"Ugh..."
"Cough, cough..."
The yellow smoke, carried by the wind, descended upon the bandits. They felt their nasal passages burn and their eyes stream with tears, blurring their vision. The smoke carried fine particles that invaded their respiratory tracts, making it difficult to breathe and causing their movements to falter.
"Damn it! What is this stuff?"
The bandit leader, who had been preparing to face Teng Qingshan, was hit by the yellow smoke. While Qingshan's prepared team showed no signs of distress, the leader and his men were struggling.
Teng Qingshan's spear danced through the air, sending bandits reeling as they clutched their faces. He quickly closed in on the bandit leader.
"You brat, you're asking for death!"
The bandit leader barely managed to wipe the grime and tears from his face before seeing Qingshan's spear mere meters away. The pent-up frustration, combined with Qingshan's audacity, ignited his rage. Instead of retreating, he roared and swung his thick-backed broadsword in a deadly arc towards Qingshan.
"Clang!"
Qingshan was ready. His spear, as if alive, met the broadsword, deflecting it with precision.
"Hmm?"
Qingshan was slightly surprised by the bandit leader's strength. His spear's trajectory wavered slightly, but his reaction was swift. Twisting the spear, he redirected it towards the bandit leader's throat.
"Thud!"
The spear, swift as lightning, pierced the bandit leader's throat. The poison from the yellow smoke had slowed his reactions just enough to make him vulnerable.
"Gurgle..."
The bandit leader's eyes widened as he clutched his throat, blood gushing from the wound. He tried to speak but could only produce strangled noises. Staggering a few steps, he collapsed to the ground.
Qingshan withdrew his spear and scanned the area. He spotted the man in black and the man with triangular eyes attempting to flee on horseback.
"Big brother!"
The young man who had been commanding the bandits saw his brother fall in a pool of blood. Red-eyed, he turned to shout, "Kill him... uh..." His vision blurred, and the last thing he saw was a familiar headless body falling to the ground.
"Hmph."
Alex stood beside the young man's corpse, flicking the blood from his blade. His eyes locked onto the fleeing figures.
"Trying to run, huh?"
A cold smile curled Alex's lips. He surveyed the area and then dashed along a narrow path to intercept them.
"Brother Lang! Brother Lang! Wait for me!"
The man with triangular eyes, Er Gouzi, spurred his horse desperately, but his mount couldn't match the speed of Brother Lang's fine steed. Seeing Qingshan gaining on him, Er Gouzi whipped his horse frantically.
"Whoosh!"
When Qingshan was about ten meters behind, he spun his spear and hurled it. The spear whirled through the air like a drill.
"Help!"
Er Gouzi, hearing the whistling sound, ducked instinctively. Though he avoided the spear, he lost control of his horse. The steed reared up, throwing Er Gouzi to the ground.
"Thud!"
Er Gouzi crashed into the bushes, seeing stars and nursing a bloody nose.
"Whoosh!"
The spinning spear continued its path towards Brother Lang.
"Curse you!"
Brother Lang's eyes flashed with fury. He guided his horse deftly while drawing a glowing green blade.
"Clang!"
The spear was deflected, leaving a deep gouge in the ground.
"Hmph."
Brother Lang felt a tingling sensation in his arm as he waved the cold blade. "These bumpkins have some skill. This Coldblade is truly a treasure."
Galloping along the main road, Brother Lang felt a rush of triumph. He twirled the Coldblade in his hand.
"Hmph."
A growl, like a tiger's roar, echoed in Brother Lang's ears. Before he could react, a shadow loomed over him from a high slope beside the road.
"What?"
As the shadow blocked the sun, Brother Lang instinctively looked up to see a massive hand, resembling a tiger's paw, descending upon him.
Alex, in mid-air, adjusted his position. His hand latched onto Brother Lang's head and yanked.
"Thud!"
Brother Lang was violently thrown from his horse, crashing into the roadside ditch. The riderless horse continued forward but stopped when Alex grabbed the reins.
"Whoa!"
Teng Qingshan rode up with Er Gouzi in tow. He dismounted and flung Er Gouzi at the dazed Brother Lang.
"Get off!"
Though disoriented, Brother Lang's strength hadn't diminished. He kicked Er Gouzi aside effortlessly.
"Ow!"
Er Gouzi cried out in pain, clutching his injured side.
"You two brats dare to chase me? I'll kill you both!"
Seeing that only Alex and Qingshan had pursued, Brother Lang's confidence returned. As a third-rate martial artist, he believed he could handle two youths.
Qingshan charged silently, spear thrusting forward.
"You're courting death!"
Brother Lang spun the Coldblade, creating a blur of green as he met Qingshan's attack.
"Clang!"
The spear struck the blade, and Brother Lang felt a powerful force travel up his arm. The blow nearly disarmed him. He staggered back, half his body exposed.
Qingshan pressed the attack, his spear a blur of red as it lashed out.
"Qingshan, leave him alive for questioning," Alex called.
Qingshan adjusted his grip and stance slightly, preparing to subdue rather than kill.