CHAPTER 62: CHAPTER 61: ASSAULT

Hu Family Manor, covering two hundred acres, has a large expanse of bluestone land in front and white-painted walls surrounding it, showcasing its wealth.

Outside the manor at this moment, dust was swirling, and the sound of human shouts and horse neighs filled the air.

Over a hundred fierce-looking men wielding broad knives rode their horses, with bloodthirsty glints in their eyes.

The people inside the manor had already been alarmed.

Dozens of blue-clad retainers, holding long sticks and broadswords, stood in the front, each with a calm demeanor, clearly not their first encounter with this situation.

In front of them, a burly middle-aged man, fully armored in iron, sat astride a blood-red stallion, holding an eight-foot snake spear, his gaze fierce like a wolf.

"From Sunset Mountain, I’ve long kept to my business and never interfered with yours!

If you’re looking for trouble, you’ve come to the wrong place!"

"Hu Yifei! Do you really think there’s nothing we can do to you?" The second-in-command, Wu Yiping, rode out, dressed in a white Daoist robe and wearing a blue tall hat, giving off an aura of otherworldliness.

But his words utterly ruined his image, "If you don’t give us ten thousand catties of grain today, we’ll make sure not even a chicken or dog remains in your manor!"

"Hahaha! I’ll just stand here and see how you plan to take it!" The burly man, Hu Yifei, said disdainfully.

He took the longbow from his back, expertly nocked an arrow and drew the string.

A swishing sound was heard as the arrow shot high into the sky and then arched accurately towards Wu Yiping two hundred meters away.

It pierced through the top of Wu’s high hat and embedded deeply into the ground, pinning the hat firmly.

"Good!"

"The Manor Master is mighty!"

"Hahaha!"

The people and horses on the Hu Family Manor side burst into laughter, boosting their morale.

Wu Yiping was so frightened his face turned deathly pale, almost falling off his horse. Once he regained his senses, he shouted angrily: "Who will get him for me!"

"Second-in-command, allow me to face him!"

A black-faced big man spurred his horse forward, holding a red tassel long spear, charging ferociously like a ravenous wolf.

Seeing the black-faced man entering the fray, Wu Yiping turned his anger into joy, and the other mountain bandits eagerly awaited.

"It’s ’Zhu Daqiang,’ his spear technique is one of the best in the mountains!"

"Even if Hu Yifei is a Martial Artist, he won’t have an advantage against him on horseback!"

In everyone’s sight, Hu Yifei, the master of the manor, merely trotted his horse leisurely, seemingly not regarding ’Zhu Daqiang’ as a threat.

The Zhu bandit showed annoyance, lifting his long spear with the momentum of his horse, and thrusting it fiercely towards Hu Yifei.

Unexpectedly, Hu Yifei sat still as if scared speechless.

But when the distance was less than five feet, he swiftly hid in the stirrup to evade Zhu Daqiang’s attack, then slid to the other side under the horse at an almost invisible speed.

The eight-foot snake spear casually jabbed, knocking Zhu Daqiang off his horse before he could let out a scream.

Hu Yifei’s skill with an arrow and spear was undoubtedly powerful.

The mountain bandits on the scene fell silent.

While the people of Hu Family Manor erupted in thunderous cheers, their morale soaring.

At this moment, another black horse sped out from the mountain bandit side, its four hooves creating a gust, trailing a clear gray dust behind it.

"It’s the fourth-in-command!" someone exclaimed.

Everyone witnessed Lou Yi galloping to Hu Yifei.

There were no fancy verbal exchanges, just one simple strike from top to bottom with an axe.

"Hah!"

Lou Yi’s voice was like thunder, momentarily drowning out all the noise at the scene.

In the astonished eyes of both sides, they saw the ax and spear clash, causing the snake spear to bend instantly.

’Clang!’

Hu Yifei’s face changed drastically.

Immediately afterward, the stallion beneath him seemed unable to withstand Lou Yi’s power, and all four legs knelt down.

Hu Yifei lost his balance, revealing a glaring weakness.

In his terrified gaze, the axe blade sliced through his neck, sending his head flying skyward.

The renowned Manor Master Hu, a seasoned Martial Artist, couldn’t withstand two exchanges with Lou Yi!

"The fourth-in-command is mighty!"

"Impressive, truly impressive!"

"Damn, that was exhilarating!"

"Patriarch Lou is probably the top expert of Sunset Mountain!"

The bandits of Sunset Mountain cheered as if celebrating New Year, all sorts of praises.

In contrast, the people of Hu Family Manor looked ashen.

Xu Xi’s face was slightly gloomy, clearly aware that some were discussing Lou Yi’s martial prowess as possibly surpassing his as the first-in-command.

But now was not the time to dwell on this.

"Brothers, charge!" Taking advantage of the momentum, Xu Xi launched an all-out attack.

Next came an almost unopposed one-sided battle.

Under the leadership of Xu Xi, Lou Yi, Zhu Darui, and others, the mountain bandits shattered the Hu Family Manor’s retainer team.

With that, Hu Family Manor lost its greatest armed force, like fish on a chopping board, waiting to be butchered.

Looking at the empty gate, the bandits were eager, their eyes gleaming.

"Big brother, what are we waiting for?"

Seeing Xu Xi not issuing the order to storm Hu Family Manor, the old Daoist was a bit anxious.

"We must guard against the Hu Family’s desperate counterattack; someone needs to stay outside as a lookout." Xu Xi turned to Lou Yi, "Old Fourth, since you just worked hard, why not stay outside and rest?"

Everyone knew that pillaging the manor was to enjoy the spoils; staying outside at this time was a tough job.

Zhu Darui’s face changed upon hearing this, ready to object.

Unexpectedly, Lou Yi nonchalantly said: "Sure."

Agreeing straight away, leaving Zhu Darui with nothing to say.

"Old Fourth is quite the man, considering the big picture." Wu Yiping smirked, following Xu Xi and others through the Hu Family Manor gate.

Before long, the manor echoed with the curses of men, the sobs of women, and the wanton laughter of bandits.

"Chief, you killed the toughest, and yet we have to let them take the benefits?" complained the butcher Lu Yang.

Those who followed from Xinxiang Prison naturally stayed outside with Lou Yi as well.

"Heh, have you seen plays? This is called overshadowing the master." Liu Yuan sneered.

Lou Yi quietly watched the gate, his eyes showing no emotion.

In attacking Hu Family Manor, he undoubtedly became an accomplice.

Hu Yifei had a bad reputation, but was everyone in Hu Family Manor bad?

Some rules of this world he currently had no power to change.

Not entering the manor meant less trouble by sight; perhaps not a bad choice.

Inside the manor.

Wu Yiping followed Xu Xi to the Hu Family Manor warehouse, opened the door, and their eyes widened.

Bursting sacks were piled up like small mountains, occupying most of the warehouse, with a faint aroma of rice suffusing the air, intoxicating them.

"No worries about next year’s food, hahaha!" Xu Xi laughed, "Brothers, move it all!"

As for the hoes, shovels, plows, and other farming tools piled beside them, he didn’t even spare a glance.

Farming is for the farmers; the bandits only need to rob.

"Don’t take it all, leave them something."

"Don’t kill all the people; if there’s no one to work, who will we collect grain from later?"

Xu Xi truly lived up to being the first-in-command, understanding the principle of sucking the pond dry.

The mountain bandits rampaged through Hu Family Manor for half a day, coming out all smiles, many with bulging clothes.

Of course, some with disheveled clothes and glowing faces, evoking envy from those behind Lou Yi.

"Old Fourth, want to take your men inside for a look?" Wu Yiping winked at Lou Yi, "No telling what treasures we might have missed."

"Alright." Lou Yi, showing no anger at the taunt, led Lu Yang, Liu Yuan, and other subordinates, and leisurely strolled into Hu Family Manor.

...