Beside a clear stream on Iron Chain Mountain, Teng Qingshan and Tian Dan were relaxing, drinking wine and eating meat.

"Tsk, tsk! This skewered meat really is delicious." Tian Dan tossed a piece into his mouth, chewed twice, swallowed it down, then took a swig of strong liquor, smacking his lips with satisfaction.

"This Hu Tong certainly knows how to manage people," Teng Qingshan chuckled. As a Centurion, his rations were indeed better, but certainly not to the extent of having specialty dishes. These were all specially ordered by Hu Tong from Huafeng City as gifts for them.

"We’re only halfway through our deployment here! It’ll be another month before we can return to Jiangning Command City. But when we get back, we’ll immediately be busy with the Centurion trials—the two worst in every precinct must be selected. Then, prepare for the June twelfth recruitment!" Tian Dan said cheerfully, "Brother Qingshan, you don't need to worry."

The Black Armored Army consisted of four precincts, and two centurions with the lowest combat strength had to be chosen from each.

"Old Brother Tian Dan, you're in our First Precinct, and your strength is decent. There are quite a few below you," Teng Qingshan began, then abruptly glanced into the distance. "Hey, look over there."

"Hm?" Tian Dan looked over, puzzled.

Through the dense, lush trees and flowering plants, a figure could vaguely be seen on the mountain path in the distance.

"Bai Qi?" Tian Dan exclaimed in surprise. "What is he doing coming down the mountain? Today is when those laborers descend... What business does a high-ranking Commander like him have coming down?" Tian Dan couldn't fathom it.

"It's somewhat unusual," Teng Qingshan frowned slightly, then immediately turned back to Tian Dan with a smile. "Old Brother Tian Dan, why don't we follow along and see what’s happening?"

"Alright, let's go." Tian Dan’s interest was piqued as well.

Each carrying their weapons, the two quietly trailed behind.

...

"My Lord!"

"My Lord!"

Bai Qi walked along the mountain path. The guards ascending or descending the path immediately bowed respectfully upon seeing him.

Bai Qi knitted his brow, staring intently at the figure of the middle-aged man some twenty zhang ahead. "With so many guards on this path, if I strike, I’ll likely be discovered by them, especially if I search that middle-aged man and find Purple Gold. If the surrounding guards see it and the news spreads, it will be disastrous."

Bai Qi suppressed his impatience and followed along. This mountain path was the busiest stretch.

Down at the base of the mountain, there was another contingent of guards specifically tasked with watching over and serving the warhorses. Guards frequently rotated shifts between the top and bottom of the mountain, delivering food and supplies, which is why guards were often seen on this path.

...

The middle-aged man, 'Old Third Li,' was descending the mountain along with the other laborers, appearing utterly unremarkable.

"Hey, Old Third Li? You worked straight for half a year; you must have quite a bit of pay saved up. Back home, your wife has surely prepared good food and wine, waiting to warm your bed for you."

"Me? If my wife were that considerate, I wouldn't have been so reluctant to leave home!" Old Third Li grunted, casually glancing behind him. The figure in the distance startled him. "This major figure from the Black Armored Army has been watching me for a while now; what is he following me for now?"

Guilt breeds suspicion. "No, impossible. He couldn't have discovered anything." Old Third Li couldn't figure out where he might have slipped up.

"Well, Boss Dong is waiting at the foot of the mountain. Once I meet Boss Dong, I’ll be fine. Once this great matter is settled, we can enjoy wealth for the rest of our lives!" Old Third Li fought down his anxiety, chatting casually with the laborers around him as he headed down.

Bai Qi watched the middle-aged man with cold detachment. In his eyes, such a crude fellow was easy prey. His current concern was only ensuring that the guards didn't witness him killing the man or finding the Purple Gold.

"You can live a little longer for now," Bai Qi followed him thus. He wasn't afraid of being detected.

Old Third Li and Bai Qi descended the mountain, one in front of the other.

And, of course, behind them both, Teng Qingshan and Tian Dan were secretly tracking them.

...

Bai Qi’s pupils constricted sharply: "We're at the foot of the mountain!" Instantly, Bai Qi quickened his pace. Just then, Li suddenly separated from the other laborers, turning sharply to the side, vanishing from Bai Qi’s sight. In just a few breaths, Bai Qi reached the base of the mountain. He immediately looked towards the main road.

"Boss Dong!" Old Third Li spotted the figure and the warhorses in the distance and immediately sprinted towards them.

"Backup?"

A ferocious expression crossed Bai Qi’s face. "You all die together then!" Only a few laborers were nearby; there were no guards. Moreover, the targets had warhorses for support. Bai Qi could no longer afford to hold back.

"Whoosh!" "Whoosh!"

Employing his Qinggong, Bai Qi approached Old Third Li like a gust of wind.

Old Third Li looked back, panic seizing him. "Boss Dong, help!" Simultaneously, he desperately pumped his legs, but the bag of Purple Gold tied to his right leg was too heavy; he simply couldn't run fast enough.

"Who goes there!" The tall, stout man, wielding a thick, black iron mace in one hand, roared furiously.

"Hmph."

Bai Qi sneered. What was his status that he should care about a minor thief on the side?

"Die then," Bai Qi smirked disdainfully, his long spear instantly thrusting towards Old Third Li. Old Third Li shrieked in terror, "Help!!!" But Dong Yan and the four others in the distance couldn't reach him in time. With a sickening thud, the spearhead pierced Old Third Li’s throat from behind.

Old Third Li’s eyes were wide open.

Originally... he was about to attain great fortune, but at the final moment, he died!

Dong Yan’s face darkened in the distance. He shouted, "Kill him!"

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The big man charged forward swiftly, wielding a pair of iron maces. The second stout man held a pair of large copper hammers. As for the silver-haired middle-aged man, he wielded a sharp sword and rushed over just as fast. Dong Yan himself trailed far behind, two throwing knives appearing in his hands.

"Hmph," Bai Qi kicked Old Third Li's corpse aside, then slashed his long spear across Old Third Li's right leg. The movement ripped open a layer of his trousers, vaguely revealing the cloth bag tied to Li’s calf. The bag was already tearing, and grains of crushed Purple Gold were beginning to emerge, their purple light absolutely captivating.

Bai Qi’s eyes instantly lit up.

"Thief!" The big man, who was running at the front, also saw the Purple Gold and roared in fury. The iron mace in his hand smashed down heavily.

"Let go!" Bai Qi sneered, whirling his long spear.

Whoosh!

"Clang!" The long spear collided with the iron mace. The big man’s right arm vibrated, and he was forced back three steps. Bai Qi also felt a numbness in his right hand and shot a surprised glance at the tall, stout man: "What astonishing strength!" With just that single exchange, Bai Qi determined the man was a first-rate martial artist!

"Big Brother, this one is tough!" The big man yelled.

"All of us, attack!" Dong Yan also rushed over.

The silver-haired man, holding his long sword, unleashed a flurry of sword shadows that enveloped the Commander Bai Qi.

Bai Qi’s face turned cold. He shook the spear shaft, and his long spear instantly danced into a shimmering circle of light. A series of metallic clashing sounds followed as he batted away the sword shadows. "Where did this master come from? Another first-rate martial artist!" Bai Qi grew increasingly anxious. He hadn't expected so many powerful experts to appear.

...

Teng Qingshan and Tian Dan hid in the grass, watching the scene. Due to the distance, they hadn't seen the Purple Gold.

"Qingshan, what should we do?" Tian Dan whispered.

"Old Brother Tian, why not watch this interesting spectacle a bit longer?" Teng Qingshan said lightly.

Tian Dan also nodded and smiled. "Bai Qi killed that laborer, and now he’s drawn out these several powerful experts. It seems this is no small matter. This mess is one he created himself, so let him solve it. It’s quite entertaining to see Bai Qi taking a beating."

Teng Qingshan observed the fight closely. "Indeed. Of those four, the one with the throwing knives has stayed on the periphery, unwilling to engage in close combat. Only those three are actually fighting. The two fat men have considerable strength, but their mace and mace techniques are mediocre. Only the silver-haired man can be considered a true expert, but he’s still quite a distance below Bai Qi."

"Right. The fat man with the dual hammers took a spear thrust. It looks like those three won't be able to overcome Bai Qi. What a pity. I was hoping to see Bai Qi look foolish and suffer a setback," Tian Dan lamented.

Bai Qi, having mastered the Nine Spears of the Rising Sun, was nearly comparable to Yue Song. When he sparred with Teng Qingshan, it was only because Teng Qingshan used fifty thousand jin of strength while employing the 'Following Like a Shadow' spear technique that Bai Qi was so thoroughly defeated. But Bai Qi's true strength remained formidable. How could he hold the position of Commander without some skill?

...

"Second Brother, retreat!" Dong Yan shouted urgently.

"Trying to run?" Bai Qi laughed wildly, shaking his spear. The Second Brother only saw a flash of light before his eyes, as blinding as the sun's rays.

"Whoosh!"

Dong Yan frantically hurled a throwing knife, aiming straight for Bai Qi. Bai Qi shook his long spear, deflecting the projectile, then thrust forward, thud, driving it directly into the Second Brother’s chest before yanking it out swiftly!

Splash!

Blood spurted. A terrifying large hole gaped in the Second Brother’s chest, blood pouring out. He looked towards Dong Yan in the distance, trying to say something, but finally, his head drooped, and he collapsed entirely.

"Second Brother!" Dong Yan’s face changed drastically.

"Little Brother!" The Big Brother went mad.

"A'Yan, you and Big Brother leave quickly!" the silver-haired middle-aged man commanded, a thin layer of white frost appearing on his face as his sword speed suddenly surged.

"No, I must avenge my little brother!" The Big Brother's eyes turned red; he was like a frenzied animal.

"Hahaha, fighting to the death?" Bai Qi laughed loudly. "None of you will leave here alive today!" Since mastering the Nine Spears of the Rising Sun, Bai Qi hadn't felt this exhilarated. He had been severely crushed by Teng Qingshan right after mastering it, which left him deeply resentful. Now, slaughtering these men was an immense release.

Slash!

The Big Brother's stomach was gashed by a spear thrust, blood welling up.

"Clang!" The silver-haired man blocked one spear thrust, simultaneously kicking the Big Brother, sending him flying.

"A'Yan, take Big Brother and flee!" the silver-haired man urged anxiously.

Dong Yan stared at the corpse of the Second Brother, his whole body trembling slightly, before turning his gaze to Bai Qi, his eyes faintly turning red. He said in a low voice, "Uncle, you take Big Brother and go!" With that, he actually charged towards Bai Qi. Dong Yan, who had stayed at a distance throwing knives from the start, suddenly closed the distance with terrifying speed!