SLAP!
Zhu Youduan slapped the fortune teller across the face. "Get lost. If you don’t take the hint, it’ll be more than just a slap."
The fortune teller covered his face and walked away.
After walking a few miles, he sat down by the side of the road and began to cry, his face etched with grievance.
"What’s this all about? I’m just trying to do business. How am I bothering him? And he hits ..."
After crying for a mont, and making sure the person tailing him had left, the fortune teller touched his Blind man’s cane and used a hook to send a ssage to He Jiaqing.
"Jiang Xiang Gang has surrounded Iron Gate Fort. Should we strike before they do, or should we wait until they’ve succeeded and then swoop in?"
Jiang Xiang Gang?
He Jiaqing smiled. "These bastards want to join the fun too? Who leaked the news?"
"They won’t let rchants through. If they keep up the siege, those Ho Cultivators in Iron Gate Fort will starve."
He Jiaqing looked disdainful. "After all these years, Jiang Xiang Gang is still using the sa old tricks."
"I wanted to talk to their manager, but they slapped . They hit pretty hard."
"Old Wan, what’s your cultivation level? What haven’t you experienced? That Bird Person, Lu Dongjun, was so detestable, but didn’t you endure him too? Let’s not stoop to their level. First, go see what their situation is. Don’t rush into action," He Jiaqing advised.
"I’ll follow your orders."
「...」
Han Jinwei, the Hall Master of Loess Bridge, was soundly asleep in the farmhouse.
Jiang Xiang Gang was a mid-tier Gang in Puluo State, much stronger than Flying Eagle Mountain when it ca to strength.
Han Jinwei knew Iron Gate Fort was easy to defend but hard to attack, so he didn’t assault the gate; he just blocked the road.
The Ho Cultivators of Iron Gate Fort relied on outside rchants for food and daily necessities, and they each made their own purchases.
Ho Cultivators didn’t want to trouble others, so if one household ran out of food, they would be too embarrassed to beg from others. With this tactic of stripping the fields bare, in less than a month, he could make Iron Gate Fort surrender without a fight.
Around six in the evening, Han Jinwei beca restless.
He seed to hear so noises.
Having scraped by in Jianghu for many years, Han Jinwei was extrely cautious. He imdiately went outside and discovered that the six n who were supposed to be guarding the courtyard were gone.
Trouble!
With the n nowhere in sight and no corpses to be seen, he found so traces of blood on the ground and a torn sack.
The white rice from the sack was spilled on the ground, and in the middle of the rice, there was a piece of paper.
He unfolded the paper and saw two lines written:
For rice, you need to pay,
No money, pay with your life.
Han Jinwei was furious; his nose flared and the tip turned black as he sniffed the scent on the note.
As a Fifth Layer Body Cultivator, his original form was human, but he could transform into a wolf.
Following just this scent, Han Jinwei chased out of the gate, sniffing all the way to the outside of Iron Gate Fort.
The Steam Gate was closed.
Wu Yongchao stood atop the gate, looking at Han Jinwei, and chuckled. "Are you here to pay for the rice? Our Fortress Lord said two bags of rice for six lives. You’ve almost paid enough, so we’ll forget the small change. If the rice isn’t enough, I’ll sell you so more—sa old price."
Han Jinwei gnashed his teeth at Wu Yongchao, his eyes emitting a green light.
He didn’t know how Wu Yongchao had managed to kill his six n without him noticing a thing.
Not only did he not know, Wu Yongchao himself was also unaware. He hadn’t killed the n; he was just responsible for delivering the rice.
He didn’t know that Li Banfeng’s key was hidden inside the rice sack.
At this mont, Li Banfeng was standing behind the Steam Gate, waiting for Han Jinwei to attempt a forced entry.
Han Jinwei felt a surge of impulse to gather his n and assault the gate.
But he subdued this anger. He knew Iron Gate Fort was ready, and he was aware of the consequences of attacking the gate.
As soone who could beco a Hall Master in Jiang Xiang Gang, Han Jinwei had the patience to endure this provocation. So, he left.
It didn’t matter that he left; Li Banfeng was in the mood to play along with him.
That very night, Han Jinwei ordered his n to be on alert, to kill on sight anyone from Iron Gate Fort, even if it ant keeping their eyes open while sleeping.
Just keep your eyes open?
Li Banfeng had long since familiarized himself with the nearby paths. After capturing two disciples of Jiang Xiang Gang and interrogating them thoroughly, he had the various branches of the Loess Bridge Hall Entrance clearly mapped out in a single night.
In the following three days, he took several Fourth Layer Ho Cultivators to "visit" each branch in turn. After three days, every branch had suffered casualties—so losing five or six mbers, others two or three.
The fortune teller hid in the shadows, passing the news on to He Jiaqing.
He Jiaqing sneered.
This wasn’t a problem that could be solved by simple caution. The Ho Cultivators’ natural talent for being overlooked made them impossible to guard against.
A direct frontal assault would not give them any advantage, and scorched earth tactics were even more futile; Iron Gate Fort simply did not fall for such tricks.
Xiao Zhenggong, you’ve been in the Outside Provinces for too long and know too little about Iron Gate Fort. Sending soone like Han Jinwei is simply pointless.
However, the Ho Cultivators at Iron Gate Fort had also changed; they weren’t quite the sa as before.
「...」
Ten days later, Han Jinwei wanted to leave.
He had no choice. Nearly half of his brothers from the Hall Entrance had been wiped out.
Every day, the Ho Cultivators from Iron Gate Fort went out to buy rice and vegetables, and sotis they would even deliberately parade under Han Jinwei’s watchful eye. Every ti Han Jinwei made a move, he could not catch these Ho Cultivators, while his side had n being killed every night.
If this continued, the Loess Bridge Hall Entrance would be finished.
Han Jinwei didn’t dare to ask Xiao Zhenggong for instructions. He gathered his remaining n and prepared to retreat to Loess Bridge.
But leaving wouldn’t be so easy.
On their way past Flying Eagle Mountain, Han Jinwei suddenly heard a lodious song:
"Outside the long pavilion, beside the ancient road, the grass reaches up to the sky,
The evening breezes brush the willow trees, the flute’s remnant sounds, beyond Gravehead Mountain is another mountain."
Who is singing this song?
Why does this song make one so irritable?
Han Jinwei’s cultivation level was high enough, and the song only made him feel irritable.
His subordinates with insufficient cultivation levels—the Third Layer Cultivators—felt dizzy; the Second Layer Cultivators knelt by the roadside vomiting; and the First Layer Cultivators lay on the ground convulsing endlessly.
"Quickly, move!" Han Jinwei realized he’d walked into an ambush and ordered everyone to leave Flying Eagle Mountain imdiately.
Thinking of leaving?
How could it be that easy?
Li Banfeng often ca to Flying Eagle Mountain and was very familiar with the environnt there. He could bring his wife’s power out of the ho and also knew where to set the ambush.
Over a hundred Ho Cultivators burst out from the woods, killing anyone they saw.
They had stuffed their ears in advance and weren’t affected by the song.
With the strong support and cooperation of the bandits at Flying Eagle Mountain, their combat strength was significantly honed, and their moves this ti were very steady and accurate.
The Stone People, the Mud People, and the Paper People took the front line.
The Third and Fourth Layer Ho Cultivators followed closely as the main force.
The First and Second Layer Ho Cultivators weaved back and forth, catching those who slipped through.
Within ten minutes of battle, from the entire Loess Bridge Hall Entrance, only Hall Master Han Jinwei, one Vice Hall Master, and one Helm Master managed to escape. The rest were wiped out.
Li Banfeng stood at the foot of the mountain, continuing to sing. "Beyond Gravehead Mountain is another mountain," the line he sang was fitting for the occasion.
The dead Lost Souls were gathered by Li Banfeng to his side, and when no one was paying attention, he sent them all into the Portable Residence.
"Wife, it’s ti for dinner!"
"Oh my dear, you do pamper your Little Servant so; the food today is truly excellent."
"Beloved wife, you should be grateful for Jiang Xiang Gang’s kindness in the future. Whether they sell vegetables or deliver goods, you can’t fault their sincerity."
「...」
The fortune teller sat in a village house, delivering the news to He Jiaqing:
"Iron Gate Fort set an ambush at Flying Eagle Mountain. I’m afraid the Loess Bridge Hall Entrance is gone."
"Iron Gate Fort took the initiative to attack?" He Jiaqing frowned. "This isn’t like them. There’s sothing fishy about this."
"I also think it’s fishy. It’s best to investigate their fort."
After a mont of thought, He Jiaqing said, "I suspect Jiang Xiang Gang won’t let this go. Old Wan, keep watching the show. Don’t act rashly."
PS: If one day Li Banfeng ets He Jiaqing, I wonder what song he will sing.
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