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Chapter 31: It's Not That They Were Too Weak, But That I Was Too Strong
Chapter 31: It's Not That They Were Too Weak, But That I Was Too Strong
Xu Yan sat atop his horse, his eyes fixed on the two figures before him. With long swords at their hips and expressions of surprise mixed with a hint of coldness, they exuded the air of skilled warriors.
A thoughtful look crossed Xu Yan's face.
"Have I attracted unwanted attention? Could they be planning to kidnap me?
"That doesn't make sense. Why haven't I encountered such attempts before?
"Could it be because of my engagement to the Grand General's family? Perhaps these warriors are cautious because of my connection to such a powerful clan."
Xu Yan had been searching far and wide for masters to guide him, and today was no different as he traveled alone through Donghe County. Yet, never before had a warrior dared to consider kidnapping the young master of the Donghe's wealthiest family.
And now, someone dared to plot against him on the official road!
Xu Yan's first thought was that his recent break-up with the Grand General's family had removed the deterrence, making him a target.
"Even though I'm no longer betrothed to the Grand General's family, I'm still the grandson of the Minister of Personnel!" Xu Yan reminded himself.
Without further ado, one of the warriors leaped forward, intending to pull Xu Yan down from his horse.
Despite the lack of travelers on the official road at this time, they needed to act quickly and capture their target without delay to avoid any unforeseen complications.
With Xu Yan in their grasp, their subsequent actions would be much easier.
The warrior reached out and grabbed Xu Yan's shoulder, exerting force to pull him down. However, to his astonishment, it felt like he was trying to move a mountain.
Xu Yan didn't budge!
Alarmed, the warrior tried to let go and retreat, but he found his neck in a vise-like grip, and he was lifted into the air.
"Who do you think you are, laying your hands on me?" Xu Yan's gaze was icy as he stared at his assailant.
Witnessing this, the other man's eyes widened in shock. He drew his sword with a ring and leaped into the air, slashing at Xu Yan with deadly intent.
"Let him go!" Xu Yan's eyes blazed with killing intent, a fierce glint flashing in their depths.
"Hmph!" Xu Yan snorted coldly, and with his free hand, he reached out and grabbed the oncoming sword. A surge of true qi appeared on his arm as he clenched his hand around the blade.
Bang!
The sword shattered into several pieces under the might of Xu Yan's true qi.
Boom!
A burst of true qi erupted from Xu Yan's hand, slamming into the warrior in mid-air.
There was a sickening crunch, and the warrior's body exploded into a shower of blood and flesh, startling Xu Yan. He quickly enveloped himself in a protective layer of true qi.
Unfortunately, the force of Xu Yan's true qi was too much for the man whose neck he was gripping. As the qi wave hit, the man's bones shattered, and he died with eyes wide in horror.
Rumble!
The force of the true qi swept away the gory remains, sending them flying into the grass on either side of the road.
"They're too fragile!" Xu Yan exclaimed in disbelief as he tossed the corpse into the grass.
He had only used a bit of his true qi, and it had blown his opponent to pieces!
"It's not that they were too weak, but that I was too strong!
"I exist on a whole other level compared to them."
Xu Yan exhaled, his heart pounding with excitement. This was the true power of martial arts, and he had only just begun his journey, yet he already possessed such terrifying strength.
"I need to improve my control over my power, though. I'll have to be more careful next time!" Xu Yan learned from this encounter and continued on his way.
The official road was deserted at this hour, and no one had witnessed his confrontation with the two warriors. Satisfied, Xu Yan made his way home.
...
"Yan, you're back!" Xu Yan's mother, Mrs. Xu, beamed as she held her son's hand, examining him for any signs of weight loss or sunburn. Instead, he seemed to have become even more robust, much to her relief.
As long as her precious son hadn't suffered, she was content.
"Yan, now that you're back, please don't wander off again. It's not safe out there," Mrs. Xu admonished him.
"Mother, where's Father?" Xu Yan asked, a hint of confusion in his voice.
Whenever he returned home, his father would invariably appear, his face stern as he prepared to reprimand his son.
But today, there was no sign of him.
"Your father is tending to some business matters," Mrs. Xu replied, a fleeting hint of worry crossing her face.
"Mother, has something happened to our family?" Xu Yan asked, his brows furrowing.
He knew that his father only got personally involved in the family business when something significant was amiss.
Sighing, Mrs. Xu decided to explain the situation. "On the Jin'an Road in Donghe County, a band of mountain bandits has appeared, and they've robbed one of our shipments.
"Your father is currently arranging for the goods to be sent again. If the delivery doesn't arrive as promised, we'll have to pay triple compensation.
"Yan, your father will handle this. Now that you're back, you must be hungry." Mrs. Xu instructed the servants to prepare a feast to welcome her son home.
Xu Yan's brows knitted together as a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes.
"I may be new to the martial path, but even the peak experts of the martial world are as frail as twigs to me. Those mountain bandits dared to target our family's goods, and they deserve to be taught a lesson!
"This is a perfect opportunity to test my strength and take care of our family's problem at the same time."
Over the years, the family had spent a considerable sum on his pursuits, and the fact that his father was personally handling this business matter indicated the shipment's immense value.
"Mother, where are those mountain bandits? Why hasn't the government sent troops to deal with them?" Xu Yan asked curiously.
Unaware of her son's plan to single-handedly take on the bandits, Mrs. Xu answered honestly, "They're at Black Wind Mountain, about 200 li from Donghe County, right beside the Jin'an Road."
"That Jiang Pingshan is refusing to deploy troops under the pretext of guarding against potential unrest from the Tianmu Sect. Hmph, it's just an excuse because of the broken engagement. He's turning a blind eye to our troubles," Mrs. Xu said, her face twisting in anger as she mentioned Jiang Pingshan.
Xu Yan understood the implications. The shipment was meant for the capital of Qi, and the bandits had struck on the Jin'an Road, specifically targeting the Xu family's goods. There was definitely more to this than met the eye.
However, Xu Yan wasn't concerned with the intricacies of the matter. He was eager to test his strength and crush those mountain bandits.
"Mother, I just remembered something I need to take care of. I'll be back soon," Xu Yan said as he turned to leave.
"Yan, where are you going? Come back!" Mrs. Xu called out anxiously.
But Xu Yan had already gone to the stables, saddled a horse, and ridden out of the city.
"I'll reach Black Wind Mountain just as it's getting dark. Perfect timing!" Xu Yan thought excitedly.
On Black Wind Mountain, a group of warriors had gathered, discussing their plans to ambush the Xu family's shipment.
Their leader, a burly man with a bare chest covered in black hair, stood with a large cleaver at his feet. "This mission must succeed," he said in a low voice. "Xu Junhe is a formidable man. After losing one shipment, he will surely be prepared. We must not underestimate him!"
"Don't worry, Boss Bear. As long as Jiang Pingshan doesn't send troops, Xu Junhe won't be able to protect his goods no matter how capable he is!" one of the warriors assured.
Just then, a figure surrounded by scorching true qi appeared, charging up the mountain. "If you want the Xu family's goods, you'll have to prove your worth!" the figure declared in a menacing voice.
(End of Chapter)
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