by Fang Xiang
Compared to those xiuzhe that worried for ling grains, he was much luckier. Rationally, he could settle down, but when he received this jade scroll, his heart uncontrollably started to jump.
He did not know how many times the shixiong had mocked him for playing with those little formations. In many people’s eyes, he was the classical example of someone who only played around. The sect elders had thought of him as one who did not treasure their talent, especially after he had cultivated to ningmai, and had treated him coldly.
This job might let him scrape by, but he didn’t know how many eye-rolls he had gotten. The enormous store, other than the storekeeper, he was the only one remaining. He had to do all the work.
For some reason, the sneer and disdain of the storekeeper flashed in front of his eyes.
Impulsiveness was the demon … … impulsiveness was the demon … …
He continuously told himself but his feet uncontrollably started to walk towards the outside.
“What are you doing? You idiot! I raised a trash like you for nothing! You … … you don’t have to come tomorrow!” The storekeeper’s bellows came from behind him.
Wei Cheng Bin suddenly felt his body was unspeakably light, his steps increasing speed.
In the dark, his eyes were as bright as jewels.
Chapter 244: Consensus
In Little Mountain Jie, no one would pay attention to the flow of xiuzhe. What everyone was attentive to was the flow of ling grains. As for xiuzhe, who would care?
Wei Cheng Bin found the place according to the address on the jade scroll. His heart was slightly insecure. He should have first confirmed it. If this jade scroll was a joke that someone played on him, then it would be terrible.
This was the place.
Two life-like authoritative and ferocious stone lion-type auspicious beasts were standing by the two sides of the gate. He had some experience and knew these were mechanized golem beasts. They usually were motionless, but if one dared to attack then they would attack at the first possible moment. The black metal gate was tightly shut. The light of jinzhi occasionally flashed by. He was slightly reassured. Families that had this kind of house in Nan Sheng Village should have at least some power.
He put his palm on the copper bell diagram carved on the door and channeled ling power.
Ding-dong!
The bell sound was clear and ethereal. A moment later, the metal door slowly opened,
A brawny man with a face full of scruff examined him, his gaze as sharp as a knife. Wei Cheng Bin felt his body tighten. He might be in ningmai¸ but his combat abilities were very low. He had broken through to ningmai due to a moment of enlightenment after working with illusory formations. He nervously swallowed. The brutal aura exuded by the large man in front of him created fear in him.
“I … … I am Wei Cheng Bin … … two … … two days ago, I received a jade scroll, it said … …”
———
Hearing Wei Cheng Bin stammer on for a long time yet unable to clearly state his meaning, Lei Peng lost his patience and interrupted, “Okay! This is the place, you didn’t go to the wrong place.”
Finishing, he raised Wei Cheng Bin with one hand as though he was picking up a little chicken, and flew inside.
Wei Cheng Bin closed his eyes in fright, his entire body shaking. Lei Peng rolled his eyes inside. He didn’t know who had suggested that he should be the one to welcome this group of people. Every single one person in this group was as cowardly as mice, and shook whenever they saw him.
This compound was just one of Bao Yi’s secret properties. As cunning as a rabbit, he had backups upon backups. That was his usual conduct.
“Another one came.”
The ling power on Lei Peng’s hand spat slightly, and Wei Cheng Bin was stunned into unconsciousness. He carelessly threw him on the ground.
“En, there’s already eight in this batch. With him, we only need one more before we can send them off,” Xie Shan said with satisfaction. He had exceeded his mission this time. According to Bao Yi’s intelligence, they had found three xiuzhe skilled in building cities. Without an exception, none of the three were able to resist the temptation of two hundred catties of ling grains per month.
He couldn’t help but sigh. If they were anywhere outside of Little Mountain Jie, no matter where they went, they would be treated courteously. But in Little Mountain Jie where life was worth as much as grass, just two hundred catties of ling grains was enough to buy a xiuzhe’s life. As a xiuzhe, Xie Shan couldn’t not help but marvel.
———
Bao Yi was off to the side. He was rejoicing that he had made the right choice. Even though he had not seen the Boss yet, but he had been successively shocked by Boss’ strength. Up until now, more than sixty people had been sent away.
The people that had been delivered outside seemed to have disappeared into thin air.
There definitely were people who were cooperating with them outside of the city, and that number would not be small. This group of people really were daring to act so boldly under Clear Sky Sect’s nose. However, he felt very good secretly at being able to dig at Clear Sky Sect’ walls.
He really had his action of throwing in the lot beautiful!
———
He Xiang looked down at the leaders of the different factions, the feeling of accomplishment in his heart reaching the peak in an instant. Previously, when he met any of the people seated here, he would have to nod his head and bend his waist, but right now, he could clearly capture the fear they had of him in the deepest part of their eyes.
This feeling was really good!
He quickly pulled himself back. He was very clear what his mission was.
A warm and careful smile piled onto his face. His voice was very light like the clouds high up in the sky. “My thanks to everyone here for waiting so long, then we shall now begin.”
———
“Seventy people, it should be enough! How about it? Let’s stop?” Lei Peng said impatiently. They had been guarding here every day. That Clear Sky Sect was really trash. They hadn’t reacted in the slightest. In the beginning, he had thought that this time would be a big mission. Who knew that it was so boring and tasteless? He just wanted to return to camp now.
Xie Shan did not pay attention to him. He looked at the list and frowned. “Why did the remaining people not come?”
Hearing this, Bao Yi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “We used ling grains to attract them. In the end, it is like business, you and I have to both be willing. The remainder probably are living quite well now, and do not want to move.”
“Then we will just leave them?” Xie Shan was slightly discontent. He did not want to leave any regrets in the first mission he was leading.
Bao Yi spread his hands. “Then what? It’s not like we can kidnap them.”
“Kidnap them!” Xie Shan’s eyes lit up as he clapped in excitement. “This idea is great! How come I didn’t think of it?”
Hearing this, Lei Peng, who was at so much leisure that he felt restless, was also excited and furiously nodded. “Not bad, not bad! We’ll kidnap all of them! We won’t leave one behind!”
The other people snickered as they exchanged looks. Zong Ru helplessly raised his eyelids. His Samhadhi had been interrupted once again.
Bao Yi paled. “No way! No way! It is very lucky that our recent actions had not attracted Clear Sky Sect’s attention! If we go to kidnap people, we would certainly alarm Clear Sky Sect, then it would be great trouble!”
“We’re not afraid!” Lei Peng twisted his mouth and said scornfully.
Bao Yi hurriedly looked at the other people. When he saw the anticipatory expressions on their faces, he felt his vision darken. He thought of Zong Ru. In his mind, Zong Ru had always been calm and reliable. He definitely would not approve of this course of action.
But before he could look at Zong Ru — he heard Zong Ru say in a voice filled with helplessness, “Should we do it now? Let’s go,
let’s finish so I can go back sooner to train my Samadhi.”
Bao Yi felt his head instantly sink into stillness.
All fifteen people agreed to the kidnapping. From the suggestions to passing the motion, it hadn’t taken more than a minute. To be able to plan such a large kidnapping under the mighty Clear Sky Sect’s eyes, it was enough to make everyone except Bao Yi feel their blood boil!
Only this way would they not have wasted their journey here!
Since they had decided, everyone quickly started to finalize the plan. After following Lil’ Miss for so long, they had started to learn how to make a plan, and the beginnings of being professional brutes.
Bao Yi’s face was pale as he listened from the side. He decided he would definitely stay far away from this group of madmen in the future! Especially Zong Ru. Only now did he know how wrong he had been. Zong Ru usually indifferent, but when he spoke, malicious and evil ideas were lightly thrown out.
With one word from one and another from the other, a simple and rough plan was quickly born.
———
When Wei Cheng Bin woke up, he found that he was on someone’s back. The sound of wind that occasionally sounded around him let him know that he was flying at high speed through the air. He did not dare to move. He knew the limits of his own abilities. Up until now, he did not make a sound. He slightly turned his head, and warily scanned the surroundings.
Not ten zhang away from him, there was a xiuzhe. He was also carrying a person on his back.
When he clearly saw the surroundings, he was greatly shocked. There were more than one hundred xiuzhe around him. Of those, only twenty of the xiuzhe were carrying people. The other xiuzhe had placed them at the very center.
Wei Cheng Bin finally thought of what had occurred before he had became unconscious.
Which faction did this group of people belong to? They really looked like a big faction! Even though he did not know his own future, but he was full of anticipation. It was very clear that this was an extremely well-thought out plan. More than one hundred xiuzhe were protecting and transporting the twenty of them, it could be seen how importantly they were being treated. The other side had spent such effort so what they aimed for definitely would not be small.
“Notice your rhythm. Control the output of ling power.”
“Preserve the flexibility of the ranks!”
“Combat units at the outermost layer, be on your guard!”
“Try to avoid the clouds.”
… …
He could hear endless shouts of scolding. What Wei Cheng Bin found wondrous was that the xiuzhe in the surroundings did not make a sound as they continuously adjusted their position.
For some unknown reason, the stern silence this group of xiuzhe maintained made Wei Cheng Bin to feel a different kind of power!
He couldn’t help but make a closer examination.
The troop that was in front of his eyes were different than any other troop he had seen before. More than one hundred people were flying, but the ranks were so organized it was as though they had been drawn out with a ruler. The elites that he had seen before had been more relaxed and spread out. In front of this group, they seemed more like a random group of soldiers.
He could occasionally see xiuzhe in groups of three or five moving far away. Those were probably sentries.
The more he saw, the greater his shock was. The power that this troop displayed surpassed the limits of his imagination.
———
Wei Ran’s mind was tightly alert. He was the division leader of the Second Division, but before this, he had never lead a group larger than thirty people. He was worried that he would not do a good job, and thus he was extremely attentive. He also worked hard at his cultivation.
This was the first mission he was undergoing as a division leader.
The mission that Gongsun Cha had given him was not difficult – move forward along a predetermined path, and transport the twenty people back to the camp. When he had first heard the mission, he had released a breath, but when he saw the path, his expression became unnatural.
This path drew out an extremely large curve. It was akin to having travelled in a circle before returning to the camp. He did not understand why Lil’ Miss would make such a complex, and roundabout path. What worried him the most was this path would take him through the territories of multiple factions.
This meant that they could be attacked at any time.
However, when he saw the unnatural expressions of the other division leaders, he instantly understood. This was a mission, but it was also a test. Lil’ Miss was testing whether they had the abilities to be a division leader.
Up until now, they had not encountered any dangers.
However, they had encountered several xiuzhe yesterday that had skirted around them before leaving.
Wei Ran was experienced in battle and understood that people had locked onto his group.
On the entire way, he had constantly maintained the troop formations for combat.
Seeing the increasingly practiced display from the xiuzhe under him, he couldn’t help but sigh. As expected, true combat would temper a person. The improvement they had made in the last few days surpassed the improvement they had made in the previous month.
A blinding red light suddenly exploded in the sky in front of them.
Wei Ran’s pupils suddenly shrank. It had come!
That was the warning spell that their sentries had cast. He tried to compose himself, his mind furiously thinking back to what Lil’ Miss usually did.
He raised his right hand to copy the aloofness of Lil’ Miss, his voice coming out abnormally cold.
“Prepare for battle!”
* * *
Translator Ramblings: Ahh, Gongsun Cha’s insanity was awakened by Pu Yao and has spread to other people. Headhunting talented people, no problem. Kidnapping people under the eyes of a faction multiple times your size, that’s a great idea. Taking those people and then making a huge circle so everyone sees and attacks you, let’s do it!
I like how Bao Yi thought that Zong Ru was the sanest person of the bunch. Don’t be fooled by his appearance and his type of cultivation. The guy was crazy enough to get carved on by a guy who is just ningmai and the equivalent to a low-class worker in this world.
Chapter 245: First Battle
The sentries that had been swimming at the edges started to spread out. Their job was not to engage in battle, but to observe the direction of the entire battlefield.
Wei Ran’s expression was cold, his lips tightly pressed together. There were about two hundred people in the enemy that were full of murderous intent as they charged. Wei Ran straightened his back like a sharp and upright spear. He slightly floated in the air, the shouts of the platoon leaders as they shouted at maximum passing into his ears.
“All of you, be alert! Notice your position!”
“What is in front of you is a pile of trash! Kill them! Kill them all!”
“Later, don’t think of anything. Where I go, charge after me! Whoever f**king lingers behind, watch how I’ll take care of him later!”
“Follow what you usually do during training!”
… …
The platoon leaders were doing their last adjustments before the battle. Most of the people under their command were greenhorns. They all had above average individual power, but in this kind of battle tactic style that demanded rigor, so cooperation was the crux of victory.
The rough, serious, or relaxed mobilizations burrowed into Wei Ran’s ears. He uncontrollably started to heat up. He did not notice that a smear of red had appeared in his eyes.
This really made a person’s blood boil!
Watching as the other side neared, Wei Ran raised his right hand again. All the noise disappeared. All one hundred and twenty two xiuzhe were completely silent. The entire troop was like a great bow that had been fully drawn. Everyone’s nerves were tensed to their limits, especially the xiuzhe at the front. The li
ng power in their body vibrated, their presence continuously rising. However, their feet seemed to be nailed to their spot.
———
Wei Cheng Bin unconsciously stopped breathing, his mind a patch of blankness.
He had never experienced such a shocking battle. This patch of silence was like an invisible noose that wrapped around him and slowly tightened, choking his throat shut. It was slightly suffocating. He opened his mouth to pant heavily. He widened his eyes, and instinctively stared at the xiuzhe at the front raise his right hand. His entire body started to unconsciously shake. He didn’t know if it was in terror or excitement.
———
Wei Ran coldly watched as the enemy entered the range of attack, the raised right hand suddenly chopping down.
“Kill!”
Pia!
The air exploded crisply like a firework. The furiously rampaging ling power of the twenty xiuzhe that were at the front platoon suddenly lost their restraints and exploded!
Twenty figures suddenly disappeared into the air.
Pia!
It was another soul-shaking explosion!
Twenty xiuzhe from the second platoon also disappeared into the air.
Pia!
The third platoon quickly followed behind!
The trademark three section wave killing charge!
Each little troop carried a gigantic sword energy twenty zhang above their heads. This was an attack created by the merging of three xiuzhe’s power! This kind of ling merging technique could only be activated when the Three Talent Formation reached a certain skill level.
The gigantic sword energies tore through the air and howled. On the entire battlefield, all the other sword energies and spells lost color in comparison.
In front of the gigantic sword energy, individual sword energies were as fragile as chopsticks, breaking upon impact.
As fast as lightning!
One platoon had six teams. It was as though six staggered blades cut right to the middle of the enemy.
Blood rained through the sky!