The Overlord of Puluo

The time for the bloodcall in the wilderness had already arrived, yet Song Jiasen was nowhere in sight, and no one knew where Song Zhiyi had gone.

Song Jiasen’s eldest son, Song Zhigang, was covered in sweat. Sitting before Ni Ruiliang, he pleaded, ”Shishu[1], please help us. It is already one o’clock. If our family still does not send someone to the field... In another hour, we will have to concede.”

Ni Ruiliang was a retainer of Song Jiasen, addressed as a sworn brother in daily life. He was the only level-four cultivator the Song Family could rely on, a fourth-level Physique Cultivator.

But being someone they could rely on did not mean he took orders.

Ni Ruiliang had grown up poor and had received support from Song Jiasen in his younger days. After reaching the fourth level, he lived at the Song residence, received two hundred silver dollars each month, and even received gifts during festive events. In short, the Song Family fed and housed a level-four cultivator to hold the fort.

Whenever they wanted Ni Ruiliang to take action, Song Jiasen had to negotiate with him.

Even Song Jiasen could not order him around, much less his sons.

Ni Ruiliang sipped his tea. ”Zhigang, where exactly have your father and your younger brother gone? With something this important happening, how could they be so careless?”

Song Zhigang said anxiously, ”I really do not know where they went. Shishu, today’s bloodcall determines whether the Song Family can stay standing in Blue Poplar Village. You cannot just sit here and do nothing.”

Ni Ruiliang lowered his teacup. ”Zhigang, it is not that I do not want to help, but if I step in, it breaks the rules. Your father agreed yesterday that your younger brother would fight Ma Junyang. If I intervene now, where will the Song Family’s prestige go?”

”Prestige doesn’t matter right now. Shishu, I am begging you. Represent us in this fight.”

Ni Ruiliang sighed. ”Let us wait a little longer, just a little longer.”

It was not that he did not want to help; he did not dare to do it.

He had a strong suspicion that something had already happened to Song Jiasen.

The blame could only be placed on Song Jiasen himself for not knowing his limits. Of all people, he had to provoke the fifth young master of the Ma Family.

Ma Wu might have been cast out, but he was, ultimately, still part of the Ma Family. If the Ma Family truly wanted to wipe out the Song Family, it would be like crushing an ant.

As for the Liu Family, the Si Family, and even the Lu Family above them, these families took money readily, but whether they would step in was another matter.

And Ni Ruiliang was not wrong. Song Jiasen had been the one who challenged Ma Wu. Even though the Skygreen Field allowed replacement fighters, Ma Wu had shown up to participate in the fight himself.

If the Song Family were to bring in an outsider, then could Ma Wu not do the same?

And if Ma Wu did, did they have any idea what kind of fighter he could bring?

Seeing that they were almost out of time, Song Zhigang gritted his teeth. ”Shishu, fine. Remember this. I will not beg you anymore. I will go instead!”

Song Zhigang strode out the door.

Ni Ruiliang pretended to advise him against it, ”Zhigang, do not rush. Think long term, think long term!”

***

Song Zhigang arrived at the agreed field while Ma Wu was still delivering a speech to the gathered onlookers.

There were many people present at today’s bloodcall. It had been years since the Song Family had gotten personally involved in a conflict, so all the busybodies in Blue Poplar Village had gathered.

”I, Ma, have waited here for two full hours, in accordance with the rules of our Blue Poplar Village. It is almost two o’clock, yet my opponent still has not arrived. That means I win the bloodcall! Today, all you elders and villagers are my witnesses. I did not cheat, I did not weasel out. I defeated the Song Family fair and square. Am I wrong?

”Back at my doorstep, Eldest Master Song drew knives and guns, beat my brother, talked about gouging out eyes and cutting off legs. Those were his own words.

”At that time, he even wanted to attack me. I was not afraid of him then, and I am not afraid of him now. But since I came here for a bloodcall, there must be a proper outcome, right? What did Song Jiasen say back then? You all heard it. In the Skygreen Field, whoever loses will leave Blue Poplar Village! Once a man speaks, his words carry weight. He must honor them! So will the Song Family send someone here? Will this matter be settled?”

At first, the onlookers feared offending the Song Family, so aside from Li Banfeng, Little Chuan, and a few road workers, no one dared make a sound.

But Ma Wu kept using his motivational Hedonist ability to stir the crowd. He also made sure to use words that were rowdy and rousing. The more they listened, the more fired up they became. Waves of cheers surged again and again, increasing in volume with each new wave.

Just as two o’clock approached, all cheering stopped abruptly.

”The Song Family’s representative is here!”

”Everyone, stay quiet. Just watch.”

Song Zhigang stepped into the field with over twenty attendants trailing behind him. ”Ma Junyang, stop running your mouth. Come fight me first.”

Ma Wu froze. ”Song Zhigang, your father said your younger brother would fight. Why are you changing your fighter now?”

”Zhiyi has urgent matters and cannot come. I am a son of the Song Family and also a level-one Martial Cultivator. Level one against level one. I am not bullying you, so start the fight!”

Song Zhigang was a brave man. Despite being injured, he still stepped onto the field.

Did the Song Family truly have no one else who could fight?

They did. Song Jiasen had two level-two cultivators under his command.

Both men had arrived long ago. Yesterday afternoon, they received orders from Song Jiasen to seal the field early in the morning.

They could have fought on the Song Family’s behalf. The Skygreen Field allowed replacements.

However, those two level-two cultivators were not fools.

The chief steward had gone out looking for Ma Wu but never returned.

Their master had gone out to find Ma Wu, blocked his path, yet made no move.

And now their master was missing. Clearly, Ma Wu was not someone easy to handle.

Even Ni Ruiliang, a level-four cultivator, did not dare take action. How would they, level-two cultivators, dare to do it instead?

Their job was only to seal the field. Once the field was sealed, the rest was not their concern.

Besides, their master had ordered Song Zhiyi to fight Ma Wu. If they stepped in, it would break the rules. With that excuse, they naturally ignored Song Zhigang’s commands.

This battle could only be fought by Song Zhigang.

Scanning the field, Song Zhigang spotted a particular roof tile and immediately understood what it was for.

Song Jiasen had always treated Song Zhigang differently from Song Zhiyi. He was fond of Song Zhigang and had shared many secret matters with him.

Song Zhigang spent most of his time training at home, so he had seen this trap in the past, when serving as a witness for his father during previous bloodcalls.

Knowing his father had arranged something beforehand, Song Zhigang gained some confidence. He pointed at Ma Wu. ”No need for nonsense. Let’s fight!”

Ma Wu nodded. ”You’re a real man. Let us settle this now.”

The two men stood on opposite sides, backs to the iron fence. Once the drum sounded, they moved.

Song Zhigang, a Martial Cultivator, charged in to fight at close range.

Ma Wu locked eyes with Song Zhigang, and Song Zhigang’s heart raced. Somehow, Ma Wu seemed unusually handsome today, far too handsome to strike.

Song Zhigang had been charmed, causing him to hesitate for a moment. Ma Wu hurled a dagger toward him, aiming straight for his chest.

Song Zhigang dodged quickly. The dagger grazed his shoulder, leaving a line of blood.

By the time he steadied himself enough to chase down Ma Wu, Ma Wu had already retreated five meters away and begun kiting him.

The tactic was shameless, but low-level Hedonist Cultivators often fought like this.

Something worse followed. After several minutes of circling each other, Song Zhigang suddenly felt numbness spread through his body. Ma Wu’s dagger had been covered in poison.

”Ma Junyang, you bastard!” Song Zhigang cursed.

However, cursing him was all he could do. In a bloodcall, there were no rules. Any method was fair.

He glanced at the roof tile’s position and pretended to stumble from exhaustion, seemingly intending to retreat.

Ma Wu advanced to pursue him and stepped right onto the roof tile.

Song Zhigang smiled, waiting for the trap to trigger. Once Ma Wu was struck, the fight would end. If Ma Wu did not yield, he would keep beating him until he did.

Who cares whether he’s a disgraced young master, and who cares about what powerful forces may stand behind him? First, I’ll win this bloodcall, secure my family’s livelihood, then...

Strange. Why is the trap not triggering?

It already been quite a while since Ma Wu had stepped on the roof tile, yet the trap still had not triggered.

Has the trap failed? Did I make a mistake? Was that not the right tile?

Such a thing has never happened before.

Meanwhile, Ma Wu drew closer and closer.

What’s there to fear? Isn’t it a good thing that he’s coming closer? I’m a Martial Cultivator. Why should I fear a Hedonist Cultivator?

They began fighting at close range, and the longer they traded blows, the more panicked Song Zhigang grew.

Ma Wu fought well. He had gone through real training.

Song Zhigang was injured and poisoned. If the close combat were to drag on, he feared he would not be able to keep up.

But if he did not fight at close range, would he not fare even worse?

In truth, Song Zhigang was not at a disadvantage in close combat. The chaotic thoughts were the effect of Ma Wu’s special ability.

Under Ma Wu’s gaze, Song Zhigang’s thoughts grew increasingly muddled. He had fallen under Ma Wu’s confusion ability.

Song Zhigang felt that everything he did was wrong. Forced back step by step, his foot suddenly landed on a stone.

Crack!

Something was wrong with that stone.

There was a pit beneath it. It wasn’t deep, but it enough for half a leg to sink in.

Song Zhigang fell into the pit and collapsed onto the ground.

Ma Wu stepped forward and kicked Song Zhigang in the face. He asked, ”Do you admit defeat?”

Before Song Zhigang could react, Ma Wu kicked him again. ”Rock-Boring Silkworms, great things for laying traps. You think only your Song Family has them, and I cannot find any?”

Last night, while ambushing Song Jiasen and Song Zhiyi in the field, Li Banfeng had used his threaded earring to listen in on their conversation, so he naturally learned about the trap.

After killing the father and son, Li Banfeng had planned to destroy the trap, but Ma Wu said he knew how to use it. He rushed to the New Land overnight, caught two rock-boring silkworms, and altered the trap.

He did that to leave a backup plan for the bloodcall.

Song Zhigang did not know the details, but he already understood the outcome.

The result was that the Song Family had lost—a total and utter defeat.

Ma Wu had even modified the traps, which Song Jiasen had specialised in making. This proved one thing.

The Song Family had made a mistake from the start. They chose the wrong opponent.

With someone like Ma Wu, they should never have fought him to begin with.

If he wanted to hunt, they should have let him hunt. If he wanted to make money, they should have let him make money. The Song Family did not lack for that little bit of silver. Why had they insisted on fighting him to the bitter end?

What else could Song Zhigang do now?

He simply conceded.

The villagers of Blue Poplar Village present were stunned.

”The eldest son of the Song Family admitted defeat?”

”What does that mean? They lost the bloodcall?”

”Eldest Master Song said it himself. If they lost, the Song Family would pack up and leave.”

”What does that mean? The village will no longer be under the Song name?”

”Is it going to be the Ma Family now?”

Ma Wu stood before Song Zhigang with a sinister grin. ”A man keeps his word. Go back and tell your father to pack up and get out. I want him to move out today!”

Song Zhigang returned home with his men in utter disgrace.

Would he move? Of course not.

As long as his father had not given the order, he absolutely would not move!

Song Zhigang ordered the guards to watch both the front and back gates, guarding the whole household. He was preparing to hold out against Ma Wu for as long as he could.

By seven o’clock, the sun had set completely, replaced by the curtain of night. Yet, there was still no sign of activity at the Song Family residence.

Li Banfeng said to Little Chuan, ”Brother, lend me the steamroller again. Brother Ma, bring all those stone-eating worms with you.”

Song Zhigang, so you refuse to move?

Then I will tear your house down!

1. Form of address for a man of your father’s generation who is not your actual uncle. ☜