Chapter 26: Military Might

The arrivals were the Three Guards of Feiyun City, here to welcome the Yellow Heaven Sect.

Just as the Yellow Heaven Sect came with the intention of demonstrating their power, the Three Guards of Feiyun City were out in full force. Among them, Xu Guang even spotted Guan Mountain, the man he had encountered previously at Cang Mang Tower. ℴ

Their numbers were not large, roughly a hundred cavalrymen divided into three different types of armor. Yet, they moved in perfect unison, giving off an overwhelming sense of unity.

The warhorses were massive. Every cavalryman atop them was tall and heavily muscled, stretching their armor tight. Hung beside their horses were three-meter-long Big Spears. Their imposing presence was absolutely awe-inspiring.

Guan Mountain naturally stood among the Cold Blade Guard, but surprisingly, he was positioned in the very first row.

Xu Guang felt a flicker of surprise. In the military, such a position was clearly not assigned at random. He had previously only sensed that Guan Mountain’s Qi Mechanism was very strong, but he hadn’t expected the man’s status in the Cold Blade Sect to be so high. The Cold Blade Guard was the absolute backbone that allowed the Cold Blade Sect to maintain its standing in the city. Anyone holding a key position in this army had to be a core member and a formidable expert. He realized that Guan Mountain was no simple figure.

Wherever the hundred cavalrymen passed, complete silence fell. All the onlookers who had been craning their necks from the street sides vanished without a trace the moment they arrived.

Aside from Guan Mountain, what caught Xu Guang’s attention the most were the three figures leading the Hundred Riders Army. Since they were fully clad in armor, he couldn’t make out their appearances, but he guessed that these individuals must also be Abnormal People.

"These are the Marshals of the Three Guards, especially that Marshal of the Feiyun Guard," Wang Ming said, his tone carrying a trace of awe. "Rumor has it that his Bloodline Power as one of the Abnormal People is incredibly strong. Eight years ago, when General Giant Spirit passed through here, he sparred with him. Few witnessed the process, but the result leaked out—it was a draw."

Xu Guang looked surprised. A bloodline capable of rivaling General Giant Spirit? He carefully observed the Marshal of the Feiyun Guard and found the man to be truly extraordinary. His stature wasn’t particularly tall, but the length of his arms was unbelievable, completely different from ordinary people. If he stood up, his hands would likely reach his knees. The crimson warhorse beneath him was a size larger than the others, and faint scales could be seen on the parts not covered by armor.

His weapon was a Long Spear exceeding five meters in length. Combined with his personal strength and the Alien Species warhorse he rode, Xu Guang couldn’t imagine who could block a single strike from him during a charge.

Marshal of the Feiyun Guard—Li Zongkang!

"This Feiyun City truly is a place where true masters lay hidden," he thought.

"The spear in Marshal Li’s hand and the horse beneath him both have extraordinary origins," Wang Ming whispered. "The spear is named Traceless and weighs one thousand eight hundred and ten catties. The State Capital bestowed it upon him specifically because they recognized his martial prowess. The horse is called Dragon Scale, and its origin is even more remarkable. Legend has it that he traveled to Yindu City in the Central Plains for training years ago, and the horse was gifted to him by a nobleman there. Some say he is the number one expert in Feiyun City."

Xu Guang’s face showed shock. A weapon weighing over eighteen hundred catties? Although the strength in his arms now exceeded three thousand catties, being able to lift something of that weight and actively wielding it as a weapon were two entirely different concepts.

From his own experience, the most suitable weapon weight for him was around a hundred catties, roughly one-thirtieth of his arm strength. Any more than that, and it would cease to be a weapon and become a sheer burden.

While he was inwardly astonished by Li Zongkang’s might, what truly moved Xu Guang was the military discipline of the Three Guards’ Hundred Riders Army.

An army would always be the foundation of a faction’s true power.

With the overwhelming military might of the Hundred Riders Army, even an expert like General Giant Spirit likely couldn’t withstand a single charge. Even if he avoided the first wave, once surrounded by the hundred riders, he would face certain death.

"Truly terrifying," he thought, licking his lips. If a mere garrison army in Feiyun City possessed such might, he couldn’t even begin to imagine the true Forbidden Guard belonging to the Great Qian Royal Family. How terrifyingly powerful must they be?

Seeing such a magnificent lineup welcoming them, both the Jade Elephant Canon Seat and the Vajra Canon Seat revealed solemn expressions. Even the giant Jade Elephant’s tail, which had been swishing back and forth, quieted down considerably. With the elephant’s help, the Jade Elephant Canon Seat slid down its trunk like a playground slide, landing on the ground in a rather dashing and effortless manner.

"Jade Elephant and Vajra, under the command of the Yellow Heaven Great Mage, greet the three Marshals of Feiyun City," the Jade Elephant Canon Seat said. Though his tone carried respect, it was neither haughty nor humble.

This wasn’t mere bravado. Within the Yellow Heaven Sect, there were truly entities capable of rivaling a monster like Li Zongkang, and they didn’t even fear the Three Guards Iron Cavalry.

Li Zongkang appeared very aloof. He didn’t even dismount, merely giving a slight bow as a greeting before waving his hand. The cavalrymen immediately parted to make way.

The Jade Elephant Canon Seat and the Vajra Canon Seat were clearly dissatisfied with his attitude. With a cold snort, they wordlessly led their numerous followers into the city.

As these people left, the heavy pressure pressing down on everyone’s heads seemed to finally dissipate. The patrons on Cang Mang Tower resumed their conversations, their voices growing louder and louder.

Xu Guang watched their retreating backs. His eyes were as placid as an ancient well, carrying an indescribable emotion.

"Alright, snap out of it," Wang Ming suddenly said. "Do you still feel proud of breaking through Skin Polishing in just three months?"

Xu Guang was a bit baffled. He had never acted proud. Wang Ming really was letting his concern cloud his judgment. Smiling and shaking his head, he changed the subject.

"Wang Ming, do you know the background of that girl who came in later and was personally welcomed by Han Po?"

Hearing this, Wang Ming thought of the peerlessly beautiful young woman. Even though his devotion to Xu Chun remained unwavering, he was still somewhat entranced for a moment. Hers was a beauty that didn’t seem to belong to the mortal realm.

"I don’t know," Wang Ming replied. "But I saw her once before at the City Guard’s Mansion. The City Guardian’s attitude toward her was quite intriguing."

Xu Guang coughed twice, snapping Wang Ming out of his daze. He was merely curious about Su and asked Wang Ming only to figure out if she would interfere with his revenge against the Han Family. Wang Ming turned to settle the bill with the Maid, and the two left Cang Mang Tower.

Walking on the street, Wang Ming stared enviously at the Jade Elephant footprints left on the ground. "The Wang Family also had Bloodline Power inheritances in the past. I don’t know if I’ll ever have the chance to become one of the Abnormal People in this lifetime. Even if I can’t, Wen is still so young; his chances should be much higher."

Xu Guang merely listened without saying a word.

Once he grew a bit stronger, with the help of the Searcher, he would help all his family members awaken their Bloodline Power. When he obtained the Creation Pill from the Lei Family, he had considered secretly giving it to Wang Ming. However, Wang Ming’s personality was far too arrogant and flamboyant. If he truly awakened, there was no telling what kind of unnecessary trouble he would stir up. The way things were now was fine.

He went to Wang Ming’s house to sit for a while and spent some time with Xu Chun and Wen before heading home.

Yet, before he even entered his alley, a chaotic clamor coming from within caused his expression to change drastically.

He heard his mother’s angry curses!

Without time to overthink, Xu Guang rushed into the alley. He saw over a dozen people surrounding his doorway. Mrs. Xu was holding a broom, panting heavily as she hurled profanities. Among the surrounding women, some wore expressions of schadenfreude, some were comforting Mrs. Xu, while others stared at his house with peculiar gazes.

"I heard the boy from this family practices martial arts. Does Liu Mazi really dare to come here to borrow grain?"

"Hmph, I think Liu Mazi has been throwing his weight around this area for so long that he thinks he can provoke anyone."

"Who doesn’t know this family has money? Have you noticed? Several times I’ve walked past their house, I could smell meat cooking."

"Aren’t they just commoners like the rest of us?"

Ever since his family moved here, they rarely interacted with the neighbors. Mrs. Xu didn’t particularly like the arrogance of the city folk either. After all, when she and Xu Guang first moved in, they were emaciated and sallow, looking just like country bumpkins entering the city.

Unfortunately, with refugees causing chaos outside the city and bandits running rampant in the surrounding areas, grain prices in Feiyun City had continuously skyrocketed to the point of supply shortages. However, ever since Xu Guang acquired enough grain by robbing criminals, along with the meat from his senior martial brother Xu Sanduo’s house, their family could be considered well-fed and warmly clothed. They were doing far better than their neighbors.

The difference in their conditions was too massive. Even Mrs. Xu, after months of careful nourishment, had gained some flesh on her previously gaunt frame, and her complexion was no longer so pale. In contrast, the neighbors currently all had sallow faces. Though they hadn’t become completely emaciated yet, it was entirely foreseeable that if grain shipments didn’t arrive soon, they were destined to waste away.

Xu Guang pushed through the crowd, arrived at his mother’s side, and asked in a low voice, "Mom, what happened?"

Mrs. Xu glared viciously in a certain direction. "Brother Guang, you’re back! Go to the city and get Wang Ming. I refuse to believe that in broad daylight, someone dares to barge into my house and rob our grain! Do they not know what my son-in-law does for a living?!"

Hearing this, Xu Guang was instantly enraged.

He hadn’t expected that just a few days after the crackdown ended, the surrounding neighbors would start targeting his home. His icy gaze swept over everyone present as he coldly demanded, "Who was it?"

Mrs. Xu didn’t want to explain further and simply said, "Go fetch Wang Ming. We are handling this through official channels."

Xu Guang didn’t say a word. He immediately walked toward a house at the alley’s entrance—the direction his mother had been glaring at. He abruptly channeled his Qi and raised his foot, delivering a vicious kick to their front door.

"Get out here!"

His tone was bone-chilling, like Yama of the Underworld.

BOOM! Under the force of his foot, the kicked section of the wall caved in with a resounding crash. Seeing that Xu Guang was about to kick again, the owner of the house, who had been watching from inside, finally scrambled out.

"Young man, young man, we meant no harm! It’s just that our child is crying endlessly from hunger. I just wanted to ask your mother to borrow some grain..."

Xu Guang laughed in extreme anger, his eyes brimming with cold killing intent. "Which foot stepped into my house?"

"Young man, don’t misunderstand. My family truly can’t survive anymore, otherwise, I wouldn’t have come to borrow grain from you. We’re all neighbors here..."

"I asked you, which foot!" Xu Guang interrupted coldly.

Liu Mazi tried to say more, but Xu Guang stepped forward, grabbed him by the collar, yanked him hard, and lifted the man over his head with both hands.

"Since you refuse to say, then you can lose both legs!"

Liu Mazi’s expression filled with sheer terror. He babbled incoherently, "Young man, my brother is an Incense Master of the nearby Ox Head Gang. Don’t be impulsive!"

Xu Guang exerted slight force with his palms and hurled Liu Mazi through the air. Then, his figure blurred as he suddenly sprinted forward, like a bowler launching a strike.

He raised his hand, clenched his fist, and hammered it down like a heavy mallet!

CRACK!