The reason Cao Mengshan, the chief of Longshan Stronghold, had heard anything at all was due to a few scraps of information leaked by the bandits of Fengshan Stronghold. He had only shared this with Ji Rufeng because of their personal friendship. In previous years, Fengshan Stronghold would never have dreamed of targeting the Ji family’s caravan; their escort of two to three hundred guards alone was enough to level the stronghold.
However, this year was different. This year, Wang Jiahe was with them. Li Fushan, the Great Chieftain of Fengshan Stronghold, wore a face of constant misery. Ever since that god-like figure had arrived, everything had changed. He often thought that once this "great deity" finally departed, Fengshan Stronghold would surely be wiped out to the last man as retribution for their recent deeds.
The Ji family caravan was currently passing alongside an ancient forest, the most common site for an ambush. Though the caravan carried much cargo, they also had many people, many of whom were skilled martial artists. Suddenly, a whistling signal arrow pierced the sky. Ji Rufeng signaled with a wave of his hand, and the caravan ground to an immediate halt. Forty or fifty men rushed out from the woods; they were too few to surround such a massive caravan, so they moved to block the path of retreat from behind.
Ji Rufeng looked up and saw Li Fushan, the Great Chieftain of Fengshan Stronghold, standing at the very front. Ji Rufeng offered a faint smile. "Chieftain Li, why go to such lengths? Please, give me some face, and the Ji family will surely remember this kindness."
As he spoke, he signaled to Uncle Ji. The older man hurried forward and placed a bundle on the ground. When he opened it, the sight of glittering silver ingots caused the hearts of the bandits to race with greed.
Li Fushan gave a bitter smile. "Third Young Master, it’s not that I don't want to give you face. It’s just that... *sigh*... Third Young Master, we only wish to inspect the cargo. If there is nothing we want, we will let you pass immediately!"
Ji Rufeng’s brow furrowed. "Chieftain, if you are looking for something specific, simply tell me. I will find it for you regardless of the cost. Why must we resort to blades and spears?"
Li Fushan shook his head. "It’s not a matter of what we want. In truth, even I do not know what it is."
Elder Ma, one of the Ji family’s cultivators-in-residence, spoke up. "Chieftain Li, aren't you just looking for trouble? We have over sixty carriages. How long would it take for you to inspect them one by one? Furthermore, unloading and reloading would take days. Do you expect us to wait here for days on your whim?"
Li Fushan hesitated. "This..."
"Hmph!"
A deafening cold snort echoed from the distance, its force enough to make everyone’s souls tremble with fear.
"Why all this useless chatter?" As the voice drew near, a young man in white appeared, suspended in mid-air.
The faces of the Ji family members paled in shock. Even the most elite martial arts masters required external leverage to stay suspended in the air, yet this man hovered there with effortless ease. It was simply inconceivable.
Li Xue and Li Lin were both momentarily stunned. They exchanged a glance; the man was a cultivator at the third level of Qi Condensation. It was truly hard to believe that a cultivator would stoop to robbing mortals like a common bandit.
*It seems we have a bit of trouble on our hands,* Li Xue thought, her brow creasing slightly as she whispered to Li Lin to suppress his aura. Li Lin’s eyes brightened. Usually, he only practiced spells with his mother; they had never truly interacted with other cultivators. Encountering one now made him feel a spark of excitement.
The white-clad cultivator was indeed Wang Jiahe. His shout had been infused with a cultivator’s spiritual pressure, something no ordinary mortal could withstand.
Ji Rufeng’s face was ashen. Seeing this display, he understood. This man was surely one of the legendary cultivators. Having traveled between many kingdoms for years, he had seen and heard more than the average person. His heart hammered against his ribs. Swallowing hard, he said respectfully, "Senior, we are willing to unload all sixty carriages. We ask only that Senior grant us some time."
A clamor broke out among the Ji family’s men. Though they had been cowed by Wang Jiahe’s overwhelming presence and dared not resist, unloading sixty carriages was not something that could be done quickly.
Wang Jiahe watched with an expressionless face, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
Ji Rufeng gave the order. The guards dismounted, and the various squads prepared to begin the arduous task of unloading the goods.
Wang Jiahe’s eyes narrowed as he noticed the first few carriages remained still. "Why aren't those front carriages being unloaded?" he asked coldly.
Ji Rufeng’s expression became even more strained. He bowed. "Senior, those carriages carry family members and servants. There is no cargo in them."
Wang Jiahe replied icily, "Have them all come out so I may see for myself!"
"Hmph!"
Suddenly, a cold snort erupted from one of those very carriages. Simultaneously, a surge of spiritual pressure, as vast and powerful as a rainbow, swept toward Wang Jiahe.
A white shadow blurred out of the carriage, soaring into the sky. Immediately after, a streak of silver light shot toward the distant mountains. Ji Rufeng only heard a woman’s voice ring in his ear: "Third Young Master, subdue the bandits first. Wait for my return!"
When he looked up again, Wang Jiahe had already vanished.
Overwhelmed with shock, Ji Rufeng rushed to the carriage where Li Xue and her son had been staying. It was, as expected, empty. Only then did he take a deep breath, his heart surging with a wild, turbulent excitement. He took a moment to steady his emotions, then commanded the guards to stop unloading and instead capture every single bandit from Fengshan Stronghold.
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 龙山寨 | Longshan Stronghold | Dragon Mountain Stronghold; a neighboring bandit group. |
| 曹梦山 | Cao Mengshan | The Great Chieftain of Longshan Stronghold. |
| 风山寨 | Fengshan Stronghold | Wind Mountain Stronghold; the bandit group blocking the path. |
| 李付山 | Li Fushan | The Great Chieftain of Fengshan Stronghold. |
| 王家和 | Wang Jiahe | A rogue cultivator (Qi Condensation Level 3) from the fallen Wang family. |
| 凝气三层 | Third Level of Qi Condensation | The third sub-stage of the initial realm of cultivation. |
| 威压 | Spiritual Pressure | The aura or mental pressure exerted by a cultivator. |
| 前辈 | Senior | A respectful term used for someone of higher status or cultivation. |
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Ascended Without Me: Cultivating with a Genius Son | Chapter 10 | Confrontation at Wind Mountain | Novela.app | Novela.app
