Wu Ming and the others had reached an agreement. They made a few slight changes to their appearance and discarded anything that might arouse suspicion before setting out.
When they passed the village from the night before, they saw a column of thick smoke rising, black as ink and shooting straight into the sky like a black lingzhi mushroom. Below it, flames curled and danced.
"This is..."
"How did our village from yesterday suffer a fire disaster?"
Xiao Jidu murmured. His gaze shifted, revealing a mix of pity, resolve, and hatred.
"There's no one fleeing or putting out the fire, either..." Xiao Di added softly beside them.
Yuan Tai was still muddled, but Wu Ming understood as soon as he saw it.
The fire had clearly been set by Yu Shaojun. He might even have slaughtered the whole village before setting it ablaze.
Naturally, it was to protect the secret of their identities.
Otherwise, word of the Death Warriors' destruction would spread, making them suspects. Even joining the Nine Mountains Army would become a problem, let alone helping someone claim the throne.
The whole thing had been handled with flawless precision, cleanly and decisively.
"Let's go!"
Wu Ming exchanged a glance with Xiao Jidu. If Yu Shaojun hadn't acted, they would have had a similar plan, though at most they would have paid the villagers off and sent them away. Now someone had gone all the way, unwittingly doing them a small favor.
They were all sharp operators. One look passed between them, and they understood enough. They didn't dwell on it and quickly moved on.
A fire had broken out, and the Death Warriors had been silenced. Investigators were bound to come, so they couldn't stay long.
After traveling dozens of li, they came across another small town. Xiao Di and Yuan Tai went ahead to ask around and learned that Li Rubi had raised an army and was now occupying Nine Mountains Commandery, claiming the title of general. His forces had already made quite a name for themselves.
They asked for directions, took out gold and silver, bought four yellow-maned horses, and headed for Nine Mountains Commandery.
On the way, Xiao Di shared what she had learned:
"Li Rubi was originally head of a County Magnate family in Nine Mountains Commandery. His family owned ten thousand mu of fertile land, and he once passed the Juren examination, earning an official degree. That makes him no ordinary man!"
Wu Ming and Xiao Jidu both nodded.
True upstarts who rose from the common folk had always been rare. A dynasty was usually truly overthrown when members of its own interest groups turned against it.
Ordinary people knew nothing of the laws and systems. Even if they gained power for a time, they could never accomplish much in the end.
Only great clans like these understood the power of the system and knew how to use it to build a hegemonic enterprise.
Even in Wu Ming's previous life, among the ancient dynasties, Zhu Yuanzhang was practically the only man of common birth to win the empire.
Liu Bang may have risen from humble beginnings, but he had at least been a village headman, a petty official within the system. His starting point was far higher than Zhu Yuanzhang's, who had once been a beggar.
"...Li Rubi's family is enormously wealthy. He gives generously to the needy, loves keeping retainers, secretly keeps Death Warriors, and has hidden three hundred suits of armor and a thousand longbows..."
Xiao Di continued.
"He's been plotting this for a long time! It must have taken more than one generation!"
Wu Ming and Xiao Jidu exclaimed in shock.
In ancient times, armor and crossbows were deadly weapons. Hiding them was tantamount to treason, and there were so many that even the commandery's Armory might not have held such a stockpile.
He had even spread his reputation, befriended heroes, and cultivated Death Warriors. Any one of those acts was akin to rebellion. More importantly, the commandery and county authorities could not possibly have known nothing about it.
"The original Commandery Governor of Nine Mountains must have been in on it long ago..."
Xiao Jidu sighed.
"Mm! They say the Li family's ancestors had a spiritual presence and were buried in a dragon vein, in a hidden lair destined for future prosperity. Its blessings would have flowed down through the generations, slowly but surely, enough to preserve their wealth for thirteen generations. But the current head of the family, Li Rubi, met an extraordinary man called Nanshan Weng, who altered the Earth Vein and made the dragon energy erupt early so they could achieve their ambitions!"
"Nanshan Weng has a strange background and is full of brilliant schemes. He's done enormous service in establishing Li Rubi's foundation, and was appointed Military Advisor and given the title of 'Nanshan True Man.' In the Nine Mountains Army, he ranks just below Li Rubi himself—he's practically second only to the man!"
Xiao Di spoke slowly.
"They're willing to talk about such secrets?"
Wu Ming was rather surprised.
"People are ignorant. Talk of feng shui and dragon energy can bolster a man's prestige. I suspect Li Rubi deliberately spread the story!"
Xiao Jidu said, "After all, once a dragon vein has been tapped, it's hard to break. He can hold his head high without fear!"
"Nanshan Weng? Nanshan True Man! A True Person!"
Wu Ming sighed softly, then gave a bitter smile. "To dare use that title, he must be at least a Magus. Perhaps he really is a True Person!"
"To use Mysterious Arts to support a hidden dragon and fight for the world—this man has some nerve!"
Xiao Di's face was as cold as ice. "When the realm contends for the dragon throne, failure means death. Even the great Daoist sects don't dare get involved. Nanshan Weng is probably a Rogue Cultivator who trained on his own—a demonic practitioner! Or he could be some strange creature that gained a spirit, entering the world to steal its fortune!"
"Regardless, even if he's only a Refining Master or a Magus, with the power of the Nine Mountains Army and the fortune of its title, we'd be hard-pressed to stand against him..."
Xiao Jidu said, "Luckily, he's on the same side as us!"
At last, Yuan Tai managed to get a word in. "Exactly! The stronger Nanshan True Man is, the better our chances. As long as we make it through these three months and Li Rubi becomes a prince, we can turn around and leave immediately. What have we got to fear?"
That was the sort of thing only a complete outsider would say.
Wu Ming and Xiao Di exchanged a glance, then couldn't help shaking their heads with wry smiles.
Nine Mountains Commandery lay in the heart of Caozhou. Hills rose and fell across its territory, and its rugged terrain was cut through by rivers. Nine towering peaks formed natural barriers, easy to defend and difficult to attack, giving the commandery its name.
Li Rubi had raised his banner with incredible speed. He launched his rebellion at the start of the year, promptly routed the commandery troops, and made his name.
Nanshan Weng had also repeatedly persuaded the hard-bitten bandits holed up in the mountains to join them. Three months later, Li Rubi commanded more than ten thousand men and had defeated the large army sent by the provincial inspector.
He had since seized a batch of military horses and taken several commanderies in succession, his forces swelling until his fame and power shook the whole province.
Nine Mountains Commandery was his stronghold. As Wu Ming and the others traveled through it, they saw nothing but devastation: ruined fields, battered commanderies and counties, and rebel troops running rampant. It was a pitiful sight.
Fortunately, Wu Ming and the others were strong and carried weapons. They looked like a formidable bunch, so ordinary stragglers and deserters didn't dare bother them.
They rode hard for half a day and reached the Nine Mountains Army's main camp.
Wu Ming looked out and saw several camps stretching across the open fields. Each housed fifty or a hundred men. Drainage ditches had been dug, patrols were on duty, and the defenses were tight. When he used the Qi Gazing Technique, he saw dark red qi spreading over the camps, carrying an air of solemnity and awe. The army did have some presence.
"Heroes, listen up! My general is eager for talent. If you have skill in civil or military affairs, you may enter the camp and be tested. We appoint people by their abilities, and there are gold, silver, and women to be had! Come share in our fortune!"
At the camp gates, several men holding gongs and drums were shouting. A recruitment notice had also been posted nearby.
Every so often, a few ruffians, scoundrels, desperadoes, or bold hunting riders would enlist and enter the camp for testing.
"The provincial troops suffered a crushing defeat, and the court was furious. It sent a great general with six thousand elite troops, who'll join up with the provincial and commandery forces to launch another campaign... Li Rubi naturally has to recruit the displaced and scattered, then fight with everything he's got..."
Wu Ming and the others all knew the situation. Seeing the army's orderly bearing gave them some hope, so they stepped forward. "We'd like to enlist!"
"Good, good! You gentlemen look like heroes. This way, please!"
The gatekeepers' eyes immediately lit up.
They saw people coming and going every day, and their eyes were sharp. They could tell at a glance whether a man had any real ability, whether he was a hero.
And even if he was a good-for-nothing, anyone who came equipped with his own bow, horse, and gear was still a formidable fighting man.
They didn't dare neglect the group and promptly led them inside.
Once inside the camp, they saw several enormous training grounds, each large enough for thousands without seeming crowded. Wooden racks stood nearby, holding sabers, spears, swords, halberds, and axes. There were longbows and red targets, too, as well as several big horses for demonstrating riding skills. The horses had been trained too much, though, and some were foaming at the mouth.
Everyone was tested there. From several nearby camps came the sound of men chanting and shouting as they fought, clearly recruits still undergoing training.
A guard at the entrance went in to report. Before long, the tent flap lifted, and a Warlord emerged. He had a broad face, large ears, a full beard, and a bare chest. The moment he spotted Wu Ming and the others, who stood out from the crowd like cranes among chickens, his eyes lit up.
Men of this caliber had to be recruited, no matter what. Their own bows and horses alone were worth the price.
He found it a little unusual that Xiao Di was a woman, but didn't make much of it.
"You're the ones who want to enlist?"
The Warlord glanced sideways at them. His face showed no trace of his thoughts, but his expression was full of scrutiny and provocation.
"That's right. I'm Wu Ming. Beside me are Xiao Jidu and Yuan Tai. We're wandering swordsmen from another province. We admire General Li's reputation and have come to join him!"
Wu Ming stepped forward and saluted with clasped fists.
Xiao Di and the others couldn't help rolling their eyes when they heard him come up with yet another false name.
"Our army doesn't take useless men. What can you do?"
"This one is unremarkable, but I've practiced Martial arts for a few years and have some skill. I can also read a few characters!"
The Warlord laughed. "Good! Tang Sheng, test his skill for me!"
"Yes, sir!"
A guard beside him saluted and stepped into the training ground. His face was cold as he slowly rested a hand on his saber. A thread of killing intent appeared.
This man's martial arts and bearing are much like those of the Death Warriors from before!
Death Warriors were a general's personal troops, nothing like ordinary soldiers. But the Warlord was in charge of the new recruit camp, so it made sense that he had men like this.
"Forgive me!"
Wu Ming glided into the training ground, lowering his hands slightly. "Please!"
"He isn't even using a weapon!"
"Overconfident!"
Someone nearby sneered. Tang Sheng's expression didn't change; only a cold glint flashed in his eyes. He suddenly sprang forward like a fierce tiger descending the mountain, his saber cleaving down at Wu Ming's head. "Die!"
Elite soldiers who had clawed their way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood were not swayed by anything around them, nor did they care about accusations of bullying the weak or winning dishonorably.
The martial arts they learned were all direct and forceful, designed to kill the enemy at the least possible cost.
The killing intent and murderous aura they carried could even weaken an opponent's martial arts if he lacked the will to withstand their combined assault.
Whoosh!
As the blade came down, Wu Ming's right hand shot out. He plunged it into the flashing blade and seized Tang Sheng's wrist with blinding speed, then twisted.
Clang!
The saber hit the ground. Tang Sheng sprang back to his feet, one arm already dislocated and cold sweat rolling down his face. But he was a hardened man and didn't utter a sound.
Before you continue