Human Martial Saint: Starting with Bajiquan

Chapter 23 Yejiaao 2

The bandits reined in their horses in front of the Juma Ditch.

Everyone stopped.

More than a hundred horses neighed as they looked at the spikes that covered the trench.

Among the bandits, the leader was a demon with curved goat horns on his head, a few long braids hanging from his ears, and a silver mask covering his entire face in front of him.

"Open the door and surrender, we'll only rob you and spare your lives, otherwise—"

The goat horn's voice wasn't loud, but its cold tone carried clearly throughout the entire village:

"Leave no one alive!"

Silence. Silence was the only response he received.

The precedent of previous disappearances of mountain valleys is right before our eyes.

Now, naturally, no one will believe his nonsense.

Inside Ye Family Village, after a brief period of panic, order was quickly restored under the command of the patrol team.

Everyone sprang into action quickly—

The women took their children and hid inside the house.

The able-bodied men divided into three teams, grabbed the weapons leaning against the wall and the simple shields, and ran towards the perimeter of the stockade.

So orderly and methodical.

It's obvious that they've practiced this many times before.

The earthen walls of Yejia'ao gleamed pale in the morning sunlight.

Inside the wall, most of the able-bodied men used sharpened hardwood logs, each over ten feet long, as spears, forming a simple yet orderly formation.

The others, armed with sledgehammers, hoes, machetes, and makeshift long shields made from door panels, provided support and reinforcements during the gaps in the gunfire.

On the watchtowers on the wall, soldiers were prepared with bows and arrows for hunting, as well as logs and stones, their eyes fixed on the bandits below.

Ye Yong and his group were on a simple watchtower above the village gate. From here, they had a wide view, which made it easy to observe the entire battlefield situation and to give commands by shouting and using flags.

Seeing the small Yejia'ao, they showed no intention of surrendering.

An impatient look flashed across the silver mask with goat horns. It saw Ye Jia'ao and silently rejected his "kindness".

So he gave an order to the dozen or so bronze-headed guards around him:

"Be swift and decisive. Take out those martial artists who are leading the resistance. As for the others... capture them alive and bleed them dry. Don't waste these talents."

"Yes!!!" All the bronze heads responded in unison.

If you look at Yejia'ao from the air, you can see that its overall shape resembles a gourd.

The gourd was surrounded by the cliffs of the Singing Sand Dunes. Even an eighth-rank master would find it difficult to leap down from such a high cliff.

Therefore, the focal point of the standoff between the two sides—this easily defensible and difficult-to-attack village gate—became the main battlefield for attack and defense.

The order has been issued.

A group of bandits turned their horses around and rode away.

Some were used as scouts in case of unforeseen circumstances.

Some of them searched for large poplar or saxaul trees nearby to make simple battering rams to attack the village gate.

The real forwards dismounted and leaped up, vying to jump over the trestle ditch covered with wooden spikes.

Too many bandits jumped at the same time, making it too dense.

Several unlucky individuals were knocked down by bystanders, their bodies pierced by splinters, emitting cries of agony. This marked the first wave of casualties.

Upon seeing this, several bandits rushed forward, shouting and cursing to restore order and limit the number of bandits crossing the Juma Ditch at the same time.

Although efficiency decreased, unnecessary losses were avoided.

As more and more bandits successfully crossed the Juma Ditch and surged towards the base of the stockade wall like a tide, Ye Yong seized the opportunity and gave the order:

"Arrows! Fire!"

Upon hearing the sound, the seven martial artists immediately drew their bows and released their arrows. They were skilled hunters who used bows and arrows regularly.

Unfortunately, the hunting bow was weak, and the bone arrows were not lethal enough. A row of arrows flew out with a "whoosh" sound, and when they hit the skin of the entry-level martial artist, most of them only drew blood, or even bounced off with a "thud".

It cannot truly harm the opponent's rank-1 martial artist.

This only elicited a burst of laughter.

"Throw stones!"

Without pausing, Ye Yong gave another order.

The warriors immediately dropped their bows and arrows, grabbed the fist-sized hard stones that were already prepared at their feet, aimed briefly, and hurled them.

This time it worked.

As the stones fell, several bandits at the forefront were hit on the head and shoulders, their skin bruised, causing them to stagger backward or fall down, disrupting their formation for a moment.

But even more bandits still rushed to the foot of the stockade wall.

"Rolling log!"

Ye Yong's voice rang out for the third time, steady and calm.

The soldiers and able-bodied men, who were already prepared, worked in groups of several, shouting slogans, and pushed the heavy logs down the wall in one go!

One after another, massive logs, like heavy hammers, crashed down with the force of thunder.

The bandits below immediately suffered.

Screams rose and fell, and the bandits' offensive was instantly halted.

However, this did not stop some of the eighth-rank masters.

Several figures, exceptionally agile, took advantage of the gap in the falling logs, lightly touched the ground with their toes, and leaped into the air like large birds, about to jump onto the enemy tower!

Two rows of wooden spikes, each about three feet long, had already been placed at the feet of the eldest brother, Lu You. They were all made of hardwood.

He picked up two wooden spikes, his body taut like a giant bow, exhaled sharply, and forcefully threw the wooden spikes in his hands.

"Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Two wooden spikes shot out like crossbow bolts, and the two eighth-rank bandits, who were in mid-air, were unable to catch up and dodge them.

"Pfft! Pfft!"

Both men fell to the ground with a thud, pinned firmly to the ground by the splinters thrown with great force.

Because the bandits were so numerous, there was an unlucky guy who was nailed to the body of one of the eighth-rank bandits.

This scene greatly shocked the bandits.

From within the bandit group, an exclamation rang out: "It's a seventh-rank expert, at the Yi Jin realm!"

At this moment, Liu Sheng was also on the enemy tower, holding a wooden spear more than ten feet long. Taking advantage of his height, he looked down and knocked down another eighth-rank expert.

The other person crashed to the ground, staggered to their feet, and was clearly also injured.

When he heard the bandits shouting, Liu Sheng thought to himself that he had underestimated his senior brother.

Perhaps one day I'll find out that my senior brother is actually a sixth-rank expert, and I won't find it strange.

"On a battlefield like this, an individual's role is negligible... Unless you have the strength of the senior brother, even if you are powerless to change the course of the battle, it shouldn't be difficult for you to break through."

Liu Sheng thought to himself.

The bandits saw a seventh-rank martial artist and several ninth-rank martial artists guarding the watchtower at the main gate of the stronghold, and they knew that their opponents were formidable.

They changed direction and launched a fierce attack on the two sides of the stockade walls, where the defenses were relatively weak. Being some distance away, the people on the enemy towers were indeed unable to cover everything.

Lu You could only keep an eye on the opposing eighth-rank experts, leaping up one to either kill or injure another, firmly guarding the air.

However, the other ninth-rank bandits swarmed up the stockade wall.

What awaited them was a dense array of hardwood spears protruding from behind the stockade wall!

At first, the young men mustered their courage and used their spears to stab at the ruthless bandits.

But they soon discovered that their wooden spears were ineffective against these tough-skinned warriors.

These bandits, however, were able to easily pry open or even break through the wooden walls with their strength and experience, attempting to leap over them.

Panic began to creep into the gunfire.

Ye Yong roared:

"Hu Laoliu, Zhang Laoqi, provide flank support... Guards, maintain distance with your spears, keep your eyes on one spot and repeatedly thrust, use your sledgehammers when you get close, don't panic!"

The roar was like thunder, and the young men trembled.

They then remembered how Ye Yong had them use straw men as targets during training, with multiple people repeatedly stabbing the same spot.

And how were they taught? They were taught to work in groups of three, using guns, shields, and hammers in combination.

The panic subsided, and the formation began to stabilize again.

A bandit swung his knife and cleaved two wooden spears in two. Just as he was about to leap in, three spears from the side took turns thrusting at his knees. With a "thud," the spear tip pierced his flesh on the third thrust.

The bandit cried out in pain and fell to the ground, followed by more spear tips piercing his body from various places.

Another skinny bandit, as agile as a monkey, dodged the hail of bullets and was about to get close enough to slash.

The young man blocked the attack with his shield, and then a large hammer smashed down beside him, shattering the bandit's head.

This made the young men realize that the warriors opposite them were not truly invulnerable to swords and spears.

They also fear the crude weapons in their hands.

Their seemingly resilient bodies cannot withstand repeated injuries to the same spot.

A top grade warrior.

They can die too!

The young guards began to suffer casualties, mostly from their shields failing to protect them from weapons thrown by the bandits.

They fought with their lives, using only rudimentary weapons and their own flesh and blood to hold off the far superior bandits in order to protect their families back home.

Once someone falls, the gap is immediately filled.

They maintained a constant barrage of gunfire.

Faced with the well-trained young and strong guards of Yejia'ao, the attacking bandits suffered even greater casualties; more than thirty had already died, both inside and outside the walls.

Unlike the villagers of Yejia'ao, the bandits were ultimately unwilling to risk their lives.

Finally, the bandits could no longer hold out.

Suddenly, someone yelled, "Run!"

Those bandits who were still approaching, climbing over the wall, injured, or feigning death all fled.

The bronze-headed warriors on the other side beheaded two people and displayed them as a warning, but they still couldn't stop the rout.

It was the silver-headed goat's horns that moved.

He took out a prayer wheel from his pocket and slowly turned it, the chanting sounding like a demonic whisper:

"I pray for the blessings of the deity, that I may abide in the Vajra nature and have a firm will."

The enchanting sound swept across an area of ​​several meters.

The fleeing bandits finally quieted down and regrouped.

They have temporarily stabilized the situation.

Ye Yong saw that more than ten bronze-headed men were surrounding the silver-headed goat horn.

I don't know what the other party said.

Then we saw several scouts being dispatched in all directions.

Without a doubt, they're going to gather more manpower.

On the watchtower, everyone looked at each other in silence, with only the groans of the wounded inside the wall and the fluttering of the black wolf flag in the wind outside the wall...

Seeing that the bandits had no immediate intention of attacking.

The group seized the opportunity to discuss countermeasures.

Everyone knows that if the other side had more martial artists, and launched another attack, Yejia'ao would probably not have been able to hold out.

The air inside and outside the village gate was thick with the stench of blood, interspersed with the suppressed groans of the wounded.

The brief respite was more unsettling than the fierce battle itself.

"Should we go to the county town for help?" someone suggested.

Upon hearing someone suggest seeking help from the county seat.

Ye Yong shook his head:

"Last time we went to the yamen, we spent money, but they still dragged it out for three days and even scolded us for filing a false complaint; what kind of ability does the county magistrate have? Are we just here to die?"

When the past was brought up, the people of Yejia'ao finally came to their senses and realized why they had set up this village in the first place.

It's just that government offices are unreliable.

Zhang Laoqi, standing to the side, added in a hoarse voice, "Besides, the gate to the village is blocked. It's all flat outside. Without a good horse, you'd just be a sitting duck if you charged out."

The eldest disciple, Lu You, sighed, "I might be able to break out and ask the rebel army for help, but if I leave, it will be even more difficult for you to hold the line."

When everyone heard the words "righteous army," their eyes lit up.

But after that, everyone fell silent.

They knew that Lu You had been being very subtle.

Without this Rank 7 expert, Yejia'ao would definitely not be able to hold out.

"I had also prepared an underground tunnel leading to the outside of the village gate..."

Ye Yong slammed his fist on the wooden wall in frustration: "Who would have thought that we would encounter a layer of quicksand after digging only a few feet? It's at least five or six feet thick. It collapses as soon as we start digging, and we can't get through."

An atmosphere of despair.

It enveloped the small watchtower once again.

Everyone fell into a new round of deep thought.

Liu Sheng had been silent all along.

This is the first time I have seen a dead person since I awakened my innate wisdom.

Many, many innocent villagers died.

They did nothing wrong, yet people died.

This was the first time he had truly faced the cruelty of this world.

Good people may not die, and bad people may not die either.

But those who lack strength are more likely to die.

While he was feeling sentimental, Liu Sheng suddenly heard Ye Yong say those words.

He, who had always wanted to do something, suddenly had a bright idea.

"I can get through the quicksand!"

Liu Sheng's voice was not loud.

Yet it was exceptionally clear and firm.

Everyone stared at him in astonishment, their eyes filled with doubt.

Faced with skeptical looks.

Liu Sheng's face showed no sign of wavering.

"Yes, if it's just quicksand, Liu Sheng will definitely be fine!"

The voice of agreement came from the eldest disciple, Lu You.

The two began to explain to everyone that Liu Sheng practiced the Liu-style modified Zhang-style modified Yan-style skin-refining method, which involved swimming and even diving in the sand sea on a daily basis.

Everyone was amazed that such a miraculous skin-smoothing technique existed, and their spirits were lifted.

Liu Sheng himself didn't expect that swimming in dry water for so long would have such an unexpected effect at the crucial moment.

"However, I have another problem... In the sand, you have to hold your breath, but you can't hold it for long. And the tunnel isn't long enough. The first time you surface to breathe, you'll definitely be very close to the bandits in front of the village gate."

Liu Sheng thought that if he went only a few feet towards the gate of the village, there would be flat plains ahead.

Even if he ran out, he would easily be noticed by the bandits when he surfaced for air.

"That's easy. I'll pretend to assassinate the silver-masked leader on the other side, create chaos, and attract their attention." Ye Yong's eyes flashed with a sharp light.

Upon hearing this, everyone's hearts, which had just been raised, were in suspense again, and they panicked, trying to dissuade him.

After all, Lu Youcai is the gatekeeper of Yejia'ao now, and if something happens to him while he's out.

Yejia'ao will probably be finished before Liu Sheng even asks for help.

Lu You, who is usually low-key and humble, revealed a sense of confidence in front of everyone for the first time.

That kind of confidence that Liu Sheng had seen in both Zhang Tianxing and Gao Huang.

Lu You straightened his back, exuding an aura that was as steady as a mountain yet as sharp as a sword.

His gaze swept over the crowd:

"Rest assured, everyone. With the strength of a 7th-grade Yi Jin Jing, my power flows through my entire body, and I move like a nimble ape. It would indeed be difficult to assassinate the leader among so many entry-level martial artists, but by feigning an assassination and striking and leaving immediately, not many of these bandits can hold me back."

The group exchanged glances, their hearts filled with turmoil.

Seeing that there was no better way, everyone stopped hesitating.

It seems that this is the only way for now.