Chapter 257 - 255: Granting You All a Great Fortune
Chen Yuan, however, hadn’t expected Feng Tianbao to take the initiative to recruit him.
But agreeing was impossible for Chen Yuan. He was, in secret, a remnant of the Ming Sect—the very people the Great Xia Court wanted to hunt down and utterly annihilate.
Besides, the Court was already visibly weakening. The day the dynasty finally collapsed wasn’t far off.
So Chen Yuan just laughed. "Steward Feng, let’s stick to the matter at hand."
Feng Tianbao’s brow furrowed slightly. "Master Chen, I may be a eunuch, but I despise people who are indecisive in their words and deeds.
The terms I’ve offered you are sincere. Why are you so resistant to the Court? You’re not from the direct lineage of some Noble Family, unable to switch your allegiance."
Chen Yuan shook his head gently. "Since you put it that way, Steward Feng, please forgive my frankness.
I believe in your sincerity, Steward Feng, but the Court isn’t yours alone.
If the Court were just, it wouldn’t have forced the ’Breaking Army Divine General,’ Xie Wenyan, into Zhenwu Hall.
And of the Great Xia Nineteen Provinces, how many are truly under the Court’s control? Is it that rebels are rampant, or is it that the officials are driving the people to revolt?
Let’s not even talk about other matters. You’re in You Province because the Sun-Swapping Alliance’s rebellion has left the Court short on horses. But wasn’t that entire rebellion stirred up by King Yan Zhao Pan himself?
Steward Feng, you are a loyal minister. You’re loyal to the Court and to the Emperor.
But this Great Xia Court is already riddled with parasites, eating away at its very foundations."
Though Feng Tianbao was a eunuch, Chen Yuan had a good impression of him. He was a eunuch with principles.
His righteous indignation upon learning that Chen Yuan had massacred the Hu Yan Tribe revealed his character.
Chen Yuan could also see his genuine loyalty to the Great Xia Court. He saw talent and wanted to recruit it for the Court, truly without a hint of personal gain.
But one or two loyal ministers couldn’t save a court on the verge of collapse.
In the future, when the entire realm rose in rebellion, even more loyal ministers like Feng Tianbao would emerge within the Great Xia Court. Yet none of them would be able to turn the raging tide or prop up the falling dynasty.
Feng Tianbao opened his mouth, but he didn’t know how to argue.
In the end, he could only say viciously, "King Yan should be executed! A useless member of the imperial family like him, who’s more trouble than he’s worth, got what he deserved!"
Then, Feng Tianbao just sighed. "Fine. To each their own. Since Master Chen is unwilling to join the Court, it won’t affect our cooperation this time."
Chen Yuan rose and cupped his hands. "In that case, Steward Feng, just wait for my good news."
With that, Chen Yuan led Guan Zhenshan out of the residence.
In truth, there was one thing Chen Yuan hadn’t said.
’The one who most deserves to die isn’t just King Yan Zhao Pan. It’s also the current Emperor sitting on the dragon throne.’
’Right now, this Emperor’s reputation isn’t too terrible. He was even considered wise in his early years, only becoming mediocre and neglectful later on, which led to the realm’s decline.’
’But deep down, he’s a true despot, a violent and benighted ruler who would rank among the worst tyrants of any era!’
Leaving the small town, Chen Yuan took Guan Zhenshan and headed directly for Yandang Mountain.
Yandang Mountain was a spur of the Desolate Heaven Ridge. It wasn’t as dangerous, but the terrain was still rugged and treacherous.
The strongholds of the Twelve Blade Halls were hidden deep within Yandang Mountain, their locations unknown to outsiders.
Chen Yuan wasn’t in a hurry to find them. He knew that as soon as he entered Yandang Mountain, someone would take the initiative to find him.
Sure enough, as Chen Yuan ventured deep into the central region of Yandang Mountain, a sharp arrow suddenly whizzed past and embedded itself deep into a large boulder right in front of him.
"Halt!"
A sharp cry echoed out. More than ten shadowy figures stood among the giant trees ahead, their auras dense and solid. Their leader was a Martial Artist at the Condensing Truth Realm Late Stage.
Chen Yuan cupped his hands. "I am Chen Jiutian, Master of Zhenwu Hall’s White Tiger Hall. I seek an audience with the grand chief of the Twelve Blade Halls of Yandang Mountain. I ask that you please pass on my request."
The men were silent for a moment before their leader asked, "What business does someone from Zhenwu Hall have in our Yandang Mountain?"
"I’ve come to deliver you all a great fortune!"
The leader instantly sneered. "A joke! Your Zhenwu Hall’s influence doesn’t even extend beyond Ning Province. What makes you think you can offer us a fortune?
Don’t tell me your Zhenwu Hall wants to absorb our Twelve Blade Halls of Yandang Mountain?
We were born free. We bow to no one, neither heaven nor earth. We don’t give a damn about the Murong Family or the Sun-piercing Alliance, so what makes you think we’d care about your Zhenwu Hall?"
Chen Yuan raised an eyebrow. ’These guys have some truly foul tempers. ’Unruly’ doesn’t even begin to cover it.’
"Whether you accept this fortune isn’t your decision to make. It’s your grand chief’s.
Take me to him. If you delay this, can you bear the consequences?"
Chen Yuan snorted, no longer bothering to be polite.
’When dealing with arrogant horse bandits like these, the weaker you appear, the more they’ll see you as an easy target.’
The leader flew into a rage. "Putting on airs! Who the hell do you think you are, acting so brazenly here in Yandang Mountain? Even when the Murong Family came, they had to leave their Star Shifting behind before they could flee in disgrace!"
"You overestimate yourselves!"
Chen Yuan snorted, and Dao Essence began to emanate from his body.
He formed a Seal Technique with his hands, and in an instant, the boundless Dao Essence transformed into a silvery-white, liquid-like lightning.
Amidst a roar of thunder, Chen Yuan drew his blade. A Long Sword shimmering with the power of Thunder Tribulation appeared in his hand, and he swung it in a vicious arc behind him!
In an instant, an area hundreds of feet in every direction was bathed in a silvery-white light, and a deafening peal of thunder shook the heavens and earth.
With a single strike of the Shenxiao Evil-slaying Sword, a vast swath of the forest behind him was razed to the ground. Trees were ripped apart by the thunderstorm, boulders were pulverized, and the devastation was as terrifying as a natural disaster.
Among the Secret Techniques Chen Yuan currently possessed, the Shenxiao Evil-slaying Sword was not the most powerful.
However, it was the most dazzling in its execution and had the largest area of destruction.
This single strike completely stunned the bandits.
’Is this the kind of destructive power someone in the Condensing Truth Realm can cause?’
"The Murong Family hasn’t dealt with you only because you aren’t worth the trouble of them dispatching a Divine Platform Realm or Ninth Realm Celestial Profound Level expert.
Otherwise, do you really think you could rule this Yandang Mountain in peace? You’re nothing but frogs in a well, yet you think you’re some great heroes?
Fine. If you don’t want this fortune, I’ll take it to someone else!"
With that, Chen Yuan turned to leave, but the leader hastily called out to him.
"Wait!"
The leader’s tone had softened considerably. "Master Chen, I can take you to see the grand chief.
However, the Twelve Blade Halls are never open to outsiders. Please do not reveal the location of our stronghold."
Chen Yuan replied flatly, "Don’t worry. I have a grudge against the Murong Family as well. I’ve even killed one of their people in Qin Province, so you don’t have to worry about me revealing your location to them."
Hearing this, the man finally waved his hand and led Chen Yuan stealthily through the forest.
Only then did Chen Yuan get a good look at the man.
He was surprisingly young, appearing to be in his early thirties. He carried a longbow on his back and wielded a Crescent Saber.
He was Bu Wenxing, the "Broken Moon Saber," ranked eleventh among the Twelve Blade Halls. Though he looked young, he had already been with them for over a decade.
The men moved through the forest, and after an hour, they arrived at a stronghold built within a massive sinkhole in a valley.
Being situated inside the valley, the stronghold was perpetually sunless and dimly lit. Only the main hall was brightly illuminated.
𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚
The torch sconces in the main hall were actually Mo Sabers thrust into the ground. Above them sat eleven of the leaders of the Twelve Blade Halls on twelve grand chairs.
Rows of Martial Artists from the Twelve Blade Halls stood on either side. Each one had a solid aura and a fierce presence. They were clearly elites, not your average rabble of bandits.
"Grand Chief, this is Chen Jiutian, Master of the White Tiger Hall of the Four Martial Halls of Zhenwu. He claims he wants to offer the Twelve Blade Halls a great fortune."
After speaking, Bu Wenxing went and sat down in one of the empty chairs.
The man in the lead seat was incredibly burly, built like a small mountain. His features were coarse and resolute, and his bristly beard was like a bed of needles. This was the grand chief of the Twelve Blade Halls, Duan Hengshan, the "Hundred-Piercing Demon Saber."
His life story was the stuff of legend. He was originally just a Chief Constable in the County Magistrate’s Office of You Province. Thanks to his Innate Divine Strength and his penchant for righting wrongs, he was quite famous in his small, local city.
When a disciple from a Small Noble Family in the city raped a local woman, Duan Hengshan went to apprehend him. The disciple tried to kill him too, but Duan Hengshan, who hadn’t even learned a single Inner Power technique, killed him in return using nothing but his raw physical strength.
A Chief Constable killing a criminal who resisted arrest should have been a matter for commendation.
However, the Court’s authority in You Province was practically nonexistent. The County Magistrate’s Office held no real power and cowered before the local Jianghu Forces.
The county magistrate actually planned to hand Duan Hengshan over to appease the family’s wrath.
Luckily, he was well-liked, and the other constables tipped him off, allowing him to escape.
After fleeing the city, Duan Hengshan had a fateful encounter in the Jianghu. He cultivated powerful Martial Arts, returned to exterminate the Small Noble Family to get his revenge, but in doing so, he provoked the Murong Family.
That Small Noble Family was related by marriage to a Steward of the Murong Family, so Duan Hengshan found himself hunted by them.
But not only did he survive, he even obtained a fortuitous inheritance while on the run. His strength grew exponentially until he finally broke through to the Primordial Pill Realm and established the Twelve Blade Halls here in Yandang Mountain.
Duan Hengshan now rested both hands on the hilt of an enormous, pitch-black Beheading Saber that was easily half as tall as a man. His gaze was fixed on Chen Yuan.
"Twelfth on the Hidden Dragon Rankings, Master of the White Tiger Hall, Chen Jiutian? What fortune can you possibly bring to my Twelve Blade Halls? Don’t tell me you want us to join your Zhenwu Hall. That would be a complete waste of time!"
As soon as he said this, the other men burst into raucous laughter.
Clearly, if this group didn’t even respect the Murong Family or the Sun-piercing Alliance, they had even less regard for Zhenwu Hall.
Chen Jiutian’s expression remained unchanged as he said coolly, "You all seem quite proud.
You talk about not respecting the Murong Family or the Sun-piercing Alliance, but in reality, aren’t you just hiding here in this dark valley in Yandang Mountain, playing at being kings?
The fortune I can give you is simple. I can allow you, a band of horse bandits hiding in a dark valley, to establish a legitimate foundation in the open, right here on the Border of Youning!
You’ll be able to stand openly in the sunlight, a true power in the Jianghu!"