Chapter 1938: Protecting the Homeland Is Our Unshirkable Duty

The duration of training in the Asura Field is not fixed. Normally, it’s not long, usually completable within one or two months, which was the case for Lu Ye’s two previous experiences.

However, there are exceptions; some training scenarios might take several years, or even over a decade.

Cultivators cannot leave before completing their final mission. The only exception is when a cultivator is challenged in the Battle Arena three days before the final ranking. If the challenged person chooses to fight, they are directly transported to the Battle Arena space, and upon completion of the fight, they return to their training scenario.

Thus, cultivators intending to maintain their rankings don’t have to worry about their training interfering.

This training scenario was undoubtedly an excellent place for Lu Ye to rapidly accumulate Asura Marks. Therefore, he didn’t want it to end quickly; ideally, he’d stay for over a decade…

At the current rate of acquiring Asura Marks, he might even be able to redeem the Asura Field’s associated treasure within a decade or so.

However, he knew this was likely impossible, as the world’s cultivation level was too low, meaning the Asura Field wouldn’t allow him to remain for an extended period.

“Benefactor, please take care on your journey!” Yao Nuan spoke, while the other women, standing behind her, gazed at Lu Ye with expressions of gratitude and reluctance.

Now freed from their suffering and having arrived in Ding’an City, no one would know of their past ordeals. They could fully embrace new lives from now on.

Lu Ye nodded, “You all take care as well!”

He raised a hand to grasp the black horse’s reins, preparing to turn and depart.

Just then, the rapid thud of hooves galloped from a distance, followed by the whoosh of objects cutting through the air.

Thudding sounds echoed, mingled with several screams, and the area around the city gate instantly erupted into chaos!

Yao Nuan and the others turned pale with fright.

Lu Ye was already holding his long spear, positioned in front of the women. Several broken arrows fell before him; he had sensed the danger and intercepted them just in time, otherwise some of the women behind him would surely have been harmed.

He focused his gaze. About thirty zhang away, a group of uninvited guests on horseback approached. Their leader had a ruthless expression, with only one eye; the other was covered by a black patch.

There weren’t many of them, only about thirty, all carrying longbows and wearing black cloths tied to their sleeves or foreheads. They were responsible for the recent attack.

That volley had caused at least a dozen passers-by to suffer undeserved harm. Some were killed instantly, but most, though not dead, were now wailing in pain.

Lu Ye’s eyebrows rose at the sight.

During his journey, he had killed many bandits who ambushed travelers, so he knew at a glance that this group was up to no good.

He had already reached Ding’an City, yet Asura Marks were still being actively delivered to his doorstep?

“The Black Scarf Army!” At the city gate, a general on duty blanched upon seeing the black scarves worn by the bandits, as if he’d seen a ghost in broad daylight. He had never imagined the notorious Black Scarf Army would have already infiltrated this far.

Then he watched as a young man, a long saber at his waist and a thick spear in hand, enthusiastically charged toward the Black Scarf Army.

The one-eyed Black Scarf leader, astride a tall horse, had allowed his subordinates to wantonly kill a dozen or so civilians and was about to declare the Black Scarf Army’s demands, as was their custom. Before he could speak, he saw Lu Ye actively advance. He paused, then scoffed, “Kill him!”

In this world, there were always these overconfident, self-proclaimed righteous fools who believed they could stand against the overwhelming tide.

He had seen many such individuals before, all of whom had been crushed to dust beneath the Black Scarf Army’s iron hooves.

At his command, a group of archers behind him immediately unleashed a volley of arrows.

The whooshing sounds of arrows tearing through the air resounded once more. At such close range, and with Lu Ye showing no intention of dodging, even with poor aim from the archers, almost half the arrows found their mark on him.

At the city gate, many people winced, unable to bear the sight.

“Hmm?” The one-eyed Black Scarf leader was momentarily stunned, for the arrows shot at the approaching figure hadn’t harmed him in the slightest. The man seemed to possess a body of bronze skin and iron bones; the arrows, upon impact, merely bounced off, leaving only faint marks on his clothes.

“A cultivator!” The one-eyed Black Scarf leader, sensing the spiritual power fluctuations emanating from Lu Ye, immediately drew a large saber from his horse’s back. So what if he was a cultivator? He, too, had achieved significant cultivation and was confident he wouldn’t be weaker than his opponent.

Lu Ye had already charged to the one-eyed Black Scarf leader’s front, thrusting his thick spear forward with a fluid motion.

“How dare you!” the one-eyed Black Scarf leader roared furiously. He leaped from his horse, and with the momentum of his forward lunge, brought his saber down fiercely towards Lu Ye’s head.

With his brute strength and five-aperture cultivation, he was confident that a mere passerby, especially one so young, could never block his strike.

At Lu Ye’s age, he hadn’t even begun cultivating.

The one-eyed Black Scarf leader’s eyes trembled violently, and a searing pain shot through his chest. His entire body had been impaled by the long spear, leaving him dangling like a dead fish on the shaft.

“You…” His face contorted in terror, he managed only a single word before his consciousness faded.

Lu Ye swung his long spear, flinging the corpse aside, and then charged fiercely into the group of archers, dispatching them one by one with effortless thrusts of his spear.

Seeing their strongest leader, the one-eyed man, fall so easily, the archers were all utterly horrified. They dared not engage Lu Ye, focusing solely on fleeing.

But where could they escape? Empowered by Wind Walk, Lu Ye could pursue them to their deaths, even on horseback!

In just a short while, the attacking Black Scarf Army was completely annihilated, leaving only dozens of tall horses whinnying uneasily.

A bloody scene permeated the area in front of the city gate.

Lu Ye wiped the blood from his spear on a corpse and returned, shouldering his weapon. However, what puzzled him was that despite his heroic actions, the people at the city gate showed no joy, but were instead filled with terror.

Only the general on duty wore an expression of shock and admiration.

Lu Ye paid them no mind. He simply walked up to Yao Nuan and the others and asked, “Are you all right?”

All the women shook their heads.

“Alright, if you’re fine, go into the city. It’s not very safe out here.” Lu Ye waved his hand. He had previously sensed how chaotic this world was, but he never expected such rampant disorder that people would commit crimes right at the city gate.

Yao Nuan and the others nodded, “Benefactor, please take care.”

Hurried footsteps approached from the side. Lu Ye turned to see the general on duty, who appeared to be around forty years old. The general cupped his fists and said, “I am Zhou Ping of Ding’an City. May I be so bold as to ask your esteemed name, sir?”

Lu Ye could sense that the general also had signs of cultivation. He didn’t know how many apertures he had opened, but based on his previous interactions, it seemed Zhou Ping hadn’t opened many spiritual apertures.

“Lu Ye.”

“Mr. Lu!” Zhou Ping bowed again, his demeanor highly respectful and his gaze quite eager. “May I ask, sir, are you leaving?”

“Yes, why do you ask?”

“I wouldn’t presume to advise, but perhaps you’re unaware, sir. The Black Scarf Army’s vanguard scout team was just annihilated. They will certainly not let this pass, and a large army will inevitably besiege the city. Sir, you possess great righteousness, and I, Zhou, would like to ask you to stay and help us fight the bandit army!”

Lu Ye blinked. “Are you saying… more of the Black Scarf Army will arrive?”

“That is certain. This bandit army commits all manner of evil, leaving misery in their wake wherever they go. Several cities have already fallen, but I never anticipated them arriving so swiftly, already so close to Ding’an.”

Lu Ye’s expression immediately became solemn. “Eliminating evil and protecting the innocent, defending our homes and country—it is our inescapable duty!”

Zhou Ping was overjoyed. “Thank you very much, sir! Please, enter the city first and accompany me to meet the City Lord!” He hadn’t expected Lu Ye to be so agreeable.

“Please.” Lu Ye extended his hand.

A moment later, Zhou Ping gave an order and led Lu Ye into the city, with Yao Nuan and the others joyfully following close behind. Although they hadn’t spent much time together, throughout their journey, it was consistently Lu Ye alone who repelled the attacking bandits, ensuring their temporary peace. When Lu Ye was about to leave Ding’an City, they were already quite reluctant. Now, it was wonderful news—Lu Ye wasn’t leaving!

Zhou Ping was a member of the Zhou family, one of Ding’an’s three prominent clans, and considered a local magnate. Seeing that it would be truly inconvenient for Lu Ye to bring so many women along, he first took the initiative to arrange Yao Nuan and the others into a courtyard belonging to the Zhou family, before finally leading Lu Ye to the City Lord’s residence.

Along the way, Lu Ye chatted with him and gathered some information about the Black Scarf Army.

In this world, banditry was rampant, with greenwood bandits claiming mountains everywhere. The Black Scarf Army originated this way: initially, they were merely a band of bandits, but they gradually grew and expanded, eventually adopting the moniker “Black Scarf Army.”

As their strength grew, they were no longer content with the paltry gains from highway robbery. Instead, they began to target densely populated areas, repeatedly massacring villages and laying siege to cities, and their notoriety spread. More and more bandits defected to them; it could be said that the entire Black Scarf Army was a conglomeration of countless bandit groups.

Furthermore, wherever this bandit army passed, it plunged all major cities into fear. Zhou Ping had heard earlier that they were still five hundred li away, yet somehow they had already infiltrated the vicinity.

With the Black Scarf Army’s scout team appearing today, it likely wouldn’t be long before the entire Black Scarf Army converged around Ding’an. When such a tempting target lay before them, the Black Scarf Army would surely not let it go.

This was also why Zhou Ping invited Lu Ye; he had seen Lu Ye’s formidable strength during their recent encounter.

A moment later, in a side hall of the City Lord’s residence, Lu Ye and Zhou Ping sat upright as maidservants served tea and then withdrew.

The two chatted while waiting.

Zhou Ping was still enthusiastically recounting intelligence about the Black Scarf Army to Lu Ye, but failed to notice that Lu Ye’s expression was slowly becoming indifferent.

After a while, Zhou Ping’s mouth was dry from speaking, and he asked with a hint of doubt, “Why hasn’t the City Lord arrived yet?”

He had sent word upon his arrival; logically, the City Lord should have appeared much earlier.

Lu Ye turned his head to look at him, his gaze distant and lingering.

Zhou Ping looked back, “Is something wrong, sir? Is there something on my face?”

“Are you feeling dizzy?” Lu Ye suddenly asked.