Published: September 5, 2025
Chapter 657: The Old Town
Jingzhou is located in the northwest of Yue Country. Because it lies in a remote area, large cities are few and far between, while small towns and villages are quite common. The terrain is mostly small hills and ridges, with many desolate, uninhabited places.
As a result, bandits and thieves in Jingzhou far outnumber those in other regions, making it the most chaotic place among the martial arts circles and the jianghu (martial world). There has never been a major martial arts faction capable of unifying this area.
However, this has also led to the local people developing a tough and fierce character. Escort agencies and caravans have sprung up endlessly, creating a sharp contrast with the numerous bandits in Jingzhou.
One day, on a dirt road by the wilderness, a scene frequently seen throughout Jingzhou unfolded once again.
More than a hundred burly men dressed in coarse cloth, all with black headscarves, wielded a motley array of weapons. They were attacking more than thirty men in blue clothing. Surrounded by these men in blue, several high-canopied horse-drawn carriages were tightly guarded. It was a fierce battle between bandits and an escort agency.
Behind the bandits stood three men in black clothing, their faces similar and coldly watching the scene, occasionally flashing ruthless expressions.
Near the carriages, a few young strong men dressed like servants stood guard with sticks, their faces somewhat tense.
Inside the three or four carriages at the back sat several women and children dressed in elegant clothing. In the largest carriage at the front sat a middle-aged scholar with an unperturbed look on his face.
This man had three strands of long black beard and shiny black hair. Though he seemed physically weak, he carried an inexplicable aura of someone who had long held a high position, commanding respect without raising his voice.
Opposite the scholar, a curly-bearded burly man dressed in a blue brocade robe sat cross-legged against the carriage wall.
His hands were thick and large, and his eyes shone with a fierce light. He was a rare top-tier martial arts master in the jianghu.
Clearly, these two were of special status. Both were calm and composed, and despite the large carriage, only these two occupied it—no third person accompanied them.
They remained silent at this moment, but through the half-open carriage windows, they could see the situation outside clearly. The sounds of fighting and cries of pain came in from outside.
The bandits with black headscarves greatly outnumbered the escort agency’s men in blue, but the latter were quite skilled. For a while, the two sides were locked in a stalemate, unable to determine a victor.
Seeing this, the scholar smiled faintly and suddenly said to the burly man opposite him,
“It seems there’s no need for you to trouble yourself, Brother Li. The Tianwu Escort Agency can handle this on its own.”
“Hehe! If the three leaders of these black scarf bandits don’t step in, the Tianwu Escort Agency can naturally deal with these small fry. But if the three get involved, then these escorts and helpers won’t be able to hold out. After all, the three leaders of the black scarf bandits are notorious tough guys in Jingzhou’s underworld. I heard they’re brothers and very adept at teamwork.” The burly man spoke, a hint of excitement showing on his face. He then bent his thick fingers slightly, producing crisp “crack” sounds — a sign of outer sect martial arts mastery at its peak.
“Brother Li, whenever it comes to fighting, you always get this eager look. You’re just like your Uncle Li used to be.” The scholar laughed dryly, helpless at the burly man’s enthusiasm.
“Brother Han Xian, that’s only natural. Our Li family passes down martial skills through generations. When encountering interesting opponents, it's only natural to want to test ourselves. It’s like your Han family, with its long line of scholars, always having one or two members enter officialdom. But what puzzles me is, our two families, so different in nature, how did we become close allies all those years ago? And the friendship has lasted for so many generations, remaining just as strong!” The burly man crossed his arms and expressed his curiosity.