Chapter 16
Name: Xue Banchuan (A well-known top tier strategist)
Age: 52
Skill: Seven Slashing Blades
Hidden Attribute: None
Cheng Dalei crouched in the bushes, witnessing the brutality of the future murder. The swift and decisive execution shocked Cheng Dalei who hurriedly employed the system to access the assailant's information. As expected, the opponent was a top-tier strategist.
Cheng Dalei knew, anyone who reached the top tier was not to be trifled with. Qin Man, an infamous top-tier mountain bandit, could fight against hundreds single-handedly. Yet, a top-tier strategist would obviously be much more terrifying than a top-tier swordsman.
Xue Banchuan suddenly glared in his direction, sending a chill down Cheng Dalei's spine. If he encountered such a formidable strategist now, he would surely meet a grisly end.
Suddenly, Xue Banchuan hopped off his horse, embracing the corpse of Han Xuanzhi with his hand pointed towards the road from where he had come.
"Return."
With one command, a hundred horses turned around, arriving in haste and departing just as quickly.
Only then, did Cheng Dalei stand up from the bushes, wiping off the beads of sweat on his forehead: It seemed that in this era there still existed formidable figures who were not at a loss for strategies like Xu Shenji.
Just as Cheng Dalei heaved a sigh of relief, he remembered something and stomped heavily on the ground, letting out a long sigh.
"My sword!"
Ding! You've completed the "Eleventh Mountain Fortress Defense", you've earned a chance to draw a reward. Would you like to draw now?
"Let's not draw it now. We'll do it once we return to the Mountain Fortress."
Cheng Dalei saddled his horse, gripping his huge ax. He appreciated that at least the system was fair, giving him a chance to draw a reward. Drawing a reward was like a gamble, and Cheng Dalei's luck... was rather bad recently.
...
Time: Night
Location: Black Stone City: The Lord's Mansion
On a terrifyingly large bed, there were two bodies as tender as white jade. They were of the same height, the same appearance and had the same enticing eyes.
These two were the most favored slaves of the Lord of Black Stone City. Now, they snuggled together, like lambs stripped of their wool, underneath an old obese body with hair as white as a frost and age spots on his face.
The bronze lamp holder was filled with lamp oil, illuminating the room as bright as day. On the big bed, the red blanket was in tumult, and seductive whispers echoed in the dimness.
"City Lord, City Lord..."
A pained cry broke out as Xue Banchuan barged in, cradling the corpse of Han Xuanzhi. He knelt down on the floor with a thud.
"City Lord... the Young Master, he's dead!"
"What!"
Han Huju exclaimed in surprise, jumping off the bed naked, and saw Xue Banchuan soaked in blood. The sword at his waist was still dripping blood, and his son's neck bore a fatal wound, his eyes wide open even in death.
Sweat dripped off his round face as his chubby body trembled with pain and rage.
Xue Banchuan lowered his head. Suddenly, a cold glint flashed in his eyes. He clenched his sword hilt and swiftly slashed upwards. With a swift flight, an open wound was slashed across Han Huju's belly. He stumbled backward, leaning against a big pillar in the room, looking at Xue Banchuan in disbelief.
"Was it you?"
"Yes, it was me!"
Xue Banchuan, now standing, gripped his sword tightly. At this moment, he stood tall, his expression hardened, and there was no sign of his previous careful demeanor.
"City Lord, you've held this position for too long. It's time for me to take over."
As soon as he finished speaking, his sword was slashing toward the city lord with a quick twist of his body. Han Huju, bared naked, staggered back until he crashed into a bronze lamp holder. He tumbled on the ground, scrambling to grab the lamp holder to block the incoming strike and shoved Xue Banchuan away.
"Why, why!" Han Huju gasped for breath, using the bronze lamp holder to prop himself up.
"City Lord... Chaos is about to break out... The Empire is losing its control... Countless heroes are restless, longing to seize power... Yet you remain indulged in pleasure and confinement of your wealth... If you do not seize the world, I will!"
With each word, Xue Banchuan unleashed a slash, the room filled with glittering sword light. The twins on the bed were already shivering with fear, who could ever thought that Xue Banchuan, the gentle and elegant counselor of Black Stone City, could wield such terrifying martial prowess.
"You wish to seize... you are not worthy..."
Han Huju waved the bronze lamp holder and rushed forward. His body was bare, his chubby flesh jiggled, but his movements were surprisingly fierce and ruthless. At this moment, he, as naked as he was looked like a furious wild boar.
In the mountain forests, there was the saying 'first the boar, then the tiger, and finally the bear'. Referring to him as a boar was not derogatory.
Thud!
The bronze lamp holder smashes into Xue Banchuan's chest. He stumbled back, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
"True to your name, Han Huju, who kept the Rong Clan at bay for seven days outside the city more than thirty years ago. You're as fierce as a tiger."
"I didn't need your approval. Did I have to go through all that to scare other people?" Han Huju glared at Xue Banchuan with contempt: "What the hell are you? If I hadn't lifted you up, you'd be chopping wood in the mountains. Just because you read a few books doesn't mean you can fight for the world. Even if the Empire can't keep the world to itself, it's not your turn to fight for it!"
Xue Banchuan clenched his jaw and held his sword hilt more tightly as Han Huju stood on his spot, still cursing.
"You're nothing but my watch dog and you can't even do that properly, yet you still dream of being your own master. Even if I think with my toes, I'm smarter than you. You're just a fool who thinks hard work can compensate for stupidity."
"Indeed, City Lord is extraordinarily talented, Banchuan admires you!"
"Quit your whining. I'm telling you, you don't have that talent. You can't handle the responsibilities of a city, let alone a country or the entire world. Even if you work yourself to death, these are not for you to take. In my lifetime, I've slept with more women than you've met, murdered more people than you can fill the moat with. Death, so what about death! And you, you will only be a fool who wallows in self-pity and works himself to death!"
"Kill!" Xue Banchuan's eyes turned bloodshot and he suddenly lunged forward with his sword.
"Come on!" Han Huju shouted back.
All of a sudden, the pair of beauties, who had been huddling on the bed, pounced like hunting leopards; one deadlocked his neck, the other wrapped around his thigh. Their hairpins cruelly stabbed into Han Huju's body.
Han Huju cried out in pain and shook his body to throw the two slave girls off. But by this time, Xue Banchuan's sword had already pierced his heart.
Han Huju's pupils suddenly widened, his body swaying before ultimately falling backwards.
Xue Banchuan knelt down, staring into his eyes, saying: "I know I'm not as good as the Lord, but I want to try. What if I manage to do something, like today?"
"Black, Black..."
Han Huju's mouth moved as he desperately tried to say something but it was not clear. Xue Banchuan furrowed his brows and put his ear next to Han Huju's lips, only to hear him say.
"Black... Stone City is the gateway to the Empire... don't, don't let the Rong Clan ... disrupt again... Great Wu Empire…"
Xue Banchuan paused, looking at Han Huju in bewilderment as he saw him tilt his head to the side, forever still.
Xue Banchuan stepped out of the room, holding the Tiger Talisman, ordering the soldiers within the city. That night, the city lord's mansion was reduced to ashes.