The Iron Mountain underling had no idea how much trouble he'd caused. Not only had he captured the Unrivaled King alive, he had spread the news far and wide. It was too late for Shi Qingjue to keep it secret.
Iron Mountain's military discipline had never been particularly strict. Officers of every rank enjoyed considerable autonomy. After leaving Four Truths Blue Lotus, the underling had gotten a sudden notion and hung back with several dozen men, looting any settlements they came across along the way. They'd even made a modest haul.
He told Shi Qingjue he was out on patrol, but in truth, he'd patrolled right into other people's homes.
That afternoon, the band of brigands came across more than a dozen traveling merchants. Full of hope, they stopped them, but found little of value. In a fit of anger, they decided to take them back to Iron Mountain and demand ransom later. They did, however, let two servants go.
The underling hadn't recognized the "big fish." He'd boasted shamelessly about his own cleverness and courage, but halfway along the road, he realized one of his men had mysteriously disappeared. Furious, he spent the rest of the journey cursing and grumbling.
The underling's mood was thoroughly soured. When he returned to the Iron Mountain camp and found everyone drunk while he alone was sober, he grew even angrier. He ordered his men to bring over the richest-looking captive and gave him a sound beating, demanding ten thousand taels in ransom. Unable to bear the pain, the captive covered his face and said, "Where would I get ten thousand taels? But if you're bold enough, you can ask Tianshan Sect for the money. Zhang Ji asked us to escort someone. I think he's an important person."
They brought over the important