Chapter 160: A Rat
"Boss, they’re coming," Disheng alerted in a low voice.
Tiangang let out a hearty laugh, his eyes fixed on the approaching caravan. "From the look of those carriages, I can tell that it’s the Lotus Jade Palace," he declared, satisfaction evident in his voice. He turned to his men. "Boys, we’re eating good tonight!"
"Hehehe, I heard Lotus Jade Palace is filled with beauties," one bandit chimed in, elbowing his companion. "Maybe we can snatch a bride for the boss!"
The suggestion triggered a wave of laughter that echoed through their hiding place. The men’s enthusiasm quickly snowballed as they began pounding their weapons against their chests.
"That’s right, let’s catch a beautiful bride for the boss!" they started chanting, their voices growing louder with each repetition.
"Wait. No. What bride?" Tiangang raised his hands, trying desperately to calm his subordinates. But his protests fell on deaf ears – his men were already fired up, raising their axes high above their heads.
"Let’s go! For the boss!" one shouted as he leapt out from their hiding place. The others followed suit, weapons raised as they charged forward.
"FOR THE BOSS!" they chanted in unison, their battle cry drowning out Tiangang’s continued objections.
"Wait, guys... I’m still the boss," Tiangang muttered, but they had already advanced too far to hear him. He released a resigned sigh as he picked up his own massive axe. His brothers had always been like this.
As he prepared to follow, a strange scraping sound behind him caught his attention. Turning around, Tiangang’s eyes widened at the sight of Disheng laboriously dragging a gaudy chaise lounge across the uneven ground, sweat beading on his forehead from the effort.
"Umm... what are you doing?" Tiangang asked, bewilderment written across his face.
Disheng looked up, pride gleaming in his eyes. "Boss, don’t worry, I’ll carry you!"
"No!" Tiangang exclaimed, immediately moving forward with quickened steps. This guy always overdid things. How was he supposed to maintain any dignity as a leader if he arrived being pulled on that ridiculous contraption?
"Boss? Please get on," Disheng called, running after him with the chaise bouncing awkwardly behind him. "I used all my life savings to buy this for you. It’ll make you look cool and more intimidating!"
Tiangang only quickened his pace, nearly breaking into a sprint. Who would believe such nonsense? He’d look like a beggar, not a fearsome bandit leader.
He finally slowed when he reached his men, who had already surrounded the elegant carriages. They stood with axes resting on their shoulders, malicious smiles splitting their faces.
"Give us all you have and you can pass," one announced.
Inside the opulent carriage sat two breathtakingly beautiful women. One wore a translucent veil that did little to conceal her extraordinary beauty, while the other sat with her face fully exposed, her features delicate yet commanding.
The unveiled woman, Binghe, turned to her companion with concern etched across her face. "Senior Sister Xue, they’re mountain bandits," she observed, her hand instinctively reaching toward her hip. "Should I take care of them?"
Yan Xuelian shook her head, placing a restraining hand over Binghe’s to prevent her from drawing her sword. "We can’t beat them," she murmured, her voice barely audible.
Xuelian slowly descended from the carriage. When the gang saw both beauties emerge, they stood momentarily transfixed by their otherworldly appearance.
"Fellow Daoists," she addressed them politely, "we are just going to a sect meeting and haven’t brought much with us." She offered a slight bow. "Just take it and let us pass." With that, she tossed a spatial pouch toward the bandits.
One of the men caught it deftly, examining its contents. After confirming what lay within, he nodded approvingly to his companions. Then, without warning, he leveled his axe at Xuelian.
"She can leave," he declared, jerking his weapon toward Binghe before bringing it back to point directly at Xuelian’s heart. "But you have to stay."
...
Tiangang smashed through another massive door, wood splintering in all directions as he burst inside. This was nearly the fifth entrance he’d demolished, his patience wearing thinner with each empty room he discovered.
His eyes swept the chamber, nothing again. Frustration bubbled within him as he turned and leapt to another building, his powerful legs carrying him effortlessly across the gap.
Landing with a heavy thud that shook the structure, he swung his enormous axe in a devastating arc, tearing the ornate door from its hinges. This time, the scene before him was different. His breath caught in his throat as he took in the sight—people were inside, but their condition made his blood run cold. Several figures lay slumped against the walls, their limbs bound by heavy chains, barely clinging to consciousness.
He approached one prisoner, gently lifting her face. Recognition flickered in his eyes as he studied her haggard features. "Aren’t you the Third Elder?" he asked.
The woman’s eyes flickered open, focusing on him with great effort. "Please save the Sect Master," she whispered, her voice cracking with desperation.
"Where is Yan Xuelian?" Tiangang demanded, his urgency barely contained.
The Third Elder weakly raised a trembling hand, pointing toward the farthest corner of the chamber. "She’s beyond that corner," she managed before her head slumped forward, consciousness slipping away from her once more.
Without hesitation, Tiangang rushed toward the indicated direction. As he rounded the corner, the scene that greeted him sent a shock of rage through his entire body.
Yan Xuelian hung suspended by her wrists, chains digging cruelly into her skin. Her once-immaculate robes were tattered and stained with blood, her body covered in bruises and wounds far worse than those of the other captives. Her head hung limply forward, her magnificent hair matted with dried blood, offering no indication whether she still lived.
With a roar that contained all his fury, Tiangang swung his axe. The blade sliced through her chains instantly. He lunged forward, catching her limp form before she could crash to the ground. Her body felt alarmingly light in his massive arms.
"Xuelian, are you okay?" he asked urgently, gently shaking her. When she gave no response, fear gripped his heart. He reached into his sleeve and extracted a luminous pill—one of his most treasured possessions, saved for only the most dire emergencies.
With tender care, he placed the pill between her lips. To his immense relief, a reflexive swallow followed, and within moments, color began returning to her ashen face. Her eyelids fluttered open, confusion clouding her gaze as she found herself cradled in Tiangang’s arms.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"What do you mean? I’m here to save you," he replied, concern evident in his usually gruff tone.
Her eyes darted around, taking in their surroundings as clarity returned to her thoughts. "Where is the First Elder?" she questioned.
"She’s outside. She wasn’t hurt like the rest of you. She even tried to stop me," he explained, a hint of residual anger in his voice.
Xuelian sighed deeply. "The First Elder’s obsession is the sect, so it’s easy to threaten her. Don’t take it to heart," she said softly.
She marveled silently at her body’s rapid recovery. The pill he had given her must have been extraordinarily powerful—likely a life-saving treasure he had kept for himself. The fact that he would use such a valuable item on her without hesitation stirred something unexpected within her.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps echoing down the corridor. Her eyes widened with unmistakable fear.
"Oh no, you need to run. Quick!" she urged, pushing herself from his embrace and attempting to shove him toward the other exit. But he remained immovable, his stance firm and unyielding.
In the next moment, a figure emerged from around the corner. A cold smile played across his features as he surveyed the scene.
"Look what the cat dragged in," the man remarked casually, before his expression shifted to one of contempt. "A rat."
Before Tiangang could respond, the man vanished from sight—only to reappear directly before him. With a gentle palm strike, he sent both Tiangang and Xuelian, who stood behind him, crashing through multiple walls.
They landed amidst a shower of debris and rubble, pain exploding through their bodies.
The man approached at a leisurely pace. "I was just about to go look for you," he called out. "Who would’ve thought that you’d bring yourself to me? This makes things a lot easier."