Chapter 5 Sneaking Up the Mountain

Whoa there!
Zhao Ze pulled on the reins, bringing his galloping horse to a halt.
"Young Commander, once we pass this canyon and cross the plain beyond, we will reach Yandang Mountain."
Gazing at the canyon ahead, Zhao Ze's expression was considerably better than it had been over the past few days.
Previously, he received reports almost daily about attacks on various outposts, leaving his mood persistently heavy. Now, however, they were nearing their destination. Once they safely crossed this stretch, the path ahead would open up into a vast expanse where a bird could fly freely through the high sky and a fish could leap in the boundless sea.
"This is their final opportunity."
Murong Xun sat astride his horse, staring into the deep, endlessly winding canyon ahead.
"This is First-Line Gorge, historically a vital battleground of paramount strategic importance. If one holds the exit of the canyon and deploys heavy forces on both flanks, the enemy has no way to break through. If that faction truly intends to make a move against us, this is undoubtedly the best place to do it."
Zhao Ze spoke in a low voice.
"That is why I have already sent scouts ahead to survey the situation."
"How long ago?"
Murong Xun asked abruptly.
"Nearly half an hour!"
Zhao Ze's face darkened.
"Something must have gone wrong. I will dispatch another scouting party!"
"There is no need. That would merely waste manpower and time."
Murong Xun shook his head.
"We shall go ourselves. Gather all the Innate-realm masters from our ranks and execute a decapitation strike. Regardless of whether the enemy possesses formidable fighters or sheer numbers, they will not be able to detain us if we choose to leave."
"That will never do!"
Zhao Ze shook his head violently.
"A young commander of your status, a man of priceless worth, does not sit near the edge of a collapsing hall. You must not take such risks."
"The fierce reputation of the martial underworld was never earned merely by standing idly by while others shed blood."
Murong Xun sneered.
"Besides, I have been meaning to test the sharpness of my blade. Say no more and carry out the order!"
"Understood!"
Seeing the firmness in his tone, Zhao Ze obediently set about gathering the men.
Though he had been indirectly rebuked, a deep sense of gratification swelled in his chest, making him feel that the head of the organization had a worthy successor.
What they longed for was a resolute leader. In the past, Murong Xun had displayed little more than exceptional martial talent. Because he seldom involved himself in administrative affairs, the others knew very little about him beyond his cold demeanor.
Their show of respect had been deference paid primarily to Qiu En, his master.
Men of the green forests were notoriously unruly and unyielding; if they did not respect you, even supreme martial prowess would only ever command reluctant compliance.
Yet along this journey, Murong Xun had gradually won their absolute allegiance through his own actions.
Taking the lead and putting himself on the front lines this time would ensure that everyone remained utterly devoted to him.
As the rightful heir whose temperament, conduct, and martial arts were all of the highest caliber, what possible reason could these men have not to support such a leader?
Zhao Ze acted with great swiftness, assembling six individuals, excluding himself. This meant that out of their party of some twenty people, an astonishing seven were Innate-realm masters.
This left Murong Xun momentarily speechless. He had previously imagined there would be at most three or four.
Considering how strenuously they had seemingly fought when encountering the Hungry Wolf Mercenary Group earlier, having this many Innate masters meant these people had been slacking off to an absurd degree.
Still, the stronger one's companions were, the better.
"I left two Innate masters behind in the main camp to guard against any unforeseen circumstances."
Zhao Ze was exceptionally thorough in his considerations, which explained why he was affectionately dubbed the Grand Steward within the Raging Dragon Sect.
"Uncle Zhao is most thorough."
Murong Xun nodded.
"Then let the eight of us ascend the mountain. We will split into two groups of four primarily to survey the situation. Should anything prove insurmountable, we shall retreat down the mountain immediately without entangling ourselves with the enemy."
"As long as the Young Commander does not fault me for acting on my own accord."
Zhao Ze rubbed the back of his neck.
"Uncle Zhao speaks too seriously."
Murong Xun shook his head. He cared nothing for such trivialities.
In his mind, completing the mission was the sole priority; everything else was entirely secondary.
Had he been a native born and bred in this world, he might have felt that Zhao Ze's initiative overstepped his bounds, but he was merely a transient traveler here!
Once the mission was fulfilled, he would leave this world behind entirely. As long as nothing obstructed his path, why should he care about anything else?
Had the position of Young Commander not spared him a mountain of troublesome complications, he would not have taken it on at all.
After properly arranging the subordinates of the Acquired realm, Murong Xun and Zhao Ze led three Innate masters each, scaling the cliffs on opposite sides of First-Line Gorge.
The entire canyon looked as though it had been cleaved right down the middle by a giant blade; it was deeply recessed, flanked by towering and precipitous cliffs.
However, since all of them were martial artists, these obstacles posed no real difficulty.
Ascending the mountain was primarily to confirm whether there were any enemy ambushes along the cliffs and whether safe passage could be guaranteed.
If they passed through unprepared and found their retreat cut off while enemies hurled boulders down from the rim of the precipice, even martial arts experts would find it impossible to withstand the onslaught.
Therefore, scouting ahead to clarify the situation was an absolute necessity.
Once the enemy's strength and numbers were verified, they could calmly decide whether to engage in battle or bypass the danger altogether by taking an alternate route.
First-Line Gorge lived up to its name. The cliffs on both sides were exceptionally steep, though fortunately none of the party were weaklings, making the feat of scaling sheer walls as easy as walking on level ground.
Meanwhile, atop the summit, a group of people sat around looking thoroughly bored.
"How much longer? We've been here ages and haven't even seen a ghost!"
A rugged man with a face full of bristling flesh complained with evident dissatisfaction.
"What is the rush?"
A handsome youth peered down into the canyon below through a telescope before turning his head.
"These are people from the Raging Dragon Sect, the overlords of the underworld. Did you really think this would be simple?"
"Of course I know it's not simple."
The rugged man dared not argue back.
"I'm just getting impatient!"
"Just wait properly!"
A woman in red in her early thirties twirled a short dagger between her fingers, casting a half-smiling glance at the rugged man.
"Or perhaps you have an objection to the Shadow Sovereign's orders?"
"Not at all, not at all!"
Hearing the name of the Shadow Sovereign, the rugged man instinctively shrank his neck. Even though the figure was not present, the fear arose purely from the depths of his heart.
This alone demonstrated just how overwhelming the sovereign's deterrence truly was.
While the three of them conversed, a group of soldiers sat together in small clusters nearby. Amidst their casual murmurs, their bodies remained poised and ready to snap into combat formation at a moment's notice.
After the rugged man invoked the name of the Shadow Sovereign, the handsome youth could not help issuing a sharp reprimand.
"Dapeng!"
"Ah!"
Knowing he had spoken out of turn, Dapeng dared not utter another word.
After exchanging a glance, the youth and the woman tacitly dropped the subject, never daring to bring up the Shadow Sovereign's name again.
"I heard the one leading the team this time is the young master of the Raging Dragon Sect, the personal disciple of the grand leader himself."
The woman smiled playfully.
"I wonder whose art—his Heartless Saber Technique or my Annihilation Six-Desolation Saber—will prove superior."
"Heh heh heh, Sister Xiao'ai's Annihilation Six-Desolation Saber is peerless in the heavens and unique upon the earth. How could some mere native ever compare to you?"
Dapeng hastened to flatter her.
"Cut the flattery, there's movement!"
The youth suddenly barked a warning and whipped out the long sword at his waist.
Hearing this, the other two did not hesitate. The woman sprang to her feet, slid her short blade into the scabbard strapped to her thigh, and drew the cicada-wing saber from her waist.
Dapeng was even more direct, grabbing the wolf-tooth club he had laid to the side. Merely standing there, he radiated a tremendous sense of oppression.
Seeing them stir, the soldiers on the other side likewise drew their weapons and surged to their feet.
"We've been spotted!"
Realizing their approach had been detected, Murong Xun, who had been stealthily advancing, abandoned all attempts at concealment.
"Kill!"
The moment the word left his lips, the other members of the Raging Dragon Sect leaped out and surged directly onto the mountaintop.
"Oh dear, Brother Fang, how did they manage to sneak right up on us?"
Dapeng's mouth remained as vicious as ever, seizing the moment to mock the handsome youth.
Fang Yi's expression turned unsightly. Indeed, he had never expected that while he was scanning the perimeter, the enemy would manage to close in silently without a sound.
Yet at that instant, there was no time for them to ponder further.
The three Raging Dragon Sect masters lunged forward, instantly entangling themselves with Fang Yi and his two companions.
Murong Xun, meanwhile, showed no courtesy, charging straight toward the ranks of ordinary soldiers.
This provided a perfect opportunity to farm some evolution values and returning-breath values for his Shadow of Slaughter.
Leaving aside his current capability, even previously, slaughtering a group of ordinary soldiers like cutting melons and vegetables would have been effortless for him.
Watching Murong Xun carry out a one-sided massacre on the other side, Fang Yi and his companions wore grim expressions. However, their opponents were all Innate masters and no weaker than themselves; pinned down like this, they had no way to offer support even if they wished to.
What they did not realize was that while they were ambushed here, a similar scene was playing out on the opposite ridge.
The entire First-Line Gorge spanned several dozen meters, a distance easily traversed by the sharp eyesight of martial artists.
It was only the dense canopy of trees atop the mountains that obscured the view between the two sides.
While Fang Yi's side matched their opponents in a balanced three-on-three player configuration backed by ordinary soldiers, the situation on Murong Xun's side was rather different.
Zhao Ze possessed a higher level of cultivation than Murong Xun's group.
As a veteran who had fought across the realm alongside Qiu En, Zhao Ze was known as the Grand Steward of the Raging Dragon Sect, boasting strength at the peak of the Innate realm—merely a hair's breadth away from the Grandmaster realm. Consequently, the battle on his side concluded much faster.
As for Murong Xun, he swiftly dispatched the ordinary soldiers before plunging directly into the melee.
What had started as a balanced three-on-three fair fight instantly changed the moment Murong Xun joined the fray.
Realizing the direness of their situation, Fang Yi and his companions felt their resolve waver.
Yet at that juncture, retreat was no longer something one could simply choose at will.