Chapter 301 - That's How Ingredients Are Procured
He hadn't noticed that a group of soldiers had escorted over ten chariots to the Jun resident's gate. One team of soldiers was moving the boxes from the carts on to the ground. Each of those boxes was either bulky or delicate. And, the extremely pungent smell of medicines which had assailed his nostrils was originating from these boxes.
Fortunately, those boxes were being moved inside the house; not outside. Otherwise, Jun Mo Xie's first response would've been, "People have raided our house! They are confiscating our stuff!"
The scene was very chaotic to begin with. However, it didn't end there. A group of approximately fifty middle-aged men were scrambling around. They were calling-out-loud mournfully as they impleaded. This had made the entire situation even more chaotic.
[What is going on? What in the world is happening here? What is this?]
Jun Mo Xie walked through the crowd with suspicion and doubts in his mind. And, just when he was about to enter through the gate... he heard loud cries from his side. The mournful middle-aged men had come rushing towards him, and had started to kneel in front of him. Their faces were covered with snot and tears. They started to impleaded, "Young Master Jun, please be kind; please be generous and let us off! We wish you a long life! We pray you have a blessed life of hundred years, and you attain a great position in the court! Have pity on our small businesses! We have families to feed; please have mercy on us!"
Jun Mo Xie was stumped; [how am I related to this? What are they saying? They are making it seem like this Young Master is an evil man from the legends who forces girls into prostitution... like I am an evil tyrant who brings great misfortune and oppresses people! Who are these folks?! What is this?!]
"What's the matter?" Jun Mo Xie frowned. He knew that those merchants wouldn't dare to talk-back to someone of his stature. So, he asked a soldier standing at the side. But, the soldier merely shook his head. Unexpectedly, he wasn't aware of the reason behind that commotion either.
Just when the Young Master Jun started to feel gloomy — the ground started to shake. Then, a monstrous head arrived.
"I've brought the medicines you had asked for. The ones which were easily accessible, and the ones which weren't; I've brought them all." Fatty Tang chimed in his distinctive intonation. It seemed as if he were showing-off his treasures. He then extended his 'round-and-fat' bear's claw-of-a-hand to gesture. "And these are it! Your brother moved fast, and gave his hundred percent to the task!"
Jun Mo Xie felt somewhat dizzy; [I had told you to get as many ingredients for my medicines as you could. But, this is too much. And, what's the deal with these middle-aged men?] He couldn't help but blurt out, "How did you get so many ingredients? And, what's the matter with these people?"
"Ah! Young Master, everyone is on the same side. So, why do you speak so formally? And, why do you look so confused?" Tang Yuan squeezed through the crowd and winked; as if to imply a clear understanding between the two.
"Young Master Tang, Young Master Jun, please be kind to us. Please let us off! We beg you; leave some means for our survival!" The middle-aged men started to weep the moment they saw Tang Yuan. They then surrounded the two Young Masters, kneeled in front of them, and started to knock their heads on the ground.
"You..." Jun Mo Xie was stunned for a while. Then, he slowly started to understand what had happened... by-and-large. It seemed that Fatty Tang had gone to several pharmaceutical families, and had seized these ingredients from their stores. [And if I'm not mistaken... these people may not have been in a position to give-out such a large amount of raw material.]
"You had urgently asked for these ingredients. But, the amount was a lot. How could I have procured so much in such little time? And, where would I go to get those ingredients for you? So, this Young Master frowned and carefully devised a plan with his foresight!"
Tang Yuan looked very pleased with himself as he spoke, "Therefore, I made arrangements to go to these pharmacies. Then, I made my desire to buy the ingredients known to them. However, you had asked for a very high amount of ingredients, and they said that they didn't wish to part-with so much of it. They told me that they wouldn't be able to conduct their day-to-day business if they sell the ingredients you required..."
Jun Mo Xie was speechless. He rolled his eyes; [you've made a stupid move! How will they do business if you seize their stock with prior notice? Don't you know that it takes several days for one family to complete its turnover? And, did you just say "All of it"? Have you taken everything in their stores?]
"So, this Elder Brother got very angry." Tang Yuan's eyes opened wide, and a murderous expression emerged inside them, "They had refused to do business with me. They weren't selling anything to me.
That clearly meant that they were trying to defraud me by force! Really?! How could they do that?! They dared to bully us-two brothers! And, isn't this a breach of the law? So, I straight away went to the Ministry of Justice, and obtained a written approval. Then, I set upon rectifying these people. I then went to the biggest families — and because they acted so tough yesterday — I took everything they had, and closed their shops. Now, I've transported those medicinal ingredients here."
Jun Mo Xie staggered, "What reason did you give to the Ministry to seize these items from these families? Did you tell the Ministry of Justice that you wanted it... and they thought that it was awesome ... and gave you the written approval?"
"Third Young Master... aren't you being foolish? Why are you talking like you don't know how the business works?" Tang Yuan looked at him suspiciously, "We can seize their stuff whenever we want because of our status. Why do we need to give any justification?
They will learn to respect us if we can go and seize their families' resources at our whims! That is exactly why powerful people go and make arrests for baseless things! They seize the businesses, and wait for a few days. Then, they usually let the owners go if they're in a good mood. However, they chop everyone's heads-off if they're in a foul one since listening to these laments about trivial matters is very annoying..."
The corners of Tang Yuan's mouth rose upwards. He then made a scoffing sound.
Jun Mo Xie stared with his eyes wide open. This was the first time he realized that he hadn't properly integrated with his social status since crossing-over to this new world. Tang Yuan's ideology was very reasonable. Given the setting of this feudal society... would two young nobles like Tang Yuan and Jun Mo Xie need to give any justification if they wanted the entire stock from a shop?
[But, isn't it too forceful and tyrannical?]
There was no better way to explain it. Jun Mo Xie and Tang Yuan could act harsh and unreasonable. Their status would allow them to walk into any shop, and seize the family's entire business. Even if they were to kill each of these people — they could turn to the Ministry of Justice. After that, they could strut around and say —"We've killed them, but it's important to mete-out justice to those who deserve punishment.
We acted in accordance to reasonable self-defense, and deserve to be accorded an Imperial Commendation! Oh, and wait... the dead man's family still owes compensation for the damage to our spirit! Humph! We had suffered quite a shock! ... but what of the family whose men you murdered? ... Send them all to prison. Otherwise, they'd trouble me if they were left in the open. And, if you lowly officials have a problem with it — I don't mind sending you to prison for a few days. This, I've decided!"
This was an advantage of such a high status in this type of a society. It might as well be asked — how many people in all of Tian Xiang could provoke the two great families of Tang and Jun?
[I can't speak for this world... but I could never have acted like this in the previous one... the internet would've... so, this really is a different world!]
Jun Mo Xie turned around to look at the numerous entreating faces. He counted their numbers. Eventually, he figured that shopkeepers from pharmacies of seven families were present outside his door.
He had started to understand this matter very clearly. Fatty Tang had acted exactly like the Hit-man Jun would've. He killed the target, and moved-on without a second thought. But, the base of this matter...
"Everyone heard me, right? Do you know what the problem is? Let me tell you — this elder isn't happy. Let me ask you — who in Tian Xiang Empire dares to refuse business with this elder?!"
Tang Yuan had cried his throat horse with this nonsense. How could those pharmacists have missed his it? [I regret this now... from the bottom of my very heart... and even my guts. I would've given him a cheap bargain if I had known that this would happen... maybe he would've left me alone if I had given him a present as well. We can't do business beyond 10-15 days under these circumstances. If I look at things now — my family is ruined!]
The pleading members of the crowd nodded in agreement about something, "We're willing to offer all of our family properties to the two Young Masters. We merely ask that the two Young Masters don't take the entirety of our stock... and show us some mercy."
"Bullsh*t! Do you think this Young Master is poor? You think I need your offerings? Besides, what could you offer me except medicines? Damn it! Will you give me medicines along with the gifts? Are you hoping that I fall ill? Would you be happy if I died?" Tang Yuan shouted as he waved his status in their face once again.
[We hope that you 'both' fall ill. The common people will be very fortunate if you fall ill and die.] The shopkeepers thought angrily. However, their faces only showed obeisance out of fear.
"Everyone, listen! Our Aristocratic Hall needs those ingredients urgently! We had no choice but to use such a method to obtain them. I'll gladly accept your medicines for now. But later, you can arrange an accountant, and settle the accounts with Young Master Tang. This Young Master will ensure that you get paid; no matter what amount we will have owed you. We'll buy your goods at fair prices. We don't try to cheat anyone. Shall we agree upon this, Gentlemen?"
Jun Mo Xie had deliberated at-length before he finally opened his mouth. Why would he wish to exploit those shopkeepers by using his status? It didn't feel good. Fatty had overstepped the boundary a bit too much in this case. So, it was better to settle this matter as quickly as possible since it would be quite improper if any more trouble was unnecessarily provoked.
"Yes. Yes. We lowly people wouldn't dare object."
"You wouldn't dare to object? I'm in-charge here. The decision is mine anyway! Good! Now, everyone must return to their homes. This matter had been decided." Jun Mo Xie frowned at Tang Yuan, "Foot the bill for these urgently-needed ingredients to me. Pay them double the price. Anyway, I had instructed you to pay a higher price. And yes, tell the authorities to remove those trivial accusations. These people are innocent; let them go."
Tang Yuan's face twitched in distress. [Pay them double...]
"We lowly folks wouldn't dare..." With this, the matter was finally resolved. The shopkeepers relaxed and sighed in relief. They didn't say anything since they didn't wish to get into more trouble over these ingredients. But, at least their family businesses had been saved.
"Uh, and I don't want so much of it. I won't need whatever is remaining after I'm done filtering through them," Jun Mo Xie pointed at the ingredients and spoke. He barely took a step before he stopped, "Oh, that's right... send your shop-assistant to lend a hand. Otherwise, I don't know when I'll be able to finish with such a large amount."
The shopkeepers agreed with pained expressions. They could only think; [what 'way of the world' is this? We run honest businesses. We didn't provoke anybody. However, one person comes out of the blue and seizes our family business. Then, he threatens us with death. Then unexpectedly, we're let-off. And, we're grateful for that... But now, we have to send our assistants to help sort-out and recycle whatever this person doesn't use? Oh, and, we have to keep a smiling face the entire time?! This is unfair... this is very unfair...]
[Why didn't I see this coming?]
All seven shopkeepers thought of the same thing in unison.
"Good! Now relax and do what I just told you to do. And, hurry up. Everyone — get moving; now!" Jun Mo Xie pulled-up his gown, and proceeded in through the door. He could faintly hear Tang Yuan's voice in the background. It seemed that he was gnashing his teeth, "So, so, so... you guys opened your mouths, and convinced the Young Master to pay you double..."
"We wouldn't dare to..." the replying voices were full of respect and humility.
Jun Mo Xie couldn't help but smile. He felt that status and authority was handy in dealing with things. [Ah, why hadn't I thought of this earlier?] These pharmacies didn't have any legendary medicines in their stock, but they had every common-one a person could hope for. [I could've saved so much time if I thought of this earlier, ah!]
Chapter 302 - We Just Need The Eastern Wind!
The original Jun Mo Xie would've used the same means as Tang Yuan if he had faced a similar situation.
The present Jun Mo Xie and the previous one were very different from each other. Jun Xie was an evil spirit, and was also regarded as a 'free bird', but his bones weren't made of the same debauchery that consisted Tang Yuan and the original Jun Mo Xie's. Jun Xie had always relied on his own self. In fact, he wouldn't even alert the police if he were to spot a vicious crime; he'd treat the evil as his own enemy and would deliver justice himself.
The original Jun Mo Xie had a habit of oppressing people using his power. He would use it to push them down. These two people had such different characteristics; so, how could they be so easily integrated?
However, Tang Yuan's divine inspiration came 'in the nick of time' to help Jun Mo Xie settle his urgent matter. Time was of the essence, and Jun Mo Xie was merely a rookie at refining a Dan. In fact, he hadn't even practiced the most fundamental basics. Besides, there had always been a shortage of medicinal ingredients. But, Fatty Tang had solved the Young Master Jun's greatest problem. And, Jun Mo Xie wasn't going to blame him even though the methods he used were extremely despicable. Anyway, they had compensated the frightened shopkeepers with a lot of silver. So, that would justify as 'compensating for their losses'.
[This was naturally unfair to them. However, is this world ever 'truly fair'? This Young Master has crossed-over to this world; can they do that? Isn't that unfair too...]
The world doesn't exist in a balance of fairness and justice. So, what was the need to conceive such perfection?
[However, it doesn't matter if it was fair or unfair. I have to refine the Dan by tonight!]
This was very important, and Jun Mo Xie was looking forward to it. [What would be the result when I refine these ingredients?]
Then, suddenly a loud and dragon-like roar echoed. The Cold-Blooded Master, Lei Wu Bei appeared in the sky above the Jun residence. His expression was indifferent as he spoke, "Solitary Eagle, why haven't you left when the entire manpower from the Silver Blizzard City has departed? How long do you plan to procrastinate? Do you not fear the Xuan Beast uprising?"
Careful eyes would see that the Cold-Blooded Master's complexion wasn't good. His eyes were somewhat bloodshot, and his vital conditions weren't good either. The person responsible to bring him to such a condition should've been very proud of themselves.
"I'll go if I want to go. And, I won't go if I don't want to go. So, I'll only go when I feel like it. Do you have a problem with that?" the Solitary Eagle replied in a bad mood.
Solitary Eagle was depressed. [This nonsensical summons has come at a key moment. Couldn't you have waited till I had finished mastering the 'Nine Claws of the Ghostly Falcon'? When will I be able to come back and practice in the calm if leave for Tian Fa right now... When will I get an opportunity like this? On top of that, I might miss out on the medicines too!]
Lei Wu Bei snorted coldly, "It's important to go. You and I are both in The Tian Xiang City, Old Falcon. I know we have some grudges between us. But, when the supreme summons comes — we are to set everything aside. You're one of the Great Eight Masters; you ought to know the consequences of ignoring the supreme summons. This Old Man wishes to travel with you. But, I didn't know that you'd be so unappreciative of such kindness."
Not only Solitary Eagle... Jun Mo Xie was also alarmed by Lei Wu Bei's words.
The Cold-Blooded Master wants to travel with the Solitary Eagle? This was extremely strange!
No one was aware that Lei Wu Bei had gone mad while searching for his personal enemy Chu Qi Hun. He wanted to find the man so that he could kill him. He would be extremely tense all day, and was always on-guard against his 'imagined' foe since he believed that the number-one assassin could deal a fatal attack from the shadows at any moment. Eventually, Lei Wu Bei's body had become tired, and his mind had become exhausted. In fact, this Great Master was nearly on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
Then, the supreme summons came. Lei Wu Bei realized that a mountain-forest or a lonely inn on the way to Tian Fa would pose as a very convenient setting for Chu Qi Hun's ambush. Moreover, his enemy was evil, and intelligent. Lei Wu Bei realized that his entire life's work would go wasted if he weren't careful. So, he came up with the idea of travelling with the Solitary Eagle. ... The two Great Masters had some grudges, but it wasn't like they had a life-long hatred which couldn't be mediated.
If he could get the Solitary Eagle to help him... the two Great Masters could possibly jolt Chu Qi Hun's nerves... and he may not dare to attack either one of them.
A person's shadow flitted across as the Solitary Eagle appeared before Lei Wu Bei, "Speak the truth Lei Wu Bei — what sly plan have you formed in that head of yours?"
"Are you afraid?" Lei Wu Bei snorted in provocation.
"Me? Afraid? Ha ha ha... this Old Man is aware that this is an indirect method of yours to get me to go with you. I can see the trick you're trying to play!" the Solitary Eagle laughed heartily.
"Stop!" The Young Master Jun couldn't stay calm as he realized that the Solitary Eagle might leave with the other Great Master. So, he quickly moved into action in order to stop them. He knew that the Silver Blizzard City was a step ahead, and may be waiting in ambush for the Solitary Eagle. The Young Master Jun hadn't anticipated that Lei Wu Bei would seek the Solitary Eagle's company in order to guard-against Chu Qi Hun. Moreover, he believed that Lei Wu Bei was unlikely to render any aid in case the Solitary Eagle was met with any mishaps on the way. In fact, he was likely to step-on the Solitary Eagle if it were to serve his purpose.
"What's the matter?" the Solitary Eagle frowned.
"This young student has to pass-on many things before the Master's return," Jun Mo Xie's eyes turned.
The Solitary Eagle's heart jumped when he heard those words, and he became extremely excited with anticipation, "What things?! You brat, you've made me happy with those words."
Lei Wu Bei was somewhat alarmed. [Who is this youngster's Master? How strong is he? He made one of the 'Eight Great Masters' jump around with joy using only a few words...?]
"My master told me to recite the following lines to you, "The falcon soars in solitude; like a cloud floats in the empty sky — it is dissolute in this empty solitude. The dead falcons don't exist in the solitude of the sky. And, ten thousand laws don't exist in the solitude of the sky. The ten thousand laws are the solitude." Jun Mo Xie wasn't very verbose about it. And, he stuck close to Solitary Eagle's name in order to create his mnemonic chants for him.
"The falcon soars in solitude; like a cloud floats in the empty sky — it is dissolute in this empty solitude. The dead falcons don't exist in the solitude of the sky. And, ten thousand laws don't exist in the solitude of the sky..." the Solitary Eagle frowned as he contemplated. It was like he had the meaning in his hands, but was unable to grasp it properly. His eyes revealed how perplexed he was.
"This is a very clever and creative line. It can be understood, but not described. I can't express it in words. Master knows that you will have to rush to Tian Fa; he knows that you will be involved in several battles. So, he has preponed the time of my telling you this line since he didn't wish for these incidents to interfere with your cultivation..."
"Many thanks!" the Solitary Eagle's rough face appeared very grateful. He then cupped his hands.
"Master also told me to inform you that Six Spirit Xuan experts from the Silver Blizzard City are already a step ahead, and may try to way-lay you on the way to Tian Fa. They'll be accompanied by their seven swords. I request you to be extremely careful, and move as fast as you can."
"Six Spirit Xuan experts? The Seven Swords? Could it be 'THE' Seven Swords from the Silver Blizzard City?" the Solitary Eagle's expression turned grave as his heart sank. He wouldn't have believed this if someone else had told him this. But, the Solitary Eagle believed this news since it had come from the mouth of that Mysterious Master.
"Then, I shall travel with Lei Wu Bei. There may be some disadvantages in that, but there can be many advantages if we co-ordinate properly. So much so, that the former outweighs the latter," the Solitary Eagle mumbled to himself for a long while. Then, his expression changed, "What else did the Master say?"
"Master said that the senior's spirit will soar like a Falcon by the time he returns," Jun Mo Xie chuckled. He then cupped his hands, and said, "God-speed! Tread carefully!"
"Goodbye!" the Solitary Eagle bowed in a rare instance of respect, and cupped his hands. "Again, give my sincere thanks to your Master. Solitary Eagle holds him in very high esteem. I take this matter regarding the Jun Family very seriously. Tell him to feel relieved." The Solitary Eagle let out a long roar after he was done speaking. Then, he soared up into the desolate sky. Lei Wu Bei laughed out loud, and followed after him. The two figures flitted in the sky for a moment before they disappeared without a trace.
"A Great Master isn't to be trifled with, ah..." Jun Mo XIe let out a profound sigh, and turned to walk inside the room.
Many Xuan Experts gathered in the Tian Xiang City that night; regardless of their level or backing. Then, they rushed towards the Tian Fa forest; whether in groups or alone.
After all, this was the Supreme Summons. No one could take it lightly.
Even Song Shang and Hai Chen Feng asked permission to leave for Tian Fa since they had a mind to go and lend aid. But, Jun Mo Xie forbade them from doing so, "What are you doing? Do you have a dislike for long lives? I prohibit you from going there. You're staying here. Song Shang, get back to fermenting wine; I'll cancel your apprenticeship if I find you slacking-off. And as for Hai Chen Feng — get back to looking after your gang! You needn't involve yourself in others' matters. You must focus on developing your gang."
This was a joke. The Young Master Jun was in no position to stop the Solitary Eagle if he wished to leave. But, he had marked these two as 'men of the Jun Family'. So, how could he allow them to leave?
What would happen if Jun Mo Xie left the Jun Household with ordinary men? But, if both these experts stayed behind... they could take care of the Jun Household even if something were to happen. In fact, the Jun Family would be considered the strongest in the area. And, Jun Mo Xie had made-up his mind.
Coming back to the original issue... he wouldn't allow them to leave even if they weren't required to look after the Jun Household. This was because they had been labeled as 'men of the Jun Family' now. So, sending them to Tian Fa would be like using them as cannon fodder against the Xiao and the Li Families. These two men were Sky Xuan experts, but the Tian Fa forest was crawling with Spirit Xuan experts at present. A Sky Xuan expert would be akin to a dog in the south. Therefore, they would be better used in Tian Xiang.
[I've selected the members of my factions so carefully! So, why would I throw them away at Tian Fa? The Xuan Beast uprising? What difference would it make to me if a lot of people die, huh?]
Hai Chen Feng and Song Shang had gone to meet Jun Mo Xie in very high spirits. However, they had no choice but to return embarrassed after they had listened to Jun Mo Xie's words.
~The Second Prince's Residence~
The Second Prince was in a very cheerful mood. He was feeling extremely happy.
He felt that all men under the heaven were coming to his aid. Two Great Masters had issued the supreme summons just when the Xuan Beast crossbows were about to arrive. So, the well-known, and the not-so-well-known experts had started to leave for the Tian Fa. The Tian Xiang City's experts were no exception to this.
The Capitals's strength would be reduced incomparably since so many experts were leaving. He could use this chance to transport the deadly weapons safely. Moreover, these weapons would deliver far better results since his men wouldn't have much competition. So, the tiger could grow wings when the time was ripe, and could move-in to fill the power vacuum of the city. Would he be able to seize the city with ease?
The Second Prince and his councilor were embroiled in a tense discussion in his secret chambers. Everyone seemed very excited.
"Mr. Fang, inform the Spirit Storm Guard to hurry up to the Capital. Tell them that they are to leave the southern provinces, and come here as fast as they can," The Second Prince looked amiably towards his mastermind. "Mr. Fang, I would request that you proceed with the future plans."
"I request the Second Master to be relieved. This is Fang Bo Wen's job, and you can be assured of safety."
Fang Bo Wen then muttered to himself irresolutely, "I know that the Zhao Trading Company has sent two hundred men as escorts. Two Jade Xuan experts lead them. Then, there is the Company's Vice-President... Meng Xiao Song... he leads a group of eighty experts. That Meng Xiao Song is an Earth Xuan expert. With him, there's no need to be anxious. The Zhao Trading Company will move in the bright light — and the guild in the dark; they will move together yet separately. This would eventually go smoothly.
The Spirit Storm Guard and the Zhao Trading Company will travel together. In addition, the Blood Sword Hall has been notified as well. They will send two Sky Xuan assassins, five Earth Xuan assassins and twenty Jade Xuan assassins. These assassins will secretly escort the convoy; just to make things absolutely safe. And, most of the power has left the Capital now. That leaves it vulnerable; so, the power of our means will guarantee victory!"
"Humph! This Blood Sword Hall had never sent anyone higher than a 'Jade Xuan' expert in any of their previous missions for me! This had often resulted in their assassins' failure to achieve anything. It had been a waste of labor and money. But, they suddenly dispatched two Sky Xuan and five Earth Xuan experts when it comes to the Xuan Beast tendon crossbows?! And, the lowest level assassins they're sending are Jade Xuan! They are merely trying to show their terrifying strength!" The Second Prince was extremely indignant. He spoke these words very angrily.
"The Blood Sword Hall's method of handling things has always been a profound mystery. This Old Man doesn't know the reason behind it." Fang Bo Wen frowned and continued, "These Xuan Beast Tendon crossbows are very important to them. Therefore, they are being cautious. And, this isn't without reason. One should be better to oneself than he is to others... After all, it is 'every man for himself'."
Then, Fang Bo Wen suddenly stopped talking. There was a hint of doubt in his eyes. Then, he suddenly started to tremble with fear. It seemed as if he had recalled an extremely dreadful matter.
However, the Second Prince hadn't noticed his mastermind's unusual behavior. He was still seething with anger. He then spoke in a cold voice, "Let that be then! They will be of no use to me after I get those crossbows. And, that's a good thing. I won't be angered by their unfathomable way of working again!"
Fang Bo Wen's snow-white eyebrows shot up, and a trace of fear condensed in his eyes. He wanted to say something, but felt that his idea was nonsensical. In fact, it seemed too fantastical. Therefore, he swallowed his words back. But, that expression of worry became even more profound in the secrecy of his eyes.
He was in no mood to listen to the speaker.
The Second Prince was just whining; nothing more. However, his words resounded like thunder on a sunny day to Fang Bo Wen's ears.
The matters that were hazy before... were becoming clear...
[Do I have to think of another way...? Will I have to retreat from this road?]
The Second Prince leaned to the side, and put his hands behind his back. His face was full of confidence as he laughed. He was brimming with the confidence of a man who was on the verge of victory. The Prince then mumbled, "I can use this opportunity to deal with the First and the Third..."
He didn't speak his thoughts, but his face had a very fierce expression on it. He then suddenly turned around, "That's it! Mr. Wen, is Yue'er ready?"
"There has been no news of Miss Yue'er for several days. She has made... very few public appearances. Our contacts in the Ni Chang Pavilion... don't know much about this matter either. This Old Man is... very confused in that regard," Fang Bo Wen went through those words very slowly. In fact, he hadn't stated them in a very fluent manner. He had stammered several times in between. It was evident that he was disturbed, and his thoughts weren't on the same matter.
"Humph!" A cold light flashed in the Second Prince's eyes. He remained silent for a little while. Then, he finally spoke-up, "Let her be for the time being. Anyway, it's not like she can turn the tide with her strength alone. What about Cheng De Cao though? What has he been up to? Why hasn't he shown his face for so many days?"
There was a slight look of loathing in Fang Bo Wen's eyes. It was obvious that the Young Master Cheng's reputation wasn't good. He replied, "This Old Man hasn't seen Young Master Cheng for a long time. It seems that he's busy with something. Though, he isn't telling anyone about this matter. Also, the corresponding manpower is yet to arrive. He may have met with some mishap..."
The Second Prince frowned. He strolled around for a bit before he spoke in a gloomy voice, "Shelve the trivial matters for now... everything will be determined with the arrival of the crossbows." His fair face suddenly revealed his murderous intention.
[Humph! A woman and a Young Master! Humph! You consider yourself as something important? So, you agree with me outside, but defy me in private? Yue'er, you mustn't think that you can take advantage of the way I treat you! You'll regret this!]
[This Cheng De Cao thinks himself to be a formidable person? The Second Prince can destroy you whenever he wants!]
"Yes," Fang Bo Wen could sense the Second Prince's killing intentions. His white eyebrows quivered. The mastermind couldn't help but tremble. [Your Majesty is already quite ruthless and without any pity. But, why are you being so shallow? Why are you being so domineering in such a minor matter? What will you do if you accomplish great things in the future?] Suddenly, he became bored to death, and hung his eyes. He shut his mouth, and kept his thoughts to himself.
The Second Prince looked outside at the moonlight. A fiery expression suddenly swept across his face. It was zealous expression. His eyes seemed to burn with a hot flame. It seemed as if he already believed himself to be a great entity.
...
The Jun Family's residence; Jun Mo Xie was having a sleepless night.
He had carefully filtered through the ingredients. The list of medications that Jun Mo Xie required was finally in order. He had unexpectedly received two hundred herbs. There were no rare or legendary herbs among them. And, there weren't any precious herbs ingredients among them either. But, there was a massive amount of low-level ingredients. Besides, there were some 'never before seen' low-level ingredients present in this stock-pile as well. It was almost like one could find anything in that pile. The entire stock had been piled-up in the special room in Jun Mo Xie's courtyard.
He then dispersed the bystanders. He even shooed Fatty Tang away to take rest. Then, he selected two trusted helpers to sift through those ingredients.
The so-called 'trusted helpers' were very few in number. In fact, there were only a total of four in the entire Jun Household as far as Jun Mo Xie's count was concerned. But, he couldn't dare to exhaust Grandpa Jun and Third Uncle. As for the other two... he had regarded it to be very impolite to make Little Ke do this work. Sister Qing Han was available too. So, he had unwillingly asked for her help as well since he needed more people.
After all, Guan Qing Han was the daughter of a Xuan Qi Family. These drugs mustn't be unfamiliar to her. So, she would be a great help to Jun Mo Xie. Moreover, she was one of his most trusted people to say the least.
Jun Mo Xie sat at a place where the light of the lamp couldn't reach. He sat there like a wooden figure; motionless. He frowned deeply in rapt attention. The two females assumed that he was immersed in deep thoughts about a very serious matter since he was frowning so profoundly. So, they decided against disturbing him, and allowed him ponder in peace...
The two tiptoed around. They even spoke softly in order to avoid causing disturbance to Jun Mo Xie's thoughts. Their hands worked quickly in accordance to his instructions. They first segregated the ingredients according to their weight. Then, they mixed them together; as per requirement. Afterwards, they wrapped the mix up, and put a serial number on each package.
The work was not arduous in itself, but working continuously at a stretch for such a long time had exhausted them. The fact that it was a very monotonous and dull job also tired them out. The two worked hurriedly past midnight. They aimed to hand over at least five batches of prescriptions; each with a hundred items.
The two women were drowsy-eyed by the time they finally stood up. They didn't know why Jun Mo Xie wanted these medicines, but he seemed to want them very urgently. So, they didn't dare to take it easy, and had worked incessantly throughout the night. And now, it was finally done. The two females stood up, and smiled bitterly at each other. They felt out of energy, and had a slight ache in their slender waists.
However, the two couldn't help but feel like being praised for completing so much work so fast. They smiled at each other, and then looked at Jun Mo Xie in unison. [So much work has already been finished! So, what's he still frowning at? What problem could take such a long time to ponder over?]
Jun Mo Xie remained seat; same as before. His head had lowered a bit. The Young Master had a serious look on his face. His frown was so profound that it seemed as if he had encountered the mystery of the ages...
He was concentrating so hard that the two females were able to walk up to him without him detecting their movements...
"Ah! This bastard! He has swindled us into becoming his work-oxes! This bastard fell asleep long back!" Guan Qing Han observed him for some time, and came to that conclusion. She obviously became very angry. They wouldn't have been to tell that his 'breathing' was 'snoring' in reality if they hadn't walked so close to him.
[He's just too much! Who does such things?!]
[We both tired ourselves out working busily throughout the night. You didn't say anything; neither did you help! We didn't disturb you since we thought that you were pondering over something important. But... you were actually sleeping the entire time! This is too much!]
Anger rose inside Guan Qing Han's heart. She rubbed her eyes, but was so tired that she was unable to open them properly. This made her even more sullen. She raised her leg, and gave that 'shameless good for nothing' a tight kick on his thigh.
"Bang!"
Jun Mo Xie fell from his chair, and woke up. He opened his eyes, and immediately understood the reason for that kick. Then, the Young Master calmly got up, and sighed as he put on airs. He then exclaimed, "This problem is very tough! I've thought-it-over all night, yet I still can't understand it. This is an amazing headache!"
The Young Master Jun looked very gloomy. He continued to moan and groan in pain. Jun Mo Xie tried his best to look very concerned... as if he feared for the country. Anyone who looked at his face would fear that all the land under the heavens would perish if he was stopped from pondering over his problem.
Guan Qing Han sneered. Her beautiful leg landed at the pit of Jun Mo Xie's stomach as she scolded, "Young Master Jun, is it normal for you to have so much saliva when you're focusing hard on a problem?"
Jun Mo Xie made a 'hiccupping' sound. He then replied in a frustrated manner, "This is one of the many problems I have. I don't pay attention to what my body does when I'm thinking long and hard on something important. So, my mouth opens when I think for a long time, and I forget to shut it. A lot of saliva ends up getting collected as a result..."
[What bullsh*t is this?!]
Guan Qing Han was in a good mood, and found it funny. Though, her face was cold as she chided Jun Mo Xie. She then suddenly realized that the Young Master's eyes had changed direction. He then smiled, "Ah, Third Uncle! What are you doing here so late?"
Guan Qing Han and Little Ke looked around frightfully. But, they didn't even spot the Third Uncle's shadow. They then realized that they had been tricked, and became very angry. Even the usually gentle Little Ke felt her face becoming hot as she turned to look back. However, their eyes opened in amazement once they turned around to face Jun Mo Xie. There was no one in Jun Mo Xie's chair anymore. He had vanished without a trace...
Such speed was... simply heavenly...
The two females looked at each other with blank stares. Then, they recalled Jun Mo Xie's funny appearance from a moment ago. "Pfft, Pfft" sounds escaped from their lips as they started to laugh.
Little Ke pursed her lips and chuckled. She then looked at Guan Qing Han appreciatively, and exclaimed, "Young Lady, you have a very attractive smile. I'm seeing you smile after a very long time. You should smile more often... it's very, very pretty."
"I'm seeing you smile after a very long time..." this made Guan Qing Han's body tremble. A frantic look passed through her eyes. Then, she resumed her cold expression and sighed, "It is very late at night; go and rest." She said this and silently walked out of the courtyard.
Her silhouette seemed very lonely and desolate in the night-light. She appeared like a 'Snow Lotus' on a faraway mountain peak that was covered in snow and clouds — alone, proud and upright.
"God!" Jun Mo Xie had hidden inside the HongJun Pagoda. [The two tigresses come up so suddenly! Why didn't I hide before?] He hadn't slept for two nights and a day. That was the reason why he had fallen asleep like that. He was extremely tired. Another reason was that he was re-vitalizing his vigor in order to concoct the Dans.
As for the selection of the ingredients and formulas was concerned — Jun Mo Xie had already combed through the Book of Folk Remedies, and was confident that he could refine 5 kinds of Dans.
The Mysterious Yang Dan, the Missing Yin Dan, the Spirit Amassing Dan, the Multi-Division Dan, and the Connecting-Meridians Dan!
Chapter 303 - Alchemy and Progression
The Mysterious Yang Dan and the Missing Yin Dan were bodily nourishment medicines, and were to be taken by men and women respectively. They were refined using the most ordinary herbs, and could be consumed by the most ordinary of people; without any fear of a side effect. However, the Spirit Amassing Dan was a high-level Dan, and was only suited for high-level martial practitioners.
The Spirit Amassing Dan was also known as the 'Devil's Heart' Dan. This Dan was designed to be consumed while undertaking martial training. It would increase the concentration of the 'spirit energy' inside a person's body by a very significant margin. Moreover, the possibility of a backlash — or the 'Devil's Bite'— would be more-or-less eliminated even if a person would wholeheartedly immerse themselves in their practice. This function of the Devil's Heart Dan would seem rather simple, but it was no trivial matter. This Dan wasn't a rare treasure, but it wasn't exactly sold openly in the market; nor did it have a price.
A martial practitioner can't afford to be afraid of foreign object; they can't fear pain. However, the 'Devil's Bite' was one the biggest hurdles in their path. And, most people were afraid of this phenomenon. It was hard to say how many high-level martial practitioners had succumbed to the Devil's Bite over the course of their training, and had lost their lives and cultivation to this tragedy. In fact, the effect of the Devil's Bite was likely to be more severe for a martial practitioner of a higher level. But, the Devil's Heart Dan effectively put an end to this phenomenon's possibility. Hence, this Dan was often considered as a 'Life-saving' Dan.
An open circulation of the 'Devil's Heart Dan' would likely give rise to a ruckus in the entire Xuan Xuan continent. This small medicine pill could easily cause a blood-bath; a very tragic one at that. In fact, the intensity of the scramble for this medicine wouldn't be very different from the one that had unfolded for the 'Level Nine Xuan Core'.
The "Multi-Cure Dan"[3] did what its name suggests. It was miracle medicine that could cure a myriad of infections and diseases. This medicine could blend with a plethora of infectious and poisonous substances inside the host's body, and could remove them from therein — without causing any harm to the subject. It was a long road to Tian Fa. Moreover, the journey and the destination were filled with a variety of elements that could cause infections in the troops' bodies. And, this medicinal pill could act as a major means of prevention against all such elements by preserving the troops' health. Therefore, Jun Mo Xie had given this medicine preference over the others.
The last was the 'Connecting-Meridians Dan'. Jun Mo Xie had given it a different name: Ten Years Dan. According his experiments — a person's Xuan Qi and internal strength were likely to see an enhancement after the consumption of this Dan. This Dan wouldn't exactly open-up a person's Xuan meridians, but it could enhance a person's Xuan cultivation by ten years' time!
Moreover, the effects of this enhancement were possibly permanent in nature!
In other words, this 'Medicinal Dan' could provide a life-long enhancement in person's combat effectiveness. Moreover, this miraculous medicine could produce this effect in a very short period of time. Jun Mo Xie could enhance the cultivation level of the 300 hundred guards he was training to an entirely new level if this medicine could be combined with the 'Devil's Heart Dan'.
Jun Mo Xie could naturally refine a few more medicines using the second level of the 'Art of Unlocking the Heaven's fortune'. But, those medicines were mostly nourishment medicines such as 'Spirit Purifying' Dan etc. These medicines were quite effective as well, but Jun Mo Xie didn't think very highly of them; nor did he need them very urgently. So, he had temporarily ignored them when he had made a list of his first-choice medicines.
It was imperative for him to enhance strength as soon as possible. Not just his own — but that of the entire Jun Family's troops.
Jun Mo Xie sat cross-legged inside the Hongjun Pagoda. He was facing the 'Furnace of Good Fortune', and was trying to calm his excited frame of mind. The 'Art of Unlocking the Heaven's Fortune' had been surging like a torrent, but it started to flow like a smooth stream as his mental state became calmer. Suddenly, he felt burst of clarity in his mind.
[Well!]
Jun Mo Xie raised his hands after a loud shout, and drew a large circle in the void of the air. Then, he rapidly drew some characters with his finger. He wasn't using any kind of ink, but some strange characters would show up in that circle he had previously drawn. And, those strange characters would fly into the Furnace of Good Fortune once they had been fully formed...
Boom!
The 'Flame of Primal Chaos' was lightly ablaze under the 'Furnace of Good Fortune' when he had started. However, the flame suddenly became more ardent and fierce. A jet-black flame soared ten feet into the sky, and enveloped the entire 'Furnace of Good Fortune' inside it.
Jun Mo Xie pointed the index finger of his hand towards the 'Furnace of Good Fortune' as this happened. A 'buzz' resounded from the Furnace, and it started to float and swirl in midair. Soon, the Furnace's body started to radiate with a rainbow-colored light, and countless strange patterns appeared on its outer surface. Then, those patterns suddenly disappeared. But, that rainbow-colored light continued to radiate on the furnace's body. The furnace continued to swirl and buzz midair as its lid was raised into the sky.
Jun Mo Xie tossed the medicinal ingredients into the furnace with his right hand, and the entire atmosphere was suddenly filled with a rich medicinal aroma. This dense fragrance had come to life the moment the ingredients made contact with the Furnace. Then, the Furnace's lid slammed down, and the 'Flame of Primal Chaos' lit-up once again. Then, Jun Mo Xie pointed his finger towards the furnace, and it was enveloped in that jet-black flame again.
Suddenly, Jun Mo Xie felt as if the spiritual energy inside his body had surged out like a massive river that had broken past its dam...
This was merely the beginning. The Young Master Jun had always sailed swiftly — despite the direction of the current. However, he found himself complaining like never before...
[Oh My God! Is this medicinal alchemy or blood suction? That feeling from a moment ago was simply terrifying! Refining such a small amount of Dans requires so much strength, and such a substantial amount of Aura?! And, that's when I'm only refining the most basic and ordinary Dans! If this is merely the starting point... wouldn't it kill me if I were to refine high-end Dans? This is too much...!]
[Damn it! I've seen the movies! Those Daoist alchemists would concoct Dans with so much ease. They would merely stroke their beards and scratch their whiskers, and the job would be done. The clouds would shake, and the Dan would show up in front of them. And, a person could be brought back from the dead with the Dan they would concoct! In fact, a person could become as light as feather, and ascend to the heavens as an Immortal...]
[Ah... why did it have to be so difficult in my case? I just want to treat some injuries, cure some infections, and enhance a person's cultivation by a few years... that's all! But, why does something so simple have to demand so much energy from my spirit, ah?]
Jun Mo Xie grumbled in his heart, but didn't dare to slack off. He tried to maintain a steady flow, and allowed his body's spiritual energy to surge out like a massive river...
A long while later...
"Bang!"
The Furnace of Good Fortune issued a loud sound, and resumed its original position on the ground. The Flame of Primal Chaos simmered down and reverted back to its original color.
As for the Young Master Jun — he was completely exhausted. He didn't even have the strength to move his fingers. He panted for air as he sensed the HongJun Pagoda frantically pour Aura into his meridians. He felt as if he had just run 5 kilometers with a 500kg boulder on his body. He was literally on the verge of his sticking his tongue out of his mouth to breathe more air. In fact, the Young Master Jun would've probably fallen into a deep slumber if it wasn't the crazy amount of supplementary energy that the HongJun Pagoda was pouring into his body.
Physical fatigue was secondary. The crucial point was that his spirit had been exhausted. This was a rather frightening situation. The consequences could be very serious if his spirit wasn't timely supplemented.
A long, long while later... Jun Mo Xie finally felt as if his dried-out meridians had been somewhat replenished. He strutted off the ground with the help of the little remaining spiritual energy in his body, and lifted the Furnace's lid. Then, he peeked to take a look inside it. He violently cried-out after a quick glance, while his limbs started to tremble.
There was nothing inside the Furnace of Good Fortune! ... apart from some burnt-out ashes...
"I'm going to fu*k you!" The Hitman was flabbergasted. He continued to curse in anger, "I don't believe this! I spent all the effort I could, and this Dan still didn't get refined?! I can't believe that I'll have to try a second time over such silly and ordinary Dans!"
He sat down cross-legged, put the HongJun Pagoda into motion, and started to absorb the spiritual energy... [I won't mess up the second time]...
Then...
"You recumbent furnace!" the Hitman couldn't believe the result of his second attempt either. "This is again... ah... well, my I'm going to get serious! Let's see who the real daddy is!"
Then, he started all over again...
Bang! Then...
"Damn it! I can't believe this devil! I don't know how many attempts this nonsense is going to take... ten times... Do I have to try a hundred times? A thousand times...?" he continued to curse in anger. He vented out his anger till he exhausted himself, and then sat down cross-legged again. He restarted the HongJun Pagoda to replenish his energy, and started the process again...
He couldn't believe the result again... abused till he was exhausted... and then started the entire process again...
It's hard to say how many times it took, but eventually...
"Wow, ha ha ha ha... I'm your daddy! How can a piece of trash like you keep turning my stuff into ashes, huh? Ah? You son of a bit*h! You think I don't know you? You're a bastard! Ha! You evil little thing! You think you can beat me? Hum..."
The Young Master Jun's messy hair and dirt-filled face didn't look much different from that of a beggar's. In fact, even a beggar would look better than Jun Mo Xie's present appearance. His face had gone as green as that of a zombie's. His entire body was trembling as if he was suffering from a stroke of epilepsy. He extended his hand, and grabbed a tiny and shiny pill from the Furnace. He then raised it into the air, and started jumping up and down like a maniac...
He gnashed his teeth as he held that pill in his hands. Jun Mo Xie had a strong impulse to throw that pill on the ground so he could trample it like a maniac. [Damn it! I suffered so much for this tiny piece of trash?! I've got cramps from that tortuous ordeal! What if I were to toss you to the ground, and stamp on you... that would be fun... that would feel so good... how good would that feel?]
However, the heartless and ruthless Jun Mo Xie was reluctant to part with it. [Damn! Trample on this thing? Has my brain short-circuited? That's not enough! I'm going to swallow you! You will squirm inside my intestines till you've been digested. And then, you shall be transformed into my moisty and stinky sh*t. That's the best punishment for you!]
He continued to rain curses as he slowly put them into a jade bottle. Then, he pulled one pill out of the jade bottle, and brought it up to his mouth. His hands treated the pill as if it was a priceless treasure, while his mouth cursed it "Tiny piece of trash". Then, that pill reluctantly left his hand, and dropped into his mouth. Crack, crack, crack... he chewed it a few times, and swallowed it down...
"The result looks good." Jun Mo Xie face reveled in the aftertaste of the Mysterious Yang Dan as it came in contact with his mouth. Then, Jun Mo Xie's face revealed a bitter expression as he realized that he had many more to refine, [How much time will this take?]
[Forget about the material required for this Mysterious Yang Dan... I came in with 100 packets of herbs... and now I only have 78 left. It took me 22 attempts to succeed once. And, it could've been by accident too! I can only concoct 30 pills in one go. So, I will have to succeed 10 times if I want to make enough for all my trainees. How many attempts will it take to succeed 10 times...?]
"This stupid furnace!" Jun Mo Xie sat down again, and started to replenish his spiritual energy...
One had to say that Jun Mo Xie had a very tough will-power. It had certainly surpassed that of an ordinary person. An ordinary person wouldn't back away if they were met with a wall on their path. However, Jun Mo Xie wouldn't just refuse to give-up... he'd continue to knock against the wall until he had broken past it.
Jun Mo Xie had initiated the Hongjun Pagoda to reinstate his spiritual power for the 22nd time. He wanted to restart the Furnace of Good Fortune and Flame of Primal Chaos so he could adhere to his task of concocting the required number of pills. However, the spiritual energy in his body had been exhausted. In fact, not even a spec of it was left.
What kind of sensation would a martial man feel once their Xuan Qi and Spiritual Energy had been depleted? Such excessive strain would leave their limbs cold, and their mind in chaos. And, if a person had to experience this feeling over 22 times... one would feel as if the very depth of the sea of their soul had started to tremble... as if they would wither at a moment's notice; it was a very creepy sensation that would leave one's hair standing at an end! It would be akin to taking a recreational hike along the gates of hell.
An average person would at best endure this the first time due to their "discipline". But, they would never attempt it a second time. Moreover, the memory of this sensation was likely to shatter the said-person's will-power, and leave them traumatized. In fact, even the individuals bestowed with the strongest of will-powers wouldn't attempt this more than three-to-five times.
However, the Young Master Jun had attempted this process 22 times in a row! He had failed the first 21 times... but judging by his zeal — he would've single-mindedly carried-on even if he hadn't succeeded in his 22nd attempt.
Who could claim to be more tenacious than Hitman Jun? Who could claim to be more ruthless?
Let alone the Spiritual Energy... even the mental discipline required to accomplish this feat wasn't trivial! It was simply unimaginable!
As the situation stood — the Young Master Jun had succeeded once, and had concocted a few pills. However, he still wasn't willing to stop. In fact, he was brimming with desire to refine all the ingredients he carried...
Even if an almighty alchemic master was to see such tenacity... they'd probably roll their eyes over and faint!
They'd call him a freak; perhaps an evil spirit!
However, Jun Mo Xie wasn't aware of this. In fact, he probably wouldn't bother even if he was. So, he'd endlessly gather his energy, and would immerse himself into refining the pills. Then, he'd put-up a miserly expression on his face as he'd slowly put those pills into his small jade bottle...
One bottle could only hold a hundred pills. Seeing that one bottle had filled-up... he brought out the next one... filled it... and then the next... Perhaps it could be attributed to his previous failures, but Jun Mo Xie had become very skilled at this. In fact, it seemed as if he was one of the best alchemists alive...
Perhaps he had failed too many times in the beginning. But, his rate of failure had decreased very significantly after he had gained some experience. Now, he'd succeed one out of every three times...
However, this wasn't the most important aspect. The most important thing was — the recovery speed of Jun Mo Xie's spiritual energy had been increasing incessantly. Jun Mo Xie's countenance had resembled a 'dead dog' after his first attempt. But, he would only be left to pant grumpily at present. Then, he'd gasp a mouthful of air, sit down to meditate, recover himself in a few moments, and then start again... this had increased his speed by two or three times...
His success rate had also increased!
It was hard to say how much benefit these pills would provide. But, Jun Mo Xie's spiritual energy was deriving great benefits from this refining process. And, these benefits would certainly be profound and long-lasting.
Jun Mo Xie's spiritual strength's condensation and his spiritual awareness's strength had shown massive improvements over the course of those 21 failures. And, they had unexpectedly burst-out when he had successfully concocted his first batch of pills. This had revealed the progress that Jun Mo Xie had made while concocting these pills.
However, Jun Mo Xie was unaware of this. In fact, he hadn't taken any note of this aspect.
Jun Mo Xie had "accidentally" or "unintentionally" attained a state of detachment from his body.
He was completely detached from himself. There was only one thing in his mind — [refine pills! Refine pills! Refine pills! I need to refine pills at any cost! ... there's no time! I don't have enough time! I must pay close attention to how much time I spend in refining these pills...]
The expression on his face had gone from that of excitement... to calm and serene... to 'it's only a matter of time'... to a wooden expression... and had eventually transformed into that of a man who was mundanely sitting and eating his daily cabbage...
And the cheapest variety of cabbage at that! The kind that would be sold for a dozen a dime... the kind that one would grow bored of consuming...
But then, Jun Mo Xie made a startling discovery by the time he started to refine the Connecting-Meridians Dan. And, he finally woke-up with a start...
[What the fu*k!]
[My body's spiritual power has supported three consecutive refining processes, and I still don't feel exhausted! This... what's happening? Are these pills of a lower level than the previous ones? Nah... they are all at the same level. But, this Connecting-Meridians Dan is the highest-leveled pill amongst these... It's the hardest to refine, and requires the maximum amount of Aura input... I remember that I was barely to persist when I refined the first batch of pills... so why don't I feel dead-tired right now? What's happening...]
Jun Mo Xie's mind was set into motion. And so, he peeked inside his body. One glance — and he jumped-up in shock!
The traces of the formless spiritual energy still persisted within his meridians. It had broken past the first layer, and was gradually breaking through the second layer as it shuttled back and forth his meridians. This spiritual energy was still in the form of mist, but it was much denser than before! In fact, it nearly felt as if it had solidified!
[Don't tell me! My spiritual strength has seen such a massive growth by merely refining these medicines?]
Jun Mo Xie couldn't understand this. After all, wasn't he merely concocting pills?
He would exhaust his bodily aura every time he'd refine the ingredients. But, he'd instigate the HongJun Pagoda into motion since he didn't have any time to replenish his spiritual energy. And, the HongJun Pagoda would reinstate his meridians with pure aura, and revive his spiritual strength. However, it would replenish his meridians with a little more aura than they previously contained.
It was hard to tell the number of times he had undergone this process... but, he'd put all his effort into the process each time, and would overstrain himself in the process...
It could be said that Jun Mo Xie would've died without a dreg if it weren't for the HongJun Pagoda. However, the HongJun Pagoda existed. And, his body was presently inside it. This was greatly beneficial for him, but it's difficult to describe these benefits in words...
His strength had more than doubled since the time he had started to concoct these pills in the Pagoda!
As for the measure of his Xuan Qi — he had at-least reached the mid-level mark of the Jade Xuan realm. And, he could make another breakthrough at any point. As for the 'Art of Unlocking the Heaven's Fortune' was concerned — he had reached the mid-level mark of the second layer! He could reach the peak of the first layer after one more giant stride. Then, he could advance further by impacting the third layer's bottleneck!
Moreover, it hadn't even been 15 days since he had broken into the second layer!
In other words, he had managed to enhance himself by two full steps over the course of this frenzied time when he had been immersed in refining these medicines. Two full steps! Ordinary people couldn't even think about such progression!
Xuan Qi cultivation was easy before a person reached the Silver Xuan level. So, the growth was rapid. But, every step would become harder once a person had made the breakthrough into the Silver Xuan Realm. In fact, the same was true for every type of martial cultivation. It gets tougher to make a breakthrough with every grade a cultivator advances.
Take the Tian Fa King beasts for example. They were far beyond the ordinary. In fact, one could say that they had been blessed by the heavens. However, they had been stuck at the same breakthrough for decades; but still hadn't seen any signs of a breakthrough. They had made progress every day over the course of these decades. But, they still hadn't been able to make a breakthrough. So, one could imagine how fanatical they must've gotten when Jun Mo Xie offered to assist them in making one. This was probably the most apt description of the difficulty of progression.
An ordinary person simply couldn't fathom this!
Jun Mo Xie exhaled a long, long, long breath. His mind was enveloped by ecstasy, and he suddenly loosened up. Then, he suddenly felt a strong ache in his head; as if he his skull had been punctured with needles. Jun Mo Xie had forgotten about the passage of time since he had entered the HongJun Pagoda. In fact, he had no idea as to how much time he had been here!
However, he had an unbearable headache at the moment. His entire body felt powerless. His spiritual energy had been re-filling itself, but his body had long been exhausted. Then, a strong sense of starvation emerged from his stomach. So much so, that Jun Mo Xie was left aggrieved to death.
[How long have I been at this without any food? Ah, not to mention... without any water...]
Jun Mo Xie scanned the floor beside his feet, and was again shocked by the sight of his doings...
Rows after rows of jade bottles had been neatly arranged on the floor.
He counted the number of bottles... [My God!]
Jun Mo Xie sucked in a breath of cold air. [Did I really refine so many pills? Crap! I'm so abnormal! In fact, I'm not even a human being ah...]
[There's five bottles of Mysterious Yang Pills, three bottles of Missing Yin Pills, six bottles of Devil's Heart Pills, eight bottles of Connecting-Meridians pills, and fifteen bottles of Multi-Cure Pills...]
[My God!]
[I'm too great! Too great! I'm very, very handsome! I'm amazing! ... no adjective can aptly describe my talents!]
[These pills... they are... power ah! How much progression will my 300 guards' strength see once I give them these pills? It's certainly going to be formidable!]
Jun Mo Xie spent some time praising himself. Then, he quickly ducked-out of the HongJun Pagoda... [I'm going to starve to death if I don't leave this place...]
However, Jun Mo Xie was completely unaware that he had spent three days and three nights inside the HongJun Pagoda instead of that one 'intended' night. Moreover, he was completely unaware of the commotion his absence had caused...
The Jun Family's Young Master had disappeared from his own residence... no one had found any traces of his departure, and he hadn't told anyone either. Moreover, he had never disappeared for such a long stretch in the past...
On top of that, Jun Mo Xie had disappeared right after the Solitary Eagle had departed the Jun residence. What did this indicate? Could anyone imagine that, ah?
The entire Jun household was in a chaos, and everybody was in a hurry. Something big had happened!
It was outrageous!
The Third Young Master of the Jun Family! Their only surviving scion!Yang is for men, Yin is for women
Chapter 304 - The Dispute Over the Medicinal Dans, and Guan Qing Han's Breakthrough
Grandpa Jun wasn't worried on the first day. Jun Mo Xie's strength wasn't weak, and he had full confidence in his own abilities. In fact, he had stated that he could defend himself against a Great Master if need be. Could anything be more dangerous than that? Grandpa Jun had no idea where Jun Mo Xie had gone off to, but he was more focused on planning a Great-Grandson for himself...
However, Grandpa Jun and Jun Wu Yi couldn't help but get worried on the next day. [He hasn't come home for two days and two nights. What's the matter? This has never happened before! Could it be that he is busy indulging himself in pleasures and has forgotten about his duties towards the Family?]
Finally, they lost their cool on the third day. After all, his claims of being able to defend himself against a Great Master hadn't been confirmed...
Grandpa Jun became extremely anxious, and ordered an emergency throughout the capital. He also dispersed his troops everywhere. The Jun Family's secret force was dispatched, and they searched every corner of the city. Then, the Jun family dispatched more troops in disarray since they couldn't find him. Hai Chen Feng and the Jin Yan Gang also initiated a comprehensive search. The gangsters and the soldiers had taken initiative to work hand in hand in this instance! Grandpa Jun and Third Uncle personally led the search, and were thorough like a sieve. They searched each shady area in the city — multiple times.
Third Uncle's complexion was extremely unsightly. He was extremely vicious during this search. Each word that came out of his mouth was unsuited for a cultured man's speed. He would first strike a person, and then... he'd abuse. Grandpa Jun's speech was also very fierce. [Damn it! I will carry out a detailed search... even if the sky falls! And, I'll kill anyone who doesn't cooperate!]
[I'll break your legs if you dare to utter a word! You dare to slack-off after I broke your legs? Should I go for your skull as well?]
The brothels were shut down and raided. The same was especially true for the wretched Spirit Fog Lake's most infamous establishment: Ni Chang 'Rainbow' Pavilion. That was certainly on top of the list.
They further went on to take the Madame and the pimps of the 'Rainbow Pavilion' into custody. They even intercepted and arrested Lady Yue'er. Apparently, Lady Yue'er had been touring every influential family's residence in order to showcase her skills. Every brothel was falling-over itself in an attempt to hire her. But, she had planned a big tour. And, she was barely done with half of it when she was intercepted by the soldiers led by Jun Wu Yi, and was then taken into custody...
But why?
What reason could they have to capture a prostitute?
Everyone knew the relationship between the Second Prince and the 'Rainbow Pavilion'. But, this incident marked the first time when the Second Prince sent his own 'Mastermind'— Fang Bo Wen — to intercede on his behalf. He had counted on the Jun Family's honor. He was ordered to return only after they had released Lady Yue'er. But, Jun Wu Yi's face was extremely cold when he passed his judgement, "Get lost!"
It was said that the venerable Mr. Fang flew into an epileptic rage on the spot.
Then suddenly, the Third Young Master Jun re-appeared... in the midst of all that chaos.
The beggar-looking Young Master Jun appeared in his courtyard like a starving re-incarnation of a stray dog. He sped to Jun Family's Kitchen like a fish that had just escaped its net the moment he appeared.
Little Ke had bathed her face with tears. She jumped in fear at his arrival. Though, she couldn't even see his shadow when she turned her head to look at him.
Little Ke then hurriedly went and informed Guan Qing Han. In-turn, she informed Jun Wu Yi that the Third Young Master Jun had returned safe and sound.
After that, the two females proceeded towards the direction Jun Mo Xie had disappeared in. They were extremely shocked when they reached the kitchen.
Jun Mo Xie's dress was ragged, and his hair was disheveled. His face was pale, and there were two pouches beneath his eyes. He looked like a wretched animal. His hands were skinny and black like a chicken's claw, and his boots had holes which revealed his toes. He'd grabbed a fish with his left hand, and put it into his mouth. He then pulled hard in the opposite direction; only the fish's skull and bones came out of his mouth.
He held a lump of beef in his right hand. He didn't even seem to chew it as he stuffed it down his throat. A bowl full of soup was placed in front of him. He'd occasionally choke and let out a strange cry. Then, he'd lowered his head, and smashed it in the bowl. He'd ignore the strange sounds of his actions as he'd empty half-the-bowl in one go.
Beneath him... was a pile of bones, fish bones, and bits-and-pieces of meat...
The chubby chefs in the kitchen were behaving as if they had been struck by lightning. They stared foolishly at the famished incarnation of the Young Master. Their faces twitched. He was eating too much.
[Crap! Even a pig... no... even a wild boar can't eat so much at such an unbelievable speed!] They felt dizzy as they witnessed that spectacle.
Guan Qing Han and Little Ke rushed over and caught up. They were very indignant. [You little debauchee! You disappeared to god-knows where. You left home for three days without even leaving a message! Could you at least think about how worried everyone else is?] The sister-in-law wanted to teach her brother-in-law a lesson. After all, she was an elder relative. But, she was dumbstruck by this sight, and was unable to say anything.
[These kind of table manners?!] The eyes of the eldest daughter of the Guan Family opened wide. And, she covered her small mouth as her expression turned to that of shock. The generally cold and beautiful face of the young woman had revealed this look for the first time...
Little Ke's delicate and small mouth opened-wide as she stared startled; one could stuff two duck-eggs in her mouth.
Eventually, Jun Mo Xie sighed with satisfaction. Then, his head went down again to finish the last bits in the soup bowl, and raised it back once its white base was visible.
Then, he raised one leg and kicked at the pile of bones... which had nearly reached his ankles. The Young Master then hiccupped in satisfaction. After that, he took-out his throwing knife, and calmly started to pick his teeth. He then saw everyone's expression... the one that had surface on their faces after witnessing such a strange event. He couldn't help but ask in bewilderment, "Is my face flowering?"
Everyone was speechless.
They were speechless for a long time. They wondered if anyone could say anything after witnessing something so shameless.
"What have you been doing these past days?" His sister-in-law, Guan Qing Han, asked in a dignified and interrogative manner once she came back to her senses.
"Me? In the past few days? Hah..." Jun Mo Xie immediately guessed what had happened. He then sighed as he shook his head, "I was extremely busy these past few days; extremely busy! Unlike you all — who slept till they were hungry, and ate till they were satisfied. You had nothing to do... except for taking care of your physiological needs."
[What did he say?] Guan Qing Han bristled as she spoke fiercely, "What did you say?"
"What did I say? He He... I said that sister-in-law and Little Ke look increasingly beautiful every time I see you. Especially sister-in-law! Not only do you look very attractive, but you also look younger. I believe that people who don't know that you're my sister-in-law will think that you're my younger sister if you carry-on at this rate!" Jun Mo Xie honeyed his words as he uttered this nonsense.
Guan Qing Han and Little Ke were stunned. They knew that his words were an overstatement, and were aware that he was only trying to flatter them. But, they still felt delighted at being praised. Their mood changed, and a funny expression surfaced on their faces as they started at him speechless. Guan Qing Han's face became taut after some time, "Third Uncle has returned. He'll make you feel better." She finished and pulled Little Ke away with her.
Qing Han had been right. Moreover, she hadn't exaggerated one bit.
The Grandpa Jun and Third Uncle rushed back to Jun Mo Xie the moment they heard of his return, and burst-in furiously like a storm. The Young Master Jun's hair turned white at the sight of this, and he started to splutter...
The Young Master Jun was barely able to withstand the concentrated thunderstorm of the berating. But, he wanted to show-off his achievements. So, he then cleared his throat and took out the Mysterious Yang Dan, the Devil's Heart Dan and the 'Ten Years' Dan. But, the two big shots continued to scold him violently.
Erm... these Dans were very good. Though, they couldn't be taken in concentrated doses. The Mysterious Yang Dan could be taken once every ten days. And, it would be fine to take a regular dose for health purposes. But, the 'Ten Years' Dan was a one-time affair; it would be useless to have it regularly... in fact, it would be a complete waste.
Grandpa Jun and the Third Uncle picked the Dans with their fingertips. But, judging by their facial expressions... they didn't look very convinced. After all, the Young Master Jun had said that the efficacy of these Dans were miraculous. They looked at Jun Mo Xie with doubtful expressions. [You cheating demon! This little Dan can increase cultivation by ten years? That's rubbish!] The same thought emerged in both men's brain.
However, they felt their cultivation shoot-up frantically after they took the pills under Jun Mo Xie's administration. They felt their skills had risen to a level of ten years or more. Their expressions turned green as the Young Master's. They stared at the Young Master Jun like a pack of... hungry wolves!
"This is such an amazing thing! How many of these are there? Hand them over to this Old Man! I'm happy again. So, don't make trouble for me! I'll have none of your nonsense, you little brat!"
This was Grandpa Jun's roar. His face had flooded with excitement. He grabbed the front of Jun Mo Xie's gown, raised him in the air, and shook him like he was drying a dead fish in the wind.
The Old Man greedily opened his mouth wide as he spoke those words in a tyrannical manner.
"Since your grandfather has opened his mouth first... you must serve his needs before anything else. I'm not that important. You come round to me as you wish. Just hand over a hundred dozen bottles to me. You must give the remaining to your grandfather; no matter how many you have in total." That's what Jun Wu Yi had said. He wanted more than a hundred-dozen bottles of these Dans.
[This father-and-son duo thinks that these Dans have fallen from the sky? And, one can just pick them from the ground? These are medicinal dans with genuine efficacies!]
Jun Mo Xie groaned. He had been dizzied by the shock...
[Even if I could merely pluck them from the ground... I'd still need to work my back! These medicines are amazing supplements... But, these two think that they are like cabbages...? How can they demand such a large amount...]
Could these two men kill Jun Mo Xie over these pills? They had conveniently forgotten about their grandson/ nephew / and their Family's sole heir in the lure of these Dans! Grandpa Jun was pulling Jun Mo Xie's cheek in hostility, and had nearly transformed his appearance into that of a pig's. Jun Wu Yi was slightly gentler in his approach. He was only addressing to Jun Mo Xie's logical sensibility. Else, Jun Mo Xie's face would've turned purple from all the 'pulling'.
[Did he faint in front of us? We have misjudged this brat's intentions. We have erred and counted our chickens before they hatched!]
The Young Master Jun let out a blood curdling cry. He wanted to burst into tears, but couldn't find any tears to shed. "I can't do it anymore... I will faint... I can't do it anymore... you two... please let me off!"
"You cheating devil! I just saw that you took out several bottles of those! Now calmly hand them over to me. Are you looking for trouble?" Grandpa Jun caught Jun Mo Xie by the ankles, and pulled him up. Then, he started to wave him around ferociously. It appeared as if an urchin was hanging from date tree's branch. But, the only difference was... he was upside-down...
Jun Mo Xie couldn't bear this treatment anymore, "Let go... I'm dying! I'm feeling very dizzy! I'll give... I'll give... isn't that enough?"
Grandpa Jun put his grandson down, and stared at him like a tiger looking at his prey. He didn't even blink.
Jun Mo Xie crawled away and slapped his face. [You really had to show off, didn't you?! Didn't you know that you'd be inviting trouble? You're well aware that this stuff can sway people's hearts. You knew that your grandfather and Third Uncle will lose all sense of relations when lured by the desire of such amazing Dans!]
He still felt this was wrong. [I anyway refined the Dans to increase the Jun Family's strength. So, why am I getting the miserable treatment that is meted out to rebels?! So many different kinds of torture! It's like they are forcing chili water down my throat!]
He moved slowly and took out one bottle of the Mysterious Yang Dan, Devil's Heart Dan, Multi-Cure Dan and Ten Years Dan each. He then kept them on top of the table for display. "That's all I have!"
"I don't believe it! Take out more!" the two older men roared in unison.
"That's really all I have!" Young Master Jun's face revealed a sincere expression. "These will be enough for hundreds of people. My master gave these many to me..." he thought; [You want them all for yourself? I made them to upgrade the strength of the troops under my command... but, I won't give to the unreliable ones. So, I'll keep the remaining with myself.]
"These bottles have enough for a hundred people?" the two older men were full of disbelief. Such precious medicines were extremely rare. The Third Uncle had asked for over a hundred-dozen of these bottles, but was he was merely joking.
It would've been enough if one bottle could provide for 3-5 people. So, how could they not be flabbergasted to hear the Young Master Jun speak that these tiny bottles could provide for hundreds of people?
"That's right. My master has used all his strength to refine these medicines. Why else would I have asked for those herbal ingredients? But, my master suffered a serious injury in refining these medicines. He may take up to 3-5 months to recover. Moreover, he may not be able to refine such Dans for a very long period of time. So, we need to be careful with the usage of these medicines." Jun Mo Xie was naturally exaggerating a few things. But, if the two men came to know that these Dans could be refined repeatedly... wouldn't they force him to refine those Dans every day for the rest of his life?
The two men thought this to be reasonable. It was reasonable if Jun Mo Xie's master couldn't refine these 'divine medicines' again and again. After all, wouldn't it be too much of a child's play if such medicines could be mass-produced?
The two older men extended their hands pushed Jun Mo Xie aside. Then, the two of them pulled at each other as they tried to grab...
"Mine!"
"Mine!"
"Bang! Slam! Thump!" it was quite obvious that the two men had reached out for the Dans...
Jun Mo Xie disappeared from the hall like a wisp of smoke. He paid no attention to those shameless 'good for nothing' men. In any case, there wouldn't be a mishap... no matter how much they tussled. But, they had sent the ground rumbling. [I better make a run for it...]
Intentionally or otherwise, Jun Mo Xie wobbled into Guan Qing Han's courtyard. She was quietly sitting under the blossoming tree. The young woman was calmly looking at the tree with a calm and content face. She had obviously heard Jun Mo Xie's footsteps, but she had remained as before; in fact, she didn't even turn around to face him.
"What's the matter?" she asked unenthusiastically.
"Nothing major. I just brought a few medications. You should try tasting them, but they're not too delicious. Ha Ha..." Jun Mo Xie gave a hollow laugh.
"Oh?" Guan Qing Han slowly turned her cold and beautiful face to look at him. "What kind of medication?"
"I've refined many kinds of medications. Their effects are pretty good too. Would you dare to try it?" Jun Mo Xie yawned these words. But, there was only one word in his mind — aphrodisiac. Though, he didn't dare say it out loud.
"What dare? You think I'm scared that you'll poison me?" Then, Guan Qing Han went beyond Jun Mo Xie's expectations and... she actually smiled. Jun Mo Xie temporarily forgot about moral integrity when he saw that stunning beauty smile... it was stunning... shocking... absolutely unexpected...
"Jun Mo Xie, I can't stand you at times, but I've come to realize that you're not the type of person who'd always use despicable means. And anyway, I'll always be your sister-in-law." She stretched her hands to receive the pills from Jun Mo Xie. Three pills; woman's quota. The Missing Yin Dan, Devil's Heart Dan, and the Ten Years Dan. She looked at Jun Mo Xie indifferently. Then, she raised her head and without any hesitation, and swallowed the medication.
Jun Mo Xie opened his eyes wide. He was about to tell her to wait till she had started to cultivate. But, she had already opened her mouth, and had taken the medication by then. This really amazed him.
A bubble of regret emerged inside Jun Mo Xie when he realized that Guan Qing Han trust him so much that she took the medication without a second thought. [I would've refined that aphrodisiac if I had known that she trusted me so much. This is a huge blunder! Bah! This must be that old Mo Xie's spirit haunting me and causing mischief. I'm so pure... how can I be that kind of a person...?]
Guan Qing Han was about to ask about the Dan and its effects when she felt a warm sensation well up in her dantian. Suddenly, her body felt warm and comfortable. It was an indescribably comfortable sensation. Then, the Xuan Qi started to move through her meridians on its own accord. It moved like a strong tide of a flooding river. Her dantian became increasingly warmer as the Xuan Qi continued to move through her meridians. In fact, it was getting converted into an exceptionally pure variant of Xuan Qi...
Jun Mo Xie's mysterious Dans promoted a person's abilities in a miraculous manner!
Guan Qing Han was shocked to discover this. She felt a little regret at doubting him. However, her cultivation was presently at the Silver Xuan realm's peak. In fact, she was about to break through to the Gold Xuan realm. But, she could feel that her breakthrough to the Gold Xuan realm was imminent since a lot of power had started to rush through her body after taking the Dans.
However, this was also a very frightening moment. And, there was no one there to guide her at such a crucial time... besides her brother-in-law...
[Why didn't that little brat explain this? How could he be so careless? I thought that it was a candy!]
However, there wasn't enough time for her to think these things. The extremely powerful and pure energy from the Dan was surging through her limbs. She was resolutely stepping into the Gold Xuan Realm. But, she suddenly started to feel ill all over. Her consciousness also became somewhat fuzzy.
Guan Qing Han's cultivation level was very low. It was merely at the Silver Xuan Realm. In fact, her cultivation level was even inferior to the Young Master Jun. Jun Wu Yi and Grandpa had been able to ingest the Ten Years Dan without any scruples since they were Sky Xuan experts. They had been able to control themselves with ease through the enhancement process. In fact, they could've even made a breakthrough without any issues if the moment had demanded it; without any issues.
This was because they had a strong foundation.
However, Guan Qing Han was on the verge of death. The difference between her cultivation, and that of the other two, was over ten levels! She had only been cultivating for ten years. And now, she was experiencing the enhancement process of ten years in one go. This was nearly the sum-total of her cultivation before she had taken the medication. Moreover, the Qi flowing inside her at this moment was much purer than ever before. On top of that, she had never been put through Jun Mo Xie's cruel training methods... so, how could she persist? Fortunately, she had also taken the Devil's Heart Dan... else, she would've burst into flames by now.
Guan Qing Han felt as if she was about to burst. Her consciousness had become fuzzy. She felt despaired; [will my life end due to such a mysterious reason?]
Her brother-in- law had changed for the better with such difficulty. He had used 'Art of Unlocking the Heaven's Fortune', and had come up with such divine medications. Moreover, he hadn't forgotten to include her needs amidst all this. This showed how much he had improved! But, he hadn't considered that her ability to control Xuan Qi was lacking by a fair margin. The divine medication was unexpectedly going to kill her by force.
Guan Qing Han felt somewhat ridiculous. In fact, she was somewhat reluctant to let-go. If this had happened a few months ago — she wouldn't have felt anything similar. In fact, she would've actually felt free. But, why was she reluctant to give up?
She smiled happily as she thought; [see you again.] Then, she closed her eyes. But, she quickly opened them the moment she closed them... she was in utter shock.
Guan Qing Han recalled she hadn't said, "I have come," in the face of death. Instead, she said, "See you again." [Why did I say "see you again?" Who am I reluctant to leave behind?]
Guan Qing Han realized that she didn't have time to think about this.
Then suddenly, she felt a cool palm touch the center of her back. She then felt a warm energy penetrate her body. This warm energy cleared her spiritual consciousness. It was like she had become very dizzy due to the extremity of the summer heat. But then, she had suddenly dived into a pool of cool water. She felt elated to her very bones...
Then, she felt as if pure strength had emanated from that palm, and had started to flow into her meridians. She could sense it methodically guide that frantic flow of Qi through her meridians...
The flow of Qi had been extremely frantic a moment ago. But, it became very obedient since the arrival of that warm strength. It had started to flow wherever that strength directed it to...
There was a loud noise inside Guan Qing Han's mind. And then, she became aware of the incomparable sensation of her meridians opening wider. Even her spiritual consciousness entered into a new heavenly realm.
Guan Qing Han had broken into the Gold Xuan realm with the help of that hand at her back!
This timely help was rendered by none other than the Jun Family's Young Master — Jun Mo Xie.
Guan Qing Han had panicked; it could be said that she was inexperienced in such matters. But, Jun Mo Xie was aware that the Dans he had refined were strong; not overbearing. He had also given her have the Devil's Heart Pill to assist in this enhancement. So, there was no way that she'd suffer a Devil's Bite and die. Her consciousness may have faded away for a few days, but her skills would've continued to surge ahead. But, this was a golden opportunity, and Jun Mo Xie was no gentleman. So, how could he let it pass? After all, there should be some pleasure in helping others!
He had placed his hand on her back. His hand was only separated from her skin by a mere two layers of clothing even though it was late autumn season at present. Guan Qing Han was a Silver Xuan expert. Therefore, she had a decent resistance to heat and cold. Hence, she obviously wouldn't put-on too many layers of clothing. That is why, she had felt a burst of tenderness when Jun Mo Xie had put his hand against her back. She felt so comfortable that she nearly wanted to shout and call that individual...
Chapter 305 - Ballad of the 'Real Man'
The Young Master Jun's head was initially filled with many muddled thoughts. Then, he remembered to lend a helping hand...
Guan Qing Han slowly woke up. She felt her body relax. The Young Lady felt like soaring high in the sky, and couldn't help but feel a sense of exultation. She had broken through to the Gold Xuan realm! This meant that she had attained considerable strength. She didn't need anyone's protection anymore. It was useless now.
Guan Qing Han suppressed that rising feeling of joy with great difficulty. She realized that the palm which was placed on her back, and had earlier transferred that warm strength to her — had stopped doing so. Yet... she could still feel that warm palm on her back.
It was a good, big and warm hand!
[Who helped me? That Jun Mo Xie doesn't have enough cultivation to help me.]
She curiously turned her head to look. Surprisingly, she found that Jun Mo Xie was sitting cross-legged behind her... with his eyes closed. His hand was extended outwards; his palm was still placed on her back...
[How is this possible?]
[It really was him!]
Suddenly, she felt a burst of dizziness. [Since when did this little brat have such a high cultivation? Is it possible that...?]
[But he's motionless... He must've expended a lot of strength to assist in increasing my power, right? No wonder he can't open his eyes. It must've been unbearably tiring.]
Just when she was thinking this — she felt the hand placed on her back move. Then, she felt the five fingers squirm about. Suddenly, she started to feel ticklish. [Is this little brat kneading my back?!] His fingers moved again... [This, this... this... Isn't he fondling my back?]
Guan Qing Han's body stiffened as she turned her head to look. The wretched little brat's eyes were still closed. But, he had a happy expression on his face. The corners of his mouth were bent-crooked in an extremely vulgar smile. It seemed that his face was revealing the lustfulness of his soul...
[This is the same vulgar side of the Brother-in-Law. But... wasn't he only pretending to be a vile character?]
[How...]
That palm started to move again. This time... in a downward direction...
Could Guan Qing Han allow her devilish brother-in-law to take advantage of her?
"Ah!" she exclaimed. "Bang!" she instinctively slapped him. Then, she resolutely stamped her feet, and let her kick loose. Her face turned red with shame. She couldn't show her face anymore. So, she clutched her face and ran away.
The Young Lady's speed had increased drastically along with her cultivation. Her silhouette disappeared into her room. Her heartbeat sounded like loud drums. She was angry and ashamed; ashamed yet bashful. Guan Qing Han's expression was one of hatred. She stamped her feet on the ground. She couldn't prevent tears from flowing down her eyes as she sat in daze for some time. Then, she suddenly fell on her bed and covered her head; sobs escaped her lips even though she tried hard to stifle them.
Jun Mo Xie had been able to feel her soft and satin skin even though his palm was separated from it by a layer of clothing. His mind had been intoxicated by this sensation. In fact, he felt as if his mouth had run dry. His palm seemed to have grown a mind of its own. It was seemingly moving around on its own...
[It's so smooth, ah... what is that...?]
His mind was star-struck with admiration. He was completely oblivious about his bodily actions. He felt as if he was slowly floating in the breeze. In fact, he felt as if he had become an immortal...
Then, Jun Mo Xie was startled by a sudden cry of fear. He had just opened his eyes when — "Bang!" he felt a palm slap his face. The slap had given rise to a crisp sound. He was obviously angered by this; [what's the matter?]
He was about to retort when he suddenly felt a violent sensation surge in his abdomen. He didn't get enough time to feel the pain since he was sent flying like the misty clouds. He drifted for ten meters and crashed onto a flowerbed.
A full ten meters ah! The Young Master Jun hadn't been born as big person in this reincarnation. He wasn't even close to six feet in height; nor was his figure bulky or brawny. His body was that of an average man. So was his weight. That is why one kick from a pretty girl was enough to send his body flying!
[Did she become this powerful by taking the medicine?]
[This medicine... you can't eat it indiscriminately ah...]
As fate would have it... there were many sharp thorns in that flowerbed. Several thorns pricked into the Young Master Jun's posterior. He started to hurt everywhere, and all thoughts instantly disappeared from his skulls. The tent which had previously been raised in the crotch of his pants — had dispiritedly collapsed...
He crawled out of the flowerbed in a daze. There wasn't a soul in sight. The Young Master Jun tried to recall the sequence of events. He couldn't help become frantic; [I understand that my hands moved in an immoral manner... and my thoughts were immoral as well... but, I had only intended to help you! However, the outcome of that...]
[What can I say? Couldn't you have objected before you struck me? This is unreasonable! Although, I certainly acted immorally first, ah...] The more Young Master Jun thought about this incident — the more he realized that he was in the wrong... and that the slap and the kick were fitting punishments...
[I can't even absolve my actions in this incident! Isn't that depressing?]
Young Master Jun remained silent for some time. He had given some of the Dans to his grandfather and his third uncle — only to have them rip him apart. Jun Mo Xie then gave a dosage to Guan Qing Han, and also helped increase her cultivation. He thought that his beautiful sister-in-law would commend him for it... or would at least behave gently with him thereafter. Who would've imagined that she would instead kick his abdomen...?
It was still fortunate that she had kicked his abdomen. What if her kick had landed a bit lower? Wouldn't she have broken his eggs?
Jun Mo Xie wiped his cold sweat and fled with his tail tucked between his legs. He realized that he wouldn't have been able to go to the Tian Fa if that kick had smashed his eggs. So, he quickly concealed his crotch with his hands, and frog-jumped out of her courtyard. [My legendary reputation would've been crushed...]
The Young Master Jun issued an order. 254 strong guards had been training intensely in the Jun Family's grounds. It didn't matter if they were in 'honing their skills' training, or were in 'resistance' training, or they were soaking in the hot pool — everyone immediately put their tasks on hold. They quickly divided into two groups, and stationed themselves in an orderly manner in front of Jun Mo Xie.
Every man in the two formations appeared to be in high spirits.
"Remember when I started your training — I told you that I want two teams out of you. Those two teams would be the strongest. One would be the 'Heaven Destroyer Team', and the other would be the 'Spirit Devourer Team'. And, not only would those two teams be the strongest — they would also make the backbone of my fighting force! These two — the 'Heavens Destroyer' and 'Spirit Devourer' teams would assist me in moving through the continent unhindered. And, the members of these two teams would be selected from the best amongst you! And, those chosen men would be 'nightmare' for the rest of the world! They would be this continent's foremost warriors! They would be without equal!"
Jun Mo Xie leisurely paced in front of the assembled warriors. There was a sharp look in his eyes. His gaze swept across each and every soldier's face.
Each and every man's breathing was coarse and heavy. Every man's eyes was brimming with longing.
To become the strongest warrior! To become the nightmare of all foes! This was their greatest desire.
This is what they had craved their entire lives!
"I had also said that whether you deserve it or not... depends on you! On whether you'd qualify! I don't know any of your names up till this point! Firstly, because I'm not interested in knowing them! Secondly... because you don't deserve my recognition!" Jun Mo Xie slowly stated. His slow manner of speech had a bizarre tempo to it. It was like an overbearing power that was pressurizing the entire land. It seemed that time itself had slowed down.
"I will send you on your first mission after four days. And, those who survive it will become the members of my 'Heavens Destroyer' and 'Spirit Devourer' teams! From then on, they shall step onto the path of power, and the path of slaughter! Their very-name would make the entire continent shiver with fear!"
Jun Mo Xie stared at them. Then, he continued in a low tone, "But, this mission is different from the previous ones. I want only the strongest warriors. So, this mission will be extremely deadly. I will tell you that this mission is extremely dangerous! The mortality rate will be 90 percent. And, that is only a conservative estimate. Therefore, anyone who doesn't wish to proceed... can take a step back. My Family and I won't force anyone to go through with this. So, you can withdraw if you wish. There's no shame in thinking about your own safety."
The autumn wind whistled. Not a single man amongst the 254 moved. In fact, no one even batted an eyelid.
"This is the last opportunity to withdraw; you won't be able to look back later. It is entirely possible that ten out of every ten may die. They'll be gone forever! This is the final opportunity!" Jun Mo Xie proclaimed coldly.
Nobody moved an inch — same as before.
Jun Mo Xie nodded softly. Then, he spoke sternly, "Those who want to join — step forward."
"Boom!"
Two-hundred-and-fifty-four men took a step forward. They had exerted themselves as they had taken this step forward. Their orderly, yet powerful, step had sent the entire ground trembling.
"Very Good! Nine-out-of-ten may not survive this mission. But, you can't have any regrets now. They say that a man who pushes forward despite the troubles — is an iron-blooded man! Let me tell you something..."
Jun Mo Xie irresolutely muttered a few words. Then, he suddenly looked up with a thunderous expression in his eyes. Everyone became alert, and straightened their backs. They wanted to listen to Jun Mo Xie's words very carefully.
"A real man's journey has only one direction. Glory and splendor in life or death... but no retreat!
"A real man's blood is made of iron. He shall never sway in the face of danger!
"A real man's tears are the most expensive. He doesn't retreat even when he faces many enemies alone!
"His bones may break. His blood may flow like a river. But, a real man stands firm — he doesn't look back!"
"This 'ballad of the real man' can only be recited by 'real men'. Those who aren't 'real men'... can't even understand it." Jun Mo Xie put his hands behind his back. "I hope that each-and-every one of my brothers becomes a 'real man'. Gentlemen, take the first step to become a real man! Accompany me as we proudly take-over the entire world!"
There was complete silence.
Everyone's expression was extremely fierce. That heroic ballad had boiled everyone's blood. It seemed that each-and-every pore in their body had erupted with impassioned strength; their eyes emitted scorching brilliance.
It was an excellent ballad!
A real man's journey has only one direction. Glory and splendor in life or death... but no retreat! A man could only move in one direction if his goal was clear. And, he'd continue to move in the same direction his entire life. Such a man could never have regrets.
A real man's blood is made of iron. He shall never sway in the face of danger! This was an inherent quality of a 'real man'.
A real man's tears are the most expensive. He doesn't retreat even when he faces many enemies alone! The Sun may set when the battlefield has been riddled with corpses and drained with blood. The allies may have left, and the 'real man' would have to confront his many-enemies despite the scars on his body. It would be a very tragic scene. But, how could a 'real man' retreat?
His bones may break. His blood may flow like a river. But, a real man stands firm — he doesn't look back! Such was a 'real man'!
The two team leaders led the two-hundred-and-fifty-four-men to pass from in front of Jun Mo Xie. They took their Dans, closed the palm of their hands, and strode away.
The two-hundred-and-fifty-four men had collected their Dans in a jiffy. Then, they neatly organized themselves in two groups without falling into disarray.
"These medicines are rare and legendary! This Young Master had to face many twist and turns, and had to spend a lot of money to refine these Dans. And now, each one of you has one ration of these medicines in your hand. These Dans will increase your Xuan Qi's ability by ten years. Gentlemen, do not fail to live up to my expectations!" Jun Mo Xie spoke this in a stern manner as he placed his hands behind his back.
Everyone was shocked. People had heard about various kinds of rare and precious medicines across the entire Xuan Xuan continent. Such as... ginseng, thousand years' mushrooms, knotweed etc... these medicines could foster an individual's progress. But, there had never been any news of medicines which could increase Xuan Qi cultivation by this much. And, this Young Master hadn't only refined these priceless Dans... but he was also handing them over to others!
Everyone was extremely touched by this.
A man lays-down his life for his close friends!
And, he does it without saying a word...
The two captains issued an order, and the two-hundred-and-fifty-four started to march about. They arranged themselves in a manner that each man was separated from his adjacent-comrade by a distance of three meters. Then, he looked upwards, and swallowed those three precious pills down. After that, they sat down cross-legged and solemnly focused their attention on their respective Dantians to absorb the Xuan Qi from the Dans.
Jun Mo Xie stood in front of them in an outwardly-light and easy manner. However, he had concealed throwing knives in his hands as a precaution. He was in his own home at the moment, but he couldn't dare to show the slightest of negligence at this juncture.
Over two hundred men would promote their cultivation altogether. Such a thing was unprecedented!
Therefore, Jun Mo Xie had taken extreme precautions.
A tower was located some distance away from the training area. Jun Wu Yi had been watching the show from the sidelines. He grinned and murmured, "I knew that this brat had kept a lot to himself; and I was right! Upgrading the two-hundred-and-fifty-four of them together... this is amazing..."
Grandpa Jun snorted, "Mo Xie should use those medicines, but he shouldn't use them indiscriminately. Dangerous situations can arise if the news of this matter were to spread out. An ordinary man doesn't need to hide behind a wall. But, these medicines are capable of causing mishaps that can doom my Jun Family to eternal damnation in an instant. Wu Yi, we must be extremely careful! It is better to bury these medicines into the ground if their source was threatened with exposure! I won't let anything happen to Mo Xie! Do you understand?"
"I understand." Jun Wu Yi gave a profound nod and said, "The lure of these medicines can bring about the Jun Family's doom. We shouldn't take risks if there's any scope of problems. It's better to miss this opportunity than to take the risk involved."
"Good!" Grandpa Jun then looked at his grandson. A look of love and affection emerged on his face as he continued, "The timing of these medications' consumption should also be precise. And, the beneficiary shouldn't know that his enhancement has taken place because of the Dans. Do you know how to go about it?"
Jun Wu Yi gave a slight nod, "My body had been crippled for ten years, but my mind hadn't gone to waste. I coincidentally developed a method to enhance my cultivation. I'll simply ask people to use the same method. That's all."
Jun Zhan Tian narrowed his gaze, "Then, you're putting yourself at risk?"
The Third Master Jun smiled in a calm and tranquil manner, "Be at ease, Father. I know what's going to happen. But, no one is likely to search for Mo Xie in regards to this matter."
"You'll have to be extra-careful!" Grandpa Jun nodded, and didn't say anything for a while. Then, his eyes shone with a cold light. After that, he spoke in a dignified manner, "I want every intel on these two-hundred-and-fifty-four! I want to know about their experiences, and their connections. I want to know about their friends, their families, and anyone else they may've come into contact with. Even neighbors... or perhaps even lovers... even the prostitu*es they may be intimate with! You will eliminate anyone who turns up suspicious in the investigation. Even if our actions appear baseless or unjust... do you understand?"
"Yes!" Jun Zhan Tian had given the order in a resolute and firm manner. Moreover, it was spoken like a military order. Especially when he had spoken those last words, "Even our actions appear baseless or unjust," — he had decidedly ordered to kill. So, Jun Wu Yi had given a solemn reply like a subordinate would upon receiving such orders. Jun Wu Yi had only said one word in reply. But, the two people had understood that this command was tantamount to a 'military order'!
Jun Zhan Tian was aware that there would be movement the moment the news of Jun Mo Xie's medicines would surface. He was aware that it would cause a sensation, and would lead to problems. So, Grandpa Jun was merely taking precautions against any eventuality.
He was acting reckless for his grandson's safety!
Similarly, the Third Master Jun had bet everything in order to keep his nephew safe. He had even bet his own life.
The soldiers who had taken the pills were already experiencing a reaction.
A few of them were already at the Gold Xuan realm. These few men were finding it relatively easier to absorb the pure Xuan Qi. And, were able absorb it properly. But, more than 95% of the men were facing extreme pain. They had no other option since their Silver Xuan cultivation wasn't enough to withstand the effects of these Dans. The muscles and meridians over their entire body had started to become taut. Their skin had started to flicker with a silvery radiance since the Silver Xuan Xuan Qi was frantically flowing through them. These men were at the Silver Xuan realm, but their foundation wasn't strong. Therefore, they had no option but to endure the extreme pain that was being caused by this burst of pure Xuan Qi.
However, they had to support themselves through this ordeal. They would learn a lot of things if they were able to do this on their own. This would help them greatly during their future breakthroughs. Moreover, they would gain experience, and would get to hone their self-discipline.
There were a few men whose cultivation was weaker than the rest. Their faces were full of sweat. The color of their skin had started to resemble that of blood. In fact, it seemed as if their blood was aching to burst-out on to the surface. Their expressions were dark and contorted; that was enough to describe the tremendous amount of pain they were enduring.
Xuan cultivation had various stages. And, people had to break through the previous stages to move up. For example, a Silver Xuan expert would break through to Gold Xuan, and a Gold Xuan expert would break through to Jade Xuan etc. Such a breakthrough was qualitative in nature. However, there could be a difference in the strengths of two individuals even if they were at the same level. For example, most of these soldiers were at Silver Xuan realm at the moment. But, their cultivation wasn't very profound. So, majority of these men weren't at par with Guan Qing Han.
Guan Qing Han's family wasn't that powerful, but she had been taught the 'proper' practices since childhood. Hence, she had been able to make a breakthrough after taking those three dans. In fact, she could've done it without Jun Mo Xie's assistance. She would've fainted at the most; nothing more.
However, these brawny soldiers were different from her. Their Xuan Cultivation wasn't sufficient. It was difficult for them to control this ten years' worth of cultivation since they weren't like Guan Qing Han. In fact, it was quite possible that they wouldn't see any advancement throughout their life if they failed to absorb this ten years' worth of cultivation properly.
Fortunately, they had gone through Jun Mo Xie's hellish training. And, their resolve was far superior to that of a normal person's. So, they could endure this pain even though it was unbearable. In fact, not one of them screamed... or issued a single sound from their throats. But, they gnashed their teeth, and the loud sounds of their teeth's 'clattering' resounded uninterrupted.
There wasn't even a single groan of pain — only the sound of grinding of teeth.
Grandpa Jun's voice became dignified as he watched at the scene below, "Unexpectedly, these two-fifty-four men are 'real men of blood and iron'. Their bones are good and strong. They've made this old man's pulse race!"
Jun Wu Yi smiled. His eyes were full of praise.
Eventually... the silver light around one man started to condense. Then, it faintly transformed into a light-golden one. The golden light didn't dazzle, but it was exceptionally stable. He had passed that ordeal, and had broken through to the Gold Xuan realm.
A second man followed... then the third...
The golden lights flickered endlessly as ten men successively attained the Gold Xuan level. They were extremely pleased after having passed through that painful transition. However, these men didn't rise to their feet immediately-after. They kept their eyes shut, and continued to breathe slowly. They had started to sense the huge changes they had gone through; they had never felt so much strength in their body. They started to circulate the Qi-flow through their meridians slowly and unhurriedly so that their bodies could adapt to these changes as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, the silver lights continued to flicker brightly. In fact, their radiance increased as time passed. The entire training ground of the Jun Family had started to bathe in this resplendent silver color since over 200 men had simultaneously shone bright with that color. These brilliant flashes of light nearly blinded the father-son duo on the tower.
"The weakest of them are Silver Xuan experts; the majority of them are Silver Xuan Peak experts! A few of them have made it to the Gold Xuan, and the strongest-four are at the peak of the Gold Xuan realm!" Grandpa Jun gasped, "If these troops are sent to the battlefield..."
"They won't be sent to the battlefield. They aren't ordinary soldiers anymore," Jun Wu Yi spoke unenthusiastically. "They will only fight for Mo Xie now. And, sending them to a battlefield would be a waste. I won't permit such a waste...
"Mo Xie had once said that the weakest of these men would be Earth Xuan peak. I thought that he was just talking big... But now, I don't think that's impossible... Three months ago, the strongest of them was merely a level-eight expert. This is absolutely astonishing. It is against the will of the heavens!" Jun Wu Yi spoke slowly. A divine light of excitement flashed in his eyes.
"The weakest of them would be an Earth Xuan Peak expert...? Wouldn't that mean... that we would have around two hundred Sky Xuan experts...? Even the Silver Blizzard City and the Xue Hun Manor wouldn't be able to resist me... even if they were to combine their strengths... my god..."
Grandpa Jun had remained silent. He had been stroking his beard, and had unconsciously strengthened his grip on it when he heard this proclamation. In fact, he had accidentally pulled out a few strands of hair from his beard... and was completely unaware of it.
This was shocking!
Chapter 306 - The Undercurrents before the Battle
All two-hundred-and-fifty-four soldiers had a breakthrough; not a single one of them failed. Then, they got up from the ground, and quickly organized themselves in their previous formation. They were looking at Jun Mo Xie with eyes full of gratitude... and... franticness...
"Bang!"
Two-hundred-and-fifty-four people kneeled to the ground, and knocked their heads against it. The sound produced by their act of gratitude was so loud that it echoed in all directions.
"Thank you, Young Master!" over two-hundred men roared in unison.
"I will give you two days. Use the usual training to adapt to the changes in your body. I want everyone to coordinate their style with the changes in their Xuan Qi. And, on morning of the third day — you will go to the weapons arsenal and receive your weapons!"
Then, Jun Mo Xie nodded coldly and continued, "Moreover, 'this matter' is classified as 'top secret'. No one is allowed to divulge it to anyone. All of you will be implicated — without exception — if anyone leaks this information!"
"Yes! Your subordinates would rather die than divulge!"
Grandpa Jun was still atop the tower. There was a sense of anxiety in his gratified eyes, "Mo Xie's finesse is enough to make a coherent and charismatic leader. He has the prestige. And, he certainly has the required genius. But, I don't think he's fit to lead the troops."
"Why? Father, Mo Xie leads his troops by demanding exact compliance with regard to instructions. His strict discipline has produced such great results. His leadership has transformed these troops into an elite force... So, why isn't he suitable to lead the troops?" Jun Wu Yi was puzzled.
"He has a very fierce mind!" Grandpa Jun snorted. He then sighed. It seemed as if he was looking at something which was perfect... except for one defect. "He's a suitable leader for 'special' troops, but not for regular soldiers. The words he just spoke were the only the usual threat, but pay mind to his last words, 'All of you will be implicated — without exception — if anyone leaks this information!'"
Grandpa Jun sighed again, "Mo Xie didn't hesitate as he stated his fearful doctrine; there wasn't a strand of emotion in his tone. When I heard his words... I realized that Mo Xie will stay true to his threat even if one of those men steps out of line and divulges the secret. And, he would actually implicate each one of them..."
"That doesn't mean anything, does it? If he can train this batch... he can also train another." Jun Wu Yi disagreed, "Father, you and I are well aware that discipline is important. And, things can get very harsh and cruel at times, but it's of utmost importance to maintain order. How can we be soft-hearted under such circumstances? This is the right thing to do."
"That's why you will only be a commander. But, you can't become a commander-in-chief," Jun Zhan Tian sighed, "A commander will only have a few troops under his command. And, you can deploy them as per the war's situation. These handfuls of troops can follow you to the letter since they are well-trained and understand things. So, they won't be able a problem. Your personal troops and Mo Xie's platoon are an example of that. But, these handfuls of troops only make a small portion on an actual army... There are likely to be hundreds-of-thousands of troops under a commander-in-chief's command. And, it is vital for a commander-in-chief to control the overall situation. But... if you were to act this harshly with all of them... I'm afraid you will bring about the doom of your own army.
"Frictions and contradictions are inevitable when many platoons are stationed together since armies are full of hot-blooded men. You can have hundreds of dispute within a night of them being garrisoned together. Now, if we followed yours and Mo Xie's approach... you would have all of them beheaded." Jun Zhan Tian sighed, "A commander needs to be strict and impartial, but a commander-in-chief needs to be tolerant. Being a commander and being a commander-in-chief isn't the same thing.
"You're too unyielding, and Mo Xie is too fierce. These are your strong points... but, also your shortcomings." Jun Zhan Tian spoke in a profound manner, "Mo Xie is too ruthless, but that is sufficient to protect himself. However, you can still suffer a loss since you act so unyieldingly. That is the primary difference between the two of you."
Jun Wu Yi stood calmly. He pondered over his father's words, and remained motionless for a long while.
The harsh training had begun on the training-ground. But, the intensity of the training was ten-times higher than before.
Jun Mo Xie returned to his courtyard, and drew a long breath. He had enhanced everyone's skills. Now, the only person who was left was he-himself. He had refined those Dans, but hadn't yet tried them himself.
[I've recently reached the middle level of the Jade Xuan Realm. So, would the Dans produce good effects?]
Jun Mo Xie wasn't sure. But, he also knew that any positive effects would only tantamount to extra benefits.
Therefore, he didn't hesitate as he swallowed a 'Ten Years Dan'.
However, Jun Mo Xie didn't take the 'Devil's Heart Dan'.
The 'Devil's Heart Dan' was certainly very dependable, but this was an opportunity to practice self-discipline. Moreover, this Dan had a very negative impact on the promotion of the spiritual realms.
Jun Mo Xie felt an abundance of Qi-flow in his dantian. He was very delighted by this. [This is really useful...]
As his mind settled down — he realized that... [I forgot something]. He initiated the 'Art of Unlocking the Heaven's Fortune', and his meridians were flooded with powerful waves of Qi-flow.
The Imperial Edict was issued the next day. As expected, it appointed Jun Wu Yi as the commander of the army that was to leave for the Tian Fa forest. He would command an army of 20,000. The army would be deployed in the next couple of days to follow. It would depart south towards the Tian Fa forest. Every major family would provide assistance to deal with the 'Xuan Beast Uprising'.
Apart from Jun Wu Yi... the Emperor had mentioned the names of several other people from the major families on that list. Jun Mo Xie's name was impressively high on that list. A few people from the Meng Family were mentioned as well. The Murong Family was to send Murong Qian Jun and Murong Qian Li. The Dugu Family was to send three of the "Heroes and Legends". And, even the Song Family was to send some people.
However, against Jun Mo Xie's expectations... Li You Ran's name wasn't mentioned on that list. In other words, Li You Ran wouldn't be heading to the Tian Fa forest.
[How could His Majesty retain such a dangerous person in this hollow capital?] Li You Ran was ambitious, and Jun Mo Xie couldn't be convinced that the Emperor hadn't realized it. But, it was problem for Jun Mo Xie since the Emperor had decided to keep Li You Ran behind... despite knowing about his ambitions.
That list contained the name of one-or-the-other youngster from each major family. Therefore, these families were bound to send some experts to protect their heirs. The Emperor's Imperial Edict hadn't explicitly stated this, but each powerful family would virtually end-up dispatching a major subset of their strengths.
Jun Wu Yi rushed to the Ministry of Defense to finish-up with the formalities the moment he received the Imperial Decree. The Emperor wanted the army to move within two days, but how could it be done on such a short notice? It would require at least five days' time to make the preparations.
The army hadn't moved, yet the supplies had already advanced.
Jun Zhan Tian — the Supreme Commander of the military — blew along the province like a storm to make the arrangements, and everyone was set to work. The Ministry of Public Works, Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry Defense joined hands. They acted swiftly and everything necessary to supplement the march of the army was readied in less than one day's time.
Such efficiency could leave anyone flabbergasted.
Armies had gone to war before as well. But, who had run around to make such preparation without a trace of dawdle in their efforts? In fact, the army would set out, but the army's supplies would never be in position. The army's ration supplies would always be delayed. It was hard to draw this nuisance's comparison with anything...
However, no one refused to comply this time.
Who was Jun Wu Yi? Jun Wu Yi had retired some time ago, but he was still considered a legendary general in the Tian Xiang Empire. It had been ten years, but this iron-blooded general was still a famous legend.
And, he was coming out of retirement for this battle. So, the entire military was in celebration. His old comrades-in-arms and his subordinates were particularly excited. It didn't matter whether a particular organization was under the Dugu or the Jun Family's military control... Jun Wu Yi got a green light from everywhere. No one dared to raise any objections... whether it was a civil division, or a military division!
The soldiers and the officers in the military had started to pray. They wanted to be a part of the army this legendary general would lead into battle. They hoped that he would point in the direction of their battalion, and select them as a part of his army.
The army hadn't started its march yet, but everyone was in high-spirits.
~Inside the Palace~
"You think it's strange that I've dispatched Jun Mo Xie, but retained Li You Ran?" The Emperor wasn't playing chess this time. He was sipping tea, while his face was covered with a smile.
"Yes. Especially since Jun Mo Xie doesn't have any ambitions, while Li You Ran's careerism is pretty obvious. So, I can't understand why His Majesty would send Jun Mo Xie and retain Li You Ran." Mr. Wen sat across from him. He asked in a puzzled manner.
"Li You Ran has some weaknesses. He's easy to control. He can't do anything when he is under my eyes. And, I want to see if this person can be of any use to me. So, I've kept him behind to observe him more carefully," The Emperor smiled lightly. "As for Jun Mo Xie... he doesn't have any desires. He'll go if you ask him to go, and he'll stay if you ask him to stay. He's like a floating cloud. But, he can't be controlled. So, I'm sending him to the Xuan Beast uprising. Whether he lives, or he dies... is up to him."
"I'm still not clear. If he's like a floating cloud... then why must..." Mr. Wen frowned.
"A floating cloud is of no concern when it's alone. But, a floating cloud can wreak havoc if it has a strong support behind it." A cold light passed through His Majesty's eyes as he sighed, "Great merits can shake the world, but great power can also attract trouble."
Mr. Wen sighed in silence.
"Has there been any activity around my second son?" the Emperor smiled rather eccentrically.
"Yes, the crossbows will arrive in the southern suburbs of the capital on the morning of the fourth day." Mr. Wen gave a sly sigh as he spoke.
"Very good; I won't have the crossbows stranded outside," The Emperor gently kept his palms on the table. His fingers were spread out. His Majesty concentrated his gaze on his fingers; as if admiring how perfect they were.
"Be at ease, Your Majesty," Mr. Wen replied. "And with that being the case... why didn't Your Majesty issue an imperial edict."
"If it is my second son's doing — I'll have no choice but to destroy him," The Emperor smiled bitterly. He looked in the distance for some time. Then, he finally muttered, "It wouldn't matter if someone were sitting in a hall, in the harem chambers, or anywhere else on this land... this activity could shake everyone. A strong undercurrent is surging in all directions. We can't afford this vibration."
Mr. Wen lowered his gaze, and remained silent.
He had never thought the Emperor would do something like this since his fatherly emotions would intervene. But, he had come to realize that he had been mistaken; gravely mistaken. He laughed at himself, [the Emperor's thought-process is far worse than I imagined...]
"Send a letter. Convey an order to the Blood Sword Hall... and whether it is the southern Zhao Family or the southern trade unions... and also my Second Son's men — no one is to be let-off. Make sure that this matter is handled cleanly."
The Emperor exhaled in a profound manner, "My second son had no means to acquire these terrible weapons. The Blood Sword Hall took the initiative on its own. And yet, my second son hasn't suspected anything fishy... I've lost hope in my second son's intelligence."
Mr. Wen continued to remain silent.
[I wouldn't have suspected it. Rather... who could possibly suspect that you — the Emperor of the four seas — would still secretly be in control of such an assassination team in the dark?]
[In fact, I'm convinced that most people wouldn't believe this matter even if it came to light...]
Mr. Wen looked at the Emperor. A question rose in his heart, but he was too scared to bring it to his mouth. [How many trump cards does this Emperor hold in his hands?]
Chapter 307 - I Wish To Go Too
Naturally, if the Second Prince or Jun Mo Xie or other people came to know about these words... they would immediately understand why the Second Prince had asked the Blood Sword Hall's assassins to execute this mission. This faction's men were bound to fail one step before they reached the finish line!
The Blood Sword Hall was the most famous 'house' of assassins in the Tian Xiang Empire; perhaps the entire Xuan Xuan continent. But, the identity of the mastermind behind them... was extremely shocking!
However, if one mulled it over... it would seem normal. In fact, it would make a lot of sense.
Wouldn't it?
How could the entire upper echelon of the Tian Xiang Empire know this organization of assassins? And, how could this organization act so openly without any scruples? So much so, that they had connections with the Families in the Imperial Court... and even the later generations of the Imperial Family...?
The existence of such a group would've been fairly normal in a small country since smaller empires usually have a very weak military force. But, the Tian Xiang Empire's military-strength was tyrannical, and highly centralized. The Empire's Emperor was one of the most talented individuals of the generation. So, how could he allow such an organization of assassins to act in such an unrestrained manner inside his nation? So much so, that they would even have the courage to attempt the assassination of the Royal Princess... as if it was child's play...?
There was a lot more to this matter. Take the example of Princess Ling Meng's assassination for example — the continent's most well-known organization of assassin would likely possess an intelligence network of equal merit. And, though Ye Gu Han's existence was admittedly a secret... but, how could an organization like the Blood Sword Hall fail to find out about Ye Gu Han's presence on her guard? However, they had only sent two Gold Xuan experts to assassinate Princess Ling Meng...
Would facing a 'Sky Xuan bodyguard' of the 'target' with two Gold Xuan experts be of any use? Did it make any sense?!
It was a pity that the Second Prince had been involved in all this. Especially that bullsh*t line, "Your intelligence is erroneous," had already been dispatched to him. The Second Prince probably wouldn't understand the reality of this till the end of his days... that... his own father had used him to cleanse and rectify the bureaucratic structure of the Empire. In fact, he would even use this event to purge his harem.
If this was ever to come to light — the Hitman Jun would accept that he wasn't the world's most formidable player... by any means. That 'title' was undoubtedly reserved for the Tian Xiang Empire's Emperor.
~ The chambers of the Imperial concubines ~
"Little Meng, truthfully tell your mother — what's the problem? Are you ill?" a graceful and gorgeous lady asked in a courteous manner. She wore a yellow gown of her body, and a traditional crown on her head. She was the current Empress, and Princess Ling Meng's mother — Murong Xiu Xiu.
"I... it's nothing. Your daughter's health is fine. Everything is normal. I don't know why Queen-Mother would ask this," Ling Meng didn't admit anything. Ling Meng didn't know what would happen if she told her mother about the misery of Ye Gu Han's condition. So, she invariably lied.
"Normal? Child, you've never been good at lying. You always stutter when you lie." The Empress smiled gently as she looked at her daughter with affection, "Sometimes, you seem very worried these days. And sometimes, you giggle. On top of that, you usually weep at night. Your tears have moistened your pillows. This... would you call this 'normal'?"
"Mother..." Princess Ling Meng let-loose her lovable self, "Could your daughter ever lie to you? There's nothing different with me."
"Could it be..." The Empress smiled. She lovingly poked her daughter's tiny nose, "Perhaps, you've taken a fancy to a Family's young man?"
"Mother... what are you saying?" Princess Ling Meng blurted out aloud. She became bashful, and her face reddened. But, she still hesitated inside. [Can I use this chance to tell my mother about Jun Mo Xie?] Princess Ling Meng couldn't help but blush as her beloved's thought crossed her mind.
The Empress looked at her daughter's expression. How could she not know? [My daughter's body isn't that of a small girl anymore. She had reached that age. My daughter has grown up!]
"You little girl... but I can't tell which family's young man has garnered the affections of my treasured daughter...?" The Empress looked at her daughter teasingly.
"Queen Mother..." Princess Ling Meng turned and twisted her waist. She hesitated for a moment, but eventually decided to keep her feeling to herself for the time being. The Princess was no fool. How could she not know that Jun Mo Xie's feelings may not be in compliance? She feared that he might not harbor a favorable impression about her. Therefore, she might court a rebuff if she were to declare her feelings in a rash manner.
However, the Princess's heart was in denial. [You tried to woo me for so many years, but I wasn't impressed. I didn't care no matter how much attention you gave me! And, now that this Princess has no objections... this lecherous guy is giving me attitude... humph!]
"My little girl seems shy. Don't tell if you don't want to. Your mother won't compel you. He he... Little Meng, tell your mother about your beloved as soon as possible. You're not that young anymore. It would become a very troublesome matter if your father — the Emperor —impulsively decided to bestow you in marriage someday..." the Empress spoke as she dotingly played with her daughter's hair.
"Your daughter understands." The Princess cuddled into her mother's embrace. She suddenly recalled her Uncle Ye's years of service... and the misery of his current condition. She felt sick at heart, and wanted to cry.
"I don't know why... but, my heart seems to sense something oddly fearful for the past few days... As if something very bad has happened..." a light smile graced the Empress's face. A pensive expression covered her face as she muttered to herself, "What could it be...? What could have happened? I've been feeling a strange ache in my heart..."
Princess Ling Meng's heart tensed, but she didn't dare to speak. [I don't know Uncle Ye's situation. And, I don't know how many damned enemies he has in this Palace...]
~ Jun Family ~
Jun Mo Xie's forehead was sweaty. He had kept quite in the face of this little girl's bared fangs.
He had remained silent because...
"I wish to go too!" Dugu Xiao Yi arrogantly declared as she held Little White in her arms.
"What are you saying, sister? Do you intend to fill the bellies of the Xuan Beasts? Do you intend to help me or the Xuan Beasts?" Jun Mo Xie flippantly rolled his eyes. [God ah! Spare me, please? This little girl has been annoying me the entire morning...]
"Humph! You might end up in the belly of those Xuan Beasts, but I'm very fierce and powerful! Even my seven brothers can't match me if I use my Knife technique properly. No one in the Gold Xuan realm can match me! Besides, what could a couple of Xuan Beasts do to this little girl?" Dugu Xiao Yi continued in a lofty manner. "Just look at how Little White behaves... doesn't he act like a little puppy even though he's a level eight Xuan Beast? So, what do I have to fear if they are all like this? I can kill thousands of them! And hey, I can find a play-mate for Little White too!"
Little White let-out a discontent whine. [You think it's easy to find such a high-level and top-notch beast?] He raised his eyeballs to look at her. However, he was also aware of the reason behind his mistress's words. He knew that it would be unwise to make a move. So, he ignored her, and went back to sleep.
Jun Mo Xie felt helpless, "How can you make this comparison? Little White is a high-level Xuan Beast. But, he's not a grown-up, is he? No, we shouldn't even say that... we ought to say that he's an infant! So, how can you associate him with them? Have you never seen another Xuan Beast? Don't you know anything?"
"What nonsense are you talking? You think I don't know stuff? And, the other Xuan Beasts? What about them? Other Xuan Beasts get dispirited the moment they see this Young Lady. They don't even dare to raise their heads!" the little girl proudly declared.
Tears streamed down Jun Mo Xie's cheeks. [Really? How could a pampered girl from a powerful family know about these dangers? You've only seen low-level Xuan Beasts who have been domesticated by others!]
"You must be joking! You always carry Little White with you. And, the Capital only has standard level Xuan Beasts. So, they get dispirited when they see Little White. Does that reasoning make any sense to you? Little White is indeed very formidable here... but he isn't worth anything in Tian Fa!" Jun Mo Xie explained earnestly.
"You think you can fool me as if I were a kid?! Little White is so ferocious! And, you still say that it's nothing? I'm going anyway! And, when I want to go — I will get to go!" Dugu Xiao Yi spoke in an unreasonable manner, "It will be my grandfather's seventieth birthday in two months. He had received an injury to his waist on the battlefield long ago. He can't stay in the wind for long — he catches a cold because of that injury. I've heard that a Snow-Ferret Xuan Beast's fur can prevent a person from catching a cold. So, I plan to hunt down a Snow-Ferret on this trip. I wish to give it to my grandfather on his birthday in order to show my love."
[This little girl thinks that a snow-ferret is just waiting there for her to come for it. She thinks she can just go and grab it...]
Jun Mo Xie nearly fainted. "Sister, good lady... do you think that a Snow-Ferret Xuan Beast is a domestic kitten? ... That you can just grab it? That thing is much higher in level than your iron winged panther. They are at least level eight Xuan Beasts. And not just in name only. In fact, level eight is also a conservative estimate... In other words, it can evolve. Do you understand?"
She had been gentler these days. So, Jun Mo Xie had forgotten about her domineering nature. But, it seemed that she had reverted back to her old ways. ... Someone had rightly said — it's easy to change a country, but it's hard to change one's essential nature!
"What's so difficult about it? Isn't it just a little snow-ferret? What's the big deal?" the little girl waved her hand and cried out. She didn't take Jun Mo Xie seriously. Then, her eyes changed directions as she lowered her head and implored, "Brother Mo Xie, you can spare one horse for me? Right?"
"I can't! I won't even discuss this!" Jun Mo Xie was surprisingly resolute as he denied her. [You think I don't have spare horses? Won't your annoying Dugu Family skin me if something were to happen to you? I'm no gentleman. It will be very troublesome if something happens along the journey ah.]
"Brother Mo Xie, I beseech you!" Dugu Xiao Yi caught his arm, and looked at him in a frail and lovable manner.
"Out of the question! It's no use to tempt me!" Jun Mo Xie snorted. Then, he thought of something and added, "Tempting a Jun Man has never been of any use."
"You think you can be pleased with yourself?" Dugu Xiao Yi snorted, spat and stuck her tongue out. "Humph! I'll just go with my elder brothers if you won't take me! You think I need your charity? You think I can't go to Tian Fa if you refuse to take me along?"
"Do as you wish!" Jun Mo Xie spread his arms, "I'm fine with everything as long as I don't have to take you! If your three elder brothers are willing to take you — they've saved me! They'll have my thanks for sharing the burden!"The original text had an old Chinese proverb. "Even if you've never eaten pork, surely, you've seen a pig run?" This proverb means that "Don't you know anything?" We've gone with the literal meaning of the proverb since it was repeatedly used in the text, and would've been very difficult to interpret unless you're aware of its true meaning and variants.
Chapter 308 - The Crossbows... Have Arrived!
"But, I wish to go with you... Hee hee... following you will be quite amusing. You're not very restful by nature. So, the journey will be very interesting. How could it be any fun to go with my three foolish elder brothers?" Dugu Xiao Yi instantly realized that her 'trick' had been ineffective. So, she shamelessly turned to a new approach.
It was clear to Jun Mo Xie that the little girl's three brothers had flatly rejected her request to accompany them. So, she had come to annoy him. [Why else would she come to me?]
"I've told you. It's not going to happen. You're not to get involved on this trip. So, you can forget about leaving this place!" It was like Jun Mo Xie's heart was made of iron and stone. He wouldn't concede; no matter what. "You will accompany my sister-in-law at home. You can't go to a place like that. It will be hard to look after you. We're not going on an outing."
"I don't understand how she'll keep me company... Anyway, she won't be accompanying me because I'm going to Tian Fa," a cold voice spoke out. Jun Mo Xie's spine became stiff as he heard those words. He turned his head to look. [Wasn't that Guan Qing Han?]
Guan Qing Han had been feeling as if something was wrong with this matter of marching south to the forest. Not many people knew about their issues with the Xue Hun Manor. But, most of the influential families knew about it; the Imperial Palace was obviously no exception.
[And yet, they mentioned that Jun Wu Yi and Jun Mo Xie were to go ... why would they do that?]
Jun Wu Yi would have to lead the troops into battle. So, that was acceptable. But, why had Jun Mo Xie been dragged into it? This had worried Guan Qing Han. And, what she was most worried about was... [What if the Xue Hun Manor tries to use this opportunity to create problems for Jun Wu Yi and Jun Mo Xie? It will all be because of me... What should I do? The nature of this uncle-nephew duo is bound to make things worse!]
[These two aren't that strong. So, how will they be able to deal with the Xue Hun Manor is some problems were to arise? There's bound to be an argument if either of the two sides brings up my name. And, Jun Mo Xie and Jun Wu Yi won't back down given their nature... Then, how would it end?]
[And, Jun Mo Xie is particularly fearless!]
[Is there anything he wouldn't do?]
Therefore, Guan Qing Han had decided that she must go. She had to go... even if it meant the death of her. [I'll undertake that journey by myself if you refuse to take me along!]
Everyone would return safely if everything turned out alright.
However, Guan Qing Han could always use herself as a bargaining chip if any problems were to arise. She would rather sacrifice her life for Jun Mo Xie and Jun Wu Yi's safe return. However, she couldn't allow the uncle-nephew duo to learn of her intentions. If they were to learn of her intentions... they would rather break her legs so that she wouldn't be able to go. Her third uncle wasn't very likely to take this action. But, she was well aware of her brother-in-law's nefarious nature. She knew that Jun Mo Xie was perfectly capable of confining her.
Guan Qing Han was perfectly aware of that point.
"What's happening today, ah! My sister-in-law... my very own sister-in-law has come to add to this chaos... why did you all come to see me...? Look, I can't deal with this..."Jun Mo Xie grabbed his hair. It seemed as if he had been driven mad, "Don't come to me if you wish to go to Tian Fa. I've already said no... So, go to Third Uncle!"
"Your decision in this matter is your business. But, whether I go or not is mine!" Guan Qing Han looked unenthusiastically at Jun Mo Xie. Then, she quickly pulled Dugu Xiao Yi and left without consulting anyone. However, Dugu Xiao Yi gestured towards Jun Mo Xie with her eyes to demonstrate her protest as she left.
Her thought behind this gesture of protest was simple, [I'll be nice as long as you don't make trouble for me, and love me.]
Jun Mo Xie's mouth twisted wryly.
On the afternoon of the same day — Jun Mo Xie and his over-two-hundred imperial guards divided into groups, and disappeared from the Jun Family's residence.
Later that night...
Grandpa Jun's tall body stood sturdily in his courtyard. He said something to the ten shadowy figures that stood in front of him. Then, the ten figures dispersed and disappeared from the courtyard without a trace.
Grandpa Jun sighed and asked Old Pang, who stood beside him, "When will they reach...?"
Old Pang thought for a moment and replied, "Approximately by tomorrow evening."
"Hmm..." the Old Man frowned and spoke, "Old Pang, prepare the face-masks and dark clothes."
Old Pang's eyes beamed with happiness.
Jun Wu Yi was inside his small courtyard. The Third Master had torn a slip of paper between his hands. He chuckled and muttered, "Tomorrow evening..."
The curtains of night descended and ascended. The morning sun rose in the sky, and then set again. Soon, it was evening...
The moon was already on the rise after the sun had set. Time had passed in a flash. Zhou Wu Ji had forgotten how many times he had raised his whip to hasten his horse. It had been two mornings since he had left his ship and had come ashore. And, it had been two full days of haste.
They had hardly stopped ever since they had left the south. They had been travelling for nine days. And, they had hastened night and day. The result was also quite obvious. They were two days ahead of schedule. Two full days!
It was easy to imagine the number of mishaps they had avoided because of these two days.
This made him a little excited. Not a single unexpected incident had occurred over the last nine days... whether it was the land route or the waterways. They had smoothly journeyed with the current. However, this was also quite hard for him to accept... things had gone 'too' smoothly.
As a result, Zhao Wu Ji's heart hadn't been able to relax. On contrary, it made him even more alert. These circumstances were highly unusual. And, he was surprised by any lack of misfortune.
Ever since he had received this job — the Zhao Family's head, Zhao Wu Ji — had tried to understand what this represented and what it meant. But to his regret... it was already too late by the time he figured it out.
This was because the manufacturing had already commenced by the time understood this matter.
[The Second Prince is up to something...!]
[However, what would a prince wish to manufacture with these things? And moreover, why would he wish it done in secret?] Zhao Wu Ji had realized that he had unwittingly stepped onto the Second Prince's pirate ship. And, now it would be too awkward to get down.
From the moment they had received this task — his family would end-up getting tied closer to the Second Prince's war chariot with each and every kill from those crossbows. And, it would become even more difficult to get out of this situation if the blood of any other Imperial Prince was shed.
However, he had no means to resist this.
Leaving alone the fact that the manufacturing had already started... how could he have backed-out even if it hadn't?
His family had some influence. But, it was still nothing when compared to the Second Prince's strength. He feared that his family would be annihilated in half-a-day if he had declined that job; they would vanish from the face of the earth.
Great risks represented huge profits. His business could earn three-hundred times the profit from this job alone. This would make his business even more profitable. So, even if he had to stake his life on the line for this job... it was worth the risk.
Moreover, this entire matter was somewhat political in nature. So, if he could gain some foot-hold in the political structure of the country as a reward...
Zhao Wu Ji felt that he had swallowed a housefly. But, he still had a smile of appreciation his face. [The fly tastes disgusting when it enters one's mouth. But, it's quite nutritious. After all, it contains a high amount of protein.]
The Xuan Beast Tendon crossbows were manufactured very quickly. No mistakes were made while manufacturing them. The Zhao Family's head — Zhao Wu Ji — had then relaxed a little. However, his nerves had become taught soon-after since he had realized one thing clearly; the journey to deliver these crossbows to the capital was the real test.
Therefore, he had chosen to halt the entirety of his family's business, and had gathered all the experts in their ranks to safely escort these crossbows to the Capital City. But, he still didn't feel relieved in his heart. So, he started to look for additional manpower. He incurred a massive cost, and engaged the Vice-President of the Southern Trade Union to personally lead experts who were to escort the cargo... just to ensure complete safety.
However, the Second Prince disrupted the proceedings just when the preparations had been put in place. He had sent the troops from his elite guard to escort them. This was done to ensure absolute safety. But, this matter scared Zhou Wu Ji. It had seemed to him that the preparations he had made were quite sufficient. In fact, he felt that they would be more than enough to deal with any eventuality.
However, the Second Prince wasn't even remotely comforted. This was a very serious matter. So, it was quite possible that the cargo would find itself ambushed by an unusual and exceedingly strong force. The strength of the original escort-convoy wouldn't be sufficient to deal with the matter if this were to happen.
The true use of these crossbows had become abundantly clear at this point. His plans had failed even before their start.
Each step the horse under his crotch took... was a step closer to a bloody Imperial struggle.
Eventually, they were close to the Tian Xiang City.
"Elder brother, we've safely come so far. The Tian Xiang City lays just two-hundred kilometers ahead. Even if someone wanted to intercept us... I don't think they would be able to commit such a huge crime so close to the Capital!" A slim man walked his horse besides Zhao Wu Ji. He was smiling, and looked gratified. "It seems that we were worrying so much for no reason. I really didn't expect things to go so smoothly. It seems that the Second Master's arrangements for secrecy were genuinely outstanding!"
This slim man was Zhou Wu Ji's younger brother, Zhao Wu Tian. He was also one of the very few people in the Zhao Family who was aware of their client's identity.
"I hope so!" Zhao Wu Ji sighed as he looked at the darkening sky. He suddenly felt that the grey heavens were transforming into a giant black-hole. He felt as if this black-hole was sucking him and his family into it... and he didn't have the strength to resist such a thing.
"Only the last stretch of the road remains. Everyone is to raise their spirits, and use the entirety of their remaining energy to reach the Capital as soon as possible so that we can deliver and unload the goods. Our responsibility will be over with that, and we can finally relax then," Zhao Wu Ji breathed out. He lowered his head as he tried his best to disperse those gloomy and chaotic thoughts.
"Yes!" Zhao Wu Tian responded, and quickly slowed-down his horse. He then took out a small banner from his bosom, and quickly waved it twice in the air. The whole caravan was moving quite fast anyway. But, it suddenly started to move even faster.
There was a sudden sound of urgent hoof-beats. A tall and sturdy middle-aged man quickly caught up; he was atop a red horse. His windblown and travel-weary face had an impatient look on it. "Zhao Family's master, there's not much distance to the Capital now. So, there's no need to hurry like this, right? We brothers have been scared and jittery the entire route since we've been hasted throughout. We're exhausted.
The sky is also getting darker. I don't know how hard the road will be at night; things might change under the dull light of the night sky. I suggest that we find a place to 'set-up camp' for the night. Then, we can start again tomorrow. We are anyway ahead of the agreed-schedule by two days. So there is no need to hurry since we'll have plenty of time in the morning, right?
The man speaking was the South Trade Union's Vice-President — Meng Xiao Song.
Chapter 309 - I've Come Here to Rob!
He had been restraining a belly full of anger that entire journey. The man didn't even know what he had been escorting. This entire journey had been an unusual mystery to him. On top of that, they had hastened the entire journey. As a result, he and his twenty men were nearly falling apart due to exhaustion. Moreover, nothing unusual had happened since the beginning of the journey.
[Isn't this just pure and unnecessary torment?]
[The Zhao Family's men seem to be very serious. It seems like their mothers have died. And, then there are those other bastards... God knows where they've come from! Those guys have acted so arrogantly ... as if my men are just meant for odd jobs! Would the Emperor's Imperial Bodyguards have acted like that with me if they were here instead of this bunch?] Meng Xiao Song had been left feeling very gloomy because of all these factors.
They had hurried the entire journey. Their buttocks had been segmented after riding their horses for the entire day. So, they had all sighed with relief when night fell. They had just started to think that they could finally rest... that they would look for a decent tavern and enjoy a good wine. They were in the mood to find a young woman to have a good time with. But, they had unexpectedly received a command to accelerate their pace further.
[This is against the will of the heavens! Isn't this completely unreasonable? ]
[Every mission I take becomes a scenic tour. So, why are you giving us such a hard time? Do you think that I would've personally come on this trip if it weren't for your promise to pay an insanely-high price of fifty thousand silver taels? However, I've given you the respect of a man. So, don't think that you can work me like a donkey!]
That is why Meng Xiao Song — the Vice-President of the Southern Trading Union — couldn't bear it anymore. So, he asked in a rude and loud voice.
"It's of great importance! We have no choice but to be vigilant! Vice-President Meng is extremely magnanimous, but still I ask him to forgive us for this," Zhao Wu Ji forced a smile and cupped his hands.
"Bullsh*t! 'Of great importance, of great importance;' I must've heard this line 800 times over the course of this journey! I'm sick of the trouble you've been giving me! Zhao Wu Ji, I advise that you give us some respect. You're paying us a lot of money to protect your convoy on this trip. But, we are not the Zhao Family's hired errand boys. You must understand this point very clearly. Don't think that we're dim-witted pigs!"
Meng Xiao Song was anxious. He had heard that line, "great importance!" so many times over the course of the journey that it had caused calluses in his ears. So, he couldn't help but explode when he heard it again.
Zhou Wu Ji forced a smile. He was about to give an explanation because it wouldn't do to have his own side stuck in internal strife. But, four men suddenly arrived riding on their horses. The faces of the four horsemen were cold as they came over. Their eyes were open wide as they stared at Meng Xiao Song and spoke coldly, "What's going on? What are you arguing for? You brat, why are you so dissatisfied... did your mother die or something?"
The four horsemen were from the Devine Storm Guard. They had also made a difficult journey. So, they too harbored a lot of complaints in their hearts. However, they didn't like it when they saw Meng Xiao Song take the lead and voice his discontent. [We haven't complained one bit. So, what are you worth?]
Meng Xiao Song could clearly feel an intense murderous intention emanate from those four horsemen. His heart suddenly flew into a rage. [These handfuls of trivial Gold Xuan soldiers dare to threaten an Earth Xuan expert like me? In fact, they're scolding me!? This is against the heaven's law! How can it ever be reasonable?]
"Why? You have something to say in this matter?" Meng Xiao Song looked at them coldly, and put his hand on the hilt of his sword.
However, Meng Xiao Song instantly regretted doing that because ten other warriors suddenly crowded around him. Their swords made 'ringing' noises as they shouted and unsheathed them; their blades glittered with a cold light. Then, those warriors suddenly charged towards them without saying another word, and slashed down mercilessly with their swords.
"Insane! You're insane!"
They were many in number, but they were only at the Gold Xuan realm. So, they shouldn't have been much of a problem for someone like Meng Xiao Song who was at Earth Xuan realm. However, action of the Devine Storm Gaurd had been completely unexpected since they were all companions for the duration of this trip. ... Meng Xiao Song's face had made it obvious that he wasn't exactly happy, but he hadn't done anything as of yet. But, those men had suddenly started to attack without saying anything... or giving any reasons. The other party wasn't even ready...
"Stop! Everyone stop! We are all on the same side!" Zhao Wu Ji had started to sweat profusely. But, he rushed over to mediate.
"Slam! Slam!" they had finally withstood the first round of the siege. But just then, another horseman came over with the intention to attack them; those men weren't very strong, but their disposition when mounting an attack was that of 'one soldier filling the gap left by a toppled comrade'. They wouldn't give-up unless they had defeated the enemy.
Zhao Wu Ji was extremely anxious. He was barely able to speak, "Everyone! Everyone, we're on the same side. We're all going to the capital for a major event. So, why are you attacking friendlies?"
After several efforts to mediate... both sides called for a halt.
The Second Prince's Imperial Bodyguard was accustomed to oppressing people. So, how could they tolerate Meng Xiao Song? [So what if your cultivation is at Earth Xuan Realm? Many Earth Xuan exerts have died by our brothers' hands. How could you be any different?]
[We see that you're Earth Xuan, and we are merely Gold Xuans. But, us brothers are the Imperial Family's sworn bodyguards. We're the government, and you're the commoner! We'd get it if you were a Sky Xuan or higher. But, how can you dare to display such a temperament when you're not? We'll brand you a traitor you idiot!]
The Imperial Bodyguards maliciously looked at Meng Xiao Song's fleshy butt. [We've heard that many serious felons are into buggery...]
Meng Xiao Song had flared up in the beginning. But, he had calmed down after Zhao Wu Ji had whispered a few words into his ears.
"These men are from the Imperial Bodyguard," these softly spoken words had immediately dispelled Meng Xiao Song's anger. In fact, they had terrified him.
People hadn't fought with government officials since the ancient times.
This was the eternal and steadfast norm since time-immemorial.
An Imperial Bodyguard could kill a local official without any justification, and no one would say a word. So, what value did a person from the southern district hold? And, that too someone with a business house in the southern districts?
[No wonder Zhao Wu Ji was acting like an obedient grandson! This assignment is tantamount to royal service. Could we dredge-up a semi-official position after this assignment is over?] Meng Xiao Song started to look at those Imperial Bodyguards in a flattering manner as this thought crossed his mind.
Then, the convoy resumed its journey. The mood had become quite harmonious because of that little tiff.
There was a tall mountain up ahead. It was called the 'Tian Xiang Iron Wall'. It was like a natural rampart that protected the Capital.
One could vaguely see the Tian Xiang City after they had climbed the top of that mountain.
The mission could be considered as ninety-nine percent complete after they had reached the mountain.
They could finally sigh with relief.
Zhao Wu Ji raised his palm, and ordered a short rest at the foot of the mountain. Those on foot unloaded their pots and pans, and started to prepare a meal. Everyone was to eat till they were satisfied, and then continue onwards with full speed to cover the remaining distance. The sooner they were inside the city walls... the happier they would be. Those 'brothers' were happily laughing together.
The smoke rose from the iron pots and disseminated the smell of rice. A barbeque was supported on iron frames. Its smell drifted in the air. Everyone swallowed their saliva with the greatest of greed in their eyes. Their spirits had been repressed the entire journey, and their bodies were extremely tired. It had been an unbearable trip...
However, they could finally relax and gorge themselves.
"Serve the meal!" Zhao Wu Tian shouted happily. He picked up a large iron bowl and advanced.
"He he... serve the meal? You think you'll get to have a meal? ... That you'll gorge yourselves? You devils! The time is very limited! Go to hell, and eat a meal there!" a measured voice sneered. It seemed like an extremely cold wind from hell had started to 'whistle-about'. It chilled everyone to the bone!
"Who is it? Come out!" Everyone nervously sprang up, and unsheathed their swords in unison.
"We're here to rob you!" a loud and excited roar emanated as a blue light flashed. There was huge blast without any prior warning. The cooking pots on the ground exploded, and the cooked rice was scattered by the explosions. The iron fragments from the cooking pots flew everywhere. Then, the endless pained and miserable screams of several people were heard. The fact was that... many people had been unlucky-enough to die when fragments from the iron pots hit their bodies.
"A Sky Xuan expert?!" everyone exclaimed in alarm; without exception... whether it was the Earth Xuan Meng Xiao Song... or the previously arrogant Imperial Bodyguards.
A figure covered in blue light rushed out like a rocket. "SLAM! BANG!" several warriors in were sent flying. They sailed through the air like clouds in the sky. A masked and black-clothed individual stood in the middle of the area.
He extended a hand, and grabbed Zhao Wu Tian by the neck. Then, he raised Zhao Wu Tian's body off the ground. His actions looked so effortless that it felt as if someone had grabbed a chicken by its neck. Zhao Wu Tian's face turned red and purple since he was being choked, while his arms and legs struggled helplessly in the air.
"Tell me! Where's that batch of Xuan Beast crossbows kept?" The blue light flickered around the masked black clad man as he tightened his grasp. A cold tyrannical light flashed in his eyes.
"Kill him!" a shout arose from all sides as thirty-to-forty people brandished their swords and dashed towards the black clad man without caring for Zhao Wu Tian's precarious situation. Meanwhile, Zhao Wu Ji shouted with a sense of urgency in his tone, "Careful... my younger brother...!"
Then, another excited roar emanated from the pitch-black mountain woods. This roar literally shook the ground. A second figure — his face hidden behind a mask, and body dressed in black clothes — suddenly rushed out. He too was covered in a blue light. He wielded his sword in left hand, and warned of the impending slaughter with his right.
The first black-clothed and masked man looked at Zhao Wu Tian and spoke in a cold tone; Zhao Wu Tian was struggling helplessly in his clutches. The masked individual's voice didn't have the slightest trace of emotion as he asked, "It'll be extremely bad for you if you don't speak. And, don't tell me it's inside the carriage. I won't be fooled by such a childish lie. You'll only meet one end if you dare lie to me — Death!"
"In... in..." Zhao Wu Tian's legs flailed in disarray, and his eyes belied his fear. A yellow ray of light flashed through him at that moment. He screamed and twitched for a moment. Then, he went limp.
"Bastard!" the black-clothed man cursed in rage and pounced. The nearly 500 men in the caravan were thrown into complete disarray.
Zhao Wu Ji let out a mournful and miserable scream in the midst of all that chaos, "Little brother!" He was suddenly filled with the desire to pounce at the warriors from the Imperial Guard, "You killed my younger brother!"
The warrior who was faced with Zhao Wu Ji's accusations... was actually the head of the Second Prince's Devine Storm Guard — Zhang Cun Xiao. He became even more ferocious when he saw the Zhao man becoming angry. His face became red, and he sternly shouted, "Zhao Wu Ji, you dare to go against the Second Master!?
Your younger brother craved life and feared death. He would've divulged the secret if I had taken action any later! My decision to kill him was the proper thing to do. It was a natural course of action! A catastrophe would've befallen everyone if he had been allowed to reveal the secret! And, every member of your Zhao Family would've been beheaded because of it, you fool!"
Zhao Wu Ji trembled all over. Then, he came to complete halt. He had nowhere to vent his grief and indignation. So, he suddenly let out a violent roar. He then turned towards the first masked-and-black-clothed man, and dashed towards him.
Chapter 310 - I Will Only Observe; I Won't Even Speak
Someone shouted from midair, "Great Senior, we might as well kill everyone and then look for those crossbows. These people were escorting those crossbows. So, the crossbows couldn't have flown to the sky, isn't it?"
A figure covered in blue light shot out. The glittering blue light of his sword illuminated the surrounding radius of three meters. That person's appearance gave rise to wretched howls. This individual slashed at the crowd and opened a bloody path for himself at the cost an individual who was sent spinning. He then killed his way into the middle of the battlefield.
Zhang Cun Xiao shouted loudly, "Everyone, encircle them! Cooperate and form an iron barrel to kill them! Resist the enemy!" Everyone responded and rushed forward. The roar to kill emanated from all directions as the Imperial Guard drew close to the center. They weren't a match for these three Sky Xuan experts, but they gradually managed to stabilize their position and disposition.
A faint sigh emanated from the top of a tall tree. However, no one could be seen on it.
The Young Master Jun had been hiding on that tree.
Jun Mo Xie was endlessly shaking his head as he watched at the battle. Those three individuals had been killing everyone without any reason. This had left him speechless. [They are such unprofessional robbers! I don't know what nonsense that Great Master Lei Wu Bei has taught these guys!]
Jun Mo Xie had obviously realized that those three black-clad individuals were the three remaining disciples of Lei Wu Bei's.
After all, he was 'all too familiar' with them.
[These three have a higher chance of messing-up than succeeding! What a waste, ah!]
[A robber has to arrive in silence and attack at once. But, you guys unexpectedly found it important to say a few words before you attacked...!]
This had left Jun Mo Xie speechless.
[This is all nonsense!]
[There was no hope for your robbery plans, ah. But, you've disturbed this Young Master's perfectly crafted plan as well! So much money spent! So much physical effort expended!] Luckily, Lei Jian Hong didn't say, "This Mountain is mine, and I have planted this tree. So, you'll have to pay a toll-price if you want to cross," Or something similar. Otherwise, that would've annoyed Hit-man Jun beyond reasonable limits, and he would've fallen head first down the tree.
Jun Mo Xie had started ahead of time, and had led his personal guard to that place a day-before. They had dug-up the pit falls, and had concealed their presence. In fact, Jun Mo Xie had even distributed a pill to each one of his men; this pill would assist to suppress their aura. Over two hundred men had systematically arranged themselves in hiding in the woods nearby. Naturally, they had already dug underground caverns, and were now hiding inside them. They would start like thunder the moment that caravan would enter their encirclement. They would've seized the items, and quickly fled.
[These three people attacked the caravan before it fell into my encirclement!]
[These fuc*ers have left me speechless!]
Jun Mo Xie quickly spread the news amongst his men. He told them to be calm and motionless. They would first see the result of that battle. He analyzed the situation... [Those three are obviously quite powerful. It won't be easy to succeed against them, ah. Moreover, this has turned into a dog-eat-dog type of battle. I'll have to come up with a new plan.]
Just when Jun Mo Xie was thinking this... Lei Jian Hong rushed forward and issued a low whistle. Suddenly, the loud rumbling sound of orderly footsteps echoed. A huge group of black-clothed and masked men rushed over and joined the battle at once. The deadlock between the two sides was broken in an instant.
The Devine Storm Guard's leader — Zhang Cun Xiao — was hit on the chest by a palm. He sprouted blood from his mouth as he was thrown back. However, he extended one hand behind his back, and pulled out a fire rocket from the back of his belt. Then, he shot it skywards. Suddenly, a 'bang' sound was heard. The night-sky was lit up by the firework; a vivid image of a pair of blood-red swords had taken shape above.
"It seems that the Blood Sword Hall had also hidden themselves in this area. Now, let's wait and see which side is stronger, and which is weak... in any case, I'll just sit here and watch the two tigers fight. I'll let them fight till they are spent, and then I'll reap the benefits." Jun Mo Xie was crouched atop a tree-branch like he was seated on a horse. The branch moved up and down because of the wind and the movement's rhythm was extremely... weird. If he was to show himself, and someone was to see him... they'd believe that he was doing something secret and private with the tree...
The Young Master Jun supported his chin in his hand. He calmly waited — engrossed. [This is so lively! Blood Sword Hall, Lei Wu Bei's disciples and Li You Ran's secret experts... It's better if they all suffer serious losses in this battle. In fact, it would be best if they all die!] He wanted this to happen, but he didn't have very high hopes for the same.
[Anyway... I'll just observe; I won't even speak]
It was such a pity that the resulting outcome had been contrary to everyone's expectations. The signal for the Blood Sword Hall had been issued a while back. But, the experts of the Blood Sword Hall hadn't come to their aid; not even a single shadow had arrived.
The lonely mountain was mostly quite; only the murderous yells could be heard. The residual light from the bonfires was lighting-up the deathly pale complexion on the faces of Zhao Wu Ji's men.
"I genuinely had more support, but you were only bluffing!" Lei Jian Hong sneered as he taunted. "This is awfully amusing! This 'bluff' trick may work on others, but it won't work on me. You couldn't play me... but, you managed to play with your own chances! It looks like you're impatient to leave this life. I shall certainly fulfill your wishes!"
Zhao Wu Ji was rolling around like a lazy donkey. He cut a sorry figure as he narrowly avoided a blade that had slashed-down on him. His loud weeping voice rang out, "Commander! This... this... our reinforcements... didn't you say that our reinforcements would be following after us? Why? ... Why? ... Why? ..."
He had wanted to say, "Why hasn't there been any activity from them?" However, three blades came 'whistling' down to chop him while as he was speaking. That interrupted his speech three times. And, it ended-up sounding like he was stuttering.
"How would I now? You think I'm not worried?" Zhang Cun Xiao cursed in rage. "Worry about your little life first!"
The Li Family's elite warriors — led by the three Sky Xuan experts — had gained an overwhelming advantage by now. They had pressed their enemies hard; step by step. And, Zhao Wu Ji's men had been compressed into an extremely small and circular formation. A little over a hundred men had survived on Zhao Wu Ji's side. They were holding a defensive line with great difficulty. They were doing their utmost to resist their enemy's dangerous attacks as they crowded into that circle. Not a single man from their side was left alive outside their circle!
Meng Xiao Song, Xiao Wu Ji and Zhang Cun Xiao — the three of these leaders were at the center of the defensive circle. Their faces were deathly pale.
The time-elapsed since the signal had been dispatched... had passed the time it takes for an incense stick to burn down. Yet, there was no trace of the reinforcements from the Blood Sword Hall.
Meng Xiao Song couldn't help but curse. His voice had already started to resemble weeping, "What's this? How can someone attack the Imperial Guards so brazenly this close to the Capital? I tell this senior... I have a family to take care of. I've followed you this time, but it hasn't been easy at all. Now, why don't you hurry up and think of a way out? You're the boss in the Capital's region... so, why don't you take note and apprehend these people later...?"
Meng Xiao Song's cultivation was quite high. He was at the middle level of the Earth Xuan realm. He was the strongest expert in Zhao Wu Ji's party. However, he had been living like a prince for many years. He had lost the fierce determination for victory and the unshakable murderous aura he had once possessed a long time ago. He had also come to treasure his family's life more than ever before. So much so, that he would measure the safety of his life above an opportunity to make money. He couldn't help whining about it since their situation had gotten desperate. But, it was too late for regrets.
[I could've been drinking tea in a safe environment at home? Perhaps I would be walking a dog, or bullying the common folk, or seizing a girl... wouldn't that have been fun? Instead, I've been cheated in the name of those fifty-thousand silver taels. I haven't even taken possession of the money! And yet, my life is coming to an abrupt end here...]
Zhang Cun Xiao couldn't help but become enraged, "You're shouting trivial stuff in this chaos? The hearts of my men are already in confusion. And yet, you yell your nonsense? You're making them more confused, and you're scattering our fighting spirit! I'm telling you... shut up! If you make any more noise — I promise — I'll cut you down with my own blade!"
Meng Xiao Song couldn't help but get angry. He used his blade to protect his body as he shouted in indignation, "What nonsensical argument is that? You're a noble Imperial Guard who serves the Emperor! You're intermediary officials! We're just common folk with little power. We were merely assisting you in delivering these things. You've put our lives in danger, and you're still giving me this much attitude!? And now, we can't even utter a word?"
Meng Xiao Song stopped speaking. Then, he shouted... even before Zhang Cun Xiao had an opportunity to reply, "Help! Save us!" His Xuan Qi cultivation was only second to the three Sky Xuan experts in this setting. Yet, he had been retreating since the start of the battle. He hadn't received even a single injury, but his loud voice travelled in all directions and spread far.
Jun Mo Xie nearly tumbled down the branch he was sitting on. [Uncle, no matter what you say... you're still an Earth Xuan expert. You can't be considered as one of the top people in this world, but you're accorded the prestige of a high-level individual! So, how can you have such greed for life?]
The masked and black-clothed Lei Jian Hong couldn't help but stagger at this either. He then laughed and called-out in a sinister manner, "Shout! Shout! Shout as loudly as you can! It's no use even if you damage your throat shouting! No one will come to save you!"
Jun Mo Xie trembled all over. He remained silent and inquired of the heavens... he had a strong urge to faint; [heavens let me die! How could you allow me to hear these classic words at such a crucial moment?!]
Meng Xiao Song had by-and-large shouted to save his life since he was very greedy for it. However, Lei Jian Hong's words had been quite famous in his previous world.
Jun Mo Xie was in a state of trance. He could almost visualize a sinister man with a vulgar expression... facing a young girl in an empty alley. The man appeared quite pleased with himself as he shouted, "It's no use even if you damage you throat shouting..."
He absentmindedly thought that the scene was contrived a bit melodramatically. But, it still couldn't compare to the scene before his eyes. Moreover, there was a man in this world who had spoken those very words!
A strange sound came from Jun Mo Xie's throat. It was the sound of him choking on his saliva; as if he was on the verge of death. [I have to vomit. This is too disgusting!]
The situation was still as one-sided as before.
Zhao Wu Ji's men were mostly dead. Most of the men Meng Xiao Song had brought from the Southern Trade Union had turned to corpses. Their blood had proverbially splashed across the horizon. He had no choice but to admit that the two hundred members of the Devine Storm Guard — sent by the Second Prince — were the strongest. Nearly hundred-and-fifty men of the Devine Storm Guard were still alive.
The strength of the men from the Devine Storm Guard couldn't be considered to be very high in their own individual merit. In fact, they were probably slightly weaker than the members of the trade union and the Zhao Family. However, they had a huge advantage in terms of battle experience. And, they were accustomed to fighting in formations. Therefore, their disposition was stable even though they had fallen into a disadvantageous position. Moreover, they were especially good at fighting in close encirclements. Their team-strength was so powerful that they held a considerable advantage even in such a pitch black night where these two forces were facing off.
As for the Zhao men, and those from the trade union — their individual fighting strength was stronger than the men of the Devine Storm Guard. However, they were accustomed to fighting alone, and had no experience when it came to cooperating with others. So, they had relied on their own strength, and had proceeded to kill even though they were faced with such a large-scale and chaotic warfare. As a result of that... they were the first ones to die. They were stronger in comparison when it came to individualistic strength, but their team-spirit was lacking in front of the 'experts.'
Lei Jian Hong and his fellow disciples attacked from three sides. It was clear that they were getting impatient. After all, this location was very close to the capital. The consequences could be huge if the news of this event were to spread.