Mysteries of the Great Zhou Dynasty

Chapter 163
The leader moved nimbly, advancing and retreating in an instant. Sometimes he would lunge forward, his meteor hammer arcing through the air before striking Rong Wanyin with lightning speed. Rong Wanyin quickly swung her sword to block, a loud clang followed, sparks flying. The leader pressed his advantage, flicking his wrist to entangle the meteor hammer with his soft sword, attempting to disarm it. Rong Wanyin was startled and hastily pulled back, barely managing to free her sword from the meteor hammer's grasp.

The fight on this side was evenly matched. On the other side, Old Li and Granny Li seized the opportunity to pour kerosene on the middle section of the thick hemp rope, and then flung the rope over the raging fire, instantly setting the hemp rope ablaze.

Old Li and his companion worked in perfect harmony, wielding their weapons and forcing their way towards the other bandits. Seeing the fierce flames, the bandits dared not fight back and were forced out of the courtyard. Taking advantage of the situation, Yan Mingzhang poured kerosene onto the cart and lit it. Old Li then freed one hand and slapped the cart, sending it hurtling out of the courtyard. Several bandits were knocked to the ground by the cart.

In the courtyard, the battle between the several people intensified, with flashing swords and whistling palms, a sight to behold.

Although the leader was incredibly brave, Rong Wanyin and Mo Yunren cooperated perfectly, and gradually, the leader began to lose ground.

His meteor hammer swing faltered slightly, and Rong Wanyin seized the opportunity, flicking her soft sword towards the leader's wrist. The leader hastily withdrew his hand, but was still a step too slow; the soft sword lightly grazed his wrist, leaving a shallow bloodstain. Taking advantage of the moment, Mo Yun lunged forward, his longsword aimed straight at the leader's chest. The leader quickly dodged to the side, but Rong Wanyin blocked his retreat.

The leader was secretly alarmed, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He roared and swung his meteor hammer again, trying to reverse the tide. However, Rong Wanyin and Mo Yun gave him no chance to breathe, their attacks becoming even more ferocious. Soft swords and long sabers intertwined to form an impenetrable net, tightly surrounding the leader.

The leader was struggling to keep up, and his strength was gradually waning. His movements became sluggish, and a hint of panic appeared in his eyes. The once imposing meteor hammer was also losing its power.

In the heat of battle, Rong Wanyin spotted an opening, her figure flashed, and her soft sword thrust out with incredible speed. The leader couldn't react in time, and felt a sharp pain in his arm. Looking down, he saw that his arm had been pierced by Rong Wanyin's soft sword, and blood gushed out instantly, staining his sleeve red.

The leader grunted, his face contorted with pain and rage. He gritted his teeth and flung his arm, trying to throw the soft sword away. However, Rong Wanyin gripped the hilt tightly, refusing to loosen her grip.

The leader's eyes widened in fury, and he swung his meteor hammer with his other hand, aiming it at Rong Wanyin. Rong Wanyin quickly drew her sword and retreated, dodging the fierce blow. The leader's arm fell limply to his side, and the meteor hammer in his hand became heavy. He endured the pain, his eyes almost spitting fire.

At this moment, Mo Yun seized the opportunity to intensify his offensive. Mo Yun's long sword whistled through the air as he slashed at the leader from the side. The leader was in dire straits, but he still refused to surrender and fought back stubbornly. However, his injured arm severely hampered his fighting ability; his movements became increasingly sluggish, and he gradually found it difficult to withstand the attacks of the two.

Seeing their leader injured, the bandits' eyes widened in fury, and they roared in unison, charging through the wall of fire to save him.

Seeing the situation was dire, Rong Wanyin and the others knew they couldn't afford to linger. Mo Yun, quick as a flash, grabbed Yan Mingzhang. Without hesitation, the group used their lightness skills, their figures as swift as swallows, to gracefully vault over the courtyard wall.

As soon as everyone landed, Rong Wanyin decisively lit the fuse. A deafening roar, like a bolt from the blue, followed by the explosion of the oil buried underground. The powerful shockwave shook the courtyard walls, sending flames soaring into the sky and debris flying everywhere. Those bandits who couldn't escape were blasted to pieces. Amidst the billowing smoke, Rong Wanyin and the others dared not linger, quickly severing the ropes binding the villagers' hands and feet.

Yan Mingzhang gave them some loose silver and urged them to hurry and flee to the capital, where, after all, it was under the emperor's nose and life should be better.

Ignoring their injuries, the villagers struggled to their feet, thanked each other, and helped each other walk toward the main road.

Before Yan Mingzhang and the others could even breathe a sigh of relief, someone suddenly shouted from the courtyard and sprang up. The leader was not dead!
Everyone gripped their weapons tightly, as if facing a formidable enemy. To make matters worse, the remaining bandits who had been searching the village also gathered there upon hearing the explosion!

At this moment, the villagers who had just fled were running back in terror. Before Rong Wanyin could ask any questions, she saw several bandits behind the villagers. They were the same bandits that the leader had sent out to search for people!
Nearly a dozen bandits surrounded Yan Mingzhang and his companions. If it were just the few of them, they might have a chance to escape, but now that there were several seriously injured villagers, it was truly as difficult as climbing to the sky.

The leader clutched his injured arm, his face ashen, his eyes burning with rage. He gritted his teeth and shouted fiercely, "Men, kill them all! Leave no one alive!" The bandits, upon receiving the order, all revealed fierce glints in their eyes, brandishing their weapons, and marched towards Rong Wanyin and the others like ravenous wolves.

The wind howled, and a chilling killing intent filled the air; an even more brutal battle was about to unfold.

The bandits approached swiftly like wolves, quickly surrounding Rong Wanyin and her companions. Rong Wanyin and the others wore solemn expressions, yet showed no fear, tightly protecting the defenseless villagers in their midst.

The atmosphere was tense, with swords drawn on both sides. Suddenly, a bandit shouted and swung his knife. Rong Wanyin flicked her soft sword and met the attack head-on, her sword flashing as she clashed with the bandit. Mo Yun and the others were not to be outdone, each fighting off the enemies who charged at them.

The bandits outnumbered them, but Rong Wanyin and her companions fought desperately, resulting in a stalemate for a time. The battle intensified, with both sides exchanging blows, locked in a fierce struggle, and blood splattering, staining the earth red.

At this critical moment, an arrow shot out like lightning, whistling through the crowd and embedding itself firmly in a tree trunk, its fletching still trembling. Immediately afterward, a loud voice shouted, "Stop!"

Everyone was startled and stopped what they were doing. In the distance, dozens of fine horses galloped towards them, led by a young man in fine clothes with a dignified face. He reined in the horses, and they reared up with a loud neigh. His gaze was piercing as he swept over the crowd, an aura of power instantly spreading out. Rong Wanyin and the others felt uneasy, unsure whether this man was friend or foe. The bandits, upon seeing him, all showed reverence, standing with their heads bowed, not daring to make a move.