Chapter 25: The Bandits Attack
An endless wilderness; as far as the eye could see, there was only a monotonous earthy yellow.
Occasionally, a small patch of shrubs would appear, adding a splash of color to this dull canvas.
At this moment, a caravan was slowly approaching, wheels creaking and kicking up clouds of dust.
Inside the slightly bumpy carriage, Lin Yang closed his eyes and concentrated, his hands lightly resting on "Scarlet Edge" on his lap, oblivious to external things.
He was both meditating and cultivating.
A faint silver light shimmered subtly on the surface of his body.
Two or three blades of Blue Silver Grass playfully peeked out from his collar, unfolding their delicate leaves as if they were breathing.
Suddenly, the caravan stopped.
Shouts and various calls came from outside.
Then, someone knocked on the carriage.
Lin Yang opened his eyes, a sharp, blade-like glint flashing through his dark pupils before quickly returning to tranquility.
Looking at the Blue Silver Emperor's leaves rubbing against his cheek, a hint of a smile flashed in his eyes.
He hadn't expected the effect of the Blue Silver Domain to be so good; it allowed him to be more in tune with nature during meditation, increasing his efficiency by a full twenty percent.
It truly was worthy of being a Domain skill of the Blue Silver Emperor.
Even though it had only recovered to the strength of a Thousand-Year Spirit Beast, the Domain's effect was still exceptional.
He gently stroked the leaves, and only then did the Blue Silver Emperor seem satisfied, slowly retracting back into his collar. Then, Lin Yang stepped out of the carriage.
A middle-aged man was standing outside.
Upon seeing Lin Yang emerge, the smile on his slightly weathered face seemed much more sincere.
"Lord Lin, we plan to set up camp and rest here. If you don't mind, why not come down and eat with us to take a break?"
Lin Yang looked around and nodded slightly. "Alright!"
After leaving Red Maple Village, Lin Yang had joined a merchant caravan, becoming its guard under the identity of Lin Ze, a second ring Soul Master.
The middle-aged man before him, Feier, was the manager of this caravan.
Their destination was the Yunluo Duchy of the Star Luo Empire to do business.
Lin Yang, on the other hand, was heading to the Heavenly Disaster Mountain Range in the Star Luo Empire, so he could travel with them for a part of the way.
In this remote wilderness, things that could run or jump were few and far between.
Therefore, the caravan carried pre-prepared cured meats and dry rations, supplemented by a small amount of fresh fruit.
Although the taste was average, it had its own unique flavor.
After eating, Feier approached Lin Yang and took a roll of yellowed parchment from his bosom, slowly spreading it out.
"Lord Lin, we are still within the borders of the Heaven Dou Empire. At today's speed, we should reach the Border Pass tomorrow."
At this point, Feier stole a quick glance at Lin Yang, appearing somewhat hesitant to speak.
Lin Yang naturally followed up, "Is there a problem with this Border Pass?"
"The pass itself isn't a problem. As long as the passage fee is paid in full, they usually won't make things difficult."
"However, after crossing the pass, there is a Lawless Zone between Heaven Dou and Star Luo. Bandits run rampant there, and Fallen Spirit Masters might appear."
Lin Yang raised an eyebrow, his expression shifting slightly. "Fallen Spirit Masters? Roughly what is their strength?"
"Most are around the first or second ring," Feier explained with a smile.
"Since Spirit Hall has always maintained a policy of total extermination toward Fallen Spirit Masters, powerful ones rarely appear."
"Please rest assured on this point, Lord Lin."
Lin Yang nodded slightly.
Regardless of Bibi Dong's future actions, at least for now, the two things Spirit Hall insisted on—awakening Martial Souls for commoners every year and purging Fallen Spirit Masters—
Were genuinely more beneficial than harmful for the common people.
Thinking back to the era of Douluo Dalu II, commoners even needed a certificate from nobles just to report to school.
This was essentially allowing the nobility to monopolize the path for commoners to become Soul Masters.
And then there were the Evil Spirit Masters who threw the entire continent into chaos.
Tang San could not escape blame for the origin of all this.
If you want to eradicate Spirit Hall, fine; if you blow up Slaughter City, that's also okay.
But at least clean up the mess you made.
Instead, our 'pure and noble' Young Master Tang San only dug the holes but didn't bury them, eventually patting his buttocks and ascending to the God Realm, leaving a pile of mess for others to deal with.
Thinking of this, Lin Yang couldn't help but curse, "Tang San, you really deserve to die!"
At this time, seeing Lin Yang's expression remain normal, Feier felt reassured and continued.
"If we encounter bandits, I hope Lord Lin can lend a hand."
Lin Yang waved his hand. "Since I've taken on the responsibility of a guard, I will do my best. Please rest assured, Manager Fei."
Feier felt a weight lifted off his shoulders and cupped his fists. "Thank you, Lord Lin."
On the Douluo Continent, Soul Masters are, after all, a minority; the vast majority are just ordinary people.
In this caravan, Feier was the only one who could be called a Soul Master. His strength was only at level eighteen, and he even had a White Soul Ring.
Given his age, reaching level twenty in this lifetime was already his limit.
Because of this, Feier placed such importance on the second ring Lin Yang, even specially providing him with a carriage and treating him well throughout the journey.
After all, in the merchant trade, a single mistake could lead to the destruction of goods and the death of people.
Having a powerful figure present could certainly put one's mind at ease.
The night passed without incident, and the caravan set off again the next day.
Just as Feier had predicted, the caravan reached the Border Pass around noon.
Once they exited the Border Pass, they would officially leave the Heaven Dou Empire.
Feier naturally handled the exit procedures.
He was an old hand on this route, familiar with every step.
In less than half an hour, amidst mutual shouting, the caravan slowly passed through the Border Pass.
As soon as they exited, the atmosphere of the entire caravan changed.
All the guards tensed up, their expressions becoming solemn, and the laughter among them diminished significantly.
An invisible pressure enveloped the entire caravan; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they were jumpy at every sound and shadow.
Fortunately, no accidents occurred that afternoon, allowing everyone to breathe a sigh of relief.
After nightfall, the entire caravan was linked together in a circle.
Tents were pitched in the middle, and the guards were split into two shifts to take turns keeping watch.
Lin Yang returned to his carriage after dinner to continue his meditation and cultivation.
Before long, the Blue Silver Emperor suddenly poked out from his collar, its broad leaves constantly rubbing against Lin Yang's face.
Lin Yang snapped his eyes open, a sharp light flashing within them.
"I thought tonight would be peaceful, but it seems what was bound to come has arrived."
He quickly got out of the car and found Feier, who was yawning.
"Lord Lin, what's wrong?"
"Have everyone get ready. Bandits are approaching."
As the words fell, Feier jolted awake, his sleepiness instantly vanishing. Without asking questions, he turned and woke up all the guards.
Hundreds of meters away, the bandits who had planned to sneak over under the cover of night immediately realized their presence had been exposed.
"Damn it, how did they find out?"
A burly, one-eyed man cursed, suspecting an informant among them, but he quickly dismissed the thought.
After all, they were a bunch of outlaws; who would believe anything said?
Thus, he was more inclined to believe that this inconspicuous small caravan had a Soul Master with scouting skills.
Since they were discovered, there was no longer any need to hide.
The fierce, burly man stood up abruptly, his roar sounding like thunder.
"Brothers, follow me!"
"Finish this job, and we'll have meat, wine, and plenty of women."
Whether true or not, these shouts instantly ignited the bandits' ferocity.
Amidst strange cries, dark shadows surged forward one after another toward the caravan's camp.