Chapter 17: Ambush at Sunset
The sun dipped low behind jagged hills, casting long, gold-tinged shadows over an uneven road. Dust clung to the air, thick and dry, kicked up by the slow, rhythmic creak of wagon wheels grinding over ruts and loose stones. The caravan moved like a weary beast, its wooden joints groaning in protest against the punishing terrain.
It was none other than the Su family caravan, having restocked goods from Windfall City, it was time to return to Oakwood. Seated on the driver's bench, Lao Fu scanned the road with practiced vigilance, though exhaustion was beginning to fray his concentration. Behind him, the seven guards on foot were reaching their breaking point.
"Driver Fu, why bring us down this miserable path?!" The complaint burst from Ding Zhu, a muscular guard with reddish complexion. "If we had followed the standard route, we would have reached Oakwood City by now!"
Chen Wulong, the veteran mercenary, turned toward the wagon. "Driver Fu, you need to give us an explanation. Why put us through this ordeal?"
Lao Fu offered an apologetic smile. "It was a direct order from the family. We avoid the main road this time—no exceptions."
The shouting drifted into the passenger compartment, drawing scowls from the experts within.
"Captain Liu," Jian Feng, the bald man with the intricate tattoos, growled. "Don't tell me your Su family chose this detour because of mere bandits? It's an insult to our capabilities."
"We suspect these bandits are far more dangerous than typical thieves," Captain Liu replied smoothly, though sweat beaded on his brow.
Feng Yanran, the elegant swordswoman, frowned. "Then why hire us if you don't intend for us to fight? This caution is excessive."
"Everyone, relax," Captain Liu said, trying to maintain order. "You're getting paid for a scenic walk. Be grateful."
"Driver Liu, please stop the wagon."
The wagon ground to a halt as Captain Liu stepped out to address the guards. "Bear with us. Oakwood City isn't far now."
"I hope the pay is worth the boredom," snorted Wei Yu, a sharp-eyed female guard.
Suddenly—Swish!
A piercing whistle cut through the evening air. A silver arrow, gleaming like a needle of light, materialized from the tall bushes on the roadside.
Thwack!
The projectile struck with lethal precision, punching through a guard's skull. The man collapsed instantly, his life extinguished before his body could even hit the dust.
"Ambush!" Chen Wulong roared, drawing his weapon.
"Impossible! Bandits in this wasteland?" Wei Yu cried, her eyes darting to the treeline.
Nine figures emerged from the shadows, cloaked in dark robes that seemed to drink the surrounding sunlight. At their head stepped a giant, his massive axe stained with the rust of a hundred kills.
"Drop your belongings and flee," the giant commanded, his voice a low rumble of thunder. "Or die where you stand."
"Vile bastards!" Feng Yanran shouted, her elegant blade pointed threateningly at the leader.
Boom!
Her aura exploded. The 3rd Level Martial Soul Realm pressure radiated outward, the air vibrating with her spiritual energy. But the giant didn't flinch. He narrowed his eyes and let out a roar of his own.
Boom!
A more terrifying pressure descended, crushing the grass beneath his boots.
"4th Level Martial Soul Realm!" Feng Yanran gasped, her confidence shattering. She turned to the man in plain robes. "Mo Tianming! We need to join forces! Together, we can take him!"
Mo Tianming offered a cold, mocking smile. "Miss Yanran, I'm afraid you've mistaken me for an ally." He gestured toward the bandits. "I am one of them."
"What?!"
"Traitor!" Jian Feng roared, his 1st Level Martial Soul aura erupting in a fury of Sword Qi. "I'll take your head!"
"Kekeke," Mo Tianming laughed, his figure blurring into multiple afterimages. "A sword cultivator? You'll have to catch me first!"
"Midnight Walker!"
The moment he activated his technique, he moved like a phantom—elusive and unpredictable.
"Coward!" Jian Feng gritted his teeth, charging forward with killing intent.
The battle erupted. Jian Feng summoned a giant sword phantom—his Martial Spirit—a power unique to Martial Soul Realm experts which granted them an extra boost in strength. The giant sword phantom hovered behind him, glowing with jagged blue light.
"Mountain Cleaving Strike!"
Across from him, Mo Tianming summoned his Martial Spirit—a Demonic Spectral Wolf.
"Ghost Slash!"
Dark energy met blue steel in a thunderous collision that sent shockwaves through the area, dust and debris flying in all directions.
Seeing the chaos, Captain Liu knew there was no retreat. "Feng Yanran, now!"
Captain Liu released his aura—2nd Level Martial Soul Realm. A Giant Hound phantom manifested behind him, its ethereal jaws snapping at the air. Beside him, Feng Yanran summoned a Massive Eagle spirit, its wingspan boosting her speed and power.
The two charged at the bandit leader.
"Die! Mighty Axe Technique!"
The giant swung downward. A Mountain Silhouette appeared behind him, anchoring his strike with the weight of the earth itself.
Lao Fu scrambled behind the wagon, his heart hammering against his ribs. As a mere Martial Adept, the spiritual pressure alone made it hard to breathe. He looked at the remaining eight bandits—all of them were Martial Core Realm experts.
The math was devastating. With one guard dead, the Su family had only six Martial Core experts left to face eight enemies. And while Jian Feng fought the traitor, Captain Liu and Feng Yanran were struggling against the leader who outclassed them both.
'The Su family... it's a disaster,' Lao Fu thought in despair. Blood began to stain the golden dust of the road as the shadows of the hills grew longer, threatening to swallow them all.
---
Meanwhile... Oakwood City.
The evening sun cast its dying glow over the landscape, painting the streets in long, amber shadows. The usual daytime bustle had faded into a peaceful murmur as residents retreated to their homes. But the tranquility was a fragile mask, destined to be shattered.
Three figures stumbled through the city gates, their arrival sending a ripple of shock through the guards. They were pale, their once-fine robes now tattered and stained with dried blood. Captain Liu, Feng Yanran, and Jian Feng—the remnants of the proud expedition that had marched out only hours ago—looked like ghosts of a forgotten war.
"Heavens—isn't that Captain Liu and the guards?" a merchant cried out, dropping his crates in horror.
"How is this possible? Eleven experts departed this morning... are they the only ones left?"
"Has the entire team been wiped out?"
Word spread like wildfire. Every person the survivors passed watched with wide eyes and growing dread. When the Su family had sent such a formidable force, many had questioned the excess. Now, the bloody reality spoke for itself.
As they reached the Su family estate, the gates flew open. Inside, Su Liang was already waiting, his face thunderous. Beside him stood Lao Fu, whose survival instincts had driven him to flee the slaughter early to report the disaster.
"I have heard the driver's account," Su Liang growled, his voice vibrating with suppressed power. "Now, I need the truth in every detail."
Captain Liu's face flushed with shame and rage. "Second Elder, it was a massacre. We were struck by a sudden ambush near the city. One man was killed before we even drew steel—an arrow through the skull."
He paused, his voice straining. "Nine figures in black robes surrounded us. Their leader... he was a 4th Level Martial Soul Realm expert. We tried to hold our ground, but then came the ultimate treachery. One of our own turned his blade on us."
Jian Feng could no longer contain his fury. "That bastard Mo Tianming! He was a wolf in the fold! A bandit spy from the very beginning!" He spat a mouthful of blood, his internal injuries flaring with his temper.
"Calm yourself, Jian Feng," Feng Yanran whispered. Her face was the palest of the three, her breathing shallow from a deep chest wound.
"Continue," Su Liang commanded. As a 6th Level Martial Soul Realm expert, he understood the gap. The first three levels of the Martial Soul Realm were the 'Early Stage,' but the 4th Level marked the 'Middle Stage'—a qualitative leap in spiritual density and power.
"With Mo Tianming's betrayal, we were overwhelmed," Captain Liu resumed. "The other bandits were all outstanding Martial Core experts. As our men fell, the survivors broke and fled. We three fought a bloody path out to bring word back."
Su Liang nodded grimly. He didn't blame the hired guards for fleeing; they were mercenaries, not family. "Take them to the Healing Pavilion. Use the finest pills we have."
He watched them limp away, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. "The Su family has suffered a devastating blow. Not just in gold, but in blood and face."
---
Night fell, but the Grand Council Hall was far from quiet.
Lanterns flickered against carved pillars, casting long, dancing shadows across the five Elders. The air was thick with the scent of old wood and cold fury.
"A 4th Level expert among bandits?" Su Minghe roared, his voice echoing off the table. "Our intelligence was a catastrophe!"
"Calm yourself, Third Elder," Su Yuan interjected, his eyes narrowed in thought. "They were cunning. I suspect Mo Tianming was the one we initially believed to be the leader, suppressing his intent to lure us into a false sense of security."
Su Yuntian's icy gaze fixed on the Second Elder. "You organized the recruitment, Su Liang. How did you hire an enemy spy?"
"I had bad feelings about him, but this?" Su Liang replied with anguish. "I never imagined such a deeply-rooted plot."
"Enough blame," Su Qingfeng, the First Elder, declared. "The He and Ye families will be laughing in their tea. Those Ye bastards especially will seize this opportunity to mock us."
Su Yuan looked toward the head of the table. "Patriarch, you've been silent. What do you see?"
Su Huiqing uncurled his fingers, his eyes cold as flint. "The pattern is too deliberate. First the main route, now the safe path. Yet the other families' caravans pass unmolested. The conclusion is unavoidable: We are being specifically targeted."
A collective intake of breath hissed through the room.
"Someone is orchestrating this," Su Yuan agreed. "They knew our movements. They knew our strength."
"Is it the Ye family?" Su Minghe asked grimly, his hand tightening on the arm of his chair.
"We need certainty before we strike," the First Elder cautioned.
"I don't think it's the Ye family," Su Yuan mused. "There is a missing piece to this puzzle. A hidden hand."
"Regardless," Su Minghe growled, "this cannot continue. Our pill market will crumble if we cannot secure our trade routes. Our reputation is our lifeblood."
Su Huiqing rose, his presence filling the chamber. "Then we abandon subtlety. Tomorrow, we mobilize. We investigate, we hunt, and we destroy. Every bandit involved will be wiped from the earth. The Su family is not a toothless tiger."
"Agreed!" the Elders shouted in unison.
"Dismissed," the Patriarch announced.
As the Elders filed out with renewed purpose, the crescent moon hung high above—a cold, silver witness to the storm that was about to break over Oakwood City.