Chapter 67 - 66: Kill them all, not sparing a single one.

Chapter 67: Chapter 66: Kill them all, not sparing a single one."Lord of the County, are we free to choose from those three Martial Arts?" "Why ask so many questions? The Lord of the County isn’t going to cheat you. What he offers will definitely be better than what you find in the martial arts schools!" "Being able to learn weaponry is the best. Fists and legs, when it really comes down to fighting, how can they compare to a greatsword?" The garden behind the county yamen was vast, with more than enough room to arrange over sixty guest rooms. Some Martial Artists, after eating and drinking their fill, even went straight to the guest rooms with the maidservants. Jiang Shu returned to his room. He declined the maidservant’s offer to attend to him in bed, carefully checked his surroundings, and then lay down, falling asleep immediately. The moon hung high, and all around was silent. Certain that no one was watching, he finally opened his eyes. With a thought, he traversed to Xuanxing. A lord of the Refining Internal Realm organizing Martial Artists to hunt down fierce beasts descending the mountain, all for the lives of mere civilians in the town? What a hellish joke! He didn’t believe a single word spoken in the garden! 「A night passed without incident.」 The sun rose, followed by another bout of excessive indulgence. Not until the third day, upon notification from a constable, did everyone rise early. They followed County Lord Qiu Yushan out of the inner city, heading straight for Sanling Town. From afar, the mountains, enveloped in clouds and mist, seemed like an Immortal Realm. A dozen or so constables stood in two rows, blocking the local hunters who had come to watch the excitement. The young Martial Artists from the inner city casually displayed their skills, completely oblivious to the dangers of entering the mountains. "The tokens I’ve left behind are, after all, only three. To ensure fairness, we’ll draw lots here. After everyone draws a stick with a number, they’ll head up the mountain via different paths," Qiu Yushan announced, clapping his hands. Several constables brought out a lottery tube, allowing each Martial Artist to draw a wooden stick. "I got number one." "Number three." "Four." Looking at his wooden stick, Jiang Shu glanced at the number in Qi Yuan’s hand: "One." "Too bad we can’t go up together. Be careful," Qi Yuan said softly. "You too, Senior Brother." With many eyes around, Jiang Shu dared not say much more. He believed that with Qi Yuan’s previous experience on the mountain, he would surely know what to do. Although neither of them knew County Lord Qiu Yushan’s true purpose, not competing with others and waiting in a corner seemed the best choice! A quarter of an hour later, more than sixty Martial Artists had all ascended the mountain. The fragrance from the sachets at their waists was particularly noticeable in the mountains. None of them realized this; they all clutched maps, thinking of various shortcuts to find the tokens! A token represented not just a Martial Art, but also a chance to get closer to the Lord of the County! Although the tokens were located deep within the great mountain, how could one catch tiger cubs without entering the tiger’s den? Everyone’s eyes burned with a frenzied light. After a while, Jiang Shu, who had intentionally slowed his pace, found himself at the very back. Squinting, he carefully identified his position and considered his surroundings. It had been dozens of days since he was last on the mountain. The mountain fog showed signs of dissipating. When he and Qi Yuan had descended the mountain previously, the fog was thick. Now, though still present, it had thinned considerably. Visibility was about ten feet. For ordinary Martial Artists, the danger was indeed not very great. Without letting down his guard, Jiang Shu kept his distance from the other Martial Artists and carefully headed towards a nearby stream. He placed the sachet under a nearby stone. He stripped off his clothes and jumped directly into the stream. After scrubbing his entire body until no trace of scent remained, he climbed out of the water. This entire mist seems to be drifting from somewhere deep in the mountains. Back then, I was too far inside to notice. When descending, I was also in a hurry to return to Pingling County. Only upon arriving today did I realize the mist has always been concentrated in this eastern part of the mountain. It’s interesting that the tokens are also all on the eastern side. Moreover, the banquet for young Martial Artists consisted mostly of commoners! Not a single legitimate heir from a prominent family appeared. At most, only a few disfavored illegitimate sons were invited. County Lord Qiu Yushan, what exactly are you plotting? The mountain range was higher in the west and lower in the east. Jiang Shu, in his thoughts, referred to Qiu Yushan by his full name without a hint of respect. He found a tall tree on high ground and climbed up, taking a high-powered telescope from his robes. He incidentally spotted a few other Martial Artists. These Martial Artists all traveled alone and were widely scattered. They advanced along narrow paths. If they encountered wild beasts, they would engage in brief skirmishes but wouldn’t even bother to collect the beast’s meat. It’s just too bad this fog is so thick; otherwise, by simply staying here, I could figure out what the County Lord is up to. With all this effort, has some Treasure emerged? Several figures leaped into the thick fog and vanished from sight.fre ewe bnove l.com Jiang Shu shook his head. His understanding of Martial Arts in the Da Jing Dynasty was too limited to make many deductions.fr.eew eb novel..com What does this dense fog signify? And what lies deep within the mountains? This is the power of knowledge. Pingling County is, after all, too small. Gazing intently into the heart of the fog, Jiang Shu withdrew his telescope. He could clearly sense the fog slowly coalescing, as if condensing something. BANG! BANG! BANG! After descending from the tree and walking forward for about an hour, Jiang Shu heard the sounds of fighting not far away. He quickly retreated, taking a detour. At this stage, all he needed to do was wait. Wait for the truth to emerge, for everything to become clear. "AH!" A scream of agony pierced the air—a Martial Artist had died. ROAR! An odd roar erupted. He could go no further! The fog was thick, so Jiang Shu did not proceed. He climbed a tall tree, concealed his presence, adjusted his stance, and tensed his Spirit, ready to traverse back to Xuanxing at any moment. ... 「At this moment, down the mountain.」 Qiu Yushan, dressed in his official robes, looked up at the mountain. Watching the fog slowly disperse, he muttered quietly, "I wonder how many of these youngsters can make it there." "Having consumed so much of my resources, I hope they don’t all perish on the mountain paths." "As long as three or four of them can find the tokens, find *it*..." "Keep watch here. I will return shortly." Seeing the time was ripe, Qiu Yushan extended his hand. A middle-aged man, who had been following close behind him, handed over a precious sword, still in its scabbard. SWOOSH! Qiu Yushan drew the sword. The precious sword was about four feet long, its hilt carved in the shape of a python. Under the sunlight, the back of the blade glistened, emitting a chilling aura. He held the sword and walked towards the mountain. As he departed, his voice was cold: "Kill them all. Leave no one behind." "As you command." The middle-aged man bowed in acknowledgment. He then turned to look at the peaceful Sanling Town, where the laughter of men, women, and children filled the air. The county constables were still chatting with the hunters. His eyes narrowed, a venomous look within them. The Lord had spoken. Leave no one alive. Then no one would be left alive.