Wan Jian returns to his clan!

Chapter 170 Preparing for Defeat Before Victory: A Cornered Dog Will Jump Over the Wall

Mingxintang spent a sleepless night.

Lu Wubing was constantly on the move, fighting battles on three fronts at night.

Until dawn.

He not only crushed all the major forces in Dongjun, but also obtained a massive amount of resources, breaking through his sword intent to the [Yang Realm].

When swordsmanship reaches this level, it involves continuously enhancing and purifying one's mental strength, making one's will increasingly powerful.

Discussing the true meaning of martial arts without considering mental strength is meaningless.

Lu Wubing had been clearly aware of this problem for a long time.

If risking one's life to use the Yuanling Sword Technique to kill enemies and devour their spirits is to strengthen one's spiritual essence, then cultivating with medicines like the Purple Heart Pill is to forge oneself into steel through countless trials.

Spiritual power is something that cannot be seen or touched, but just like the blood and qi of the physical body, it not only needs to be improved in quality but also needs to be increased in quantity.

The stronger the soul, the stronger the spiritual power; the more concentrated the spirit, the more powerful the divine will.

Ultimately, it points to the idea that "where there's a will, there's a way."

Of course, for Lu Wubing at this point, such a realm is like a flower in a mirror or the moon's reflection in water—he can't even begin to grasp it.

Even if one only grasps a tiny bit of the basics, it will greatly benefit one's martial arts improvement.

That is why Lu Wubing spared no effort to take control of Donghai County.

The reason is simply because the terrain here is so important.

Donghai County itself does not produce any important resources.

However, this is the closest seaport to Mingyang.

Luojiang makes a bend here, and after going ashore and passing through a canyon, it leads to the flat Donghai County. Valuable goods such as spices, tea, and silk from the Central Plains mainly travel through this route and go directly to the sea.

Valuable goods from the north or west could be transported overseas or brought into Weijing via this route. Once this route is established, the Tianxing Sect will gain significant strategic depth, allowing them to launch a direct attack on Yongzhou and Jiangzhou, effectively blocking the southward advance of the Northern Zhou army.

If things become unmanageable, they can retreat to Dongjun or even sail out to sea.

As the saying goes, "prepare for a rainy day," which roughly means the same thing.

Don’t worry about winning, think about defeat first.

As the saying goes, "Those in a position should fulfill their responsibilities."

Now that he is the young master of the Tianxing Sect, so many of his disciples are following him to make a living.

We can't wait until disaster strikes and the sect really can't hold on, only for a few experts to slink away in disgrace, can we?
Currently, the Northern Zhou Demonic Sect is still slowly probing and has not launched a full-scale attack. After the army captured the three cities of Huling, it is also temporarily stationing its troops. After digesting this fat piece of meat, it is estimated that the great war between the North and the South will break out sooner or later.

The Tianxing Sect is located right in the second line of defense. What will become of them then?
Lu Wubing wasn't worried about not being able to retreat, but rather that a large force of Dongyi would land in Dongjun. If they joined forces with some traitors, they could launch a surprise attack from the rear and cut off his retreat, which would be a serious problem.

This is entirely possible.

The Tianxing Sect was besieged recently, and among the bandits, there were already Dongyi ronin masters, and some swordsmen from the Muyin and Guicang tribes had already infiltrated Mingyang.

This suggests that some important figures negotiated some terms with the Eastern Yi, whether it was lending them troops or simply letting them go; it's hard to say for sure.

Logically speaking, these matters should be the concern of the court officials, the garrison commanders, and the local generals.

But how to say it.

In Lu Wubing's view, it seemed as if the Great Li court was engaged in a fierce power struggle.

The emperor fought with his ministers, the military generals fought with the imperial family, and the princes' mansions in various regions all harbored their own ambitions.

Some people, unable to bear the oppression any longer, joined the rebels and raised the flag of rebellion. They were suppressed here, but new rebellions would spring up there.

In this situation, without being able to form a united force, facing the ferocious and fierce cavalry of the Northern Zhou, their chances are slim.

Faced with this situation.

There wasn't much Lu Wubing could do.

The only reliable way is to frantically improve one's own combat power and forcibly improve the strength of the other brothers in the Heavenly Star Sect as well.

At least, it has the ability to resist when things change.

There is even hope that one day, one can jump off the chessboard and gain the right to play chess.

……

Mingxintang went to great lengths to take stock of its harvest.

The governor's mansion also stayed open all night.

The guards and personal soldiers who came to gather information came and went like a revolving lantern, and the news they brought back made Governor Cui Ning's heart sink.

"It was true after all. He didn't lie to me. So many experts from the Zhu family, and five hundred soldiers from the Jinghai Division, were wiped out just like that..."

Governor Cui stared blankly, unable to understand how the declining Tianxing Sect could suddenly make a comeback.

Not only did they produce such a monstrous disciple, but the other disciples were all incredibly powerful in combat.

This is very unreasonable.

If you're really that strong, then say so!

How would I know you're so strong if you didn't tell me?

Thinking about this, Cui Ning felt a pang of regret.

Had he known this would happen, he wouldn't have openly or secretly joined forces with the Zhu family to completely annex Mingxintang.

After driving away the tiger in front, what came next was not a wolf, but a dragon.

How to do this?
Originally, although Cheng Lin and Wen Yuan, the couple from Mingxintang, wielded considerable power in Donghai County, they still respected the rules.

They held the government in high esteem.

We offer generous gifts during all four seasons and eight festivals, hoping they will give us leeway so we won't feel constrained when doing business.

To put it bluntly, Mingxintang was indeed a local power back then.

But this local tyrant was controllable; he not only paid taxes but also gave gifts, and on the surface, he even respected the governor as his leader.

While Mingxintang was making money, the governor's mansion was also raking in profits.

In fact, everyone was subjected to demands and bribes from all sides, and they all ended up with full bellies.

But what's that saying again?

Seeing you make money makes me feel worse than if I didn't.

In Governor Cui's eyes, you are just a nobody, a piece of trash, yet you earn the same as me, the governor. How can this be allowed?
Did I waste my time reading this book?

Ten years of hard study is one thing, but the key is that he comes from the Cui family of Qingyuan, a family of noble birth. How could he possibly be on equal footing with a nobody like you? That would be too shameful.

I really wouldn't feel right if I didn't get rid of him.

He would rather give his share to the eldest son of the Zhu family, who was also from a prominent family, or to a wandering barbarian from the East Sea, than let a nobody climb into his fold.

Yes, Cheng Lin and his wife were killed. Mingxintang was rendered ineffective, its morale collapsed, and this local power was almost completely swallowed up by various parties.

But to everyone's surprise, the departure of just one orphaned girl from the Cheng family attracted such a vicious dragon.

"Uncle Zhong..."

Thinking of Li Yuanzhong's tragic death, Cui Ning couldn't help but wipe away a few more tears, overwhelmed with grief.

Li Yuanzhong followed the old patriarch for thirty years, then the current patriarch for twenty years, and then came to Donghai County with me to take up a post, and another ten years passed.

Whenever he encountered any trouble, he would just hand it over to Zhongshu to handle, and he was guaranteed to handle it perfectly. As governor, Cui Ning could only enjoy himself every day and didn't have many worries on his mind.

It's one thing if he can get things done, but the most important thing is that Li Yuanzhong is the pillar of the Cui family in Dongjun. With him around, no matter which powerful force passes through Dongjun, they will have to treat the governor's mansion with utmost respect.

Even disregarding the imperial court's authority.

They also need to examine their own heads to see if they are tough enough to withstand the power of the [Divine Brush] strike.
How powerful and intimidating is a top-tier master of the highest order?

Just like Ouyang Zheng, the former leader of the Tianxing Sect.

With him on the mountain, practically no one dared to come knocking.

Without a master of innate talent, such a person is practically invincible; no matter how many enemies there are, they can sweep them all away.

However, a master like a master of innate skill is a big shot wherever he goes, and he has endless wealth and honor. Why would he have nothing better to do than run around everywhere?
Theoretically speaking, having one or two first-rank officials in a prefecture is already beyond the standard.

In most cities, a mere second-rank military officer is enough to stabilize the situation.

But Cui Ning never expected that the expert he was so confident in, who could stabilize the situation in Dongjun under any circumstances, would be so easily killed by a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy, as if slaughtering chickens and dogs.

This kind of fear is beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.

"I've found out. All 830 skilled members of the Moon Shadow Hall didn't escape; they were all slaughtered. Even the hall master, Chen Guangyuan, known as 'Unparalleled Blade,' died by Cheng Liangyu's sword..."

"how is this possible?"

A gasp of surprise rang out in the main hall of the Cui residence.

They waited anxiously for most of the night, and as dawn approached, the shouts of battle had long since ceased. Some of them were even struggling to stay awake, yawning and tears streaming down their faces. Little did they expect that after a long night, they would hear such horrific and devastating news.

Chen Guangyuan himself is not important; what matters is his skill, which is truly formidable. The reputation of "Unparalleled Blade" is not something shouted out, but something earned through battle.

Such a master was killed by Cheng Liangyu.

Who was Cheng Liangyu?
On that day, the county government issued a warrant for his capture at sea, but he was chased by some constables and forced to flee into the deep mountains.

Of course, with the assistance of experts from the Zhu family, this woman was ultimately not considered particularly powerful.

Let alone sending out figures like Li Yuanzhong or Mr. Lin San, any third-rank expert with a few men could easily chase her all over the place.

It hasn't been long, less than half a month.

He only made a trip to the Tianxing Sect to bring back reinforcements, and immediately became so fierce and imposing.

What exactly did she eat?
Upon hearing this news, Cui Ning didn't focus on Chen Guangyuan's death; instead, his mind was in turmoil as he paid attention to the reporter's words.

Of the 830 skilled fighters, not one escaped...

"Where are the people over there? Where is the big ship? Almost half of the people in Moon Shadow Hall are Eastern Barbarian swordsmen. How could they just let them be wiped out without taking action?"

"It's not that we didn't try, it's that we lost."

The family retainer who reported this also had a bitter look on his face. He swallowed hard and frowned as he said, "Mist Hidden Red Leaf died outside Heshan County, and the Blackwater bandit Gu Hengdao, along with his three hundred men, all died."

Wu Ying Qiu Shuang, standing before the Moon Shadow Hall, also had one arm severed. If it weren't for the fact that the Great Elder of the Broken Water Sect, Tian Xin Yi, had covered her retreat, she might have been killed by Lu Wu Bing as well.

"You mean Shinichi Nagata, that [Water-Splitting Wave-Chasing Blade]?"

Cui Ning's eyes lit up.

The reason why the Moon Shadow Hall was allowed to grow so powerful in Dongjun was not because they were unaware of the dangers involved, but because the Cui family had reached some agreements with Prince Gong.

The Dongyi people came from the sea, set foot on land, and marched westward; it was actually a transaction.

Cui Ning knew, of course, that the Dongyi forces in Dongjun, though openly commanded by Wuying Qiushuang, were actually under the command of the local authorities.

In fact, she also has a protector who commands a force to deal with any reclusive masters who suddenly appear.

This is the powerful figure used by the Dongyi to provide a safety net; with him in charge, the ports of the East China Sea can be kept open without obstruction.

Not only Cui Ning, but everyone in the Cui family knew that the so-called "Master of the Water-Severing Sect," Nagata Shinichi, was a master of innate skill, whose Water-Severing Blade Intent was incredibly powerful.

Let alone just sitting in charge of a branch, secretly infiltrating.

Even if they were to openly deploy their forces to attack a prefecture, it would be more than enough.

He dared not even imagine what had happened that such a powerful innate swordsmanship expert could not save Yueyingtang.

"Shinichi Nagata clashed head-on with Lu Wubing of the Southern Sword Sect, exchanging two sword strikes for one. Their divine wills clashed... The Broken Water Blade was outmaneuvered and died on the spot."

"Really dead?"

Cui Ning murmured.

"To have one's skull pierced by a sword is certain death."

The retainer who answered still had an expression of disbelief on his face.

But this news is true.

He visited several friends who were watching from the outside, but under the watchful eyes of everyone, he couldn't possibly leave without permission.

The verbal exchange and the entanglement of their energy before they made their move, as well as how they fought, were all clearly described; they couldn't have been made up.

Moreover, the sword marks and lingering sword intent in front of Moon Shadow Hall have not yet been repaired...

He changed his clothes and went to inspect the place himself. He was even more apprehensive about the deep ravine that had been cut by the water-splitting blade, which stretched for ten feet.

The sword energy dissipated, cutting through the air and landing on the ground, proving that the power of the Water-Severing Blade was indeed formidable and domineering.

But this also proves that he did indeed lose in the battle of divine will.

It wasn't just divine will that was lost, but also a life.

After his retainer explained the matter in detail, Governor Cui fell silent and remained speechless for a long time.

However, a young man in his early twenties wearing a jade crown said angrily, "What is this? Could it be that they really want to unify Dongjun? Father, if Mingxin Hall really gets the position of Commander of Jinghai Division, with experts in charge inside and a large army in hand outside, wouldn't our family be at their mercy?"

"Wenya, stop talking. They've already made it clear that they won't give him the position of Commander-in-Chief. What else can they do?"

Do you dare to lead troops to wipe out the members of Mingxintang?
"Leaving aside Lu Wubing's innate sword intent, just consider those dozens of swordsmen with first-grade combat strength... even if these two thousand people went up, they wouldn't be enough to kill them all."

As the eldest son, Cui Wenfang had cultivated a calm and composed temperament over the years. Even now, he remained clear-headed. He rebuked his third brother, saying in a deep voice, "Father, things cannot be forced. We are now outmatched, and no amount of scheming will be of any use. If we truly anger the Southern Sword, the events of Mingyang may repeat themselves..."

"The old stories of Mingyang, what old stories?"

Cui Ning's three long strands of beard trembled slightly as he came to his senses, looked at his eldest son, and remembered.

"You mean the death of Brother Zhao from Mingyang, and the destruction of his family? This is related to Lu Wubing... no, it really could be him."

Cui Ning slapped his thigh, fully waking up.

They had all heard about the murder of the prefect of Mingyang Prefecture.

Cui Ning and Prefect Zhao passed the imperial examination in the same year and became Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examination). They studied under the same teacher and often corresponded with each other.

The two sides don't live too far apart, so when giving gifts and cultivating relationships, they won't forget to give the other side as well.

He also knew that Prefect Zhao was shrewd and capable, and had a good reputation; he might be promoted to a higher position soon.

Upon receiving the news, Cui Ning sent a letter to congratulate him.

Unexpectedly, before the letter could be delivered, a mad swordsman appeared in Mingyang Prefecture.

Because of the mere family sword manual passed down in a small pharmacy, the young master of the Zhao family suffered a setback. Not only was he killed in the street, but his family was also implicated.

As parents, they have been through thick and thin, and to this day, the replacement official appointed by the imperial court has not yet taken office.

That case, naturally, could not be thoroughly investigated.

But based on the principle that whoever benefits is the murderer, it's easy to guess who was behind the Mingyang tragedy.
It's either the Heavenly Star Sect or the Golden Jade Hall...

I couldn't see it clearly at the time.

Looking back now, it all makes sense.

The pharmacy targeted by the Zhao family, Huichuntang, is none other than Lu Wubing's home.

"It was him, it must be him, there's no doubt about it..."

Cui Ning's eyes turned red, and his whole body trembled.

"He actually dared to kill an official? Had he been doing this for a long time? This..."

Threatening court officials was, in Cui Ning's view, an act of treason enough.

However, compared to actually executing the head of a prefecture, it seemed much milder.

In any case, this proves that in the eyes of the other party, the prestige of the imperial court was actually nothing.

The reason we don't kill is not because we're afraid to kill, but because we don't want to kill.

Governor Cui stared intently at his third son, a surge of anger rising within him, and a wicked thought creeping into his mind: "Wenya, were you just suggesting that we mobilize troops to besiege Mingxin Hall, fight the enemy to the death, and then wipe out our family as well?"

“Father, what difference is there between being so cowardly and being dead? The teacher was beheaded in court in the government office, and Jie Yuantong is also dead. What face do you have left to govern a region in Donghai County?”

Cui Wenya was like a newborn calf, unafraid of tigers.

At this moment, his blood boiled and he said hatefully, "Our family can't do anything to Mingxin Hall, but it's not just a matter for our family."

And then there's the Zhu family, and Xie Qinglong. Someone in their family died too; how could they possibly stand idly by? This matter only requires…”

"shut up!"

Snapped……

Cui Ning suddenly stood up and slapped Cui Wenya hard across the face.

"Let's not talk about this again. If we're outmatched, we have to admit defeat. Tomorrow, I'll invite Mr. Lu to my residence for a chat. No, I'll go to Mingxin Hall myself. As for the Jinghai Division's troops, if he wants them, then give them to him."

Having served as governor for so many years, in charge of civil and military affairs, Cui Ning would not have been able to hold his position if he lacked decisiveness.

He immediately stopped his three sons from spouting nonsense and ordered everyone to disperse.

When Cui Wenya entered the side room indignantly, Cui Ning secretly gave his eldest son a wink, and Cui Wenfang understood and went to the side room to comfort her.

Soon, several riders left the Cui residence.

Several yellow sparrows even flew out of the backyard...

Cui Wenya's suggestion wasn't impossible, but it couldn't be said in front of so many people. Some things had to be done, but not by him, the governor, personally.

……

(End of this chapter)