Mage's Cultivation Journey 29

Once we reached Dongxi, the first thing I noticed was the smell, wafting toward our noses. The source of it was clear. The camp outside the city had grown, with refugees packed there, wearing threadbare clothes and haunted expressions, huddled around smoky fires while trying to cook whatever scraps they managed to get.

Their situation was bad, but what truly made it hopeless was the hundreds of guards patrolling around the camp, not allowing anyone to leave the camp as they wished.

“What’s going on with the refugees,” Su Mi asked, her voice sharper than I had ever heard her use. That level of indignation, I would have expected from Yu Xing, while she had always been the calmer party. Seeing her react to the refugees with such intensity was interesting, especially when everything pointed to a privileged childhood.

As for myself, while I pitied them, I wasn’t exactly in a situation to make them my biggest priority. Not only did my role not allow such displays, but I was also not exactly a hero.

Yu Xing frowned. “That wasn’t as bad before.”

Hun Chu responded. “After the rebellion of Duan Gang, the Liao family doesn’t want the city to suffer from a follow-up rebellion.” His voice told us just how little he thought of that decision.

Yu Xing looked at me, but I showed no reaction. Even if I wanted to discuss the state of refugees with him, a public road where we had been being watched by half a dozen parties was a poor conference spot. Instead, I examined the walls, and the gate we approached.

The line leading to the gate was long and split into multiple groups. Even without visiting the city, I could have guessed the entry procedures were new. Several sets of newly built wooden sheds, where the guards took turns to rest, were enough of an explanation.

Even more interesting was that sheds had been built in three different groups. The biggest one was filled with Liao family soldiers, while the other two had been occupied by Iron Mountain and Azure Blade members, glaring at each other intensely in a way that made me believe their cold conflict wouldn’t stay cold for long.

Just as we moved toward the Iron Mountain side, a group split from the Azure Blade side and walked toward us. Ten Muscle Refinement realm, led by two Skin Refinements. “Stop. You can’t enter the city without being searched,” one of their leaders declared.

Interestingly, no one approached from the Iron Mountain side. Hun Chu looked surprised about it as well, showing that, if it was a ploy, it was not one he arranged. Hun Chu made a gesture, and several people appeared at the edge of their camp. Ten of them, to be exact, and six of the ten were in the Initiate Realm, and four were in Muscle Reinforcement.

A total mismatch.

Still, I didn’t miss the glance Azure Blade ones threw at me as they spoke. It surprised me, wondering if my intimidation factor was less than I expected. That, or they were merciless enough to sacrifice them just to test me.

Either way, they would be disappointed. They relied more on two Skin Refinement martial artists to intimidate, which would have been problematic before Hun Chu had been healed. But, with the kid helping, they could probably stand against them unless it turned into an open battle.

“What do you mean, Tung Ni?” Hun Chu asked, immediately moving to the front. “Since when have you foreigners dared to confront the valued guests of Iron Mountain Alliance?”

One of the Skin Refinement martial artists stepped forward when Hun Chu called. “Since your little alliance has suffered its most recent misfortune. How can you fail such a simple bandit suppression mission, causing untold damage to the city?” he bragged.

I took a note of it. It meant the attack on Hun Chu was not an isolated incident, making the Iron Mountain Alliance even more desperate.

Good, the more desperate they were, the more they would be willing to grant me in exchange for my limited help.

Hun Chu didn’t miss the implication either. But, it didn’t prevent him from taking a step forward, almost enthusiastic for a fight. I gave a subtle signal to the kid, asking him to support Hun Chu if it came to that.

“Doesn’t matter,” he said. “I’m happy to teach you a lesson if you try to block my way.”

Tung Ni took a step forward, dwindling the distance even more. A big mistake. “Really, a cripple like you —” he started, which was all he was able to say before Hun Chu swung his fist.

It was an interesting punch. My practical exposure to martial arts was almost entirely limited to Furious Wind Style, which, just like its namesake, was about swift steps and even faster blows.

Hun Chi’s swing, on the other hand, carried a significant weight behind it, sacrificing agility for power. At least, for the punch he used. Tung Ni didn’t even register the attack before the punch landed on his ribs, breaking several.

I would have respected Hun Chu more if it wasn’t clearly just an emotional move, probably paying back for something that happened while he was injured, because that attack was a good way to ensure our relationship with Azure Blade was ruined before it even started.

Luckily, that was also our plan, so there was no harm. I needed to access some valuable secrets, the kind that they didn’t allow anyone to read; and I couldn’t get that by playing the fence sitter.

“You, how?” the other Skin Refinement gasped, but that was all he was able to say before Hun Chu engaged with him. Hun Chu had the advantage, but not enough to bring an instant victory. But, Yu Xing jumping in the middle of the Muscle Refinement support was enough to demolish them completely.

That encouraged the other Iron Mountain members to arrive at the gate for support, turning into a messy melee. Su Mi took a step to stay closer to me. A good choice, as none of them would attack her when it meant potentially facing me.

For me, maintaining a dignified yet uncaring expression was easy. My powers might have been reduced significantly without mana, but that did nothing to my experience. I had seen far worse than a scuffle.

I expected someone to separate the crowd to stop the fighting, but no one did. They just watched. Some focused on Yu Xing, but most kept their gaze on me, waiting for me to make a move.

I waited as well. My role required it, especially when our side was winning. Either they gave up their initiative and made a move, or we would win this little scuffle.

Their move came in the form of a bulky man bursting into the scene. I was not short, but even I had to look up. He must be near seven feet, with muscles to make him look like a small mountain. Yet, his cultivation was the biggest threat. I could feel that some of his internal energy had seeped into his bones, though the intensity suggested he was in relatively early stages.

I didn’t need to see his gaze turn to me the moment he stepped into the area to guess his arrival was planned. “Who dares to touch my men!” he exploded, his voice alone enough to interrupt the battle. All Iron Mountain men took a step back, including Hun Chu, who sent a worried glance toward me, signaling his helplessness.

I gave no sign of registering his voice, just continued to look around idly. In reality, I was watching our surroundings, to see if there were any other strong martial artists, to understand if this was a test, or an ambush.

I detected no one else, making it a test.

Still, if possible, I would have avoided making a move. But, he chose to look at me, raising his huge fist, and started to walk toward me. It was not a charge, but a lumbering walk, a way to pressure me rather than threaten. “I’m talking to you, twig. How dare you ignore —”

I gave no sign that I had registered his voice. I just flicked my wrist, sending half a dozen needles toward him, each covered with internal energy, flying with an eerie accuracy. Technically, I could have aimed non-lethally, but that would show weakness. It might have acted differently if I had been stronger, but I didn’t trust myself to put on a convincing show if he tried to push his luck after being threatened.

The attack, despite looking effortless on the surface, consumed about half of my internal energy. The needles flew toward him. At such a close distance, he failed to dodge. The needles sank into his flesh. He clutched his chest and collapsed, his huge body hitting hard enough to raise a cloud of dust.

He died. Simple as that.

The silence around us was deafening. Not just because I had just killed someone in front of everyone, but because I didn’t even look at him directly. Not before he died. Not after. Like killing him wasn’t something that took half of my reserves, but something that was like slapping a mosquito.

They were the ones who wanted to test me.

They got what they wanted.