The big bad xiantian bandit leader now looked like a pitiful fox caught in a trap, his proud face now showed a painful grimace awash with sweat as his dark robe was stained red, the blood from his almost decapitated arm sputtered down his side, sending the warm liquid splashing all over and freely spilling onto the clay of the main road, he looked at Qin Li with evident fear showing on his face.
His steps started to wobble as a wave of dizziness passed over him, the blood loss was starting to affect his coordination. He disengaged from the battle and activated his wind element armor in a last ditch desperate attempt to flee the scene..
A green glow now enveloped the man from his waist up to his neck. As his hopes of surviving this encounter started to wane, the man attempt to save his life by escape, the wind elements swirled and gathered around the man as he gulped down a lungful of air and made wobbly unsteady steps desperately increasing his speed and distance in the opposite direction of the two monsters.
All the knowledge he thought he knew about the cultivation world had now been shattered, he was running for his life, hoping to escape from a 2nd layer xiantian and a mortal youth as he was overcome with the niggling sensation that death was getting closer and closer and soon he would be within the grim reaper's grasp on this grey overcast day.
"How could this be? wasn't this impossible?" he asked himself as he tried to put as much distance as possible between himself and his pursuers.
Just when a seed of hope was germinating in his mind, the blue eyed, black haired slim youth appeared in front of him as if out of thin air and landed a punch on his chest, his wind armor shattered without resistance.
His right arm which was dangling all this time finally separated from his body as he was sent flying backwards and landed in a dust cloud.
Knowing that escape was impossible, the black haired man abandoned all hope of survival by escape and put all his hopes in negotiating.
Painful groans escaped his lips as he looked at the two people approaching slowly.
"It's not too late" he said "I am apart of the Crimson bandit gang my name is Hung Cheyan, we can let by gones be by gones."
"Is that so?" A smiling Hartley stood over the man.
"Yes we even have support from some important people inside the Pembroke province, I can admit my wrongs and pay you some compensation," the man played his final card appealing to the greed of the youngster.
"Name your price and if I don't have it all with me right now I can retrieve it if you give me some time"
The black haired man spoke with a desperate look on his face, hoping he could make a deal with the two.
"Hartley!" a pale faced Zhi Ruo left carriage at this point and ran over to Hartley quickly checking him for injuries.
"I'm ok Ruo, no need to worry" Hartley smiled and stroked her hair.
Ruo stood by his side and took a look at the pitiful one armed man lying bleeding in the dirt.
"Wha, What do you say?" the man stuttered, hoping for a good result.
"The bodies of the people you used to mark your territory, did you give them a chance to pay compensation?"
Hung Cheyan gulped as he heard the question from Hartley.
"You are not from here so you don't understand" he said, "its always been like that." before he could make further arguments, the young man cut him off.
"Then why should you get to pay compensation for your life? Hartley asked in a loud and serious voice staring at the man with eyes devoid of feelings.
Hung Cheyan had no reply so he stayed quiet..
"You've left the bodies of travelers to rot in the road to mark your territory, so where would we be right now if we lacked the strength to defeat you and your team of bandits?" Hartley snarled at the man as he turned looked at Ruo who was a bit frightened, he held Ruo's hand and said to the man.
"It is only fair that those who come looking for you should also smell your decaying corpse before they find you."
Hartley took Ruo and started to walk away but with his back turned he said to Qin Li over his shoulder
"Take his space ring then remove his other hand and both legs then tie him to a tree, if his luck his good he might survive the birds and get eaten by a fierce beast, if his luck his bad then he too will become a rotten stench beside this stretch of hellish road that he created."
Hung Cheyan started his pleading and cries for mercy as Hartley ushered Ruo towards the carriage. A battle axe appeared in Qin Li's hand as he carried out the gruesome instructions given.
The days passed as they made their way over the bumpy terrain and towards the Pembroke province. Qin Li had some questions about how on earth did Hartley get those bandits to fly in the sky? and how did he fly up to meet them ten meters in the air?
He was itching to ask Hartley but didn't find the time because after the incident with the bandits Hartley spent much more time with Ruo, helping her with her armors, cooking and cultivation and combat training..
They rumbled on towards their destination without anymore unforeseen events.