Twenty or so burly men with knives against a seemingly defenseless scholar—by all appearances, Meng Shuying didn't stand a chance.
That is, if she were an ordinary person.
But Meng Shuying was a cultivator.
Though her senior sister's gaze had warned her not to act rashly, even without taking the initiative, she could easily throw the bandits into chaos on her own.
As the bandits charged at her, Meng Shuying kept her expression pale, maintaining the facade of a helpless scholar, but her eyes remained calm, even carrying a hint of mockery.
Two bandits rushed at her with raised knives. She seized the opportunity to step back half a step, crouching low to maneuver behind one of them. With a swift kick to the back of his knee, the bandit stumbled forward.
Unable to regain his balance, he lunged forward, directly toward the blade of his comrade.
Panicking, he raised his own knife in a desperate attempt to block, and the sound of clashing blades rang out sharply.
Barely managing to steady himself, he sighed in relief, but his respite was short-lived as he saw another bandit crashing down beside him, weapon in hand.
Three men, three blades, all tangled together.
It was unclear who had injured whom, but blood soon began to pool beneath them, seeping out onto the ground.
Meng Shuying moved like a fish in water, weaving through the throng with incredible agility. Wherever she passed, someone inevitably ended up injured.
Time and again, the bandits thought they were on the brink of death, only to find that another unlucky soul had taken the blow intended for them—a fellow brother from the bandit camp.
The one-eyed bandit leader watched as his men were thrown into disarray by this one person. Realizing his mistake in underestimating her, his anger grew. The fear she had feigned earlier had clearly been an act, deliberately meant to deceive him.
Clutching his injured arm, his anger festered as he eyed the three women huddled by the carriage, trembling in fear. A plan formed in his mind.
The bandits had worked together long enough to develop an unspoken understanding. As soon as the leader focused on the women, the others knew exactly what to do. They formed a ring around Meng Shuying, using their bodies to block her view and trapping her within.
Seizing the opportunity, the one-eyed bandit leader rushed over to Su Luowei, pressing his knife against her delicate neck and laughing triumphantly at Meng Shuying. "Hey, boy! Your wife's in my hands. Surrender now if you want to keep her safe!"
Meng Shuying slowly turned her head, her eyes locking onto the blade at her senior sister's throat. The cold glint of steel sent a chill through her entire body.
Even though she knew her senior sister was a cultivator and could easily overpower the bandits, Meng Shuying couldn't help but feel dizzy, her heart screaming at her to kill these men immediately.
Torn between the urge to kill and the need to hold back, she suddenly heard her senior sister call out, "Ah Ying—"
Su Luowei's voice trembled slightly, "Ah Ying, don't worry about me, just run."
But her spiritual voice cautioned, "Don't act rashly."
Meng Shuying straightened up, lowering her gaze in a show of submission.
"Release my wife, and I'll do whatever you want."
"What a touching display of devotion," the bandit leader sneered. "You two lovebirds can't bear to be apart, huh? How about I take you both back to the Tiger's Den and let you stay together forever?"
With a signal from the leader, another bandit approached with ropes.
"White Monkey, make sure to tie him up tight. This kid's slippery," one of the bandits shouted.
White Monkey, wiping the blood from his face, cursed, "Damn it, what a lousy day. Thought this would be an easy job, but we ran into a tough one."
He couldn't fathom how this seemingly unarmed scholar had managed to outmaneuver them, leaving all twenty of them injured.
As soon as Meng Shuying was tied up, one of the more impatient bandits rushed forward, ready to exact some revenge, but the leader barked at him to stop.
"Are you out of your mind? Have you forgotten about the witch waiting for us back at the camp? We're lucky to have caught a soft-skinned pretty boy like this. If you mess up his face and she's not pleased, I'll strip you naked and throw you into her bed!"
The mention of the woman in the camp sent a shiver through the bandits.
They still remembered the time when their boss had spent a night with her, only to emerge looking drained and lifeless, as if she had sucked the very life out of him.
Su Luowei noticed the fear on their faces and couldn't help but be curious. These bandits led lives where death was always a step away, and they had taken countless innocent lives. What kind of terrifying woman could strike such fear into them?
After the bandits quickly cleaned up the battlefield, they marched back triumphantly, surrounding their leader. They left a young boy to drive the carriage, keeping an eye on Su Luowei and the others.
The driver and Meng Shuying were bound and blindfolded, forced to walk on either side of the carriage, their ropes tied to the vehicle. Any attempt to escape would result in them being dragged along the rocky terrain, likely leaving them battered and bruised.
The rough ground was littered with stones of all sizes, and if they fell, the horse would drag them along, leaving them with nothing but injuries.
Xie Hanzhu peeked out from the carriage, and the boy driving the cart immediately turned, full of suspicion. "What do you want?"
Xie Hanzhu rolled her eyes and dropped the curtain in frustration. "These people are so cruel, tying them up like this to prevent us from escaping. When has... the young master ever suffered like this? It's pure torture!"
Su Luowei sighed and lightly tapped the side of the carriage. "Ah Ying, are you alright?"
With her eyes covered, Meng Shuying's other senses were heightened. Walking beside the carriage, she coughed and replied hoarsely, "Don't worry, dear. I'm fine."
Su Luowei exchanged a glance with Xie Hanzhu, who immediately pulled a small piece of silver from her sleeve and slipped it into the boy's hand.
"Could you let my husband ride in the carriage with us?" Su Luowei asked softly, her voice filled with concern.
"There's no need to worry, dear. I'm perfectly fine out here," Meng Shuying responded gently, though if her blindfold were removed, her eyes would reveal a cold, lifeless gaze.
She hated hearing her senior sister speak so kindly and softly to others.
Especially men.
Even if she knew her senior sister was just pretending, doing this to lower their guard.
But Meng Shuying still didn't like it.
After about another half hour of walking, the carriage finally came to a slow stop. As soon as it halted, Su Luowei didn't wait for Xie Hanzhu to help her down. She jumped out, quickly moving to Meng Shuying's side and grabbing her arm. "Ah Ying, are you alright?"
Meng Shuying wiped her hands on her robe before fumbling to touch her senior sister's face.
"I'm fine. What about you? Are you still feeling dizzy from the ride?"
Su Luowei shook her head silently, then turned to the one-eyed bandit who had approached them. "What do you intend to do with us now that we're here?"
The bandit leader grinned wickedly. "Didn't I tell you? The Tiger's Den needs a chief's wife, and you fit the bill. Those two maids of yours aren't bad either; they can be my concubines and continue serving you."
Out of his sight, Xie Hanzhu rolled her eyes dramatically.
She had already been in a bad mood, listening to her senior sister and Meng Shuying act all lovey-dovey on the way. And now, hearing this old man talk about making her his concubine was more than she could bear.
Ugh, how much longer do we have to keep up this act? I'm running out of patience!
But the two leads were fully immersed in their roles, clinging to each other with deep affection.
Or rather, with deep affection as a wife and wife.
The bandit leader sneered as he ordered one of the camp women, a large, strong woman, to separate the two. Su Luowei, being a "weak woman," was no match for her and was easily restrained and led away.
Propping his chin on his hand, the bandit leader watched as the new "chief's wife" struggled, showing glimpses of grace. He then turned to the two maids, who were huddled together in fear, clearly terrified.
He pointed his chin at Su Luowei and instructed the woman, "Take the beauty away for a bath. We'll consummate our marriage tonight. And be gentle, don't hurt her. As for these two…"
He looked over Xie Hanzhu and Wen Miaomiao appraisingly. "These two aren't very womanly—too thin and dry—but they're untouched. Bathe them as well and bring them to my room later."
This group of men loved discussing such topics, bursting into laughter at his words. One even gave the bandit leader a thumbs up.
"Boss, you're a beast! Handling three women in one night!"
Another bandit chimed in, "We're in for a noisy night! Guess we won't be getting any sleep!"
The others joined in, laughing crudely. "Hey, you've got that woman from last time in your room, right? If you can't sleep, you can always keep her busy!"
The bandit leader, pleased with the attention, slapped one of his men on the back. "Once I've had my fill, I'll let you all have a turn. Let's see if these highborn ladies are any different from the rest…"
"Thanks, Boss! Just don't wear them out before we get a chance."
The bandits continued their vulgar banter, their lecherous gazes lingering on the three women.
Xie Hanzhu was trembling with rage, barely able to contain her fury. Just as she was about to signal Su Luowei and Wen Miaomiao to take action, she noticed both of them staring intently in one direction, their expressions suddenly serious.
"What is it?" she whispered urgently.
"There's demonic energy here," Wen Miaomiao replied curtly, her voice tense.
Deep within the Tiger's Den, in what had once been the residence of the bandit leader, a young woman stirred lazily on a tiger pelt.
Her bare feet, adorned with golden bells, rested against the fur, and her slender arms were wrapped in a sheer veil that barely concealed her figure.
She casually brushed her hair back, then kicked the man lying next to her off the bed. The bells on her ankles jingled with the movement, adding a haunting melody to the room.
The two men kneeling by the bed shuddered as if hearing a call from the underworld. They prostrated themselves repeatedly, pleading for mercy.
"Please, Immortal Lady, have mercy! We'll do everything we can to find more handsome men for your enjoyment."
The young woman's foot came to rest on the man's back, sliding slowly up his spine to his shoulders, and finally to his hands clasped tightly in front of him.
With a slight press of her toes, she crushed his arm like a brittle twig.
Though the man bit down hard, suppressing a scream, it was clear he was in agony, on the verge of passing out from the pain.
The woman quickly grew bored and withdrew her foot. A thin veil slipped from her leg, and the man dared not even glance up.
It was no wonder—just the day before, one of his comrades had dared to lift his head to look at her, only to be found later, his body shriveled and lifeless, lying in a corner.
The young woman sat for a moment longer before sensing something unusual. Her eyes lit up with excitement as she turned to the kneeling men. "Your second brother is back, and he's brought someone interesting. Go, tell them to bring that person to me immediately."