Chapter Eight: Scoundrel!

Yang Ying'er closed her eyes in sheer despair, waiting for that red arrow to pierce her body. All around her, the air was filled with the agonizing screams of fellow escort agency disciples being struck by arrows.

Clang!

However, just as she sat in despair, having kept her eyes closed for a long moment, she felt none of the pain of an arrow piercing her flesh. What was happening? Why did she feel no pain? Could she already be dead?

Just as she was filled with confusion, a familiar voice suddenly reached her ears.

"Tell me, little sister, why are you closing your eyes?"

This voice... it was that wretched lecher!

Yang Ying'er snapped her eyes open and saw Chen Xuan, his frame not particularly tall—perhaps even a bit lean—standing right in front of her. In his hand, he gripped that very same red arrow! He had actually rushed over to block the arrow for her?

"Neigh!"

Before her mind could even process what was happening, the white horse beneath her began to buck wildly, seemingly intent on charging toward the direction from which the arrows were being fired.

"Ah!"

The startled horse sent Yang Ying'er into a state of blind panic. If the horse charged out of control, she would surely be shot to death by the rain of arrows!

Thwack!

Just as Yang Ying'er was at a loss, Chen Xuan, wielding his great saber, made a swift, ruthless strike, decapitating the horse instantly. In a flash, blood gushed out and the white horse collapsed to the ground. Yang Ying'er let out a shriek as she tumbled toward the earth face-first.

Suddenly, she felt a surge of strength at her waist. A large hand caught her slender waist, pulling her up just before she hit the ground and steadying her firmly on her feet.

Immediately after, a calm voice sounded in her ear: "Are you alright?"

It was Chen Xuan.

Yang Ying'er turned to look and saw Chen Xuan’s expression was cold and stern. One hand held her waist while the other furiously swung his great saber, intercepting all nearby arrows, ensuring not a single one could touch her.

"You..."

At that moment, Yang Ying'er was stunned. Had this lecher really just saved her?

"Don't speak. Stand behind me."

Chen Xuan released her waist and turned his full attention to the incoming arrows. With his current strength at the fifth level of martial arts, he could easily deflect such ordinary projectiles. Nearby, Yang Xun, at the fourth level, was struggling a bit, though he remained uninjured. The disciples of the escort agency, however, were either screaming in agony or dying on the spot; the entire scene was horrific.

Looking at Chen Xuan before her, protecting her with his own body, Yang Ying'er couldn't help but feel that this detestable man didn't seem so hateful after all.

[Ding!]

[Detected: Affection from Yang Ying'er increased by 5. Previous: -3. Current: +2.]

[Congratulations to the host for a critical success! Rewards doubled: Host's strength increased to the sixth level of martial arts. Acquired skill: Dragon Claw Hand.]

Boom!

As the voice echoed in Chen Xuan's mind, a terrifying aura erupted from him. The power of a sixth-level martial artist was unleashed! The incoming arrows were easily batted away, unable to touch even a hair on Yang Ying'er's head.

"Shoot, damn you all! Shoot those bastards to death!"

"Who the hell shot an arrow at the carriage? Are you looking to die? Master Sima specifically instructed that the woman in the carriage must not be harmed!"

In the woods, the One-Eyed Bandit was wild with excitement. Their band of outlaws usually relied on brute force for robberies, but today they had played a devious game, wiping out a large portion of the escort agency without breaking a sweat. This feeling of overwhelming fire superiority was exhilarating. They hadn't possessed such means before; after all, they were just bandits—where would they get so many bows and arrows? But the man they called Master Sima, perhaps knowing the bandits were unreliable, had specifically sent them a hundred bows and a thousand arrows for this ambush. That was how this came to be. If not for Master Sima, their usual style would have been to jump out onto the road and shout some cliché threat about building the road and planting the trees.

"Second Boss, we're out of arrows!" a subordinate reported soon after.

"Damn it! A thousand arrows, and they’re gone already? So useless!" The One-Eyed Bandit cursed. He peered at the middle of the road. It was covered in a thick layer of arrows, with more than half of the escort agency members wailing in pain. The remaining half were already dead, riddled with holes like sieves.

"But these scraps from the escort agency have no fight left in them. Boys, follow me! Grab the money, the grain, and the women!"

The One-Eyed Bandit hoisted a large saber and let out a roar. His men echoed the cry, brandishing a chaotic mix of blades, spears, and clubs as they charged from both sides of the road. Soon, they had surrounded Chen Xuan’s caravan.

"Oh no, it’s bandits!" Yang Xun’s expression soured the moment he saw their attire and their hooligan-like demeanor.

Chen Xuan’s face was cold as he stared at the ambushers. Bandits? So it wasn't someone sent by Chen Tian?

"Oh ho, you lot are tougher than you look. With so many arrows flying, I’m surprised you aren’t dead yet." The One-Eyed Bandit sneered at them, his gaze lingering on Yang Ying'er behind Chen Xuan. He clicked his tongue. "Tsk tsk, this little girl is a real beauty. I didn't see her clearly earlier and almost shot her. Good thing I didn't—it would have been a waste of such a gorgeous creature!"

As he spoke, he couldn't help but lick his lips, his remaining eye filled with lecherous intent. According to Master Sima’s orders, he couldn't touch the woman inside the carriage, but the woman outside? That was fair game!

"Filthy scoundrel! Shameless!" Yang Ying'er’s eyes turned red. All around her lay the corpses of her brothers and sisters from the agency. Just moments ago, they had been alive, joking and laughing. Now, many were separated from them by death forever. Even those still breathing were riddled with too many arrows to be saved. The agency had suffered a devastating loss.

"Haha, a scoundrel?"

"Did you hear that, boys? What did the little lady call us? A scoundrel?"

"That’s hilarious! We’re outlaws who stop at nothing—what’s a 'scoundrel' compared to us?" The group of bandits erupted into raucous laughter.

"Don't be in such a hurry, little girl. I'll come and spoil you in a moment." The One-Eyed Bandit sneered, his gaze then locking onto Chen Xuan.