Eternal Evil Emperor

Xie Tian's departure alone was but a trivial episode to everyone. After the Yin family's business convoy made all preparations, people had already forgotten about a passerby named Xie Tian in their endless longing for Bianliang City, and the hundreds-strong group set foot on the Hexi Corridor.

In the lengthy convoy, there was an inconspicuous carriage that was extremely luxurious inside. Sitting in it were all women: one woman leaned her head on her hand, half-reclining on the couch, while the others respectfully lowered their heads, kneeling beside her.

The woman feigning sleep was Yin Tian'er, the young lady of the Yin family.

Yin Tian'er, sole daughter of Yin He, the head of the first merchant family of the Song State, was clever and elegant. She had shown her knack in business from a young age and now at just sixteen, she was about to become the real spokesperson in business affairs for the Yin family.

The Yin family had thirteen business squads traversing three trade routes in the Song State, with the most important one being the Hexi Corridor. It had taken two months for Yin Tian'er to inspect the other two trade routes. She couldn't afford to rest, rushing again to the southwestern border of the Song State, and only now as they headed homeward had she a moment to rest.

Regrettably, her rest was not peaceful.

"How many days have we been traveling?"

"Miss, the convoy moves slowly because of the many people; it has been three days now, and we have covered a hundred li. It likely will take another six days to exit the Hexi Corridor."

Yin Tian'er frowned slightly upon hearing this, took a sip of the fruit mash the maid handed over, and was about to have a little snooze when the sudden sound of rushing hooves grew closer, chasing away her drowsiness.

She slightly lifted a corner of the carriage window curtain. Yin Tian'er saw a group of horsemen stopped and questioned by the head of the guards, Yin Fang. It wasn't long before she saw Yin Fang wave his hand, and the leader of the horsemen bowed with his fist before galloping away.

"Who were they?" Yin Tian'er asked softly as Yin Fang approached.

Yin Fang respectfully replied, "Reporting to the young lady, it was people from the Xie family of Yangshuo City, reportedly pursuing a runaway slave."

"Mm, have someone guard five li behind the convoy. If more horsemen come galloping, tell them to keep it down; I can't sleep well," Yin Tian'er nodded and instructed.

Yin Fang quickly acknowledged the order. As soon as Yin Tian'er withdrew her head, he remembered something and hurriedly said, "Miss, the scouts we sent out the other day haven't returned yet."

"Has there been a previous case like this?"

"Well, there has," Yin Fang thought for a moment and said, "Sometimes, when scouts reach Bianliang, if it's safe mid-journey, they are often assigned other tasks by the family, so they do not return. But this time, Miss, you are with the convoy. Before we left, I had alerted them..."

"No matter." Remembering her second uncle's dissatisfaction with her soon taking charge of the Yin family, Yin Tian'er smiled helplessly, "Just follow the orders given."

"Yes."

The hundreds-strong business convoy continued onward, but the Xie family horsemen who had raced ahead had stopped.

"Elder Three, what's wrong?"

Elder Three of the Xie family, named Xie Changyong, had doubt flickering in his eyes as he shook his head and spoke in a low voice, "We've chased the wrong path; that little bastard definitely couldn't have gotten ahead of the Yin family convoy!"

"Hmph, that bastard is really cunning! We agreed to release him outside the north of the city at forty li, but I ended up searching within eighty li outside the city for two days before finally finding the young master just five li north of the city, Elder Three. Do you think he might not have taken the Hexi Corridor?"

"I think it's possible; is the Hexi Corridor a place he could travel through?"

Upon hearing this, Elder Three turned his head and coldly chuckled, "You think he staged a show of going into the mountains alone at the entrance of the Hexi Corridor just to mislead us, plotting a secret course? Since you know that little bastard is cunning, don't treat him like a fool!"

The highly skilled Xie family guards, reddening from the scolding yet daring not to retort, could only keep complimenting, "Elder Three is wise. What should we do now?"

"Let's go back! He must be behind the Yin family convoy. If he's not on the Hexi road, then we look in the mountains!"

The group immediately turned their horses around and headed back the way they came.

Yin Fang could never have guessed that the horsemen would come from the front rather than the back where he had set guards. He looked back at the carriage containing Yin Tian'er, feeling both awkward and angry, secretly thinking that once the people arrived, he must punish them severely.

When the horsemen came into view, Yin Fang's expression darkened even more. Just as Xie Changrong was about to bow in greeting, Yin Fang scoffed first, "Sir, have you found the runaway slave so quickly?"

"Ah, the runaway slave is cunning and is probably not ahead. We plan to return and continue the search along the way. I take my leave now."

Xie Changrong was in a hurry to catch Xie Tian and didn't notice Yin Fang's expression much, giving a polite remark before intending to leave. Yin Fang, however, blocked his way by positioning his horse in front, and scoffed, "So, if you don't catch the person behind, you plan to go ahead, don't you?"

"Um, naturally, may I ask what head guard Yin intends?"

Yin Fang's expression darkened as he shouted, "I'd like to ask, my young lady is exhausted, and your back and forth intentionally makes it impossible for her to rest; what do you mean by this? Less nonsense, catching the runaway slave is fine, but you must dismount and lead your horse when near the Yin family convoy!"

Xie Changrong's face immediately fell, angrily saying, "Sir, aren't you being too domineering!"

"Heh heh, I wouldn't dare elsewhere," Yin Fang sneered, staring down Xie Changrong as he spoke word by word, "But here in the Hexi Corridor, my Yin family is domineering, so what?"

"You..." Xie Changrong, furious yet unable to speak out, could only nod his head begrudgingly and chuckled coldly, "Fine, fine, fine, your Yin family bullies with your power. My Xie family will accept it for now. However, once our young master and young lady return from their training, we shall seek justice from your Yin family!"

"Pah, what trash!" Yin Fang scoffed as he saw off the Xie family's people, spitting fiercely on the ground before ordering again, "Send a few more people up ahead. Anyone on horseback must be made to dismount immediately!"

"Ah, I should be able to fall asleep now..." Yin Tian'er drew the curtains once more and lazily reclined on the soft couch. As she closed her eyes, a pale face emerged in her mind. Her heart twitched, and her eyes snapped open, sleep gone once more.

"I wonder where you are buried now..."

Xie Tian released his mechanical armor and looked sideways. A gaping wound on his shoulder, blood was gushing out. Not daring to delay, he poured a whole bottle of golden sore medicine onto it. The intense burning sensation only made him frown slightly. After the blood had stopped, he put on his armor and began practicing Peiyuan Gong.

For three days in the Hexi Corridor, Xie Tian fought nine battles against the Hexi bandits, killing twenty-one of them. The strongest among them was at the seventh level of Barbarian Strength, while he had nearly exhausted everything in his backpack, even destroying the short blade in his sleeve. However, his cultivation had broken through to the sixth level of Barbarian Strength, reaching Great Perfection in bone refinement.

The wound on his shoulder was the most severe one he received, but it was not the only one. Unlike on the Anlan Mountain, this experience, though still a trial, made him deeply realize that the combat abilities of the Hexi bandits were far superior to those of ordinary martial artists and fierce beasts.

Half an hour later, Xie Tian finished his cultivation. It must be said that as Peiyuan Gong gradually became second nature, it not only cultivated his Yang energy but also had significant healing effects. After some of his internal injuries had healed, Xie Tian finally stood up and began to clean up the battlefield.

There were three bodies of Hexi bandits on the battlefield. Although it was not as intense as yesterday's battle where he faced six, these three had all possessed the cultivation of the seventh level of Barbarian Strength.

That is to say, Xie Tian had defeated three experts who were a level higher than he was.

Though they were at the seventh level of Barbarian Strength, these three Hexi bandits had nothing on them that Xie Tian cared for. Thus, after picking up the steel rod that had pierced his shoulder and tucking it into his sleeve, he left the area and continued through the mountain forest.

Two hours later, a group of people arrived at the battlefield, led by a man with red hair, a red beard, and dressed in red. It was Zhao Xuyang, the fierce leader of the Fiend God Gang, notorious for killing a warrior in Yangshuo City with a single strike three days ago.

Upon recognizing the faces of the three corpses, the members of Fiend God Gang began to distance themselves from Zhao Xuyang. Although Zhao Xuyang's face still glowed red energetically, showing no change in expression, they all knew he was in the angriest moment of his life.

Anyone who saw their only child brutally killed would feel the same.

"Check! Every individual who has entered and left the Hexi Corridor in the past three days!"

"Yes!"

Meanwhile, Xie Tian, unaware that he had killed Zhao Xuyang's only son and incidentally plundered his son's hundred-refined weapon—the Zi Wu Mace—continued on his planned path.

After his trials in Anlan Mountain and combat against the supreme swordsmen, as well as the encounter at the entrance of the Hexi Corridor with Miss Yin from the Yin family, Xie Tian finally decided to replace cultivation with killing, advancing through both murder and cultivation.

This was one of the more dangerous cultivation methods described in the books, dangerous not only because one was very likely to die but also because it could warp one's temperament. A slight misstep could lead to demonic possession and transform one into a ruthless killer.

Xie Tian thought he was unaffected, yet unbeknownst to him, a faint red tinge glimmered in his eyes. He believed that as long as the Hexi bandits harbored a murderous intent towards him first, he would not be influenced by the killings. Little did he know, across nine battles, his methods had become more and more ruthless, more and more cold-blooded.

At just twelve years old, Xie Tian couldn't perceive these changes. He only knew that his cultivation had increased by a stage, his combat abilities had significantly strengthened, and he was a step closer to the distant Xie Shuai and Xie Yun.

A woman's piercing scream came faintly from the woods on the right. Xie Tian didn't pause but continued walking approximately half a mile. He then saw a scene similar to the one on Anlan Mountain, with several men and a woman performing a play.

Thinking of the woman who carried a severed head, Xie Tian didn't stop. However, his indifference didn't mean others would let him pass.

This was expected, for the previous encounters with the Hexi bandits had all been similar.

"Stop!"

Xie Tian obediently halted his steps and set down his backpack.

"Turn around!"

Xie Tian complied.

The Hexi bandit, who was climbing up to the woman, glanced at Xie Tian. Although Xie Tian's pale skin from the loss of Yang energy caught his attention, his eyes lit up. Turning to a companion, he smirked and said, "This boy's complexion isn't much different from the boss', and his features are quite good too. If we feed him for a few days, I reckon he could serve as a pleasure servant for our boss."

"Ha! Look at how loyal our Leopard Brother is, no wonder the boss values you so much! Leopard Brother, you get busy; we'll grab him for you!"

Leopard Brother laughed heartily and began to thrust vigorously. Listening to the woman's screams and cries below him, and thinking of the pleasure servant he would soon offer to the boss, his excitement grew even stronger. He couldn't help but shout, "Get him cleaned up before bringing him over. I want to inspect the goods first!"

Though the Hexi bandits spoke lightly, they showed no disrespect towards Xie Tian. They were well aware that someone covered in blood traveling through the forest was no ordinary person. Thus, three of them stopped four yards away from Xie Tian and surrounded him from three directions.

"Kid, are you going to make a move, or do we need to help you?" The gang leader opposite Xie Tian sneered, an immediate air of bloodlust surrounding him.

Xie Tian thought for a moment and asked, "What is a pleasure servant?"

The gang leader was taken aback, snorted coldly, "Are you really in the mood to ask that?"

"Mm." Xie Tian nodded and walked towards him, saying as he moved, "Because three hours ago, three people mentioned that term. I didn't get to ask before they died."

The moment the words fell was when the gang leader was most on guard!

It was also when the two men behind him simultaneously attacked!

It was also when Xie Tian suddenly leaned back, pushed off with his heels, transformed into a dragon, and shot towards the person on the right!

The Hexi bandits' one-defensive, two-offensive formation was dismantled in an instant by Xie Tian!