The reason bandits could survive wasn't because they had ways to live under official suppression, but because officials didn't take them seriously. Any bandit group, once targeted by officials, would face terrible consequences.
Even with powerful strength, even if they were confident they could resist official suppression, their losses would be enormous. Whether they could come out to rob again would be questionable - their strength would definitely decline greatly.
For any country, people participating in the Dragon Gate Tournament were very important - they were the future martial power of the nation, a guarantee for survival in this world of the strong preying on the weak.
No country would neglect these people's safety, much less let anyone set a precedent by touching them.
Therefore, bandit groups wouldn't engage in such suicidal unprofitable business. At most, they'd symbolically collect some tolls. Some simply ceased operations during this period, others even went to watch the Dragon Gate Tournament, and some directly participated in it.
"Brothers of the road, we're the convoy from Qingyun Province participating in the Dragon Gate Tournament. Please accommodate us and let us pass. This silver is for everyone to buy tea."
The Qingyun Province official was very polite and understood negotiation, handing over ten taels of silver.
Normally, ten taels definitely wouldn't be enough, but at this time, giving you ten taels was already giving you face - not giving a single penny would be acceptable.
"Ten taels? Don't you think this money isn't enough for us to divide?" The bandit leader took the silver, weighed it, then gestured around at his men.
This group of bandits wasn't numerous - only sixteen people. Of course, this was relatively speaking.
"Don't you know who we are? Take the money and leave, or don't regret it later." The official said.
"Young Miss, Miss Suxin, rally some people to kill that group. Use your strongest moves directly, kill them one by one, concentrate force for a sudden attack. Be fast. Don't show any emotion." Xiaoyao said calmly.
"??" Young Miss and Nangong Suxin didn't understand at first, but both were clever and immediately grasped Xiaoyao's meaning.
So they quickly acted. With their prestige, getting people to obey was simple, especially since there were some Nangong family and Mo family members here.
These people were indeed elites. Those who could stand out among so many naturally weren't ordinary. They surrounded the bandits without showing emotion.
Since there were only thirty-plus people while this convoy had over two hundred, naturally it didn't attract much attention. Both negotiating parties thought these people were just coming to watch the excitement, especially the opposing bandits.
These bandits had no idea who was participating in the Dragon Gate Tournament, who were masters, and who were ordinary people.
"What are you? I don't care what people you are. Today, to pass this road, you must leave something behind."
"Hmph. We're participating in the Dragon Gate Tournament. Do you still dare block us?"
"I don't care if you're the Emperor himself. Today everyone's the same - pass this road, leave toll money, or go back, or leave your lives behind."
"How much do you want?" The official asked coldly. Since it was like this, pass first then deal with it. Later he'd let them know what regret meant. Anyway, the money given was official funds - what did it matter to him.
"One hundred thousand taels." The bandit leader smiled, then said very arrogantly.
Perhaps he didn't know what consequences this statement would bring him, because he never imagined that this group of people would act against convention.
"Go die."
Young Miss shouted angrily, then drew her sword and attacked. This move was Young Miss's strongest technique, a do-or-die ultimate move. Normally it would fail, but the situation was different now.
If it were just Young Miss alone, this group of bandits wouldn't be afraid - they'd even be disdainful. Young Miss's level was still far from threatening them.
But the current situation shocked them, even made them somewhat disbelieving, because they saw a group of people attacking simultaneously, executing moves simultaneously, using their strongest ultimate techniques simultaneously.
"You..."
This caught those bandits off guard. They wanted to take weapons to resist, but with calculated attack against the unprepared, with contempt and complete unawareness, in such circumstances, unless there was absolute difference in strength, there could only be one result.
"Ah..."
"Ah..."
"..."
Screams rang out one after another as bandits died under chaotic blades. Only a few with sufficient strength survived, but all carried some injuries.
Young Miss and the others gave them no chance to catch their breath, attacking with chaotic blades again...
Even peerless masters would have some trouble under chaotic blades from thirty-plus General and Scholar level martial artists, much less these people who were far from peerless masters - the highest was only General level.
Two hands couldn't defeat many fists - this was an eternal truth.
"You all, very good."
After several rounds, only one person could still breathe, but only breathing - he was already lying on the ground unable to move.
"Let me ask, who sent you?" Nangong Suxin spoke before Young Miss, this question could put her ahead of Young Miss, making people think she was the planner of this incident.
"Hmph. I won't say anything. Today we've fallen. But don't think this matter ends here. There will be more people coming." The last person replied very spiritedly.
"You've already told us a lot. Give you some pain. Kill him." Nangong Suxin said, and soon someone acted, hoping to win Nangong Suxin's favor.
"How can you do this? Without asking clearly, you just attack." The official was somewhat stunned by the rapidly occurring events.
"Sir, if we waited to ask clearly before acting, what chance of victory would we have? Could we have resolved this so easily?" Nangong Suxin said calmly.
Young Miss, seeing this situation, directly left. She was too lazy to explain here and didn't want this attention.
"But... you should have asked clearly first. This seems a bit casual with human lives..." The official still felt it was too fast, too hasty.
"Casual with human lives? First, if they were bandits, killing them serves the people. If they weren't, we already stated our identity yet they continued making difficulties for us. That means they were here targeting us, or targeting us Dragon Gate Tournament participants." Nangong Suxin said calmly.
"This... could it be they wanted to use methods outside the Dragon Gate Tournament to eliminate opponents? This shouldn't be possible."
"What's impossible? The Dragon Gate Tournament isn't new - everyone knows the rules. They demanded one hundred thousand - without saying, anyone could think they didn't want us to pass." Nangong Suxin reminded.
That's right. No matter how you looked at it, this group was very strange. Someone definitely wanted to block Dragon Gate Tournament participants.
The purpose was naturally to reduce opponents. The person wanting to reduce opponents wasn't necessarily without strength - perhaps they had very frightening strength, but even so, they might want to reduce opponents just in case.
One less opponent meant one less chance of failure.
"But even so, there was no need to kill them..."
"Don't you understand? Without ambushing them, their strength could have delayed us." Nangong Suxin said irritably.
"Those who block people's wealth are like killing their parents, but those who block people's futures are even worse." Xiaoyao's voice came over, along with his carriage.
This statement was very correct. This was blocking these people's futures. Regardless of the reason, such people deserved killing - at least for these people present, that was the case.
Of course, no one cared who said this. Xiaoyao's statement only explained the situation without making anyone's eyes light up.
"Come on, Nangong Suxin, don't wait here. There will definitely be more ahead. Perhaps this group was just to delay us slightly - the ones behind are the main point. What we need to do now is rush through these Heavenly Wind Mountains at maximum speed." Young Miss said to Nangong Suxin.
After hearing this, Nangong Suxin immediately understood. At this time, she shouldn't say much here - most importantly, they needed to quickly pass this place.
"Everyone get on carriages, pass through the mountain area at maximum speed. Immediately." Nangong Suxin shouted to everyone, and these people immediately followed orders. Soon they were ready to depart.
It must be said, the people who came this time were all quite good, with excellent cooperation.
"Charge."
"Hiya..."
"Hiya..."
All carriages maintained formation, galloping through these mountain roads at maximum speed. At this time, Xiaoyao's carriage was in the front row.
With Nangong Suxin and Young Miss both on this carriage, others naturally had no thoughts of competing for first place.
"There are people ahead."
After traveling half the distance, Nangong Suxin discovered several people ahead who seemed to be traveling too, but if they didn't avoid, this road wasn't wide enough - they would definitely collide.
"Move aside. The horses have gone mad." Xiaoyao shouted at the people ahead. He had no intention of stopping.
"Boss, be careful. Hold on tight." Xiaoyao warned the next moment.
Because he discovered the opposing people still wouldn't move away. His choice was to continue without braking and crash through.
"Damn."
Those people also discovered Xiaoyao's behavior, cursed, then used very agile movements to dodge while jumping toward Xiaoyao's carriage.
"Sure enough, there's a problem. We were waiting for you." Young Miss and Nangong Suxin both launched sword techniques.
These people were indeed deliberately blocking the road. Someone had sent these people to prevent Xiaoyao's group from passing, either they were being pursued from behind, or perhaps an ambush was being prepared ahead.
(End of Chapter)