Nine Mountains Army (Seeking Recommendations)

After Wu Ming and the others conferred, they made minor adjustments, discarding anything that might arouse suspicion, and then set off.

Passing by the small village from the previous night, they saw a plume of dense smoke rising, black as ink, shooting straight into the sky like a black lingzhi mushroom, with flames flickering below.

"What is this..."

"What happened to the village we were in yesterday? Did it suffer a disaster by fire?"

Xiao Jidu murmured, his gaze suddenly shifting, revealing a mix of reluctance, determination, and disgust.

"There's no one fleeing or fighting the fire..." Xiao Di, standing beside him, added faintly.

Yuan Tai was bewildered, but Wu Ming understood immediately upon seeing it.

This fire was clearly set by Yu Shaojun, and perhaps before setting the fire, he might have even massacred the entire village.

The purpose, naturally, was to protect their secret.

Otherwise, if news of the Fang Soldiers' annihilation spread, and they became suspects, even joining the Nine Mountains Army would be problematic, let alone assisting in claiming a throne.

This method of disposal was flawless and swift.

"Let's go!"

Wu Ming and Xiao Jidu exchanged a glance. If Yu Shaojun hadn't acted, they would have had a similar plan, though at most they would have dispersed them with some silver. Now that someone had taken such drastic measures, it had indirectly helped them.

These individuals were all sharp; a single glance was enough for them to understand. They stopped dwelling on it and left quickly.

With a village ablaze and the Fang Soldiers silenced, an investigation was inevitable, and they couldn't linger.

They traveled for dozens of miles until they reached a small town. Xiao Di and Yuan Tai went ahead and learned that Li Rubi had now raised an army, occupying Nine Mountains Commandery and proclaiming himself a general, with considerable influence.

They then inquired about the route, took out gold and silver, bought four yellow-maned horses, and headed for Nine Mountains Commandery.

Along the way, Xiao Di relayed the news she had gathered:

"This Li Rubi was originally the head of a County Magnate family in Nine Mountains Commandery. His family owned tens of thousands of acres of fertile land, and he had passed the imperial examinations, possessing official status, which is no small matter!"

Wu Ming and Xiao Jidu both nodded.

Truly grassroots uprisings were rare; the subversion of a dynasty often began with betrayal from its own interest groups.

Commoners, ignorant of the law, might gain power temporarily but could rarely achieve lasting success.

Only great clans and aristocratic families understood the power of the system and knew how to utilize it to achieve hegemony.

Even in Wu Ming's previous life, among the ancient dynasties, the only one who truly rose from humble origins to rule the land was Zhu Yuanzhang.

Although Liu Bang started from humble beginnings, he was still a minor official, a tingzhang, someone within the system. His starting point was much higher than Zhu Yuanzhang, who had been a beggar.

"Li Rubi's family is immensely wealthy, generous with their wealth, fond of keeping retainers, secretly nurturing assassins, and hoarding three hundred sets of armor and a thousand longbows..."

Xiao Di continued.

"This is meticulous planning! It's probably the work of more than one generation!"

Wu Ming and Xiao Jidu exclaimed in unison.

In ancient times, armor and crossbows were deadly weapons. Hoarding them was akin to treason, and such quantities might not even be found in a prefectural or county armory.

Furthermore, spreading their reputation, making connections with heroes, and cultivating assassins – any one of these actions was tantamount to rebellion. Most crucially, such actions could not have gone unnoticed by the prefecture and county governments.

"The prefect of Nine Mountains Commandery was likely already complicit..."

Xiao Jidu sighed.

"Yes! Legend has it that the Li family ancestors had spiritual energy, buried in a dragon vein, pointing to a latent auspicious spot, ensuring blessings for generations. They used it slowly, enough to guarantee thirteen generations of prosperity. However, the current head of the family, Li Rubi, encountered an Outsider, known as Nanshan Weng, who altered the land's veins, causing the dragon's energy to manifest quickly, thus enabling his success!"

"This Nanshan Weng has an unusual origin and offers many ingenious strategies. He has made significant contributions to Li Rubi's foundation and was appointed as his strategist, then enfeoffed as 'Nanshan True Man,' holding a position second only to Li Rubi in the Nine Mountains Army, truly above ten thousand people..."

Xiao Di said slowly.

"Such a secret is being discussed?"

Wu Ming was quite surprised.

"People are ignorant. Such talk of geomancy and dragon energy can enhance prestige. I suspect Li Rubi deliberately spread it!"

Xiao Jidu said, "After all, once the dragon vein is set, it's difficult to break. They have nothing to fear!"

"Nanshan Weng? Nanshan True Man! True Man!"

Wu Ming sighed faintly, then gave a wry smile, "To dare to use such a title, at least a pháp sư rank, perhaps even a True Man!"

"Supporting a hidden dragon with unorthodox arts to contend for the throne, this person is truly audacious!"

Xiao Di's expression turned icy, "Contending for the throne results in death if unsuccessful. Even major Daoist sects dare not get involved. This Nanshan Weng is likely a rogue cultivator demon who cultivated himself, or an otherworldly being who entered the human world to seize destiny!"

"Regardless, even if this person is only at the Refining Master or pháp sư rank, with the power of the Nine Mountains Army and the fortune of his title, we would be hard-pressed to resist..."

Xiao Jidu said, "Fortunately, this person is on our side!"

Yuan Tai finally managed to interject, "Exactly! That's the point! The stronger Nanshan True Man is, the greater our chances. As long as we endure these three months and Li Rubi becomes a prince, we'll leave immediately. What's there to fear?"

Hearing this, it was clearly the words of an outsider.

Wu Ming and Xiao Di exchanged glances, both unable to help but smile wryly and shake their heads.

Nine Mountains Commandery is located in the center of Caozhou. The commandery is characterized by rolling hills and fragmented rivers, with nine great peaks forming a natural stronghold that is easy to defend and difficult to attack, hence its name.

Li Rubi's uprising was swift. He revolted early in the year and immediately routed the commandery's troops, gaining fame.

Nanshan Weng, moreover, managed to persuade the Fierce Bandits hiding in the mountains and forests to join him. Within three months, he had amassed an army of over ten thousand and defeated the grand army sent by the provincial governor.

At this time, they had also captured a batch of military horses, conquered several commanderies in succession, and their momentum was immense, shaking the entire province.

Nine Mountains Commandery was this man's base of operations. As Wu Ming and his companions traveled, they saw devastation everywhere: ruined fields, shattered commanderies, and rampant rebel troops, making it unbearable to behold.

Fortunately, Wu Ming and his companions were strong and healthy, armed with weapons, and appeared quite formidable. Ordinary stragglers and scattered soldiers dared not offend them.

After half a day of rapid travel, they arrived at the location of the Nine Mountains Army's old camp.

Wu Ming surveyed the scene and saw several encampments stretching across the open field. Each encampment consisted of fifty to a hundred men, with drainage ditches dug and patrols maintaining strict security. Using his Qi-gazing technique, he saw continuous black and red qi above the encampments, exuding a solemn and awe-inspiring aura, which indicated a certain grandeur.

"Listen, all you heroes and good fellows! My general is eager for talent. If you possess literary or martial skills, you may enter the camp for selection. We promote based solely on merit, and there will be gold, silver, and women! Share prosperity with us!"

At the entrance to the encampment, several men holding gongs and drums were shouting loudly, and recruitment posters were also posted nearby.

From time to time, groups of ruffians, desperate outlaws, or even brave hunters would join, entering the camp gate for assessment.

"The provincial army was soundly defeated, and the imperial court is enraged. They have dispatched a great general to lead six thousand elite troops, combined with provincial and commandery soldiers, to launch another suppression campaign... Li Rubi naturally needs to recruit scattered forces and fight to the death..."

Wu Ming and his companions were aware of the inside story. Seeing the organized military bearing now, they felt a glimmer of hope and stepped forward, saying, "We also wish to join the army!"

"Excellent! You are all good fellows, please come inside!"

The eyes of the gatekeepers immediately lit up.

They dealt with people day in and day out and had sharp eyes, able to discern with a single glance whether someone had substance or was truly a hero.

Moreover, even if they were mere pretenders, anyone who could come equipped with their own bows, horses, and armor was already a formidable elite.

Without daring to delay, they were led into the camp.

Upon entering the encampment, they saw several huge training grounds, capable of accommodating thousands of people without feeling crowded. Beside them were wooden racks displaying various weapons such as sabers, spears, swords, halberds, and axes, as well as longbows and red targets. There were also several large horses available for demonstrating horsemanship, though some were already foaming at the mouth from excessive training.

The group underwent assessment here. In several camps not far away, sounds of shouting and killing could be heard, indicating that newly recruited soldiers were still undergoing training.

The guards at the entrance went in to report. Before long, a tent flap was lifted, and a warlord with a broad face, a full beard, and a half-bare upper body emerged. His eyes lit up upon seeing Wu Ming and his companions, who stood out like cranes among chickens.

Such recruits, he thought, had to be accepted no matter what. If nothing else, the fact that they brought their own horses and bows was worth the price of admission.

Seeing Xiao Di, a woman, among them, he was slightly surprised but paid it no mind.

"You are the ones who wish to join the army?"

The warlord glanced sideways, his face showing no emotion, but his expression was critical and probing.

"Yes, I am Wu Ming. Beside me are Xiao Jidu and Yuan Tai. We are wandering swordsmen from other provinces, admiring General Li's might, and have come to pledge our allegiance!"

Wu Ming stepped forward and cupped his fists in a salute.

Xiao Di and the others, hearing him use another false name, couldn't help but roll their eyes.

"Our army does not accept useless individuals. What skills do you possess?"

"I am not talented, but I have practiced martial arts for several years and possess some skill. I also recognize a few characters!"

The warlord chuckled, "Good! Tang Sheng, go and test his martial arts!"

"As you command!"

A nearby personal guard saluted and stepped into the arena, his face stern, slowly resting his hand on his saber, a trace of killing intent emerging.

This man's martial arts and demeanor are quite similar to those of the Fang Soldiers from before!

Fang Soldiers were the personal guards of the great general, not ordinary troops, but this warlord was in charge of the recruit camp, so he naturally had some.

"Pardon me!"

Wu Ming gracefully stepped onto the field, his hands hanging slightly at his sides, "Please!"

"He's not using any weapons!"

"He's overconfident!"

Some onlookers sneered with disdain. The Fang Soldier, Tang Sheng, however, remained expressionless, only a cold glint flashing in his eyes. He suddenly lunged forward like a tiger descending from a mountain, his long saber cleaving down from above, shouting, "Kill!"

These elite soldiers, who had climbed their way up through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, were not swayed by the outside world, nor did they care about evaluations of "bullying the weak" or "unfair victory."

The martial arts they had learned were all direct and powerful, designed to kill and injure the enemy at the smallest cost.

Even the killing intent and malevolent aura they carried, when unleashed together, could significantly weaken the martial arts of opponents with weak wills.

Swish!

As the blade fell, Wu Ming's right hand suddenly shot out, grasping into the path of the blade. With incredible speed, he seized Tang Sheng's wrist and then twisted it.

Clang!

The long saber fell to the ground. Tang Sheng stood up, his arm dislocated. Cold sweat dripped down his face, but the man was brave and did not utter a sound.