C26 The Attack of the Black Wind Ridge

Xiao Mengde shook his head with a sigh, "So you're intent on following Xiao Mengchang to hell? Honestly, I pity you. You're still being kept in the dark... Didn't that old coot give you a hint before he kicked the bucket?"

Without waiting for Xiao Qingsong to respond, he continued, "Such a tragedy... Haven't you noticed how that old coot treated you better than any of his other grandkids? Didn't anything strike you as odd?"

Xiao Qingsong scoffed, "Xiao Mengde, do you really think it's mature to stir up trouble between the living and the dead?"

Xiao Mengde retorted, "That old coot didn't show you the portrait he kept hidden under his bed? He thought he covered his tracks perfectly, but alas, the truth always has a way of coming out."

Seeing Xiao Qingsong close his eyes in disdain, he pressed on, "Look at the state you're in; do you think I'd lie to you? Your mother is certainly your mother, but your father... well, that's another story..."

Xiao Qingsong's eyes snapped open, glaring at Xiao Mengchang, his voice raspy, "What are you getting at?"

Xiao Mengde couldn't help but laugh again, "According to tradition, I should be calling you 'Seventh Brother,' and you should be addressing me as 'Big Brother.'"

Xiao Qingsong's pupils contracted sharply.

"That's right! That despicable man committed an atrocity—he raped his own daughter-in-law and then had the gall to parade around like a saint, doting on his grandson and living out his days in comfort. Oh, Qingsong, how can you be so naive? A second wife? The Xiao family from Nancheng? Hahahaha!" Xiao Mengde's laughter boomed, tears streaming down his face.

Just then, a servant rushed in with urgent news, "Master, the storeroom is ablaze!"

Xiao Mengde's smile vanished as he commanded sternly, "What's the panic for? Do you think a fire can take down the Xiao family?"

The servant replied, "Master, it's the eastern storeroom. The flames are too fierce; we can't get them under control. The Young Master is urging you to come quickly."

Xiao Mengde's face turned grave, "What?! Don't just stand there—get people to fight the fire, and call the soldiers to join in. We need to put it out now!"

The two figures vanished swiftly beyond the prison gate.

Shortly thereafter, two muffled groans echoed from outside.

With a creak, the door swung open again, and rapid footsteps drew near.

Xiao Qingsong, his gaze fixed on the ground, slowly lifted his head.

Lee Cha pulled down his mask, taking in the sight of Xiao Qingsong, battered beyond recognition, and inhaled sharply.

So merciless!

Despite being kin of the Xiao family, such brutality was meted out.

He and Gao Shuai quickly severed the ropes.

Xiao Qingsong's body sagged, nearly collapsing, but Lee Cha and Gao Shuai steadied him.

A sinister smile crept across Xiao Qingsong's lips, hidden beneath his disheveled hair.

Lee Cha and Gao Shuai were taken aback.

Had the beating addled his mind?

In a soft voice, Xiao Qingsong murmured, "Xiao Mengchang... Xiao Junjie... Hehehe..."

Their blood ran cold at the eerie laughter that followed.

A quarter of an hour later, the cell door was flung open once more, and Xiao Mengde rushed in. The sight of the deserted cell sent him crashing to the floor, his complexion ashen.

Xiao Junjie, startled, reached for him, "Father! What's happened?"

Xiao Mengde shook off his son's grasp and barked, "Quick! Find Chief Eunuch Zhang at once!"

...

Meanwhile, Lee Cha had arranged for Xiao Qingsong to be taken to a rural hideaway to heal, while he himself returned to Lee Mansion to strategize their next course of action.

The Xiao family from the Northern Kingdom had to be dealt with, or their alliance would be left with mere profits and no solidarity.

"It's time those old-timers were put to work. They can't just feast on the spoils; we need them to be useful."

Lee Cha turned to Gao Shuai, "Send word to the shareholders immediately. They are to convene at Lee Mansion in three days to deliberate on a matter of great importance. No matter their location, no matter the urgency of their affairs, they must send a representative who has the authority to speak on their behalf."

Gao Shuai inquired, "And if they don't show?"

Lee Cha responded coolly, "If they don't? I believe selling their shares to other shareholders at the original price would be quite appealing to them... And don't ask why. It's simple—they're all capitalists…"

Lee Cha began his cultivation practice, seated with his legs crossed.

Host: Lee Cha.

Fighting Power: 62.

Stage: Body Refining Stage.

Cultivation Technique: Azure Sky Art, Traceless...

He had acquired the Azure Sky Art, an internal cultivation technique, at a steep price.

Rumored to be a high-tier second-rate technique, it was capable of advancing practitioners to the later phases of the Acquired Stage.

Regrettably, even after two months, Lee Cha hadn't sensed the slightest hint of Qi.

The challenge of cultivating internal energy far exceeded his expectations.

During sparring sessions with Gao Shuai, Gao Shuai refrained from using his internal energy; if he had, Lee Cha wouldn't have lasted beyond three exchanges.

Such was the formidable advantage of possessing internal energy.

Though Gao Shuai was merely a third-tier expert in the Acquired Stage, he could easily overpower any External Family martial artist.

Gao Shuai explained that Lee Cha had bypassed the Qi Condensation phase due to his consumption of numerous Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.

His body was already at the pinnacle of physical cultivation. By opening his acupoints, he could step into the Acquired Stage.

"There are 720 acupoints in the human body, 108 of which are vital, and 36 are lethal."

"Ancient martial artists believed that unlocking the Ren and Du meridians could lead to becoming an unparalleled master. Modern medicine, however, has shown that while all meridians are open, most are too narrow to allow the flow of inner Qi."

"In the context of this era's beliefs, the Eight Extraordinary Meridians are the essence of internal energy."

"But with 113 acupoints within the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, the task is daunting for a novice like me. I should concentrate on the Ren and Du Meridians first and then methodically work on opening the others."

"To unlock the Ren and Du Meridians, one either needs a transcendent master to impart their knowledge or possess innate exceptional talent."

"Lacking both, I must explore alternative methods. Perhaps acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine, or even cupping could stimulate the acupoints..."

The following afternoon, Gao Shuai arrived to see him.

"The old timers assured they'd be punctual to the meeting."

Lee Cha nodded and inquired, "What about the item I sent you to find?"

Gao Shuai replied, "Saltpeter? Yes, I found it at the Liang family's store in town. But why do you need it? For alchemy?"

Lee Cha explained, "You wanted a solution for Black Wind Ridge, right? That stuff will come in handy."

Gao Shuai suggested, "In my opinion, we should just contact the official army and launch an attack, instead of resorting to these underhanded tactics."

Underhanded tactics?

Just wait until I scare the daylights out of you!

Lee Cha dismissed the comment, "Cut the chatter. Keep working on the secret tunnel; I'm heading into town."

...

In the dead of night, Gao Shuai's eyes snapped open.

A faint scream echoed from a distance.

He quickly donned his armor and grabbed his weapon before exiting his room.

The scream brought back memories of the tragedy that struck the Gao family six months earlier.

Looking up, he saw flames engulfing the neighboring Xiao Mansion.

The Lee Mansion's servants had noticed the anomaly, too. They pointed towards the Xiao residence, their faces etched with concern, fearing the fire might spread their way.

Gao Shuai quietly sent men to alert the authorities at Yingchang Prefecture and dispatched others to check on the Xiao Mansion.

More than ten minutes passed without the return of his scouts. Gao Shuai immediately armed all his servants.

It hadn't been long since he'd rescued Xiao Qingsong, and now the Xiao Mansion was under siege. What's more, Lee Cha had taken many hands with him that night.

Could it be the Xiao Mansion from the Northern Kingdom?

How could they be so audacious? He pondered in the shadows.

Suddenly, a multitude of glowing specks soared into the sky, then hurtled towards the Lee Mansion.

"Watch out for the rockets! Take cover!" Gao Shuai bellowed, diving for cover behind a hillock.

Seconds later, agonized cries filled the air.

Peering out, he saw at least five people struck by arrows, collapsing to the ground, while others scrambled for safety.

Run! Without a moment's hesitation, Gao Shuai realized the gravity of their situation. Judging by the volley of arrows, the attackers boasted at least fifty archers, which meant a total force of well over two hundred.

Two hundred adversaries were more than the Lee Mansion could handle, no matter who they were.

Gao Shuai raced for minutes until he reached the back door, only to discover the flickering of flames there too. Some servants who had attempted to escape lay in pools of blood.

The enemy was poised to breach the back door.

"Damn! There are too many of them..." Without a moment's hesitation, Gao Shuai spun on his heel and sprinted in a different direction.

But it was futile; adversaries were everywhere—front, back, left, and right. The Lee Mansion was utterly besieged.

Gao Shuai bellowed, "They want to annihilate us! We fight to the death!"

"Yes, to the death!"

"Take one down, we break even; two, and we're ahead!"

His rallying cry was echoed by the sharp-witted servants.

Amidst the cries and screams, the chaos within the Lee Mansion swiftly subsided.

Fear lingered in the servants' eyes, yet they instinctively tightened their grip on their weapons and huddled together, eyes fixed on the glow of the flames.

The assailants' footsteps approached, and the attackers encircling the mansion finally showed their faces.

Clad in an assortment of garments, each wielded a large machete, their eyes fierce, their intent murderous.

Bandits! The realization struck everyone simultaneously.

Not all were prepared to meet their end. Several faint-hearted servants dropped their weapons and fell to their knees, pleading.

"I surrender, I surrender!"

"Spare us, please? I surrender..."

Amidst the crowd, Gao Shuai's brow furrowed as an ominous premonition took hold.

A towering figure in a beast skin vest, standing eight feet tall with coiled arm muscles and a bristly beard, laughed heartily.

"Excellent! Black Wind Ridge only wants your master. The rest of you, abandon resistance, and your lives will be spared."

Black Wind Ridge?

Gao Shuai's pupils contracted. He slipped away from the crowd, melting into the shadows.

Several servants glanced suspiciously toward the rear of the crowd, searching for someone who was no longer there.

Concealed in the shadows, Gao Shuai drew a short crossbow, cocked it, took aim, and squeezed the trigger.

Buzz!

A muffled twang echoed as a crossbow bolt materialized before the man clad in beast skins.

With a stifled groan, he collapsed backward without a chance to scream, as the bandit beside him rushed to his aid, only to discover the bolt had pierced through the back of his skull, spilling a gruesome mix of red and white onto the ground.

"Damn it! They've killed our third in command! Wipe them out!"

"Attack!"

The bandits charged, brandishing their swords with fury.

The first to fall were those at the front of the crowd who had called for surrender.

With vicious swings, the bandits decapitated several, as blood gushed from the necks of the headless bodies.

Seizing the moment, Gao Shuai yelled, "They won't spare us! Fight for your lives!"

Inspired by the fallen, the remaining servants shook off their hesitation, gripping their weapons to fiercely engage the bandits in combat.

Gao Shuai didn't linger; he kept a watchful eye on the fray, picking off the bandit lieutenants with his crossbow.

Outside Lee Mansion, two men on horseback surveyed the fiery scene.

One, with a shiny bald head and a black eyepatch over his right eye, exuded a formidable presence, his large frame radiating raw power.

His companion, with long black hair secured in a silver-white topknot, had a gentle face and fair skin, resembling a delicate scholar.

"Chief Chi, do you truly intend to release Lee Mansion's servants?" the scholarly man inquired.

The one-eyed giant cracked a grin, his yellow teeth bared. "Hahaha, I said I'd release them, but I never specified when or where."

"I see. Chief Chi, you're quite the character. It's no wonder my Master often praises you as both courageous and cunning, a true hero of our lands."

The one-eyed man's laughter boomed, unsettling his horse enough to make it kick restlessly.

"Boss! The third in command's been shot dead by a crossbow bolt!" a bandit shouted, running from the gate.

The laughter from the one-eyed man ceased abruptly, his eyes bulging with rage. "What?! Kill them, kill every last one of them!"

"Yes!"

"The leader has commanded us to eliminate everyone at the Lee Mansion!" The bandit swiftly turned and made his way back to the estate.

At this, the jade-faced scholar found himself momentarily at a loss for words.