Volume Two: The Life of a Bandit Chapter Twenty-One: The Deal (Part One)

Ten Lower-tier Celestial Deities, six Mid-tier Celestial Deities, and two Upper-tier Celestial Deities—eighteen deities in total—simultaneously launched their assault on Qin Shuang and Qin Si. The eighteen divine artifacts they wielded emitted a fierce radiance, causing the surrounding space itself to tremble.

Just as Qin Shuang was about to strike, Qin Si’s dissatisfied voice echoed in her mind, “Xiao Shuang, they’re mine. You just watch from the sidelines.”

Qin Shuang smiled helplessly and stepped aside, watching as Qin Si roared fiercely and transformed his spear into eighteen beams of light, striking the eighteen deities simultaneously.

Boom! Boom! A series of explosions rang out. The eighteen superior and inferior divine artifacts shattered into dust beneath Qin Si’s spear. Yet, the spear he wielded was nothing more than an ordinary superior divine artifact, the same treasured weapon he had relied on since entering the Primordial Chaos Realm.

The eyes of the eighteen adversaries turned blood-red in unison. The treasured artifacts they had painstakingly obtained were destroyed by Qin Si; these were their only treasures. In the Primordial Chaos Realm, owning a single divine artifact was no small feat.

With a furious roar, the eighteen surged wildly toward Qin Si. Qin Shuang crossed her arms, observing with a mixture of amusement and sympathy as they frenziedly fought for their relics. These people, living in the harsh Primordial Chaos Realm, truly were pitiable.

But Qin Si lacked Qin Shuang’s insight. Having just made a great leap in strength, he craved battle daily to fully unleash his formidable power.

Now faced with eighteen opponents, Qin Si welcomed the challenge. With a shout, he shook his spear violently. Black cracks appeared along its tip, fracturing the surrounding space and instantly enveloping all eighteen foes.

The first to be trapped was Zhao Wu, now in utter disarray. All his divine artifacts had been destroyed within the pitch-black spatial rift, and even his battle armor was tattered and near ruin. Desperation etched across his face, he begged Qin Si for mercy—though the spatial barrier muffled his cries from both Qin Si and Qin Shuang.

Pop! Pop! Pop! Eighteen crisp sounds filled Qin Si’s ears. Where the eighteen deities had stood, the space had completely collapsed, replaced by a black void devoid of any spiritual energy or life—a void of annihilation. Not far from there, the space where Qin Si stood remained intact, an eerie sight that sent a chill deep into one’s bones.

The tavern owner, a middle-aged man, stood at the stairs clutching a mid-tier divine artifact, preparing to rescue Zhao Wu. Witnessing the terrifying scene, he was stunned into silence before quietly slipping away, transforming into a streak of light racing south toward Iron Flower City, where the Grand Headquarters of the Mysterious Valley was located.

Qin Shuang stared in astonishment at Qin Si’s triumphant face. Eighteen deities slain with a single move! The shattered space remained dead and still, with no sign of recovery, only faint spiritual energy slowly repairing the rift at an imperceptible pace.

Turning to Zhao Wu, Qin Shuang smiled slightly. She hadn’t expected the man’s vitality to be so tenacious. Clearly, he possessed many divine artifacts; otherwise, he wouldn’t have survived this long. After a brief thought, she looked at Qin Si and said with a smile, “Big brother, let’s keep this guy for now. Perhaps he can provide us with some useful information or assistance.”

Qin Si, still exhilarated, was indifferent to Zhao Wu’s fate. If he wished, a single effortless move could end the man’s life.

“Very well, spare him—for now. But we cannot linger in Iron Flower City. If these forces catch wind of us, we’ll only be forced to flee in disgrace.”

Qin Shuang smiled, signaling Qin Si to release Zhao Wu. “No rush to leave Iron Flower City. Since we’re here, we must gain something. Zhao Wu, will you cooperate with us? Or perhaps the thought of your Mysterious Valley dominating Iron Flower City will entice your father?”

Qin Si waved his hand, and the spatial rift enclosing Zhao Wu vanished. The man rolled to the ground, terrified, glancing at Qin Si and then at the place where the eighteen deities had disappeared—still a pitch-black void.

Qin Si glared at Zhao Wu before turning to the remaining four deities and said in a low voice, “You have two choices: join our Purple Mysterious Alliance, where each of you will receive a divine artifact commensurate with your strength, or leave your lives here.”

Qin Shuang smiled softly. Years of experience had transformed him from a naïve youth sheltered under Qin Yu and Jiang Li into a man of unwavering resolve. Killing a few people no longer troubled his conscience.

The four remaining patrons—the very ones who had just been discussing the Purple Mysterious Alliance—were deeply stirred by the lower-tier deity’s words and sought an opportunity to join. They never expected the two young men before them to be members of the alliance.

Upon witnessing Qin Si, an upper-tier deity, dispatch eighteen deities—including two of equal rank—in mere moments, they were utterly astounded and yearned to join more than ever. Qin Si’s words struck their hearts perfectly; there was no hesitation.

“Tian Ke, Wan Qiao, Wan Feng, Lu Yu, Feng Huan pay respects to the two lords. We five are willing to join the Purple Mysterious Alliance and never regret it!”

The five knelt simultaneously before Qin Si and Qin Shuang, bowing respectfully.

Qin Si laughed heartily, withdrawing his dark energy. With a broad gesture, he said, “Enough, rise now. Once we finish discussing matters with brother Zhao Wu, we’ll talk about you.”

The five exchanged glances and rose, standing behind Qin Si.

Zhao Wu remained stunned, staring at Qin Si’s pale, slender hand, muttering, “You’re not a deity… you’re a devil… a devil…”

“Zhao Wu, wake up!” Qin Shuang’s sharp command echoed directly in his mind, shattering his confusion like a bolt of lightning. Blood trickled from his orifices as clarity replaced his bewilderment.

Fearful, Zhao Wu trembled and fell to his knees. “Two lords, Zhao Wu was blind and ignorant. Today I was wrong. Please spare me. My father will surely offer you a satisfactory reward.”

Qin Shuang sneered, casting a disdainful glance at Zhao Wu. “How about my earlier proposal? If we help your father, Zhao Yongkui, unify all the forces in Iron Flower City, making your Mysterious Valley the sole power, how will you repay us brothers?”

“Answer quickly!” Qin Si’s stern voice pressed, frightening Zhao Wu into nodding repeatedly. “If you help Mysterious Valley seize Iron Flower City, whatever you ask, I will beseech my father to agree…”

The image of Qin Si wiping out eighteen deities with a single spear flashed in Zhao Wu’s mind. His stomach churned. Those weren’t mere upper-tier deities—such a feat wasn’t even easy for a God King. Moreover, the shattered space remained a black void, unable to restore itself anytime soon. The destructive power was terrifying.

Realizing this, Zhao Wu dared not hesitate. With support from such formidable figures, even facing sixty-three rival factions was no longer daunting. Besides, those factions were far from unified.

“We don’t care about rewards,” Qin Shuang suddenly said, producing a wine bottle and settling leisurely at the table, sipping contentedly while watching Zhao Wu’s bewildered face with a playful gleam.

Zhao Wu was indeed confused. Qin Si and Qin Shuang claimed to be members of the Purple Mysterious Alliance, likely holding high ranks within it. The alliance was wealthy and envied by nearby powers, indifferent to a few divine artifacts or spirit stones.

“So… what do you two lords want?”

“What do we want? Heh heh…” Qin Si took over, smirking darkly. “We want your entire Mysterious Valley—and all of Iron Flower City! Since you’re here, come out. No need to hide and make us look down on you. Isn’t that right, three God Kings?”

Qin Shuang gave a cold laugh, downing his wine in one gulp before casting a glance outside the tavern. “I wonder which one is Zhao Yongkui, Lord of the Zhao Valley. Your precious son is in our hands. I advise you not to act rashly—if you accidentally harm him, we brothers won’t be responsible.”

A deep, furious roar rose from below. A gust of wind swept in as three figures appeared inside the tavern, radiating overwhelming pressure. Tian Ke and his companions behind Qin Si felt the air grow unbearably heavy, as if suffocating, compelling them to kneel in reverence.

Qin Si chuckled but made no move. Suddenly, the space beside the five flickered, nullifying the deliberate pressure released by the three newcomers. The five took a deep breath, glancing fearfully at the trio, no longer daring to look up.

“Who exactly are you? To my knowledge, the Purple Mysterious Alliance has no such young God Kings. Have you just recently joined?” one of the newcomers demanded.

(To be continued)