Chapter 264 - 262: Jianghu Feuds, Settled in Jianghu
At the foot of Qifeng Mountain, the forces of the Flying Dragon Institute, White Tiger Hall, and Twelve Blade Halls had already gathered. Like a great net closing in, they launched a direct assault on the Nine Swords Alliance.
However, the White Tiger Hall had not sent many men—only the two hundred-some White Tiger Guards brought by Cui Guan.
The White Tiger Hall had just been plundered by the Hu Yan Tribe and was currently in a rebuilding phase. It couldn’t mobilize so many people at once, or its foundations would be destabilized.
Although there were no other noteworthy factions in Ning Province besides Zhenwu Hall, there were quite a few smaller, unstable powers like the Yang Mountain Four Sects—not strong, but not exactly weak either.
If Chen Yuan were to pull away too many people at once and cause these smaller powers to stir up trouble again, the losses would outweigh the gains.
"Lord Chen, your strategies are brilliant. I never expected we would be able to assault the Nine Swords Alliance so easily."
Feng Tianbao stood beside Chen Yuan, full of admiration.
This wasn’t mere pleasantry; he genuinely admired Chen Yuan.
In truth, Feng Tianbao hadn’t contributed much to this joint effort. A simple nod of his head had been enough.
Chen Yuan had orchestrated everything, from recruiting the Twelve Blade Halls of Yandang Mountain to ambushing the horse-trading caravans of the Nine Swords Alliance and the Vigorous Martial Army.
Although there had been some losses in the process, they were all due to the men from the Twelve Blade Halls being too unruly and disobeying orders. It had nothing to do with Chen Yuan.
On the contrary, he had calculated the enemy’s reactions with great precision, making no mistakes.
The Court had countless talented individuals, and some were just as thorough as him.
But those with Chen Yuan’s strategic capabilities lacked his strength.
And those with his strength were often boorish and reckless, lacking his strategic mind.
As for those who possessed both capability and strength, they were all of the older generation, unlike a young prodigy like Chen Yuan.
Thinking of this, Feng Tianbao let out a soft sigh.
’For a young prodigy like this to not be in the service of the Court is truly a waste.’
’But it’s for the best. Although Zhenwu Hall is also a regional power carving out its own territory, at least it isn’t an outright rebel faction like the Sun-Swapping Alliance.’
’It’s acceptable for a prodigy like Chen Jiutian to be born into the Jianghu, but if he were to become a rebel, he would become a grave threat to the Court!’
Chen Yuan, of course, had no idea what Feng Tianbao was thinking. He simply gazed at the mountain peak and said in a low voice, "Steward Feng, you flatter me. It can’t be called brilliant strategy; it was merely the prepared preying on the unprepared."
"But the previous moves were simple. The key now is whether or not we can conquer the Nine Swords Alliance."
"Zuo Tianyuan is not weak. We must not treat him like an ordinary local tyrant."
"In his youth, he roamed the Central Plains Martial Arts world, and his Sword Dao Cultivation even earned the praise and esteem of an Elder from the Lifting Heaven Sword Pavilion."
"It’s safe to say that if he were a little less ambitious, he wouldn’t be a regional tyrant today, but a Sword Dao Grandmaster of the Lifting Heaven Sword Pavilion."
"And then there’s Wei Chaoge. Steward Feng, you should know him better than I do."
"He’s an Eagle General from the Vigorous Martial Army. Even if he is as arrogant as you say, Steward Feng, it doesn’t change the fact that he has the strength to back it up."
"I’ve heard that on the battlefields of the Southern Border, it was always Wei Chaoge who led the charge and slew enemy generals. He once led a hundred men to charge an army of ten thousand from the Barbarian Race, cutting down their chieftain in the midst of battle. One could say he is one of the fiercest generals of our time."
Although the previous operations had gone smoothly, Chen Yuan had never underestimated Zuo Tianyuan.
’In the original story, the father and son duo of Zuo Tianyuan and Zuo Feiyu truly had some good fortune on their side.’
’Take Zuo Feiyu, for example. After a trip to the Central Plains Martial Arts world, he befriended many people of extraordinary status and also acquired quite a few treasures.’
’Zuo Tianyuan was no different. Just as I was preparing to move against the Nine Swords Alliance, he managed to connect with the Vigorous Martial Army.’
’He had been quite famous in his youth. Although he had focused his energy on building the Nine Swords Alliance these past years, I don’t believe he would have neglected his Cultivation.’
’In the future, when he supplanted Zhenwu Hall, he had already reached the Eighth Realm Divine Platform. Later, after occupying Ning Province and using the resources of an entire province as his foundation, he even stepped into the Ninth Realm Celestial Profound.’
’A person who would one day be qualified to enter the Ninth Realm Celestial Profound wouldn’t have poor Cultivation while in the Primordial Pill Realm.’
Feng Tianbao nodded and said gravely, "Rest assured, I understand Wei Chaoge, and I certainly won’t underestimate him."
Beside them, Duan Hengshan was expressionless, but he too gave a heavy nod.
He had a rough exterior but a sharp mind, and with his steady character, he never underestimated anyone.
Besides, this battle was a fight for the Twelve Blade Halls’ survival and establishment. Victory meant they could replace the Nine Swords Alliance and occupy the border of Youning.
If they lost, although Chen Yuan had promised they could retreat into Ning Province at any time, he wouldn’t have the face to live under someone else’s roof.
The group had already cleared out the Nine Swords Alliance’s Martial Artists guarding the mountain gate at the foot of the peak. They proceeded straight up the mountain, arriving directly before the main gate of the Nine Swords Alliance.
At this time, atop the mountain, the Martial Artists of the Nine Swords Alliance and the soldiers of the Vigorous Martial Army stood in disciplined formation, ready for battle.
Wei Chaoge held a Stepping White Profound Spear, his body radiating a formidable battle intent and suffused with killing aura.
When Wei Chaoge was in the Vigorous Martial Army, he came from the Ta Bai Army. The Ta Bai Army was the Vanguard Army, responsible for reconnaissance and tactical assaults—they were the elite of the elite.
The Stepping White Profound Spear in his hand was a Top Grade Earth Soldier that Grand General Yuwen Tai of the Vigorous Martial Army had personally commissioned a Weapon Casting Grandmaster to forge for Wei Chaoge.
"Feng Tianbao, I never thought a eunuch with no balls like you would have such guts! To dare to move against me over the warhorse trade, I really underestimated you, you damn eunuch!"
Wei Chaoge’s mouth was truly foul. One moment it was "eunuch with no balls," the next it was "damn eunuch," causing Feng Tianbao’s face to turn livid as his Blood Qi surged.
However, although Feng Tianbao was a eunuch, he was far more civilized and composed than Wei Chaoge.
Suppressing the fury in his heart, Feng Tianbao said in a low voice, "Wei Chaoge, rules are rules. Your Vigorous Martial Army bypassed the Flying Dragon Institute to purchase warhorses and stockpile supplies. Are you planning to rebel?"
"You are a War General of the Court and have rendered great service to it in the past. I do not wish to completely tear away all pretenses with you today."
"Withdraw your men from You Province now, and I can pretend none of this ever happened."
"Otherwise, even if I kill you right now, when the matter is brought before His Majesty, you will still be the ones in the wrong!"
To this point, Feng Tianbao still did not actually want a fight to the death with Wei Chaoge. If the other man would retreat, that would naturally be for the best.
Firstly, as he had said, Wei Chaoge was a War General of the Court. As long as he lived, the Court would be that much stronger. Feng Tianbao truly did not want to engage in internal strife.
Feng Tianbao was an absolutely loyal subject of Great Xia, devoted to the public good. Even though Wei Chaoge had insulted him so viciously, he still wanted to spare his life.
Secondly, if Wei Chaoge were to die today, the issue would certainly be brought before His Majesty.
Feng Tianbao wasn’t the least bit afraid of that.
Wei Chaoge’s backer was Grand General Yuwen Tai, but his own adoptive father was the number one expert of the Inner Court, Chief Eunuch Gu Chaoyen.
He worked for His Majesty in the first place. If the matter reached the emperor, His Majesty would protect him all the same.
However, as a close attendant to His Majesty, if he had to trouble the emperor with every little thing, he would be far too useless.
He, Feng Tianbao, could be a eunuch, and he could be cursed as a "damn eunuch," but the one thing he could not be was a *useless* eunuch!
Unfortunately, Wei Chaoge was completely incapable of understanding Feng Tianbao’s good intentions.
He raised his Stepping White Profound Spear, pointed it at Feng Tianbao, and sneered, "Kill me? You damn eunuch really dare to think so! If it weren’t for us War Generals fighting desperately and killing enemies on the border, what right would you people have to run your mouths in the rear?"
"The warhorse business is not up for discussion. From now on, when it comes to warhorses, my Vigorous Martial Army won’t be taking any crap from your Flying Dragon Institute!"
"Stubborn fool! You’re courting death!"
A cold light flashed in Feng Tianbao’s eyes. He finally couldn’t be bothered to persuade him any longer.
On the other side, Zuo Tianyuan was looking at Chen Yuan, the man who had killed his son.
This was actually the first time he had seen Chen Yuan in person, and on this very first meeting, they were to fight to the death.
"Chen Jiutian, I truly never thought that you would one day be standing before me."
Zuo Tianyuan sighed, a wistful look on his face.
Faced with the same grudge of a murdered child, Xu Baiwei had directly stormed Zhenwu Hall to seek revenge on Chen Yuan.
But a deep schemer like Zuo Tianyuan didn’t want to suffer the slightest harm, even when taking revenge.
’In my mind, it shouldn’t have been Chen Yuan standing before me. Rather, after my many manipulations, someone should have delivered Chen Yuan’s head to me!’
’But I never expected the situation to be reversed. Now, this Chen Jiutian has come knocking on the gates of the Nine Swords Alliance.’
"If I didn’t come today, how could I do justice to all the painstaking effort Alliance Leader Zuo has put into trying to kill me?"
Chen Yuan grinned at Zuo Tianyuan. The smile was bright, but utterly chilling.
"Your feud with Feiyu was just a minor grievance at first. If I had personally come to make peace with you back then, would Feiyu still have died? Would we be in this life-or-death situation today?"
Zuo Tianyuan suddenly asked.
Chen Yuan said flatly, "Alliance Leader Zuo, that doesn’t sound like you."
"Back then, I was just an unknown Independent Martial Artist, while you were the Alliance Leader of the Nine Swords Alliance, a Martial Arts Grandmaster of the Primordial Pill Realm."
"Would the you of back then have personally stepped in to make peace just because Zuo Feiyu had a feud with an Independent Martial Artist?"
"Even if you had ten thousand chances, you would never have done so."
"Therefore, the enmity between us was only ever going to grow, leading to this kill-or-be-killed situation today."
Zuo Tianyuan fell silent.
Chen Yuan was right. Even if given more chances, he would never have stooped to make peace with a low-level Independent Martial Artist.
He, Zuo Tianyuan, was indeed known for treating worthy men with respect, but that was not the same as being a coward. He was, after all, a regional tyrant, a Grandmaster of the Primordial Pill Realm.
’If I were given another chance, I would, of course, have chosen to kill him directly.’
’But alas, there’s no medicine for regret in this world. Back then, I just thought this Chen Jiutian was a minor setback my son encountered when he first entered the Jianghu. I didn’t even pay him much mind.’
’Who could have imagined that this Chen Jiutian would then join Zhenwu Hall, accumulate achievements, enter the Hidden Dragon Rankings, and even become famous throughout the Jianghu!’
’That tiny setback I ignored has now grown into a grave threat.’
"So be it. Grudges of the Jianghu are settled in the Jianghu. Since the outcome is a fight to the death, then let’s see whose sword is sharper today!"
Zuo Tianyuan snapped his head up, his eyes filled with a piercing, sharp killing intent.