Every bandit who barged into the room now found themselves trapped, with no avenue of escape. They rushed frantically to the locked doors and windows, desperately clawing for any chance of freedom.
Yue Chan regarded them with a cold, fearless gaze, stripping away every last shred of their bravado.
Moments earlier, they had mocked and humiliated her simply because she was a woman. But now, that arrogance had vanished.
The proud, insolent bandits were reduced to trembling cowards, paralyzed by fear of her—though she hadn't laid a single finger on them.
Now she understood: just hearing the title 'Supreme Warrior' had shattered their composure and turned their world upside down.
In their minds, they were nothing compared to her.
Harsh as it was, it was the undeniable truth.
Realizing there was no way out, each of them turned to face her, their legs trembling despite their efforts to stand firm. Swords gleamed in their hands, raised defensively as a last line of hope.
Meanwhile, the commoners recoiled in terror and fled toward any place they thought might offer safety.
Li Haoran hurried toward Yue Chan, intent on intervening; but before he could reach her, she conjured a barrier, drawing a clear boundary between them.
Disbelief flashed across Li Haoran's face, his lips parting as he looked at her with a pure, questioning expression.
"Why?" was all he managed, the word slipping out in wonder.
Yue Chan took another step forward and spoke firmly. "Protect everyone here. Don't let anyone get hurt."
She sighed softly, closing her eyes at his protest. After a moment, she opened them again, her gaze gentle yet unreadable as it met his. "I can handle it," she replied, a small smile curving her lips.
Li Haoran had hoped she would relent, but her calm assurance left him speechless. "Trust me."
After speaking, Yue Chan's expression grew somber as she slowly turned to face her opponent.
On the other side, Li Haoran tried desperately to break through the barrier, but his efforts were in vain. All he could do was watch her from behind the boundary, powerless to help.
Once again, his hope of standing by her side was dashed.
He had believed their promise—to fight side by side—would finally be fulfilled today, their first true test. But it seemed Yue Chan was allowing him to take the lead only for this first trial, not for what was to come.
However, he couldn't tear his gaze away from her. Though there was little he could do, at least he could bear witness to her every move.
In the next moment, the entire room fell into a deep, tense silence. As Yue Chan paused mid-step, she slowly reached up and untied the red headband from her high ponytail. Short strands of hair fell around her delicate features, though half her face remained concealed behind a mask. With a swift motion, she snapped the headband sideways, and it transformed instantly into a fighting staff—a prominent weapon she could conjure from the sacred relic she often wielded in tournaments.
The battle had begun; there was no turning back.
In the blink of an eye, the room erupted into a fierce, brutal clash. The bandits lunged at her with eagerness, determined to bring her down.
Yue Chan did not hold back, wielding her fighting staff with unwavering strength and precision.
Dozens—thirty, perhaps forty—attacked her at once, while she stood alone, relying solely on her physical skill and prowess.
To her, they were just ordinary people, lacking any cultivation. Using her innate power against them would be unfair, so she chose to fight them with nothing but her own strength.
Honestly, these bandits weren't easy to handle—they were skilled fighters.
The commoners, hidden away, found it hard to stay concealed.
One by one, they began to sneak out from their hiding places, drawn by the chaos unfolding before them.
Gradually, murmurs and exclamations rippled through the crowd as awe spread across their faces.
On tournament days, spectators would pay two or three silver taels just for a seat in the arena.
But today, by sheer luck, they were witnessing not a staged competition, but a real battle—one more thrilling and unforgettable than any tournament.
Compliments filled the air, but Li Haoran only cast a brief glance at the crowd, listening to their praises in silence.
The rumors about Yue Chan were true—she was truly extraordinary, almost beyond comprehension.
Yet, these accolades meant nothing to him; all he felt was a hollow emptiness, a mix of worry and frustration.
It wasn't that Yue Chan had forbidden him from fighting by her side—what troubled him most was her injury, the memory of the wound on her back haunting his thoughts.
The emotion weighed heavily within him, almost suffocating. He clenched his fists at his sides, struggling to contain the storm of disappointment raging inside.
Most of all, his eyes betrayed him—they revealed the pain and struggle he was fighting to hide.
Red-eyed and teary—that's what he looked like.
He believed in her; he knew her, even though their bond was only a month old. Yet his feelings—his affection and devotion—ran so deep that it felt as if they'd been together for much longer.
To Yue Chan, he was just her disciple, but to him, she meant far more. He longed to protect her, no matter the cost. In his silent heart, she was everything.
Back at the center of the chaos, twenty bandits—and most of their number—had already been defeated.
The remaining few still fought on, desperately wielding their weapons against Yue Chan.
The only sounds cutting through the tense silence were the hiss of blades slicing through the air, the clash of weapons, and the crash of objects breaking or falling apart with every blow.
Every swift movement of Yue Chan's fighting staff sent opponents flying, crashing into walls or tumbling across the floor. Her strikes were strong, precise, and flawlessly executed.
She didn't rely solely on her staff; it was the seamless blend of weapon mastery and martial skill that left the crowd in awe.
At that, the commoners burst out, shouting, "This is remarkably entertaining!"
Yue Chan, however, remained focused, never losing sight of the fight.
When five more bandits fell, the remaining ones hesitated, slowly stepping back in retreat.
Their swords stayed firmly in hand, but they anxiously glanced at one another, silently questioning whether to flee or stand their ground.
A bead of sweat slid down Yue Chan's temple, tracing a path along her jaw. She drew a quiet breath, steadying her pounding heart.
Despite her profound cultivation, she was still human.
More than that, she was a woman born with innate power capable of crushing any adversary.
Yet in this moment, she honored her own principles—refusing to use supernatural strength against mere humans.
That was the point: she carefully concealed her true nature in public, ensuring no one discovered she was more than just a prodigy.
It was also why Elder Yun Ji kept her hidden—he held the key to everything.
Suddenly, the unexpected cry of surrender rang out from the bandit leader.
"We forfeit!"
A moment later, the sharp metallic clang of weapons echoed through the room as each bandit threw down their arms and knelt before her.
Yet Yue Chan's instincts bristled with disbelief.
There were still at least fifteen of them—how had they surrendered so quickly?
After all, she had relied only on physical strength in battle, setting aside her supernatural abilities.
Something felt off.
Her brows furrowed as suspicion flickered in her eyes. She glanced back and met Li Haoran's steady gaze; he had been watching her the entire time.
Catching sight of his serious expression, Yue Chan—though veiled—offered him a reassuring smile. Li Haoran caught the warmth in her eyes, and in that instant, his own tense gaze softened.
Though he had been upset by being forbidden to intervene, he couldn't help but return her smile.
The eyes of the commoners quickly shifted to Li Haoran, who stood at the front of the crowd.
Rumors began to ripple through the room, accompanied by curious whispers: "Who is he? What's his relationship to the Supreme Warrior? Is he her secret lover?"
Those murmurs stung Li Haoran's ears, but he paid them no mind.
The gossip meant nothing to him—'so what?' he thought.
Whether people speculated or not, he felt a quiet pride.
In fact, the whispers made him smile, secretly pleased by all the attention.
On the other side, Yue Chan slowly approached the bandits kneeling before her.
"Why did you cause chaos in this town and hurt innocent people? What was your purpose?" she asked, her voice calm but commanding as she waited for a response.
Gradually, each of them lifted their heads to meet her gaze.
None spoke, but Yue Chan noticed the leader lowering his head further, a small pouch clutched in his hand.
"What are you holding?" she asked.
The lead bandit looked up at her and raised the pouch. "These are the taels we took from the staff. We'll return them," he said quietly, extending the pouch toward her in surrender.
It took a moment before Yue Chan was willing to accept his offering; she remained uncertain, unsure whether this gesture was genuine or a trap.
Standing perfectly still, she silently calculated her next move, scrutinizing their every action.
When Yue Chan didn't immediately take the pouch, the man slowly lowered it—then, unexpectedly, a predatory sneer appeared on his face.
In one swift motion, he sprang to his feet and hurled something at her.
It wasn't just anything—it was a deadly powder that struck her face and quickly seeped into her skin.
She unintentionally inhaled the substance, which spread rapidly through her senses.
Within seconds, Yue Chan felt her throat dry out, her vision blur, and her chest tighten. She staggered back, coughing harshly as she tried to distance herself from them.
As her strength faded, a triumphant laugh echoed through the room, and the bandits' underestimation of her became clear.
She barely managed another step before stumbling into a chair, gripping its frame tightly as her legs trembled from the effects of the substance.
Sensing her weakness, the bandits saw their chance and moved to attack.
One lunged forward, aiming to strike her down—but Yue Chan dodged with remarkable precision.
As the sword sliced through the air just above her, she arched backward, the blade grazing her chin. The chair's sturdy frame was the only thing keeping her upright.
Unfortunately, her impaired vision left her vulnerable. She didn't notice one of the opponents closing in from behind until it was too late—a sudden kick to her back sent her crashing hard to the floor.
Pain wracked her body as she coughed violently, the metallic taste of blood filling her mouth. Warm liquid seeped through her mask, dripping onto the floor below.
The substance they had thrown at her was clearly poison, which explained her sudden weakness.
The sight was unbearable.
Yue Chan crawled along the floor, her body trembling uncontrollably.
A swirl of thoughts filled her mind: Was this the end? She closed her eyes, resting her cheek against the cold ground.
Through her blurred vision, she could just make out Li Haoran, frozen in place.
Through the crowd, Li Haoran's eyes were red with rage as he watched Yue Chan collapse. The commotion gave way to silence when he suddenly shouted, "SHUT UP!"
Everyone froze, falling perfectly still.
Seeing his master wounded—yet still able to offer him a faint smile behind her mask—shattered Li Haoran's heart.
He had pleaded with her the night before to let them fight side by side, but she had been unwaveringly stubborn.
"Fall back," he commanded.
The order left the commoners bewildered, unsure of what he meant. But he barked it again, louder this time.
"I said, fall back! Do you all want to die?"
Panic swept through the crowd, and the people scattered, fleeing without waiting for another command.
As the chaos subsided, Li Haoran's expression darkened, his gaze fixed on Yue Chan's battered form.
This time, nothing else mattered to him.
He refused to stand by and risk losing her—he wouldn't wait and be left with nothing but regret.
His resolve hardened, sudden and unwavering.
"Master, I'm sorry, but I have to do this."
Li Haoran summoned his power, channeling it through his bare hand with full force.
In the blink of an eye, the barrier shattered like shards of icy glass.
A gust of wind swept through the room, making everyone's hair whip wildly in its wake.
The bandits stared in shock, their jaws dropping in a mix of terror and disbelief.
"You! You're not human—you've been pretending all along!" the lead bandit shouted, his voice trembling with fear.
"You're right, I'm not human. So what?" Li Haoran replied coldly.
The bandits froze at his admission.
"Anyone who dares to harm my master will pay the price," he declared, his expression twisted with a fierce, almost sinister resolve. Then, in a chilling whisper, he added, "Die."