Retirement begins with summoning Yuan Tiangang

Dressed in the black outfits of the Bad Guys, with the heavy, cool "Good" token hanging from their waists, Shadow Seven and Shadow Eight stood outside the stronghold, feeling as if they were in a beautiful, unreal dream.

With the excellent medicine and treatment provided by the organization, the wounds on my body have mostly healed.

The newly acquired "Shadow Twin Technique" was circulating within his body. Although he was only a beginner, he felt that the connection between his and his brother's energy was becoming closer, and the flow of his true energy was also much smoother.

More importantly, the few low-grade spirit stones they had exchanged with their initial contribution points, along with the tangible fluctuations of spiritual energy they felt, gave them a sense of grounded security for the first time after five years of wandering.

"Brother, this outfit... looks pretty smart."

Shadow Eight tugged at his sleeve, feeling somewhat unaccustomed to it. (Five)

Having spent years in the Shadow Pavilion, they were used to hiding in the shadows and wearing tattered clothes that were as inconspicuous as possible; this was the first time they had ever been so "glamorous."

Ying Qi nodded, his gaze calm.

He touched the token at his waist; the icy touch kept him alert.

"Captain Jiaqi said that for the first mission, we don't expect merit, but rather to avoid mistakes. Keep your eyes open and be smart."

Their mission was simple, or at least it seemed so—to escort a small caravan called "Fu Shun" through a no-man's-land called "Black Wind Ridge" to the next county town.

The caravan was small, consisting of only three packhorse-drawn wagons and seven or eight guards including the brothers. The leader was a shrewd-looking, middle-aged fat man surnamed Qian, whose cultivation level was only at the seventh level of the acquired realm.

Captain Jiaqi's tone was flat when he gave instructions.

"Target: Fushun Caravan."

Route, Black Wind Ridge.

The mission is to ensure the safe arrival of goods and people.

If necessary, one may reveal their identity.

"Reveal your identity"

Four words stirred something within Ying Qi.

This means that the "bad guys" standing behind them are a deterrent in themselves.

When the caravan owner saw the brothers, especially sensing their auras as fifth-level innate cultivators—though their injuries hadn't fully healed and their auras were somewhat weak—he...

His face lit up with a smile, and he addressed him affectionately as "Seventh Master Shadow" and "Eighth Master Shadow," offering him water and dry rations.

"With these two gentlemen here, Black Wind Ridge is practically ours!"

Boss Qian patted his chest, as if he could already see the scene of counting his money after arriving safely.

Yingqi simply nodded and didn't say anything more.

His gaze swept over the three trucks that were completely covered with tarpaulins, but a hint of doubt arose in his heart.

Are these just ordinary goods? Do they really need two Innate Realm experts to escort them?

Although they were just newcomers and their pay wasn't high, the boss was still incredibly generous with the money.

The caravan set off leisurely and entered the territory of Black Wind Ridge.

The mountains here are steep, the forests are dense, and the official road has been in disrepair for many years, with potholes everywhere.

The air was filled with a faint, earthy smell and... a sense of malevolence.

Sure enough, trouble came less than ten miles into Black Wind Ridge.

"This mountain is mine, these trees are mine! If you want to pass, leave your toll!"

At the sound of a gong, more than twenty men dressed in rags and carrying worn-out weapons rushed out from the forests on both sides, howling and blocking the way.

The leader was a one-eyed man, bare-chested with a tuft of black hair on his chest. His cultivation level was around the seventh level of the Acquired Realm, and he exuded a menacing aura.

The other guards in the caravan tensed immediately, gripping their weapons tightly. Boss Qian, his face pale, hid behind Shadow Seven and Shadow Eight, stammering, "You...you two gentlemen..."

Shadow Seven and Shadow Eight exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of... strangeness in each other's eyes.

This kind of setup wouldn't even be considered an appetizer in the assassination missions I used to take on at the Shadow Pavilion.

Shadow Eight stepped forward, about to demand an explanation, but the one-eyed man impatiently brandished his demon-headed sword and charged forward: "Pretty boy, prepare to die!"

Shadow Eight frowned slightly, his body motionless. Just as the demon head blade was about to strike, his right hand shot out like a ghost, arriving first and accurately grabbing the one-eyed dragon's wrist.

"Crack!" A soft, crisp sound.

The one-eyed man let out a pig-like scream, and the ghost-headed knife clattered to the ground.

He stared in horror at Shadow Eight, his wrist bent at an odd angle.

"roll."

Yingba released his grip and uttered a single word.

Seeing their leader crippled in a single move, the mob was terrified. With a shout, they helped up the screaming one-eyed man and scrambled away into the forest, disappearing even faster than they had come.

Boss Qian and the other guards stared in disbelief, then burst into cheers: "Eighth Master Shadow is mighty!"

Shadow Eight walked back to the group expressionlessly, while Shadow Seven shook his head slightly.

They were too weak, so weak that he wondered if the organization had just given them this mission as practice.

The caravan continued on its journey.

Boss Qian treated the two brothers with exceptional hospitality.

However, the good times did not last long.

As they passed through a denser oak forest, a chilling aura enveloped the caravan.

Only five people showed up this time.

They were dressed in matching gray outfits, their faces were cold, and their eyes were like those of venomous snakes.

The leader was a middle-aged man with a sinister face, whose cultivation had reached the seventh level of the Innate Realm!

The four people behind him also possessed the strength of the third or fourth level of the Innate Realm.

"The Gray Serpent Gang is on a mission. All irrelevant people, get out of the way!" The sinister middle-aged man's voice was hoarse, carrying an undeniable murderous aura.

Boss Qian's face turned ashen instantly, and his body trembled violently.

"The Gray...Gray Snake Gang..."

He looked at Shadow Seven and Shadow Eight in despair, his eyes filled with pleading.

Shadow Seven's heart sank.

The Gray Serpent Gang is the true overlord of the Black Wind Ridge area. It is said that the gang leader is a master!

This is far superior to that group of bandits from before.

The brothers were still recovering from their injuries, and their chances of winning against a seventh-level Innate Realm cultivator and four mid-stage Innate Realm cultivators were extremely low.

"Boss Qian, what exactly has gotten into trouble with these goods?" Ying Qi asked in a deep voice.

Fatty Qian's lips trembled, and he couldn't speak.

The sinister-looking middle-aged man, already impatient, waved his hand and said, "Kill them, take the goods!"

Five figures shot forward like arrows released from a bow, carrying a fierce killing intent!

The surge of true energy stirred the surrounding air, causing fallen leaves to flutter down.

Shadow Seven and Shadow Eight's eyes sharpened, and they simultaneously drew their short blades. The "Shadow Twin Technique" was activated instantly, and the two brothers' energy was linked. One on the left and one on the right, like two intertwined black lightning bolts, they rushed forward!

"Jingle bells!"

The sound of clashing weapons rang out like popping beans! Sparks flew everywhere!

Shadow Seven faced off against that sinister-looking middle-aged man, and as soon as they exchanged blows, he felt immense pressure!

His opponent possessed immense strength and ruthless moves; each strike caused his blood to surge and his old wounds to ache.

Kagehachi was also entangled by the other four, and was in grave danger.

The other guards in the caravan were too terrified to approach.

Seeing that the two brothers were about to give up, Shadow Seven gritted his teeth and remembered Captain Jia Qi's words - "If necessary, you can reveal your identity."

He abruptly parried the sinister middle-aged man's knife, used the force to retreat half a step, and with all his might, pulled the "Good" token from his waist and raised it high!

"These are shady characters! Who dares to disobey?"

His voice echoed through the mountains and forests.

The sinister-looking middle-aged man who had pounced on them, along with his four henchmen, suddenly froze!

It was as if I had been frozen in place!

Their eyes were all focused on the dark token, on the powerfully written character "良" (good).

His originally cold and ruthless face was instantly replaced by extreme fear and disbelief!

"No... a villain?!"

The middle-aged man's voice trembled noticeably as he stared intently at the token, as if he were seeing some primordial beast.

One of his men behind him instinctively took a half step back, his face pale.

Both Shadow Seven and Shadow Eight were stunned.

They had considered that the token might have a deterrent effect, but they never expected it to be this powerful!

Just a name and a token were enough to make these vicious Gray Snake Gang experts act like mice in the presence of a cat!

The muscles on the middle-aged man's face twitched a few times, his eyes shifting in complex emotions—fear, resentment—but ultimately, all his feelings turned into deep apprehension and… a hint of resignation.

He slowly sheathed his weapon, and with difficulty, cupped his hands in a respectful bow to Ying Qi, or rather, to the token, his voice hoarse:

"No...we didn't know you were here, gentlemen of the Bad Guys...please forgive us! We...we'll be leaving now! We'll be leaving now!"

After saying that, he didn't even dare to look at the token again. He led his men and disappeared into the depths of the dense forest like stray dogs, looking even more disheveled than when they arrived.

In the mountains and forests, only the heavy breathing of Yingqi and Yingba, and the bewildered state of the caravan members after surviving the ordeal, remained.

Mr. Qian collapsed onto the ground, his entire body drenched in cold sweat.

Holding the still-cold token, Shadow Seven stared in the direction where the Gray Serpent Gang members had disappeared, his heart filled with turmoil.

The three words "Bad People"... do they have such power in Black Wind Ridge?

This is just showing the token...

What kind of beings are truly bad people?

He looked down at the token in his hand that had saved their lives and now frightened away a powerful enemy. For the first time, he truly understood what kind of organization he had joined.

An indescribable sense of belonging and... pride quietly grew in his heart.

Shadow Eight walked to his side, looked at the token, licked his dry lips, and whispered, "Brother, this thing... is better than a knife."

Yingqi took a deep breath, hung the token back on her waist, and felt its heavy weight.

"Let's keep going."

He spoke, his voice returning to calm, but his eyes were more resolute than before.