A Poisoned Gambit and a Timely Rescue

In the oppressive darkness.

The stout woman exchanged a knowing glance with the green-clad woman.

Unaware of this silent communication, Qin Yan surveyed the trio before him, all of whom possessed at least Foundation Establishment cultivation.

He harbored no fear of facing three opponents; indeed, if a disciple of a prestigious sect couldn’t best three rogue cultivators of the same realm, it would be an utter disgrace.

Nevertheless, violence was always a last resort, especially with the inherent risk of unforeseen complications, making Qin Yan a naturally cautious individual.

He planted his long spear upright before him, then unfastened a jade token from his waist, injecting a trace of spiritual energy into it, which caused the token to glow faintly in the profound darkness of the night.

“I am a disciple of the Yanqing Sect,” Qin Yan declared. “What just transpired was merely a misunderstanding, and I doubt your Black Wind Stockade wishes to incur the wrath of our sect.”

Qin Yan spoke, his voice firm.

There was still room for negotiation; after all, Black Wind Stockade had only lost a minor leader, and Qin Yan himself had sustained no injuries, leaving ample space for a peaceful resolution.

The three characters for ‘Yanqing Sect’ etched upon the jade token instantly commanded the full attention of the three women.

In the Qin Kingdom, who remained ignorant of the Yanqing Sect? It was, after all, the largest sect in the entire nation, rumored to boast three thousand immortal disciples and twelve peak masters, with its Sect Master possessing cultivation at the peak of the Nascent Soul realm.

Now, only two choices lay before them:

The first was to thoroughly offend the Yanqing Sect, execute the man before them, and then await the sect’s devastating purge, which would likely result in the annihilation of their very souls.

The second was to release him; if the man held little influence within the Yanqing Sect, they might only face a few fellow disciples seeking vengeance. However, if he proved to be an important figure…

Should they choose the second path, it would entail Black Wind Stockade ceding ground, and failing to appease the man before them would undoubtedly lead to endless future troubles.

For Black Wind Stockade, this was a checkmate.

For Qin Yan, however, having already killed one of their own, he knew the other party would never let the matter rest. Rather than foolishly fighting to the death, it was better to reveal his backing; surely, among the Black Wind Stockade, there would be someone sensible enough to understand the implications.

While invoking his sect might make his opponents even more determined to kill him, it nonetheless presented a sliver of an alternative opportunity.

In the eyes of the three women, Qin Yan had now transformed into a thorny hedgehog.

It was like a mute eating bitter coptis, unable to articulate their suffering, afraid to swallow it, yet too prideful to spit it out. What were they to do?

Just then, Qin Yan felt his body suddenly go limp, his spiritual energy becoming sluggish and mired as if he were traversing a swamp. He instantly snapped back to full awareness, realizing with a jolt that he had been poisoned, completely without his notice!

“Third Sister?!”

The stout woman, observing Qin Yan’s expression and his body, now somewhat weakened despite holding his spear upright, called out to the woman beside her.

“Big Boss, didn’t you just tell me to administer the poison?”

The green-clad woman replied, a hint of awkwardness coloring her expression.

With this revelation, any chance of a peaceful resolution vanished completely. The Big Boss charged towards Qin Yan first, determined to uncover the true face of this man in the bamboo hat!

Witnessing the stout woman’s ferocious charge, Qin Yan involuntarily bit his tongue, the sharp pain serving to clear his mind.

As the metallic tang of blood spread through his mouth, Qin Yan rallied his spirits.

Fierce flames once again ignited along his long spear. Qin Yan held the weapon horizontally before him, absolutely refusing to surrender and become their helpless prey!

“What a domineering spear technique!”

The stout woman exclaimed in surprise.

She had already reached Qin Yan’s front, extending a hand to seize the spearhead, only for it to abruptly retract by several inches, causing her grasp to meet empty air.

Yet, as the Big Boss of the mountain bandits, a veteran of countless battles, she instinctively dodged by tilting her head aside.

Then, the spear suddenly extended by several more inches, thrusting towards the spot where her head had just been. Fortunately, her swift movements allowed her to evade the strike entirely.

“What a nimble treasure!”

She cried out, her hands darting towards Qin Yan.

By then, however, Qin Yan had already leaped backward, causing her to miss her grab. Her hands clapped together instead, generating a fierce gust of wind that snatched Qin Yan’s bamboo hat into the air, momentarily blinding his eyes with dust.

“What a handsome young master!!!”

Upon seeing Qin Yan’s face, she shrieked with unbridled excitement.

“I’ve changed my mind! Second Sister, Third Sister, remember to capture him alive! I want to keep him locked in our stockade for all eternity, and to hell with that Yanqing Sect! We’ll set off tomorrow and find a new mountain stronghold outside the Qin Kingdom!”

The stout woman, utterly ecstatic, shouted to the white-clad woman and the green-clad woman, who had already positioned themselves behind Qin Yan.

Qin Yan observed the three women encircling him, his mind frantically scrambling for a countermeasure. Yet, the more he attempted to circulate his cultivation technique, the more sluggish his spiritual energy became. He had no desire to be captured by these three female bandits and turned into their plaything.

While the Second Boss and Third Boss were indeed beautiful, that was certainly no justification!

“Junior Brother! I’ve come to help you!!!”

Just then, a delicate shout resonated through the mountain forest.

A woman clad in a white dress appeared above them, her oval face alight with barely contained fury as she gazed upon the trio besieging Qin Yan.

It was Yu Qingxuan.

She had only discovered her Junior Brother’s unannounced departure two days prior. After much deliberation, she could only conclude that Qin Yan had secretly descended the mountain to seek out that good-for-nothing from the Xiao family, and thus she had rushed to follow him.

Coincidentally, as she passed through this very area, she sensed Qin Yan’s distinctive aura, which was easily recognizable.

Fire riding the wind’s momentum, wind bolstering the fire’s might, continuous and exceptionally domineering!

“Die, all of you!!!”

Yu Qingxuan, still airborne, let out a fierce cry, and over a dozen flying swords materialized around her, striking out at the surrounding mountain bandits and the three women.

Within mere breaths, all the mountain bandits present lay dead on the ground. The three women were no exception; they didn’t even have time to utter a plea for mercy before falling beneath Yu Qingxuan’s swords.

Having dispatched the bandits, Yu Qingxuan gracefully descended from the sky, landing before Qin Yan.

She reached out to support the swaying Qin Yan, then with a wave of her hand, the storage pouches of the three bandit leaders were instantly collected. Witnessing this, Qin Yan couldn’t help but inwardly quip, ‘Automatic loot collection, huh?’

“Junior Brother, you’ve been poisoned!”

Yu Qingxuan said, a note of urgency in her voice as she supported the tottering Qin Yan.

“Yes, Senior Sister,” Qin Yan replied. “I feel completely powerless, and my spiritual energy is stagnant.”

“Fear not, I shall find a place to cure you of this poison!”

Yu Qingxuan spoke, then, observing Qin Yan’s weakened state causing him to lean against her chest, a peculiar blend of joy and nervousness stirred within her heart.

Swallowing subtly, she forced herself to dismiss such thoughts, reminding herself that her Junior Brother was, after all, poisoned!

“Pardon me, Junior Brother!”

With these words, she wrapped her arm around Qin Yan’s waist, preparing to seek out a secluded spot to detoxify her Junior Brother!