Bandits were notorious for their looting in the first layer. They would target anyone who appeared slightly weaker, showing no concern for the background or force behind the person they were robbing. With the entire forest as their hideout, they operated with impunity.

“Why are they in this part of the forest?” murmured Captain Du.

The mercenary knew the bandits’ trails and their paths, so he found it odd for these bandits to be roaming around this area.

“What should we do? Should we take a detour?” asked a mercenary.

“Hold still, let them pass,” replied Captain Du.

“Why are we hiding from them?” Spark asked suddenly, bewildered. “Aren’t you all martial artists? Why are you scared of some bandits?”

Thinking about it, his question was reasonable. The bandits in front of them were mortals with only common martial arts; they should not pose a threat to them.

When they were hiding in the bush, a disciple noticed a monkey in a tree, staring at them, and pointed it out.

“We’ve to change our spot,” cursed a mercenary, grabbing a small crossbow from his waist.

“Why?” asked the mayor.

“This is their scout pet,” said the mercenary, aiming the crossbow at the small monkey on the branch.

Eek!

The monkey made a loud noise before it fell off the branch.

The three silhouettes turned toward the sound and headed in that direction.

“It’s coming from over there,” one of them said to his allies.

They carefully approached the location where the sound originated.

When they reached the area, they saw a small, bloodied monkey lifeless on the ground.

“Little one, what happened to you?” one of them knelt to pick up the lifeless monkey.

There was a small, needle-like arrow pierced in its head.

“Be on guard—” he started to say, but before he could turn to warn his friends, multiple figures jumped from the bushes, silencing them completely.

The mercenaries, hired by the mayor for their expertise, finished off the bandits cleanly by luring them in.

Lin Mo watched as the mercenaries killed the bandits mercilessly. Although the bandits might have committed heinous crimes, it was still unpleasant to see blood flowing before his eyes.

As they continued, they encountered more bandits, who seemed to be actively searching for something.

They managed to avoid most, but a few had to be dealt with silently.

Another night had arrived.

It was their third night in the forest, but this one was different from the previous nights. There was no bonfire tonight; only the moonlight illuminated the forest.

The mercenaries were on higher alert than before, and so were the disciples.

While they sat quietly, a flutter came from above.

A bird perched on a branch.

“Oh, it’s just an owl,” said the disciple.

“An owl? They found us!” warned a mercenary.

“Are you sure?” asked the mayor.

“Yes, it’s another one of their scouting pets,” the mercenary said, gripping his weapon tightly, ready to defend against any sudden attacks.

“Brat, I sense multiple people approaching,” the old ghost suddenly told Lin Mo. “They’ve surrounded this area.”

Lin Mo and others also stood up, readying their weapons.

The only non-fighters of the group, the mayor, and the shabby man Spark, hid at the center, protected from all sides.

Soon enough, the figures hiding in the bushes emerged. They all wore similar red attire and held weapons in their hands.

They were everywhere, coming out from all sides and surrounding them with no escape.

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“What should we do, Captain?” asked a mercenary. “Should we break through one side and escape?”

“They have probably anticipated that and might have more hiding behind them,” said Captain Du. “Defend and wait for a chance.”

The bandits were everywhere, outnumbering them ten to one.

“You six! Don’t let these bandits break our circle!” shouted Captain Du.

They formed a defensive barrier, creating a circle with the mayor and Spark at the center.

“Are these six even reliable?” a mercenary doubted.

“The sect must’ve sent them for a reason,” said Captain Du. “We can only hope they can hold on until we find an opening.”

The bandits halted their march, stopping about a hundred meters from the group’s perimeter.

“Why did they stop?” muttered a disciple.

In the silent standoff, the sound of multiple footsteps resounded as another group of bandits emerged from the bushes.

This group was different from the rest; six of them wore purple attire, their entire bodies covered except for their eyes.

At the center stood a robust man, twice the size of Captain Du. His dark attire made him appear even more fearsome in the moonlight.

“He must be the leader of this bandit army,” the group thought in unison.

Apart from the six purple-robed figures, the robust man was the only one who stood out. There was no denying he was their leader just from his appearance.

“Why have you encircled us?” shouted Captain Du.

The robust man pretended to finger his ears, acting as if he hadn’t heard the question.

“Oh, if it isn’t little Du. When was the last time you lost to me?” laughed the robust man.

Hearing the sarcastic remark, Captain Du gripped his large sword, ready to rush forward when his fellow mercenary stopped him, reminding him of their task.

“I’m so scared, little Du is angry,” the robust man mocked, seeming to enjoy taunting him.

The disciples were confused about the relationship between the two men. However, from the conversation, they deciphered that the two had fought in the past and Captain Du had lost.

“Why have you mobilized so many of your men?” asked Captain Du, ignoring the previous remarks.

“Goddess Za told me in my dream that a fortune was heading my way,” the robust man made a grasping motion with his hand. “How could I let it escape my grasp?”

“HMPH! What fortune?” asked Captain Du.

“How would I know before capturing every one of you?” the robust man waved his hand, signaling the bandits to proceed forward.

The bandits charged with their weapons in hand, ready to overwhelm their foes with numbers.

The battle between the bandits and their group ensued.

The robust man and the six purple-clad bandits didn’t seem to join the battle; instead, they continued to watch from the sidelines.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sound of swords and sabers colliding resounded in the silent night.

The mercenary group had begun their defense. They held their position well, fending off the charging bandits.

On the other side, the group of disciples appeared hesitant at first since this was their first battle of this size. But soon, they got used to it and began fighting back.

One after another groans of pain and bleeding filled the air. The disciples didn’t falter as they slashed through the bandits, as if it were a routine occurrence. There was no hesitation in their actions; they showed no empathy towards their foes.

On the other hand, Lin Mo only passively defended.

These red bandits were at best in the Qi gathering realm. They couldn’t even perform proper martial arts; all they knew was to swing their weapons towards their foes.

Lin Mo only used his palms to knock out those charging at him; he didn’t kill any of them.

If he were to compare himself to these bandits, it would be like a child going against an adult. At his current bodily strength, these bandits could die from a single punch or have their necks snapped if he didn’t control himself.

“These brats are good,” commented a purple-robed bandit watching from the side. “Lord, should we join in?”

“Go ahead,” the robust man permitted the purple bandits to make a move.

As the disciples were preoccupied with the red bandits, they were caught off guard by the sudden arrival of the purple figures. They were swift and strong; only a few managed to repel their attacks, while others were pushed back.

One of the purple figures aimed their attack towards Lin Mo.

However, Lin Mo easily blocked the attack and pushed the purple figure back.

The figure then vanished and reappeared behind Lin Mo for another sneak attack, but once again, Lin Mo blocked it.

“How?” the purple figure appeared shocked.

“You’re nowhere near brother Wu,” said Lin Mo, remaining calm and composed.

Amidst the raging battle, Lin Mo noticed that most of the disciples were getting pushed back by these new assailants, indicating that these purple bandits were trained experts.

On the other side, the mercenaries continued to defend well, but they appeared to be low on stamina as the red bandits kept coming one after another.

Lin Mo clenched his fist tightly. He couldn’t bear to see more lives lost, as if human life had no value even if they were bandits.

On the other hand, if their group lost, they would all be at the mercy of these bandits. It had to end, one way or another.

With resolve, Lin Mo decided to step forward, breaking the small circle amidst the chaos of battle.

“Brat, what are you doing?” shouted Captain Du, but Lin Mo continued to advance.

Many of the red bandits charged at him, but he effortlessly knocked them aside. Even the purple ones couldn’t’ stop him.

Lin Mo stopped a few meters away from the robust man.

Raising his head, Lin Mo met the eyes of the robust man. “Are you the strongest of this group?”

“I should be,” replied the robust man, smiling.

Lin Mo unsheathed the sword behind his back and pointed it in front. “I challenge you to a duel.”

!!!