Transforming into a stunningly beautiful fox spirit, leaving a scar on the heart of a prodigy.

As soon as the morning sun shone through the gaps in the ancient banyan tree, a tug-of-war broke out at the entrance of Qifeng Inn.

Su Qing, holding a folding fan, dressed in a spotless blue robe, was about to step onto the wide and flat official road.

But someone grabbed his sleeve tightly.

Gu Xiang carried that heavy book box on his back, his other hand gripping Su Qing's sleeve, his expression extremely serious, as if he were planning some important national matter.

He desperately dragged Su Qing toward the dilapidated road next to him, where the weeds were almost waist-high.

Su Qing raised an eyebrow, her feet firmly planted on the ground, and looked at him with a half-smile: "Great talent Gu, why would you choose to crawl through a dog hole instead of taking the perfectly good sunny path? What kind of quirk is that?"

Gu Xiang stamped his feet anxiously, lowering his voice as if afraid the wind would hear: "Brother Su, are you confused! That official road may be wide and spacious, but it's for the dead!"

Su Qing became interested and simply put away her folding fan, crossed her arms, and looked at him: "I'd like to hear the details."

Gu Xiang looked around and, seeing no one was around, leaned closer and analyzed with a profound expression: "Think about it, yesterday we killed the second-in-command of Black Wind Stronghold at the teahouse. Do you think the leader would let it go so easily? This official road must be a place they are heavily guarding. Who knows how many archers and tripwires are lying in ambush. If we go there, wouldn't we be walking into a trap?"

Su Qing chuckled inwardly.

This idiot does have some sense of crisis, but unfortunately not much.

With her current divine sense coverage, she can control the movements within a ten-mile radius.

There were indeed a few small fish and shrimp peeking around on the official road, but she could wipe out that level of ambush with a single breath.

On the contrary, this little path next to it...

Su Qing glanced at the gloomy forest path, a playful smile curving her lips.

The atmosphere there is far more exciting than on the official road.

But she didn't say it.

She just wanted to see what kind of trouble this idiot could get into.

"So?" Su Qing asked cooperatively.

Gu Xiang pointed to the thorny path, his eyes shining: "The art of war says: 'Make the real appear unreal, and the unreal appear real.' This path is rugged and difficult to traverse; even a normal person wouldn't walk it. Bandits are human too; they certainly won't expect us to do the opposite! This is called surprise attack!"

After saying that, he proudly raised his chin, giving me a "praise me for being smart" look.

Su Qing suppressed a laugh and nodded: "Brother Gu's insight is truly remarkable. A single conversation with you is worth more than ten years of study. Since Brother Gu is so certain, then shall we take this... path to survival?"

"Of course!" Gu Xiang patted his chest and assured him, "Following me, you're absolutely safe!"

So the two of them plunged headlong into that so-called "path to survival".

Less than fifteen minutes after entering, Gu Xiang regretted it.

This isn't a road at all; it's practically a mud pit dug out by wild boars.

The ground was covered with rotten leaves and mud; one step could sink up to your ankle and it was difficult to pull yourself out.

The bushes on both sides were covered with thorny vines that clung precariously to people.

Gu Xiang led the way, brandishing his broken wooden stick with great force, while muttering to himself, "Heaven will entrust great responsibilities to those who are destined for them, and will first test their will and strengthen their bodies..."

"hiss--"

Before he could finish speaking, a thorn caught on the hem of his robe, and with a tearing sound, the already faded long robe was ripped open, revealing the inner garment underneath.

Gu Xiang's face twitched with heartache. These were new clothes his mother had sewn for him, and she had specifically told him to make a presentable appearance before he left home.

"Brother Su, be careful, there are a lot of thorns here." Gu Xiang reminded him as he hurriedly untangled the vines.

He turned around and froze.

Su Qing followed three steps behind him, waving a folding fan in her hand, her steps light and graceful, her boots not even a speck of mud on them. The menacing vines, upon reaching her, seemed to have encountered something terrifying, automatically retreating to both sides.

She felt as refreshed as if she were strolling through her own backyard.

Gu Xiang looked down at his mud-covered legs and his tattered clothes, and fell into deep thought.

"Brother Su..." Gu Xiang swallowed hard, "Why did you leave so easily?"

Su Qing casually brushed aside a leaf that was reaching out to her and said nonchalantly, "I guess it's because I'm pretty that even the flowers, plants, and trees can't bear to hurt me."

Gu Xiang: "..."

Although he felt there was something wrong with what he said, he couldn't find a reason to refute it.

After all, Brother Su's appearance is so striking that even men would blush and their hearts would race.

Gu Xiang sighed, resignedly turned around, and continued clearing the way.

Because I am a scholar, I must take responsibility.

The two walked for another half an hour.

As the sun rose higher, the humidity in the forest rose, making it so hot and humid that it was hard to breathe.

Gu Xiang was panting heavily, sweat streaming down his face, washing away the dust and creating deep furrows, making him look like a refugee who had just crawled out of a coal mine.

But he seemed to be in good spirits.

Because along the way, apart from the difficult sections, we didn't encounter a single bandit.

"Brother Su, look!" Gu Xiang wiped the sweat from his face, pointed to a slightly more open woodland ahead, and said excitedly, "I told you this trick would work! We've walked for so long and haven't seen a soul. Those bandits are probably just waiting foolishly on the main road. We outsmarted them!"

Su Qing followed behind, silently wishing Gu Xiang well as she watched his smug expression.

Just now, her divine sense had already swept over those few sullen creatures in the grass ahead.

These unlucky guys spent the whole morning lying in the grass feeding mosquitoes, and their resentment was practically reaching the heavens.

"Brother Gu is indeed a brilliant strategist." Su Qing smiled and flattered him, "It seems that the bandits of Black Wind Stronghold are indeed not as intelligent as Brother Gu."

"That's right!" Gu Xiang puffed out his chest. "The wisdom of scholars is far beyond what those bandits and outlaws can compare to. Once we cross this forest, the road ahead is clear, and we can head straight for the capital..."

Before he could finish speaking...

The bushes in front of us suddenly began to shake violently.

A loud crash.

A figure covered in twigs and with a bird's nest on its head suddenly darted out of the bushes.

The man was clutching a rusty dagger, his face was covered in messy camouflage paint, and his eyes were bloodshot, clearly indicating that he had been badly bitten by mosquitoes.

Gu Xiang was startled and instinctively took a step back, almost falling into a mud puddle.

The two stared at each other, and the air suddenly became eerily quiet.

The figure was clearly surprised that someone would actually come to this godforsaken place. It paused for a moment, then became overjoyed and spat out a blade of grass from its mouth.

Looking at the man's disheveled appearance, Gu Xiang tentatively asked, "Brother... were you also taking this back road to avoid bandits?"

The figure froze.

He looked down at the dagger in his hand, then at Gu Xiang's bookish appearance, and suddenly felt insulted.

"Screw you!"

The man brandished his dagger and roared, "I'm a bandit! Captain of the Black Wind Stronghold's Vanguard Squad! This road is mine, these trees are mine, if you want to pass, leave your toll!"

With his shout, three or four more men, equally disheveled, suddenly emerged from the surrounding bushes.

They surrounded Gu Xiang and Su Qing, each carrying a sickle, a hoe, and even a fire poker.

Gu Xiang froze completely.

He glanced at the bandits who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, then looked back at Su Qing, his expression more grim than if he were crying.

"This...this doesn't align with military strategy..." Gu Xiang muttered to himself, his worldview crumbling. "What are they after in this shoddy road?"

The bandit leader, overhearing his mutterings, flew into a rage and kicked a nearby tree trunk: "What's the point? You think I wanted to come to this godforsaken place to feed on mosquitoes? Didn't the chief say, 'Better to kill a thousand innocent people than let one guilty person go free!' Even a fly flying across this path should leave its wings behind!"

Gu Xiang: "..."

Su Qing almost burst out laughing from behind.

The leader of Black Wind Stronghold is quite a talent; he predicted Gu Xiang's prediction.

"Enough with the nonsense!" The bandit captain wiped his rusty dagger on his sleeve, glaring fiercely at Gu Xiang. "Judging by your penniless appearance, you probably don't have much money. Hand over that pretty boy behind you, and leave that book trunk behind. If I'm in a good mood, I might spare your life!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Xiang's legs, which had been trembling, suddenly stopped shaking.

He took a deep breath, suddenly spread his arms wide, and stood in front of Su Qing like a mother hen protecting her chicks.

"In broad daylight, under the clear sky, how dare you commit robbery and murder!" Gu Xiang's voice was still trembling, but his tone was unusually firm. "We have no money, but you can take my life! If you want to harm Brother Su, you'll have to step over my dead body first!"

Su Qing looked at the thin figure blocking her way, a strange light flashing in her eyes.

This idiot, he was clearly scared to death, his calves were cramping, yet he still dared to stand in front of me.

Is this the noble spirit of Confucianism and Taoism?

interesting.

The bandit captain was amused by Gu Xiang's righteous and awe-inspiring demeanor.

"Oh ho, still got a tough nut to crack?" The captain grinned menacingly as he approached. "Fine, I'll grant your wish! Brothers, get him! Break this bookworm's legs first, then tie that pretty boy up and take him back for the boss to practice his skills on!"

Several henchmen rushed up with strange cries.

Gu Xiang closed his eyes tightly, gripping the broken wooden stick firmly in his hand, bracing himself for the beating that was about to begin.

He silently recited in his heart: "As the sage said, 'To sacrifice one's life for righteousness is to die a worthy death.' Brother Su saved me, and it's only right that I return his life to him. It's just a pity about Er Ya from the village; I didn't even have a chance to say goodbye to her..."

However, the expected pain did not occur.

Instead, I heard a few muffled thuds, like the sound of heavy objects falling to the ground.

Immediately following was a bloodcurdling scream, like a pig being slaughtered.

"Ouch! My hand!"

"I have broken my leg!"

"What the hell! This fan is harder than a knife!"

Gu Xiang cautiously opened one eye.

The bandits who had charged forward so aggressively were now all lying on the ground, rolling around.

Some clutched their wrists, others clung to their legs, all crying and wailing.

Su Qing remained standing behind him, gently waving her folding fan, without moving an inch.

"Brother Gu," Su Qing's voice rang out lazily, "your military strategy may not be very good, but your stance in blocking a bullet is quite standard."

Gu Xiang stared blankly at the scene, her mind a little blank.

The bandit captain hadn't fallen yet, but he was in even more pain than if he were to collapse.

Because the folding fan in Su Qing's hand was pressed against his throat.

It was clearly a paper fan, but at this moment it felt like a red-hot iron, radiating a suffocating heat wave.

"You just said you wanted to kidnap someone to practice martial arts with?" Su Qing looked at him with a smile, her eyes so tender they seemed to drip with water.

The bandit captain trembled all over, and the dagger in his hand clattered to the ground.

"Misunderstanding...it's all a misunderstanding!" The captain knelt down with a thud. "Great hero, spare my life! I was blind to your greatness, I was forced into this!"

Su Qing put away the folding fan and tapped it lightly in her palm.

"Forced?" Su Qing raised an eyebrow. "That's perfect, I also want to force you to do something."

The bandit captain kowtowed repeatedly, pleading, "Great hero, please give your orders! I'll go through fire and water without hesitation!"

Su Qing pointed to the muddy path ahead.

"Since you opened this road, then you'd better clean it up," Su Qing said calmly. "I'm a clean person and can't stand mud on the road. Lick the mud off this road and I'll spare your lives."

Bandit captain: "???"

Gu Xiang: "???"

"Brother Su..." Gu Xiang tugged at Su Qing's sleeve and whispered, "It's better to be forgiving than to make them lick the ground...isn't that a bit too unhygienic?"

Su Qing glanced at him: "Then let them lick your shoes?"

Gu Xiang looked down at his shoes, which were covered in mud, and promptly shut up.

"What, you don't want to?" Su Qing slightly unfolded the folding fan in her hand, and a golden-red light flashed. A large tree as thick as a bowl was instantly cut in half, with a smooth cut like a mirror.

The bandit captain was so frightened that he immediately lay down on the ground and started wiping the floor with his sleeves.

"Yes! Yes! I'll wipe it right away! I promise I'll wipe it cleaner than my face!"

Seeing this, the other henchmen, ignoring their own pain, scrambled to their feet and joined the floor-cleaning army.

In an instant, the originally eerie and terrifying scene of robbery was transformed into a bustling scene of labor reform.

Su Qing nodded in satisfaction and turned to look at Gu Xiang, who was staring in disbelief.

"Let's go, Gu Dacaizi." Su Qing pointed ahead with her folding fan. "The road is level now, let's continue on our way."

Looking at the bandits trembling on the ground, and then at Su Qing who looked completely calm, Gu Xiang suddenly felt a deep sense of powerlessness.

He felt that all the Confucian classics he had studied for twenty years had been wasted.

In this world where might makes right, his reasoning seems less effective than Brother Su's folding fan.

"Brother Su..." Gu Xiang followed behind Su Qing, head bowed in frustration. "Am I really that useless?"

Su Qing continued walking, her voice drifting over.

"That's true to some extent."

Gu Xiang was even more frustrated.

"But..." Su Qing changed the subject, "when you blocked my way just now, you were quite the man."

Gu Xiang suddenly raised his head, his eyes lighting up instantly.

"real?"

"It's fake." Su Qing didn't even turn her head. "It's mainly because you're too thin and can't keep out the wind."

Gu Xiang: "..."

The two walked away one after the other, leaving only a few bandits still frantically wiping the ground, not daring to even lift their heads.

Only after the two figures completely disappeared at the edge of the forest did the bandit captain collapse to the ground, panting heavily.

He trembled as he pulled a communication jade slip from his pocket and typed in a message with shaky fingers.

"Boss...this is a tough one...that's...that's a powerful figure who has entered the world of cultivation!"

The moment the message was sent, the jade slip shattered into powder.

Meanwhile, in the main hall of Black Wind Village, thirty miles away, a bald, burly man with a face full of scars suddenly crushed the wine cup in his hand.

"A cultivator?" A bloodthirsty glint flashed in the burly man's eyes. "Excellent! If I can devour his soul, my Blood Fiend Technique will be perfected! Send the order to bring out that item; I want to personally confront this fat sheep!"