Unorthodox Wuxia: While Others Practice Martial Arts, I Cultivate Immortality - Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Earth Ranking No. 158

The burly man whose wrist had been pierced by Ah Qing was still writhing in pain on the ground.

Ah Qing stepped on his head and said coldly, “Quite bold, huh? You dare make trouble here!”

The man gritted his teeth, face twisted, and threatened, “Do you know who I am? I’m from the Sha Long Gang. If you hurt me, you’ll pay dearly!”

Ah Qing froze for a moment.

Sha Long Gang? Isn’t that the bandit gang? They dare to strut openly into Tianmen Town?!

For years, Tianmen Town and the surrounding villages had been plagued by sand bandits. Soldiers of both Great Liang and Great Xiao had repeatedly launched extermination campaigns, wiping them out batch after batch, yet new groups always emerged. Generations had come and gone, but the bandits never disappeared.

Yes, the soldiers of Liang and Xiao did more than just fight each other and oppress the people. One thing they did constantly was march against the bandits, who were their mortal enemies.

But banditry had existed since ancient times. These outlaws were deeply rooted in the land, predating even the founding of Liang and Xiao. Their power ran deep.

They lived by looting caravans and raiding homes, wild and rampant.

The larger gangs had survived for decades in the deserts, knowing the terrain like the backs of their hands. They struck without warning and vanished without a trace. Even armies could do little.

This was why the borderlands teemed with bodyguards-for-hire (biaoshi) and Wind-Chasers. Merchants traveling the frontier needed their protection; otherwise, their only hope was sheer luck.

Small traders, unable to afford such escorts, usually paid fees to major trading companies and attached themselves to their caravans. Naturally, the companies didn’t mind—they profited from it, and even a mosquito is still meat.

The bandits were also the reason these companies united into merchant guilds. Together, they shared the risks.

In this region, the largest gang was indeed the Sha Long Gang.

But its members rarely entered towns. Once inside, they lost their terrain advantage and could easily be trapped like turtles in a jar.

So when Ah Qing heard the man’s claim, her first instinct was suspicion.

Her foot pressed harder on his skull. “You’re really from the Sha Long Gang?”

The man grinned smugly. “Of course I am. What, scared now?”

“Scared?” Ah Qing sneered. She pushed down harder, twisting his face in agony. “Or maybe you’re just a fraud?”

It wasn’t uncommon for petty bandits to invoke the Sha Long Gang’s name to swagger about. The gang didn’t mind—it only made their reputation darker.

“Arghhh!!” the man howled. “D**n w*nch! I really am Sha Long Gang! You’ll die for this!”

Ah Qing was about to stomp his head to pulp when…

Swish! Swish!

Two projectiles sliced through the air. Reacting instantly, Ah Qing leapt up, caught them mid-flight with Heaven-Sweeping Hands, and hurled them back.

Two screams followed. At the gate, two men dressed like the first collapsed, their bows still in hand. The arrows they had shot now pierced their own bodies.

The next second, a burst of clapping rang out.

“Marvelous! Truly marvelous! To witness such refined martial arts in a humble place like Tianmen Town—what a delight.”

At the gate now stood not only the fallen archers, but also a group of more than a dozen people.

At their head was a mysterious woman veiled in black. Her figure was graceful, her voice airy and cold. A cascade of jet-black hair tumbled down her back like a waterfall. Her face was hidden, but there was no doubt she was a great beauty.

She was the one who had spoken.

From her eyes, Ah Qing saw only indifference and cruelty.

“Who are you? Did you come here just to stir trouble?”

The woman’s tone was calm: “I am Man Li of the Sha Long Gang. We merely came to taste the much-praised Jinghong Jade Noodles. But since my men have been injured, dining will have to wait. Instead, we’ll simply take your cook away.”

Her arrogant words made Ah Qing bristle with fury.

“Outrageous! You dare?!”

She flicked her wrist. A silver chopstick shot straight for Man Li’s face.

But Man Li’s expression didn’t change. She didn’t even flinch. With a delicate pinch of her fingers, she caught the chopstick midair.

Slowly, with a flex, she bent the metal as though it were soft clay.

“You have skill, but you’re still far too green.”

At her signal, a middle-aged man with graying hair stepped forward. He was tall and gaunt, bearing a longsword on his back. His eyes were lifeless, his face weathered with years.

Before Ah Qing could react, he drew his sword and struck. His technique was far beyond her ability to counter.

The blade gleamed, about to pierce her heart…

But suddenly a shadow leapt in front of her and bit down hard on the sword.

“Old Wolf!!!” Ah Qing cried in joy.

“Grrr…” the great wolf growled, fangs clamped tight on the blade. The swordsman tried to yank it free, but failed.

He shifted tactics, forming his hand into a blade, and chopped down at the wolf’s skull.

But Old Wolf would not sit still. He swung a paw to meet the strike.

Claw and palm clashed, both man and beast stumbling backward.

Man Li’s eyes widened in surprise. “A… wolf?”

Then she chuckled lightly. “Interesting. To think this little noodle shop hides such secrets. I like this wolf. Lang Mingyue, seize it for me.”

At her command, the swordsman attacked again.

“Awrooo!” Old Wolf roared, charging headlong without fear.

This was no longer the old wolf of before—he had grown stronger through Yuan Zhao’s spiritual energy.

Man and wolf fought fiercely, blow for blow.

The noise soon drew customers out of the shop. Many gathered to watch.

Before long, whispers rippled through the crowd.

“Heavens! Isn’t that Man Li, third boss of the Sha Long Gang—the Poison Doctor?”

“It really is her.”

“What’s she doing in Tianmen Town?”

“Don’t tell me… the Sha Long Gang plans to sack the town?!”

Fear spread through the onlookers. Clearly, Man Li was infamous across the martial world.

Meanwhile, the fight raged on. But Old Wolf soon began to falter. Though empowered, he was still young, no match for such a seasoned master.

[TL: Wolves live at most 15 years, so yeah he is young in comparison.]

Just as the longsword was about to pierce his neck…

Clang!

A massive blade crashed down, blocking the strike. The sheer force sent the sword flying from Lang Mingyue’s grip.

It was the Heaven-Prison Blade.

“Big Sister!” Ah Qing exclaimed in relief.

Turning, she saw Yuan Zhao walking out of the shop, still wearing her yellow apron. Xiao Kong Kong followed close behind.

In a low voice, Xiao Kong Kong whispered at her side, “The one you face is Man Li, third leader of the Sha Long Gang. She’s ranked 158th on the Earth List of wanted criminals, notorious for her bizarre skills in medicine and poison.”

The swordsman at her side was named Lang Mingyue, a master of the blade, known throughout the martial world as the Dog-Slave Swordsman.

In fact, the martial world had a wanted register issued by the Baixiao Sect, divided into the Heaven List and the Earth List.

Those who made it onto the lists were all martial experts wanted by various factions, their ranking determined simply by the total bounty on their heads.

This Man Li was ranked 158th on the Earth List, wanted by the militaries of both Great Liang and Great Xiao, with a combined bounty of 1,500 taels.

As for Lang Mingyue, though a Second-Rank Martial Artist, he was merely Man Li’s subordinate, so he did not make it to the list. Even so, his skill was considerable, and because he obeyed Man Li’s every word like a dog or slave, he was given that infamous title—Man Li’s dog, Man Li’s lackey.

Rumor had it that Man Li herself had exterminated all eighty members of Lang Mingyue’s clan, yet no one understood why he still followed the very woman who had drowned his family in blood.

Incidentally, Xiao Kong Kong was also on the wanted register—on the Heaven List, ranked 100th. Many had posted bounties on him, totaling over 10,000 taels!

Yuan Zhao had no idea the young man by her side was a walking fortune, otherwise, she might have been tempted to trade him in for the reward.

[TL: it’s not ‘might’, it’s certain. He better keep that info under the rug.]

But these past few months, Xiao Kong Kong had behaved himself. Not only did he work diligently without causing trouble, but he had also sincerely guided Yuan Zhao and Ah Qing.

In truth, it was more accurate to say that Xiao Kong Kong had gradually grown accustomed to this peaceful life.

For over ten years, he had lived amidst constant bloodshed in the martial world.

Before apprenticing, he had been a homeless beggar, starving and living day to day.

After his master took him in, he had roamed endlessly with him until apprenticeship ended—only to then be hunted across the land.

Never once had he lived a single day in peace.

These past months at Yuan Zhao’s home were the calmest time he’d ever known.

After Xiao Kong Kong’s brief explanation, Yuan Zhao tapped the ground lightly with her toes, moving like a swallow in flight, landing between Old Wolf and Lang Mingyue.

Gripping the Heaven-Prison Blade, she swung it fiercely. Lang Mingyue quickly abandoned offense, crossing his arms to defend, but was instantly blasted away by a single strike.

Boom!!!

Like a cannonball, he smashed through the courtyard wall and tumbled into the street, scattering terrified passersby, who screamed and fled in panic.

Seeing Lang Mingyue dispatched so effortlessly, surprise flashed across Man Li’s face, her brows knitting slightly.

“You are the Heaven-Prison Blade, Yuan Zhao?”

Yuan Zhao rested the massive blade against her back and replied calmly, “I am.”

Man Li chuckled coldly. “You do have some skill. No wonder you forced those useless Great Xiao fools to bow their heads…”

Before her words had fully faded, she flicked her hand. In an instant, several silver needles shot toward Yuan Zhao.

Yuan Zhao raised the Heaven-Prison Blade to block.

Clang, clang, clang! 

The needles bounced harmlessly off. Without pause, Yuan Zhao pressed forward, swinging her enormous blade in a sweeping arc. The whistling edge cut straight toward Man Li.

Startled, Man Li leapt aside—she narrowly escaped, but her followers behind her were cleaved in two by the devastating strike.

Gasps erupted from the crowd.

“As expected of Miss Yuan—so fierce!”

The scene was bloody, but the onlookers were all seasoned martial folk. Such sights barely fazed them.

Man Li alighted on the courtyard wall, glaring frostily down through her veil.

Her voice rang out: “Lang Mingyue!”

The next second, Lang Mingyue—who had been blasted into the street—charged back into the courtyard, his long sword once again in hand.

Man Li vaulted down to his side. Suddenly, thick silver needles appeared in her grasp, closer to steel spikes than needles.

Without hesitation, she drove them into Lang Mingyue’s crown, neck, and back. Her fingers darted across his major acupoints, and Lang Mingyue threw back his head with a bloodcurdling scream.

“AAAAHHHH!!!”

After several agonized howls, he fell silent, standing motionless like a puppet. His eyes were blood-red, his face twisted with madness, yet he was eerily calm.

Pointing at Yuan Zhao, Man Li commanded, “Kill her! Kill her, and you’ll be free!”

Lang Mingyue snapped his gaze toward Yuan Zhao and, obeying Man Li’s order, charged with his sword.

Clang!

Yuan Zhao barely raised the Heaven-Prison Blade in time to block, but the force of the strike whipped a gust sharp enough to cut her cheek, leaving a thin line of blood.

Her brows furrowed.

‘Something’s wrong!’

Lang Mingyue’s strength and speed had grown far beyond what they were before.

If once he was merely a middling Second-Rank, now he was nearly First-Rank.

No wonder Man Li had gained fame through him.

Before Yuan Zhao could counter, Lang Mingyue’s sword was already upon her again, strike after strike, the flashing blade so fast it dazzled the eye.

Yuan Zhao parried blow after blow, unable to find a chance to retaliate.

Suddenly, planting the Heaven-Prison Blade into the ground, she vaulted into the air, landing behind Lang Mingyue before he could turn.

Her hands lashed out with Heaven-Sweeping Hand, palm shadows faster than his sword strikes.

Eighteen consecutive palms!

Lang Mingyue’s body stiffened, black blood spewing from his mouth. At the same moment, the three deeply embedded silver needles shot out of his body and clattered to the ground.

Man Li’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Impossible!

Those were the Heaven-Tyrant Silver Needles, a secret family art. Only her ancestral method could remove them. How—?!

Lang Mingyue collapsed limply to the floor.

Realizing the situation had turned dire, Man Li immediately tried to flee.

Her skills relied entirely on Lang Mingyue. Without her puppet, she was nothing.

But would Yuan Zhao let her escape?

Activating Swallow’s Shadow Skiming the Wave, Yuan Zhao blurred into afterimages, appearing before Man Li in a flash.

Before Man Li could even react, her head was already flying into the air.

‘Am I… dead?’

Watching her body drift farther and farther away, that was her last thought.