King Against King, General Against General

Seeing that Du Dajin and the Dragon Gate Escort Agency men actually dared to brave such a grave taboo and climb the mountain, displaying real skill-born courage, Jiang Dali was somewhat surprised.

He had only relied on the advantage of holding hostages and deliberately made the invitation to test their limits.

Who would have thought Du Dajin would truly dare to bring a group of men up the mountain?

That courage alone justified the Dragon Gate Escort Agency's fame throughout Jiangnan and the reputation it had built in the southeast. No wonder Yin Susu had later chosen Du Dajin to escort Third Hero Yu of Wudang.

As he pondered, the attribute panel in Jiang Dali's eyes suddenly flickered, and he received a new mission prompt.

"You have triggered a minor side mission in the Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber series of the Comprehensive Martial World: 'Deal with Du Dajin' (Mandatory).

Mission content: Du Dajin, chief escort of the Dragon Gate Escort Agency, is dissatisfied with the Black Wind Stronghold having seized the escort goods and has resolved to visit the mountain and issue a challenge.

Mission requirement: Hold Du Dajin off until reinforcements from Prince Ruyang's Mansion arrive.

Mission difficulty: Grade A, Level D

Du Dajin: Veteran Inner Qi Realm. A Shaolin Lay Disciple, skilled in the Twenty-Four Demon Subduing Palms and a fragment of the Great Vajra Palm. His three greatest skills are the Repeating Steel Darts, fist techniques, and the single saber.

Mission rewards: Prince Ruyang's Mansion Reputation +50, trust from mansion experts, 200 Cultivation Points, 200 Potential Points, 200 Jianghu Reputation.

Additional reward: (A certain chance to comprehend a Shaolin ultimate skill after fighting Du Dajin)."

After reading the suddenly appearing mission prompt, Jiang Dali could not help but be startled.

"Du Dajin actually knows the Twenty-Four Demon Subduing Palms and a fragment of the Great Vajra Palm?"

Seeing the information provided by the mission, Jiang Dali immediately knew things were bad. His heart grew solemn.

He had originally only known that Du Dajin was a Shaolin Lay Disciple. He had not known that the man had actually mastered two of Shaolin's Seventy-Two Ultimate Arts.

Even in his previous life, though he had encountered many martial artists, he had never met Du Dajin and knew nothing about him. This had caught him completely off guard.

One had to know that ultimate skills provided an enormous boost to combat strength. They were worlds apart from ordinary martial arts.

Though the Twenty-Four Demon Subduing Palms might only be a Human-tier ultimate skill, the Great Vajra Palm could be an Earth-tier ultimate skill. Even a fragment was extraordinarily formidable.

Compared to the many renowned experts of the martial world, Du Dajin was an obscure nobody. Yet he knew two ultimate skills, something Jiang Dali had never expected.

"No wonder Du Dajin, merely an Inner Qi Realm martial artist, was able to lead the Dragon Gate Escort Agency to such fame. Even Inner Qi Realm escorts like Hu Ling submitted to him. So he was a big fish."

"Yet danger may also be opportunity. Du Dajin knows not one but two ultimate skills, the Twenty-Four Demon Subduing Palms and the Great Vajra Palm. He must know how incompatible these two skills are. Perhaps it was even an accident that he learned both of them. If I can take him down..."

In an instant, Jiang Dali's thoughts raced, countless ideas surfacing in his mind, but he also felt that it was highly inappropriate.

Ultimate skills.

Such an excellent opportunity lay right before him.

If he could kill Du Dajin or capture him, he might very well obtain an ultimate skill. Even just one would immediately raise his strength tremendously.

But after considering everything, Jiang Dali regained his usual calm and chose to give up.

Setting aside whether he could take Du Dajin down now, even if he could, he could not kill the man if he wished to take on Prince Ruyang's Mansion's future missions.

And as for forcing Shaolin ultimate skills out of him—

Never mind whether he could force them out.

Even if he could, as long as Du Dajin survived and word got out, the Black Wind Stronghold would have completely offended Shaolin.

For now, his tiny Black Wind Stronghold was still incapable of contending against a martial arts giant like Shaolin. He could not act rashly.

However, the mission had also indicated that as long as he fought Du Dajin, there was still a certain chance of comprehending Shaolin ultimate skills. Even if that chance was low, there was still hope.

As his thoughts turned, a bandit hurried over to report in panic. "Great Mountain Lord, the Dragon Gate Escort Agency's people have already come up the mountain. They're moving fast and have reached the mountainside. The brothers are waiting for your orders."

"What are you panicking for?"

Jiang Dali barked coldly. He could already see the Dragon Gate Escort Agency's party. Led by Du Dajin, they leaped and raced through the mountain paths like mountain apes, moving swiftly while maintaining orderly advances and retreats. They held weapons in hand and remained on guard. Every one of them was agile and skilled.

Under such circumstances, even with the Black Wind Stronghold holding the terrain advantage, ordering the brothers to fire arrows with their mere seven or eight bows and crossbows would hardly inflict serious casualties upon this group of experts.

Jiang Dali also had no intention of immediately tearing all pretenses apart and pushing matters beyond reconciliation.

Perhaps before learning that Du Dajin knew two ultimate skills, he would not have feared reaching that point.

But circumstances had changed. Jiang Dali adjusted his strategy and prepared to focus on stalling. If he could subdue Du Dajin, that would naturally be best for everyone.

"Let them come up the mountain. Put the two Dragon Gate Escort Agency captives into the Bronze Bull!"

Jiang Dali swept his hand and issued the order. He then led a group of men straight to the small clearing before the stronghold and sat imposingly upon a pearwood chair draped in tiger hide.

Shouting loudly, the bandits immediately shoved the two Dragon Gate Escort Agency men into the Bronze Bull and locked them inside.

The so-called Bronze Bull was a cow-shaped prison forged from bronze and iron.

It would be placed atop a pile of firewood. After a prisoner was locked inside and the firewood was lit, the person within would suffer terrifying heat and be steamed alive. Even their dying cries would emerge through the specially designed bull's mouth as nothing more than repeated mooing sounds. It was utterly horrifying.

Naturally, Jiang Dali did not intend to kill the two captives directly.

But locking them in the Bronze Bull would, first, effectively prevent the Dragon Gate Escort Agency from launching a surprise rescue, and second, place psychological pressure on them.

Before long.

A bright voice carried up from the mountain path.

"Great Mountain Lord Jiang certainly cuts an imposing figure. I've traveled north and south for so many years, yet I've never seen anyone as fierce and formidable as you. Today has truly broadened my horizons."

From far down the mountain path came the voice. The speaker was none other than Du Dajin. Though he was still several hundred meters away, his voice carried clearly into the clearing.

It traveled in a straight line, focused without dispersing, displaying the depth of his inner qi cultivation.

The expressions of the bandits changed at once, and a slight commotion broke out.

Even Xiong Ba felt uneasy all over, deeply apprehensive.

In the eyes of an experienced man like Jiang Dali, Du Dajin, chief escort of the Dragon Gate Escort Agency, was naturally no particularly impressive figure.

But in the eyes of a group of bandits, or even unimportant martial world figures like Xiong Ba, he was a martial artist of considerable standing. He also came from the prestigious Shaolin school, which counted as a distinguished background.

Such a person possessed both strength and connections. Who would not fear him?

Jiang Dali remained completely composed and spoke evenly. "As the saying goes, strangers become acquainted through conflict. Chief Escort Du, you sent that unruly escort Hu Ling to wound and kill my men, then sent your daughter and disciple sneaking up the mountain to use hidden weapons.

"My Black Wind Stronghold has now witnessed the Dragon Gate Escort Agency's underhanded methods.

"Chief Escort Du, have you come up the mountain today to employ some more despicable tricks?"

With these words, Jiang Dali laid bare every point on which the Dragon Gate Escort Agency stood in the wrong.

At the same time, he was subtly warning Du Dajin to cherish his reputation and not ruin himself with petty schemes.

The tactic was truly brilliant. At once, angry shouts and rebukes rang out from the mountain path.

Du Dajin charged up the mountain like a furious lion or tiger, roaring, "What a Black Wind Stronghold Master, twisting black and white! Today, I must see just how capable you are. Release my Dragon Gate Escort Agency's people at once!"

The moment Jiang Dali saw Du Dajin charge up the mountain, along with the name above him that was green with a hint of black and the equally long health bar, he immediately understood. This was king against king, general against general—he had encountered a tough opponent of his own kind.