Be a proper Taoist priest in The Condor Heroes

The next morning, as dawn broke, the caravan continued their journey, their feet glistening with morning dew.

As they approached the end of the day, a narrow valley appeared ahead, with sheer cliffs on both sides as if carved by a knife and axe. Looking up, only a sliver of sky could be seen, and the wind howled through the valley entrance, creating a somewhat eerie atmosphere.

"Everyone on high alert! This valley is easy to defend and difficult to attack; be careful of ambushes!"

Zhou Tailu reined in his horse and gave a stern reminder.

His years of experience as a镖师 (bodyguard/escort) made him particularly wary of such dangerous places. He raised his hand to signal the镖师 to protect the镖车 (escort vehicle) and A-Wu on the stretcher, and slowed down the pace of travel.

Su Yan reined in his horse and stopped, his gaze sweeping across the cliffs on both sides. His superb perception had already detected the presence of dozens of figures lurking behind the rocks, their breathing disordered and their auras mixed, clearly showing signs of exhaustion after days of travel.

Although the leader possessed a formidable aura, he was only at the level of a third-rate martial artist.

Just then, a sharp whistle suddenly rang out from the cliff. Immediately afterwards, dozens of ruthless bandits in black, armed with knives, axes, and spears, surged out from behind the cliff like a tide, instantly blocking the caravan's escape routes.

The leader was as agile as a leopard, with a sinister face, deep-set eyes, and bloodshot eyes. He carried a gleaming ghost-head knife at his waist. He was none other than Black Panther, the elder brother of the leader of the robbers who had attacked the escort agency a few days ago.

"Zhou Tai! Pay with your life for my brother's life!"

The black panther roared, its voice hoarse and dry from days of travel, filled with a deep-seated hatred.

"My brother was just trying to get some food, and you dared to kill him! I chased you for three days and three nights, and today I'll make sure your entire caravan is wiped out!"

Zhou Tai recognized Black Panther at a glance, and his face instantly darkened. He knew Black Panther's ferocity well; his strength as a third-rate martial artist was already top-tier among the bandits in this area, and the caravan had suffered a great loss a few days ago.

"Young hero, this black panther is a third-rate martial artist, and he's extremely fierce! This is a private matter between my escort agency. You should take advantage of the chaos and leave first, while we'll cover your retreat!"

Zhou Tai turned to Su Yan with an apologetic expression and spoke urgently. After speaking, he was about to draw his sword and step forward.

Su Yan raised her hand to stop Zhou Tai, her expression calm and composed.

"Since we've already traveled together, it must be fate. Little wilted one, go on your way."

His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable confidence. He had already calculated that Su Ye's strength was more than enough to handle the situation easily, and this fight was merely a way for her to warm up.

Su Ye nodded, his figure floating out like a willow leaf. The iron sword at his waist was drawn, and with a flash of cold light, the two fierce bandits at the front fell to the ground.

She didn't rush towards the black panther, but instead used her serpentine and agile footwork to weave through the bandits. Her figure twisted like a snake and moved as swiftly as a fox, causing the bandits' knives and axes to miss their mark and instead injure several of them in the process.

The escorts were dumbfounded. This lightness skill was too strange and agile! The girl was right in front of them, but they couldn't hit her no matter what they did. Instead, it was as if they were being toyed with.

"You little brat, how dare you play tricks on me!"

Enraged by the sight, Black Panther's eyes turned bloodshot, and he unleashed the full power of a third-rate martial artist, brandishing his Ghost Head Blade and slashing fiercely at Su Ye. The blade's wind was chilling, aiming straight for his vitals.

Su Ye remained calm, her Golden Goose Technique activating beneath her feet, her figure suddenly rising high, like a wild goose soaring through the air, easily dodging the blade's attack. The Ghost Head Blade struck the ground, scattering countless fragments of stone, while she had already landed behind the Black Panther. With a light flick of her longsword, she tore through the Black Panther's robe, leaving a shallow bloodstain.

"you!"

Black Panther was both shocked and furious. He turned around and slashed again, but Su Ye's figure had already drifted far away. She used her serpentine flips to dodge and weave on the ground, causing Black Panther's sword strikes to miss repeatedly. She then used her Golden Goose Skill to twist and turn in mid-air, swooping down from the sky, the tip of her sword grazing Black Panther's scalp, scaring him out of his wits.

Zhou Tai and his bodyguards were stunned, their mouths agape, their faces filled with disbelief.

This wasn't a fight; it was clearly a one-sided toy! The black panther was already a top-tier martial artist among third-rate fighters, but in front of Su Ye, he couldn't even touch the hem of her clothes, like a clown being played.

"This...this Miss Su Ye is too amazing!"

A young bodyguard muttered to himself unconsciously, his voice trembling.

"Second-rate...this is definitely the strength of a second-rate martial artist!"

Zhou Tai gasped, his eyes filled with shock.

"And he's at the peak of the second-rate level! Such skill at such a young age is truly unheard of!"

Enraged by being toyed with, Black Panther's breathing became increasingly erratic, and his swordplay became chaotic. Exhausted from days of travel, he was now completely worn down by Su Ye, leaving him vulnerable and full of openings.

A hint of impatience flashed in Su Ye's eyes, and he stopped teasing her.

She used her Golden Goose Skill to leap into the air, her figure plunging down like an arrow. The agility of a snake and the speed of the Golden Goose Skill were perfectly combined, her longsword aimed directly at the black panther's chest acupoint. The black panther hastily swung his knife to block, but he was already no match for Su Ye's speed.

With a "thud," the longsword pierced the black panther's heart with pinpoint accuracy.

Black Panther's pupils contracted sharply, the ferocity on his face froze instantly, the ghost-headed dagger clattered to the ground, he clutched his chest with both hands, blood gushing from between his fingers, and finally collapsed limply to the ground, completely lifeless.

The entire valley fell into a deathly silence in an instant.

The caravan members stood frozen in place, unable to recover for a long time. They stared at the graceful young woman who had sheathed her sword, then at the black panther's corpse on the ground, as if they had seen a ghost. That seemingly delicate and frail girl with her aloof eyes possessed such terrifying strength, effortlessly toying with and killing the third-rate martial artist, Black Panther!

Zhou Tai opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything for a long time. His previous worries had long since turned into deep awe.

He had traveled all over the country for decades and had seen countless masters, but he had never seen such a young, beautiful, and top-notch female martial artist!

The other bodyguards were even more astonished, their eyes filled with fear and admiration as they looked at Su Ye. They no longer dared to underestimate her in the slightest, feeling that this girl was like a goddess, and they didn't even dare to breathe loudly.

The remaining bandits were terrified and threw down their weapons, scattering in all directions.

"Don't let them get away!"

Zhou Tai snapped out of his daze, shouted loudly, and led his bodyguards to intercept the fleeing bandits. Fueled by the earlier shock, the bodyguards' morale soared, and they acted swiftly, quickly wiping out all the escaped bandits.

Zhou Tai, carrying a blood-stained knife, strode up to Su Yan and Su Ye, bowed deeply, his waist almost touching the ground, and his tone was extremely humble.

"Miss Su's martial arts are superb, a true young hero. Zhou Tai is utterly impressed! These two young heroes have saved our lives several times; our escort agency has no way to repay them. If you ever need our services, we will go through fire and water without hesitation!"

The bodyguards behind him also bowed and thanked him in unison, their eyes filled with respect and awe.

Some people secretly straightened their disheveled clothes, while others subconsciously straightened their backs, but dared not look directly at Su Ye, as if they were facing a high and mighty martial arts master.

Zhang Cheng stood in the crowd, his heart pounding, his gaze towards Su Yan and Su Ye growing increasingly fervent.

Su Yan raised her hand to help Zhou Tai up, her tone indifferent.

"It was nothing, don't worry about it. We shouldn't linger here. Let's clean up our tracks quickly and continue on our way."

Su Ye stood to the side, gently wiping the bloodstains from the sword, the coldness in his eyes gradually fading.

The镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) quickly cleaned up the battlefield, buried the bodies, and after everything was in order, the镖队 (escort team) set off again. While traveling, the镖队 members subconsciously maintained an appropriate distance from Su Yan and Su Ye, their expressions respectful, even their breathing became slightly softer, but no one dared to speak casually to them.