Clouds and Moon Shadow

Chapter 51 Encounter with Bandits

At that time, the master also asked the other teenagers, and they were more willing to follow Gu Qingyue. In their hearts, Gu Qingyue was their savior and their master. Wherever their master went, they would go, and whatever their master asked them to do, they would do.

Because the boys unanimously requested to be sold to Gu Qingyue when they signed the indenture, and after several unsuccessful attempts to refuse, Gu Qingyue had no choice but to accept. Therefore, apart from the Wen brothers and Xiao Nian, all the other boys are now considered Gu Qingyue's people.

Also left behind by the master was his senior brother Liu Feng, that handsome, cheerful, and lively young man.

The cultivation of the internal energy cultivation method Wuxuan Token and the Willow Leaf Twin Swords still needs the guidance and supervision of Senior Brother Liu Feng. After all, apart from Gu Qingyue and the Wen brothers, the other teenagers are all kung fu novices who have only just begun to learn.

So, there are now thirteen people crowded in front of the counter. They look at each other, all of them understanding Rong Qingqing's meaning and knowing the current situation in the county.

They exchanged helpless glances, their faces showing deep disappointment and reluctance. After all, this place had sheltered them from the wind and rain for several months and was their home.

Looking at the boys who had lost their usual smiles and energy, Gu Qingyue felt a pang of sadness.

Everyone quickly packed their luggage and left the inn.

Rong Qingqing looked at the large lock hanging at the entrance of the inn, feeling a pang of sadness. She thought of her uncle, the old man who had held her and played with her when she was little, and who had entrusted the inn to her on his deathbed. Her heart ached.

Before leaving, she left messages and letters for her neighbors who had not yet left Liquan County, hoping that her uncle's grandson, who had left home, would see them if he returned.

Gu Qingyue also went to Huichun Medical Clinic. Huichun Medical Clinic was still open as usual, although there were not many patients to be seen.

But this clinic has been open for many years, and it can't be abandoned all at once.

The clinic's manager, Zhao, insisted on giving Gu Qingyue a lot of medicinal herbs, not only to thank her for her consultations over the past few months, but also to ensure their journey would be more secure.

Gu Qingyue gratefully accepted the medicinal herbs and some common pills, as they might actually be needed on the road. She had prepared quite a few herself in advance, but who knew what might happen on the journey, especially since she was taking so many people with her.

Finally, she left the letter she had written to Dr. Zhang with Manager Zhao, hoping that he wouldn't be furious when he returned from treating patients in Lizhou. But she couldn't worry about that now; the situation was dire, and she had to leave.

Five days later.

"drive!"

A large, imposing caravan of horses galloped from the corner at the foot of the mountain toward the roadside where Gu Qingyue and the others were resting. From a distance, they looked fierce and dusty.

In the blink of an eye, a group of people rushed to the scene. As Gu Qingyue watched the approaching cavalry, she had a bad feeling.

Seeing this, Rong Qingqing suddenly stood up, "Quick, let's go! They're bandits!"

After saying that, he led a group of teenagers, big and small, carrying their bundles, and ran into the depths of the woods.

Liu Feng, standing beside him, drew his twin swords with a swift motion, his brows furrowed, and a fierce fire burned in his eyes, his gaze deepening.

Seeing that Liu Feng didn't run away but stopped, holding two swords, Gu Qingyue's dagger also slid into her hand.

The two retreated while protecting everyone as they ran into the depths of the jungle, where the sound of horses' hooves was already upon them.

"Catch them!" A man dismounted and stood at the edge of the woods, pointing in their direction, his voice hoarse.

Upon hearing this, the other bandits also dismounted, and in an instant, a large group of people gathered at the edge of the woods.

Gu Qingyue, who was in the distance, immediately released her mental energy, trying her best to hear what the group of people were saying.

"Ten of you will flank from the left, ten of you from the right, and the rest of you, follow me."

The hoarse-voiced man had a long scar on his brow and a ferocious expression. He cracked a riding crop in his hand, determined not to let the fat sheep that was about to be caught escape.

They had planted many undercover agents in this area, but in five years they only managed to capture a little over two hundred capable people, which was far from enough for them to make a living.

This batch of goods looks top-quality; they're all young and boys, so they'll fetch a good price.

They're lucky today!

Watching the bandits jump off their horses and gallop into the jungle, Liu Feng turned to Gu Qingyue and said, "You and Sister Rong take them and go quickly. I'll cover the rear."

After saying that, he drew his sword and went to meet the bandits who had rushed into the woods.

"Wait—" Before Gu Qingyue could finish speaking, she saw Liu Feng dash into the midst of the bandits like an arrow. A moment later, the sound of clashing swords rang out. Gu Qingyue turned around and saw Rong Qingqing leading the boys as they ran desperately forward. She gripped her dagger and chased after them.

Before she had run a hundred meters, bandits came from both sides to flank her. Gu Qingyue used her spiritual power to investigate and found that there were more than a dozen of them. It would be difficult for them to escape.

"Sister Rong, you run to the left front. There's a narrow section of mountain road there. I'll go stop them."

After saying that, Gu Qingyue took out a packet of medicine powder from her sleeve. There were too many enemies, so don't blame her for using dirty tricks.

He swiftly climbed the nearest tree, and as the bandits who had surrounded him from both sides arrived, a fragrant aroma wafted from above their heads.

Seeing the bandits at the front of the pack collapse unconscious one after another, the bandits behind quickly covered their mouths and noses, cursing and swearing.

Gu Qingyue rolled her eyes. These people's mouths were so filthy, they needed to be washed in a stinky ditch.

The next moment, Gu Qingyue gripped the dagger, jumped down from the tree, and pounced on the bandits.

In no time, Gu Qingyue dealt with two bandits. Because Gu Qingyue appeared so suddenly, many bandits hadn't even had time to react.

By the time they realized that the short man in front of them was actually a very handsome young boy, their two companions had already died.

"Take him down!" One of the bandits, eager to try, charged towards Gu Qingyue.

Gu Qingyue immediately engaged in a fight with several bandits. Even if she couldn't defeat them quickly, she had to keep them occupied so they wouldn't chase after Sister Rong and the boys.

In the close combat, Gu Qingyue clearly sensed that one of the young bandits was quite skilled. However, he didn't seem to want to kill her; every move he made was a test, an attempt to grab her, rather than a deadly strike.

Gu Qingyue glanced at him. He had an ordinary appearance but a pair of sharp, razor-sharp eyes. However, Gu Qingyue didn't have time to think about it. She gritted her teeth and became even more ruthless.

Thanks to her apprenticeship, she gained internal strength and her martial arts skills improved significantly. Otherwise, Gu Qingyue would have had a hard time getting the better of these bandits, and would have at least been injured.

A moment later, she took down a few more people. Looking up at the distance, Gu Qingyue began to get anxious because she saw that three of the outer bandits had already gone after Sister Rong and the others.

Gu Qingyue only breathed a slight sigh of relief when everyone except the young bandit was lying on the ground, either dead or seriously injured.

She glanced at the young bandit, and without thinking twice, turned and quickly chased after him along the mountain path. She had to deal with the three bandits before they caught up with Sister Rong.

She had only run a few steps when she heard several screams behind her. Gu Qingyue only had time to glance back and saw several bandits lying on the ground, seriously injured, all of whom had been killed by the young bandit with a single slash.

Gu Qingyue had no time to investigate why; she was extremely anxious.

She quickened her pace. Although her lightness skill was only at the beginner level and she couldn't yet fly over grass or leap through the air, her footwork was already quite proficient, and she ran much faster than before.

In less than a quarter of an hour, Gu Qingyue saw the three bandits running ahead. Gu Qingyue lightly stepped on the tree trunk, rushed forward, and slashed the last bandit with the dagger in her hand.