The clash of steel against steel sent vibrations up Moxuan's arm that felt like thunder trapped in metal. The bandit leader's sword carried the weight of advanced Foundation Establishment cultivation, but also something else—an underlying corruption that made Moxuan's enhanced senses recoil with recognition.
Demonic cultivation, he realized as their blades locked together, faces inches apart. Not pure demonic methods, but definitely tainted techniques. That explains the confidence and territorial behavior.
The bandit's eyes widened as Moxuan's spiritual energy pressed against his guard with force that shouldn't have been possible from someone at the fourth level of Qi Condensation. What he couldn't see was the hybrid circulation patterns that multiplied effectiveness while maintaining orthodox appearance.
"Impossible," the bandit snarled, pushing back with desperate strength. "Your cultivation—"
"Is none of your concern," Moxuan replied calmly, stepping back and letting his opponent stumble forward off-balance. The movement created perfect opening for a counter-attack that most fighters would have exploited immediately.
Instead, he used the moment to assess the other two bandits engaging Wei Da and Liu Feng. Both showed similar spiritual corruption—not full demonic practitioners, but cultivators who had accepted shortcuts that slowly poisoned their advancement in exchange for temporary power increases.
Desperate people making desperate choices, he thought while parrying another aggressive strike from the leader. But desperate people are dangerous because they have nothing left to lose.
Around the valley, combat unfolded with the controlled chaos that marked professional violence. Wei Da's decades of experience showed as he methodically wore down his opponent through superior technique and patient defense. Liu Feng's sect training provided elegant efficiency as he tested his bandit's capabilities without committing to finishing strikes.
They're both holding back, Moxuan noted while maintaining his own careful balance between effectiveness and restraint. Wei Da because he wants to capture rather than kill, Liu Feng because he's evaluating rather than eliminating.
The bandit leader's next attack came with enhanced speed that spoke to stimulant pills or desperate qi burning. The strike would have overwhelmed most opponents through pure aggressive momentum, but Moxuan had faced far more dangerous enemies in his previous life.
Predictable desperation, he assessed, stepping inside the wild swing and placing his blade against the bandit's throat with surgical precision. Amateur mistake driven by frustration rather than tactical thinking.
"Yield," he said quietly, his voice carrying absolute certainty about the outcome if fighting continued. "You're outmatched and your techniques are corrupting your cultivation foundation. Surrender now while you can still be helped."
Testing whether they're irredeemably corrupted or just misguided, he thought while maintaining perfect killing position. The response will determine whether this ends in death or capture.
The bandit leader's breathing was harsh and uneven, spiritual energy fluctuating wildly as the tainted techniques fought against his natural cultivation base. His eyes showed the kind of desperate calculation that marked someone whose choices had narrowed to violence or destruction.
"Help?" he laughed bitterly. "There's no help for what we've become. Only power or death."
Philosophical corruption as well as spiritual, Moxuan realized with growing concern. They've accepted demonic cultivation principles along with demonic techniques. Much more dangerous than simple resource theft.
"What drove you to such methods?" he asked, genuinely curious about what could push orthodox cultivators toward corruption. "Desperation? Ambition? Or something else?"
The question seemed to catch the bandit off-guard, as though he hadn't expected philosophical discussion during life-or-death combat. His spiritual pressure eased slightly as internal conflict replaced external aggression.
"The sects abandoned us," he said with venom that spoke to deep wounds rather than casual resentment. "Promised advancement, resources, protection—then left us to die when political situations changed. Demonic methods were the only path that remained open."
Sect politics creating enemies through broken promises, Moxuan understood. These aren't criminals by choice—they're cultivators whose legitimate advancement was blocked by circumstances beyond their control.
"Which sect? And what promises were broken?"
"Iron Mountain Sect claimed they needed specialists for dangerous operations. Recruited our entire village's young cultivators with promises of proper training and advancement opportunities." The bandit's voice carried pain that years hadn't healed. "Used us for the most dangerous missions while keeping the rewards for inner disciples. When we demanded fair treatment, they expelled us as 'lacking proper dedication.'"
Systematic exploitation disguised as opportunity, Moxuan realized with growing sympathy for their situation. The corruption came from necessity rather than choice—much more complex moral situation than simple banditry.
Around them, the other combats were concluding with similar captures rather than kills. Wei Da had subdued his opponent through superior grappling technique, while Liu Feng had simply outlasted his bandit until exhaustion forced surrender.
My companions also recognized something redeemable in these opponents, he noted with approval. Good instincts about when violence serves justice rather than simple victory.
"The demonic techniques you're using," Moxuan said carefully, "they're destroying your cultivation foundation while providing temporary power. How long have you been practicing such methods?"
"Two years," the leader admitted with the resigned tone of someone who understood his choices had consequences. "We know what they're doing to us. But conventional cultivation couldn't provide enough power to survive as outcasts from sect protection."
Two years of gradual corruption, he calculated. Significant damage, but possibly not irreversible if proper treatment were available. The question is whether such treatment exists and whether these people deserve the chance to receive it.
"The territorial claims you're making—is this part of larger organization or independent operation?"
"Independent. We chose this valley because it's far from sect territories but close enough to major trade routes for resource acquisition." The bandit's expression showed bitter pride in their strategic thinking. "We're not servants to anyone anymore—not sects, not merchants, not regional authorities."
Understandable motivation but unsustainable strategy, Moxuan analyzed. They've created temporary safety through violence, but violence creates enemies that eventually overwhelm even professional capabilities.
Liu Feng approached with his captured bandit secured and conscious, his expression thoughtful rather than triumphant. "Young Master Lin, these cultivators show signs of systematic training despite their corruption. This isn't random criminal activity."
"Agreed," Moxuan replied, maintaining his blade's position while considering options that extended beyond simple elimination. "The question is whether the corruption can be reversed or whether it's progressed beyond treatment."
Decision point, he realized. Kill them as threats to regional security, capture them for interrogation and possible rehabilitation, or attempt negotiation that addresses root causes rather than symptoms.
"You have three choices," he said to the bandit leader with the calm authority of someone accustomed to making life-and-death decisions. "Death here and now. Capture and trial by regional authorities. Or cooperation with investigation that might provide alternatives to your current path."
The offer seemed to surprise all three bandits, whose experience with orthodox cultivators apparently hadn't included mercy or creative problem-solving.
"What kind of cooperation?" the leader asked warily.
"Information about how your corruption began, which demonic techniques you're using, and most importantly, whether others are following similar paths due to sect abandonment or exploitation." Moxuan's tone remained businesslike rather than threatening. "In exchange, possibility of treatment for spiritual corruption and legitimate alternatives to banditry."
Testing whether they want redemption or have accepted damnation as inevitable, he thought while watching their expressions carefully. The response determines whether this becomes larger investigation or simple cleanup operation.
"You're serious about treatment possibilities?"
"I'm serious about finding solutions that address causes rather than just punishing symptoms," he replied honestly. "But cooperation requires complete honesty about your activities, contacts, and the methods you've been using."
The three bandits exchanged glances that spoke to internal communication about risks and opportunities they hadn't expected to encounter. Their leader's spiritual energy stabilized as hope replaced desperation in his tactical calculations.
"Full cooperation," he decided. "But if this is deception designed to extract information before execution—"
"Then you'll be no worse off than continued banditry would make you eventually," Moxuan interrupted pragmatically. "Demonic corruption and regional authority response both lead to death. Cooperation at least offers possibility of alternative outcomes."
True enough, he thought. And if their information proves valuable, mercy serves larger purposes than simple justice.
As Wei Da and Liu Feng secured the prisoners for transport back to the compound, Moxuan found himself considering implications that extended far beyond bandit elimination. If Iron Mountain Sect's exploitation had created these desperate cultivators, similar problems might exist throughout the region.
Systematic sect abuse creating demonic cultivation recruitment, he realized. Much larger problem than simple banditry—social issue that requires political solutions rather than military responses.
"Young Master," Liu Feng said quietly as they prepared for return journey, "your handling of this situation showed remarkable maturity. Most cultivators would have chosen immediate elimination over complex negotiation."
Testing my decision-making for sect evaluation purposes, Moxuan recognized. Liu Feng wants to understand whether my capabilities include wisdom and restraint or just combat effectiveness.
"Dead bandits provide no intelligence about larger problems," he replied practically. "Living prisoners might help prevent future situations through better understanding of root causes."
Pragmatic explanation that conceals more complex motivations, he thought. Liu Feng doesn't need to know about my personal experience with corruption and redemption possibilities.
The journey home would provide opportunity to question the prisoners more thoroughly while considering what their information revealed about regional cultivation politics and the unintended consequences of sect practices.
Phase one successful, he reflected as they began the trek back through morning forest that now seemed peaceful rather than threatening. Combat effectiveness confirmed, prisoners secured, larger problems identified for future investigation.
But phase two promises to be much more complex than simple bandit elimination.