Under One Person: The Sea Emperor Who Shattered Heaven and Earth

Ma Ben and Fang Dongtian, who were standing to the side, were dumbfounded.

"Uncle-Master... how do you know so much about the details of the Bihe Mountain Ninja Clan?" Fang Dongtian swallowed hard, his eyes filled with disbelief. Even an intelligence-focused organization would probably have to sacrifice dozens of lives to obtain this information.

Jiang Zhen kept writing with his pen, casually making things up: "Our canal gang has informants all over the world. After hearing about some things a lot, we can figure them out naturally by analyzing them."

Bai Fu, standing to the side, sighed in bewilderment, "How come I didn't know?"

After finishing the last sheet of paper, Jiang Zhen suddenly looked up at Bai Fu: "Master Bai, immediately send people to send this information to all the sects and families we can contact. Make sure it reaches the group that is preparing to ambush us!"

Bai Fu looked troubled and said with a wry smile, "Chief, this...this is difficult. With the current chaos of war, these ancient sects and families usually hide deep in the mountains and forests. Which one of them would have a telegraph machine? Our entire canal guild only has a few foreign gadgets in Shanghai and a few major branches. Who should we send them to? How should we send them?"

Jiang Zhen was taken aback, then inwardly cursed himself for being stuck in the communication mindset of later generations. In this era, the transmission of information still mainly relied on fast horses, carrier pigeons, and walking.

"Never mind, just send it. Whoever can receive it will receive it. I'll expose these bedbugs to the light of day!"

Jiang Zhen then looked at Fang Dongtian with a solemn expression: "Brother Dongtian, please set off first and make the trip to deliver the intelligence. I will gather my men and set off immediately."

Although Fang Dongtian was puzzled by the source of Jiang Zhen's intelligence, he knew that Jiang Zhen would never joke about such a thing. He immediately clasped his hands in a serious manner and said, "Uncle, rest assured, even if I have to run until my legs break, I will make sure to deliver the information to them before the war begins!"

After saying that, Fang Dongtian took the stack of papers that still smelled of ink, his body radiated a refreshing aura, and his figure transformed into a moon-white afterimage, instantly disappearing into the back hall.

After seeing Fang Dongtian off, Jiang Zhen turned to look at Ma Benzai.

"Brother Benzai, we originally wanted you to rest after your long journey, but it seems that God is not giving us time."

Jiang Zhen pointed to the heavily guarded iron warehouse in the backyard, his eyes blazing: "You can use whatever you want in the warehouse—black iron, mithril, gunpowder, even the fine steel stolen from the Japanese! I'll give you a hundred of the most obedient and steady blacksmith brothers."

As Ma Ben looked at the key to unlock the treasure vault, the weariness in his eyes vanished, replaced by an almost frenzied creative urge.

"Brother Jiang, don't worry! As long as there are enough materials, I, Ma Benzai, will stay up all night to show those Japanese devils what 'Chinese Divine Machine' really means!"

After assigning tasks, Jiang Zhen finally turned his gaze to Bai Fu. In that instant, his gentle aura vanished, replaced by a terrifying killing intent that seemed to have emerged from a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood, enough to freeze the river itself.

"Master Bai."

"Yes, Chief!" Bai Fu trembled and instinctively straightened his back.

"Notify Fifth Master and Zhao Yuan. From now on, all branches of the Canal Gang shall be on high alert and provide support to the north."

"Also, gather all those skilled and elite fighters sent from various branches immediately. They've been nurtured for so many days; it's time to draw them out and draw blood."

Jiang Zhen then walked to the window, looked at the rolling dark clouds in the north, and said in a low and resolute voice: "The Hieiyama ninja... since you've come, none of you will leave alive."

Meanwhile, in the side hall of the Grand Canal Gang headquarters.

Master Feng was silently puffing on his cigarette, the three words "Chen Youliang" mentioned by Zhao Yuan like a thorn stuck in his heart.

He looked out the window at the canal gang members who were busy moving munitions and reinforcing fortifications, as well as the elite troops who were being urgently assembled by Jiang Zhen. Seeing the unprecedented fervor in their eyes, he didn't know whether to feel gratified or worried.

Jiang Zhen's prestige has reached its peak. The current Canal Gang is indeed like a sophisticated war machine. With just a thought from Jiang Zhen, it can crush everything in its path.

"Fifth Master, what are you thinking about?"

Zhao Yuan, who had somehow gotten close again, had a sickly excitement on his face. "Look, the gang leader just ordered that all the good stuff in the warehouse be taken out to make weapons for that guy at the Heavenly Craft Hall. Now he's even personally leading a team north. Tsk tsk, this is going to be a head-on confrontation with the Japanese. Our gang leader is truly a god among men."

Master Feng gave him a cold look: "Zhao Yuan, put away your little schemes. The gang leader is fighting the Japanese and for the people of this land. Don't think about things that way."

"Yes, yes, Fifth Master is right." Zhao Yuan chuckled, but the shrewd glint in his eyes betrayed him.

He had spent his entire life navigating the complexities of the underworld, witnessing countless grand buildings rise and fall, only to crumble in the end. But in his view, some people's buildings were destined not to collapse, but rather to grow ever taller, reaching the very heavens.

"I just feel that in this chaotic world, to be able to follow such a gang leader, even if one dies, it would be a worthwhile death, enough to bring blessings to one's descendants. Don't you think so?"

Master Feng ignored him, only looking north, where Jiang Zhen was about to step onto the battlefield.

……

Meanwhile, in the northern mountains, Lü Ren was leading a group of young superhumans, hiding in the surrounding area to gather information about the Hieisan ninja, in preparation for a subsequent ambush.

Little did they know that an inconspicuous old man several miles away was slowly opening his eyes.

An invisible, subtle ripple was spreading silently through the air, centered on that person.

Chapter 40 The Ninja of Mount Hiei

The mountains and forests of the north are completely different from the water towns of the south.

Deep in the dense forest, on a craggy boulder, sat an utterly ordinary figure.

He huddled in his gray long gown, leaning on an ordinary wooden cane, head bowed, letting the cold wind tousle his gray hair.

This man is none other than Ono Noriyoshi, the current leader of the Hieiyama ninja clan.

Beside him, a dozen ninjas were scattered like ghosts among the shadows of trees and bushes. Close behind him were two stern-faced samurai with long swords at their waists, standing on either side like two iron towers, their auras terrifyingly calm.

These two men were Sakon and Ukon, the ninja leader's close bodyguards.

Ono Noriyoshi, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly turned his head slightly.

His movements were extremely light, as if he were merely listening to the sound of a breeze. But in that instant, an invisible, unseen wave of energy rapidly spread outwards in a ring from him.

At this moment, the air, the soil, and even the faint energy floating between heaven and earth all became extensions of Noriyoshi Ono's nerves.

"What's wrong, Ono-sensei?" Sakon noticed a very subtle change in Shinobu's breathing rate and asked in a deep voice.

Ono Noriyoshi slowly raised his head, his cloudy eyes revealing no emotion, his voice hoarse: "This land... is truly extraordinary. Even in such desolate mountains and forests, there are such perceptive young people trying to spy on our whereabouts."

Upon hearing this, the dozen or so ninjas scattered among the trees tensed up, their killing intent instantly spreading out.

"Which direction?" Ukon's hand was already gripping the long samurai sword. "Should we send someone to get rid of these little rats?"

Ono Noriyoshi shook his head slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips: "It's alright, it's just a small team responsible for gathering intelligence. They were very cautious and didn't approach rashly. It seems our arrival has already alerted the master of this land."

"Hmph, a bunch of cowards, not even daring to show their heads."

Under a large tree nearby, a man carrying a long sword let out a disdainful sneer. He raised his head, revealing a face full of madness, and the long sword at his waist, emanating an ominous black aura, seemed to sense its master's killing intent, emitting a faint hum.

"Who cares who they are? Hirumaru has been thirsting for them for a long time, as long as they dare to come and die." Nikaido Eita licked his lips, his eyes full of madness. "Ono-sensei, give the order. Just kill all the little rats around here, right?"

"Quiet down, Eita." Ono Noriyoshi's tone was calm, yet carried an inexplicable pressure. "This is not home. The enemy we are facing will not keep you bored."

"What we are about to face is the true wrath of the land's owners."

After saying that, the old man raised his wooden cane and casually tapped it lightly on the ground beneath him.

An invisible yet powerful shockwave spread out instantly along the soil.

……

Two miles away, behind a hidden pile of rocks.

Lu Ren closed his eyes tightly and pressed his right hand firmly against the ground.

He was using the Lü family's unique skill, the Ruyi Jin.

At this moment, he transformed his Ruyi Jin into countless fine, thread-like strands of energy, spreading far and wide along the earth's veins. This method of perception was extremely subtle, like countless invisible hands reaching out in the darkness, groping within a radius of several miles.

Just now, he felt a slight "resistance".

"Is it over there..." Lu Ren thought to himself, preparing to further and more precisely perceive the other party's true strength and weakness.

Suddenly, Lü Ren's usually calm expression changed abruptly.

He felt a vast and strange fluctuation, like a huge transparent wall, sweeping wildly across the range of his Ruyi Jin perception.

"Well!"

"Brother Ren, what's wrong?" a member of the Lü family asked hurriedly.

Accompanying him were disciples of the Shangqing School and a young monk from Putuo Temple. Everyone looked at this leader of the younger generation.

Lu Ren frowned and said in a deep voice, "Found them... but before I could even see their faces clearly, they sensed my Ruyi Jin. They used some means to cancel out my Ruyi Jin's perception."

"I found the other person, and they should have found me too."

"So what do we do now?"

Lu Ren stood up, brushed the dirt off his hands, and decisively ordered, "Retreat first!"

"Brother Ren, are we just leaving like this?" One of the Lü family members who were accompanying them was somewhat unwilling.

"Their strength is unfathomable. In that brief contact just now, I sensed at least a dozen different auras, and we only have three or five people here. It wouldn't be wise to fight. Let's go back and report!"

An hour later, in a hidden base camp in the north—an abandoned ancient temple.

This place is where the northern resistance fighters, who are preparing to besiege the Hieiyama ninja, have gathered.

Representatives from the Shangqing School, the three Putuo Temples, the elites of the four schools, and several Taoist priests from Longhu Mountain with cold expressions all came.

Lü Ren strode into the main hall and recounted the events that had just transpired.

“The ninja from Mount Hiei have indeed arrived, numbering between fifteen and twenty.” Lu Ren took a sip of cold water and pointed to a mark on the simple map. “I tried to infiltrate with my Ruyi Force, but he easily blocked it.”

“Not only that, there is another person or thing,” Lü Ren added, “that gave me a very eerie feeling, and even made the Qi in my body feel a kind of instinctive disgust.”

“The other side is the Hiei-zan Ninja Clan from the East. Their methods are completely different from ours,” the Shangqing Sect member pondered.

"Is that so-called ninja leader here?"

Lu Ren sat by the fire, his face grim. "I don't know, but they should all be elites, and there's a high chance they're among them."

At this moment, Jiang Zhen's telegram was still being passed through organizations in various places that had telegrams. It could not overcome the many limitations of reality to reach the sects in the deep mountains and forests, let alone Lu Ren and his group.

Fang Dongtian is still on his way.

……

"Gentlemen," Lü Ren said calmly and composedly as he stood before the map, "the current situation is quite clear."

“That’s right. They’re heading north to make contact with the Japanese military in the north. Once they enter the core area of ​​the enemy-occupied territory, with the army providing cover, we’ll have no chance at all,” a monk from Putuo Temple murmured.

Lu Ren stared at the map, the terrain that they had spent several days familiarizing themselves with.

“Therefore, we have limited time.” Lu Ren held up five fingers. “At most five days! Within these five days, we must mobilize all our informants to take turns spying and make sure that the ninja leader is inside.”

"Does Young Master Lü mean to kill the ninja leader first?"

“Yes.” Lü Ren said in a deep voice, “If we still can’t find an opportunity to behead them in five days, or if the leader isn’t here… then we can’t care about anything else. Even if it costs us our lives, we must bury these vermin in these mountains before they reach the north!”

"Kill as many as you can!"

"Alright! We'll listen to Young Master Lü!"

"Five days, everyone give it your all!"

Inside the main hall, the crowd was filled with righteous indignation and a palpable sense of murderous intent.