Chapter 45: Blackwind Stronghold

Back when Gu Qingyi beat up this band of bandits, his spiritual energy lingered on them.

He hurried down the road with Nangong Lin, using his spiritual sense to search for the hiding place of Li Er and the others.

Gu Qingyi grabbed Nangong Lin and took off running, only to stop suddenly in his tracks.

His eyes lit up and a cold smile tugged at his lips. “Found you. Enjoy these last moments of happiness while you can!”

“Ouch!” Nangong Lin bumped hard into Gu Qingyi’s back. Rubbing her forehead, she gave him a look of reproach.

She muttered under her breath, “Brother Gu, why’d you stop so suddenly? Aren’t we going to keep moving?”

Gu Qingyi turned around, noticing a swelling already forming on Nangong Lin’s head.

His smile carried a hint of apology. “Sorry, that one’s on me. Lin’er, does the bump on your head hurt?”

Seeing the sincere look in Gu Qingyi’s eyes, Nangong Lin’s annoyance melted away.

A blush crept onto her cheeks as she said softly, “It’s fine, just needs a little rub. Let’s keep going, Brother Gu!”

“Come on. Time to go do some killing!” They exchanged a nod and set off again toward Blackwind Stronghold.

……………

Blackwind Stronghold lay deep within Beiwang Mountain. The terrain here was perilous and easy to defend, making it a natural fortress for the bandits.

The stronghold was home to a huge number of bandits from every level of cultivation.

Of those, over a thousand bandits had reached the Sword Practitioner Realm, with another two hundred at the Sword Qi Realm. Ten of them were powerful experts at the Sword Sea Realm.

These ten had sworn brotherhood and sisterhood, adopting the same surname—Li—and ranking themselves by number.

They were: Li Da, nicknamed River-Dragon, sixth level of Sword Sea Realm, the backbone and undisputed leader of Blackwind Stronghold.

Li Er, called the Devouring Tiger, third level of Sword Sea Realm, instigator of the raid on Xiaoxi Village.

Li San, known as the Think Tank, third level of Sword Sea Realm, cunning and resourceful, the mastermind who brought great profit to the stronghold.

Li Si, called Shocking Mouse, second level of Sword Sea Realm, in charge of intelligence gathering teams.

Li Wu, Flying Cat, second level of Sword Sea Realm, responsible for security and defenses.

Li Liu, the Elusive Rabbit, first level of Sword Sea Realm, oversaw supplies and construction inside the stronghold.

Li Qi, Running Chicken, first level of Sword Sea Realm, managed communication with nearby bands.

Li Ba, Red Dragon Horse, second level of Sword Sea Realm, handled assassinations and clean-up jobs.

Li Jiu, Jinjiang Mountain, third level of Sword Sea Realm, helped others improve their cultivation.

Li Shi, Blood Rose, fourth level of Sword Sea Realm, the only female among them. Youngest of all, she was alluring and skilled at captivating men.

Each of the ten had their role, working together to keep Blackwind Stronghold running smoothly.

……………..

The stronghold was in a festive uproar.

Famed throughout Beiwang Mountain, Blackwind Stronghold was throwing a grand banquet.

The scene at the center of the stronghold was packed with people—bandits shoulder to shoulder, laughter ringing out and every seat filled.

Lanterns and colorful banners hung everywhere, giving the fortress a celebratory air.

Inside the spacious banquet hall, the tables were lined up neatly and piled high with a dazzling array of wilderness delicacies.

But the real showstoppers were the signature dishes—steamed fresh seafood, braised bat wings, sweet and sour ribs, and whole roasted lamb.

The feast was a feast for the senses; the aroma alone was enough to make mouths water—a testament to the stronghold chefs’ formidable skills.

And what would a feast be without fine wine?

For this banquet, Li Da brought out his best—all sorts of spirits to share with his brothers.

Among them, Wuliangye was the crown jewel. Just a whiff was intoxicating. The bandits clinked cups and roared with laughter again and again, the atmosphere wild and boisterous.

At the peak of the banquet, Li Da personally stood to give a toast, offering a heartfelt welcome and thanks to all present.

He spoke of strengthening the brotherly bonds within the stronghold and invited everyone to speak freely and plot the stronghold’s future together.

He also hoped to use the banquet to meet more friends from the martial world, to spread the stronghold’s name far and wide, even beyond Beiwang Mountain to the other great mountains of Sword Qi Continent.

When Li Da finished, the crowd was more fired up than ever.

Bandits found their seats and swapped stories, some even showing off their specialties in impromptu performances that wowed the crowd.

Cheers and applause echoed through the hall, enough to get anyone’s blood pumping.

Night fell and lanterns flickered on.

The excitement only mounted as the banquet reached its peak. The bandits drank freely, laughing as they swapped tales.

Everyone boasted about their exploits robbing and looting, each story fueling Blackwind Stronghold’s infamous reputation for miles around.

Just hearing Blackwind Stronghold’s name was enough to send most folks running scared.

The room erupted into a roar of laughter.

When the grand feast finally came to an end—

Li Da quietly called his nine siblings into his quarters.

A few oil lamps lit up the room, brightening the mountain cave.

Li Da sat in his chair, face dark as he stared at Li Er.

“Second, tell me—why did so many of our brothers fall in a tiny place like Xiaoxi Village?” Li Da suddenly barked. “You owe everyone here an explanation!”

At the words, Li Er dropped to his knees, voice trembling as he pleaded, “Big Brother, it was all going so well. The folks in Xiaoxi Village are just ordinary people.”

“But then, out of nowhere, this brat showed up. We thought nothing of him since he looked like an ordinary kid but we were wrong. There was something off about him!” With Li Da’s face growing darker, sweat pricked up on Li Er’s back. “Our men had him pinned and suddenly the brat just snapped. Out of nowhere, he had unbelievable strength!”

“He wiped out our men with a single punch. I barely made it out alive—if Third, Fifth and the others hadn’t risked everything to save me, I wouldn’t be here now.”

Li Er pressed his forehead to the ground, not daring to look Li Da in the eye.

Li San and Li Wu, seeing the tension in the room, stepped forward, bowing. Li San said, “Big Brother, you can’t blame Second for this! He’s telling the truth. We were all done in by that brat. He suddenly exploded with a power we couldn’t match and we nearly didn’t make it out!”

【Sword Qi Continent Cultivation Realms: Ordinary Person, Sword Practitioner Realm, Sword Qi Realm, Sword Sea Realm, Sword King Realm, Sword Emperor Realm, Sword Saint Realm, (Demi-God Realm), Sword God Realm】

【The Demi-God Realm has never been seen in the world, to the point most have forgotten it exists. Also called the False God Realm, it’s clearly recorded in the Ancient Inheritance Scrolls.】