Chapter Forty-Two: The Bandit Territory

Although Ye Pei had now consumed the Fire Eye and thus erased the distinguishing feature of the Flame Clan, the secret had already been discovered and most likely spread. They would have to find another solution.

“By the way, Qingrong,” Ye Pei spoke.

“Hmm?” she replied.

“Did you bring any rouge or powder with you when we set out this time?”

Zi Qingrong was momentarily taken aback, then raised her bare, fair face to Ye Pei and asked, “What do you think?”

Ye Pei sighed. “Alright then…”

Zi Qingrong laughed, “Why are you asking? Want to put makeup on me, or yourself?”

“Something like that,” Ye Pei said. “I actually thought we could slightly alter our appearances to make it easier to travel. My teacher did teach me a unique disguise technique, but I didn’t bring the special disguise powder, and there’s no way to make it out here in the wilderness.”

Over the past few days, Ye Pei had already encountered their pursuers. He had faced them head-on, and also engaged in guerrilla skirmishes, but there were three factions involved, each with skilled and numerous fighters. Not only did he fail to gain any advantage, but he also barely managed to escape.

After four or five days of hiding and dodging in the mountains, Zi Qingrong had long since lost her sense of direction, and Ye Pei himself was unsure if they were even heading the right way. They simply followed Ye Pei’s sense of westward movement.

“We should be about to leave these mountains. Once we reach a populated area, there’ll be more options,” Ye Pei said.

“Yes, I suppose… mm…”

Zi Qingrong lay sprawled on Ye Pei’s back, gnawing on the leg of some small roasted animal, responding absent-mindedly.

Once they entered the mountains, it became clear that the pampered young lady had never known hardship—she could barely manage a mountain trail, and so Ye Pei had carried her most of the way. They’d grown accustomed to it.

Looking back at her face, now streaked with dust, Ye Pei managed a wry smile. “Maybe it would have been better to let Zi Yankong take you home. Just look at the kind of life you’re living with me now.”

Zi Qingrong swallowed a mouthful of meat and said, “No. I find this quite interesting, actually. You’ll protect me, after all—I don’t feel tired or miserable at all.”

Her words stirred something in Ye Pei’s heart. “Don’t worry. Even if it kills me, I’ll make sure you return safely to the Zi family before I go.”

Zi Qingrong pinched his shoulder gently and scolded, “What nonsense—you’re so strong, how could anything happen to you…”

Ye Pei only smiled and said no more.

Two days later, they emerged from the mountains onto a vast plain and entered a small town.

“Qingrong,” Ye Pei asked, “is this within the bounds of Sacred Sacrifice Mountain?”

Now that they had left the mountains, the young lady walked on her own.

“Um… I’m not sure. I’ve never actually been to Sacred Sacrifice Mountain…”

Ye Pei sighed again. “So be it. We’ll just take it one step at a time.”

But then, the two discovered a new problem.

—

Money.

“I didn’t expect the journey to take this long… we probably lost some of our money when we fled… this is all we have left…”

Ye Pei looked at the pitiful Zi Qingrong and the crumpled banknote in her hand. Smiling, he reached out to pat her hair. “Don’t worry. I’ll think of something.”

At most, this note would last them two days. After settling into an inn and having a meal, they exchanged the note for some small change. Ye Pei then slipped out alone, not realizing that Zi Qingrong had quietly followed suit.

“I’ll pick up a few sewing needles first,” he muttered. “If we run out of money, I suppose we could always go and rob some bandits—surely there must be outlaws on these plains…”

He and Meng Huaicheng had done just that in the past—when they were low on funds, they would act harmless only to turn the tables on any bandits that tried to rob them.

But Ye Pei noticed something else about this place—whether due to a fiercely independent populace or a lack of order, the atmosphere felt chaotic. Before leaving, he had told Zi Qingrong to stay put, but the stubborn young lady had already slipped out.

In a small general store, Ye Pei bought some sewing needles and sighed, “No choice but to make do with these. It won’t work as well, but it’s better than walking around with a wanted face. Perhaps I should also ask around about where exactly we are?”

Meanwhile, Zi Qingrong stumbled upon something unusual. After rounding two street corners, she saw a man dressed as a servant laying out a large sheet of paper on a wooden table, his face full of worry, surrounded by a dozen onlookers.

Curious, Zi Qingrong edged closer. The paper was covered in bold black characters that read:

“I am Shi Kuang, servant of the Shi family in Hidden Dragon Town, twenty li to the east. The Shi family has been beset by a demon—over a dozen have already died. We have found a way to avoid being killed, but cannot drive the demon out. If any capable individual can help us exorcise it, the Shi family will cover your expenses and lodging and offer generous rewards upon success. If you pretend to be a hero merely to freeload, this servant can only wish you don’t end up eaten by the demon.”

Zi Qingrong thought about it—Ye Pei was, in her mind, unmatched in martial arts. Surely dealing with a demon would be a simple matter, and this could solve their current predicament as well. She spoke up at once, “My… my husband can help you.”

The servant looked up and asked, “Madam, may I ask who your husband is, that you make such a claim?” He suspected she was lying, but seeing her youth, he decided not to challenge her.

Zi Qingrong’s words attracted the attention of the crowd, and as soon as they saw her face, they were struck by her beauty—even in her disheveled state, it could not be concealed.

“She’s quite pretty, isn’t she? What’s your name?” A burly man with a saber at his side asked with ill intent.

“Who are you? Why should I tell you?” Though Zi Qingrong was well-read and well-bred, she knew better than to be polite at this moment.

The brute grew even more interested. His seven or eight companions watched, grinning. He moved closer and laughed, “Feisty little girl! Tell me, how old are you?”

Zi Qingrong pushed away his approaching hand in disgust. “Get lost!”

The brute grinned menacingly, about to retort, when a cold voice cut through the crowd: “She told you to get lost. So do as she says.”

Hearing this, Zi Qingrong’s face lit up with joy. She turned toward the voice.

The brute looked around and spat, “Who’s the coward hiding in the shadows?”

Ye Pei stepped through the crowd. “Better a coward than a street scoundrel like you.”

The brute and his friends burst out laughing at the sight of the frail, pale youth before them, his white robe marked with dust.

“So, you’re her husband? Look at you—you look half-dead. Bow three times, leave your wife behind, and you can go!”

A sudden fire flashed in Ye Pei’s eyes—this time not from internal energy, but from true anger.

—

Ye Pei turned to Zi Qingrong. “Go wait over there.”

Obediently, she moved to stand beside the Shi family servant, saying to him, “Watch closely—this is my husband. He’s very skilled.”

The servant, only mildly interested before, was now intrigued by the drama unfolding before him.

“So, you’re asking for trouble?” the brute roared. At his signal, one of his burly companions charged at Ye Pei, swinging his arms.

Seeing the clumsy, brute-force attack, Ye Pei snorted. Without moving from his spot, he simply lifted his foot and delivered a powerful kick to the man’s chin. The brute’s eyes rolled back as he spun and crashed to the ground, blood and teeth spilling from his mouth, unconscious.

The thugs stared in shock. Ye Pei said coolly, “Is this all your friend’s got? Didn’t he eat?”

The leader shook his head and bellowed, “Get your weapons, boys—let’s take him together!”

The group drew their sabers and charged. Against these burly men, Ye Pei looked like a lamb among lions.

Sensing a real fight, the crowd grinned and backed away to give them space. Zi Qingrong, though confident in Ye Pei’s abilities, clenched her fists and bit her lip nervously.

Ye Pei, however, paid them no mind. Wanting to make a statement, he reached for his waist.

In the daylight, a flash of black gleamed as a long staff whipped out. He swept it directly into the chest of an oncoming thug, who immediately spewed blood and flew backward.

Without pausing, Ye Pei moved like a phantom, wielding his demon-iron staff as he charged into the fray.

…

“Hero! Please, you must help us!” Now, Ye Pei stood leaning on his staff, looking constipated as the Shi family servant clung to his leg, sobbing.

Ye Pei rubbed his forehead. “But I don’t know how to exorcise demons.”

The servant wailed, “Hero! You must! Your wife already told me!”

Ye Pei glanced at Zi Qingrong, who stuck out her tongue at him with a bashful smile.

Seeing Ye Pei’s silence, the servant cried even louder, “Hero, with your martial prowess and this wondrous weapon, you must be a great master! Please say yes!”

Ye Pei considered it. He had never believed in demons, but curiosity got the better of him. With his skills, he should be able to handle it, and if not, at least escape unharmed. Besides, solving this could take care of their financial troubles.

As they followed the servant down the road, Zi Qingrong asked, “Yezi, how did you know I was there?”

Ye Pei glanced at her. “I was out gathering information about this place and just happened to wander over. Didn’t I tell you to stay put at the inn? Why did you run off?”

Zi Qingrong avoided his gaze, looking a bit flustered. After a pause, she asked, “So, did you find out where we are?”

Ye Pei couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation. “We’re in the territory of the Flowing Domain—the realm of the righteous brigands.”