Zhu Ju stayed in the Prefecture City for half a month, learning Martial Arts from Ye Chongshan by day and returning to the Luu Mansion to rest at night.
He received guidance from a renowned master and nourishment from Great Medicines.
In that half-month, his Cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds. He was now likely on par with Yue City's top expert, Shenn Hu. However, such gains, which came at the cost of his sister's suffering, brought him no joy.
Hejian Prefecture was far more prosperous than Leping County, not just in terms of daily life, but also in the endless stream of Martial Arts experts. There were many benefits to living and practicing Cultivation here.
But after careful consideration, Zhu Ju rejected Zhu Shuang's suggestion that he put down roots in the Prefecture City, insisting on returning to the county.
He had too many secrets, and they would be far more easily exposed in the Prefecture City. Life in the county offered much more peace of mind.
「Leping County.」
"HYAH..."
"WHOA!"
The carriage pulled over to the side of the road, making way for a funeral procession.
"How many processions is that for today?"
Zhu Ju lifted the carriage curtain. He frowned and murmured as he watched the crowd on the road, dressed in sackcloth and mourning, weeping as they walked along:
"Why have so many people died recently?"
"Young Master." The driver was now Ma Xun, who had taken over after Elder Qin's injury. He spoke up: "That time the Black Tiger Gang stormed the city after the New Year... not only did many people die then, but quite a few were also injured."
"Some of them didn't make it, so they ended up dying as well."
His expression darkened as he spoke, his eyes filling with worry as he thought of Elder Qin, who was still at home recovering from his injuries.
Zhu Ju sighed softly.
Back then, snow had fallen for three days, draping the entire city in white mourning.
Things weren't much better now. Funeral dirges played day and night, and the sound of crying had been constant throughout their journey.
Most importantly, the Black Tiger Gang's raid had shattered the people's morale.
「That night.」
The County Yamen was slaughtered by the Black Tiger Gang. The County Magistrate, the Steward, and all thirty-six members of the Shen Family—not one was spared.
Many wealthy households in the city were also brutally plundered, leaving everyone to fear for their own safety.
Nowadays, the very name "Black Tiger Gang" could stop a child's nightly cries, and throughout Le'an County, the mere mention of them was enough to make people tremble in fear.
"CLANG..."
"Come and see! Come and see!"
At some point, a group of people appeared on the street, beating gongs and drums and shouting:
"Hurry, everyone! The Patriarchs of the Zhou and Sunx Families have an announcement!"
"They're giving out grain and porridge!"
Hearing the commotion, the numb-faced pedestrians on the street turned and began to converge on the county's main street.
'Giving out grain?'
Zhu Ju spoke:
"Let's go take a look."
"Yes."
Ma Xun turned the carriage around and followed the crowd to the gathering place.
A simple high platform had been erected here, along with teams responsible for distributing porridge and grain.
"Fellow townspeople!"
Patriarch Zhou, Zhou Yangyun, stood on the high platform and shouted:
"News has come from the Court! Because the Nanzhao rebels are blocking the roads, the bandit-suppression army is temporarily unable to arrive."
"The post for the new County Magistrate is still vacant."
"We all know that as long as the Black Tiger Gang is not eliminated, Leping County will never be safe. Time is not on our side!"
"That's right!" Sunx Liancheng, Patriarch of the Sunx Family, stood not far away, nodding in agreement.
"Members of the Black Tiger Gang now haunt the main roads to other places, making it difficult for goods to leave the county town."
"We can't go on like this!"
"We can only save ourselves!" Zhou Yangyun shouted.
"Brother Sunx and I have swallowed our pride to raise funds here. We hope all of you, our fellow townspeople, will generously contribute to the fund for suppressing the bandits."
"Those with money, give money! Those with strength, lend us your arms! Anyone willing to follow us out of the city to eliminate the bandits will receive a settling-in fee of five silver taels for their family. Furthermore, there is a reward of ten silver taels for every bandit killed, fifty taels for a chieftain, and one hundred taels and up for the leader!"
"..."
"Young Master," Ma Xun said in a low voice.
"The Zhou and Sunx families have been fundraising here for several days, but few people have donated, and they haven't left the city to fight the bandits yet."
Zhu Ju nodded slowly.
"I'll give five hundred taels!"
A young man rushed out from the crowd, fell to his knees before the high platform, and kowtowed heavily to the two patriarchs:
"Seniors, I'm willing to give five hundred taels of silver. My only wish is for you to annihilate the Black Tiger Gang and avenge my father."
'It's him!'
Zhu Ju's eyes flickered.
Hex Leshan.
The Hex Family home wasn't far from the Zhu Mansion. That night, the Hex Family had also been attacked, and both of Hex Leshan's parents were killed.
He loathed the Black Tiger Gang with every fiber of his being.
"Seniors!"
Hex Leshan lifted his head, his eyes bloodshot.
"Not only will I give the silver, but I am also willing to follow you, Seniors, to fight the bandits. But... I need to know, when will we set out?"
"This..." Zhou Yangyun's eyes flickered. He then took a deep breath and said solemnly:
"Within three days!"
"Whether we've raised enough silver taels or not, within three days, we will leave the city to fight the bandits. We will not go back on our word!"
"Good!" Hex Leshan nodded heavily.
"I trust you, Seniors."
On the outskirts of the crowd, Zhu Ju lowered the carriage curtain:
"Let's go."
"Yes."
He wasn't optimistic about the Zhou and Sunx families' bandit-suppression plan; he had seen similar attempts fail before.
Without a true leader, a mob of guards from various wealthy households was just a heap of loose sand.
They might have had the numbers and the strength, but with everyone having their own agenda, they could never unite their power, leading to repeated failures.
'I hope they succeed.'
'All I want is to live a quiet life. If they can eliminate the Black Tiger Gang, then Leping County—"Happy Peace" County—might finally live up to its name.'
"Ma Xun!"
"Here."
"Later, go to the storehouse and get two hundred taels of silver to contribute to the bandit-suppression fund."
"...Yes."
*
*
*
「A few days later.」
「Nameless Mountain Peak.」
"KILL!"
Hex Leshan, holding a long saber and covered in blood, roared madly as he charged at a member of the Black Tiger Gang.
Hatred can make a person unrecognizable.
He, who was once gentle and refined, was now like a starved hyena, his eyes filled with madness.
Not far away.
Leng Xing used the Chaining Technique from his Panshan Saber Technique to sever a man's arm, saving Wan Jing in the process.
"Thanks."
Wan Jing scrambled up from the ground, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead:
"Brother Leng, I... I won't talk to you like that ever again."
"Let's focus on staying alive first." Leng Xing shook his head, tightening his grip on his long saber as he watched the bandits closing in from all sides. "I didn't expect us to actually stumble into the bandits' lair."
They were only supposed to be a scouting party, preparing for the main force's attack. Who would've thought they'd walk right into the lion's den?
"Yeah!" Wan Jing said with a bitter expression. "How did we get so unlucky? And with so few experts on our side... Speaking of which, I can't believe your family let you come."
"It was your second uncle pulling strings, wasn't it?"
Leng Xing's second uncle called all the shots in the Leng Family, big and small. After offending his uncle over the Ping Ruxue affair, Leng Xing had fallen out of favor.
This time, aside from the estate guards, Leng Xing was the only clan member from the Leng Family to leave the city for the bandit suppression. It was clear he was being deliberately targeted.
"Now's not the time to talk about this."
"CLANG..."
Leng Xing raised his saber, clashing with an incoming steel pitchfork, and his expression sank slightly.
'Great Success in Entering Strength!'
"KILL!"
'Whatever the reason, I have to stay alive first.'
Similar scenes were playing out all over the Nameless Mountain Peak, as figures fell one after another.
There were bandits,
and also the 'Righteous Warriors' who had come to suppress them.
The sudden confrontation startled both sides. In the heat of close combat, there was no time for extraneous thoughts.
Only by killing the other could it end!
...
「The Summit.」
Several figures crisscrossed and battled at astonishing speeds, terrifying bursts of Powerful Qi erupting around them.
Wind-Supporting Sword!
The Zhou Family's Inheritance Sword Technique came from a Martial World Sect. Its moves were sharp and varied, and the longsword, forged for over a thousand taels of silver, was so sharp it could slice a hair blown against its edge.
Zhou Yangyun's face was grave, a faint purple Qi swirling in his eyes—a sign of his Inner Power being pushed to its absolute limit.
The longsword in his hand was like a swimming dragon, hissing as it cut through the air and easily slicing through hard rock.
"DIE!"
Chaotic Wind Technique!
Several streams of Sword Qi danced around his body, then suddenly twisted forward, instantly slicing across the throats of the two men fighting him.
"Brother Sunx!"
Having dealt with his opponents, he roared and lunged to the side:
"I'm coming to help you!"
Sunx Liancheng was hailed as the greatest expert in Leping County. His Saber Technique was a fusion of various schools of Martial Arts, a creation that surpassed its sources, which he had named the Liancheng Saber Technique.
The ability to create his own Saber Technique spoke volumes of his profound attainments on the Martial Arts Path.
However, his opponent was equally formidable.
The Gang Leader of the Black Tiger Gang, Wu Chun!
In his hands, a Bright Silver Long Spear moved like a black dragon emerging from its cave. His movements were like a Fierce Tiger Descending a Mountain—unstoppable.
"CLANG CLANG CLANG..."
Saber and spear clashed, sending sparks flying, the sound of metal on metal ringing out incessantly.
A cold glint flashed in Wu Chun's eyes. Though he appeared to be retreating rapidly, he was actually pulling his weapon in close, building up power for his next move as the spear's tip vanished behind him.
Reversal Spear!
A cold light flashed.
"A fine move!"
Sunx Liancheng roared, his long saber carving an arc of light as furious Inner Power poured out, following the path of his saber move.
"BOOM!"
A deafening roar erupted between the two.
Inner Qi Release!
These two had shockingly cultivated their Inner Power to an extremely high Realm, even reaching the point of Inner Qi Release.
In comparison, Zhou Yangyun was slightly inferior.
"Hahaha..."
Wu Chun laughed as he fought:
"I've long heard that this generation's Sunx Patriarch was a master of the Saber Technique. I never had the chance to witness it myself, but today I see the rumors were true."
"Unfortunately..."
"You're still a bit weaker than me!"
"CLANG..."
The saber and spear collided again. This time, Sunx Liancheng couldn't take the force and stumbled back several steps, but Wu Chun was unable to press his advantage.
Their strengths were evenly matched. It was impossible to determine a winner so quickly.
However...
With Zhou Yangyun joining the fray, the situation instantly reversed. Faced with the relentless pressure of two great experts, Wu Chun, the Gang Leader of the Black Tiger Gang, was now trapped.
"AHH!"
Unable to shake the two of them off after a long battle, Wu Chun roared in frustration, his long spear erupting in a frenzy of attacks.
"Brother Zhou!"
Sunx Liancheng shouted as he swung his saber:
"Be careful! He's getting desperate!"
"ARGH!"
Wu Chun shrieked, his long spear a whirlwind as he lunged at Sunx Liancheng:
"Even if I die, I'm taking you with me!"
"Hmph!"
Sunx Liancheng snorted coldly. After taking a deep breath, his saber light suddenly intensified, delivering twenty-six slashes in a single instant.
Beacon Fires of Liancheng!
This was the Killing Move of his self-created Saber Technique—an all-out, non-retreating strike that unleashed every ounce of his power in an invincible assault.
Although he would be briefly weakened after using this move, it would create an opportunity for Zhou Yangyun.
Just as he expected.
Under the onslaught of "Beacon Fires of Liancheng," Wu Chun's guard was broken, leaving him wide open. The opening lasted for only a single breath, but it was enough.
"Brother Zhou, now!"
"SHLICK!"
The longsword shot through the air and found its mark, piercing a chest—but the target was completely unexpected.
"You..."
Sunx Liancheng's body stiffened. He slowly lowered his head to look at the blood-stained sword tip protruding from his chest, his eyes filled with disbelief.
"My apologies."
Standing behind him, Zhou Yangyun shook his head lightly:
"We've known each other for many years, but today I have no choice but to be ruthless. Don't blame me, Brother Sunx."
"Hahaha..." Wu Chun laughed loudly.
"This guy was really a handful. No wonder Mr. Zhou didn't trust me to handle this alone. I really couldn't have done it without you."
"Clean this up," Zhou Yangyun said coldly, pulling his longsword free.
"The Black Tiger Gang will never again appear in Leping County after today. Is the second-in-command taken care of?"
"Don't worry," Wu Chun said, patting his chest.
"Everything has been taken care of."
"THUMP!"
Only then did Sunx Liancheng's body fall to the ground. His fingers twitched, and his consciousness sank into endless darkness.