Black Wind Stronghold Makes Its Move!

In the painting world, at Black Wind Stronghold.

Black Wind Stronghold was different from usual today. The entire stronghold was assembling its men.

More than a thousand people had already gathered at the stronghold's gates, with more arriving in an endless stream.

On a hilltop by the stronghold's gates, He Sandao stood silently, a long saber in his hand. Another man stood beside him.

He was a middle-aged man in a brocade robe, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Brother He, does that Chen Feng truly possess an immortal's artifact-refining method?"

The middle-aged man's name was Jiang Xiao. He was an elder of the Jiang Household in nearby Liuyang Town and an Innate expert whom He Sandao had invited to help.

After making extensive inquiries, He Sandao had confirmed that there was no martial arts Aristocratic Clan surnamed Chen anywhere in the Yue Kingdom.

That Chen Feng had been putting on a complete bluff.

He guessed that Chen Feng might not be an Innate expert at all, but had used some other means to kill Wu Xiong.

It was highly likely to have something to do with that immortal's artifact-refining method, so today he had assembled his men to destroy the Xingfeng Sect.

To be safe, he had called Jiang Xiao along.

With two Innate experts present, even if Chen Feng truly was in the Innate Realm, he would have no chance of survival.

He Sandao smiled faintly.

"Once we reach the Xingfeng Sect, you'll know for yourself, Brother Jiang. Why would I deceive you?"

He Sandao knew Chen Feng was not at the Xingfeng Sect.

But he did not care. He only needed to capture everyone in the Xingfeng Sect and wait for Chen Feng to return.

For every day he stayed away, He Sandao would kill ten people.

He would keep doing so until everyone in the Xingfeng Sect was dead. There were bound to be people there whom Chen Feng cared about.

Even if Chen Feng never returned, that was fine too.

Killing everyone in the Xingfeng Sect would avenge his second brother, and it would serve to intimidate the small sects nearby.

"Good. If there really is an immortal's artifact-refining method, Brother He need only make a copy for me. From then on, my Jiang Household and Black Wind Stronghold will be allies forever."

A smile appeared on Jiang Xiao's face. An immortal's method was an incomparably precious thing throughout the Yue Kingdom.

No matter what kind of immortal's method it was, even if they could not cultivate it, they could sell it for an astronomical price. It was enough to stir up a bloody storm.

"Have you kept this secret?" He Sandao asked.

"Rest assured, I'm the only one who knows about it. I haven't even mentioned it to anyone in my Lineage." Jiang Xiao understood He Sandao's concern.

If they obtained the immortal's artifact-refining method and word leaked out, it would very likely draw the attention of the Yue Kingdom's imperial family.

Things would get troublesome then.

Seeing that nearly all his men had assembled, He Sandao called out to the bandits:

"Brothers, Black Wind Stronghold has stood for decades, and almost no one on Hengduan Mountain dares provoke us."

"But just a few days ago, your second chief died at a villain's hands. This is contempt for Black Wind Stronghold! If we don't avenge him, how will the forces around us look at us?"

The bandits immediately responded to He Sandao's words:

"Avenge the second chief!"

"Destroy the Xingfeng Sect!"

Their shouts were deafening, and He Sandao looked satisfied.

He Sandao had mobilized so many men as a precaution.

He had spent so many years roaming the jianghu by relying on caution.

Even if Chen Feng did not come from a martial arts Aristocratic Clan, he was no ordinary man, and they had to give it their all.

"Move out!"

He Sandao gave the order.

The bandits set off in a vast procession toward the Xingfeng Sect.

Hengduan Mountain was not particularly large, and after only half an hour's march, they reached the Xingfeng Sect.

The Xingfeng Sect had been built among three mines, with mines surrounding it on all sides.

Only one Houtian Third Stage martial artist guarded the entrance to the mines.

When he saw the vast army of bandits approaching from the distance,

the martial artist was so frightened that he scrambled and stumbled toward the Xingfeng Sect headquarters.

"This is bad! Black Wind Stronghold is here!"

The martial artist's shout immediately caught the attention of the Xingfeng Sect's martial artists.

Many of them ran to the entrance to the mines.

The Xingfeng Sect had only a little over thirty martial artists in total.

Mining had been suspended for the past two days, so the mortal miners had all gone home.

Only the martial artists had stayed behind to stand guard.

When they saw the dark mass of bandits gathered at the entrance to the mines, the Xingfeng Sect's martial artists looked terrified.

There were so many bandits, and most of them were martial artists. There was no way they could hold them off.

At that moment, Steward Sun stepped out of the crowd. With Chen Feng absent, he was in charge of the Xingfeng Sect.

"Steward Sun, what do we do now? The bandits from Black Wind Stronghold have attacked!"

"Where's the sect master? He's an Innate expert. He can surely drive them back."

"Steward Sun, hurry and notify the sect master!"

The martial artists anxiously questioned Steward Sun one after another.

They could not escape even if they wanted to, because the bandits had surrounded the entire Xingfeng Sect so tightly that not even a drop of water could leak through. They could only pin their hopes on Chen Feng.

Steward Sun's face was deathly pale. This situation had caught him completely off guard.

He had thought that Chen Feng was not only an Innate expert but also a scion of a powerful Lineage. Even if Black Wind Stronghold had ten times its courage, it would not have dared attack.

"There must be some misunderstanding!"

Steward Sun immediately ran forward to meet the bandits. Though his legs were weak with fear, he forced himself to stand firm.

"Might I ask if Chief He is here?" Steward Sun asked, trembling.

Steward Sun had spent decades in the area. Though he was only a mortal, he knew plenty about Black Wind Stronghold.

Surrounded by a group of men, He Sandao stepped forward.

When Steward Sun saw He Sandao, he immediately went to greet him with a smile.

"Chief He, why have you brought your men here? Our sect master isn't-"

But before Steward Sun could finish, He Sandao threw a punch straight at him.

His fist, coated in Gang Qi, instantly blew Steward Sun's head apart.

Brains and blood splattered across the ground.

"Seize every last one of them!" He Sandao waved his hand.

He could not be bothered to waste words on Steward Sun.

The man was only a mortal, no different from an ant in his eyes.

The bandits then charged into the Xingfeng Sect.

Almost none of the Xingfeng Sect's martial artists resisted. They all chose to surrender.

Faced with thousands of bandits and an Innate expert like He Sandao, who would still dare fight back?

They had joined the Xingfeng Sect to do a job for pay. How could they possibly risk their lives for it?

In no time at all, the entire Xingfeng Sect was under control.

The bandits began searching the Xingfeng Sect.

He Sandao and Jiang Xiao waited where they were.

Jiang Xiao said,

"Brother He, is this really Chen Feng's force? It's far too weak, isn't it?"

Jiang Xiao was somewhat surprised. He had thought it would be troublesome, but he had not expected the Xingfeng Sect's people to be so weak that they did not even have a single Houtian Fifth Stage martial artist.

"The Xingfeng Sect was only established three months ago, so it's no surprise they're short on men. The only troublesome one is Chen Feng. He has the strength to kill someone at the Ninth Layer of the Acquired Realm, so we can't be careless."

He Sandao feared Jiang Xiao might underestimate Chen Feng, so he gave him a reminder.

Just then, a bandit came running over.

"Chief, there's something over there."

He Sandao and Jiang Xiao followed the bandit to an abandoned mine entrance.

There was a looped conveyor belt at the entrance, running straight into the mine.

Although the conveyor belt had been switched off and had stopped moving, this product of modern industrialization had still stunned the bandits.

The bandits gathered around the conveyor belt, examining it and wondering what it was.

Only when He Sandao arrived did they move aside.

Jiang Xiao's eyes lit up when he saw the conveyor belt, and he immediately went over to examine it.

"What is this? Its construction is most peculiar."

Jiang Xiao was reasonably knowledgeable, but he had never seen anything like it.