Chapter Ten: The Great Chieftain

Behind him, one man seemed to see an opportunity. Gritting his teeth against the agony of his severed arm, he pulled out a dagger and lunged at Jiang Ming’s waist.

Smack—

Without even turning his head, Jiang Ming twisted his body slightly, kicking the attacker away. The man landed far off, his chest entirely caved in.

The old man with the goatee trembled, his attitude now even more respectful.

“What’s your name? Why didn’t you fight?” Jiang Ming asked.

Before the man could answer, the previous leader bellowed, “Hu Laosan, you bastard, are you betraying me? Did you bring this man here? Curse your ancestors!”

Hu Laosan’s lips twitched, but he ignored his former leader. Instead, he replied respectfully to Jiang Ming, “Hero, my name is Hu Tu, third master of the third stronghold, known as Hu Laosan. I was once a scholar, versed in literature and a bit of martial arts. Years ago, I was falsely accused and had no choice but to flee. That’s how I ended up captured and brought to these mountains. Because I could read and write, and knew some martial arts, they kept me and made me the third master. I never wanted this, truly didn’t, but even an ant clings to life—what choice did I have but to go with the flow?”

“But, hero, I have never personally taken a life!” Hu Laosan pleaded earnestly.

“And you?” Jiang Ming looked to the young man.

“My grandfather was a bandit, my father was a bandit. After our stronghold was destroyed, I was captured and forced into this life. But I never wanted to be a bandit, and even less do I want my son to be one in the future,” the young man said, a note of agitation in his voice. “My name is Chang Qing, and I’ve always wanted to leave the stronghold but never had the chance.”

“I can vouch for him!” Hu Laosan added quickly. “He cannot stand senseless killing, so the others shun him. But he’s strong, so they always pick him for tasks. He avoids violence whenever possible. If I hadn’t protected him in secret, Ma the boss would have abused him long ago.”

Jiang Ming made no comment, but asked, “Do you wish to live or die?”

“To live, of course to live!” Hu Laosan answered. “Ahem, I may not be a good person, but I don’t think I’m truly a bad one—at least not by intention.”

Jiang Ming couldn’t help but smile.

As expected of a scholar—such a glib tongue.

“Go kill Ma the boss, and all the others you deem irredeemably wicked, and I’ll spare your lives!” Jiang Ming pointed to the gravely injured bandit chief.

Hu Laosan hesitated only a moment before rising, drawing his blade, and walking over.

But Chang Qing was faster, thrusting his knife straight into Ma’s heart. Hu Laosan followed, adding another stab. In bitterness and hatred, Ma died with his eyes wide open.

The two then proceeded to kill several more before stopping.

“The rest are mostly innocent, forced into this,” Hu Laosan said quietly, his body bent in deference.

“Fine!” Jiang Ming nodded, turning to Chang Qing. “See to their wounds, but no one runs—anyone who tries will die. Then deal with the bodies. Hu Laosan, come here.”

He gestured forward.

Hu Laosan could only follow.

“I have just left my clan to travel the land, see the world, temper my martial arts, and learn about the customs of this realm,” Jiang Ming offered, sketching a vague background before asking, “Tell me about the situation in this area.”

“Yes!” So he’s of noble descent, no wonder he’s so imposing, Hu Laosan thought, relieved.

This was Black Cloud Mountain, surrounded by several bandit lairs: the Black Wind Stronghold where he resided, as well as Black Dragon, Black Blade, and Black Tiger strongholds.

The four were equal in strength, constantly feuding, but shared one thing in common—robbery and evil deeds. The four had even once sat together, plotting to attack a nearby county seat.

“How brazen!” Jiang Ming exclaimed.

“Alas!” Hu Laosan sighed. “The emperor is a fool, selling offices and titles, the court is corrupt, officials are in league—heartless maggots, every one. The people are destitute. Especially last year, when a flood ravaged Jiangzhou, countless people were left homeless. Not only did the court offer no aid, they even barred the refugees from fleeing. It was a tragedy! And earlier this year, a drought in Yunzhou drove people to cannibalism. Alas…”

Jiang Ming’s brow furrowed.

“And then there are the powerful sects, staking out their own territories.”

“Noble families seize land, forming states within the state.”

“Bandits everywhere, the people wailing.”

“The people suffer,” Hu Laosan lamented. “Many, with nowhere else to go, flee to the mountains to become outlaws, just to survive.”

“When the realm prospers, the people suffer. When the realm falls, the people suffer.” Jiang Ming spoke with feeling.

Hu Laosan’s eyes lit up, “Sir, what eloquence!”

Jiang Ming continued questioning, gradually gaining a deeper understanding of this world.

The Grand Yan Dynasty ruled the land. In the north was the nomadic Beiman, once insignificant, now a great threat.

The imperial dynasty, three hundred years strong, was now in decline—its end approaching.

The martial world was dominated by the Great Forest Temple, True Martial Sect, Pure Yang Sect, Cold Moon Palace, Divine Sword Manor, Sun and Moon Demon Sect, and Divine Fist School.

The Sun and Moon Demon Sect had once thrown the martial world into chaos; now it kept a low profile, yet remained formidable.

The martial world was still divided into orthodox and unorthodox factions.

The martial ranks were peculiar: Unranked, Third-rate, Second-rate, First-rate, Innate, Master, Grandmaster.

Unranked merely meant knowing some peasant brawling.

One began by training Qi; opening the dantian and Qi-sea made one Third-rate. Channeling Qi through the twelve main meridians raised one to Second-rate. Opening the eight extraordinary meridians, one became First-rate.

Breaking through the Ren and Du meridians to absorb the force of heaven and earth, one’s true Qi transformed—this was Innate.

“As for Master and Grandmaster, I know nothing,” Hu Laosan shook his head, a hint of suspicion on his face—why ask about such common knowledge?

He thought no more of it.

Jiang Ming, however, wore an odd expression.

In the main world, cultivation began with tempering the body, then directly drawing in vital energy to open the dantian. True Qi coursed through the body, strength could be projected externally, without opening meridians at all.

But here, cultivation moved from within outward—one must open the twelve meridians and the eight extraordinary vessels, and only after reaching Innate could one absorb heaven and earth’s energy.

“In the main world, all meridians are already open, so one can skip that process and directly absorb vital energy—equivalent to Innate here. But because the energy is so fierce, a powerful body is needed to endure it—thus the Bone Tempering stage?”

Jiang Ming speculated silently.

Still, he needed to find this world’s cultivation methods to confirm his theories.

“Bone Tempering is equivalent to Third, Second, First-rate? Qi Sea is equivalent to Innate, and the third martial tier, the Gang Qi realm, matches Master?”

He suppressed further thoughts.

He would investigate when the chance arose.

“Come, let’s go up to Black Wind Stronghold!”

He had made up his mind.

“Go up?” Hu Laosan was taken aback.

“I’d like to be the stronghold chief for a while, and maybe lead you all to turn over a new leaf, find a path to survival,” Jiang Ming said with a smile. “Lead the way.”

“Alright, alright!” Hu Laosan replied in astonishment.

Be the chief for fun?

Reform and find a way out?

If turning over a new leaf led to survival, who would ever become a bandit?

Chang Qing was also bewildered. He had thought they’d be released to leave the mountains forever, to roam the world.

But here they were, heading back up the mountain.

Damn it!

“Sir, the second chief and the young chief are on the mountain, and I have no authority. Usually I just give advice and manage food supplies,” Hu Laosan whispered.

“My surname is Jiang. From now on, call me Chief. As for those two? Leave them to me!” Jiang Ming waved, vaulted onto a horse, and spurred it on. He knew how to ride.

In the main world, all students did—it was a required course.

Before long, they arrived at the foot of the stronghold.

Hu Laosan led, Jiang Ming followed.

“Third master, you’re back! Where’s the chief?” the bandit guarding the gate asked.

“The chief is busy; he sent me ahead. Keep the gate tight—don’t let anyone sneak in!” Hu Laosan patted the man’s shoulder and continued up.

With no incident, they reached the hall of assembly. By then, the second chief and the young chief had already come out to greet them.

“Hu Laosan, where’s the boss?” The second chief, fat and piggish, clearly looked down on Hu Laosan, asking with a sideways glance.

“Didn’t bring me a few girls?” The young chief, his face brutish, was equally displeased.

“The chief is waiting for you. As for girls—?” Jiang Ming stepped forward, a cold gleam in his eyes.

“You little bastard, who gave you leave to speak here?” The second chief glared, about to strike.

Brutish and overbearing.

Smack—

Jiang Ming strode forward, swinging his leg in a whip-like kick. The man had no time to react before he was sent flying, crashing headfirst into a stone wall, his skull bursting open, red and white matter splattering everywhere.

The young chief was also kicked aside, killed on the spot.

The rest of the bandits stirred uneasily.

“Brothers, quiet—quiet!” Hu Laosan knew it was time to step up. He waved his arms and shouted, “Ma Guang was a tyrant, the second chief cruel, the young chief beat and killed us at whim, even seizing our wives. We’ve endured enough, but under their threat we could only swallow our shame. Now, our savior is here! I brought Lord Jiang to kill the chief and the others, freeing us from fire and water, rescuing us from dire peril—he is like a parent to us!”

“From today, Lord Jiang is our chief, our sky, our king!”

“He will feed us well, teach us true martial arts.”

“Brothers, follow me in saluting our new chief!”

Without waiting for a reply, Hu Tu dropped to one knee.

Many hesitated, but the clever ones, sensing the change in the wind, quickly knelt as well.

“Hu Laosan, you dare betray the stronghold—” one shouted angrily, but before he could finish, Chang Qing stabbed him from behind.