Side Story - All About Bandits (V)

The Black Mountain Stronghold changed ownership in a single night. The previous lord, a whale of a man known to the locals as Immortal Black Mountain Liu Chang, ceased to exist and was replaced by Immortal Sword Bandit Lin Huzhong.

It just so happened that Liu Chang's specialty was his size. He was a physique cultivator that utilized his mass to generate massive strength akin to a mountain. This made him a sitting duck for the all-mighty penetrative force of Dugu's 10th Sword. And since Chen Wentian was a Spirit King now, his sword attacks were no longer the same as before. Ordinary Spirit Lords such as the unfortunate Liu Chang could do little to defend against it.

As for Liu Chang's soul, Chen Wentian had never even considered assimilating it. He had standards. He wasn't so desperate that he would take over any random soul. A character like Liu Chang was too fat, too despicable, and totally not his style. He had no desire to be an ugly bastard.

There was also the fact that taking over a human soul at the Spirit Lord Realm was no guarantee. The difference between an immortal and a mortal was like heaven and earth so there was little risk in him taking over mortal souls. They simply lacked the power to resist. However, the gap between a Spirit King and a Spirit Lord was much smaller. A Spirit Lord could also have many secret life-saving techniques and treasures. And a human soul would not cower before the might of his divine blue dragon soul. No, it was much safer and easier to use the soul of Liu Chang as fuel.

"My Lord Bandit, the stronghold is now yours." The solemn figure of Wang Landi said with a bow.

He stood in the middle of six other people, each the leader of their respective gangs. They had finished subjugating the entire Black Mountain Stronghold and had been reporting their status. Yet, since Wang Landi and Chen Wentian's souls were one and the same, he already knew everything and had not been paying attention.

Wang Landi continued without waiting for a response, "True to your predictions, that beast surnamed Liu had an excessively large harem. Aside from the members of his gang and their families, almost a third of the population of the stronghold are women, all young women that seemed to have been kidnapped to serve the perverted immortal. And per your instructions, Madam Red Willow the Red Willow Tower will be responsible for their care."

At this, one of the two females within the seven gang leaders took a step forward and bowed, "My Lord Bandit, as the madam of the Red Willow Tower, we will take care of these women and handle them in accordance to your disciple, Ren Jinjin's, guidelines."

Chen Wentian nodded lazily.

The Red Willow Tower was a brothel that managed to survive and thrive within a lawless land. As such, its leader known only as Madam Willow was a talented woman with an eye for people and business. Ren Jinjin was Lin Huzhong's first disciple and his, Chen Wentian's, first disciple Lin Qingcheng. Since Lin Qingcheng was interested in her, he naturally wouldn't bother interfering.

"Additionally," Wang Landi said, "Out of these women, we have identified a particular person that Liu Chang was especially fond of. The other women told us that she would serve him at least once a week and seemed to have his ear regarding various matters within the stronghold. They were also under the impression that she was especially important to him."

Chen Wentian opened an eye, interested for the first time. This was the person he was looking for. He had secretly observed the stronghold for a long time and she was the reason he had come.

He stood up and waved to the seven gang leaders, "Bring her to my room. The rest of you can leave."

A while later, the door to the lord's room opened and a figure glided inside. She wasn't too tall or short. She wore a thin nightgown that clung to her frame. As she walked, the outfit formed a perfect outline of her figure, her wide hips and perky breasts.

But Chen Wentian's focus wasn't on her body but on her face. She had a thick head of inky black hair that fell down her back. Her eyes were gray and filled with intelligence. Although she couldn't be considered beautiful compared to the likes of Peng Lingxi or even Li Yuechan, she was quite pleasing to the eye.

And most importantly, there was something about her that triggered his soul sense, something special that he hadn't encountered before.

She bowed and said, "My Lord, this one is named Guo Xiao."

"Mmm, I know." Chen Wentian said and gestured towards a set of chairs and a table.

He was about to take a seat when there was the slight sound of cloth sliding against bare skin. He turned around and was met with Guo Xiao's naked figure. Her nightgown pooled at her feet. She stood there with her hands at her sides, not hiding anything from his eyes.

He savored the sight of her for only a brief moment before he pulled her clothes back up with his spiritual force.

"It seems my subordinates played a prank on you. I didn't ask you here for that." He said.

"Why…" She stood frozen.

It wasn't hard to guess her thoughts. His disguise, the Immortal Sword Bandit Lin Huzhong, was also a fat man. Although not as rotund as the prior bandit lord, the two of them seemed alike in the eyes of mortals. Some of the locals even thought that this Lin Huzhong had come to the stronghold specifically for Liu Chang's harem.

Eventually, Guo Xiao sat down opposite Chen Wentian and he spoke again, "I killed Liu Chang and took over the Black Mountain Stronghold because I found out about his secret business."

Her pupils flashed with something but she didn't say anything so he continued, "Within the mountains behind this stronghold is a peculiar cave system that is home to a rare species of demons. They are known as gloomy wisps, a type of void and darkness attribute elemental spirit. They are demons but mostly harmless. In fact, humans will hardly notice their existence since these gloomy wisps will simply disappear and they will be impossible to find, even for Spirit Lords and Spirit Kings. The question then becomes… how did this Liu Chang, who has no talent in spatial Dao or darkness Dao, manage to produce so many space-attribute spiritual crystals to sell on the black market?"

This was the most critical question. Just like his colony of void bees, gloomy wisps could be harvested for their space-attribute spiritual energy which was critical for creating such valuables as spatial bags and teleportation arrays. They were extremely profitable. There was only demand and minuscule supply.

Since he often sold space-attribute spiritual crystals, he was somewhat familiar with the regional market and a few of the local players. Utilizing his shadow fox, he tracked one of them back to this place, a private gold mine hidden within a lawless land. Such a treasure, even kings and emperors would drool with greed.

"It was because of you, right? Miss Guo?" He asked. "It was all because you have a special talent, a talent to subdue these gloomy wisps that I have never seen or heard of before."

She didn't reply. She refused to say anything for a very long time. Fear and uncertainty were visible in her eyes.

Chen Wentian rested his chin in his hands and studied her. He wanted her... but not exactly the way he desired his disciples in the past. He simply felt that she was an interesting person that he could use. Being attractive and the fact that she had given him a free show also didn't hurt.

He smiled at her in what he hoped was a friendly expression through his thick disguise.

"Miss Guo, why don't you work for me?"

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