31. Strength Beyond Strength

The chaotic battle continued around Gray but he didn't care. All that mattered was getting to his cart of gold ore. Three bandits stood around it and one had managed to climb on top. They slashed the tarp cover and were rummaging through the initial layer of iron ore.

"Over here!" Gray yelled as he rapidly closed the distance.

This had the intended effect. All of the bandits stopped and turned towards him. At the same time, Gray launched a jagged rock straight at the closest enemy.

"Gahh!"

His aim was true and the bandit fell over, clutching his face.

Gray's throwing skills were still top-notch and they had only gotten better after becoming a cultivator. He managed to land a clean hit at a distance of about fifteen strides while running at a full sprint, not an easy feat.

The other two bandits didn't have time to react before he barreled into them. He shoved one aside and then wrapped himself around another. Both tumbled to the ground, grappling with each other.

Gray was twice as big as the unfortunate bandit and he landed on top. He used his advantage to twist his opponent's arms until there was an audible crack of broken bone. The bandit howled miserably and struggled to get free. Gray didn't let him go, grabbing his face and slamming it into the dirt and sand.

In the process of turning that ugly face into a bloody mess, Gray lost focus and forgot about his surroundings. Another bandit attacked and hacked their machete at him. With a great deal of luck, it missed Gray's head in the darkness and slashed his back, opening a wide wound.

"Fuckkkk!" Gray roared.

He spun around furiously, managed to dodge the second swing of the machete, and cloth lined the enemy with his muscle-bound arms. He made direct contact with their neck area and the bandit tumbled to the ground with a weak gurgle before going limp.

"I'll kill you!" The final bandit screamed and leaped off the cart.

Gray had no time to react and was sent tumbling. Jagged rocks dug into his wounded back, causing more agony. He was forced to wrestle against his opponent while in blinding pain, struggling with sheer determination and will to live.

At this basic cultivation level, nobody knew how to fight properly. Both men fought based on a little bit of rudimentary training but mostly on instinct. What mattered was speed and strength, the speed to dodge and launch attacks, and the strength to punish opponents while withstanding punishment in return.

This bandit was strong and the duel was difficult. From the swirling spiritual energy within the old man's body and limbs, he was probably at the 3rd Level of the Spiritual Strengthening Realm. He was the strongest person Gray had ever fought.

But… Gray was the one that had more stamina. His spiritual sea was an endless source of energy that the bandit did not possess. One person was an ordinary cultivator while the other was a wild beast from the King's Mountains. One that decades of arduous practice, the other had raw talent.

This was one of the cases where raw talent won out. Gray eventually gained the upper hand after his opponent succumbed to exhaustion. He overpowered the man and snapped his neck. There was no hesitation. It was a life-or-death struggle and it ended in death for the enemy.

Gray stood up and took in this victory. He was only at the first level while the bandit was at the third. To be able to win under such disparity was almost unheard of among commoners. But he wasn't a commoner, he had the body strengthening provided by the Tome of Glorious Fortune as well as his special physique honed by the heavenly gem. He had strength beyond strength, the ability to fight people higher than him in cultivation.

"How did he… Kill that fatass!"

There was a furious shout. A nearby group of bandits saw their comrades fall and they charged over to avenge them.

"Come here!" Gray roared without fear.

He was covered from head to toe in dirt and blood. His body was full of cuts and bruises. Yet he didn't waver in the face of danger. His past instincts arose at this moment; his unwavering will to survive no matter the odds, his determination to fight. He didn't know these bandits and they didn't know him. But they dared to rob the precious gold that he needed to cultivate so he would show them no mercy.

He stood barehanded while the bandits carried machetes, daggers, axes… all kinds of sharp weapons aimed to cut off his head and rip out his guts.

He held out his hands to meet them with a strange serenity and confidence. At that moment, time seemed to slow. His thoughts raced. The last few passages of the secret art he had been struggling with all day suddenly seemed obvious and simple. He reached minor advancements in the heat of battle, stimulated by deadly struggle and the will to survive.

The Tome of Glorious Fortune activated and he knew he did not need to worry.

Spiritual energy flowed out his spiritual sea, molding, and shaping into form with just the slightest command. It all collected in his hands which glowed with golden-yellow light.

Golden Body of the Bodhi!

It was only a rudimentary version of the first secret art of the Tome of Glorious Fortune. It only strengthened his hands but it was more than enough!

Pa!

Gray caught the edge of an ax that was aimed at his neck with his right hand. There was no blood on the palm, only a dull pain as he slapped against solid metal.

The owner of the ax was so shocked that he stood there and accepted Gray's large feet, which shot out like a battering ram.

That man was blasted away like a ragdoll, leaving the others speechless.

Gray pointed his golden hands towards the remaining bandits.

"Who's next." He beckoned at them.

They didn't attack. Instead, they looked around at each other, as if telling others to go first. Nobody was willing, nobody wanted to die without any chance of fighting back.

"Move aside!" A familiar voice called out behind them.

The bandits parted and Tang walked forward. There was blood on his sword as well splatters on his robes. It wasn't clear if those were his or from others. Bai Wuyi was nowhere in sight and it was unclear if the head guard was dead or alive.

Gray tensed and raised his golden fists. Tang's sword remained low to the ground and at his side, as if he didn't care about Gray at all.

"I knew you were a strange one." Tang said casually, "But still, you're quite good. If you surrender, I'll let you join my clan."

Gray spat, "No chance!"

Tang shook his head, "Fine…"

Tang moved, his feet becoming a blur. His slender sword arced in a horizontal slash, aiming towards Gray's neck.

A golden palm raised up, barely in time.

Ping!

The sword was knocked away while Gray's palm suffered a deep scratch. Gray was also pushed back several strides by the sheer force behind that simple attack. He knew he was in trouble now. The man in front of him was far from a simple bandit with rudimentary skills.

Tang frowned. He examined his own sword's edge and then his opponent. "Impressive. You shall have the privilege of dying by my Duanmu Sword Style. Prepare yourself."

His body glowed with turquoise-colored spiritual energy. His sword twirled around and began to move at high speed, faster than what ordinary eyes could make out. His body followed, also spinning around in a pirouette.

"Third style, Dance of Blades!" His voice called out as the whirling dervish slammed into Gray.

Gray's two golden hands moved to block but the sword strikes came too fast and they were too numerous. His opponent was too strong and his sword style was too complex. Gray blocked as much as he could but even more attacks landed, cutting and stabbing into his flesh.

"Ahhh!" He cried out as he was finally blown away.

He tumbled to the ground, landing flat on his face. He groaned and somehow pushed himself back up by the sheer force of will. Blood poured out wounds across his chest, shoulders, and arms. He tried to summon the golden fists again but his body was in agony.

He had never been so wounded in his life. For the first time since the encounter with the earth bear in his youth, he felt as if he was at the edge of the abyss, facing certain death.

"You…" Gray spat a mouthful of blood.

His head throbbed with pain and fury. Images of the past flashed across his mind, hungry days of desperate mining, vicious battles with the earth bear, joyous meals shared with Xueling… He refused to let it all end here. He had made a promise so he was going to keep it!

"Still stubborn? Fine, you can go die!" Tang said and stabbed his sword forward. "First Style, Piercing Strike!"

Tang dashed at Gray for the finishing blow. There was only a gentle whisper of the wind to hint at the approach of death. Gray remained on the ground on one knee. He wanted his body to move but he was too slow. He watched helplessly as the sword tip approached his head, aiming right between the eyes.

Unbeknownst to Gray, his pupils turned pure black in this instant between life and death, like twin portals to the endless void. Unseen by anyone, a thin black mist surrounded Gray and right before the sword landed, his entire body shimmered out of existence and reappeared to the side ever-so-slightly, out of harm's way…

However, nobody saw this phenomenon as at that exact same moment, a flying figure appeared out of nowhere, with a powerful kick connecting against the side of Tang's head.

Bam!

Tang was sent flying, back into the ranks of the bandits.

"What!"

"No way!"

"Who?"

Everyone screamed in shock. The inconceivable had happened. One of the ordinary guards had leaped into the fray and saved Gray at the last moment. This person was dressed the same as the other caravan guards but his aura and demeanor were completely on another level, far surpassing Bai Wuyi as well as Tang.

"Captain!"

All the guards saluted as one. The sheer awe and deference shown were incredible. They knew who he was, a guard captain, a peerless rank among the citizens of Jade Hill Town.

The powerful guard captain stood over Gray and faced the crowd of fearful bandits. "Old fellow, why don't you come out and save your nephew. Otherwise, I might really end his life."

"Hoh hoh…"

A wheezing laugh came from the darkness and a wizened old bandit emerged. He landed beside Tang and grabbed the unconscious body effortlessly.

"I didn't know an ordinary trade caravan needed the protection of a captain such as yourself… Harsh Patel? Pity…" The elder bandit said. "But why did you have to interfere in their duel, its bad manners!"

Harsh Patel scoffed, "It wasn't a duel, it was a one-sided slaughter. Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind…"

The bandit muttered darkly, "Don't pretend to be righteous in front of me. I'll kill you."

"Oh, do you want to try me? If you seek death, I will oblige."

The bandit was disinterested and retreated, "Another time, perhaps. You should see the state of your caravan. This night's battle ends here, we're leaving!"

"Yes, elder!"

At their true leader's command, the bandits all disappeared back into the night as quickly as they came.