Chapter 62 - 62 59 The Trial of a Hundred Clans

62: Chapter 59: The Trial of a Hundred Clans 62: Chapter 59: The Trial of a Hundred Clans “Next March, less than five months from now, to stand out in the trials among the hundred families in such a short period of time, the difficulty is by no means small.” Xia Yanzeng was somewhat surprised, not because he looked down on Ye Xuan, but among the more than a hundred noble families in the Great Xia Kingdom, there were many Princely Heirs like Ye Xuan at the Fourth Grade Martial Master Realm, and there were even more exceptional ones who had already reached the Seventh Grade Martial Master Realm, not just one or two. For Ye Xuan to snatch one of the top three positions in the trial from these Princely Heirs, it was going to be incredibly difficult. “Nevertheless, I’ve got to give it a try.” Knowing full well that with his current strength it was going to be hard to achieve a top-three result, this was why Ye Xuan thought about trying his luck at the location on the ancient map. If he had good fortune and made some gains, he could then have a more powerful impact on the trials of the hundred families and vie for one of the top three spots. Waiting another two or three months for Xia Yanzeng to recover his strength could indeed reduce many risks, but Ye Xuan simply did not have the time to wait. “Alright then, since you’ve made up your mind, I won’t say more. When do you plan to set out for Black Annihilation Ridge?” Xia Yanzeng pondered for a while and then asked. “In two days.” He still had some matters to take care of, such as the task arranged by Xia Tianyou that involved the Green Leaf Valley Disciple; he would have to explain the situation to them tomorrow and completely decline the task. He had originally planned to stay in the Capital for a few more days, but it was not a place suitable for a long stay. After all, it was a place that could easily dull his fighting spirit if he lingered too long in its dazzling indulgence. The Jun family had suffered continuous blows recently and probably had no time to pay him any attention. Moreover, the opposition was now wary and presumably wouldn’t dare make a move against him anymore. Additionally, now that the secret of the remaining map had been revealed, he was eager to explore this treasure site. … Two days later. After bidding farewell to Xia Tianyou, Ye Xuan set off for Black Annihilation Ridge, fully equipped with supplies and Pills. To avoid attracting attention, he left the Capital at dawn, riding a black steed, and travelled north in light gear. Black Annihilation Ridge was located on the northern border of the Great Xia Kingdom, more than five thousand li from the Capital. Even if he traveled at full gallop, it would take five or six days to arrive, and if there were delays, it would probably take about ten days or so. During these days, Ye Xuan had to stop and go; he couldn’t just tire the horse to death. Along the way, he feasted his eyes on the scenery, treating it as a tourist trip to the northern borders. There are a total of twenty-one prefectures in the Great Xia Kingdom. Though it is considered one of the weaker among the six nations of Tiannan, the breadth of its territories is still vast and boundless. The distance from the Capital to the northern border is considerable. While the weather was still hot when Ye Xuan was at the Ye household, it was merely the peak of autumn when he arrived in the Capital. However, upon reaching the northern borders, it was as if he had entered a winter day, with the temperature dropping dramatically. On the frigid plains, Ye Xuan spurred his horse on. Eight days had passed since he left the Capital, and he was approximately two days away from the borderlands. Tap tap tap… Suddenly, ahead of Ye Xuan, a sound of galloping hooves abruptly rose, accompanied by a chaotic noise of turmoil. Up ahead on the plain, clouds of dust billowed. Upon hearing such commotion, Ye Xuan’s heart stirred, and he reined in his horse, looking towards the distance. Within the swirling dust, he saw peasants clothed in coarse linen in a state of panic, fleeing for their lives. Behind them were hordes of bandits with fierce eyes, brandishing scimitars and crossbows, shouting wildly as they continuously shot at the fleeing civilians as if they were driving wild beasts. Among the fleeing peasants, there were many elderly, weak women, and children with terrified faces. These people were clearly ordinary villagers from a village, yet they had been subjected to the depredations of the bandits unprovoked. Such occurrences were not uncommon on these plains of the northern borders. In the world, there are numerous Martial Artists, and there will always be those with malicious intentions. Unwilling to lead normal lives, these people turn to desperate measures and become outlaws. The likes of Wu Sha that Ye Xuan encountered in the Panlong Mountain were not much different from these bandits. “Let’s go!” Ye Xuan flicked the reins and urged his horse forward, charging towards the fleeing and pursuing crowd. “Boss, someone’s coming!” It seemed that they had noticed Ye Xuan’s approach, and someone in the bandits’ group immediately reported to their leader. “Oh?” The bandit leader was startled, then he looked in the direction the man pointed out. Through his line of sight, he saw only a young man dressed in green clothes, inexplicably charging at them alone. “Has this kid gone mad, looking for death?” Seeing only Ye Xuan, the bandit leader’s face lost its shock and was instead replaced with a sneer. Normally, wouldn’t anyone avoid them immediately? This kid dared to charge straight at them by himself, it seemed he wanted to play the hero – the bandit leader had seen such fools before. “You two, go send him to his death!” The bandit leader gestured to two strong bandits nearby to take out Ye Xuan. “Yes!” The two bandits took their orders and spurred their fierce mounts, charging towards Ye Xuan. Watching the three figures rapidly approaching, a cruel expression surfaced on the faces of the gathered bandits. The two bandits who came forward were both Martial Masters of the First Grade. In the next moment, they expected that the kid would probably be torn to pieces… The two robust bandits also looked at Ye Xuan with a mocking gaze, but just when they wanted to toy with him a little longer, suddenly, a punch as fast as lightning came without warning and smashed into both their faces. Thud thud! Dull sounds echoed through the air as two towering figures, like punching bags, were sent flying and slammed heavily into the ground. seaʀᴄh thё novёlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. “What?” The smile on the bandit leader’s face suddenly froze, replaced by violent trembling, and within his line of sight, Ye Xuan’s figure leaped up from the horseback. His silhouette was like a phantom gliding through the air, and in the blink of an eye, he had crossed over a dozen bandits, landing directly toward the position of the bandit leader. “Stop him…” A look of panic surged on his face, but before the word “him” could fully drop, the Star-cutting Saber in Ye Xuan’s hand was already drawn, tracing a trail of stars across the sky. Snap! A faint sound spread, and the bandit leader’s throat seemed to be stuck, as he could no longer speak, and his head, in that instant, separated from his body, the cut spraying blood like a fountain. The saber flashed, the head fell! Blood sealed the throat! “Leader!” The bandits, seeing their leader killed with a single blow, immediately had red eyes and started shouting loudly. “Kill this brat, avenge the boss!” Dozens of bandits swarmed in, the bright flare of sword lights and blade shadows densely enveloped Ye Xuan, leaving no gaps. A flicker of chill flashed through his eyes, and the Star-cutting Saber in Ye Xuan’s hand swung out again. A succession of sparks “ding ding ding” sprayed as he sheared off multiple blades all at once. The fierce saber aura instantly brought up a storm of blood, and the throats of a dozen bandits burst open all at once. Blood mist sprayed, and they all fell to the ground, dead. “Run for it!” Seeing Ye Xuan slay over a dozen men with a single strike, the remaining bandits were terrified and hastily fled in all directions. However, the majority were still killed by Ye Xuan. These people, were they left alive, would only be a menace; it was better to wipe them out cleanly. After clearing the remaining bandits, Ye Xuan walked over to the bandit leader’s body, searched it, and found a pouch, which he tucked into his bag. He then mounted a horse and turned towards the still-shaken villagers, “Divide up the possessions of the other dead bandits amongst yourselves; that should be enough for you to settle down anew.” “Many thanks…” Upon hearing this, the villagers immediately filled with joy, but just as they were about to thank Ye Xuan, he had spurred his horse and raced away, leaving behind only rolling clouds of dust in the eyes of the people. “To have taken down a band of bandits all alone at such a young age, he’s truly formidable.” “But the most important thing isn’t that; it’s that this young man possesses a gallant heart and a sense of justice. Common people wouldn’t care about the lives of us ordinary folk.” “Sigh, yes, it’s just a pity that we don’t even know the young hero’s name, so we can’t even repay him for the great kindness of saving our lives.” “Forget it, let’s not talk about this; let’s go. As long as we live well, that is the greatest repayment for the young hero’s act of saving us.” The villagers discussed amongst themselves with myriad emotions, regretting not knowing Ye Xuan’s identity and feeling a sense of loss in their hearts. Actually, it was better not to know. Ye Xuan had no intention of revealing his identity to these villagers. Telling them would only make them worry needlessly; it’s better for them not to know. … The affair with the plain bandits was just a minor episode. After a journey of several days, Ye Xuan finally arrived at the vicinity of Black Annihilation Ridge, a small town called Black Water Town, in the northern borderlands of the Great Xia Kingdom. After arriving at Black Water Town, he could already see the location of Black Annihilation Ridge. There, the Poison Miasma formed a layer of dark clouds in the sky, covering half of the heavens and emitting an ominous presence that changed the face of anyone who looked upon it. “With such a dense poison, it seems that Black Annihilation Ridge is indeed no good land.” Ye Xuan sat in the town’s only inn, holding a teacup, while his eyes would occasionally gaze toward Black Annihilation Ridge, resting on the thick miasmic clouds. Even though Black Water Town was the settlement closest to Black Annihilation Ridge, ordinary people dared not approach this land of death. He had already asked the inn’s server earlier that at noon each day, the miasma was at its thinnest. Entering Black Annihilation Ridge at that time would be ideal. The day was already turning to dusk; he would rest in Black Water Town for the night and set off timely at noon the next day, venturing into Black Annihilation Ridge to uncover its secrets. The ruins depicted in the fragmented map piqued his curiosity greatly.