Free Web NovelSurges of flames and waves of ice finished sweeping through the fortress, dissipating into thin air. Bestial roars and the sounds of blades clashing could no longer be heard. An eerie silence fell over the battlefield as the aura of death spread everywhere.
Out of five thousand or so bandits, only a thousand were still alive. But even those who surrendered would not have good endings. Perhaps they would be beheaded at a later date once their individual crimes came to light. Maybe they could live but they would be sold off as slaves. For the so-called righteous cultivators, these bandits were the lowest of the low.
Therefore, Chen Wentian gave them another option. Fight for him, fight on behalf of his sacred daughter, and he would grant them mercy. All of them took the deal.
After tabulating the points from those killed, captured, and surrendered; the total came out to six thousand points. The extra thousand came from a handful of bandits at the first three lesser realms. It was not a bad start.
After Long Yifei said a few words of appreciation and encouragement to their forces, they set off towards the next bandit fortress, with the new bandit recruits bolstering their numbers.
“You’re more merciful than I expected,” Xuan Xina said.
They were flying at a leisurely pace toward the next fortress. Qiu Chuyi and Tie Buqun had gone ahead. Chen Wentian fully expected the shield there to be broken by the time he got there.
“Am I?” He smiled.
He thought of a few words to flirt with the prioress but then remembered that he was holding Long Yifei in his arms.
His playful smile softened into a polite one, “Does the Order prefer bloodthirsty and savage acolyte?”
“The Order prefers strong men,” She retorted.
“I can assure you, I am strong enough,” He replied.
He flew away quickly before she could respond. Long Yifei’s lips had already formed into a frown. Women were so difficult… so difficult to please!
He coughed and gave her waist a little squeeze, “We’re almost there.”
“Yes, master.”
Chen Wentian sighed inwardly. He decided not to think about it too hard and increased his speed.
They arrived at the next bandit fortress a short while later. The garrison had already surrendered, right after their protective shield fell. The tally came out to an additional four thousand bandits that joined their forces.
Although it was midday, Chen Wentian did not let anyone rest. Together, they marched towards the third fortress which lay about another one hundred kilometers to the north. These fortresses belonged to what was known as the Three Clouds Alliance. The first one belonged to the Blue Cloud Gang, the second belonged to the Green Cloud Gang, and the third belonged to the Red Cloud Gang. Each gang was ruled by a Spirit Lord Realm bandit. Together, the three immortals ruled over this area of the central region like warlords.
Chen Wentian smiled as he flew. He wanted to see how these bandits would respond.
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A thousand kilometers north of Snake River City, there was another city. Several times larger in size and population, it was situated on top of an impressive granite cliff that overlooked vast fertile plains as far as the eye could see. Behind it was an impassible mountain range that hid untold dangers. This was the base of the Three Clouds Alliance, Three Clouds City. Here, the response that Chen Wentian expected was already being prepared.
Bang!
A porcelain cup of wine smashed against the floor.
The person who threw it stood up in fury. His bald head was steaming from anger while his full beard actually caught fire.
“Damn it! They dare attack us like this? Are they tired of living?” He bellowed, spitting fire as he spoke.
“Brother Red, it’s just three fortresses and a few thousand men. Not a big deal. But if you destroy my tea room… that would be a true loss.”
The person who spoke was Immortal Blue Cloud Yun Haiqiao. He looked more like an elegant and refined noble than a bandit. It was the complete opposite of Immortal Red Cloud Yun Huoxiao.
“Old Red, why are you so noisy? You’re acting like you just lost your favorite concubine.” The third person who spoke was a woman.
Immortal Green Cloud Yun Duling was obviously old but her age was indeterminable. She had a full head of white hair but bright, energetic eyes. Her bearing was superior to even Yun Haiqiao.
These three were siblings, with the same father but different mothers. By some miracle, they all managed to become Spirit Lords, creating a bandit alliance that was far stronger and unified than others that had more immortals.
“Big Sis…” Yun Huoxiao’s fiery countenance disappeared and he seemed almost submissive, “How did you know?”
Yun Duling snorted, “Forget about her, as long as we get rid of the troublemaker, you’ll have a new concubine to play with.”
“How is the acolyte this time? Is his sacred daughter pretty? How can you just hand her over to Old Red without asking me first?” Yun Haiqiao asked.
They had fought such battles before with the Immortal Association and Virtuous Order. It wasn’t every year, but every few years, their territories would be attacked by one acolyte or another. Sometimes, they had to flee. Other times, if they were lucky, they could kill the acolyte and take the sacred daughter for themselves.
“Old Red, Old Blue,” Yun Duling smiled, her eyes narrowing dangerously, “The acolyte this time is a country bumpkin from the Eastern Sanmu Subcontinent named Immortal Blue Dragon Chen Wentian. He has two other Spirit Lords helping him, also from the subcontinent, and a mortal army of about seven or eight thousand.”
Yun Huoxiao laughed, “Subcontinent? Hahaha, the heavens have blessed us with fortune once again!”
Yun Haiqiao also looked excited, “And the sacred daughter?”
“My informants have identified her as Long Yifei. She is supposed to be somewhat of a talent and a great beauty. You two will have to fight each other for her.”
“Really?” Yun Haiqiao licked his lips, completely ruining his elegant image, “Beautiful enough to stir my interest?”
“Yes.” The old woman replied.
“Good!” Yun Haiqiao said.
“Very good!” Yun Huoxiao shouted as he destroyed his chair with a burst of flames.
“Let’s go!”
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