Ye Hong knew well the strength of Black Wind Stronghold; apart from the Great Village Chief, the strongest among the rest were just two at the Late Stage of the Strong Bone Realm, while Pan Cheng was at Strong Bone Realm Perfection, sufficient to handle them.

Pan Cheng, a man with a robust build like a tiger and bear, carrying weapons and accompanied by five guards, charged towards Dahe Village.

Inside the village.

Xiahou Zhen and another person, attempting to rescue others, ran into big trouble.

As they just killed a bandit, two chilling blade glints descended from the sky.

Clang—

Sparks flew.

The scar-faced second leader and the bald brute third leader of Black Wind Village chuckled as they stepped out of the shadows.

"Tsk tsk, look at this, the county guards actually came to such a small village to save people."

Both men looked contemptuous, seemingly dismissive of Xiahou Zhen and his companion.

While they spoke, another five or six bandits surrounded them.

"My Lord..." Xiahou Zhen and another guard stood back to back.

"Kill!"

Xiahou Zhen shouted, raised his knife, and rushed forward.

...

Pan Cheng led his men into the village, accompanied by half the escort masters from Thousand Miles Escort.

There were roughly sixty or seventy bandits in the village, almost half of them martial artists; Pan Cheng and the escort masters from Thousand Miles Escort didn’t take long to kill all these bandits.

But...although they killed the bandits, in this short period, a good thirty to forty percent of the villagers in Dahe Village perished at the hands of the bandits.

"Thank you, my lord, thank you, my lord."

Many knelt on the ground in gratitude.

"My lord, Xiahou Zhen and Kong Quan are dead..."

At this moment, two guards brought in two bodies.

"Hmm?"

Pan Cheng’s expression changed instantly.

Xiahou Zhen was his good brother, already at the Late Stage of the Strong Bone Realm, how could...?

No!

"There’s an ambush!"

He suddenly shouted.

"The county guards’ reputation is well deserved."

Just as Pan Cheng finished speaking, from among the villagers who were previously kneeling in gratitude, more than a dozen figures suddenly jumped up, hacking down innocent villagers who had no time to react like cutting melons and vegetables, then tightly surrounded Pan Cheng and his men.

The scar-faced man and the bald brute still looked at Xiahou Zhen and Kong Quan’s bodies with contemptuous eyes: "Those two brothers had good martial skills, they blocked my three strikes, but unfortunately, after three strikes, they could block no more."

Pan Cheng looked at the bandits from Black Wind Village enclosing them, his face full of anger.

"Kill!"

...

Back over at the woods.

Meng Zhen and Ye Hong, two experts of the Refining Organ Realm, stood guard by the carriage along with three other guards at the Middle Stage of the Strong Bone Realm.

The remaining escort masters from Thousand Miles Escort drew closer, but didn’t dare get too close either.

Chu Ming sat on a large rock nearby, activating the [Sword Gourd Spirit], his brow increasingly furrowed.

Inside the village, Pan Cheng and the others were surrounded by dozens of bandits from Black Wind Village, their situation dire.

Meanwhile, three hidden figures in the shadows were swiftly approaching.

He looked at Meng Zhen and Ye Hong, each one side, wary of their surroundings, yet still failing to sense any approaching experts.

In just a moment, the three figures had already reached a distance of just a hundred yards from them.

Chu Ming remained unfazed; at this distance, he didn’t even need to alert Meng Zhen, who was already able to sense it being at the Middle Stage of Refining Organ Realm.

As expected, Meng Zhen’s expression changed, his gaze abruptly fixed on the depths of the woods.

Hmm?

Ye Hong was slightly slower, but immediately sensed someone approaching.

The two exchanged glances without speaking, instantly drawing their weapons and mobilizing their Qi and Blood Power.

"Three individuals, at least Refining Organ Realm, be careful, Lord Ye," Meng Zhen said softly.

Ye Hong simply nodded, his expression extremely solemn.

Just as they suspected, Dahe Village was merely a decoy; hidden experts lurked in the shadows.

"Haha, no need to be so tense, gentlemen."

From the darkness, a figure emerged, it was none other than the fierce-looking Black Wind Stronghold leader, Black Pockmarks.

Soon after, Xingheng Martial Arts Hall Master Li Xingbai and Wind Traveling Escort Chief Escort Master Chen Shuo also stepped from the shadows, but compared to Black Pockmarks, both were clad in black robes, their figures and faces now different from before, evidently disguised.

Black Pockmarks swept his gaze contemptuously around, his eyes fell upon Chu Ming, his tone mocking, "This must be the famed first scholar of Xirong County in a century, Chu Chief Clerk’s Office, correct?"

"Black Pockmarks, not hiding in your Black Wind Stronghold, you dare show yourself, not afraid my Xirong County will annihilate you!" Ye Hong’s face was somber.

The three opponents in the Refining Organ Realm, with Black Pockmarks exceeding him in strength, the other two as formidable, tonight, fearing they must fight to the death.

"Commander Meng, two years ago, Black Pockmarks was already at the Middle Stage of Refining Organ; now, his strength is likely even greater..."

Meng Zhen stared at Black Pockmarks, his eyes flashed with coldness.

The Tiger Armor Army defends Xirong County, but do bandits like these deserve the lives of their countless brothers in the Tiger Armor Army?

"I’ll take Black Pockmarks and that one," Meng Zhen looked at Chen Shuo in disguise, "Lord Ye, quickly deal with the other one."

Ye Hong silently nodded, "Lord Shen, Lord Chu, you two best get on the carriage."

Then, he shouted to the escort masters from Thousand Miles Escort not far away, "You, protect the carriage, the Commandery Mansion will reward you handsomely afterward."

There remained over ten escort masters from Thousand Miles Escort; most were at the Blood Circulation Realm, only two Chief Escort Masters were at the Strong Bone Realm.

The crowd hesitated, choosing to assist Ye Hong.

Thousand Miles Escort naturally didn’t want to get involved, but in the current situation, they had no choice.

Black Wind Village attacking Xirong County officials surely meant no survivors would be left.

Moreover, if they fled now, the matter tonight if leaked, Thousand Miles Escort couldn’t hope to continue in Xirong County, the Commandery Mansion would surely hold them accountable.

Black Pockmarks and the other two just watched, waiting until Ye Hong finished, Black Pockmarks displayed even greater mockery: "Lord Ye, are you done arranging?"

Ye Hong didn’t respond.

"Tsk tsk, Lord Ye, and this commander, how much is your monthly salary, working so hard for what?"

Black Pockmarks took out a black bag, emitting ’clang clang’ sounds.

Judging by the bag’s size and protruding shape, it should contain Silver Yuanbao and Silver Notes, an impressive quantity for sure.

"Lord Ye, Commander, within this bag is thirty thousand silver taels, if you’ll just accommodate us, it’s yours for the taking," Black Pockmarks said with a smile.

Thirty thousand!

Upon hearing this, the escort masters of Thousand Miles Escort all changed expressions, some even had greed flicker in their eyes.

Escorting a trip, they’d earn just three to five thousand silver taels, divided among the escort masters, having a hundred taels would be considered decent.

And here, it was thirty thousand silver taels.

Meng Zhen remained unmoved, ignoring everything.

Ye Hong’s face changed slightly, anger quickly surfacing between his brows: "Black Pockmarks, if you want to fight, let’s fight then."

"Even all this silver taels doesn’t tempt you?" Black Pockmarks ridiculed even more: "Can’t understand, can’t understand, isn’t having money good?"

He lifted the money bag, then looked at the escort masters from Thousand Miles Escort: "If any of you kill the first scholar of Xirong County, one thousand silver taels reward!"

These words instantly ignited the previously faint sparks of desire, as if drenched in fuel, erupting immediately.

A thousand silver taels, relentless escorting needed twenty to thirty years to earn it.

This also presumes they survive each time.

Almost instantly, the eyes of the escort masters from Thousand Miles Escort grew greedily terrifying.

"Tsk tsk, now that’s more like it." Black Pockmarks seemed to relish this method of manipulating hearts with money, starkly contrasting with his burly and fierce appearance.

"Who dares!" Ye Hong pointed his knife horizontally, "Anyone colluding with Black Wind Stronghold will be treated as bandit threat!"