached himself to Hundred Herbs Hall’s Song Qi, joined Golden Ape Martial Arts School. Just a bit of talent; without protection, how could he act so boldly?”
His eyes narrowed, suddenly saying, “Right, given their team size, aren’t they probably resting at Wa Shan Pass tonight?”
“What do you want? Li Jinshan isn’t easy to deal with. Breaking rules—forget Steward Gu, even the second gang leader couldn’t protect you.”
“Of course I know.”
Gu Hong revealed a sinister cold laugh: “The Desolate Mountains have no shortage of rampant feral beasts.”
“Junior brother did well. Turns out you even have such formidable archery.”
Li Jinshan praised nonstop; he naturally had the eye for it, even if that archery wasn’t a special martial skill.
But arrows like meteors, controlled like an arm—clearly practiced to the bone, comparable to fist techniques, could be called Archery Great Accomplishment.
Fist Techniques Great Accomplishment, Stance Training Great Accomplishment, Archery Great Accomplishment… this junior brother was truly gifted in technique comprehension.
“Senior brother overpraises.”
Su Yan grinned: “Just can’t aim accurately, that’s all.”
Li Jinshan laughed heartily—what a “can’t aim accurately.”
No, what he should admire most wasn’t junior brother’s comprehension, but this courage.
Martial artists competed.
Without daring to compete, what kind of martial artist?
Someone helped collect the bow and arrows for Su Yan and handed them over; he put away the bow and arrows at his waist.
Suddenly, as if curiously, he asked: “Senior brother, Seven Blades Martial Arts School and Little Mountain Association also entered the mountains—why go that direction? Isn’t everyone resting at Wa Shan Pass?”
Li Jinshan casually replied: “The main road needs to accommodate carriages, so naturally resting at Wa Shan Pass—more open space there. But if few people, all martial artists, no large goods, the Qing Ya Valley path is faster, and often has travelers staying there.”
“Qing Ya Valley?”
Su Yan’s eyes brightened slightly: “Very far?”
“Not far—east of Wa Shan Pass four or five li, over one mountain peak.”
