As soon as the martial contest ended, True Person Muxuan summoned the two deputy generals, Ji Kang and Ren Baili, and left the Drill Ground with them.
Zhou Hao saw Ren Baili glare at him in lingering frustration before leaving, and he felt a little regretful, too.
It wasn't that he was looking forward to getting thrashed. The truth was, just as Ren Baili had said, he still hadn't mastered the Gang Step footwork.
"Commander." Hu Yong, now wearing Jade Dragon Armor like the others, though his armor was deep blue-green, came over and saluted Zhou Hao. "The Jade Dragon Army's Fifth Squad has assembled and formed ranks. Please give your orders, Commander."
Though Hu Yong had lost to Zhou Hao in the contest for commander, his strength was clear for all to see. True Person Muxuan had appointed him deputy commander of the newly formed Fifth Squad to assist Zhou Hao.
"First, select a squad leader for each platoon. Then, drill the new Dao Soldier formations by platoon," Zhou Hao ordered.
"Yes, sir!" Hu Yong answered loudly, then headed toward the Fifth Squad's ranks.
In the Green Flood Dragon Army, getting promoted was simple: all you needed was enough strength.
Hu Yong had served as a platoon leader in the Xiantian Battalion for many years and knew military tactics well. His method of selecting squad leaders was also very straightforward.
The soldiers in each platoon would take turns challenging the five platoon leaders. The strongest among them would become squad leader.
They were all Xiantian Lifeforms, so it was easy to tell who was stronger.
And if anyone still refused to accept the result... they could fight until they did.
Before long, the area where the Fifth Squad's Xiantian Lifeforms were gathered had grown lively.
The booming voice of Shangguan Yun in particular drew plenty of sidelong glances from Xiantian Lifeforms in the other squads.
Zhou Hao smiled faintly as he watched from the side.
The entire Xiantian Battalion had changed into new gear today and been renamed the Jade Dragon Army. He didn't believe for a moment that nothing major was about to happen.
He might as well use the opportunity to see what kind of experts he had under his command and get a sense of their strength.
He had already seen the five newly appointed platoon leaders during the contest for commander and their fight against the Vine Wood Puppet.
Shangguan Yun and his sister were a pair of simple-minded brother and clever sister. The older brother practiced body refinement and wielded a Giant Axe with astonishing strength. His younger sister followed the Qi Refining Path and excelled at water-based arts; her magical treasure was a Flowing Cloud Ribbon, which she was skilled at using to bind enemies.
Nan Ming wielded a spear, his attacks blazing like fire. A late-stage Xiantian body refiner, he excelled at breaking through enemy lines.
Di Fan was a late-stage Xiantian Qi Refining Path practitioner who controlled six magical flying spears. He could handle both ranged attacks and group battles.
Gu Ran and Bu Yu were both late-stage Xiantian body refiners who used swords.
Gu Ran wielded a black greatsword, chopping and cleaving like he had a blade. Bu Yu, however, used a thin sword in his left hand. His swordplay was strange and vicious, making him better suited to ambushes and assassinations than direct combat.
Thud, thud, thud~~~
As one soldier after another was defeated, the contest for squad leaders soon came to an end.
Looking at the five platoon leaders, twenty-five squad leaders, and eighty-seven ordinary Jade Dragon Army soldiers who were Xiantian Lifeforms, Zhou Hao felt a surge of pride.
"Brothers, drill those formations well. Tonight, it's on me. We'll drink until we drop!"
"The commander's so generous!"
"Long live Boss Zhou!"
"Go on, then." Zhou Hao swept his hand through the air. The platoon leaders led their men off to find an open space and practice the Dao Soldier formations, which the military had sent directly to everyone's Communication Spirit Talismans.
"Commander, are we celebrating at Emerald Cloud Pavilion tonight?" Hu Yong asked, sidling up beside him. "I know the place well."
You know it well?
Just from the name, it sounded like Emerald Cloud Pavilion was no decent place!
If you knew it so well, why weren't you picking up the tab?
"Come, help me train my footwork some more," Zhou Hao said with a smile. "If you beat me, we'll go to Emerald Cloud Pavilion tonight."
"Commander, now that I think about it, Emerald Cloud Pavilion isn't... Ah!"
At night, a crescent moon hung high in the sky.
In the open space beside Zhu Da Tavern, thirteen tables stood in a row, their surfaces already a complete mess.
"Old Zhu, thanks for all your effort." Zhou Hao waved away Zhu Da's attempt to support him.
Hu Yong, Shangguan Yun, and the others had tried their best to get him drunk, but it was only rice wine that Zhu Da had brewed himself. How strong could it be?
Even without deliberately refining it with his True Essence, his body, which was like that of a Xiantian god-demon, couldn't be brought down by a little rice wine.
"Commander, what are you saying? You've done my little tavern a favor by bringing me your business. I can't thank you enough." Zhu Da bowed and smiled obsequiously.
In the end, they hadn't held the celebration banquet for the newly formed Jade Dragon Army's Fifth Squad at Emerald Cloud Pavilion. Zhou Hao had chosen the familiar Zhu Da Tavern instead.
It was a celebration banquet, after all. The most important thing was eating meat and drinking wine.
Who could focus on drinking at some Emerald Cloud Pavilion?
After leaving Zhu Da a piece of Dog-Head Gold to cover the banquet bill, Zhou Hao smiled with satisfaction.
Apart from the weapons he used, all he had left of his entire fortune was two pieces of Dog-Head Gold and a little Thunder Gold. He'd exchanged everything else for High-Grade Origin Stones to place his bets.
Though he had sixty High-Grade Origin Stones he'd won in his storage space, he still had to pay tribute to Blue Flower Boss.
"When I get back from this mission, I should go see what that Emerald Cloud Pavilion is like, if I get the chance." Zhou Hao mused as he headed back to his lodgings.
What kind of den of indulgence and luxury was Emerald Cloud Pavilion, to have Cao Rong, Hu Yong, and all those other Xiantian Lifeforms pining for it?
Well, he was simply curious.
The moon was beautiful tonight, and even after he left the tavern's firelight behind, the streets were not at all dark.
Zhou Hao walked straight down the quiet street and soon returned to the courtyard in the northwest corner.
As he entered through the gate, he saw Xiangcao sitting on a stone stool beneath the grape trellis in one corner of the courtyard, her right hand propping up her cheek as she gazed at the bright moon overhead.
She seemed lost in thought, Zhou Hao noticed, her left hand unconsciously rubbing the jade pendant hanging from her neck.
Beneath the moon's pale light, Xiangcao's cheeks seemed to glow with the lustre of jade. It was hard to tell whether the jade adorned her or she lent the jade its radiance.
"Why are you still awake?" Zhou Hao walked over and sat on a stone stool beside her.
"Waiting for you," Xiangcao said, rolling her eyes at him. "You reek of booze."
"Waiting for me?" Zhou Hao's heart warmed. A blue glow surged around him, and his True Essence circulated, dispelling all the smell of alcohol from his body. Smiling, he asked, "What about now?"
"Showing off." She gave him another great, big eye-roll.
"What were you thinking about just now? You seemed so absorbed," Zhou Hao asked.
"The moonlight is so beautiful. If only it could be like this every day." Xiangcao turned her gaze back to the sky. "A full moon would be best, like a round jade plate hanging in the night sky. Nothing could be more beautiful."
Hearing that, Zhou Hao smiled and looked up, too.
"Back home, we have a saying: people have their ups and downs, and the moon waxes and wanes. How could it be full every day? A waning moon is beautiful, too."
Hmm?
After waiting a while and getting no response, Zhou Hao turned to look at Xiangcao and saw her glaring at him.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"Blockhead!"
Inside the black palace.
"The Xiantian Battalion has been renamed the Jade Dragon Army, and the entire army has been equipped with Dao Soldier Armor for Xiantian Lifeforms?"
A childlike voice rang out from above the palace.
"Meiji, I asked you to contact those fellows in Niehai Gorge. Have they agreed to act?"
An old man in a black robe embroidered with lotus flames sat upon the throne, looking down at the alluring figure standing respectfully below him.
She was a woman with a flawless face and a perfect figure. Most striking was the beguiling charm that seemed to seep from her very bones. Anyone who saw her would feel their blood surge and find it hard to control themselves.
What an unparalleled beauty!
But on closer inspection, she was too perfect, too deliberate. It made her seem unreal.
"Master of the Altar, the Ao Brothers are willing to act," Meiji said, her languid voice equally bewitching.
"They only ask that, in addition to the two top-grade Human-Rank Magical Treasures we agreed on, we give them another hundred liang of Origin Liquid."
"A hundred liang of Origin Liquid? Why don't they just rob us!" the old man in black roared.
"Even if we seized all three Origin Stone mines the Jade Dragon City owns in the East Sea, it would take at least a year or two to mine Origin Stones worth a hundred liang of Origin Liquid."
"They are pirates, after all..." Meiji covered her mouth and chuckled.
"Hmph!" The old man in black snorted but did not reprimand her.
He paced back and forth, deep in thought for a long while, then finally made up his mind.
"I can agree to their demand, but on one condition."
"What condition?" Meiji asked curiously.
"When you accompany them to attack and seize Jade Dragon City's three mines, you must keep watch on them the entire time. After the Jade Dragon Army is wiped out, all the Jade Dragon Armor must be handed over to the Fire Worship Sect. They mustn't keep any for themselves," the old man in black said sternly. "Otherwise, I'll destroy their stronghold in Niehai Gorge first, then deal with Jade Dragon City."
"Fine." Meiji nodded and smiled seductively. "They'll agree."
"Also," the old man in black continued after a moment's thought, "once you reach Niehai Gorge, secretly memorize the location of their stronghold and the layout of its formations."
"Master of the Altar, are you thinking...?" Meiji's eyes lit up.
"That undersea ancient cave abode is in a hidden location. Leaving it in the hands of those fiends is a waste," the old man in black said with a cold laugh. "Our branch altar should have a foothold in the East Sea, too. Once this is done, I'll leave that place in your care."
"Yes. Meiji understands."
"By the way, what of Motai Xiao?" the old man in black asked.
"Motai Xiao hasn't shown himself in Motai City," Meiji replied quickly. "But several of his disciples and great demon spirit beasts have slaughtered several tribes and taken all the souls back with them."
"Trying to avoid the sin by getting someone else to do the dirty work? Childish!" the old man in black sneered. "Doing good deeds brings merit; doing evil brings sin. That's the Heavenly Dao. If people could escape the consequences by using others to do evil, the world would have descended into chaos long ago. There'd be no need for us to stir things up."
"Master of the Altar, Motai Xiao is just a minor figure. After taking a Purple Mansion Opening Pill, he'll be stuck at the Purple Mansion Realm for the rest of his life. Why is headquarters paying such close attention to his movements?" Meiji saw that the old man's expression had softened slightly after he spoke of Motai Xiao, and took the opportunity to ask.
"A crawling ant, and he still thinks he can rise to power by offering up a beauty." The old man in black gave a colder laugh. "If Motai Xiao doesn't die, and the woman he offers really catches that person's eye, are we supposed to let the Fire Worship Sect live at his mercy from now on?"
"Just wait. Even if Motai Xiao isn't executed by the Great Xia Dynasty, once the matter of selecting beauties is settled, it'll be the end of him."
Meiji's eyes glimmered.
That person... who was it?
First update.
Thanks to Suifeng Luoye xj for the 666-point reward.
Thanks to Root Seeking Tree Heart Asking Grass for the 100-point reward.
Thanks to Huiming Jingren for the 1,500-point reward.
Thanks to Eggshell for the 100-point reward.
Thanks to Boss Add Some Spice for the 2,000-point reward.
Suifeng sends his thanks!!
Before you continue