Translator: Myuu Editor: Myuu
The narrow structure of the mountain valley restricted the speed at which the Blackwind Bandits could pass through, especially in this landform that Yan Liqiang and the others had chosen to set up an ambush. Not only was this place tortuous, it was narrow as well. As the Blackwind Bandits reached the area, the steeds’ galloping suddenly became slower.
Yan Liqiang peeked through the crevice between the rocks and observed the Blackwind Bandits below him.
Even after not seeing them for a few days, the Blackwind Bandits looked the same as they did during their previous encounters. Each of them was riding on a rhinodrake steed while heavily clad in black uniforms, which obscured their eyes and mouths as well. All of them were wearing the same disguise too. In this sort of situation, outsiders wouldn’t be able to discern who among them was the leader or the minion through observation, save for their own people. Such organized uniforms indirectly protected the leader of these Blackwind Bandits so that his identity would not be easily exposed in battle, nor would he be decapitated in action.
The Blackwind Bandits were bustling about in large numbers in the mountain valley. Even so, Yan Liqiang still felt that the presence of these Blackwind Bandits seemed less imposing than the previous two encounters he had with them. As for how much they lacked, Yan Liqiang could not give any more details about that. In any case, he could sense that the Blackwind Bandits’ formation was somewhat scattered, and they were a lot noisier than usual. Even though the number of their men was copious and they blended well with their black uniforms together, Yan Liqiang could also sense weakness and confusion from their group. The Blackwind Bandits’ pursuit was more like a hysteria caused by embarrassment, which in turn grew into hatred. Their calm yet audacious impulse from before, however, was nowhere to be seen.
The Blackwind Bandits’ troops stretched to about seven or eight hundred meters long as they went through the narrow mountain valley. They were not aware of Yan Liqiang’s observation from above and only cared about smacking their rhinodrake steeds to hasten their speed through the valley. However, a few of them did manage to lift up their heads to inspect the steep ridges on the sides while riding on their steeds.
” Angeluga , sala…!” One of the Blackwind Bandits shouted to the others in the valley below after he surveyed the terrain with the ridges, urging them to pass through with haste. What that yelling Blackwind Bandit didn’t know was that Yan Liqiang had his gaze fixed on him just because of his words. The only one capable of urging the troops to move forward would have to at least be at the level of a leader of these Blackwind Bandits. Yan Liqiang was initially worried that he would not be able to find the leader of his enemies, but the shouts from this person had instantaneously exposed the true identity of their leader.
Although the yelling Blackwind Bandit could sense the danger lurking within the mountain valley and the disadvantageous grounds they were at, like the other comrades, he didn’t seem to think that Yan Liqiang and the others would actually turn around and set up an ambush against them.
The foremost troops of the Blackwind Bandits below were nearing Yan Liqiang’s position. The galloping sounds of the rhinodrake steeds were already distinct as Yan Liqiang was able to clearly hear them from his location.
Yan Liqiang leaned on the rock and took a deep breath. With an arrow nocked onto his bow, he began to countdown silently…
“Three… two… one…”
When he reached one, Yan Liqiang quickly turned around from behind the rock and released his arrow from above without even aiming at his target.
‘Whoosh…’
The arrow departed Yan Liqiang’s Horned Python Bow like a lightning bolt, carrying the stench of death with it. In an instant, the arrow shot through the eye of one of the Blackwind Bandits in the troop and pierced his brain.
“GAH…!” The Blackwind Bandit who urged the troops to advance as he hid amongst them cried out in agony as he was shot in the head. His blood splattered everywhere, and in that moment, he fell straight off his rhinodrake steed.
Yan Liqiang’s first shot was like a signal. After the first arrow was shot, the guards who lurking nearby began aiming their arrows at the Blackwind Bandits down in the mountain valley below almost at the same time. Some of these guards had bows, whereas the others without bows used crossbows instead.
In this type of terrain, the side that occupied the higher altitude would have the battle advantage. As long as they shot their arrows at those being squeezed in the mountain valley, albeit randomly, they would be able to hit their targets with high certainty.
In the midst of the clamor, about forty to fifty Blackwind Bandits were immediately shot down by arrows and they fell off their steeds. Some of the arrows even hit the rhinodrake steeds too. The steeds that were painfully shot at quickly went on a rampage in the gorge, slinging the Blackwind Bandits troops into chaos within moments of the unexpected assault.
A few quivers, which were completely filled with arrows, were placed in the area on Yan Liqiang’s right side. After he shot the first arrow, Yan Liqiang pulled out a second arrow as fast as he could and released it with a ‘whoosh’. One of the Blackwind Bandits quickly reacted by taking out his bow and arrow even when his troops were in disarray. Unfortunately, he was shot by Yan Liqiang in an instant and he fell off his steed…
Yan Liqiang quickly followed up his assault with his fourth arrow, then his fifth and sixth… All of these arrows were released within a breath of time and had already flown through those Blackwind Bandits’ heads.
The entire mountain valley was filled with the sound of screeches and screams…
Yan Liqiang did not randomly choose a target to shoot his arrows with. He shot with a specific target and choice in mind.
All of Yan Liqiang’s targets were the archers who quickly took out their battle bows that were hanging on their rhinodrake steeds to counterattack when they heard the first scream.
Not all the Blackwind Bandits had bows and arrows on their backs. Most of their weapons consisted of only scimitars. In this sort of situation, only the Blackwind Bandit archers had the capability of retaliating against the sudden assault. Because of that, Yan Liqiang’s targets were all archers in the troops.
As Yan Liqiang resumed his attack with his bow, he instantaneously sensed that shooting with his Horned Python Bow felt a lot easier than when he first encountered the Blackwind Bandits a few days ago. This was especially true for his right index finger and thumb. Ever since he achieved the desired enhancement through the Muscle Tendon Changing and Marrow Cleansing during the past two days, Yan Liqiang could clearly feel that his two fingers were more stable, stronger, and resolved as he strung his arrows. On top of that, he felt more at ease and relaxed. He felt like he had adapted well to the bow as using it felt less strenuous to him as well…
In the midst of the chaos, some of the Blackwind Bandits had already begun striking back with their bows and arrows. Yet it was ten times more difficult to accurately shoot the arrows up toward Yan Liqiang and the innumerable number of guards hiding in the ridges above them because of the angle and height differences. The Blackwind Bandits’ counterattacks were scattered away as most of the arrows shot upward were either blown off by the wind or they hit the sides of the mountain and rocks that the guards were hiding behind, leaving faint marks left by the arrow pits. No matter what, their efforts were useless. In contrast to that, not only were the guards at Yan Liqiang’s side able to shoot arrows with greater prowess at a higher altitude, they were able to shoot their targets with greater ease too. The shrilling screams from the Blackwind Bandits who were shot continued to echo from the valley every second…
……
Before a minute was up, Yan Liqiang had emptied thirty-six arrows from his first quiver and claimed thirty-six lives. The group of Blackwind Bandits at the front who acted as pathfinders was completely shut down by Yan Liqiang’s Horned Python Bow. These people became resources for Yan Liqiang’s toy capsule machine in the Heavenly Shrine after they were done unleashing a series of painful screams.
……
Suddenly, while Yan Liqiang was shooting at the Blackwind Bandits below him, he began to palpitate with fear. He sensed someone’s bow being locked onto him, and without even thinking twice, he quickly dodged to one side and hid once more behind a large rock that was beside him.
Just when Yan Liqiang had shifted his position behind that particular rock, an arrow with a piercing edge swiftly whiffed by Yan Liqiang’s shoulder and flew to the previous area where he was standing before…
If Yan Liqiang reacted even a second too late, that arrow would have shot right through his face.
At that brief moment when the arrow flew by, Yan Liqiang was already swiftly pulling his arrow onto his bow and he darted out from behind the rock to shoot it at his perpetrator…
The Blackwind Bandit sharpshooter, who had just jumped off his rhinodrake steed and unloaded an arrow toward Yan Liqiang from behind the steed, was instead shot by Yan Liqiang’s arrow in the face, causing him to instantly fall onto the ground. The speed of the arrow was too fast, just like Yan Liqiang’s dodging ability. The Blackwind Bandit was ecstatic when he thought he had shot Yan Liqiang from the bottom of the valley. Yet within the blink of an eye, only Yan Liqiang’s silhouette shifted and he unleashed a counterattack with an arrow. In the end, the Blackwind Bandit’s life was taken away…
Impossible…!
That was the Blackwind Bandit sharpshooter’s last thought before he died. This was because among his acquaintances, he had never seen anyone who could counterattack with such agility and acuteness while dodging an incoming arrow during a critical situation before. This was already out of his expectations in regards to an archer…
What he didn’t know was that Yan Liqiang’s skills were indeed beyond his expectations…
……
