Chapter 307 - 175: Overwhelming the Heroes
Xiao Jingheng, the Deputy Captain of Jing’an seated beside Li Qianzhou, stared at the Spirit Armor in Chen Sheng’s hands. Its dark red surface shimmered with light and was covered in fine, scale-like patterns. He couldn’t stop the intense envy that flashed in his eyes.
Inner Armor was already difficult to forge and was considered a life-saving treasure for any Martial Artist.
A Spirit Armor that ranked as a high-grade Spiritual Soldier, however, was an exceptionally rare treasure. One would be hard-pressed to find more than a few in the entirety of Ning’an Prefecture.
Its value was so great that even experts at the Mystic Realm would covet it.
After all, not every top-tier expert possessed such a piece of defensive Spirit Armor.
Sometimes, they were impossible to buy, even with a fortune in Elemental Crystals.
And this Profound Qilin Spirit Armor was worth well over one hundred Elemental Crystals.
Such a treasure wasn’t merely a temporary loan for the battle. Lord Ning’an had explicitly declared, "If you win this battle, it’s yours." How could such a combination of high expectations and lavish reward not stir one’s heart?
However, the envy was just a fleeting flash.
Xiao Jingheng knew full well that Chen Sheng had earned this reward because of his prestige and potential as the Head of the Ning’an Ten Heroes. More importantly, he was the one the Lord and the Governor were counting on to seize the greatest possible benefits for the Government Office in the battle for Wushan Mountain. ’Even if Chen Sheng weren’t here,’ he thought, ’I, with my ranking as seventh of the Ten Heroes and my expected contributions, would never have received such an honor.’
Once he came to this realization, Xiao Jingheng quickly adjusted his attitude and suppressed those inappropriate feelings.
"Excellent. I will await good news and look forward to your success!"
Lord Ning’an, Xie Jingze, stroked his beard and smiled, his eyes filled with anticipation.
Beside him, General Ning’an, Li Qianzhou, also nodded slightly and said in a deep voice,
"A Spirit Armor for a hero. It is well-deserved. I trust you will prove worthy of this armor and live up to everyone’s expectations."
Although Chen Sheng was part of the Jingwu Bureau, he was ultimately a prodigy cultivated within the government system.
If he could shine in the battle for Wushan Mountain and secure a larger share for the Government Office, all three of the powerful figures present would share in the political achievement and glory.
Thus, their expectations for Chen Sheng were fundamentally aligned.
Nie Xuanfeng sat to the side, lightly stroking his short beard. Though his expression remained impassive, he was inwardly quite pleased. ’Chen Sheng’s earlier promise not to fail his mission was delivered with resounding confidence and a dignified air. That mentality alone is commendable. I was the one who strongly advocated for the Lord to grant this Profound Qilin Spirit Armor. It now seems to have been a worthy investment.’
"For this battle at Wushan Mountain, all the young talents from the Government Office will be under Captain Chen’s command. Captain Xiao, do you understand?"
Xie Jingze’s gaze shifted to Xiao Jingheng. His tone was mild, but it carried an authority that permitted no argument.
Xiao Jingheng immediately stood, cupped his hands in a salute, and replied,
"I understand!"
Xiao Jingheng then turned to Chen Sheng, forcing a smile that was slightly stiff but polite enough.
"I may not be the most capable, but I am willing to follow Captain Chen’s command. Let us work together to bring glory to the Government Office."
"You are too kind, Captain Xiao. My own experience is still limited, and I will be relying on your assistance when the time comes."
Chen Sheng gave a slight nod. His attitude was calm, neither arrogant nor overly humble.
"Furthermore,"
Xie Jingze continued with his arrangements. "Once the battle for Wushan Mountain begins, Vice Envoy Sun will personally lead the supporting force to ensure everything goes smoothly. Be especially wary of Qingfeng Temple and Golden Spring Temple. Prevent them from using any underhanded tactics to disrupt the situation."
Sun Yuzhi, her expression cool and detached, merely gave a calm nod upon hearing her orders.
"I accept my orders. I will be cautious."
Afterward, Li Qianzhou added a few more points of caution, mostly reminding Chen Sheng to be on guard against potential alliances targeting him.
After all, while there was a tacit balance between the Government Office and the six major Jianghu influences, their fundamental positions were at odds.
Once core interests were on the line, there was no guarantee those Jianghu Sects wouldn’t temporarily set aside their own grudges and tacitly join forces to deal with the Government Office—the "outsider"—first.
As the one currently in the spotlight, Chen Sheng was undoubtedly their primary target.
When the meeting concluded, Sun Yuzhi led Chen Sheng and Xiao Jingheng away, leaving Nie Xuanfeng, Li Qianzhou, and Xie Jingze alone in the main hall.
They still had confidential matters to discuss concerning the Cyan Flood Dragon Alliance, but that was a conversation beyond the clearance of Chen Sheng and the others for now.
Of course, Chen Sheng himself had little interest in such matters.
He had always concerned himself only with things that were directly relevant to him.
...
「In the Daqian Empire, the nineteenth of the seventh month, in the Eighth Year of Mingjing.」
「Wushan Yuan Ore Mine.」
This miniature Spiritual Vein, capable of stably producing over two thousand Elemental Crystals each year, was one of Ning’an Prefecture’s most critical strategic resources. Its defenses were so formidable it was considered an impenetrable fortress.
They were in no way inferior to the heavily guarded headquarters of any top-tier power.
At all times, at least three Mystic Realm experts were stationed there on a rotating basis. Furthermore, the Government Office had a battalion of elite soldiers garrisoned nearby, patrolling day and night.
And today was the day the "Battle for Wushan Mountain" would begin—the event that would decide the distribution of Elemental Crystal shares for the next several years.
Three months ago, construction had begun on-site. Using the hard waste rock from the Yuan Ore mining operations, a massive Bluestone Arena had been erected, measuring roughly one hundred zhang in length and width, and standing about a zhang high.
It was simple and imposing, with the unique, cold texture of the ore vein. It waited silently for the young heroes of Ning’an Prefecture to wage their great battle upon its surface.
As the sun climbed higher in the sky, the various factions began to arrive.
The contingent from Luoyun Manor was the first to enter the grounds of the Wushan Yuan Ore Mine.
Manor Master Lu Canghai led them personally, his expression solemn and stern.
Behind him followed the brothers Lu Xuanzhou and Lu Maozhi, along with several other disciples from the manor, all exuding formidable auras.
They made their way directly to an area on the eastern side of the Bluestone Arena.
Compared to his flamboyant and frivolous demeanor from a few months prior, Lu Maozhi now carried himself with a much more subdued and gloomy air. He had recently endured the turmoil of a failed marriage proposal and a failed attempt at Breaking Realm. As his eyes swept over the crowd, however, they still betrayed an uncontrollable trace of resentment and bitterness.
This was especially true when his gaze swept across the elegant figure in the contingent from the Ning’an Wang Clan, at which point his expression became indescribably complex.