The bandits, still awestruck by the sheer amount of Li Taixing's copper coins and Spirit Stones, had no idea who he really was. When he claimed that his father—the richest man in the land—could easily hire immortal cultivators, the mention of Spirit Stones was enough to convince them of his status.
Afraid of causing a catastrophe, they dared not provoke Li Taixing now, hesitating to use force against him. Their greed, however, made them receptive to negotiation.
Seeing that they were willing to talk, Li Taixing asked, "Alright, how many villagers are being held here?"
The bandit leader stretched out three fingers and replied, "Three hundred."
"Okay, I'll give you 10,000 copper coins per villager. That's 3 million copper coins total."
The bandits were left dumbfounded, their jaws hanging open in disbelief. Three million copper coins for a bunch of villagers? They could hardly comprehend such a sum.
"However, I have one condition," Li Taixing added.
The bandit leader, snapping out of his daze, quickly asked, "What condition?"
"Promise me you'll never harass Xianghua Village again," Li Taixing stated firmly.
Without much thought, the bandit leader agreed. In their minds, Li Taixing must have been some rich noble who had fallen for a village girl and was willing to throw money around to save her village. It all seemed plausible to them.
"Deal. We won't bother this place again," the bandit leader said, flashing a grin.
Li Taixing smirked as he waved his hand, and a massive pile of copper coins appeared on the ground, totaling exactly 3 million. The bandits were once again dumbstruck at the sight of the mountain of coins.
"Kangdang."
One of the bandits dropped his saber in shock, unable to hold it steady. The pile of coins gleamed in the sunlight, capturing their full attention.
"Hiss, so many copper coins."
"Wow, we're rich, we're really rich."
"But... brother, there are so many coins that we'll need to pack them up. Should we get some boxes?" one of the bandits suggested, still in awe of the fortune before them.
The bandit leader, grinning from ear to ear, agreed, "Brother 'Toomuchmoney', you're truly generous. We'll take the money and give you the villagers."
After releasing the captives, the bandits scrambled to gather boxes and began greedily stuffing them with the copper coins. They didn't even bother to pick up their dropped weapons, fully consumed by their newfound wealth.
The villagers, though confused, were overjoyed to be freed. They wondered who this "Xiao Tang" was that had brought such a wealthy savior to their village. Their gratitude toward Li Taixing grew, though they remained uncertain about his true identity.
"Haha, so much money," one of the bandits chuckled as he packed the coins into a box.
"I've never seen this much wealth in my life," another bandit added, his eyes wide with excitement.
The bandit leader, still smiling, approached Li Taixing and said, "Brother 'Toomuchmoney', you have our word. We'll never trouble Xianghua Village again. And if you're ever near Dulong Village, do stop by. You'll always be welcome there."
"sure," Li Taixing replied coolly, masking the disdain brewing in his heart. He watched the bandits laugh and joke, clueless about the fate that awaited them.
'Did you really think my money would come that easily? You fools.'
With the villagers now safe, Li Taixing decided it was time to deal with the bandits. He had only pretended to negotiate; his real plan was far more ruthless.
"Psychokinesis."
In an instant, the sabers scattered across the ground began to float into the air, swirling around him. The bandits were too busy collecting the copper coins to notice.
[Ding! Triggered tens of billions of multipliers!]
Suddenly, under Li Taixing's control, hundreds of sabers appeared out of nowhere, all levitating ominously above the bandits. It was as if a storm of blades was brewing right above their heads.
'Let's see how you like this,' Li Taixing thought, his eyes cold as ice.
With a single wave of his hand, the sabers flew toward the bandits at lightning speed.
"Shhhhhh."
"Ahhh! What's happening?!"
"Help!"
"Run!"
The bandits barely had time to react before the first saber pierced through a man's chest, followed by another, and another. Screams filled the air as over a dozen bandits fell to the ground, lifeless.
The remaining seven bandits managed to dodge the initial wave, but fear was now etched into their faces.
Li Taixing shook his head, dissatisfied with his control. 'I need to refine my Psychokinesis. Too many of the sabers missed their mark.'
Even though Li Taixing's technique could multiply the number of weapons he controlled, the effectiveness of those weapons depended on his own power and precision. He would need to improve to master this ability fully.
"Boy, you dare attack us?! You're courting death!" one of the surviving bandits shouted, trying to muster some semblance of courage. But when they saw more sabers rising into the air, their bravado quickly turned to panic.
With another flick of his wrist, Li Taixing sent the remaining sabers flying, this time making sure every last one found its target. The seven remaining bandits were cut down where they stood, their bodies crumpling into the dirt.
As the last bandit fell, silence descended on the village square.
Li Taixing calmly retrieved his copper coins, and the villagers, who had witnessed the entire scene, were left in utter shock. They stared at him in awe, unsure of what to say or do.
Li Taixing turned to them with a small shrug, saying, "Don't look at me like that. What would've happened if they had held you hostage with a knife to your neck? I had to make sure they couldn't threaten you again."
The village chief, regaining his composure, stepped forward and knelt before Li Taixing. "Thank you, Mr. 'Toomuchmoney', for saving our lives! We'll never forget your kindness."
"Thank you, Young Master 'Toomuchmoney'!" the other villagers echoed, bowing in gratitude.
Li Taixing chuckled inwardly, feeling slightly awkward that they still believed he was someone named "Toomuchmoney." He coughed lightly and waved them off.
"Alright, enough of that. But listen, those bandits came from Dulong Village. If they don't return, their comrades might retaliate. Do any of you know what's going on in Dulong Village?"