The remaining bandits scrambled to counterattack, the leader barking orders in a rough, panicked voice. "Spread out and take them down! Don't let those little girls humiliate you!"
Han Qingyu spun her spear in a deathly arc, deflecting a bandit's blade before countering with a sharp thrust. The tip of the spear glowed with a silvery aura as it pierced through the bandit's chest, leaving a gaping hole where his heart used to be.
Wan Ling, on the other hand, danced between her opponents. She used her Radiant Sword Arts with swift precision, the edge of her blade cutting through the air as she parried and countered the bandits' attacks.
She deflected one bandit's clumsy swing and retaliated with a sharp slice, leaving a glowing line across his chest before he collapsed.
Shen Yuan watched the fight unfold with calm eyes, his bow still notched with an arrow. His eyes sharply moved toward the bandit leader, who was quietly signaling two hidden figures in the forest to sneak attack Wan Ling.
His lips curved into a slight smirk. 'Well, what can I say? As expected of bandits? Hah.'
[They are lowly bandits, what else can we even expect from them?]
Yue Lan disdainfully said.
'Hey, bandits are good, just depends on who they are robbing.' He slightly shook his head before drawing his bowstring back, the arrow glowing faintly with thunderous energy. "Let's make it a short-lived surprise."
As one of the hidden bandits stepped out from the shadows of the trees, a loud crack echoed through the forest.
Shen Yuan's arrow streaked through the air like a bolt of lightning, striking the bandit square in the head. Thunder Qi exploded on impact, sending the man flying backward into a tree. His headless body dropped to the ground, smoke rising from the charred neck.
The bandit leader's eyes widened as he realized the situation was rapidly getting out of his control. "You bastard! Do you think this is a game?" he roared, charging toward Han Qingyu with his massive axe raised high.
Han Qingyu smirked, her silver aura intensifying. She avoided his attack with ease, her spear glowing brighter as she thrust it forward.
The tip struck the axe's shaft, creating a resounding clang as the force pushed the leader back several steps.
Wan Ling, having finished off her opponent, turned her attention to the remaining bandits.
Shen Yuan nodded, "True, but no need to compare yourself with all of them," he said before turning to Han Qingyu, "Qingyu, you just entered the Sect for a short few months, and you have already achieved so much, that's exceptional enough." Explore more adventures at empire
He then turned to Wan Ling before gently smiling and saying, "And Wan Ling, it's been like a month since you entered the Inner Sect, no need to compare yourself with those older disciples, you will reach far on the path of cultivation yourself."
Both of them blushed slightly at his compliments before lowering their heads,
"Thank you, Senior Brother Yuan."
"Thank you, Brother Yuan."
Shen Yuan nodded with approval.
[Hmm, you're playing the role of their mentor quite well. Are you training them so they won't fall far behind you in the future?]
'Yes, I don't want any of my harem members to feel inferior to each other, and since we are pretty much sure that these both will be in my harem sooner or later, it's better to toughen them up right now.'
[That's true as well, and they are doing good so far, you can also buy a few things from the market to help them.]
'I was thinking of giving that Heavenly Tier Bloodline to Wan Ling but now I feel it will be too inferior for her.'
[Just do things at your own pace, you can prepare a nice gift for her before your official proposal. Hehe.]
'Oh yeah, System might also give me a few good things to give them when I add them in the harem and during the first time we Dual Cultivate, no?'
[Who knows? It's completely random, you can get good things or complete trash.]
'Meh, I will see to it when the time comes.' Shen Yuan replied to Yue Lan before glancing at the fallen bandits. "Let's check their belongings. They might have something useful."
The three of them searched the bodies, gathering Spirit Stones, low-grade artifacts, a few low-grade cultivation manuals, and a few vials of pills.
After gathering the loot from the bandits, the three of them mounted their Northern Wind Horses and resumed their journey.