Valuable Shipment (I)

It was the dead of night. The waning moon struggled to illuminate the foggy rice fields and green forests outside of Moonlight City. The guards on the tall city walls were asleep; the night watch was simply a formality for the city that had not seen battle for many decades. Mounted scouts that were supposed to be patrolling the surrounding were instead in their camp, enjoying the company of the prostitutes that weren't supposed to be there.

It was under these circumstances that kidnapped women were often smuggled into the city. Human traffickers had to resort to such measures for high value goods because they didn't want to attract attention from neighboring kingdoms or duchies. And on this ordinary night, there was a particularly high-class and valuable shipment…

A wooden horse carriage rolled down the winding road from the northern hills, pulled by two draft horses and driven by a nervous looking bearded old man. He checked the surrounding constantly, as if expecting nonexistent city guards to jump out at them. The carriage proceeded down the hills and into the trees before going off the road. It struggled through the brush and finally stopped in a hidden clearing.

A burly man emerged from the carriage and said gruffly to the driver, "Old Hu, we're here? Where is our client?"

Old Hu looked at his partner and shook his head, "We are right on time but it's strange. He is usually early... let's wait a little bit."

He took a whiff of the air and scowled, "There's perfume on your hands. If you did anything to the goods…"

His partner chuckled and waved his hands dismissively but Old Hu didn't trust him and went into the carriage to check. He came back out and slapped his partner upside the head.

"Xia Kang, you sick bastard. Your job was to watch her in case she woke up, not fondle her body and masturbate!" He hissed. "How did my brother raise you like this?"

"Haha, don't be so uptight. She's still a virgin. I'm not that dumb. The trip was just too long and too boring…" Xia Kang suddenly became alert, "Who?"

A silhouette appeared in the fog and both men tensed. It couldn't be their client who usually brought a squad of bodyguards. Spiritual energy billowed from the lone person's body and the two men could tell this stranger was strong…

The stranger wore a light-yellow hooded robe and a flower mask that covered everything except their eyes. However, the two human traffickers instantly recognized the telltale flare of the hips as well as the slight bulge around the chest area. From the physique, this was obviously a woman!

Xia Kang relaxed and chuckled; he sensed she was only at the 2nd Level of the Spirit Initiate Realm. She would be no problem for him, who was already at the 4th Level. He jumped down and walked towards the woman. Old Hu stayed on the carriage since he was still at the Mind Focusing Realm and useless against such an opponent.

Xia Kang and the woman stopped around ten meters form each other. There was a brief silence and then the women spoke up.

"Leave carriage behind and flee, and I will spare you." The female voice was sweet and melodic but it was also filled with strength and left no room for negotiations.

Xia Kang snorted, "Little lass, you shouldn't try to play hero. It's a dangerous world. Hahaha, you'll pay with your body!"

His spiritual aura erupted as he charged. His was a loose cultivator that had reached his level through constant life or death struggles. He was an expert against all types of opponents and he did not underestimate the woman in front of him. A pair of steel gauntlets appeared on his fists as he launched a powerful one-two punch.

Bam! Bam!

His fists were blocked by her arms while she was pushed back several meters. She dusted her sleeves and stared at him mockingly, completely fine after the exchange.

Xia Kang was taken aback. She was two levels weaker and she didn't have weapon. How could she block him just like that?

"Okay, take this then. Steel Tornado!" Xia Kang yelled and attacked once more.

He became a blur as his spiritual energy gathered a cloud of dust around his body. His steel fists would then shoot out from the dark cloud at random angles and directions. This combined with the low visibility under the moonlight made dodging difficult.

The woman could not keep up with the rapid pace of attacks. She did her best to block with her arms and her legs, but some wayward punches landed on her body. Yet those blows seemed to have no effect as she would always recover quickly and continue fighting at full strength.

Xia Kang's move finally ran its course and the pair of fighters separated again. His heart was filled frustration. He had expended a lot of energy and yet his opponent seemed completely fine!

"My turn." The woman said and leaped into the air. "Fifth Palm, Flight of Demons!"

She twirled several times before a heavy leg chop came down, aimed straight for Xia Kang's head.

Boom!

Xia Kang wasn't a pushover and he blocked the strike like a man. His steel gauntlets took the brunt of force but the residual shockwave slammed into his body, shattering blood vessels and shaking his organs. She repeated the same attack two more times, leaving him with more and more serious internal injuries.

"You bitch." He growled after swallowing a mouthful of blood. The woman's power was completely abnormal!

"Oh yeah? Take this; First Palm, Demon Subjugation!"

She charged and launched a flurry of attacks. The speed was lighting fast, faster his Steel Tornado. It was a devastating combo but he somehow survived with experience and his weapon. However, the woman did not give up and continued furiously with no sign of stopping.

Defending against such an abnormal opponent was impossible. The first to give way was his weapon. His mid-level Spirit Initiate Realm Pretorian Steel Gauntlets were his most prized possession. It accounted for a large portion of his combat power. His heart filled with fear as the first cracks formed along the surface. Those cracks grew in size until flecks of steel came off with each blow. And then, the gauntlets finally shattered in front of his eyes.

The woman's attacks continued, even as his precious weapon crumbled and fell from his fists. The first blow that he tried to block with his bare hands cracked bone. The second blow directly broke his right hand. Every strike was supremely powerful and destructive. Without his Spirit Initiate Realm weapon, he stood no chance.

He no longer had the will to resist. His spiritual energy was in completely turmoil. He wanted to flee, but it was too late.

"Ahhhh!" Xia Kang cried miserably.

The last kick landed squarely against the side of his head and sent his broken body into the ground. He landed in dusty heap, unmoving and already unconscious.

The woman stood up and looked around. The other man was nowhere in sight. She extended her spiritual sense and managed to locate him. She took off and quickly caught up to the fleeing Old Hu. With just her spiritual force, she knocked him tumbling to the ground.

"Uhhh!" Old Hu moaned painfully.

Multiple bones were broken like that. He should have run earlier but how could he have predicted Xia Kang would lose? His cursed his perverse nephew for being so useless.

"Please, have mercy…" He begged.

"Mercy? Did you ever show the women you kidnapped mercy?"

Another blast of spiritual force sent him rolling on the ground until he slammed into a tree trunk.

"Cough… cough… who… who the devil are you?" Old Hu wheezed, looking up his attacker in pure terror.

"My name is Lin Qingcheng, remember it!" The woman said and knocked him out with a punch to the face.