Five Sect Mountain, Leave It to Me!

Hearing Ling Si's words, Jiang Bei fell silent as well.

He understood perfectly: if Five Sect Mountain truly intended to rebel completely, they could have simply looted the prefectural city. Yet they had taken a roundabout approach to threaten Ling Si and force him to act—

This showed that Five Sect Mountain still had reservations.

They were probing, testing the true strength of the Ren-Rank Camp!

After all, the rumors that Jiang Qingfeng was overwhelmed, that the other camps were unwilling to provide aid, and that all six battalions had been deployed on missions were just rumors.

Only by truly making a move against the Ren-Rank Camp could they verify whether it was really strong on the outside but weak within!

Having Ling Si kidnap civilians and soldiers of the Ren-Rank Camp like Tang Ren was a risky move.

If the Ren-Rank Camp could not send powerful experts to Five Sect Mountain to suppress and intimidate them—

Then the rumors of the Ren-Rank Camp's weakness would be completely confirmed!

At that point, Five Sect Mountain would become even more unrestrained. Other forces would follow suit, submit to the barbarian clans, invade towns, abduct civilians, and use them in blood sacrifices!

By then, the land would be devastated, with corpses strewn everywhere!

Who knew how many cities would be destroyed, how many civilians would be plunged into catastrophe!

"Those bastards from Five Sect Mountain! Do they really think the Ren-Rank Camp has no one left? I'll head to the Eight Desolations Mountain Range at once and report this to the Commandant. We absolutely cannot let them continue acting so arrogantly!"

Tang Ren roared.

"Enough! The fighting in the Eight Desolations Mountain Range is urgent. It has likely reached its fiercest stage already. How can the Commandant spare the time?" Zhao He interrupted in a low voice.

"Then what do you suggest? Five Sect Mountain is clearly testing us. If we don't act to frighten them, the whole of Pingyang Prefecture will be finished!"

Tang Ren retorted emotionally.

Just as Zhao He was about to speak again, a calm yet resolute voice suddenly came from beside them:

"Leave Five Sect Mountain to me."

Hearing this, Tang Ren and Zhao He abruptly turned toward Jiang Bei.

Even Ling Si wore an expression of utter disbelief.

"Brother Jiang, don't act rashly! The five sect masters of Five Sect Mountain are all Eighth Rank Great Training experts, and there are barbarians stationed on the mountain! It isn't something you can handle alone!"

Zhao He hurriedly tried to dissuade him.

There were five Eighth Rank Great Training experts! Under normal circumstances, unless Lord Jiang acted personally, the entire Third Battalion would have to be mobilized to suppress them!

How could Jiang Bei alone contend with them?

Yet Jiang Bei only left behind one sentence. "I know what I'm doing. I'm just going to pay them a visit."

With that, he cut off Ling Si's head and strode out of the Prefectural Office.

He knew very well that this incident in Pingyang Prefecture was Five Sect Mountain's test of the Ren-Rank Camp. If they could not be intimidated in time, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Once Five Sect Mountain joined forces with other factions and launched a large-scale attack, the Ren-Rank Camp would not be far from collapse.

He had two reasons for making this trip. First, he could not stand by and watch Pingyang Prefecture fall. Second, if the Ren-Rank Camp suffered disaster, Qin Yang would find it as easy as turning his hand to kill him.

Whether for the civilians or for himself, he had no choice but to go to Five Sect Mountain!

"What do we do? Are we really going to let him go like this?"

Tang Ren asked anxiously.

"Liu Shan! Hurry to the Eight Desolations Mountain Range and report this matter to Lord Jiang. Ask him to decide what to do! From here to Five Sect Mountain, even at top speed, it will take a day or two. You must get there as quickly as possible!"

Zhao He immediately ordered.

"Yes!"

Liu Shan clasped his fists in acknowledgment, then turned and sped away.

More than half a day later.

Eight Desolations Mountain Range.

The mountain range stretched for dozens of miles, filled with a grim, murderous aura.

Flashes of blades and sword shadows filled the mountains, arrows tore through the air, and battle cries shook the heavens. Blood and smoke intertwined, forming a mist of blood.

At this moment, the forces of three battalions were locked in a bloody battle with the barbarians in the mountains.

The fighting was especially fierce beside a cliff. Two figures collided like falling stars, erupting with terrifying momentum.

Roars continuously rang out from the cliffside:

"Jiang Qingfeng! Give up! The Ren-Rank Camp has reached its end. Why keep struggling? Submit to my barbarian clan, and I guarantee you wealth and glory for the rest of your life!"

"Batu Feng, enough nonsense! The Eight Desolations Mountain Range will be your burial ground!"

"Burial ground? What a joke! I'm about to break through to the Sixth Rank. When that happens, killing you will be as easy as turning my hand! I'm done playing with you today!"

A quarter of an hour later.

The soldiers withdrew from the mountain one after another. There were many wounded, and quite a few were carried out on stretchers.

Jiang Qingfeng also came down from the mountain, his armor stained with blood.

"Lord Jiang!"

Three men rushed over from different directions—the Battalion Commanders of the First, Fourth, and Fifth Battalions: Ling Rui, Zhou Chang, and Wang Meng.

"Human Pills are being refined everywhere. Batu Feng has consumed quite a few; he will likely break through to the sixth rank before long. For now, I can still keep him in check, but once that happens... I won't be his match."

Jiang Qingfeng removed his helmet, his expression grave. "Once I die in battle, Batu Feng will surely sweep straight through. None of the surrounding towns and cities will escape disaster!"

"If he truly breaks through to the sixth rank, how are we supposed to deal with him?"

Zhou Chang asked in alarm.

The Commandant was only at Seventh Rank Great Training.

The gap between him and a sixth-rank expert was simply too vast!

"Make the necessary preparations. Tomorrow, we launch one final charge. We absolutely cannot allow Batu Feng to break through to the sixth rank!"

Jiang Qingfeng said firmly.

Just then, a rider on a fast horse came galloping over.

It was none other than Liu Shan.

"Report—Lord Commandant! An urgent report from Pingyang Prefecture!" Liu Shan's voice was hurried and fearful. "Prefect Ling Si colluded with the Five Sect Mountain rebels, abducting soldiers from our Ren-Rank Camp reconnaissance squad and several hundred civilians, then sending them to Five Sect Mountain for a living blood sacrifice!"

"What?!" Jiang Qingfeng's expression changed sharply as a terrifying killing aura burst forth.

He snatched the detailed intelligence Liu Shan presented and skimmed through it. The rage on his face was like a volcano on the verge of eruption. "That bastard Ling Si! Those traitors of Five Sect Mountain! They dare act so brazenly—harming their fellow soldiers, slaughtering civilians, and even carrying out a Barbarian blood sacrifice?!"

The three Battalion Commanders all sucked in a cold breath, their expressions changing drastically.

Ling Rui said urgently, "Five Sect Mountain is blatantly testing us! They saw that we are tied down by the Eight Wastes and unable to spare attention elsewhere! Once this news spreads, Pingyang Prefecture and even the lands of the two surrounding prefectures will know no peace! Who knows how many factions will follow their lead and defect to the Barbarians!"

"Damn it!" Wang Meng slammed a fist into a nearby tree. "The five sect leaders of Five Sect Mountain are all formidable Eighth Rank Great Training experts, and Barbarians are stationed there besides! We're pinned down in the Eight Wastes right now. How can we pull away? How can we intimidate them?!"

Zhou Chang's eyes were also filled with anxiety. "Exactly, my lord! The brothers at Iron Phoenix City and Tiger Leap Valley can't get away either. Xu Qi has gone to Yellow Wind Ridge, where the danger is just as great! Who else can we send? We dispatched requests for aid to Geng-Rank Camp and Xin-Rank Camp days ago, yet there has been no reply! They simply don't want to get dragged into this mess!"

For a time, the scene fell into dead silence, despair spreading like thick fog.

Ren-Rank Camp was already short on troops and under heavy siege from the Barbarians. Now, the traitors of Five Sect Mountain had precisely driven a blade into their most painful weakness.

Without an expert of sufficient standing and strength to swiftly suppress them, the consequences would be unthinkable!

Just then, after catching his breath, Liu Shan hurriedly added, "Reporting to the Commandant! My lords! The one who discovered the Prefectural Office's secret in Pingyang Prefecture, killed Luo Zhenyu and Ling Si, and rescued some of the people... was Lord Jiang Bei!"

"Jiang Bei?" Zhou Chang froze, then looked to Jiang Qingfeng. "Lord Jiang, is this the youngster you mentioned who killed Xie Kaiyue?"

"Yes. Xu Qi went to Yellow Wind Ridge, leaving him alone to hold down the military camp. I never expected him to go to the Pingyang Prefecture Prefectural Office."

Jiang Qingfeng said.

Liu Shan swallowed, his voice full of awe and disbelief. "Y-Yes! Lord Jiang Bei's might was astounding. After killing Luo Zhenyu and Ling Si, he... he said Five Sect Mountain was his to handle! He went alone toward Five Sect Mountain! He said he was going to have a word with the five major sects!"

"What?!"

"Alone?!"

"To Five Sect Mountain?!"

The three Battalion Commanders cried out in disbelief almost at once, their faces filled with horrified incredulity!

Jiang Qingfeng's pupils abruptly contracted. Even with his composure—one that did not change even if Mount Tai collapsed before him—his fingers now clenched tightly together.

"With the temperament he showed when he furiously killed Xie Kaiyue and confronted Qin Yang head-on, how could he be going there to have a word? He's going to wipe out Five Sect Mountain!"

A flash of anger crossed Jiang Qingfeng's eyes. "Utterly absurd! Five Eighth Rank Great Training experts are stationed at Five Sect Mountain. How could he possibly contend against them alone?!"

"Exactly! The kid may be talented, but he's far too young and hot-blooded! Does he think he can run rampant after killing Xie Kaiyue? That's five Eighth Rank Great Training experts in all! Unless a seventh-rank expert personally goes there, he has no chance of winning!"

Wang Meng shook his head and sighed.

Jiang Qingfeng surveyed the surrounding terrain, then took out a command token and handed it to Wang Meng. "Wang Meng, take my token and depart immediately. Ride at full speed to Five Sect Mountain. You must stop him before he gets there!"

"Me? My lord, tomorrow is the decisive battle against Batu Feng. I should stay and fight at your side!"

Wang Meng refused.

"Carry out the order! Your injuries have yet to heal. Today's battle was already a strain on you. Leave at once. There must be no mistake!"

Jiang Qingfeng's tone was resolute.

Their Ren-Rank Camp had not produced such an outstanding young talent in a very long time.

And Jiang Bei was the hope of Ren-Rank Camp now.

If he survived, then should the lands of these two prefectures fall into crisis in the future, they would still need Jiang Bei to hold things up.

He absolutely could not be allowed to die at Five Sect Mountain like this!

"Yes!"

Though unwilling, Wang Meng did not dare disobey. He accepted the command token, turned, and rode away.

"That damned Jiang Bei really is a fearless newborn calf! Even our several battalions wouldn't dare venture carelessly into a place like Five Sect Mountain. How could a young man like him possibly suppress it alone?"

Wang Meng spurred his horse onward, fury churning in his heart.

In the blink of an eye.

Another day passed.

Jiang Bei arrived at Five Sect Mountain.

"Move faster. Today's blood sacrifice is of critical importance. We must refine at least a hundred Human Pills!"

"A hundred? Where are we supposed to find that many Dry People?"

"Don't worry. They were prepared long ago!"

On the mountain path, two Barbarians hurried along as they spoke.

Swish!

At that moment, a flash of blade light streaked past, and one man's head fell to the ground.

"Enem—"

The other man cried out in horror, but before he could utter the word "attack," a large hand clamped around his throat, cutting off his voice.

"Where are the leaders of the five sects and your chieftain now?"

Jiang Bei stared at him coldly and asked.

"They... they're all at the Fire Cloud Sect's grounds... The five sect leaders and our chieftain are conducting the blood sacrifice..."

The Barbarian answered in a trembling voice.

"Which direction are the Fire Cloud Sect's grounds?"

Jiang Bei pressed on.

Five Sect Mountain stretched on endlessly, its peaks rising one after another. Each sect occupied a mountain peak of its own.

"It... it's at the summit of Fire Cloud Peak!"

Crack!

Before his words had even faded, Jiang Bei tightened his fingers and instantly crushed his throat.

He raised his head toward the mist-shrouded mountaintop, killing intent surging in his eyes. Then his body shot forth like an arrow, charging straight toward the summit!

The five great sects, the barbarian tribe—

Today, not a single one would be spared!

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