It took quite a while before the man finally caught his breath.
By then, Nie Hanchang had come out of the shadows as well, though he still maintained a safe distance behind Zhao Yunxiao in case of any unexpected developments.
“So? Are you finally ready to speak now?” Zhao Yunxiao asked impatiently. “Or do you still want to solve this by force?”
“No, you are a truly powerful man. I admit my inferiority for now,” the man said.
For now?
Zhao Yunxiao could not help but notice his indignance, but chose not to dwell on it.
“In that case, speak up,” Zhao Yunxiao prompted. “Who are you? Are you an unaffiliated cultivator? Otherwise, what faction are you from? And what are you doing here out here? What happened to the bandits in the area?”
“My name is Qiao Yulang, and I am not a cultivator-” the man started.
“Stop lying,” Zhao Yunxiao immediately interjected. “Speak the truth unless you want a repeat of what happened just now.”
“Please calm down,” Qiao Yulang replied calmly. “You should not resort to violence for everything. That is a last resort that should be avoided unless there is absolutely no other choice.”
“Weren’t you the one who wanted to make us leave by force earlier?” Zhao Yunxiao pointed out.
“As I was saying, I am not a cultivator,” Qiao Yulang conveniently ignored Zhao Yunxiao’s words. “However, I had the fortune of picking up a thing or two recently. Perhaps that’s what caused the misunderstanding.”
“It’s fine if you don’t want to reveal your identity. I just want to know a few things. What are you doing here, and what happened to the bandits in the area?” Zhao Yunxiao decided to focus on the important stuff instead. “Did you get rid of the bandits? Or did they leave before your arrival?”
While the other party did not have a high cultivation level, he was still a cultivator nevertheless.
It was not entirely impossible for him to get rid of the bandits if he wanted to.
“Neither,” Qiao Yulang answered. “The bandits got rid of themselves.”
Zhao Yunxiao: “...”
“Wait, a gentleman resorts to words and not fists. Remember, the use of violence should always be left as a last resort,” Qiao Yulang quickly added when he noticed the change in Zhao Yunxiao’s eyes. “What I speak of is nothing but the truth. After all, I would know best since I used to be a part of the group of bandits whom you speak of as well.”
“You are?” Zhao Yunxiao frowned at the first piece of useful information. “What happened, then?”
“Unfortunately, yes. After all, I was young and did not know any better,” Qiao Yulang let out a sigh of resignation. “We used to be active in these parts until a few months ago. That was when we learnt about the way of the world.”
“Can you tell the story properly instead of trying to be mysterious?” Zhao Yunxiao felt the corner of his lips twitch. “Tell me what happened!”
“Patience is a virtue. I am getting to that now, am I not?” Qiao Yulang shook his head in disapproval.
Zhao Yunxiao: “...”
“Remember, the use of violence should always be left as a last resort,” Qiao Yulang reminded once more before continuing. “One day, we were going about our usual activities when we came across a strange merchant.”
“A strange merchant? In what sense?” Zhao Yunxiao asked.
At the same time, Zhao Yunxiao exchanged glances with Nie Hanchang.
This was not the first time that they had heard such a description.
“In every sense,” Qiao Yulang recalled. “When we approached him for some charitable donations, he did not try to resist at all, immediately giving up everything but refusing to hand over a dirty-looking book that he protected with his life. We might not have cared much about the book initially. But after seeing how odds his actions were, of course we would be more interested in receiving it as a donation.”
“Donation, eh?” Zhao Yunxiao scoffed. “So, where is the merchant now?”
“As I said, he protected it with his life,” Qiao Yulang remarked.
“So, you killed him,” Zhao Yunxiao confirmed.
“Someone else did, not me,” Qiao Yulang corrected.
“I mean, your group killed him,” Zhao Yunxiao insisted.
“If you truly wish to twist things in such a manner, then I have no way to rebuke it,” Qiao Yulang spoke as though he was being wronged here.
“What happened next? That still does not explain what caused a change in you,” Zhao Yunxiao said. “I’m sure killing the merchant did not suddenly invoke your guilty conscience.”
“Let me ask you something. Are the two of you cultivators?” Qiao Yulang asked in response.
“I am the one asking the questions here,” Zhao Yunxiao frowned.
“No, no, let’s not resort to violence. I’ll explain,” Qiao Yulang quickly replied. “The reason I ask this is because this dirty-looking book that we would not have taken a second glance at... turned out to be something akin to a cultivation manual!”
“A cultivation manual?” Zhao Yunxiao was surprised to hear that.
“That’s right. Or at least, that’s what we think it is,” Qiao Yulang nodded. “Initially, nobody cared much about the book since it sounded like gibberish. However, I thought that the merchant’s behaviour did not make sense, and decided to follow the instructions in the book. That’s when I realised that it is not as simple as it seemed! When I told everyone about it, everyone was surprised as well.”
“I see... so this technique that you executed earlier came from there as well?” Zhao Yunxiao asked.
“That’s right,” Qiao Yulang confirmed. “Moonlight Sutra – that’s the name of the technique.”
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“Moonlight Sutra!” Zhao Yunxiao widened his eyes in surprise.
He thought that it sounded familiar when he heard Qiao Yulang announce the name of his technique just now, but had simply brushed it off as nothing important.
Now, he finally remembered what it was after hearing it in a different context!
“Have you heard of it before?” Qiao Yulang noticed this and asked.
Nie Hanchang also looked at Zhao Yunxiao, curious to hear about it from him.
“I’ve heard of it,” Zhao Yunxiao confirmed after quickly calming himself down. “If it is truly the Moonlight Sutra that I’ve heard about, then it is a cultivation technique indeed.”
Moonlight Sutra.
This was the signature technique of the ancient Moonlight Heavenly Lord, which allowed him to dominate the lands.
It was a complicated technique that comprised both cultivation and combat aspects, but was said to have been lost for ages.
If what the merchant had was truly the actual manual for the Moonlight Sutra, then this would be a huge discovery!
Should they manage to bring the Moonlight Sutra to the Black Tortoise Sect, Zhao Yunxiao could only imagine the amount of sect points that they would be rewarded with!
“It looks like I made the right decision to convince everyone to follow the instructions on the manual,” Qiao Yulang smiled in satisfaction. “Remember how I said the bandits got rid of themselves? Well, I am not lying. The Moonlight Sutra requires one to be calm and scholarly, expelling negative thoughts from the mind. Because of that, we decided to stop being bandits, adopting a quiet and reclusive life here in the wilds.”
“You did...?” Zhao Yunxiao raised an eyebrow.
He had heard of the Moonlight Sutra, but he did not know the specifics.
However, it was true that certain cultivation techniques required their practitioners to adopt a certain mindset before they could be cultivated effectively.
Still, was it really possible for bandits to suddenly exercise such self control?
“I know it is difficult to believe, but it is the truth,” Qiao Yulang continued. “Cultivators like you do not know just how much ordinary mortals like us long to become like you! If there is a chance for us to join your ranks, doing this much is nothing at all!”
Zhao Yunxiao thought that Qiao Yulang’s words made sense.
He had not been born into the sect as well, so he knew that this was a mentality shared by almost everyone.
Be it farmers, bandits, or even top officials, all of them longed to become cultivators if given the opportunity.
That was why so many people would spare no expense in sending their children to the recruitment tests, hoping that at least their descendants would have the honour of joining a cultivation sect.
“Where is the manual right now?” Zhao Yunxiao asked.
“...Are you intending to take it from us?” Qiao Yulang hesitated.
“I will make a decision after I ascertain the authenticity of the manual,” Zhao Yunxiao answered.
“This...” Qiao Yulang’s reluctance could be seen on his face.
“You don’t have a choice here,” Zhao Yunxiao said matter-of-factly. “It’s either you show it to us, or we will take it by force.”
It was not the orthodox way to rob ordinary mortals of their possessions.
However, different situations called for different measures.
If it was truly the ancient Moonlight Sutra and the bandits managed to gain strength from practising it, they could very well become a huge threat to the world in the future.
In this case, it was their duty as orthodox cultivators to nip the problem in the bud!
“Everything can be negotiated as long as we do not resort to violence...” Qiao Yulang said. “In any case, the manual is not with me right now.”
“I know that,” Zhao Yunxiao said. “I am asking you to bring us to it.”
While they were speaking, Zhao Yunxiao had already scanned Qiao Yulang’s body with his spiritual sense but found no signs of a manual.
“But that’s not up to me...” Qiao Yulang said awkwardly.
“When you said that you are staying with your family, does that mean the rest of the bandits are all inside?” Zhao Yunxiao realised.
“That’s right, though we are no longer bandits...” Qiao Yulang corrected. “And the manual is now in the hands of our leader.”
“Then bring us to your leader.”
“Even if I do, our leader and the rest are not going to be easily convinced by mere words, not even if I am the one asking,” Qiao Yulang explained.
“Then we would just have to convince them by force,” Zhao Yunxiao answered without hesitation.
“Yes, you’d have to do that,” Qiao Yulang agreed.
Hmm?
That was not the answer that Zhao Yunxiao had expected.
Earlier, Qiao Yulang kept insisting that one should not resort to violence, so Zhao Yunxiao had subconsciously expected the same response again.
But why did he agree so readily this time?
Could it be that Qiao Yulang would only be concerned when the target of violence was himself?
As expected, a leopard would not change its spots!
Even if he had stopped being a bandit, this mentality of self-preservation at the expense of others still remained!
[Unyielding Stone Bind]
Two chains made of earth and rocks shot out from the ground and wrapped around Qiao Yulang, making it impossible for him to move his arms.
“Wha-?!” Qiao Yulang exclaimed in shock. “I thought you will be using force on them!”
“Who knows if you would do anything funny while we are dealing with your friends?” Zhao Yunxiao scoffed. “But don’t worry. You will not get hurt as long as you don’t resist.”
At the same time, a second Zhao Yunxiao rose from the ground beside him.
“What’s this?!” Qiao Yulang exclaimed in shock upon seeing Zhao Yunxiao Two.
“Let’s go, Senior Martial Brother Nie,” Zhao Yunxiao ignored Qiao Yulang, though his clone moved to carry the now-immobilised Qiao Yulang.
“Mm,” Nie Hanchang nodded.
With that, the trio directly leapt onto the tall gate, skilfully positioning their feet to avoid the row of sharp spikes on top.
Looking down from that high point of vantage, Zhao Yunxiao and Nie Hanchang could not help but exchange glances.
They had not been able to see it before, but hidden behind the gate were hundreds of huts spread out in a wide area.
This group of bandits was larger than they had thought.
It would take hours if they had to comb through all these huts one by one!
“What’s your leader’s name, and where is he staying?” Zhao Yunxiao asked.
“Jin Kequn, but why do you need his name?”
“Where is he staying?” Zhao Yunxiao repeated the question.
“He is staying in the biggest hut, located right in the middle,” Qiao Yulang answered without hesitation. “If you release my arms, I can point it out to you.”
“Don’t worry, I know which one you are talking about now,” Zhao Yunxiao turned him down flatly. “I’ll be relying on your support, Senior Martial Brother Nie.”
Without waiting for Nie Hanchang’s reply, Zhao Yunxiao leapt down from the top of the gate, landing softly on the ground below.
Zhao Yunxiao Two followed immediately, holding onto Qiao Yulang by his robes.
“Are we not going straight to the leader?” Nie Hanchang asked in confusion upon seeing this.
Now that they knew where the leader stayed, they could easily head straight there by leaping from rooftop to rooftop.
So, why was Zhao Yunxiao not doing that instead?
“Trust me, I’ve got this,” Zhao Yunxiao answered.
“Mm,” Nie Hanchang nodded.
He was probably only one of the very few people in this world who would trust Zhao Yunxiao without any explanation.
But even he could not help but feel dumbfounded by Zhao Yunxiao’s next action.
“Jin Kequn! Come out and face me!” Zhao Yunxiao shouted at the top of his voice.
The silence of the night was broken in an instant by this audacious announcement of their arrival.
Torches lit up all over, and the hundreds of bandits started streaming out of their respective huts one by one to see just what was going on here.