Chapter 285

Green Forest is the master of all mountains.

At least, that’s what Green Forest claims.

If the Emperor, who is the master of all lands in the Central Plain, were to hear such nonsense, he would find it preposterous, but it seems he’s too precious to waste his anger on the babblings of lowly bandits, so he hasn’t made many efforts to hunt them down.

As long as the government doesn’t intervene and raid their strongholds, they don’t bother to expend military resources to exterminate the bandits.

Why? Because the military of the Central Plain has a grand mission of safeguarding the realm.

They’re just too precious to be mobilized for trivial matters like maintaining public order.

In the first place, public order is for the scummy peasants who multiply like cockroaches, and it has never been a matter of interest for the Emperor or the government.

Had the government, before the Great Master Mucheondae’s time, at least crushed half of the bandits they oppressed, Green Forest wouldn’t have flourished so much.

But that’s the will of the government and the Emperor.

How dare the Shaolin Temple act like they care for the people, handing out aid like it’s a major act of treason met with cannon fire, while letting bandit scum roam free is a trivial matter?

If Qing had any interest in the history of China during her hometown days (there’s probably not a single person who does), she would have found out that the leaders of the Central Plain have been particularly lenient towards bandits.

However, Qing knows nothing.

Not even the history of the Martial World, let alone the history of the Central Plain.

But that’s completely normal, as ordinary folks typically don’t bother with history.

Anyway, Green Forest has grown thriving on the government’s indifference and the tears of the people.

They weren’t suppressed even when the government was gaining power, and ever since the Great Master Mucheondae, they’ve been thriving.

Thus, the current power of Green Forest can be considered the peak of the bandit world’s history.

So, what exactly is this Green Forest?

If Qing had known about Green Forest, she would have thought of the concept of a franchise from her hometown.

They have a headquarters known as Gamsan Stronghold, and under it, they have directly operated branches called the Eighteen Branches of Green Forest.

Moreover, bandits who pay money to the Green Forest headquarters are allowed to use the Green Forest name.

These bandit branches that just borrow the name of Green Forest could also be considered individual outlets.

Furthermore, once every few years, they line up in order of merit, and the top fifty-four are given special signs and a master from Green Forest is sent to teach them martial arts along with providing various benefits.

Thus, the direct Eighteen Branches plus the top fifty-four in merit make up the Seventy-Two Branches of Green Forest.

However, merits are assessed subjectively, so there are some branches that, without giving any tribute, somehow rank oddly high, sometimes with multiple high-numbered branches.

And Gamsan Stronghold has two signs: below is Gamsan Stronghold, while above is the grand title of “Tai Green Forest Twenty-Nine Branch.”

But Qing didn’t see this.

She was too busy entering in a carriage to notice the fortified scenery of the bandit stronghold, so there’s no way of knowing how the signs were hung.

Of course, even if she had seen them, it wouldn’t have made a difference.

So, what was Qing thinking?

What’s up with this?

Did every bandit learn martial arts?

Looking at them, at the very least, they were second-rate, those who had inner strength. It’s almost like they were organized as a combat unit, making her wonder why they were still bandits.

“I am the Great Warrior Bak Sal, the leader of Gamsan Stronghold. It’s truly regrettable to have young ladies like you here, but may I ask where you’re from?”

How can someone’s name be Bak Sal?

But originally, bandits from Green Forest ditch their normal names and adopt flashy ones.

Bak Sal, too, was proud to have changed his name to Bak Sal.

“What are bandits doing, acting tough?”

Who tries to talk when there’s a fine blade nearby?

Not a chance.

Qing shot back.

“Can’t you grasp the situation? This isn’t exactly the time to be so bold!”

Bak Sal had received word that two peerless beauties would be arriving and was looking forward to it.

However, upon seeing the two dismount from the carriage, he thought, “This is a bit too much for beauties.”

“What do you have to be so confident about? I can’t understand how scum that only brings harm can breathe in this world. If I were you, I’d rather bite my tongue and die than live as a bandit.”

At that, Bak Sal’s blood pressure rose a little.

And one more person’s blood pressure rose significantly.

“This bitch thinks she’s hot just because her looks are decent. How dare you act up in front of Tai Green Forest? Should I tear you apart?”

It was a young man, likely about the same age as Qing.

Qing glanced at the young man, quickly finding the most painful point to hit.

“What’s up with this young kid? Just because the elders are talking, don’t interrupt, go sleep. They say if you sleep a lot, you’ll grow taller, but you need to sleep a lot to grow. You’re just a pea-sized boy.”

“What, what!? Damn, that girl-”

“Oh dear, Young Master. Please calm down.”

At that, Bak Sal stepped in to pacify the young man.

Qing’s eyes lit up.

What? Young Master? Is he a highborn?

So a highborn was colluding with bandits?

Crime is one thing, but that adds a devious twist.

How should I kill him so it makes a good story?

Meanwhile, Bak Sal sensed a foreboding feeling.

Such outstanding looks are a sign of a prestigious family.

Prestigious families usually have been intertwined for generations, so their appearance must stand out from the ordinary.

Moreover, considering they’re this bold in this situation.

Qing read the glint in Bak Sal’s eyes.

That guy seems sharp with the way he’s scanning around. If I crack him on the head with Buddha’s Physical Body first, then the rest—

“I’m Seoliri from the Ice Palace.”

At that moment, Seoliri suddenly spoke up.

Unlike Qing, who was all geared up for a fight, Seoliri felt quite pressured in this situation.

“Ice Palace? Northern Sea Ice Palace? Then this girl is—”

“A disciple of the Divine Maiden Sect, Young Lady Seomun.”

“Oh, I see.”

The young man let out a sinister chuckle.

“Ha. Just a disciple from the Divine Maiden Sect, and wow, Bing Seolhwa! The Five Beauties of the Martial World are right here.”

“Young Master? Just a moment—”

“Exactly! If you’re a man, you should consider the Five Beauties of the Martial World as beneath you! Don’t you think?! Damn, it’s a day when all sorts of holes are getting filled!”

“Wooah!”

At that, the Green Forest bandits all erupted into cheers.

The very fact that the coachman brought them here meant they were silly women who didn’t belong here.

No one knows they’re headed to Gamsan Stronghold, so who would know if they just kept playing musical chairs until they die?

If one were in the capital’s noble class, searches for missing persons would be so fierce that fear of that wealth would keep them at bay.

They say the Divine Maiden Sect is filled with peerless beauties, but it’s not like the Northern Sea Ice Palace poses a real threat.

Besides, they can’t just let them go now that their urges are acting up.

Sadly, for men, following their urges is their fate.

Moreover, how often would they get a chance like this to trample the Five Beauties of the Martial World?

And the bigger woman next to them? Although tall, it was said that her beauty was even more striking, so indeed the Divine Maiden Sect has hidden their top beauty well.

Even if it means stepping towards death, isn’t it worth a shot? If I let them go now, I’m not a real man.

With a smug expression, the young man spoke.

“Well then. It’s ten people.”

However, Seoliri who had said her piece zipped her lips tight.

Qing, who had been anxiously anticipating things to turn south, kept quiet too.

Thanks to that, nobody asked what was ten people.

The young man cleared his throat and said, “Each of you can have five children, then I’ll let you go.”

At that, Qing sighed in relief.

That useless girl almost got us into a mess, but it seems we’ve arrived at the conclusion of fighting after all.

“Seol Young Lady.”

“Yes.”

“If it seems like we can’t hold our ground, bolt immediately. I have the ability to escape from anywhere, so you just focus on protecting yourself, got it?”

As Seoliri nodded, Qing slammed her foot onto the ground! A brilliant yellow True Energy radiated in a wave.

The solid ground burst like it was hit by cannon fire, creating a massive indentation.

Qing was fast.

Her legs’ inherent strength and abilities put her far beyond a normal human. With the addition of the cosmic mystery of martial arts, she was like an unparalleled character from a story.

Bak Sal was shocked at the moment of impact, as Qing charged in like a gust and drew her blade.

Bak Sal, as the leader of a legit bandit stronghold, was a Supreme Martial Artist. So, being startled was one thing, but his body reacted instantly.

Thus, his deep blue blade traced a straight path toward the ground.

Qing’s hand shot out, interrupting right in the middle.

Without hesitation, she grabbed the blade infused with Qi, making Bak Sal grit his teeth harder and summon even more determination, intending to slice off her fingers completely.

But *thud*.

The moment the blade touched Qing’s palm, its movement abruptly halted.

Bak Sal was taken aback as he looked at her hand, finally noticing the captivating golden hue radiating from her palm.

Qing was a beauty, and she was barely over her youthful years, possibly a sweet young girl still. No one could ever expect her to possess Qi at her age. Upon seeing her, Bak Sal realized he had dangerously overstepped.

“Wait, hold on!”

“Sure!”

Qing yelled that, but her other hand swiftly went to her waist, and with a flick, she revealed a gleaming jade dagger, especially famed for its sharpness. It went straight under Bak Sal’s wrist and slid upward.

“Ahh!”

“Oh, that’s a fine blade,” Qing noted as she retrieved the dagger and pulled away Bak Sal’s hand.

The dagger was among the longer weapons, perfectly curved for cutting, and also designed to be thicker and heavier towards the tip to maximize the impact of swings.

The downside was the weight and the distance of the center balancing, which made it heavier, but for Qing, that was an advantage.

“Now, scream! Hell’s Chopper!”

From Qing’s hands, the Moon Lady Sword Art was unleashed.

The shapes, sizes, and weights of the blades varied significantly, making them versatile for either one or two-handed strikes.

With all her might, she swung the dagger horizontally, turning her hip all the way around with a powerful swipe.

A clean cut sent the upper body severed off neatly above the solar plexus, as four arms below the shoulders fell down with a thud.

It all happened in the blink of an eye.

Only then did the Green Forests come to their senses.

They had picked the wrong fight.

It wasn’t an opportunity to stab a peerless beauty but a chance for their own bodies to get pierced.

---