Chapter 434 : Warlords Vying For Supremacy (1)

Around ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the time the troops dispatched by the Southern Military Command began roaming the counties of each province to forcibly conscript young men, a meeting was taking place in a massive manor in Guangzhou.

This ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍estate belonged to the Guangdong Jin Family, one of the Seven Great Families. Jin Gyu, the Head of the Jin Family, was a man who belonged to the Twelve Heavenly Pillars and was known as the Black Staff Martial King.

And ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍right now, the Head of the Jin Family was in the middle of a conversation with an old Taoist.

"Have ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍you heard the rumors, by any chance? About the Water-Severing Sword Immortal."

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Water-Severing Sword Immortal, Nangyang.

For ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍decades now, he had served as the Sect Leader of the Hainan Sect, which occupied the lowest rungs among the Nine Great Sects and One Gang alongside the Mount Heng Sect.

Nangyang is also one of the Twelve Heavenly Pillars.

He had originally earned the title Water-Severing Sword Immortal because he trained his sword arts by cleaving the ocean surrounding his island home. But there was another side to that name.

For a sect of Taoists, the Hainan Sect's sword arts practically reeked of killing intent. That was because their arts had been forged through countless battles against the Japanese pirates who routinely raided Hainan Island and the southern coastal regions of the Central Plains.

As their Sect Leader, Nangyang had personally led countless crusades to butcher those raiders. He had separated so many pirates' heads from their shoulders that his title had taken on a new meaning as the Beheading Sword Immortal.

The Water-Severing Sword Immortal Nangyang answered Jin Gyu's question.

"There are so many rumors floating around lately that I couldn't tell you which one you mean."

"I'm talking about the Southern Military Command. I heard that after failing to crush the rebels in Sichuan, they're sending detachments into every province to drag young men out of their homes and force them into the war."

"...I see."

When Nangyang offered only a detached reply, Jin Gyu spoke again.

"Sword Immortal. If not now, nothing will ever change."

"Change? Change what, exactly?"

"This unjust world, of course. What else?"

"Heh... That hardly seems like a suitable topic to bring before an old Taoist who holed up in an island to cultivate the Dao."

"So why is the Taoist who was supposed to be polishing his cultivation went out of his way to hunt down and kill pirates?"

Jin Gyu's pointed remark earned a dangerous look from Nangyang.

"Head of the Jin Family. Do not overstep your line. Are you suggesting I should have simply turned a blind eye while those pirate bastards massacred and defiled innocent people?"

But even under that murderous glare from the old Taoist, Jin Gyu didn't so much as flinch.

"Now that's exactly my point."

Jin Gyu rose abruptly and walked toward an unidentifiable black object sitting in a corner of the hall.

"Do you know why this staff is so black? It's because the blood of every pirate I've ever killed has soaked into it over the years and turned it this color. The Hainan Sect isn't the only one that's been killing pirates for the sake of the people. We have too."

Jin Gyu gripped the handle of the black staff and continued. "But have you ever stopped to think there's something odd about all this? Our Jin Family and the Hainan Sect have been hunting down pirates with everything we have. But every year, the number of innocent civilians killed and violated by those pirates never goes down. Do you know why that is?"

Nangyang couldn't easily come up with an answer to that question.

It wasn't that he didn't know. It was that he couldn't bring himself to say it out loud.

So instead, Jin Gyu answered it himself.

"It's because the very officials who are supposed to be protecting the people are too busy lining their own pockets to spare any time for actually protecting them!"

"So what, you're saying we should join the rebellion?"

"And why couldn't we? Rumor has it that even a brute like Jeok Ri-gang has already thrown his lot in with the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. Knowing his bottomless greed, I doubt he did it out of the goodness of his heart. But the point stands."

Jin Gyu lifted the heavy black staff with his right hand and began tapping it lightly against his left palm; his movement was reminiscent of a military strategist tapping his folding fan while deep in thought.

"I'll be honest with you. The only reason I haven't butchered these officials yet is that I was terrified the Imperial Family would brand the Jin Family as traitors and slaughter us all. Worse, I knew that without us, the coast would be completely defenseless against the pirates. But look at the state of the world right now."

He slowly twirled the black staff around in a wide arc as he spoke.

"From here in Guangdong to Guangxi, Yunnan, and Guizhou. Every single imperial soldier available has been funneled into Sichuan, and the entirety of the Central Plains is completely consumed by their war with the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. In the midst of all this chaos, what exactly are we so afraid of that we must still walk on eggshells!"

Thud!

Jin Gyu slammed the black staff down onto the floor of the hall and looked back at Nangyang.

"Sword Immortal, those soldiers who marched to Sichuan have finally come back. But they're only here to drag innocent people out of their homes. When men who have never held a sword in their lives are shoved onto the front lines, what do you think happens to them? They'll be nothing but arrow fodder. Are you really going to sit back and watch them march to their death?"

The Water-Severing Sword Immortal closed his eyes and fell into deep thought. Seeing his hesitation, Jin Gyu pressed his advantage.

"We need to purge these corrupt leeches from our lands and forge an entirely new world! A world where not a single pirate bastard will ever dare to lay a finger on our people again!"

At that fierce battle cry, horrible memories of butchered villagers flooded the darkness behind Nangyang’s closed eyelids.

A moment later, Nangyang's eyes snapped open. "Do not forget that promise, Jin Gyu. Because if I find out you've been feeding this old monk sweet lies just to line your own pockets, then the next person my sword turns toward will be you."

Rather than take offense at the death threat, Jin Gyu threw his head back and roared with laughter.

"Hahahaha! Perfect! I expect you to stand right beside me and hold a blade to my neck to ensure I never lose my way!"

***

The moment his meeting with Jin Gyu ended, Nangyang gave an order to the disciple who'd been waiting near the courtyard.

"Secure a ship and sail for Hainan immediately. Rally everyone left at the sect and bring them to the mainland. Leave only the absolute bare minimum required to hold off a pirate raid, and bring every single other blade here."

Recognizing the solemnness of their Sect Leader’s command, the disciple bowed deeply and immediately headed for the harbor.

But even though the call for reinforcements had been sent, he had no intention of simply waiting around on the mainland until they arrived from the island.

While Nangyang was giving his orders, Jin Gyu had apparently given some of his own. The entire Jin Family manor instantly exploded into a flurry of activity.

Soon, hundreds of armed martial artists had fallen into tight military formations across the estate's massive training grounds. The handful of Hainan Sect disciples who had escorted Nangyang to the mainland quickly fell into line beside them.

Jin Gyu must have briefed his family long before he even pitched the idea to Nangyang, because every single warrior bearing the Jin crest stood with eyes burning with resolve.

The Hainan Sect's Taoists, on the other hand, looked somewhat lost.

Gripping his black staff, Jin Gyu strode up to the raised platform and looked at the sea of people gathered here.

Thud.

"Do you remember the decades of fighting we've waged against the pirates!"

His commanding voice echoed across the silent courtyard.

"While we shed our blood and sweat protecting the people from the pirates, what exactly have the officials done to protect our people?”

The Jin Family's warriors listened intently to Jin Gyu's words, and only then did the Hainan Sect's disciples finally understand what was happening. They looked back and forth between Jin Gyu and their own Sect Leader standing beside him.

"The eunuchs and the corrupt bureaucrats have poisoned this empire! An age of chaos is upon us! And so, the Jin Family, side by side with the Hainan Sect, will tear down this rot and build a new world!"

After stoking their morale, Jin Gyu smoothly stepped back from the edge of the platform.

"Sword Immortal, perhaps you'd like to say a few words as well."

Acknowledging the gesture, the Water-Severing Sword Immortal also climbed onto the platform and spoke.

"As you well know, my disciples and I of the Hainan Sect are men of the Dao. As Taoists, it is our duty to lock ourselves away in the mountains and pursue enlightenment. But it seems my personal cultivation is still woefully lacking, because I simply cannot bring myself to turn a blind eye to the slaughter of the innocent at the hands of the pirates and the corrupt state."

Hearing their Sect Leader’s intentions directly, the Hainan Sect disciples soon found their own expressions hardening with resolve.

They had been choking on their own rage for years. They'd just been doing their best to let it go, because that's what being part of a Taoist sect meant.

"We will purge these parasites from the world! We will forge a new golden age where our people will never have to fear the pirate's blade again!"

At Nangyang's declaration, the combined forces of the Jin Family and the Hainan Sect erupted into an earth-shaking roar.

Jin Gyu and Nangyang exchanged a nod, then took the lead and marched out of the Jin estate.

The first place they headed was the Provincial Military Command.

"Attack!"

"Disciples of Hainan, follow me!!"

Charging at the very front were Jin Gyu and Nangyang.

Jin Gyu swung his black staff while Nangyang drew his gleaming sword. The two grandmasters shattered the front gates and stormed the military headquarters.

The battle was one-sided.

This was the nerve center of all military power in Guangdong. In peacetime, it would have housed a considerable number of soldiers, but today wasn't peacetime.

Thanks to the Southern Military Command having pulled the vast majority of its forces to suppress the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, only the bare minimum of troops remained stationed there.

As a family rooted in Guangzhou for generations, the Jin Family's influence ran deep.

Once every major government headquarters in Guangzhou had been gutted, they took to the streets to rally the masses.

Two days later, by the time the rest of the Hainan Sect’s Taoists arrived by boat from Hainan Island and joined the ranks, their numbers had swelled to five thousand.

From there, they marched out of Guangzhou and began sweeping across the entirety of Guangdong Province.

They struck the government offices in county after county, executing every corrupt bureaucrat they found and absorbing every local martial artist and disillusioned peasant who wanted to fight for a new world.

By the time their numbers had grown past ten thousand, they ran into a force of government troops over ten thousand strong.

These were the very soldiers who had been forcibly conscripting people to send to the Southern Military Command.

Five thousand of them were regular government troops dispatched from the Southern Military Command, and the other five thousand were civilians who'd been forcibly conscripted from the counties of Guangdong.

"Wipe out the corrupt officials, and restore justice to this land!!"

Once again, Jin Gyu charged at the very front of his forces, letting out a roar as he barreled toward the enemy.

"RAAGGHHH!!"

Their morale already at a fever pitch, the warriors surged forward as one, following him straight into the enemy lines.

"Those of you who were forcibly dragged here by corrupt officials, drop your weapons and surrender right now!!"

Nangyang, too, plunged into the enemy ranks alongside Jin Gyu.

The two sides were roughly matched in numbers, but the battle was anything but even.

The imperial army was bogged down by thousands of men who wanted no part in this war. Meanwhile, every single warrior fighting behind Jin Gyu and Nangyang was a volunteer willing to die to build a new world. That difference in morale alone set them apart.

On top of that, the Jin Family and the Hainan Sect had years of real combat experience from their countless battles against the pirates.

And above all else.

CRUNCH!

SLASH!

There simply wasn't a single warrior on the government's side capable of standing against the Black Staff Martial King Jin Gyu and the Water-Severing Sword Immortal Nangyang.

After winning the battle against the force of over ten thousand government troops, they sent the surrendered conscripts back to their hometowns or absorbed those who wished to join their cause.

With their army larger than ever, they finally crossed the borders of Guangdong and marched into Guangxi Province. 

Government offices burned along every path they took, and the martial artists and like-minded people remaining in each county joined the uprising, swelling their numbers further with each passing day.

For months, the inferno known as the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult had been burning the Central Plains.

This was the moment when the sparks thrown in all directions by that unquenchable inferno finally began to ignite into new fires all across the land.

Fires that bore the name of rebellion.

***

"R-rebellion?! Are you out of your mind?! What kind of bullshit are you spouting?!"

In response to the Southern Military Commander's denial of reality, the messenger quickly answered.

"I-it's true, sir! Every soldier sent to Guangdong Province has already been killed, and the ones sent to Guangxi Province were defeated as well. Only a handful managed to escape and bring back word! They say the rebels are continuing to push west, and their numbers keep growing!"

West of Guangxi lay Yunnan, and heading north from Yunnan would lead directly to Dechang in Sichuan Province, where they were currently encamped.

With a massive rebel army bearing down on them from the south, and the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's impenetrable defenses blocking them to the north, it was no exaggeration that a hopeless situation with no way forward and no way back had come to reality.

The Southern Military Command Commander's face went from pale white to a sickly shade of yellow.

Standing quietly in the corner of the command tent, the Sect Leader of the Diancang Sect squeezed his eyes shut in despair.

'O Heavenly Lord of Primordial Beginning, have mercy...’

It was only then that the Sect Leader of the Dianchang Sect finally understood.

That he had bet everything on a sinking ship.