Chapter Nineteen: The Enemy of Righteousness

Atop the mountain peak, Evergreen stood leaning on his blade, his body smeared with blood. Behind him, his brothers gathered, all weary and many wounded.

“Commander, we’re out of water. If this keeps up, we’ll all be trapped here,” a young man whispered. “We only fear that innate master. Why not charge down? If he appears, we fight to the death, surround him, and carve out a bloody path.”

“That is our last resort,” Evergreen replied, turning to gaze into the distance, toward the direction of Old Locust Town. By his calculations, the chieftain should have arrived.

Even if he had, could he save them?

His resolve wavered.

Just then, a figure appeared on the opposite slope, shouting, “Evergreen, is it? You’re at the end of your rope. If you keep struggling, all that awaits you is death.”

“Evergreen, I admire you—you entered the elite ranks at a young age. Your men obey your orders, you’re impressive. With just a few hundred, you nearly swept aside three bandit strongholds.”

“Remarkable!”

“I can offer you a way out—submit.”

“If you submit, you’ll have beauties, wine, wealth—anything you desire.”

“Martial arts, cultivation resources, a broader world to roam, all within your grasp.”

“All you need do is pledge your loyalty. Don’t think of escape. Surrounding you here means I’ve cut off all retreat.”

“Here, I am king—Xiao Ming. I may only be an innate, but behind me stand many innates, even grandmasters.”

“Well? What say you?”

Xiao Ming stood with a sword on his back, his voice echoing like thunder.

Evergreen’s expression remained unchanged, but many behind him wavered, whispering among themselves. He didn’t need to look; those wavering were mostly recent recruits.

They died the most.

Those silent eyed the wavering ones with icy contempt.

“What say you?” Suddenly, a voice rang out.

Though it came from behind Xiao Ming, it carried to the opposite peak.

“Chieftain!” Evergreen blinked in surprise, then joy broke across his face. He dropped to one knee: “Greetings, Chieftain!”

“Greetings, Chieftain!”

All of Blackwind Stronghold knelt.

The recruits, startled, hesitated, then knelt as well.

Xiao Ming was shocked. With his abilities, someone approached from behind without him noticing? What did that mean?

The other was terrifying.

Clang!

A long sword flashed, sword-light whirling to shield his back, but then he froze—his blade’s tip was caught.

Caught between two fingers.

Fear surged in him; he channeled his inner energy, making the sword hum, but it could not budge.

“Keep struggling, and I’ll swat you dead!” Jiang Ming said coldly.

Upon entering, he’d seen a mountain besieged by bandits; Xiao Ming’s voice echoed from another. He’d come swiftly.

Crack...

With a flick, the blade’s tip snapped and shot out, piercing Xiao Ming’s wrist.

Pain made him loosen his grip; the broken sword fell.

Xiao Ming was more shocked, “Who are you?”

“Haven’t you heard? I am the chieftain,” Jiang Ming said coolly. “Xiao Ming? From the Xiao family of Leaning Mountain City? So you really keep bandits.”

“Let me guess: the Xiao and Liang families seem cordial on the surface, but secretly compete. That’s high-level camouflage. Outwardly, peace; beneath, they let Six Gates and others see that Leaning Mountain City is divided. But deeper still, you Xiao and Liang maintain true alliance.”

“Just like the three bandit strongholds—outwardly friendly, inwardly fighting, but unite when faced with danger.”

“See a mountain as mountain, see a mountain as not mountain, and finally see a mountain as mountain again.”

“Xiao and Liang both have experts!”

As Jiang Ming spoke, he observed Xiao Ming’s reactions, growing surer in his heart.

A city originally had two main powers, then Six Gates joined. Other forces coveted it.

What to do?

Unite openly? That only makes you a target. Better to show harmony, secretly compete. At the root, they form a true alliance, maintaining their position in Leaning Mountain City.

If threatened, use the rivalry as excuse to eliminate others.

“Hiss, that analysis is brilliant!” Lu Yuan arrived, his pupils contracting at Jiang Ming’s words. “Stable on the surface, but turbulent underneath, yet at the core, they control Leaning Mountain City. That’s probably why they endure, and why other forces can’t gain a foothold. Impressive, truly impressive.”

“Chieftain? Who are you really?” Xiao Ming’s heart raced, his eyes narrowed, killing intent pouring out.

But when he saw Lu Yuan, his pupils contracted again. “Brother Lu, what brings you here?”

“Haha, I’m just here for the show!” Lu Yuan laughed, hopping onto a nearby boulder and crouching atop it.

“Brother Lu, you’ve always gotten along with my Xiao family,” Xiao Ming tried to relax. “This is your friend, then he’s a friend of ours too. There must be some misunderstanding.”

“There is no misunderstanding!” Jiang Ming, having learned what he wanted, moved his finger. “Do you know the Shaoyang Meridian?”

“Never mind, asking you is pointless.”

Jiang Ming shook his head, pointing as a sharp burst of sword energy—Shaoze Sword—shot forth. Xiao Ming, wary, twisted to dodge, but was too slow.

Thud...

The sword energy pierced his throat.

“You really killed him!” Lu Yuan exclaimed.

“I was raised a bandit, and I know bandits are rotten to the core. Those who breed bandits are even worse. Since I’m changing my path, I’ll do it thoroughly—from now on, I’ll share no quarter with evil!” Jiang Ming laughed.

He leapt down the mountain, shouting, “Evergreen, kill for me!”

“Yes!” Evergreen’s spirit soared.

Xiao Ming, an innate master, had forced them to retreat and hold the peak, but the chieftain slew him with ease.

Incredible, brilliant, a bright future.

The others were stirred as well, howling and charging down the mountainside.

Jiang Ming began his slaughter.

With the Six Meridian Divine Sword, he dispatched the leaders of all three strongholds, moving as if nothing could touch him.

Once satisfied, he stopped.

Evergreen arrived, swinging his battle blade, his aura like death incarnate, harvesting lives.

Soon, many were dead, others surrendered.

“Greetings, Chieftain!” Evergreen wiped his face, flicking drops of blood as he knelt before Jiang Ming, his face full of reverence. “Along the way, we’ve collected eighty thousand taels of silver, one hundred and eight manuals, over three hundred skilled fighters—though nearly half have died.”

“Good, excellent!” Jiang Ming was pleased. “Attack the nearest stronghold. Take it first.”

“Yes!” Evergreen was full of fighting spirit.

The closest was Whitecloud Stronghold.

They took it easily in no time. Evergreen did not rest, but led his men to attack the other two strongholds.

Inside the hall.

Two maids nervously served fruit and poured tea, trembling as they stood aside.

“You really want to become king of the mountain!” Lu Yuan sat nearby, his expression odd. “Bandits are not tolerated by the righteous. If Leaning Mountain City spreads word, you’ll be branded as evil, and the righteous across the land will hunt you down.”

He sounded almost gleeful.

“So what?” Jiang Ming didn’t look up, leafing through a manual titled Spiral Nine Shadows.