Chapter 27: Sand Bandits

The wind howled against the wooden windows, making them rattle so violently that no one dared to open them. However, the slivers of light leaking through the cracks let He Lingchuan know that darkness was approaching.

He lay on the quilt with his legs crossed, fiddling with He Chunhua's Kite Coin. "Old man, who was the first to actually develop this method of using Yuan Power? Some say the gods taught it to humans, others say it was passed down by immortals."

When unactivated, it looked like nothing more than an ordinary coin. Who could have guessed that a tiny State Decree could carry the destiny of a nation and the will of its people?

Yuan Power was truly mysterious.

"There is no consensus; it is hard to find in the annals of history," He Chunhua frowned. "The origins of Yuan Power are extremely vague. After all, recorded human history is only a few thousand years old, and organized nations have existed for barely a millennium. It is said that in ancient times, gods and immortals roamed the mortal realm, and there were no nations then. It wasn't until after the Great Cataclysm, when the gods and immortals vanished and demons ran rampant, that humans were forced to unite into factions, giving rise to nations."

He took the Kite Coin back from his son's hand. "It was the emergence of the State Decree that made it possible for the Human Nation to contend with the Demon Race. Whether it was taught by gods, by immortals, or realized by humans themselves—what does it matter?"

Cultivators, after all, were a minority. Most people were born ordinary; how could they possibly fight against established demons? In such times, the Yuan Power catalyzed by collective will and unity became the nation's ultimate weapon against the demon race.

From being mere equals to eventually surpassing them, Yuan Power had played an indispensable role. Today, the population and territory of the Human Nation were far greater than those of the Demon Nation and the Demon Domains.

"So, you're saying no one actually knows the origin of Yuan Power?" He Lingchuan sighed, returning to the main topic. "Old man, why did you follow us into the desert?"

"Could I not?" He Chunhua reclined halfway. After days of exhaustion, his entire body felt as if it would fall apart the moment he relaxed. "If I had refused to follow, State Preceptor Sun could have executed me by imperial decree."

"Since when is an imperial decree so intimidating?" He Lingchuan sneered. "The royal order even told us to cooperate with the investigation, and didn't we stall for just as long? On the day of departure, you could have easily stalled for time if you had truly set your mind to it."

There was always a countermeasure for every policy; was that any different in this world?

This boy's mind had become much more subtle than before. He Chunhua closed his eyes to rest for a long while before saying in a low voice, "With State Preceptor Sun present, the chances of returning alive are not low. Besides, I feel there is something suspicious about this trip to Panlong Ancient City. If I don't come to see it for myself, I fear a great calamity lies ahead."

He Lingchuan's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?"

"I can't quite put my finger on it," He Chunhua shook his head. "It's just a sudden intuition. I thought about making excuses, but the anxiety in my heart grew heavier and heavier. My gut told me I had to make this trip."

What he called a "sudden intuition" was, in truth, what people called a sixth sense.

People of this era placed great importance on it, so He Lingchuan couldn't say much more. However, he still felt there was something strange about it.

Governor He was famously prudent and composed; would he really risk his life based on a mere feeling?

But since the man wouldn't say, how could his son guess?

He Chunhua added, "Chuan'er, you performed very well on this trip."

"Oh?" His father was actually praising him? He Lingchuan instantly perked up.

"Don't be too polite to Nian Songyu; use your methods to coax information out of him. He has the State Preceptor behind him, and you have me behind you." He Chunhua's voice was kept very low. "But don't resort to violence with him; you can't beat him. You handled that boundary quite well."

"Yes, sir!" As expected, He Chunhua wanted his eldest son to play the "bad cop" while he played the "good cop." The eldest son would be blunt and say all the necessary things, and then He Chunhua would step in to smooth things over.

Even his reckless, rogue-like personality could be utilized effectively by his father. He was indeed suited to return to Kite Capital to navigate the social circles.

He wouldn't lose out anywhere in the officialdom.

***

The next morning, the convoy set out once more.

Although they were still on the Red Cliff Road, travelers in this direction were becoming increasingly scarce. The State Preceptor's party finally encountered the second great calamity of the Panlong Desert

Sand Bandits.

These bandits were humans, a group of about thirty riders, mostly fierce men riding horses like the wind. He Lingchuan could tell at a glance that several of the muscular fellows were martial artists, and there were likely sorcerers within the group as well.

As the two parties approached each other, they both froze, sizing each other up.

It went without saying how the party viewed the bandits; but in the eyes of the bandits, this group was dressed uniformly, equipped with light armor and long blades, carrying standardized weapons and armor, and riding easily recognizable warhorses. What did that signify?

This was an army!

Whether they were marching, suppressing bandits, or patrolling, what else could an army be doing in the Panlong Desert?

Commoners do not fight officials, and seeing that the army's numbers far exceeded their own, the bandits were also genuinely startled.

Fortunately, the masked man leading them turned to see He Chunhua, and his eyes instantly lit up. He actually spurred his horse forward. "Governor He, we are just passing through!"

Before they had attempted to pillage, weren't they indeed "just passing through"? He Chunhua cleared his throat, feeling a bit awkward. "We have no time to suppress bandits today. Just ensure you do no harm... Is there anyone further to the north?"

State Preceptor Sun and his companion looked at him, then at the bandits, and understood.

Both sides clearly knew each other.

"No, not a single feather!" the man said with a forced laugh, hurrying to add, "We'll be going now, we won't delay your official business!"

Just as the bandits were about to make a quick escape, Sun Fuping spoke up: "Wait! You must be very familiar with the Panlong Desert, aren't you?"

"Uh, something like that." The man saw that Sun Fuping sat half a horse-length ahead of He Chunhua and possessed an extraordinary aura, suggesting he was also a person of high status. Such people were usually their favorite "fat sheep"—after looting their belongings, they could even kidnap them for ransom, killing two birds with one stone.

But with Governor He right there, they didn't dare to act recklessly.

"How long have you been here?"

"Ten... just a few years," Situ Han tried to explain. "We've always known when to stop..."

"Then stay."

"Huh?"

Sun Fuping said to He Chunhua, "We are short on manpower; isn't this perfect?"

He Chunhua thought to himself, *Are two hundred imperial soldiers not enough?* But on the surface, he nodded. "True, it is not easy to recruit people in the city."

The State Preceptor smiled kindly, looking at the bandits like a weasel looking at a chicken. The gaze made them so uneasy that they wanted to speed up and flee. Unexpectedly, He Chunhua raised his Kite Coin and cleared his throat. "All of you, stay! From this moment on, Blackwater City officially incorporates the thirty Man Mountain bandits..."

He Lingchuan counted accurately from the side: "Thirty-two people!"

"...Thirty-two people, to be placed under the command of Vice-Lieutenant Zeng Feixiong, to follow military orders!"

He Chunhua even went as far as to list their salary and benefits.

The Man Mountain bandits stared with wide eyes, looking at one another in disbelief. The bandit leader asked tentatively, "We... we are becoming government soldiers now?"

This was too fake, too much like a joke. These officials certainly knew how to play.

"Precisely!"

"Then, where is Governor He going?"

"To await the State Preceptor's orders," He Chunhua pointed at Sun Fuping. "Deep into the Panlong Ruins."

Seeing the imperial soldiers surrounding them from all sides, the bandits were momentarily stunned. "What!"

...

After traveling over ten miles, the bandit leader Situ Han still felt somewhat dizzy. He had clearly checked the almanac before coming out to rob people today; how had he suddenly turned into a regular soldier halfway through the journey?

He Lingchuan patted his shoulder and said sympathetically, "Hang in there. As long as you make it back to the city alive, you'll be eating from the imperial granary from now on."

How could eating from the imperial granary be as pleasurable as being a mountain king? However, with his men surrounded by the Blackwater City legion, there was nowhere to run. Situ Han's smile was more painful than a cry, and his spine felt ice-cold. "Young Master He, are we really going into the Panlong Ruins? The Sandstorm Season is approaching; if we get trapped in there, it's certain death!"