Chapter 64

Xiaowu stood at the entrance of the classroom, took a deep breath, and firmly held the envelope containing the secret letter from his mother.

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"Lord Ta, we have almost distributed the invitations to the martial arts competition throughout the Central Plains."

"Throughout the Central Plains? I doubt we have that many people left to spare."

"Well, we commissioned the task. Among the current martial arts sects, which one has the most members? It would be the Beggar Sect, right? We asked them to post the invitations. Since the martial arts competition has nothing to do with the Beggar Sect, they readily accepted the commission. It cost a bit of money, but it was cheaper than running around ourselves."

"But the Beggar Sect is one of the nine major sects. It feels a bit unsettling that they accepted the commission so readily."

"Hehe, they probably saw this as an opportunity to infiltrate spies here. In fact, they know very well that it's almost impossible to recruit high-level experts this way."

"True, how many do you plan to recruit?"

"About 3,000."

"3,000? That will cost a lot of money..."

"Thanks to our recent business success, we have the resources. The location is not far from Chongqing, making it ideal for business. We are also steadily absorbing the forces of the Luoyang headquarters. From the reports I've received, the companies in Luoyang are quite valuable. Fang Ta has managed them very well."

"I know Fang Ta's capabilities well, having worked under him. It's fortunate that the business is doing well. But how is the overall construction project progressing?"

"Yes, it's about 50% complete. It will be finished by the time of the martial arts competition. We have also absorbed five sects from the Evil Sects. Things are going so smoothly that I'm almost bewildered. Sometimes, I even feel a bit frightened by the power of the forces under your command. But I have one question for you, Lord Ta."

"What is it?"

"I've heard that the five major forces of the Demon Sect are the Heavenly Demon Blood Sword Team, the Asura Demon Slaying Team, the Thousand Wolves Team, the King of Hell Team, and the Purple Star Ten Thousand Demons Team. I've roughly gauged their strength by asking Yanwang's disciples and Tianli's lone wanderer, but it's hard to know exactly. Could you give me a more detailed account of their strength?"

"Hmm, most of what I know is hearsay, but if we use a direct confrontation with me as a benchmark, I can handle the Thousand Wolves Team, which consists of 1,000 members, on my own. However, the Asura Demon Slaying Team, with 500 members, would probably give me a hard time. And the Heavenly Demon Blood Sword Team, with 100 members, is such that I can't defeat them in a direct confrontation. I might be able to kill them all eventually if I keep attacking and retreating without getting caught in their encirclement..."

"Indeed, they are the elite of the Demon Sect. If they can handle a Transcendent expert..."

"Hahaha, but if they really want to kill me, it would be easier to deploy the Council of Elders. The elders have varying levels of skill, but if about 50 of them team up, they can certainly eliminate me. However, the Council of Elders is more about defense and maintains neutrality in internal power struggles. Even the Sect Leader can't do much about them. I trust that aspect..."

"Then how many high-level experts are in the Council of Elders?"

"Probably around 300. Most of them are old demons on the verge of death, so their numbers fluctuate."

"If the Council of Elders is for defense, who decides when and who to deploy them?"

"There's no specific person who decides. They move when the sect is in mortal danger. They're not the kind of beings who can be ordered around by just anyone. They have the right to enjoy a peaceful retirement after stepping down."

"Our opponent is extremely strong, and our forces are too few... The most regrettable thing is the lack of outstanding experts. While we are almost invincible with our current strength, the opponents we want to fight are among those few..."

"Hmm, that's why I've been thinking. If we recruit wandering experts who don't belong to any well-known sect, the possibility of them being spies is almost non-existent, right?"

"That's true."

"Then, find about 1,000 of those who have outstanding skills and tell me."

"But such people are unlikely to become subordinates."

"We can make a bet. We can have a martial arts competition, and the loser becomes a subordinate."

"Hehe, that sounds like a rather dubious plan. Who can defeat a Transcendent expert in a martial arts competition?"

"Hehehe, if they refuse, we can follow them and harass them until they give up and raise their hands in surrender."

"Understood. I'll compile the list as quickly as possible."

"Good work."

"Understood."

After Xue Wu left, Ma Hua cautiously spoke up.

"Lord Ta."

It was rare for Ma Hua to be so cautious, but Mo Xiang answered as usual.

"What is it?"

But Ma Hua, undeterred by Mo Xiang's brusqueness, slowly began to speak about what was on her mind.

"I heard that a bodyguard commission has come in this time."

"So?"

"It's... a very nice place."

"Where?"

"Have you heard of Songzhou?"

"Songzhou? I've heard of it. It's in Jiangsu Province. I haven't been there, but I've heard it's quite beautiful."

"It's a trip to Songzhou. Princess Zhenying is touring the area and visiting all the scenic spots."

Mo Xiang grumbled, displeased.

"What are the royals thinking...? The country is in chaos due to war, and yet she's thinking about sightseeing."

"Because of the chaotic situation, a bodyguard commission has come in. Can I go along?"

Only now did Mo Xiang realize her intention.

"Ah! I see why you're being so roundabout. Ma Hua, you've never been to Songzhou, right?"

"Yes, and I also want to see one of the Three Beauties. I want to know what makes her so famous. Of course, it's not out of jealousy."

"Well, I have nothing to do these days. How about we go together in secret?"

"Really?"

"Of course. We can leave a fake here. There's nothing for me to do here anyway."

The Great Song's elite imperial guards, 200 of them, were assigned to protect the massive group of tourists. Shi Jin, responsible for the outer guard, brought 50 elite experts from the Thousand Wolves Team of the Demon Sect, yet he was still uneasy. Everything was uncertain and difficult. Initially, he was to lead ten Thousand Wolves Team members on a leisurely tour, but the guard force suddenly increased to 50, making bandits and rebels no longer a concern. However, he felt more uneasy than when the plan was for ten members, due to the unexpected addition of two more people.

"Ah, my fate..."

Every day, he was anxious, wondering if something was wrong.

Princess Zhenying

Mo Xiang used every trick she knew to persuade the stubborn Xue Wu. Eventually, they agreed that Mo Xiang would take 40 guards, leaving three to protect the fake, allowing Mo Xiang and Ma Hua to leave together.

Mo Xiang and Ma Hua, dressed in black martial uniforms and carrying long swords, did not stand out. Ma Hua, the only woman, was slightly more noticeable. Mo Xiang, for the first time in her memory (excluding the Mongol campaign), carried a regular long sword instead of her usual Mo Hun Sword, which was left with the fake who was acting as her proxy. Since the Demon Sect's task was outer guard, they were stationed far away, which Mo Xiang found convenient as she didn't have to deal with the royal family directly.

Despite the initial plan to send only ten experts, nearly 50 were stationed on the outer perimeter, much to the delight of the Fourth Rank Commander Jin Zhen德, the leader of the imperial guards. However, there was one thing he couldn't understand. The Demon Sect's experts, led by their commander, were mostly stationed at the front, while the commander himself was at the back with only about ten of them. This concentration of force at the front seemed unnecessary to him.

The royal entourage caused chaos at every meal and lodging. With over 260 people, most restaurants and inns were too small to accommodate them. Moreover, they would drive out all the existing guests in the name of protecting the princess's safety.

Even skilled martial artists, who didn't want to conflict with the government, would reluctantly leave, let alone ordinary citizens. With everyone's "cooperation," the restaurants and inns would be empty, and the imperial guards would then bring the princess and her entourage inside, with about ten Demon Sect experts stationed outside and the rest joining them for meals and rest.

When they reached a large town, the princess's entourage would head to the government office under the pretense of not causing trouble. The officials there would sweat it out until the princess's group left the next day. Since the royal entourage's expenses were not covered by the palace, the officials would inevitably collect more taxes from the poor and powerless citizens after the princess left.

For about two weeks, the trip went smoothly. One day, they chose a large restaurant for lunch, and five imperial guards confidently entered. One of them was soon thrown out the window.

When Mo Xiang and her group entered, they saw four guards lying on the floor, and a middle-aged man, apparently a martial artist, standing in front of them with a sword at his waist, smirking. His smirk didn't last long, as over ten figures emitting demonic aura entered the restaurant.

Mo Xiang noticed that the restaurant was filled with quite skilled martial artists. The guards, who had no notable skills, had entered and demanded everyone leave, which must have annoyed the martial artists. The man had likely taken out his frustration on them.

Mo Xiang wanted to resolve the situation peacefully and immediately said,

"Ma Hua."

"Yes."

"Try to explain the situation and ask them to leave quietly."

Ma Hua, who had noticed Mo Xiang's recent changes, knew she now preferred to avoid trouble and solve problems with words rather than force. Though surprised, she followed Mo Xiang's instructions.

"Yes."

Ma Hua stepped forward, made a light bow, and said,

"We don't know why you're gathered here, but we are here to protect Princess Zhenying and her entourage. We would appreciate it if you could clear the area."

An elderly man on the other side asked,

"Are you experts from the Demon Sect?"

"Yes."

Murmurs spread among the crowd, and someone said,

"The Demon Sect has fallen. They're now working for the government as bodyguards..."

As soon as he said that, one of the experts behind Mo Xiang, emitting killing intent, stepped forward, but Mo Xiang stopped him. The conversation between Ma Hua and the man continued.

"Why are Demon Sect experts working for the royal family?"

"Of course, it's for money. The bodyguard business is quite profitable. We won't pursue the incident just now, so it would be best if you leave now."

"We are also well-known in the martial arts world. It's unreasonable to just ask us to leave. Besides, we don't really want to leave..."

"May I know your name?"

"I have no name worth mentioning, and I don't want to be pursued by the government, so I won't tell you."

Ma Hua, growing impatient with the uncooperative man, started to speak more harshly.

"If you can't even reveal your name, leave now. You should know that we are following Lord Ta's orders."

A figure in the crowd, seemingly angered by the young woman's boldness, responded,

"You're relying on the experts behind you..."

"Them..."

As Ma Hua reached for her sword and stepped forward, Mo Xiang smiled and stopped her.

"You're not a match for him. Step back."

As Ma Hua stepped back, Mo Xiang turned and said,

"It's unusual to find ten skilled experts in a remote village. Are you deliberately provoking me?"

"..."

The young man, surprised by Mo Xiang's words, was momentarily speechless. Mo Xiang continued,

"You seem to be from a righteous sect. Are you provoking us because we're from the Demon Sect, or are you targeting the princess's entourage? Based on your skills, you could easily defeat 200 imperial guards and kidnap the princess in no time."

"Who are you to say that?"

"Ho, you? You don't deserve to know who I am. If you leave now, we won't pursue you. But if you continue to provoke us, we'll have to eliminate you all. In fact, the amount we're paid by the royal family isn't enough to cover the cost of dealing with experts like you. What will you do?"

They exchanged glances and suddenly used their lightness skills to flee the restaurant. Given their skills, even if they all attacked at once, it would be difficult to gauge the outcome, especially with eight more formidable experts behind Mo Xiang. They had no choice but to flee.

After they left, Ma Hua, still shaken by the fear of the attack, asked Mo Xiang,

"Should we let them go? They seemed very formidable..."

Mo Xiang glanced at the unconscious imperial guards and slowly replied,

"We only need to protect the princess during this trip. If they kidnap her when we're not guarding, we can rescue her and earn even more money. In fact, rescuing her is more profitable than guarding. Rescuing one young woman from prison is no problem. If we kill them all here, who will kidnap the princess? So, it's better to let them live."

Mo Xiang instructed the experts behind her,

"Wake them up."

"Yes, Lord."

When the imperial guards awoke, Mo Xiang spoke to their leader,

"Highly skilled experts are targeting the princess's entourage. We chased them away, but we need to reassess the situation."

"..."

The leader, confused, asked,

"What do you mean?"

Mo Xiang explained in more detail,

"When we were commissioned to guard the outer perimeter, we were told to defend against bandits and other riffraff. But as you just saw, the opponents are highly skilled experts. They could easily wipe out the guards and kidnap the princess. We need to be prepared for such experts, so we should be paid extra."

"Who do you think is behind them? If they don't come back, you wouldn't make this suggestion."

"Based on our conversation, they are working for Zhen Tian Wang to kidnap the princess. They will likely return, and given their skills, we might suffer losses. As the saying goes, ten defenders can't match one thief. We need to be compensated for the additional risk."

"Hmm, you have a point. The initial contract didn't mention skilled martial artists targeting the princess. I'll discuss the amount with Commander Jin Zhen德, but how much do you want?"

"Given the increased risk, we need an additional 100 gold taels."

"That's too much. Let's make it 50 gold taels."

"90 taels."

"60 taels."

"80 taels."

"70 taels."

Mo Xiang firmly said,

"75 taels, no less."

"Fine, 75 taels."

"Now that the amount is settled, please inform Commander Jin and notify the innkeeper that the princess will arrive soon. I'll guard outside."

As the leader hurried into the kitchen, Mo Xiang relaxed her stern expression and smiled, stepping outside.

She had successfully extorted 75 gold taels. This was equivalent to 1,500 silver taels, enough for a family to live comfortably for a year on five silver taels. It was a significant amount as a side income.

'Indeed, the royal family has plenty of money...'

Wandering martial artists, no matter how skilled, couldn't match the elite Thousand Wolves Team of the Demon Sect. Even Ma Hua, a top expert in the Black Wind Team, would struggle against a group of martial arts fanatics who had trained for decades. At 30, Ma Hua was still young, but the gap in skill was significant.

While Mo Xiang and Ma Hua were busy with the tour and guard duty, a figure was waiting patiently on a tall tree. From his vantage point on a large tree on a hill, he could observe a distance of about 1.6 kilometers. Despite the distance, he remained focused, undisturbed by the surroundings.

He was watching a bundle placed in the backyard of a modest house. He had secretly placed it there an hour ago, in a visible spot, but the residents were busy and hadn't noticed it yet.

He didn't know how long he would have to wait, but he continued to wait for someone to come out and take the bundle. The contents were crucial and needed to be delivered to the residents. He was waiting to prevent anyone else from taking it.

As it approached noon, he took out a piece of dried meat and chewed it, lost in thought. He had started leaving bundles here after his fifth murder. He had fled here, evading his pursuers, and saw 'her' and 'her children.' She looked about 30, worn by life, and was caring for orphans with a middle-aged man, presumably her father. He was moved by her dedication.

Upon inquiring, he learned she was only 23, aged by her difficult circumstances. Caring for a few orphans was not a big deal for the wealthy, perhaps a form of self-comfort or entertainment.