Chapter 819: Non-Eater Ox's Eight Gates

Chapter 819: Non-Eater Ox's Eight Gates

"Master, the Grain Guard Army has arrived outside the city, but they are being blocked."

Hu Ma and Old Abacus had stopped to rest at a low hill outside Lake City. From this vantage point, they could observe the standoff between the Grain Guard Army and the Three-Headed Serpent's forces from Lake Prefecture.

With Non-Eater Ox's disciples frequently reporting on the situation, they had a clear understanding of the battlefield as if they were there in person.

The disciple reporting this time was from the Color Gate, one of the eight gates of Non-Eater Ox.

Non-Eater Ox's Golden Skin and Color, Harmony and Control Eight Gates, included the Golden Gate, where disciples specialized in weapon and arrow crafting, bridge and ship construction, and battle formations.

Military Advisor Iron Mouth was from this gate, and the senior brother within the gate had a dharma name, Golden Dust Monk.

The Skin Gate disciples often disguised themselves as traveling doctors, offering medicine and selling strength pills, aphrodisiacs, and performing minor medical procedures like removing warts and shaping eyebrows.

However, during times of hardship, they would rob the rich to help the poor, using the pretext of distributing life-saving talismans to cook meat porridge for the afflicted. They would also select suitable disciples from among the afflicted, teaching them the art of writing and sorcery, and incorporating them into Non-Eater Ox's sect.

The Hang Gate disciples traveled the world, performing martial arts and collecting extraordinary skills to pass on to those with a connection to the art.

The Color Gate disciples focused on gathering intelligence and infiltrating the enemy, and at critical moments, they were responsible for turning against their opponents and carrying out assassinations.

The Harmony Gate disciples pretended to be storytellers and drum artists, spreading the fame of various individuals, including Yang Gong, the Bright State King, which was their doing.

Of course, they were also skilled in tarnishing reputations. Once they targeted someone, even the most respected philanthropist would find their secret affair with a widow exposed throughout the streets and alleys the very next day.

The Unity Gate primarily managed various factions in the martial world and held significant influence.

Countless martial arts leaders owed their rise to them, and some were even their own people from the start. Once these individuals gained momentum, they often became readily available soldiers.

The Control Gate specialized in incense offering, divination, worship, and ghost-bothering. At times, they would even deceive ghosts and fool deities.

In summary, they were in charge of ghostly matters, and Non-Eater Ox's mission of returning deities to the people was primarily carried out by them.

As for the Willow Gate, they were responsible for spreading propaganda and inciting rebellions among the wealthy and influential across the land. It could be said that the Ten Surnames were constantly seeking imperial seeds, and Non-Eater Ox was always searching for seeds of rebellion.

Counting it up, Yang Gong's father-in-law was one of the seeds sown by Non-Eater Ox. After the event, this seed took root and sprouted, and with a stroke of luck, Yang Gong's success was achieved.

It was precisely because of these capable individuals from the eight gates that Hu Ma felt more at ease about many matters.

As the Grain Guard Army advanced towards Lake City, Non-Eater Ox's disciples had already spread their nets far and wide, secretly making preparations. The Lake City forces were well aware of the Grain Guard Army's impending attack and had dispatched scouts in advance, capturing many of them.

However, they were unaware that Non-Eater Ox also had its arrangements, and even the Dalaofa Religion had its spies keeping a close eye on the situation.

The clash between the Grain Guard Army and the Three-Headed Serpent's forces had just begun, but skirmishes had already erupted in various places.

"Blocked?"

Even Hu Ma was taken by surprise. "The Grain Guard Army, especially the elite force of ten thousand returning from the Imperial Capital, is the most formidable. The army boasts fierce generals, while the Three-Headed Serpent's troops are merely a disorganized mob."

"What ability do they have to stop the Grain Guard Army?"

"..."

"They resorted to dirty tactics!"

The Color Gate disciple smiled bitterly. "The Three-Headed Serpent probably knew the strength of the Grain Guard Army and the inferiority of their own forces. In recent days, as the Grain Guard Army advanced, the common people panicked and fled towards Lake Prefecture City."

"So, the Lake City forces drove these people ahead of them, using them as human shields. If the Grain Guard Army launches a full-scale attack, the civilians will be the first to die."

"Now, the Lake City forces are using this as a threat, challenging the Grain Guard Army to a duel. They've set a one-day limit; if they lose, they'll retreat, and if they win, they'll enter the city."

"..."

"Using civilians as human shields?"

Hu Ma's brows furrowed upon hearing this. "And then?"

"The Grain Guard Army has already lost several battles."

The disciple explained, "The Three-Headed Serpent's fierce generals seem to possess at least the skill to enter the hall, indicating a level of skill equivalent to entering the hall or even opening the three doors of the hall."

Hu Ma understood upon hearing this.

Entering the hall represented a level of skill equivalent to entering the hall or even opening the three doors of the hall.

The current core members of the Grain Guard Army included a group of martial artists from the Red Lantern Society and brave warriors from the mountains. When it came to martial arts, many of them were at the level of entering the hall.

In terms of fierce generals, they were even inferior to the White Armor Army from Stone Horse Town and the Iron Gate Army from Guazhou.

Not to mention that the three main generals hadn't even shown their full strength; even if they did, they would likely still be outmatched by their opponents.

Military prowess was not something that could be faked.

Zhou Liang and Zhao Zhu were among the better ones, having improved rapidly since joining the army. However, they still had a long way to go before reaching the level of entering the hall.

The current advantage of the Grain Guard Army lay in its robust and well-trained troops and solid foundation. However, they lacked capable generals, and if they couldn't gain the upper hand in duels, would they have to transfer the White Armor Army and the Iron Gate Army as well?

Hu Ma secretly thought to himself that he now had more than just the support of the Grain Guard Army. The White Armor Army had been meticulously built up by the Miao Shan Immortal Lady over several years in Shiman Town, and it was also backed by two formidable Year-End Guardians, Elder Sun and Master Tang.

As for the Iron Gate Army, it had fallen into his hands after he had crushed the Yan family, and Non-Eater Ox had secretly arranged for its incorporation.

He could mobilize both armies, and if they were to join forces and surround Lake State, even if it meant a stalemate, they could still trap and defeat the ancient serpent of Lake City.

However, he had just left Bright State, and now he was about to reveal all his cards?

Moreover, if they waited for these two armies to arrive, it would take an unknown amount of time, and by then, the Grain Guard Army's momentum would have weakened. Furthermore, with three armies marching out together, the Bright State King's campaign against the rebels would lose its initial vigor.

As he pondered, several ideas came to mind, but he couldn't decide which to use. Instead, he thought of something else and asked, "What about Yang Gong? What is his current stance?"

The disciple from the Color Gate sighed and replied, "He's become rather stubborn and refuses to harm the common folk."

...

...

"Your Majesty, this is our first battle after leaving Bright State, and we must not lose our prestige."

Inside the military tent, the military advisor, Iron Mouth, also frowned and earnestly advised, "Engaging in a battle of generals is not beneficial to us. The Lake State City's troops are far inferior to ours. With one command, we can surely break through their city gates."

"But if we continue to engage in a battle of generals, there will be too many uncertainties. The more we lose, the weaker our army's morale will become. If the enemy takes advantage and launches a counterattack, we might suffer heavy losses."

"What's worse, if our army's morale weakens, the enemy might be able to use certain demonic spells against us."

"..."

Someone else also chimed in, "Showing compassion for the common people is the right thing to do, but on the battlefield, being overly merciful and soft-hearted is a taboo. Moreover, the people in front of Lake State City are not necessarily ordinary citizens. Many of them are followers of the Daughters' Sect, and some are even willing to act as human shields or take the opportunity to assassinate us."

"It's better to have our spies within the city set fires to burn down the city, then have our army advance and scare away the people in front of the city. After capturing the city, we can issue a decree to pacify the region."

"Otherwise, if we follow the enemy's rules and engage in a battle of generals, first claiming that the Copper Armor General is formidable, and even if we truly win, will the enemy really open the city gates?"

"In the end, it's just a ploy to toy with us."

"..."

"No, we can't do that."

Many people agreed with the military advisor's plan, but Yang Gong shook his head and said, "Precisely because this is our first battle, we must win it with integrity and honor."

"The reputation of the Grain Guard Army is at stake here. We cannot ignore the common folk. Although there may be followers of the Daughters' Sect among them, as long as there are genuine civilians, the Grain Guard Army's swords cannot be turned against them."

"..."

There were some things he could only say up to this point, but his thoughts continued: 'Brother Hu had already made it clear to me. He helps me conquer the world, and I assist him in obtaining the Heavenly Mandate. Others may not understand the significance of the Heavenly Mandate, but after becoming a king, I deeply understand its importance.'

'The more I magnify my methods, the more I can seize the Heavenly Mandate.'

'If I only resort to despicable means every time, even if I capture the city and defeat the Grassroots King, it doesn't mean that I can make their Heavenly Mandate submit willingly.'

'Moreover, in front of him, I boasted so much, but when faced with a situation, I had to rely on him for everything, big or small. If I disregard my reputation and start slaughtering, how can I still claim that I can be of help to him?'

'He passed down the Heavenly Book to me and even changed my fate. If I don't live up to his efforts, won't it be a waste of his hard work?'

"..."

"Retreat! I refuse to believe that among the million people of Bright State and the countless mighty generals in the army, there isn't one who can defeat this person!"

With this thought, he shouted sternly, "If no one goes, I'll go myself!"

Upon hearing this, everyone present felt conflicted. If they retreated, wouldn't it be admitting that no one could match the enemy general, and wouldn't it also boost the enemy's morale?

Moreover, you going personally won't change the outcome...

But they dared not disobey, and so they truly retreated. This move surprised even the Lake State's troops, and they began to shout and clamor. The mighty general didn't return to his tent but instead rode his horse around, loudly cursing.

Among the leaders of the troops, someone heaved a sigh of relief. As the Grain Guard Army advanced, they had sent many scouts to test the waters and discovered that the army was formidable and terrifying. They feared that the Grain Guard Army would continue their advance, so they had wanted to engage in a battle of generals.

Unexpectedly, after losing the battle of generals, the Grain Guard Army truly retreated, admitting their defeat.

Within the Grain Guard Army, when everyone saw that no one could defeat the enemy's mighty general and that the Bright King himself had to take the field, it ignited a sense of anger among the troops. Everyone vied to go and bring back the enemy's head.

Only the military advisor, Iron Mouth, frowned, knowing that his subordinates' anger had been provoked, but even if they went, they wouldn't be able to win.

Just then, someone outside the tent reported, "We heard that the Bright King is fighting rebels, and we've come to offer our assistance."

Four men were welcomed into the tent. One had arms thicker than his thighs, another was stout, one was tall and thin, and the last was short and sturdy. They approached the Bright King without kneeling, only offering a salute with clasped hands.

As the spectators watched, some felt a sense of familiarity, yet couldn't quite place the four individuals.

Among them, the one with muscular arms spoke up, "We four brothers are all from Old Yin Mountain. We once helped the Granary Protection General when he fought the Hungry Ghost. Now, we've heard that the Bright King is pursuing the rebels, so we've come out of seclusion to offer our assistance."

Before they could finish their introduction, the sound of a challenge from outside grew incessant. One of them laughed and said, "The enemy is too bold. Who will lend me a weapon and a horse?"

Yang Gong recognized them and was overjoyed. He laughed and said, "You can borrow my precious sword and my horse."

One of them took the sword and mounted Yang Gong's horse without even donning armor. With a drumroll and gongs clearing the way, they charged out of the military camp. Without a word, they headed straight for the Copper Armor General.

The two engaged in a fierce battle, exchanging moves for over a dozen rounds. With ease, the man lifted the precious sword to block the opponent's python spear. He laughed and said, "So, you're just a wolf spirit?"

The Copper Armor General cursed, "And you're just a monkey monster!"

"You're mistaken."

The man from Old Yin Mountain introduced himself, "I am Yuan Kui, the Guardian King under the Mountain Lord of Blessing. I've been sent by the Mountain Lord to assist the Bright King in his quest for the Heavenly Mandate and to conquer the world."

"Once the Bright King obtains the Heavenly Mandate, I will also earn great merit. How can you, a hybrid of an old serpent and a monkey, compare to that?"

"..."

Amidst the battle cries, Yuan Kui fought with increasing courage. With a fierce slash, he dismounted the Copper Armor General. Then, extending his long arm, he beheaded the opponent and held the head high, intending to present it to the Bright King.

The enemy troops were shocked, and the deputy general quickly ordered his soldiers to retrieve the corpse of their commander. Yang Gong's side, seeing this, also gave the order. The Granary Guard Army behind them roared and raised their spears, charging forward. In an instant, the two armies clashed.

This intense battle was unlike the previous duels where they had suffered several defeats; it was a one-sided slaughter.

These ten thousand elite Granary Guard soldiers had been to the Imperial Capital, fought the Imperial Capital's defense forces, and were blessed by the massive purple aura. They charged forward, their momentum unstoppable, awe-inspiring, and terrifying.

Within a few rounds, nearly a third of the Three-Headed Dragon Demon King's troops, who couldn't even afford proper armor, were in disarray, fleeing in all directions like headless flies. Some jumped into the river, some died on the battlefield, and some knelt and begged for mercy.

Most of the Lake Prefecture City's forces, however, had no intention of fighting to the bitter end. Instead, they quickly retreated back into the city, closed the city gates, and refused to come out.

The chaotic civilians outside were abandoned, left to their fears and uncertainties.

"We've been played..."

Many in the army felt helpless, "What can we do if they refuse to open the city gates? When we attack again tomorrow, they'll just push more civilians onto the city walls. What can we do then?"

"The army has already arrived here. If we attack the city, they'll use the civilians as shields again. What can we do?"

"The Granary Guard Army's good reputation is a powerful weapon, but now it's being used against us. We're tying our own hands, bound by our own chains."

"..."

"Well, the Mountain Lord used to think that Yang Gong's fate was too light and not very favorable. But now, he's sent four Guardian Kings under his command. It seems he's changed his mind."

Hu Ma had been watching, expecting that he would have to intervene personally. But he never expected the Mountain Lord to send such a powerful general, and Yang Gong held his ground, winning the duel before the army joined the battle. Hu Ma understood his plan and felt relieved.

Sometimes, it's like this—the more capable the Granary Guard Army is, the more reassured they feel when helping them. Even the Reincarnates, there must be many watching the Granary Guard Army's performance in secret!

This gamble was set by Monkey Wine and the Ten Surnames, and then taken over by Hu Ma himself for execution. The reason was simple:

This gamble was intelligent.

Even Hu Ma and Erguotou had pondered deeply on their way back to Bright State, finally understanding the reason behind Monkey Wine's gamble with the Ten Surnames.

The underlying logic was straightforward—this world was not easily conquered.

Monkey Wine had already researched how to summon the Celestial Year God, and the Ten Surnames had their own methods as well.

Moreover, the Ancestral Shrine Elder had made it clear that the State Preceptor's White Jade Capital plan failed because the Ten Surnames didn't fully support the hastily implemented plan.

Among the Ten Surnames, the smartest ones who reached the top preferred to break through the obstacles on the bridge and truly attain Supreme Freedom, rather than obediently become a noble lord in the State Preceptor's White Jade Capital.

As long as the White Jade Capital existed, the Ten Surnames would not achieve true Supreme Freedom. Only the master of the White Jade Capital, the State Preceptor, possessed true Supreme Freedom.

To counter the Celestial Year God, the Reincarnates also needed to gather almost all the power in this world to achieve the most perfect state, so they needed what the Ten Surnames possessed, and the Ten Surnames needed the Reincarnates' resources to break through the obstacles.

Given this, they decided to take a bold gamble.

This gamble was not just about winning or losing; it was about convincing the losing side to surrender wholeheartedly and willingly hand over everything they had.

Only by winning fairly and squarely could the Ten Surnames be convinced. But before this, Hu Ma had only considered the Ten Surnames as opponents and underestimated the Dragon King. Now, witnessing Yang Gong's conduct, he understood that this move was more solid than his own.

Of course, there was still one problem that couldn't be avoided: what if the Ten Surnames lost and stubbornly refused to admit it...

...This problem was somewhat similar to what Yang Gong was currently facing.

...

"What do you mean by chains?"

At that moment, in the military tent, Yang Gong also heard some complaining voices, but he laughed and said, "These are all my fellow villagers."

He then ordered these scattered commoners to be driven over, and with a wave of his hand, he said, "Feed them!"

Pot after pot of porridge was cooked, with salt and crushed white Celestial Year God foam added. He ordered the commoners who had just been caught in the middle of the two battle formations, their souls scattered, to come and eat. Then, he mounted his horse and shouted:

"Don't act pitiful in front of me. My previous days were even worse than yours."

"I know you all want to hide in the city because there's going to be a battle, but where do you think you're going to hide? Do you see anyone in the city willing to let you in?"

"Our Grain Guard Army rose up because there were people stealing grain. We don't want to rob you of your three melons and two jujubes, so after you've eaten your fill, go back to your homes. Don't hinder me from entering the city to slaughter that old Dragon King."

"..."

He then ordered those around him, "No travel expenses will be provided. I'm also poor, and I only have a few tens of thousands of pounds of blood food left."

"But I'll give each of you two steamed buns to eat on the road. It's spring plowing time, and if they don't go back to farm, who will I collect taxes from in the autumn?"

"..."

The crowd of commoners were all stunned, feeling that this was absurd, but because the King of Ming State had cursed so harshly, they ironically developed a sense of trust.

Under the bright blades and guns, they finished the salty porridge in their hands. Then, under the cold glares of the soldiers, they tremblingly held the steamed buns and left. After walking for several miles, they didn't see anyone chasing after them, and these commoners were all dumbfounded.

Meanwhile, in the military tent, they were discussing how to break through the city and prevent the Three-Headed Dragon Demon King inside from using the commoners as human shields. They were at their wits' end when suddenly someone outside shouted that they had something important to say.

When the person was brought in, they saw that it was a commoner holding two steamed buns, and he cried, "Bright King, please be careful! The Daughters Sect in the city is planning to use evil spells to harm you!"

"To be honest, I'm also a disciple of the Daughters Sect. I was originally going to hide in the army to assassinate the Bright King, but I... I'm just a bit foolish, not evil."

"I know who the good people are."

"I came back this time only to remind the Bright King that the leader of the Daughters Sect is named Sister Deng Seven, and she has a special skill—she can summon a knife to kill people at night."

"Right now, they are in Lake Prefecture City, capturing women and children everywhere to offer as sacrifices for the knife. The more sacrifices, the more powerful the knife becomes. Please be careful, Bright King..."

"I only have one method: at midnight, have the Bright King sit in a tranquil room with a red cloth covering his head and a bronze mirror in front of him. Perhaps he can avoid her knife, otherwise, as soon as dawn breaks, his head will be gone..."

"..."

"Sacrificing people?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Gong's face lit up. He looked at the people in the tent and smiled, "Did you see that? The city will be broken."

At this moment, Hu Ma had also received news from a disciple of the Color Gate: "The Three-Headed Dragon Demon King was terrified by the bravery of the Grain Guard Army in today's battle and knows he can't win."

"Right now, they are in the city, binding countless women, children, and commoners, preparing to offer them as sacrifices for their spells..."

"In fact, there have been several grassroots kings and some powerful bandits who wanted to cause trouble in Lake State, but many of them were killed by her knife in the middle of the night, their heads mysteriously gone..."

"..."

Hu Ma listened without surprise, only curious, "But which sect's skill is this? How can they kill people within a battle formation?"

The Color Gate disciple smiled bitterly, "That's the key—we don't know."

"Our disciples are trying their best to investigate, and some have even infiltrated the Daughters Sect, but even within the sect, this is the most mysterious spell. We can't find out any details."

"We only know that with this demonic spell of the Daughters Sect, the more sacrifices, the more ferocious the knife becomes. Many people have bodyguards by their side, but in the end, they still die in confusion!"

"..."

"This world is too vast. If you stay in one place, you might not notice, but once you go out for a walk, all sorts of mysterious and secret spells will pop up."

Hu Ma listened and could only sigh. Sometimes, not knowing the opponent's sect or their techniques can be a real headache, even for him.

If the opponent used this technique against him, he wouldn't be afraid, as the Year-End Guardian could withstand it.

But protecting others might leave a gap.

However, since there was a way to deal with it, he wasn't worried. He merely said, "Is Yang Gong hiding now?"

"No."

The Color Gate disciple said, "He issued an order to attack the city tonight to rescue the commoners who were captured and offered as sacrifices by the Daughters Sect..."

"This..."

Upon hearing this, Hu Ma was also surprised. After a long while, he smiled, "Old Yang really has an unexpectedly fast growth rate. Since that's the case..."

"Let's enter the city and slaughter the dragon!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end