Chapter 776: Killed with One Stomp

“What is the army doing here?”

The many merchant caravans couldn't help but feel puzzled. In the years since the Fourteen Desert Bandits had settled in Desolate City, they had been law-abiding residents.

Though they robbed, they also gave back.

As some put it, the Fourteen Desert Bandits were true professionals—they took money only as a disguised form of escort fee.

In fact, after they occupied this mountain, any bandits who tried to harm Desolate City were stopped by them.

More importantly, the city lord of Desolate City had once praised them.

But now, with the sudden arrival of the army, everyone was baffled.

“Elder, ahead is the stronghold of the Fourteen Desert Bandits,” said a disciple of the Nine Spirits Sect, leaning close to a graceful man.

“Hmph, the city lord of Desolate City is truly absurd, calling these bandits righteous and even giving them the title ‘Fourteen Desert Righteous Kings.’ How laughable.”

“Moreover, now that Desolate City has become a vassal of the Nine Spirits Sect, allowing these bandits to live nearby is an insult to our sect.”

The graceful man appeared to be only in his early twenties.

But his status was extraordinary—he was an elder of the Nine Spirits Sect, with cultivation that shook heaven and earth, already at the mid-stage of the Great Heavenly Position.

Three years ago, he was not yet a disciple of the Nine Spirits Sect. Having achieved mastery in cultivation, he roamed the world. One day, he saw the Nine Spirits Empress and was instantly captivated, vowing to draw close to her.

In the end, he recommended himself as an elder of the Nine Spirits Sect.

But what frustrated Feng Wuxiang was that, despite his handsome looks and charm—enough to enchant countless women—the Nine Spirits Empress remained cold and indifferent to him.

This irked Feng Wuxiang.

He refused to believe there was any woman in this world he couldn't win over.

Especially since, when he first saw her, the Nine Spirits Empress was young and girlish, and in recent years she had matured into a stunning beauty, with a cold, aloof aura that only fueled his desire.

“Elder Feng is right. I think the city lord of Desolate City must be colluding with these bandits, otherwise why would he speak for them?”

The surrounding disciples flattered him.

The Nine Spirits Sect was their sanctuary. Though it couldn't compare to the truly great sects, those great sects treated the Nine Spirits Empress with great respect, which gave them face.

When traveling, just announcing their affiliation kept most sects from daring to provoke them.

“Indeed. Now that Desolate City is a vassal of the Nine Spirits Sect, once we clear out all bandits within ten thousand li, we'll move to the next city. The Holy Demon Sect has already taken ten cities; if we fall behind, we'll be punished,” said Feng Wuxiang.

Feng Wuxiang's cultivation at the mid-stage of the Great Heavenly Position made him a top expert in the Xuanhuang Realm, and even within the Nine Spirits Sect he was not weak.

But for Feng Wuxiang, the Nine Spirits Sect had unfathomable depths. Though he was an elder, he was the weakest among them.

Those close to the Nine Spirits Empress were all monstrously powerful; facing them felt like confronting a vast, towering mountain.

Overwhelming!

“Elder, look! Those bandits are robbing again!” a sharp-eyed disciple shouted.

“Hmph, all troops, advance!” Feng Wuxiang waved his hand. “Today, we will slay every last bandit.”

The soldiers of Desolate City didn't know what to say.

Everyone knew the Fourteen Desert Bandits; even their city lord had once shared drinks with their chief.

At one point, the city lord even considered marrying his daughter to the chief.

But he later dropped the idea, thinking Sha Dulong was too old and, frankly, too ugly.

Now this Nine Spirits Sect, after taking control of Desolate City, immediately launched a campaign against the Fourteen Desert Bandits. Wasn't that idiotic?

“Fourteen Desert Bandits, you have committed countless evils and robbed merchant caravans. Today, I, Feng Wuxiang of the Nine Spirits Sect, will slay you all!” Feng Wuxiang's aura surged, his gaze sharp, as he stood on the high ground of justice, looking down on the bandits.

“What is this about?”

“Yeah, what does the Nine Spirits Sect have to do with this?”

“Everyone, we haven't been robbed! They aren't evil bandits!”

The merchants shouted one after another.

“You little brat are quite amusing. We Fourteen Desert Bandits have roamed the desert our whole lives, and no one has ever dared to challenge us,” Sha Dulong said sternly.

“Hmph!” Feng Wuxiang snorted, then turned to the merchants. “You merchants, leave now. Blades have no eyes; if you suffer losses, it's your own doing.”

“This… this…” The merchants were at a loss for words.

Wasn't this just screwing them over?

Especially Shopkeeper Li, who felt like vomiting blood.

“The robbery ends here. All of you, leave,” Sha Dulong said with a frown. He sensed something was wrong in Desolate City. He knew of the Nine Spirits Sect but hadn't expected them to come knocking.

“Chief, I… I…” Shopkeeper Li was reluctant. They were so close to success—how could this happen?

“Don't worry. We Fourteen Desert Bandits are professionals. Since we robbed you, we'll honor it. Come back next time,” Sha Dulong said.

“Chief, you must keep your word!” Shopkeeper Li was overjoyed.

“Mm.” Sha Dulong nodded.

With Sha Dulong's assurance, the merchants scurried away.

“Boss, this guy is no pushover,” the bandits whispered.

“Mm. His aura is not weaker than ours. For someone so young to have such strength is impressive. Have the brothers fall back—this fight is beyond them,” Sha Dulong said.

“Understood.”

Feng Wuxiang had brought the soldiers only to show off the Nine Spirits Sect's might, not for them to fight.

In his eyes, these soldiers were mere ants, easily killed with a breath—utterly useless.

“Fourteen Desert Bandits, surrender and you may die with dignity. Otherwise, you'll end up headless and ugly,” Feng Wuxiang sneered.

“Little brat, you're too arrogant! I was already in the game when you were still in your mother's womb! Let me teach you a lesson!” The short, stocky Sha Miexiong could no longer hold back, charging at Feng Wuxiang with double axes.

“Hmph, mere peak Small Heavenly Position—like an ant, too weak to even withstand a single blow.” Feng Wuxiang sneered, forming a sword with his finger and lightly slashing.

A sharp edge burst forth. Sha Miexiong was startled and raised his axes to block.

Crack!

Under the blade, the axes shattered without any resistance.

Pfft!

“Third Brother…” Sha Dulong's face darkened.

“Haha, I thought you were something special, but you're all so weak. The Fourteen Desert Bandits are the ugliest lot in the world—a dwarf, a blind man, a pockmarked one, and that fat, inhuman thing. If I didn't look closely, I'd think it was a pig.”

“Compared to me, aren't you ashamed of yourselves?”

Feng Wuxiang mocked them without restraint, showing no regard for Sha Dulong and his men.

“Haha…”

The Nine Spirits Sect disciples laughed loudly.

The soldiers of Desolate City were shocked by the scene. They hadn't expected the Nine Spirits Sect elder to be so strong.

They knew the Fourteen Desert Bandits were powerful and had expected them to teach these guys a lesson. But the elder had defeated the third chief with a single move.

“Come at me all together, or I'll say I didn't give you a chance.” Feng Wuxiang flicked his sleeve, speaking arrogantly.

In an instant, a powerful aura burst from Feng Wuxiang.

Behind him, a celestial phenomenon appeared.

“You little brat, let me teach you a lesson!” Sha Dulong roared, his true essence surging as he threw a punch at Feng Wuxiang.

“Heh, mid-stage Great Heavenly Position—not bad, on par with me. But…” Feng Wuxiang's eyes flashed, and he opened his hand wide, stirring up a storm of true essence.

Feeling the violent true essence, Sha Dulong's expression changed drastically. He felt his own true essence being controlled by the opponent, no longer under his command.

Thud!

Sha Dulong was instantly defeated, pinned under Feng Wuxiang's foot.

“But the gap between us is like heaven and earth.” At this moment, Feng Wuxiang seemed like a descending god.

The Nine Spirits Sect disciples looked at Feng Wuxiang with awe. With such overwhelming power, the Fourteen Desert Bandits were wiped out in one move.

The soldiers of Desolate City gasped in disbelief.

“Boss!” The Fourteen Desert Bandits were enraged seeing Sha Dulong underfoot.

“Run! You're no match for him!” Sha Dulong roared. Pinned down, his true essence felt frozen, unable to resist.

“Haha, I'll take you back to Desolate City, cut off your head, and hang it at the city gate as a warning. As for your men, they don't need to exist anymore.”

Feng Wuxiang sneered, killing intent flaring. A sky-piercing sword aura rose, and with a wave of his hand, it seemed to tear the void itself.

“Stop!” Sha Dulong screamed in anguish.

He hadn't expected to lose so quickly, without even a chance to react.

To the Fourteen Desert Bandits, that earth-shattering sword strike was unstoppable. They felt their blood freeze.

Thud!

Sha Dulong closed his eyes in despair. He never thought it would come to this.

But just then, a voice rang out.

“You dare touch my people? Looks like you can't be saved.”

The voice was calm, neither sad nor happy.

Lin Fan arrived, only to find Sha Dulong and his men defeated. This was embarrassing for him.

After all, they were his people. Being beaten like this was a loss of face.

Lin Fan stood atop Feng Wuxiang's head, then exerted a slight force. A tremendous power erupted, cracking the earth.

Feng Wuxiang's body was instantly driven into the ground up to his head.

Lin Fan lifted his foot slightly and stomped again.

Boom!

A thunderous sound echoed. The earth shattered inch by inch, cracks spreading to the horizon.

“Ding, congratulations on killing…”

“Sigh, another prodigy stomped to death. Sha Dulong, you really embarrassed me.” Lin Fan stood there, looking helpless.

In that instant, time seemed to freeze.

The Nine Spirits Sect disciples were dumbfounded.

For the Fourteen Desert Bandits, that voice, that figure…

When Sha Dulong lifted his head slightly and saw the familiar yet unfamiliar figure standing there, with long hair flowing, his entire body trembled.