Black Wind Stockade

The Jin State was now ruled by powerful eunuchs who levied exorbitant taxes and imposed countless harsh fees. Bandits and outlaws ran rampant in the mountains, while the authorities cared only about lining their pockets and had no time to clear them out. As a result, these gangs grew ever stronger.

In the Taicang Mountains to the south stood the notorious Black Wind Stockade. All three of its chieftains were masters of true qi, and they commanded hundreds of bandits who had seized the area. Any group passing through had to pay tribute—or be killed and left unburied!

Black Wind Stockade was powerful, so no one dared cross them. But there were always exceptions. On this day, a lone rider came galloping toward Taicang Mountain, coated in dust from head to toe!

"Nothing but dirt roads. I'm covered in dust after the whole trip. Good thing I didn't wear white. Looking as white as snow can wait until I can shield myself with astral qi."

Dressed in black, Zhang Yunhao leaped down from his horse. His face was grim and sinister. He led the horse up the mountain, and his reason for coming to Black Wind Stockade was simple: it was the closest place to where he'd been transported.

Black Wind Stockade had lookouts posted all over Taicang Mountain. Zhang Yunhao led his horse uphill, looking every bit like a man of the Jianghu, and was soon spotted and secretly watched.

The lookouts were well hidden, but Zhang Yunhao was no ordinary man. He soon noticed them, then used his lightness skill to dart into the woods. Two screams rang out, and he seized both lookouts.

"I'm Tian Ming. Go back and inform your Great Chieftain. You, take me to Black Wind Stockade!"

Zhang Yunhao didn't waste words. He grabbed the lookout and let him go. The man had heard of Blood Hand Tian Ming and was terrified of him, so Zhang Yunhao barely had to threaten him before he obediently showed the way.

Since someone had been sent ahead to notify them, when Zhang Yunhao reached Black Wind Stockade, he found the Great Chieftain waiting with the Second and Third Chieftains and over a hundred elite bandits arranged in a semicircle.

Zhang Yunhao released the reins and strode to a point ten paces in front of the Great Chieftain. Though a hundred men faced him, his expression remained calm and confident. He didn't take them seriously at all.

Black Wind Stockade's Great Chieftain was nicknamed Death-Seizing Ghost Hand, and he was ruthless. But Blood Hand Tian Ming was famous in his own right, and the Great Chieftain didn't want to start a fight without cause. So he offered courtesy before force and shouted, "Blood Hand Tian Ming, Black Wind Stockade has never had any dealings with you. What are you doing here?"

Zhang Yunhao smiled. "It's simple. I'm here to kill you and uphold justice!"

"Kill me? Uphold justice?"

Death-Seizing Ghost Hand was taken aback, then gave a scornful snort. "Tian Ming, you've spilled no less innocent blood than I have. Aren't you ashamed to talk about upholding justice? And do you really think one man can take on all of Black Wind Stockade? Is something wrong with your head?"

"Hahahaha!"

The others burst into laughter. Tian Ming might be formidable, but could he really take on the entire stockade by himself?

The Second Chieftain, who looked like a butcher, sneered too. "Tian Ming, get off this mountain now and we might spare your life. Otherwise, prepare to die here today."

Zhang Yunhao wasn't bothered. His smile only widened. "Do you know what your biggest mistake was?"

The Great Chieftain snorted. "A mistake? You're the one who made a mistake, Tian Ming. You came brazenly to Black Wind Stockade and said you'd kill me. Let's see how you plan to do it."

"Like this!"

Zhang Yunhao had been smiling a moment ago, but in the next instant he shot forward like a tiger. His punch shattered the air and hurtled toward the Great Chieftain's chest like a falling star.

The Great Chieftain barely had time to raise both fists in front of his chest before Zhang Yunhao's fist landed. A thunderous boom followed, and he was blasted backward, bowling over several bandits behind him like a string of tumbling gourds.

One punch shattered both of the Great Chieftain's arms. Blood poured from his mouth as if it cost him nothing, while the unlucky bandits cried out in pain and couldn't get back up.

"Great Chieftain!"

The Second and Third Chieftains were shocked. They attacked Zhang Yunhao in a fury. The Second Chieftain used a move called Splitting Mount Hua. He was strong and had cultivated true qi, so his downward slash came with tremendous force!

The Third Chieftain, however, was a woman. She wielded a pair of weapons like Emei daggers and aimed them at the vital point at Zhang Yunhao's waist from an exceptionally vicious angle.

"Pathetic tricks! Your biggest mistake was daring to stand in front of me!"

Zhang Yunhao scoffed. His right hand turned crimson, and he caught the Second Chieftain's descending blade. Then he pulled it down and to the right. A tremendous force yanked the Second Chieftain off balance, sending him stumbling sideways into the Third Chieftain.

"How can he be stronger than me?"

The Second Chieftain was horrified. He was famous for his strength, but beside Zhang Yunhao, he was like a child.

Zhang Yunhao followed with a vicious Leopard Fist from his left hand, striking toward the Second Chieftain's chest. As the man tried to dodge, Zhang Yunhao gave the blade a slight shake with his right hand. A soft force flowed through the long knife into the Second Chieftain's right hand. His whole body shuddered, and half of it fell beyond his control.

The Second Chieftain had no chance. Zhang Yunhao's punch landed squarely on him, and he screamed as he flew backward. By the time he hit the ground, he was dead, his chest bearing the unmistakable imprint of a fist.

Everyone around them drew in a sharp breath. Just how strong was this man? How hard were his fists to leave a mark like that?

At the same time, the Great Chieftain finally stopped vomiting blood—because he was dead. The people of Black Wind Stockade grew even more panicked. In just two or three moves, the Great Chieftain and Second Chieftain had both been killed!

Just how powerful was Blood Hand Tian Ming? The Great Chieftain and Second Chieftain of the renowned Black Wind Stockade couldn't even withstand one punch from him?

"Kill him! All together! Kill him and avenge the Great Chieftain and Second Chieftain!"

The Third Chieftain was terrified and quickly ordered the other bandits to attack. Only a dozen of them shouted and charged forward. The rest were too afraid to approach and decided to wait and see!

"Like a mantis trying to stop a chariot!"

Zhang Yunhao didn't take the bandits seriously. He tossed aside the long knife and attacked them head-on, charging through them like a tiger among sheep. Screams followed wherever he went!

Zhang Yunhao now possessed the strength of Three Oxen, and his attacks were terrifying: one touch wounded, one collision killed!

It wasn't long before corpses covered the ground. Every bandit who had charged out lay dead. The Third Chieftain had meant to wait for an opportunity, but when she saw Zhang Yunhao mow down the elite bandits like a scythe through dry grass, her heart turned to ice. She turned and tried to flee.

"A family should stay together, above all. You can go join them too."

Zhang Yunhao snorted and kicked a long sword at the Third Chieftain's back like a shooting star. The sword pierced right through her. She screamed, pitched forward, and died on the spot!

That was the end of Black Wind Stockade's three chieftains.