"This child is your real purpose for coming to Qing Yong Mountain, isn't it?" the chieftain smacked his lips. "He looks quite like your lover. Is this child yours and his?"
Li Yue Shu completely shielded Shen Zhi Yu behind her. "Yes, the chieftain is generous and magnanimous. How about you let our family reunite and let us go!"
The chieftain burst into laughter, but his cold, sinister eyes sent shivers down one's spine. "If you want to reunite your family, why did you take my children away?"
Li Yue Shu glanced at the children hiding behind her, trembling with fear, and sighed silently.
She couldn't stand by and do nothing, so she had to take a gamble.
There was no other choice. At worst, she would take the children into her space and wait for Xing He to bring reinforcements from Hong Ning City before reappearing. The aftermath might be a bit troublesome.
Li Yue Shu quietly took out her scalpel. "Your children? The chieftain is quite prolific."
Hearing her sarcastic words, the chieftain narrowed his eyes. "I hope you can be as sharp-tongued in bed."
With that, he raised his hand, and the bandits behind him approached with their knives.
Li Yue Shu, naturally, wouldn't wait to be slaughtered. She struck first.
Her movements were swift, and her footwork was tricky, preventing the bandits from getting close. She even managed to snatch a knife from one of them to use as a weapon.
Seeing this, the chieftain's expression turned grim. He took a knife from someone beside him and joined the fray.
"Swish—"
A chilling killing intent surged towards her. Li Yue Shu instinctively raised her hand to block. The immense impact forced her back several steps.
Before Li Yue Shu could regain her footing, the chieftain charged at her again, his gleaming knife aimed directly at her face, leaving her no time to react.
At the critical moment, a stone whizzed past Li Yue Shu's ear and was flung from behind her, striking the chieftain's knife directly.
"Clang—"
After a piercing clang, the chieftain's knife flew out of his hand, and his gripping hand still trembled slightly.
Li Yue Shu subconsciously turned her head and saw Qin Mo Yuan soaring towards her, his anxious and urgent demeanor imprinted on her heart.
She was momentarily stunned. The next moment, she was suddenly embraced by Qin Mo Yuan.
His embrace trembled slightly, as if filled with the joy of escaping death.
At such close proximity, the smell of blood instantly rushed to her head, bringing Li Yue Shu back to her senses.
She quickly pushed Qin Mo Yuan away and looked him up and down, noticing a long wound on his arm, as if scratched by a branch.
"How did you get hurt?"
Seeing her furrowed brow and worried expression, Qin Mo Yuan felt a sense of helplessness.
He knew it. His injury wouldn't escape A Shu's notice.
Just as Qin Mo Yuan was about to comfort her, the chieftain nearby suddenly spoke, "You're still alive?"
He looked incredulous. "You truly have a great life. You didn't die falling from such a high cliff!"
Li Yue Shu's heart tightened, and her hands unconsciously clenched.
A cliff?
Qin Mo Yuan turned his head. His ink-black eyes held a commanding majesty that made the chieftain instinctively take a step back.
He had only ever seen such imposing presence in his master, but his master didn't seem as powerful as this man.
Qin Mo Yuan took the knife from Li Yue Shu's hand, shielded her behind him, and looked at the chieftain with cold eyes. "Xie Qi Zhi, you have the time to intercept us here. Why not go check the secret room on the cliff? If those things are damaged, how will you explain it to your master?"
As soon as he said this, Xie Qi Zhi's face changed instantly. "What did you do?"
Qin Mo Yuan's expression was calm. "Before I came, I deliberately went up the cliff and set a fire. If my calculations are correct, it should be burning close to the secret room by now."
Xie Qi Zhi's face turned grim, and he gritted his teeth. "You're seeking death!"
He quickly ordered the second-in-command beside him to go to the cliff, while he himself stayed.
Clearly, he had no intention of letting the people in front of him go.
Just then, about a dozen people ran over from not far away. Leading them was Zhou Chen.
He panted and ran to Li Yue Shu, looking at the group of children behind her in surprise. "Miss Li, did you raid a nursery?"
Li Yue Shu's mouth twitched. "Didn't I tell you to go down the mountain earlier? Why are you still here?"
Zhou Chen rubbed his nose and his gaze involuntarily shifted to Xie Qi Zhi opposite them.
Li Yue Shu's heart trembled.
The next moment, Zhou Chen and his group walked directly towards Xie Qi Zhi.
Zhou Chen's face was all smiles, fawning. "Chieftain, we've been looking all over for you. We never expected to find you here."
All twelve of them stood respectfully in front of Xie Qi Zhi, their soot-stained faces unable to hide their fawning expressions.
Qin Mo Yuan frowned slightly at their demeanor, casting a confused glance at the expressionless Li Yue Shu.
Xie Qi Zhi examined Zhou Chen and suddenly smiled. "After so many years, you still haven't given up on joining my Qing Yong Mountain. This sincerity is truly rare!"
Upon hearing this, Li Yue Shu instantly understood.
No wonder Zhou Chen knew so much about Qing Yong Mountain, and they weren't punished even after being captured.
Zhou Chen scratched the back of his head, smiling somewhat foolishly. "Our greatest wish, my brothers and I, is to follow you, Chieftain, and become notorious bandits whose names alone would terrify people into crapping themselves!"
Xie Qi Zhi seemed pleased with the flattery and burst into hearty laughter.
Then, he looked at Li Yue Shu, a plan suddenly forming in his mind.
"Zhou Chen, I'll give you an opportunity today," he said with a sinister smile. "If you kill these two people, I'll let you join Qing Yong Mountain!"
The surroundings fell silent.
From the way Zhou Chen and Li Yue Shu were talking just now, it was clear they were familiar with each other. Xie Qi Zhi's demand was clearly intentional!
He was indeed intentional.
When he blocked Qin Mo Yuan's attack earlier, he understood that even if Zhou Chen and his twelve men attacked together, they would still be no match for that man.
However, the fact that they could use Zhou Chen to disrupt his mountain stronghold to this extent meant they still had some value.
His words stunned Zhou Chen, who involuntarily looked at Li Yue Shu, his eyes suddenly lighting up. "Are you serious?"
"Of course," Xie Qi Zhi smiled wickedly. "So many brothers are watching. If I don't keep my word, how can I still be the chieftain!"
"Thank you, Chieftain, for granting my wish!" Zhou Chen's eyes gleamed even brighter. "Please grant my brothers some suitable weapons. This woman burned down the stronghold, so killing her with the Chieftain's own knife would be the most satisfying!"
Xie Qi Zhi was flattered by the sycophancy and directly handed him his knife. "Hahaha, after all these years, I like your mouth the most!"
The other bandits also handed over their weapons, standing excitedly to the side, watching the spectacle.
Zhou Chen weighed the knife in his hand, and a dark glint flashed through his lowered eyes.
Then, he looked up at Li Yue Shu. "Miss Li, I'm truly sorry. Please consider it an act of charity and fulfill our brothers' long-held wish."
He spoke of apologies, but his face showed only excitement, with no hint of remorse.