Shen Xu, who was sitting in the corner, remained silent.
Besides being good at making money, he has no other talents or martial arts skills to speak of.
He recalled the time he drank with Li Xi, and he was still shocked to learn that she was a woman.
Seeing Shen Xu lost in thought, Qin Xiaolin was somewhat displeased: "If Brother Shen has something to attend to, you may leave first."
Shen Xu snapped back to his senses, realizing his lapse in composure. He quickly smiled apologetically and said, "Brother Qin, you misunderstand. I was just thinking about some trivial matters and had no other intentions. It's just that, as you know, I've always been slow-witted and can't think of any good solutions."
His words were full of self-reproach.
Hongying: "Young Master Shen is very kind. You and Chairman Wang have also done a lot for Xiaoxi."
Qin Xiaolin: "Then let's arrange it like this for now. I'll go to Sichuan first."
In recent days, banditry has become increasingly serious in various places, suddenly spreading like mushrooms after rain.
In Sichuan, due to its unique geographical location, bandits frequently occupied the mountains and ruled as kings.
However, due to the treacherous terrain, although these bandits ran rampant for a time, they were difficult to eradicate easily by outsiders.
They are either hidden among towering mountains or concealed within dense forests and deep valleys, making them easy to defend and difficult to attack.
They used natural defenses to build strong lines of defense, isolating themselves from the outside world and creating their own world.
After half a month of recuperation, Li Xi's body has fully recovered, and his skill has reached a new level. The true qi in his body flows freely, like rivers flowing into the sea, vast and boundless.
Situ Feng's internal energy cultivation technique, "Nine Transformations of the Cloud Dragon," enabled her to reach a new level, as if her Ren and Du meridians had been opened.
Li Xi stood on the summit as dawn broke, the first rays of sunlight piercing through the thin mist and bathing her in a golden glow.
She closed her eyes and concentrated, feeling the true energy within her body flow with the profound meaning of "Nine Transformations of the Cloud Dragon".
It surges and leaps between the meridians, like clouds rolling and dragons soaring through the heavens, possessing both the suppleness of water and the steadfastness of mountains.
"So, the ultimate goal of martial arts is not just the accumulation of strength, but also the harmonious coexistence of mind and nature." Li Xi suddenly understood.
She slowly opened her eyes, her gaze shining with an unprecedented brightness and depth.
The surrounding scenery seemed to become more vivid in her eyes; every blade of grass, every tree, every gust of wind, and every cloud contained the rhythm of life and the laws of nature.
Just as she was immersed in this realization, Situ Feng's footsteps interrupted her. "I'm sorry, my godfather sent a letter, it's urgent!"
Upon hearing this, Li Xi quickly composed herself, turned to look at Situ Feng who had rushed over, and a hint of concern flashed in her eyes: "What's the matter that you're in such a hurry? Is my godfather alright?"
Before Situ Feng could catch his breath, he had already impatiently unfolded the letter in his hand.
He handed it to Li Xi: "My godfather is well, but the letter mentioned that those bandits have robbed our grain and supplies and are planning to invade several neighboring villages in an attempt to expand their sphere of influence. The situation is very critical."
He was worried that the bandits' atrocities would harm innocent civilians, so he specifically ordered us to set off immediately to rescue them and recover the stolen goods.
Li Xi took the letter, her brows furrowed, and simply said, "Let's go."
Although she hasn't regained her memories yet, she has gotten used to this identity after spending the past two months together.
As they walked and talked, Situ Feng said, "That Tuotou Peak is fifty miles away from here. The terrain there is treacherous, easy to defend and difficult to attack, making it a natural barrier for the bandits."
Li Xi: "Then I'll go and meet them first, and you can arrange for someone to come up and meet me later."
“Okay!” A hint of hesitation flashed in Situ Feng’s eyes, but then he seemed to remember something and returned to normal.
The bandit leader hiding on Tuotou Peak, known in the martial arts world as "One-Eyed Dragon" Li Tianba, is infamous for his cunning, resourcefulness, and ruthlessness.
Tuotou Peak, this mountain range shrouded in clouds and mist and extremely steep, seems to be a natural barrier specially set up by nature for Li Batian, which has made the government's repeated attempts to suppress him all futile.
Li Tianba had gathered a group of desperados under his command.
They were either notorious bandits wanted by the imperial court or ordinary people driven to desperation by poverty.
They not only looted passing merchants, but also rampaged through villages, burning, killing, and plundering, which was truly outrageous!
At this moment, they are carefully inspecting the looted goods in the mountain stronghold.
"Brother, we've really reaped a huge harvest this time! Gold and silver are piled up like mountains, and there are also fine silks and teas, enough for us brothers to enjoy for quite a while!" A henchman with a burly face and greedy eyes reported to Li Tianba obsequiously.
Li Tianba sat on a large chair covered with tiger skin, gently stroking the long, gleaming sword in his hand.
He slowly opened his mouth: "Hmph, mere wealth is nothing but fleeting smoke. What we want is to carve out our own territory in this chaotic world, so that the world will know that my name, Li Tianba, is enough to make the government tremble and the martial arts world take notice!"
"Brother is wise! With you here, our Tuotou Peak is an impregnable fortress. No matter how many troops they send, they won't be able to set foot in it!" Another burly man, waving his huge spiked club, echoed enthusiastically.
However, Li Tianba's brows furrowed slightly, a vague unease creeping into his heart.
The Red Lotus Cult members haven't come for a long time, and they've won over many hearts and minds. On the other hand, Li Tianba's reputation is completely ruined, and everyone has the right to kill him.
Na Luoyun personally told him that she would share the world with him in the future.
It's been over two months now, and no one has come. Let's talk about the next steps; we can't just sit here and wait to die.
So he summoned two of his most capable assistants from the village to go to the capital to investigate the situation.
Just as the two people came down the mountain, Li Xi and Situ Feng appeared from the shadows.
Following the path the two men took down the mountain, Li Xi said softly, "Big brother, I'll go scout ahead first. Wait for my signal before you bring your men up."
Situ Feng: "Be careful, don't confront them head-on."
"Okay, I understand."
With his greatly enhanced skills, Li Xi didn't even notice the towering mountain peak.
With a swift movement, she moved like a graceful deer in the forest. In a few leaps, she was already out of Situ Feng's sight, silently blending into the mountains and forests.
Sunlight filtered through the dense foliage, dappling her body and adding to her mystique and untamed spirit.
Li Xi walked quickly along the winding path, the rustling of leaves in the wind and the occasional birdsong in the distance filling her ears.
Following the route map given to her by her older brother, she quickly reached the top of the mountain.
The words "Weihu Village" are prominently displayed on the archway.
Sentinels were stationed on both sides of the village gate, so that anyone who appeared at the gate could be immediately identified as either friend or foe.
Li Xi did not intend to deal with it for too long.
She drew her longsword directly, its light flashing like a cold moon breaking through the clouds, and steadily approached the gate of the village.
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