The next morning, Wu Guang had recovered his usual countenance.

After having a quick, soldierlike, breakfast consisting of a few rice bread loafs with heavily seasoned meat, Wu Guang was taken by his assistant to the extermination party meeting point.

Xue Ru did not appear to give any speeches, which seemingly was a normal occurrence as no one of the soldiers assigned to the task noticed her absence. In turn, the one to give out the instructions was a vice-commander called Jing Xiandong.

These instructions were simple, proceed to a point 2 miles away from the located bandit camp, divide into several small five-man teams, and surround the camp. At meal-time, an hour after midday, all the teams should begin to close in.

Whoever caught the leader, a woman that went by the name of Xia Fan would get a reward from the fortress commander. A similar reward would await the one who managed to prove his capture or killing of the most bandits, which numbered between 40 and 50 from scout reports.

Wu Guang was an outsider and none of the soldiers asked anything, so there was no information on the cultivation of these so-called bandits. Still, considering that everyone except him and another six people from their group of 99 was in the advanced levels of the Spirit-realm, the bandits should be mostly at the Spirit realm as well. After all, who would send hunters weaker than the prey?

Speaking of cultivation, Wu Guang could not help but notice that Jing Xiandong was a 2nd level Sage, being a full level over Xue Ru.

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Black Island had three different climate zones, or biomes as his mind recalled a term he had used in a few treatises, with them being a desert, a temperate zone covered by grasslands, and an enormous tundra covered by ice and snow all year.

The deserts covered the south, while the tundra occupied the north, so it was no wonder why almost every person living on the island did so in the central, grasslands part. Speaking of which, these grasslands covered both shores of the internal sea, thus being also a reason why no one even tried to use the waters of the surrounding ocean as a suitable landing zone. After all, who would want to travel through a scorching desert or frozen tundra that extended for hundreds of miles after or before boarding a ship? Not forgetting that the ocean was practically unnavigable near the coast, making the task literally impossible.

With 'Crow Nest' being located on the southern part of the inner sea coast, it was no wonder that the bandits used the practically unpopulated desert as their base.

From what Wu Guang managed to find after asking his assistant, whose name he also asked, was that after a few attacks on the supply caravans cruising between the fortress, military port, and capital, scouts were sent to find their base... and they did accomplish their task. Zhao Lim explained that the base was located about five miles into the desert, ten miles from the fortress, and was built into an enormous dune.

Normally dunes were moved, but seemingly this one was hiding a hill beneath it, which both made it possible for the bandits to escape the heat by digging caves and for the dune to remain practically permanent.

With no sandstorms being expected for the next three days, Zhao Lim noted that the expedition should be a milk run.

Wu Guang doubted such thoughts, but being someone who had close to no experience on the island, decided to simply acknowledge the local wisdom and agreed.

Zhao Lim also had some knowledge about what level of cultivators they would meet, and thankfully, this information was comforting. Most of the dishonored that formed up this band were not warriors, and so except for a few talented ones, there should be no more than a few peak Spirit realm cultivators, with the rest of the group being on lower levels. This also meant that they had no techniques or rune weapons originally, obtaining both from spoils or their leaders.

As for the real warriors, there were only four of them identified. The leader of the band, Xia Fan, was a 4th level Soul realm cultivator. While her lieutenants, or vice commanders, respectively called Fan Shun, Fan Wuhan, and Fan He were a trio of brothers sporting cultivation around the 2nd level of the same, Soul, realm.

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The gathering point mentioned by Jing Xiandong was a small, dilapidated, damaged by the sands, shack. A few dozens of years ago it was used as a base for a small patrol that was tasked to protect the road from any beast or evildoer coming from the desert. But as it always occurred, as soon as the water in the well built nearby ran out, the assignment was canceled. Making all the territory around the road the responsibility of the 'Crow Nest' garrison.

Three hours were remaining before the start of the operation and so Jing Xiandong showed everyone a map of the supposed base and possible positions of scouts to avoid while encircling it. Afterward, the team assignment started.

With Wu Guang being one of the strongest participants, as well as a guest, he was assigned as the team leader and granted a logical and easy-to-reach position. Namely, directly to the front. Granted, the bandits would expect someone to arrive from there, but as soon as the battle started, they would not use such an easy-to-guess escape route. Even though Wu Guang considered that this went over the limit of keeping him safe and under watch, as Jing Xiandong would be less than a mile behind him initially, he decided to keep silent and go along with the prepared plan.

His team obviously included Zhao Lim, a peak Spirit realm cultivator, as well three soldiers from the ones that had been traveling with the vice-commander. Wu Guang did not spare them even a passing glance, only noting inwardly that their cultivation between the 7th and 8th level of the Spirit realm was enough to don't become a dead weight during a fight.

"One hour after midday begin the attack. In the case of noticing the bandit leader, Xia Fan, or her vice-leaders and not having enough strength to win use a signal flare. Spread out!" With the assignments done and everyone knowing what to do, Jing Xiandong gave the order and 19 teams of five people set off.

There were a hundred in the task group originally, but Jing Xiandong would stay behind accompanied by four soldiers skillful in battlefield medicine to assist any team in need. Ideally, by his own words, he would not take the field... But a Sage realm cultivator presence was a trump card that greatly encouraged all of the participants. Even Wu Guang, after all, information coming from a third party even professional army scouts, was not always correct.

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Wu Guang's and team's initial position was very well covered by two small dunes. They even provided enough shade to keep them more or less cool. While nearing, Wu Guang had carefully scanned every possible hiding place, even going so far as to scan beneath the sand itself to guarantee that they would not miss and be noticed first, by some bandit scouts. Thankfully there was none of the latter, and so they reached their destination with no issues.

Normal Soul realm cultivator senses, or aura, could cover at most a mile around themselves, and so with their position being fifty feet farther, they should be able to remain undiscovered during the next two and half hours.

Wu Guang's aura was on the same level as the strongest target one, but... Knowing that there were no Sage realm, mind-power, cultivators in there, why he should not attempt to glimpse into the camp before?

With his team being too weak to sense mind-power, Wu Guang had no trouble accomplishing his plan. His concealed, with mind-power equivalent to a low-level Warrior Lord, senses easily scanned the area of the supposed camp.

A few dozens of cultivators were indeed present, and albeit he did not see, at first glance, anyone stronger than the third level of the Soul realm, the leader should be also there. Probably using something to conceal her aura. Anyway, Wu Guang had no interest in locating this Xia Fan, being content with simply fighting any of the Soul realm cultivators. His thoughts about the matter being "Showed too much during the sparring, can't reveal more prowess than that. Winning against a 3rd or lower-level Soul realm cultivator should be normal"

His scan confirmed that the information about the number and strength of the dishonored was more-or-less correct.

"Hmm, a total of 58 cultivators. One at the third, two at the second, and another one at the first level of the Soul realm. The rest are on the Spirit realm, including almost a dozen of 1st level ones. If I am correct about Xia Fan hiding, then I may add 4th level Soul realm cultivator to the mix... In any case, I have nothing to fear here" Wu Guang inwardly concluded after analyzing the information his quick scan brought to him.

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Time passed quickly and so the operation began. Thankfully none of the soldier teams was found out, so when the time was right and 95 cultivators entered the detection zone of the bandit Soul realm cultivators, it was indeed a surprise attack for the latter.

It should be added that between midday and noon, the temperature in the desert reached an unbelievable height, making even cultivators feel the heat. Most of them could resist it by spending a bit of qi... But people living inside? They preferred to hide into the shade, or in the bandits' case - caves, and let it naturally pass.

So when the alarm was raised and the bandits reacted, most of the soldier teams were only a few feet away from the enormous, over a hundred feet tall, dune that covered the hill serving them as a base.

"KILL!!!" Weapons drawn and the black armor blinking from the Sun, 93 soldiers began their attack. Wu Guang and his assistant were also amongst them, but with the first being dressed in a set of common grey clothes and the latter not using armor, they looked like outsiders.

Deciding to not use ranged weapons in such chaos, Wu Guang took out his 'Gravity Slasher'. Its runes and overall quality were worse than his 'Sun-Disks', but it was still perfect for such a battle. Especially as 'Sandstorm' which he planned to use, was meant for such a battle and location.

The first one to block Wu Guang's path was a 3rd level Spirit realm cultivator holding a staff, or pole, made of steel. Seemingly accustomed to meeting opponents that used 'Sandstorm' saber techniques, he even managed to block Wu Guang's slash. Or at least so he thought, as Wu Guang activated the weight-adding effect of the runes immediately as the weapons connected.

*Screeeee*

Loudly screeching, the staff began to bend under the increased, and increasing weight...

*Snap*

The staff broke in two after bending and Wu Guang's maximum weight, 250 pounds, saber continued its descent. Leaving the opponent no chance to escape.

*Crunch* *Splatter* *Thump*

'Gravity Slasher' with a crunch cleaved through the torso of the opponent, and only stopped after hitting the ground.

Controlling his aura to grab the 'Holding Pouch' of his opponent, Wu Guang expanded his aura and noticed that the heaviest fighting was concentrated near the biggest, about ten feet tall and wide, cave opening. After checking that his assigned teammates were occupied with their respective opponents and held a bigger or lesser advantage, Wu Guang activated 'Counting Steps to Heaven and Hell'.

Disappearing from the spot he was on and in a few moments appearing near the group of, ten, bandits holding the entrance against a dozen soldiers.

"Next!" Half roaring akin to a bloodthirsty demon, Wu Guang entered the fray.

He was not so battle-addicted as he may appear to others at the moment, but he indeed wanted to fight. Fight and test everything he learned or knew at the moment. Others may call it however they wanted to, but for Wu Guang, it was nothing else than curiosity. And this curiosity was not sated by the single, easy, previous bout. After all, he had not even used anything except his normal strength and the Saber's runes.

So who could find blame with his intention of breaking into the cave and fighting against the Soul realm cultivators he sensed inside?