Read upto chapter 458 on patreon.com/Mad_verse
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A huge rock rolled down from the hillside, creating a deep pit in the road. Smoke and dust filled the air, blocking the carriage's path.
Under the powerful impact, the entire carriage flipped over.
"What's going on?!"
Ilya exclaimed as she climbed out of the carriage in a panic. She looked up in confusion, only to find a huge rock blocking the road. A group of bandits rushed down from the mountains on both sides, attacking aggressively.
"Bandits..."
Fang Xuan looked up and scanned the bandits, quickly assessing their strength.
There were about twenty to thirty bandits, and they weren't very strong—only at the level of ordinary Spirit Elders. They seemed like regular bandits, without any premeditated ambush.
Fang Xuan could kill them with a flick of his finger, but he didn't act immediately. Instead, he quietly lay on the ground, pretending to be dead.
He didn't want to reveal his strength just yet.
"Hahaha, brothers, what did I say? There's money on this trip! Rich people often disguise themselves as commoners and beggars to deceive others on the road!"
The bandit leader crossed his arms with an evil smile. He carefully sized up Ilya's figure, a fiery gleam in his eyes. He immediately concluded that this was a fat target, and her noble status was certain—at least the daughter of a count.
"Haha, the leader has sharp eyes."
The surrounding bandits laughed heartily, encircling Fang Xuan and the others. All of them stared at Ilya with hostile expressions.
"Let my young lady go. I still have twenty gold spirit coins here. I'll give them all to you!"
The old servant took a bag of gold spirit coins and handed it to the bandit leader, begging him to spare Ilya.
"Twenty gold spirit coins? You filthy old man, are you trying to insult a beggar?!"
The bandit leader sneered and waved his hand, knocking aside the bag of gold coins and sending the old servant flying with a slap.
"Tsk tsk, what a beauty. She's top-notch!"
"She has an extraordinary temperament. She must be from a noble family!"
"Hahaha, we're in for a feast today."
The group leered at the delicate and trembling Ilya, laughing evilly. Their greedy eyes swept over her, and vulgar words gradually filled the air.
At that moment, Fang Xuan continued to play dead while the old servant lay unconscious. Only Ilya stood alone, surrounded by bandits, her face pale with fear.
"You... what do you want?!"
Ilya curled up her trembling body, looking at the ferocious bandits in terror. She was a young girl, unaccustomed to such danger, and she was utterly frightened.
"What do we want? Haha, many things. But first, I want to take off your troublesome dress..."
The bandit leader licked his lips and stared at Ilya's delicate figure with a fiery gaze. Two cold lights flashed in his eyes as he stretched out his hand, quickly reaching for her white dress.
At the same time, Fang Xuan, lying not far away, opened one eye and quietly observed the dangerous situation. He realized he couldn't stay low any longer.
"After hiding for so many years, I can't keep a low profile anymore..."
"Huh?"
Fang Xuan was startled, and a strange expression crossed his face. He quietly lay back down and glanced toward the source of the sound. To his surprise, the old servant, who had been sent flying earlier, was suddenly getting back up!
His hunched back straightened, and his once-cloudy eyes shone sharply. It was as if he had transformed into a different person. His entire body glowed with energy, and a storm of spirit power surged around him.
So there's an expert in their midst~
Looks like I won't need to step in.
Fang Xuan glanced indifferently at the old servant, then quietly lay back down, continuing to play dead.
"Hehe, I didn't expect there to be an expert here. I made a mistake..."
The bandit leader narrowed his eyes, carefully sizing up the old servant who was approaching step by step. Four spirit rings—yellow, purple, and purple—alternated and glowed on the old man's body, and a powerful aura spread out like a gale.
Spirit Ancestor!
The surrounding bandits gasped, a trace of fear flickering in their eyes as they looked at the old servant. Most were three-ringed Spirit Elders, with some being two-ringed Spirit Grandmasters. A four-ringed Spirit Ancestor was a formidable opponent for them.
"If you want to harm my young lady, you'll have to step over my dead body first!"
The old servant, Zhang Yunlong, shouted. His white hair fluttered, and his frail body stood firmly before Ilya. He glared coldly at the surrounding bandits, who eyed him greedily, like an angry lion ready to fight to the death.
"Hmph, so what if you're a Spirit Ancestor? You're already old! Can you still fight like you used to? Brothers, don't be afraid! Let's attack together and finish off this old fart first!"
At the leader's command, the bandits charged toward Zhang Yunlong like wolves. Over twenty released their martial spirits and unleashed their spirit skills, bombarding the old man in a frenzy.
"Come on!"
A cold glint flashed in Zhang Yunlong's eyes as he punched one bandit in the chest, killing him instantly. Then, with a wave of his hand, he unleashed a row of dense wind blades, knocking down several others.
Zhang Yunlong was stronger than the bandits, but age had taken its toll. He struggled to hold off so many attackers, especially while protecting Ilya. For an old Spirit Ancestor nearing seventy, this was no easy feat.
At first, he was able to fend off the bandits with ease, but gradually, fatigue set in.
After defeating the seventh bandit, Zhang Yunlong began to show signs of exhaustion. He was barely able to stay upright, and his body swayed, suggesting he might collapse at any moment.
"Haha, old man... time to die!"
Sensing an opportunity, the bandit leader's eyes flashed with cold light. He charged forward and smashed his fist into Zhang Yunlong's chest, sending him flying.
"Pfft..."
Zhang Yunlong coughed up blood as his body arced through the air, crashing into an ancient tree. He glanced worriedly at Ilya, but in the end, he couldn't hold on any longer. His head slumped as he lost consciousness.
"Hahahaha, the problem's solved! Brothers... let's have some fun!"
With a wicked grin, the bandit leader approached Ilya, flanked by a dozen strong men. They were ready to take advantage of the helpless beauty.
"No, stay away..."
Ilya's face turned pale with fear as she tried to retreat, but she tripped over a stone and fell to the ground. Her messy black hair and delicate, pitiful appearance would make anyone's heartache.
Just as Fang Xuan hesitated, wondering whether to intervene, the bandit leader grinned nastily and reached his large hand under Ilya's skirt...
Then!
He,
Froze for a moment,
His smile slowly faded.
In the end, the bandit leader calmly withdrew his hand. Without a word, he turned around and hurriedly left with his men.
...
Night fell, and on the way to the Balak Kingdom, Fang Xuan finally couldn't help but ask Ilya,
"I'm curious... that bandit earlier today... why did he let you go?"
A blush crept across Ilya's face, and she shyly replied, "Because... I... I'm a boy."