Thousands Miles Journey

The second day, at dawn.

Zong Ling, Tong San, Qing Shi, You Yue, and the others gathered to send off Xue Ying.

"Uncle Zong, I leave all the castle-related matters to you," Xue Ying proclaimed.

"Don’t worry, Xue Ying," replied Zong Ling. In the last six years, Zong Ling hadn’t just been idling around. He had finally reached Meteor rank.

"Brother, be careful!" Qing Shi said. After all this time, he no longer had any memories of their parents. It was Xue Ying who had always taken care of him, and therefore he was deeply attached to his elder brother.

"Brother Xue Ying, I will await your return!" You Yue shouted.

"Ha ha..."

Xue Ying laughed heartily as he rode the Snowstrider Horse, "Hyaa!"

"Hu!"

The Snowstrider Horse immediately kicked up dust as it sped off. It quickly accelerated and swiftly disappeared into the distance.

　　...

Xue Ying first went to Water Rites Town to inform Lord Si An. Lord Si An then immediately sent the information to the Dragon Mountain Manor located in Azure River County. Without taking a rest, Xue Ying hastily departed towards the prefecture city of Azure River County.

Azure River County spanned on an area wider than a thousand miles.

The distance from Xue Ying’s castle to the Prefecture city of Azure River County was around 6,000 miles. But the road was not always straight. Some sections even made you meander through the mountains. So the actual road distance could add up to more than 10,000 miles!

"Hyaa, hyaa!"

Xue Ying was clad in black, lugging a weapon box on his back, as he rode the Snowstrider Horse.

The Snowstrider galloped fast as the wind, seeming like a mirage.

The Snowstrider Horse was a rank three horse-type magic beast. It was regarded as the best among its kind. Although there were many other superior magic beasts, the horse-type magic beasts had a natural disposition towards speed. A rank three horse-type magic beast’s speed was comparable to that of an ordinary rank four magic beast. Actually, with his power as a Legend ranked expert, the purpose of riding a Snowstrider Horse was to maintain a low profile. With his full strength, not to mention a rank five magic beast, even flying type magic beast wouldn’t be a match for his speed!

"Clop clop clop!"

As the Snowstrider Horse dashed forward, the ground shook faintly, leaving an afterimage as it passed by.

Its speed reached 900 miles per hour. Without any armor, even a Heaven Rank Knight wouldn’t dare obstruct it. But the Snowstrider Horse was valued at 2,000 gold coins. Thus, 20 Snowstrider Horses would be equivalent to the total value of Snow Eagle Territory! Therefore, common clans couldn’t afford it. Xue Ying had also just recently bought it. It was only after he had sold the Shadow Leopard’s skin and the other valuable body parts that he was able to spend some money to purchase five Snowstrider Horses.

"Stop, stop, Frost Jade Mountain is in front of us." There were several merchants gathered in front of a great valley. They started to shout when they saw a Snowstrider Horse approaching from the distance.

"Comrade, please stop for a while. Let us cross the Frost Jade Mountain together."

"The Frost Jade Mountain is a dangerous area!"

Many people within this merchant group, as well as their bodyguards, warned Xue Ying.

Hu

The Snowstrider Horse’s speed didn’t slow down at all, it simply flashed by like a shadow.

"Crazy!" some of the merchant’s bodyguards said, perplexed.

"This knight is crazy! Does he think riding a Snowstrider Horse would allow him to travel across the mountain safely?

"Frost Jade Mountain, could you blindly dash through this kind of place so easily?"

　　...

"Frost Jade Mountain?" Xue Ying, who rode the Snowstrider Horse, kept a keen sense of his surroundings. Obviously, he had also heard the merchant group’s yells. "If I want to proceed towards the prefecture city of Azure River County, I have to go through this Frost Jade Mountain. Some parts of the Frost Jade Mountain and the Mountain Range of Desolation are merged into one. Frost Jade Mountain is also occupied by many bandit groups, which often plunders merchants passing through the mountain. The bandit groups here are even more savage than our Water Rites Town’s Bent Blade Union."

Merchant caravans usually gathered a great number of people before they traveled together through the Frost Jade Mountain.

But for Xue Ying?

In the whole Azure River County, the only ones who could threaten him would be other Legend ranked experts. Moreover, they would only able to threaten him, whether they would be victorious… only after a battle would it be clear. As for the bandit groups? They were all looks without any substance.!

"Hu"

The Snowstrider Horse ran like the wind. Although they couldn’t see it, from far away, people could sense the earth trembling.

"Where did this black clothed man come from? He dares to enter the Frost Jade Mountain Valley by himself?"

"Does he have a death wish?"

""Boss, should we attack or not?

"Attack, my ass! We can’t afford to risk ourselves by attacking this person. Just give him to the ‘Eight Frost Jade Eagles’ to prey upon." Some bandits, who saw a single rider dashing by, would choose to give up. As bandits, they would also have to consider the risks and benefits that they could undertake.

After progressing for several tens of miles, Xue Ying finally arrived in the middle section of Frost Jade Mountain Valley.

Higher up in the mountain, there was a large group of bandits, uniformly dressed in azure armor. There were, in total, a couple hundred bandits that were all well prepared. It looked as if every bandit had a superior armor and was carrying a huge crossbow, and not just any ordinary crossbow, but the Star Breaking Crossbow! This group wasn’t any ordinary bandit group. This was the largest bandit group within Frost Jade Mountain, led by eight bandit leaders, The Eight Frost Jade Eagles.

Among them were three Meteor ranked experts, two Heaven Mages, and three Heaven Knights. These eight people together were known as the ‘Eight Eagles’.

"Ha ha, our harvest today was quite good, moreover this caravan has good materials." The bandits were in an excellent mood. Next to them were several people who had been captured alive. Most of the caravan’s company had been killed. Leaving only about ten or so survivors, among which were the elderly, some middle aged adults, and a young couple. The couple had nestled against each other, with fear reflected in their eyes. They were fearful for their lives.

"Let’s go back and rest, then check their background. Maybe we can ransom some money from their family." In the Frost Jade Eight Eagles group, every member was violent and ruthless. Each of them had a bounty on their heads; they were heartless and would do anything to achieve their goals..

"Leader, quickly, take a look! There’s a black clothed knight coming!"

"A single person, riding on a Snowstrider Horse."

The bandits immediately reported.

The Eight ‘Eagles’ looked towards the distant valley. There was indeed someone heading towards them.

"He dares to approach by himself?"

"Does he belittle our Frost Jade Mountain? Big Bro, should we act?" The other seven ‘Eagles’ asked their big brother.

The Frost Jade eight Eagles’ big boss looked down, he knitted his eyebrows, "There’s only a handful of Legend ranked experts within Azure River County, each of them famous throughout the land. I can recognize them from their appearance, none of them would be poor and shabby enough to ride a measly Snowstrider horse. This black clothed youngster, he looks so young, lugging a weapon box which should contain a spear. Who is he? Have you ever heard of him? Could he be a Silver Moon rank Knight?"

"Brothers! Release the arrows, let’s probe him." The big boss ordered, "If this bone is too hard to chew, we’ll just leave. If he is weak, then we will prey upon him!"

"Yes!"

Suddenly all the bandits, including the Big Boss, took out a big crossbow or a great bow.

Ordinary bandits could exhibit formidable strength when using the Star Breaking Crossbow. It was enough to penetrate a Meteor Knight’s protective dou qi! However, the Big Boss and the other Meteor Knights were more suited to use a bow. Arrows released by a Meteor Knight could even threaten a Silver Moon Knight’s life. With these arrows, it would be enough to determine the black clothed youngster’s power.

What they didn’t know was, what kind of trouble their arrows would provoke with this black clothed youngster.

"Release!" The big boss commanded.

Xiu xiu xiu...

From high above, numerous arrows shot downwards. As dense as a veil, the wave of arrows fell towards Xue Ying, who was speeding through in their direction.