Where Immortals Once Walked

He Lingchuan had shot the arrow that had struck Skinny.

Even in the chaos of battle, he had controlled his strength with perfect precision. Skinny had only suffered a flesh wound; his tendons and bones were unharmed. Once he returned to the stronghold, all he had to do was apply some medicine and rest for a few days, and he would be fine.

The slippery bastard had been surrounded by stray arrows, flying projectiles, and soldiers whose eyes had gone red from killing, yet nothing had happened to him at all. Only his face had been blackened by smoke.

That, too, was standard operating procedure for Skinny.

He had even heard Skinny’s outrageously exaggerated shout of “Danger!” and seen the mournful, resentful look Skinny threw him after taking the arrow.

That look clearly meant: you’d better pay me extra.

“Good, good.” Wen Daolun was delighted. He then asked He Lingchuan, “Once we obtain intelligence from inside Longchuan, how do you plan to begin?”

Yuheng City’s construction was not something that could be completed in a day. Commander Xiao had labored diligently here in the early stages, establishing the military system, scale, and mobilization structure, setting all kinds of rules, and bringing the force to its initial shape.

The foundation had already been laid. What came next would depend on He Lingchuan.

“The biggest problem with Longchuan is that it’s still too chaotic inside. There are more than fifty bandit gangs, large and small,” said He Lingchuan slowly. “Even if we take down Qianjin Stockade and the Lu Family Gang, we’ll only be helping the other gangs eliminate their competition. If we simply send troops in to suppress them, I’m afraid it’ll be like pushing down a gourd only for the ladle to pop up. We’ll never uproot them all.”

That was not even mentioning Longchuan’s complicated terrain, where land and water crisscrossed in every direction. It was the water bandits’ home ground.

Large-scale equipment would be difficult to use there. If the Yuheng Army entered with its current strength, He Lingchuan was not optimistic about their chances at victory.

“I’ve read the intelligence sent back by our undercover agents. Although Longchuan has many bandit gangs, they used to maintain a delicate balance. That should have been the result of many years of maneuvering among all parties.” He Lingchuan tossed a peanut into his mouth. “But after the remnants of West Ji entered Longchuan, that balance seems to have been broken.”

Panlong City had destroyed West Ji too quickly. Several of West Ji’s generals refused to submit, so the Red General had led troops to eliminate them one by one. Their subordinates then led the remnants into Longchuan territory and turned outlaw, recuperating while waiting for a chance at revenge.

They were the “outside monks who knew how to chant scripture,” while Longchuan’s original bandit gangs believed that even a mighty dragon could not crush a local snake. How could there not be conflict between the two sides?

“So it isn’t only the old lands of West Ji that are unstable. Longchuan itself is also in chaos right now.” Wen Daolun asked him, “Do you already have a plan?”

“We need to put heavy pressure on Longchuan.” He Lingchuan thought for a moment before saying, “We need to have them fight each other first.”

Wen Daolun chatted with him for a while longer, then left the restaurant.

He Lingchuan was just about to head back when he suddenly stopped and looked toward the shadows behind the courtyard.

“Who’s there?”

A figure slowly stepped out, lifting a hand to brush aside the loose hair by her temple.

It was Sun Fuling.

He Lingchuan smiled and asked, “What brings you here, Ms. Sun?”

“The whole city is celebrating your victory. How could I not come?” Sun Fuling took the wine cup from his hand and sipped lightly. “You commanded troops for the first time and won a great battle. How does it feel?”

He Lingchuan had long been used to working alone. Even the Mount Xu Plan had basically been completed independently. Even in Panlong City’s wars abroad, the most he had done was serve as a company commander and lead a hundred or so men in action.

This was truly the first time in his life that he had issued orders and seen them obeyed as law, commanding an army to meet the enemy.

“Amazing. It felt amazing!” He Lingchuan let out a long breath and did not attempt to pretend otherwise. “Having several thousand soldiers under me, striking wherever I point—it’s like, like...”

For a moment, he could not find the right words.

Sun Fuling smiled faintly, then said, “Holding absolute power, with life and death yours to grant or take?”

“Exactly!” He Lingchuan snapped his fingers. “That’s exactly it!”

He could allow people to live. He could allow people to die. He could even make people wish they were dead. That feeling was truly intoxicating.

No wonder his father, He Chunhua, had fought with all his might to climb higher. No wonder Hong Chenglue, when he had met He Lingchuan—the son of his enemy—at the Dun Garden auction, had still managed to swallow his hatred forcibly. No wonder State Preceptor Qing Yang and State Preceptor Shuang Ye had insisted on fighting to the death for over a hundred years...

Power was a good thing indeed.

It allowed one to look down upon the world and decide the fates of all living beings.

This peak experience far surpassed every other pleasure. The countless commoners could not even understand it, but here in Yuheng City, he had his first taste.

Sun Fuling covered her mouth and laughed. “A few thousand soldiers under you, and you’re already this pleased with yourself. If, one day, thousands upon thousands of troops all obeyed your single command, who knows how high you’d float?”

He Lingchuan sighed. “Where would I get thousands upon thousands of troops?”

“Things are accomplished by people.” Sun Fuling’s voice was unhurried. “Haven’t you already completed many impossibilities?”

At those words, He Lingchuan’s heart stirred, and he lowered his head to look at her.

The “impossibilities” she said he had already completed—what was she referring to?

“The old lands of West Ji lack neither people nor good fields. If you and Master Wen can govern this place well, why would you worry about being unable to recruit thousands upon thousands of troops?” Sun Fuling gathered back her loose hair. “It’s getting quite late. I’ll head back first. You take your time drinking.”

“I’ll walk you back.” Yuheng City had won a great victory tonight, and all sorts of people were outside now. There were also plenty of loafers roaming the streets.

Although He Lingchuan could not say for sure who would be the unlucky one if those fellows ran into Ms. Sun, the courtesy between male and female friends still had to be observed.

Sun Fuling laughed softly and, sure enough, did not refuse.

He Lingchuan went back to inform his subordinates before leaving. He also rinsed his mouth hard with clean water. When everyone saw Sun Fuling stroll out after him, they could not help breaking into teasing hoots.

She waved to them with perfect ease, as if she were not the person involved at all.

Commander He smiled brightly. “Anyone who dares make another sound—even if it’s a sneeze—will run five laps around the city tomorrow!”

The laughter stopped abruptly.

This was no joke. The new city was already not small. Five laps around the outer perimeter would kill a man from exhaustion.

Only after seeing his subordinates fall silent as cicadas in winter did He Lingchuan turn back to Sun Fuling and bow.

“Please.”

Hmph, as if I can’t handle these little brats.

Under the attentive gazes of all the soldiers, the two walked away.

While Sun Fuling was not paying attention, He Lingchuan secretly stuffed three cloves into his mouth. Cloves were also known as chicken-tongue fragrance, and the moment they entered the mouth, a spicy bitterness spread across his tongue.

He held the cloves in his mouth not to sober up, but to cover the smell of alcohol.

The stuff could freshen the breath, but neither the Panlong Wasteland nor the State of West Ji produced it. It had to be transported in along the southern trade routes, so it was expensive.

The two chatted as they walked, their laughter easy and warm.

To get from the restaurant to their lodging, they had to pass by the city gate. After two to four hours of noise and excitement, most residents could no longer keep going. They yawned endlessly as they went back indoors to sleep.

The city gate was still not closed tonight, because the cleanup work on the battlefield outside had yet to be completed. Logistics soldiers were still coming and going.

Bundles upon bundles of weapons and armor were being carried in, all stripped from the dead. Even arrows had to be recovered in real time. These military supplies could not be wasted carelessly.

Sun Fuling casually picked up a long arrow. A spot of blood on its arrowhead had not yet been wiped dry. “After today’s lesson, how long do you think the Jintao people will stay quiet?”

“They wanted to give me a show of force, but ended up taking a blow straight to the head themselves.” He Lingchuan pondered. “Now that they know Yuheng City is tough, they won’t dare organize another large-scale siege for at least two or three months, but I wouldn’t rule out other methods.”