Chapter 263 - 225: Grandeur

Time flew, and in the blink of an eye, night had fallen.

The city was lit up as usual, but this was destined to be no ordinary night.

In a residential courtyard somewhere in Jinmen, high-level government officials, senior military officers, and other prominent figures of Jinmen’s elite arrived one after another, all in disguise.

These were all key figures from the Beidou Army’s faction in Jinmen. On paper, Jinmen was still territory under the Beidou Army’s control. However, the presence of the Six Countries Concession, other Warlords, the Martial Arts Association, and powerful domestic business interests had severely limited the local government’s authority and influence, forcing them to keep a low profile.

But now, they saw a glimmer of hope. The Beidou Army might finally have a chance to bring Jinmen completely back under its control, and when that happened, their own status would naturally rise with the tide.

Inside the residence, the various dignitaries of Jinmen, dressed in plain civilian clothes, stood with bowed backs outside a pavilion, awaiting an audience with a great personage.

These men, who were normally high and mighty in Jinmen and could command the city with a word, were now silent out of fear, not daring to make even the slightest sound.

Their bodies trembled uncontrollably. Some even felt their legs shaking so badly they might give out. The Guards at the side, however, seemed to have anticipated this, and had already prepared canes for them to ensure no one would disgrace themselves by collapsing.

The source of all this was the room before them. The ordinary-looking pavilion seemed to have transformed into a beast that devoured the hearts of men, emanating a terrifying aura that made them shudder, as if a deity who held the power of life and death resided within.

They knew who was in that room.

To the common man, he was a lofty deity, a being whose martial prowess transcended the mortal realm—one that even an army would struggle to subdue.

And that was to say nothing of the immense political power such a figure now wielded.

The Southern Dipper rules life; the Beidou rules death.

With a single word, this man could grant them life or sentence them to death.

Inside the room, a tall figure sat upon the main seat. He wore a black robe, his hair was short and bristly, and his features were as if carved by a knife—stark and cold. His eyes seemed devoid of all emotion, inspiring a bone-chilling dread in any who met his gaze.

Seated on the zitan wood chair, he seemed less like a man and more like one of the Gods and Buddhas enthroned upon a divine altar.

Before him, the high-ranking officials of the Jinmen Beidou Army faction, who had been summoned here, trembled as they delivered their reports.

Inside the room, the few highest-ranking officials of the Jinmen Beidou Army faction stood respectfully to the side, ready to be questioned at a moment’s notice.

Meanwhile, Yue Shu—the once arrogant and overbearing successor of the Beidou Sect who had fought Zhao Xuanqi—now stood dutifully by the man’s side, pouring tea and grinding ink.

Every official who entered, reported, and then left the room found themselves drenched in a cold sweat. In the ensuing daze, they realized they could not recall a single detail of the man’s appearance.

Mysterious and powerful—this intense feeling of the unknown only deepened their awe. Any selfish ideas they might have harbored about the potential shift in Jinmen’s power dynamics had now vanished without a trace.

If their opponent were a man, they might dare to plot, to resist, to feign compliance. But if their opponent was a god, how could they possibly dare to entertain such treacherous thoughts?

"Senior Brother Meng," Yue Shu said softly to the man, "the joint operation requires us to keep the plan confidential. But by summoning all of Jinmen’s key officials, even in disguise, I fear we can’t hide it from the spies of the city’s various factions. If the plan is exposed, will it be a problem?"

"An operation of this magnitude can never be completely contained," Meng Dongtai replied. "We could only delay the news from getting out. The plan has undoubtedly been exposed by now."

"Besides, do you really think this operation is about the Jinmen Martial Arts Association? They are insignificant, utterly worthless. As for the three commanders of the National Salvation Association, they are at least noteworthy figures. But caught in this tide, they are no better than rats scurried into a corner. It remains to be seen if they even have the courage to face us directly."

"My true target this time is Jinmen itself. Although Jinmen is under the jurisdiction of our Beidou Army, history has left it difficult for us to exert complete control. The various factions and their tangled interests are like a Gordian Knot. You can’t untangle it by hand; you can only sever it with a sharp blade."

"I am the blade in my foster father’s hand. The Three Elders of Jinmen, the Hundred Beasts Fist Qilin—they will all be nothing more than ghosts slain by my blade. Our true adversaries are the masters within the major concessions, and perhaps even those from the other armies. That is why I cannot allow this rabble in Jinmen to cause trouble behind our backs. After tonight, as long as I give the order, not a single one of them will dare to have a disloyal thought."

Meng Dongtai spoke calmly. His voice was peculiar; it did not seem to issue from his mouth, but resonated from all corners of the room. It was not the voice of a man, but the sound of the heavens.

"But there are still masters in Jinmen," Yue Shu said. "Aside from Undying Yang Xun, it’s highly likely that Thousand Illusions Li Ping has also secretly entered the city. With our plans exposed, I fear there could be danger."

"I am ranked as one of the Three Stars. Since I first emerged, I have yet to fight a major battle, and many in the world question my standing. Three years ago, during the campaign to encircle the National Salvation Association, I wanted to take the head of one of their three commanders to prove my name. Unfortunately, I missed the opportunity, allowing them to escape via Tunneling. This time, if they come uninvited, all the better. I shall use their heads to intimidate the other masters and seize the initiative."

"Junior Brother, ever since your defeat at the Martial Arts Association Headquarters, it seems your spirit was broken by your opponent. With such a timid and fearful mindset, how can you ever hope to climb to the peak of the Martial Dao? How can you serve the Military Commander? It was just one defeat. Cut down your opponent and move on. This time, after we’ve crushed the Martial Arts Association, I will capture the Hundred Beasts Fist Qilin and let you kill him with your own hands. This will break your Heart Demon."