Strategist Cao preened for a while, then worked up the confidence of one who held victory in the palm of his hand before turning to the others and saying:
"Gentlemen, we shall lie in ambush here and prepare plenty of boulders. When Ning Chuan passes below, we will first smash him with the rocks and wear down his strength. Then, at my command, we will swarm him and cut him down! Once the deed is done, this old man will submit a memorial to the County Magistrate and request merit for you all!"
"Hahahaha... Strategist Cao, why make such a fuss over some wet-behind-the-ears brat? Aren't you afraid the martial world will laugh at us if word gets out?"
A towering, powerfully built man, like a black bear in human form, slowly stepped forward. He was Hei Meng, the Second Boss leading Black Wind Stronghold's men.
Hei Meng first bowed to Straw Bag Strategist. Seeing everyone's eyes upon him, he wore a haughty expression as he continued:
"Greetings, Strategist Cao. Ning Chuan is nothing but a yellow-haired child. Give the order, Strategist, and I'll capture him at once and bring him back to serve as your chamber pot!"
Strategist Cao froze. Why did those words sound so familiar?
A flash of insight suddenly crossed his mind. Hadn't Long Da of Second Dragon Mountain said the very same thing to him back then?
He hurriedly said, "Second Boss, calm yourself. Ning Chuan is immensely strong and by no means an ordinary man. You must not take him lightly!"
At Straw Bag Strategist's words, displeasure immediately appeared on Hei Meng's face. He let out a heavy snort through his nose and said:
"Strategist, are you looking down on me? Since I advanced to the Seventh Rank of Great Martial Master, I have never tasted defeat! If I cannot bring back Ning Chuan's head today, I'll cut off my own and come kowtow before the Strategist to beg forgiveness!" Hei Meng's face was full of pride.
Seeing Hei Meng's resolute expression, Strategist Cao sighed inwardly. Hei Meng is probably finished. Back when I tried to stop Long Da from killing Ning Chuan, Long Da said the same thing!
He looked at the others again. They all nodded in unison, each more arrogant than the last, as though this were only natural.
These bandit rabble all had the same piss-poor nature. Each believed himself unrivaled beneath heaven, always blurting out, "Are you looking down on me?"
Thinking of Long Da's fate, he could not help feeling a bad premonition rise in his heart.
As Straw Bag Strategist pondered, Hei Meng had already grown impatient. In a gruff voice, he gave a heavy shout. "Strategist!" The meaning in his tone and expression could not have been clearer.
"Fine, fine. If you want to go, then go. Just be extra careful!" Strategist Cao said helplessly.
Hei Meng was overjoyed. He clasped his fists toward Strategist Cao. "Haha... I thank Strategist Cao. Watch Old Hei go and return in no time!" Before he had finished speaking, his body had already become a blur as he raced down the mountain.
The others immediately regretted it until their intestines turned green, secretly cursing themselves for not stepping forward first to seize the opportunity and letting Hei Meng snatch first place.
Black Wind Stronghold had always been powerful, and its people had always acted overbearingly and tyrannically. If they claimed this credit as well and received even greater support from the County Magistrate, would they not become even more arrogant and lawless in the future?
At the foot of the mountain, the caravan was bustling as it set up camp.
Ning Chuan stood atop a carriage, concentrating as he observed Eagle Sorrow Gorge above.
Suddenly, a figure sprang out from the mountainside, stepping from treetop to treetop as he raced down the mountain with astonishing speed.
A master. He should be at the peak of the Seventh Rank. Perfect—I can test my strength!
Although Ning Chuan had not cultivated any combat martial skills, with his terrifying physique, defense, strength, and reactions, even random punches could beat an old master to death.
Ning Chuan casually grabbed a handful of iron lumps from the carriage and slipped them into his pocket. Then his body shot off the carriage as he headed toward the foot of the mountain.
After several dozen breaths, the two met at the mountain's base. Both stopped and sized one another up.
"Hehehe, brat, you're Ning Chuan?" Hei Meng's entire body radiated a savage, domineering aura. Rubbing his fists together, he gave Ning Chuan a strange laugh.
"That's right. Big black bear, who are you?" Ning Chuan was as calm as drifting clouds and a gentle breeze.
Hearing Ning Chuan call him a big black bear, Hei Meng instantly flew into a rage. His eyes turned bloodshot, and his body seemed to swell by a third.
"Brat, you're courting death! I am Hei Meng, Second Boss of Black Wind Stronghold! By Straw Bag Strategist's order, I have come to take your head and make it into the Strategist's chamber pot. Die!"
Hei Meng let out a strange cackle, as though he had turned into a black bear, and pounced barehanded at Ning Chuan.
"Take one of my Black Bear Fists!"
Hei Meng's casserole-sized fist smashed toward Ning Chuan's head. Black light coiled around it, exuding a terrifyingly violent aura. This was the Black Bear True Qi he took such pride in.
"Haha, you bear! Take one of this young master's Taming Bear Fists!"
Ning Chuan raised his fist and swung it straight out, colliding solidly with Hei Meng's Black Bear Fist.
With a bang, their fists struck each other, and both men staggered back several steps.
Hei Meng's body swayed violently. His blood and qi surged, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. The black light around his fist instantly scattered, the flesh on his hand burst apart to reveal gleaming white bone, and his entire arm twisted grotesquely.
Mother of all things, what kind of monster is this?! Hei Meng was terrified. The piercing pain made his heart go cold, and cold sweat instantly soaked through his clothes.
That punch of his had felt as though it had struck steel, while Ning Chuan's seemingly casual fist had been like a mountain, carrying an irresistible, earth-shaking force.
Hei Meng cultivated a body-tempering technique. With his Black Bear Fist, he was renowned throughout Qingshan County's bandit circles. He himself had earned the name Bear Monster, yet he had run into someone even more monstrous than he was.
Yet Ning Chuan had used only twenty percent of his strength in that punch!
"Big black bear, your strength isn't bad. You're just a little slow-witted!" Ning Chuan rubbed his fist, seemingly extremely satisfied with that punch.
Though Hei Meng was tall and brawny, looking like a huge stupid bear, his reactions were not slow. Hearing Ning Chuan's mockery, he did not dare answer. Instead, borrowing the force of his retreat, he kicked off with both legs and used the chance to pull several zhang away from Ning Chuan.
The moment his feet touched the ground, he put every ounce of strength into his legs and bolted up the mountain. He was actually much faster than when he had come down.
Face was important, but life was more important. Hei Meng knew which mattered more.
"Sure enough, a big stupid bear. His brain really doesn't work too well!"
A smile appeared at the corner of Ning Chuan's lips as he chased after Hei Meng. He could follow the vine to find the melon, trail him up the mountain, and seek out Strategist Cao.
At that moment, Strategist Cao and his group were observing from the mountain. They saw Hei Meng race down in a blur, while a figure from the camp below took the initiative to meet him. The moment the two figures came face-to-face, Hei Meng turned and raced back up the mountain, moving even faster than before.
The others were blocked by trees and had not seen Ning Chuan and Hei Meng meet.
But alarm bells rang loudly in Strategist Cao's heart, and cold sweat immediately beaded on his forehead. This is bad. Hei Meng is no match for Ning Chuan. If Ning Chuan chases him up here, these people might not be able to defeat him either. What should I do?
His eyes darted around as all eight hundred schemes in his heart began spinning at once. In an instant, he came up with a countermeasure.
Snap! Strategist Cao closed his folding fan and pointed down the mountain.
"Gentlemen, the man below is Ning Chuan.
If not now, when?
Whoever kills Ning Chuan will be rewarded with a thousand taels of silver!"
Before you continue