Yi the bastard came back from the forest. "He's dead." His hand was dripping with blood. He was a portrait of brutal violence. Yi the bastard was pretty young yet he was jaded when it came to blood. He wiped the sweat of his burrows to his sleeves, then, he crouched over a pot of tainted water. One of the warriors helped him wash his hand clean of blood. It had soaked into the cracks on the back of his hands. He scrubbed and scrubbed. Soon the blood was gone.
"The scum had gambling debt. he decided to sell us out to the Demon sect. Other than that, he knows nothing. A lowly grunt in the grand scheme of things."
Mr.Wan walked to a bag and picked something up.
He also picked up a hammer. He walked towards the nearest tree and stabbed the thing on a tree. Then dug it inside with the hammer. From the tip of the object, he stabbed into the tree, trickling some water with a green hue. Mr. Wan yelled, "Anybody thirsty?" Thanks to Mr.Wan dehydration crisis was averted.
Yi said: "Let's not relax" He sighed, "For all, we know the forest is crawling with them. Feng, I'm pulling you from active conflicts you will only spend your spiritual qi to divine things."
Mr.Wan added: "Our destination is 2 days away while the way back is 4 days away. We better aim for our destination." Wang Feng divined, then nodded. The caravan traveled half a day's road in a day. Demon Sect members that were stalking the caravan made use of the monster lures very often. Caravan had to circumvent the lure trap by going off-road each time that happened. It would be not easy on the wheels if this was still earth but the Wagon was made of special material. It was far more resistant to wear and tear.
Seeing that monster lure ambush and dehydration tactic didn't work, They switched tactics. They crushed a communication jade and called reinforcements. Population wise Demon Sects were many times bigger. As such one of the most effective Demon Sect tactics was the human wave tactics. All the Demon Sect forces stationed in the forest were now after us.
Demon Sect often accepted low-grade spiritual roots having practitioners for the sole purpose of converting them to sacrificial pawns. A legitimate sect would only hire the average and above. The reason was that low-grade spiritual roots were a waste of resources and had no realistic chance to grow into a powerhouse. they would spend their lifespan before they pass the middle-grade foundation establishment stage. Such grunts littered the world map and acted as highwaymen to fuel the finances of the Demon Sect.
"Danger." Wang Feng exclaimed. "7 people, from that direction.". Fang Xuiying immediately darted to the spot. As a cultivator who focused on maximizing her kinetic force output, she was the best choice to use during attrition warfare. Her lean muscles beautifully came together to position themselves. With a sudden twitch, an immense force was transferred from her body to the tip of her steel staff. The unfortunate enemy has been blasted apart. Wheezing, he fell to the ground, mangled, twitching. A terror gripped the remaining Demon Sect members. She darted towards the one who was frozen in fear and broke his skull. She caught the woman who was about to flee. She wielded her like a sword and slammed the Demon Sect girl against a tree. The female demon's back was broken. Fang Xuiying caught the demon woman by the throat and folded the demon girl in two the wrong way. Needless to say, the demon woman was heaving and crying her last breath. Dark-colored blood stained her teeth.
When Fang Xuiying got back to camp she said "Four of them escaped. "Yi smiled "No matter, let them tell the tale of what happened here."
This was a common tactic used in war. Psychological warfare could win a war without pulling a sword. Forty-five Demon Sect members died trying to rob this particular caravan.
The real danger was when the caravan neared its destination. Amongst the Demon Sect members, high-level cultivation hasn't shown up yet. Likely, they were trying to lure the cultivators in the caravan to spend energy. All in all, it was a solid strategy except, Mr.Wan crushed a communication jade of his own and asked for reinforcements.
A squad riding on discs showed up, Reigning fire from above the forest. roasting the late-stage foundation establishment Demon disciple to a crisp. The rest of the way was relatively safe. An animal or two showed up, but they were nothing much.
Wang Feng approached Yi, Yi said "You don't have to say it, Some thing is fishy here."
Why would Demon Sect attack a shipment of low-level spiritual peaches so intently?
Wang Feng answered "This matter involves a probability explosion element like dice or something like that. It's something so complex that divining it is beyond my current maximum Qi reserves."
Yi nodded."Doesn't matter, we will handle things as they come."
Wang Feng was lost in thought for a minute. He turned to Yi and said: "Let me touch the merchandise, maybe we were carrying something else than just spiritual peaches.
He inspected the goods with Mr.Wan's permission. There was nothing. Which made events more interesting. Wang Feng then checked the people. There was nothing special about anybody.
They finally arrived at The proper Zhengsheng sect territory. Mr.Wan delivered the goods. While delivering the goods, Wang Feng divined the relations the building had to other places. It was firmly connected to Zhangsheng Sect but only sparsely connected to clans.
This building was Zhangsheng Sect's attempt to circumvent the Clan's economical stranglehold. Wang Feng consumed another spiritual stone. There were sparse connections between Zhangsheng Sect and clans. By the looks of it, the Zhangsheng sect didn't recruit from the clans. That turned Zhangsheng Sect into a competitor to wealth. Clans had no stake in Zhangsheng Sect.
Wang Feng explained the situation to Yi and Mr.Wan. They understood that they were in danger. The entirety of the escorting party was in danger.
Clans were trying to undermine the legitimacy of the sect-backed businesses. And Wang Feng and his friends symbolized a legitimate and complete transaction. Clans fed the starving demon cultivators to sabotage the supply lines that lead inside and outside of the sect. That way, the sect would either starve or bend the knee to the clans. A most delightful ultimatum for clans.
At that moment someone bumped into Wu Qiao.
"Watch where you going you little bitch! How dare you dirty the robe of this young master Kang Bojing!" *Smack* And a crying voice could be heard.
Wu Qiao was crying. "He....sniff!...He is the one who bumped into me!".A slap was both an attack and an insult. What Kang Wojing did was an ultimatum. Either shrink back and make the Zhangsheng sect and Shaushan sect look bad or attack and legitimize a retaliation from the clans.
Before Wu Qiao's martial sister turned Kang Wojing into meat paste, Wang Feng interfered. He first pulled Wu Qiao out of the situation. Then he bellowed:
"Hear me everybody Look! Kang clan treats everybody that is not from a clan with contempt! Folks, do you enjoy getting humiliated? Do you enjoy the feeling of begging while what you are doing is a legitimate business!"
Everyone was in deep thought. They remembered the disdainful looks they got from clan members and nepotistic clan practices. As long as clans stay standing they will never be able to rise in this land. A thick resentment grips their eyes.
"You will never rise as long as clans stay standing! Many of you would be rich if not for clans! Folks hear me! Don't buy from clans! Buy from the sect instead!" Kang Bojing was dumbfounded. Now the entire inn was against him. Giving him the stink eye. Kang clan's reputation was being dragged thru the mud.
He panicked. The tables have been turned. He pointed at Wang Feng.
"How dare you! Where did you find the courage to insult the Kang clan with your cur mouth? I challenge you!"
Yi the bastard couldn't stop smiling. "Oh look, the shameless bastard from Kang clan challenges a little boy to a duel! As a man, I will take you on! "
Wang Feng leaned in:
"Why didn't you let me fight?"
Yi chuckled. "You fight like a monkey. This is also a fight for reputation, There is no point if you don't pose in a galavant way while fighting."
There was an open space nearby. Two young men went there and stood against each other. The crowd stood sufficiently away. It was not unheard of that a rouge qi blast to kill somebody.
Kang Bojing was bitter. He tried to suppress the outsiders yet he was politically outmaneuvered. Yi the bastard was, on the other hand, as happy as a sweet summer child.
With the sound of the impromptu gong, two men leaped at each other.