Hunyuan Immortal Sect

Chapter 35 Tianshan Bandits
Seeing that he refused, Dou Lang didn't want to force him, after all, this was someone else's territory.

"That's fine, thank you very much."

"I would like to ask you a few questions, is that possible?"

"Master Song, please speak."

"Fellow Daoist, you just mentioned that you are a group of merchants heading to the Muhe Grassland. What's going on? Could you elaborate?"

Dou Lang smiled and said, "We do business between Qin and the Muhe Grassland. Specifically, we sell Qin's elixirs, talismans, formations, as well as the Muhe Grassland's scarce spiritual medicines and minerals. Then, we buy some monster materials or rare cultivation items from there and sell them to Qin. The main thing is to make a profit from the difference in price."

Song Xian's eyes lit up when he heard this. "Hasn't the Muhe Grassland always been hostile to our Qin State? Are they willing to make a deal with you?"

"Why not? There's always someone who wants to make money in this world, and now that both sides have signed a peace agreement, we can do business openly without any fear. It's much more convenient than before."

"From what you said, you have been in this business for quite some time?"

"It's been almost 30 years. I started by following others, and then I formed my own small team."

"Excuse me, fellow Taoist, how many people are there in your team?"

"There are only four of us brothers, all independent cultivators. In addition, we have twenty camels, plus the mortals who drive the camels, a total of more than twenty people."

"Where are you planning to go to sell the cultivation supplies shipped from Qin?"

"Of course it's Bianxi City. We usually sell it to the Beast Taming Sect."

"What's the price difference here? How many spirit stones can you earn on this trip? Would you mind telling me?"

Dou Lang smiled slightly. "It's hard to say how much we can earn. We'll start from Bianxi City, pick up some elixirs, talismans, and spiritual medicines and sell them on the Muhe Grassland. Then we'll buy some monster materials from there and sell them back in Bianxi City. If we're lucky, we can earn thousands of spirit stones. If we're unlucky, we might even lose everything."

"What do you mean? How can you still lose money?"

"Master Song has just arrived and doesn't know the situation here. There's a bandit group along the way from Muhe Grassland to Bianxi City who specializes in robbing passing merchant caravans. If we encounter them, wouldn't it be all in vain and we'd lose everything?"

"Is there such a thing? I really don't know. Can Fellow Daoist Dou tell me in detail? What is the origin of this bandit organization?"

"From Bianxi City to Dongluo City, a distance of approximately ten thousand miles, there is a bandit group called the Red Dragon Bandits. They often rob passing caravans. They are named so because they wear red dragon clothing and masks, and their flags are shaped like a red dragon."

"Their faction is led by Foundation Establishment cultivators, with a strong army and powerful horses. They control the important roads between West City and East Fall City. They often go out to rob merchant caravans. A group of independent cultivators like us cannot afford to offend them. If we encounter them, we can only consider ourselves unlucky."

Song Xian asked, "Fellow Daoist Dou, have you ever encountered them in all these years?"

"Of course I have, more than once."

"The powerful forces in Xijiang County are just going to let them cause chaos? Hijacking the caravans?"

"They're not stupid. They won't mess with those big forces. And I heard they have close ties with the Beast Taming Sect, the largest force in Xijiang County. There are even rumors that this gang of bandits was supported by the Beast Taming Sect."

"Oh? What do you mean? Why would the Beastmaster Sect support this bandit force?"

Dou Lang said, "Master Song, please think carefully. Why is the Beastmaster Sect able to dominate the Western Frontier? Isn't it because they control the spiritual beast trading channels?"

"But over on the Muhe Grassland, there are more than one company that buys and sells spirit beasts. In the past, many of these independent cultivator caravans would directly buy and sell spirit beast cubs, which caused quite a stir for the Beast Taming Sect. But since this bandit organization appeared, there have been no more teams that privately buy and sell spirit beast cubs."

"Fellow Daoist, you'll definitely ask why. It's because these Red Dragon bandits specifically target caravans that illegally resell spirit beasts. If they intercept other caravans, the most they'll do is rob you of your belongings."

"But if it's a caravan buying and selling spirit beasts, in addition to robbing money, they also kill people. Over time, naturally there will be no independent cultivator caravans buying and selling spirit beast cubs."

"If it wasn't the Beast Taming Sect's order? Then why would the Red Dragon Bandits do this?"

"Secondly, where do you think the bandits sold the goods that were robbed from our caravans? They sold them all cheaply to the Beast Taming Sect."

"Even if these bandits aren't supported by the Beast Taming Sect, they're definitely closely connected to it." "Who wouldn't want to occupy such a crucial transportation route? The Red Dragon Bandits have been entrenched for so many years without any threat, and no force has come to suppress them. How could this be possible without the covert support of the Beast Taming Sect, the largest force in Xijiang County?"

"As for why they secretly supported these bandits instead of sending someone to take over directly, the reason is obvious."

"Although the Beast Taming Sect is overbearing, they are at least a reputable and respectable sect. They would not do something as straightforward as robbery. Even if they were shameless enough to do it, they would inevitably incur hatred from all sides in Xijiang County, and the loss would outweigh the gain."

"So secretly supporting the bandits is the best method. It takes all the benefits and doesn't have to bear any responsibility. Even if others want to hate it, they can't blame it."

Song Xian listened to his analysis and nodded. Secretly supporting a notorious bandit force to do things that one wants to do but is not convenient to do in person is a common tactic used by many major forces.

"Fellow Daoist Dou, where do these Red Dragon bandits usually hang out? Where is their lair?"

Dou Lang smiled slightly: "How could Fellow Daoist Song not know? These two bandits are far away in the sky, but they are right in front of us."

"What do you mean, Daoist Dou?" Song Xian was puzzled at first, then suddenly realized: "Could it be that they are in the Tianshan Mountains?"

"Indeed, they have been entrenched in this mountain range. Fellow Daoist, you should know that this mountain range is extremely majestic and vast, stretching over a thousand miles from east to west and nearly a hundred miles from north to south. It is rumored that there are many resources for cultivation within it."

Hearing this, Song Xian's face changed and he couldn't help swallowing secretly. He didn't expect that he had such a miserable life. Not only was the spiritual energy of Guzi Mountain weak, but there was also such a group of powerful bandits hiding nearby.

Tianshan Mountain is only two hundred miles away from Guzi Mountain. Considering the vastness of Bianxi City, it is like a tiger lying beside his bed, which may suddenly attack him at any time.

With such a powerful bandit who has no moral principles of war around, let alone developing and expanding the sect, you have to be careful when going out in the future, for fear that a group of bandits might come out to rob and kill people.

"Master Song, there is no need to worry too much. Although the Red Dragon bandit is brutal and powerful, he rarely kills people. He only robs the property of passing caravans. As long as you don't offend him, he won't specifically target your sect." Dou Lang saw his worry and uneasiness and comforted him with a smile.

Song Xian forced a smile. "Fellow Daoist Dou, you've been doing this business for thirty years, and you're still using this trade route. I'm sure you have a way to avoid the robbers, so you dare to travel with such a large caravan of camels."

"This Tianshan Mountain is the territory of that gang of bandits. It's impossible for a group of independent cultivators like us, traveling with such a large group of camels, to completely avoid their sight."

"Then how did you arrive safely this time without being robbed by them? I beg you to enlighten me."

Dou Lang smiled slightly. "Master Song is so interested in this matter, and wants to know every detail. Could it be that he wants to join this caravan?"

Song Xian's thoughts were seen through by him, so he nodded and said, "To be honest, I am worried about how to establish my sect. We migrated from Pingyuan County and are unfamiliar with this place. There is only one first-grade low-grade spiritual vein here. Although there are some resource areas around, they have all been occupied by independent cultivators."

"Without income, our sect will surely not be able to live off its resources. If this trade route can bring some benefits to our sect, it would be a good idea."

"If Daoist Dou can teach me, I and my sect will be deeply grateful. If you need anything in the future, we will do our best to help you."

Dou Lang smiled and said, "Master Song's sincerity is truly touching. Actually, this isn't a secret; all the caravans passing through know that if they want to avoid being robbed by the Tianshan gang, they have to pay taxes."

"Pay taxes? To whom? The Tianshan bandits?"

Dou Lang pointed upwards mysteriously and said, "They are bandits. How can they possibly collect taxes? We need to find their superiors."

Song Xian asked in surprise, "Do you think Fellow Daoist Dou is looking for the Beast Taming Sect?"

"Senior Yang Jinzhang, the Beastmaster Sect's chief in Bianxi City, is a prominent figure in Bianxi City. If you wish to take this trade route, you must find a way through him. With his consent, everything will be simple."

"He will give you a document, which we call a pass, and then you can travel under the banner of the Beast Taming Sect. This way, the Tianshan bandits will not rob the caravans."

"Even if those ignorant minions come, I just need to show them the pass and give them some spirit stones, and they won't make things difficult for me."

"If there really are those clueless bandits who steal the valuables, just come back and tell Senior Yang Jinzhang directly. He will come forward and get the goods back."

Song Xian's eyes lit up: "Could Brother Dou introduce me to Senior Yang Jinzhang?"

"Who am I to be an introduction for Sect Leader Song? There are at least eight hundred people in West City asking Senior Yang for favors, if not a thousand. I'm just a small fry, how can I have any say in front of Senior Yang? Sect Leader Song, on the other hand, can legitimately visit Senior Yang."

(End of this chapter)