novelapdf Chapter 152 Enemies Meet on a Narrow Road
Chapter 152 Enemies Meet on a Narrow Road
Since his cultivation has fully recovered, it will probably take a while.
In addition, after hearing from the little girl that there were monsters and bandits roaming outside the mountains, Jiang Mu did not rush to go out.
I have decided to stay in Xingzi Village for the time being and recuperate.
After all, the only "scapegoat" had been shattered into pieces.
Now he only has one life left.
All his weapons and magical treasures were lost upon resurrection, leaving him empty-handed, like a complete novice.
If you're still acting recklessly at a time like this, then you're truly stupid.
When it's time to stabilize, we must stabilize.
As for Yancheng...
Even if the demon army were to invade, with so many powerful officials in the city holding the fort and a bunch of experts at the fifth and sixth realms, the sky wouldn't fall down even if he, a mere fourth-realm hall master, were to be absent.
He's not a savior, there's no need for him to push himself so hard.
Time flies, and three days have passed in the blink of an eye.
Jiang Mu's cultivation not only fully recovered, but he also surged all the way to the late stage of the fourth realm, just one step away from a perfect breakthrough.
As his cultivation level improved, the search for the Heavenly Star Position became increasingly urgent.
Over the next three days, he also became acquainted with the villagers.
He helped this family fetch water, helped that family repair their house, occasionally went to the mountains to hunt wild game, or took a little girl named Yaya to the river to catch fish. He lived a comfortable life.
Xingzi Village is already remote and has few residents.
Besides Grandma Wang and the little girl Yaya, a couple surnamed Zhang also lived next door.
The husband was a middle-aged man in his forties. He used to be a hunter, but unfortunately, he was in poor health and would cough incessantly after doing even a little heavy work. It was said that he had been injured in the lungs by a monster in the mountains years ago.
In contrast, his wife, Zhang Sao, was large and robust.
Although he has a rugged appearance, he is warm and outgoing.
Ever since Jiang Mu was able to walk, he has been going to Grandma Wang's yard every few days, asking all sorts of questions.
Upon learning that Jiang Mu was not yet married, she insisted on introducing her "distant cousin" to him.
This woman speaks without any restraint, whether it's crude or bland.
His gaze lingered unabashedly on Jiang Mu's lower body.
She would occasionally blurt out a few dirty jokes, and she didn't hold back even in front of her sickly husband.
This left Jiang Mu somewhat overwhelmed.
One can only marvel at how wild these mountain women really are.
After recovering her cultivation, Jiang Mu knew she couldn't delay any longer and immediately decided to leave.
Although the villagers were somewhat reluctant to see him go, they knew he was from out of town and would eventually have to return home, so they didn't try to stop him.
They simply delivered some dry rations quietly.
Only the little girl named Ya Ya cried her eyes out, clinging to Jiang Mu's leg and refusing to let go.
Only when Jiang Mu squatted down and solemnly promised her that he would definitely come back to see her in the future did the little girl finally let go of his hand, sobbing, and watch him walk away with longing eyes.
The small figure shrank to a dot in the morning mist.
However, before leaving completely, Jiang Mu planned to clear out any potential hazards in the vicinity.
Both bandits and demonic scourges must be eliminated.
Although he couldn't guarantee that the flames of war wouldn't reach this area in the future, eliminating these scourges now would at least ensure peace in Xingzi Village. This was the only thing he could do for these villagers.
The bandits surrounding Xingzi Village mainly occupied the area around Dog Head Mountain.
Jiang Mu pushed forward smoothly from near to far.
He had originally thought that if he encountered a "righteous bandit" who upheld the code of honor and did not oppress the good, he might be able to let him go.
But when he sneaked into the village, he saw women chained up in the woodshed, barely clothed, children treated like lambs in the corner of the granary, and blood-stained grain and valuables in the bandits' dens...
The last bit of pity in Jiang Mu's heart vanished.
They all deserve to die!
Regardless of their hardships before joining the outlaws, the moment they turned their knives on the weak, their basic humanity crumbled. In just one night, Jiang Mu massacred four bandit camps.
More than 300 bandits were killed.
These villages were not large, and the bandit leader was only a pseudo-star level cultivator at the early stage of the third realm.
Dealing with them is as easy as cutting melons and vegetables.
There was also a village that worshipped several third-tier demonic beasts as guardian deities, which he also killed, thus recharging his magic gauge. As for the larger villages further away, Jiang Mu learned from a few terrified bandits that government troops were besieging them, so he didn't bother to join in the fun.
After distributing the money looted from the bandit's den to the rescued people and escorting them down the mountain, Jiang Mu finally discerned the direction and sped towards Yan City.
Along the way, if you encounter bandits or monsters that rob and plunder, kill them on sight.
They had traveled halfway when it was already late the next night.
As I passed through a village, I suddenly heard a commotion of crying and shouting.
He frowned and looked in the direction of the sound.
Outside a farmhouse by the roadside, several dark figures were roughly dragging a man out of the house.
From inside the house came a woman's heart-wrenching cries.
"Bandits again?"
Jiang Mu felt a wave of disgust, thinking to herself that the world had truly gone mad.
Along the way, we have seen far too many bandits running rampant.
Daqing is truly rotten to the core.
He spat, his figure blurred, and he headed straight for the courtyard.
Since we've run into each other, there's no reason to stand idly by. Killing one is killing, killing two is killing too. The main thing is to be clear-headed.
Inside the courtyard, the man who had been dragged out knelt on the ground, pleading desperately, but was surrounded by several burly men who punched and kicked him, causing him to scream in agony.
"Bang!"
A violent shockwave exploded out.
Those burly men didn't even see who the newcomers were before they were sent flying like rag dolls.
Two of them suffered broken necks and died on the spot.
The rest crashed into the earthen wall, breaking bones and splinters, and lay on the ground howling in pain.
Jiang Mu then realized that these people were wearing standard armor.
"Soldiers?"
Jiang Mu was slightly taken aback.
One of the soldiers, despite the excruciating pain, pointed at Jiang Mu and roared, his voice filled with bravado but utter fear:
"Who...who are you?! How dare you attack government troops!"
Hearing the woman's cries inside, Jiang Mu ignored the wailing soldiers on the ground and kicked open the door.
Inside the dimly lit room, an officer dressed as a colonel was pinning a woman down on the earthen bed, tearing at her clothes with his large hands, and grinning maliciously. Startled by the noise, the burly man turned around, revealing a fleshy, reeking, and ugly face.
"Who goes there? Are you looking to die?!"
The burly man grabbed the large knife from the bedside and pointed it at Jiang Mu, shouting angrily.
Jiang Mu looked at him coldly:
"As officers and soldiers, instead of suppressing bandits and protecting the people, you are oppressing the innocent in the dead of night..."
Are you dressed like dogs?
"You brat, daring to meddle in my business? You're asking for trouble!"
The officer flew into a rage and swung his broadsword at Jiang Mu's head.
The blade flashed coldly, carrying a fierce aura honed through countless battles, and it even possessed the cultivation of a second-level cultivator.
The blade was still three inches from Jiang Mu's head when it abruptly stopped.
The burly officer was horrified to discover that the young man in front of him had casually held the blade of his knife between two fingers.
It was as if it were welded into the iron mountain.
No matter how hard he tried, it remained completely still.
"With such limited skills, you dare to imitate others and commit evil?"
Jiang Mu originally intended to break the knife in two.
Then he realized that he was currently empty-handed and in need of a suitable weapon, so he changed his mind and decided to seize instead of break.
With a flick of the wrist, a surge of skillful force flowed into the blade.
The officer felt a violent jolt in his hand, and the broadsword slipped from his grasp, only to be caught by Jiang Mushun.
Immediately afterwards, a giant foot rapidly enlarged in front of them.
"Bang!"
Jiang Mu kicked the big man in the chest, sending him flying out of the yard and crashing heavily onto the stone mill in the yard.
The burly man spat out a mouthful of blood; several of his ribs were broken.
Jiang Mu, carrying a large knife, slowly walked up to him, stepped on his head as if he were a dead dog.
Then, he pointed to the soldier outside the courtyard gate who was still able to move but was pale with fright, and said calmly:
"Go and call your boss who can manage things over here."
I'm only giving you the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. If you don't come, or if you're late, you can expect to be collecting your superior's corpse.
The soldier was so frightened that he trembled all over and didn't dare to say another word. He scrambled out of the courtyard.
Jiang Mu turned to the terrified male head of the farm and said:
"Don't be afraid. Go get me a bowl of water, then take your wife and hide inside. No matter what happens outside, don't come out."
"Oh...oh! Okay! Thank you so much, benefactor!"
The man came to his senses, trembling as he brought a bowl of water from inside the house to Jiang Mu, then quickly pulled his disheveled wife inside and tightly closed the door.
After a while.
A rapid, thunderous sound of hooves approached from afar, causing the ground to tremble slightly.
More than ten riders on tall horses galloped over.
The knights on horseback were all clad in heavy black iron armor, exuding a fierce aura and a chilling presence, clearly seasoned veterans.
They rushed straight into the yard.
The first rider was a man who looked to be about thirty years old.
He had dark skin and a resolute, stern face.
He was dressed in black iron mountain armor, his hand on the sword at his waist, and he exuded a sense of oppression just by sitting there.
A master of the fifth realm!
The man reined in his horse, surveyed the horrific scene in the courtyard, his gaze sweeping over the dead and wounded soldiers before finally settling on the officer trampled under Jiang Mu's feet. His brow furrowed slightly.
"Are you one of Old Chen's soldiers? Weren't you supposed to be on the mountain suppressing bandits? What are you doing here?"
The officer whose head was being stepped on, upon seeing the newcomer, was overjoyed, as if seeing a savior. He immediately perked up and howled at the top of his lungs:
"General, save me!"
This kid...this kid is a demon! He's a spy for bandits!
He attacked government troops without cause, massacred imperial officials, and even spoke rudely to us, saying he would raze our camp to the ground, General!
"General?"
Ignoring the filth on the ground beneath his feet, Jiang Mu raised his head and stared directly at the dark-faced man on horseback.
"So, you're the leader of this group?"
The dark-faced general did not speak immediately, but instead looked at Jiang Mu with great interest.
Seeing Jiang Mu's rudeness, one of the guards immediately flew into a rage. He snapped his riding whip and pointed at Jiang Mu, shouting, "You audacious madman! Release him immediately! Attacking government troops is a capital offense!"
Jiang Mu smiled faintly.
next second.
"puff!"
A muffled thud.
Jiang Mu suddenly exerted force with his feet, as if crushing a watermelon.
The officer's head exploded.
Red and white splattered all over the ground, the corpse twitched a few times, and then fell completely still.
This time, the courtyard was completely silent.
All the officers and soldiers were completely dumbfounded.
Even the dark-faced general was stunned, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
They weren't unfamiliar with highly skilled cultivators.
But this was the first time I'd ever seen someone so ruthless as to stomp on an officer's head right in front of them without a word.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
After a brief silence, a series of synchronized sounds of swords being drawn came.
More than a dozen cavalrymen drew their swords in unison, their killing intent soaring, and locked onto Jiang Mu.
Jiang Mu remained calm, not even blinking.
He crossed his arms and coldly stared at the dark-faced general on horseback:
"Those who bully the people and commit adultery with other men's wives and daughters shall be executed according to the law."
Since you, as a general, can't control what's in your subordinates' crotches, then I'll take care of it for you!
"It would tarnish the court's reputation and chill the hearts of the people."
The dark-faced general narrowed his eyes slightly, revealing a dangerous glint.
He didn't react immediately. Instead, he looked up at the closed door and listened to the woman's suppressed and desperate cries coming from inside. His expression gradually darkened.
He turned his head, his gaze sharp as a hawk's as he fixed on a soldier on the ground who was still conscious, clutching his broken leg and groaning in pain, and asked in a cold voice:
"Have you been oppressing the people?"
The soldier trembled and looked away when the general swept his gaze over him.
He stammered for a long time, but didn't dare to utter a complete sentence.
This guilty look says it all.
"Kill them all."
The general withdrew his gaze.
A guard standing nearby paused, hesitated, and took a half-step closer, lowering his voice to say:
"General, they are soldiers under General Chen's command. If we deal with them this way, I'm afraid General Chen will..."
"kill."
The general interrupted him, his voice even colder.
"I have said that the discipline of my Chang Family Army is as ironclad. Anyone who violates military discipline and arbitrarily bullies the people, regardless of rank, will be executed on the spot! Anyone who dares to plead for leniency will be punished as an accomplice!"
"yes!"
The guard felt a chill run down his spine and dared not say another word.
With a wave of his hand, several cavalrymen behind him immediately dismounted, their movements as swift as the wind.
Knife up and down.
The heads of the soldiers who were still alive in the courtyard were immediately chopped off.
Jiang Mu raised an eyebrow at the sight, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.
I thought this general would protect his own.
He was fully prepared to take all of these people down.
Unexpectedly, this dark-faced man had some skills, being so decisive and willing to sacrifice even his own family for the greater good.
After dealing with his men, the general turned around and looked at Jiang Mu with great interest:
"How is it? Are you satisfied with my decision?"
Jiang Mu said calmly:
"If the general can strictly discipline his subordinates, abide by military discipline, and not harass the people in the future, I will be very satisfied."
"Heh heh, you're satisfied now, but I'm not satisfied yet."
The general suddenly laughed, a laugh tinged with amusement and coldness.
"We are soldiers, the swords of the imperial court. If we make a mistake, we will be dealt with according to military law. And what are you?"
By what right do you have the authority to kill my generals without authorization?
The generals appointed and the power granted by the imperial court are not to be arbitrarily slaughtered by a commoner like you under the guise of "justice".
"If everyone were like you, arbitrarily killing court officials in the name of so-called justice, wouldn't the world descend into chaos? What would be the point of the law then?" Jiang Mu met the other's oppressive gaze and said calmly.
"You're right, but... I'm an official too."
"Are you an official too?"
The dark-faced general was taken aback, his suspicious gaze sweeping over Jiang Mu's patched, coarse cloth clothes before he sneered, "What kind of official are you? What kind of official are you?"
Jiang Mu said:
"Jiang Mu, the Eighth Hall Master of the Demon Slaying Division of Huzhou City."
"Demon Slayer Division?!"
Upon hearing these three words, the expressions of the officers and soldiers present all changed.
After all, the Demon Slayer Division held a superior position, specializing in slaying demons and monsters, and possessed the privilege of acting first and reporting later. Even the military was unwilling to provoke them easily. The general was also taken aback and began to re-examine Jiang Mu.
He carefully sensed the aura emanating from Jiang Mu; there were indeed fluctuations of star power, but this cultivation level…
He said coldly:
"Even if you're from the Demon Slayer Division, you shouldn't interfere in military affairs, much less kill soldiers! Your duty is to slay demons and monsters, not to meddle in other people's business!"
"That's right."
Jiang Mu said confidently,
"I am here to slay demons and monsters."
I was just passing by when I saw these soldiers bullying civilians, and I knew something was wrong.
How could our officers and soldiers in Daqing do such a beastly thing?
Therefore, I strongly suspect that they were possessed or infected by demons, and turned into demons in human skin!
To prevent demons from causing trouble, I decisively took action and killed them. This is entirely in accordance with the rules of our Demon Slayer Division, right? The general was speechless for a moment, and his lips twitched a couple of times.
Good guy.
Their skill in labeling people is even better than that of civil officials.
He suddenly changed the subject, his eyes sharpening:
"You say you are the head of the Demon Slayer Division, so where is your identity token?"
"And I remember, the hall masters of the Demon Slayer Division are usually at least at the fifth realm. Your aura isn't weak, but it's clearly not at that level yet, right?" "A token?"
Jiang Mu habitually reached for her waist, only to find nothing.
Then he remembered that he was reborn as a blank character, with nothing but tattered clothes and not a single hair on his body.
He coughed lightly and said:
"I left the token in Yancheng; I didn't bring it with me."
In addition, I entered the Demon Slayer Division through back channels, so I have some connections, which is why I was able to become a hall master even with a low cultivation level.
You can ask around; there are quite a few "special cases" like me.
Seeing how frank and confident he spoke, the doubt in the dark-faced general's eyes dissipated somewhat.
After all, there are very few people in this world who dare to impersonate the head of the Demon Slayer Division.
Just then, a sudden thought flashed through the general's mind. He stared intently at Jiang Mu, his gaze becoming somewhat strange:
"You just said... what's your name?"
"Jiang Mu".
Jiang Mu said frankly.
The general rode forward slowly, looking down at him from his elevated position, his voice low and somber:
"But I remember there really is a hall master surnamed Jiang in the Demon Slaying Division of Huzhou City, but his name is Jiang Chen. Is he yours?"
Ok?
Jiang Mu was taken aback.
Good heavens, has my name already spread to such a remote place?
He didn't hide anything and nodded, saying, "It's me. I changed my name."
"Oh...it's you."
The general suddenly laughed.
His smile was somewhat eerie, carrying an unfathomable chill.
He dismounted, walked to Jiang Mu's side, leaned closer, and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"Then guess... who I am?"
A strong sense of foreboding suddenly welled up in Jiang Mu's heart.
Something seems off about how the plot is going?
Seeing that Jiang Mu remained silent, the general patted his shoulder, whispered in his ear, and said, word by word:
"My name is... Chang Dawei."
Chang Dawei?
Is your surname Chang?
Jiang Mu realized what was happening instantly.
General Chang's only son!
General Chang, who was previously suppressing a rebellion in Yancheng.
That is...
The rightful husband of Madam Liu, whose head he chopped off with a single stroke!
What a small world!
Chang Dawei looked at Jiang Mu's stiff expression, a sinister smile spreading across his lips:
"I heard that you killed my wife in Huzhou City?"
"And... his head was chopped off with a single blow?"