After Maxing out all Classes

The leader of the Sea Salt Sect walked away forlornly.

The next day, the leader of the Flying Eagle Sect came to steal the Xuanyuan Black Iron this time, bringing along a group of disciples. They set up a strange formation called the “Flying Eagle Formation,” which included his beautiful daughter.

Robb seized the leader of the Flying Eagle Sect, quickly subduing him with a few punches and kicks. He then detained his daughter and ordered him to go back and gather his sect’s members to fight the invaders. If he didn’t comply, his daughter would be subjected to unspeakable acts.

The Flying Eagle Sect leader broke into tears, pleading with Robb to not ruin his daughter’s reputation. Finally, in a frantic rush, he gathered his followers.

That evening, there were just three people in the mansion.

Two rabbit-women waited for Robb to finish his bath, their backs to the tub.

The daughter of the Flying Eagle Sect leader was very scared. She whispered to Shisu beside her, “Is he a bad person? I’m really scared that he might suddenly do something terrible to me. Miss Shi, have you…?”

Shisu rolled her eyes. “Stop talking nonsense. Do you think he’s interested in us?”

The young woman responded softly, “I am somewhat attractive; I’m afraid he might take advantage of that.”

Annoyed, Shisu said, “If you and I swapped clothes, he wouldn’t be able to tell us apart. How you look doesn’t matter at all.”

“Really?” The young woman was skeptical.

“Well, I can’t be sure, but let’s try.” Shisu took her to the adjacent courtyard and they quickly switched outfits, hairstyles, and accessories. Both were long-haired rabbits and their fur colors were indistinguishable. They returned and sat back down, facing away from Robb.

After a while, Robb beckoned to the Flying Eagle Sect leader’s daughter. “Hey, Miss Shi, I’ve finished my bath. Could you throw me a towel so I can dry off?”

Annoyed, she turned and said, “Take a closer look. Do I look like Shisu?”

Robb snorted, “Nonsense. If you’re not Shisu, then who is? I would recognize that face of yours even if it turned to ash.”

Both rabbit-women: “…”

Shisu sarcastically asked, “So tell me, who’s prettier, her or me? And why?”

Laughing, Robb responded, “You think I’m still the same person who couldn’t tell one rabbit from another when I first came to Big Tang? I can totally distinguish between rabbit faces now.”

Pointing at the Flying Eagle Sect leader’s daughter, he said, “Miss Shi is reputed to be the most beautiful woman in East Hangzhou. It’s not an exaggeration. Look at her unique nose, her attractive lips, and her adorable reddish rabbit eyes. Obviously, Miss Shi is the prettier one.”

Both rabbit-women: “…”

Shisu turned to the daughter of the Flying Eagle Sect leader and said, “Do you understand now?”

She nodded. “I do, and I’m not scared anymore. He’s all bark and no bite; he was just trying to intimidate my father into obeying him.”

Shisu sighed, “Even if you’ve seen through that, you should still stay and act as a hostage willingly. I’ve been pondering his words these past days. Have we, the people of the martial world, been a bit too reckless? We hone our martial arts only to engage in endless conflicts, treating officials as lackeys while doing nothing when they fight off the ghost pirates. We only sit back and criticize their incompetence. Isn’t that rather excessive?”

Upon reflecting, the young woman exclaimed, “Huh? Well, maybe?”

As days passed, a string of terrible news arrived. Coastal towns fell one by one; countless civilians were massacred, many more displaced.

What was once the paradise of East Hangzhou now swelled with refugees, most of whom came from coastal cities. These cities had fallen to ghost pirates, forcing the inhabitants to flee inland. East Hangzhou, being a large city near the coast, became a de facto refugee center.

The atmosphere in the city grew tense. The local governor looked increasingly worried, scrambling to organize local militias. Though he managed to assemble a ragtag force, anyone could see their combat effectiveness was dismal.

Meanwhile, in the mansion of the Qiantang Sect, the number of rabbit-women continued to grow.

One night, after Robb finished bathing and dressing, he turned and found over twenty rabbit-women sitting in the courtyard. With their numbers growing, it became increasingly difficult to tell them apart.

He pointed at one and said, “Hey, you, the daughter of the Flying Eagle Sect leader. You were the first hostage I took. Your father still hasn’t sent anyone; he isn’t planning to abandon you, is he? Just so you know, if I don’t see members of the Flying Eagle Sect in the next three days, you’ll be subjected to unspeakable acts.”

The pointed-at rabbit-woman looked aggrieved, “Mister Yang, I am the daughter of the Thunder Hall’s leader, not the Flying Eagle Sect.”

“Wha—?” Robb pointed to another rabbit-woman, “Then you must be the one from the Flying Eagle…”

Before he could finish, she interjected in a pitiful tone, “I am the leader of the Blood Hand Sect, not the Flying Eagle Sect.”

Robb’s face turned slightly red, but fortunately, these rabbit-women couldn’t interpret human facial expressions well, so they couldn’t see his embarrassment. He quickly changed the subject: “Fine, the Blood Hand Sect, right? You, as a female villain, have done terrible things. Now I want you to do some good, and you’re making excuses? I must warn you, if I don’t see any disciples from the Blood Hand Sect assembled here within three days, you’ll face severe consequences. Don’t think I’ll go easy on you just because you’re no longer young.”

The female sect leader gave a bitter smile: “I’m only twenty-five years old, still young! I’m not past my prime, so don’t make assumptions based on my title. I inherited this sect from my parents. Besides, I’m the sect leader; you’ve taken me as a hostage— who’s going to rally my people for you? Three days from now, no one from my sect will come. They’ll just appoint a new leader. Do what you will; I know I won’t be going back in one piece, anyway.”

Robb: “…”

It took Robb several seconds before he finally said, irritated, “I don’t care. It’s you rabbits who can’t recognize each other, not me. Where are your parents? Where are your martial brothers and sisters? Where are your disciples? Why has no one come for you? Do people in the martial world still value loyalty or not?”