CHAPTER 57: 57. A CUT ABOVE THE REST (SEEKING FURTHER READING)

"No, only take a part of their soldiers, horses, and wealth."

"As for the rest, let them go!"

"After all... they and we are all Righteous Armies against the Imperial Court!"

"How can we be so unrighteous!"

When King of Sorrow Yao Dang and Heavenly Kun King Chang Kun were preparing to divide the soldiers and horses of several rebel kings, Xu Xing hurriedly stopped them. He appealed to their reason and explained the situation, persuading them to exercise restraint.

The generals and soldiers under Mount Siming were all dumbfounded. He was the one who just suggested merging the armies, and now he’s the one stopping it...

"Fourth Brother..." King of Sorrow Yao Dang frowned. "If we let the tiger return to the mountain, endless troubles will follow."

"Yes, Fourth Brother, these are soldiers and horses. We can’t just let them take them away for nothing," Heavenly Kun King echoed. "They harbor severe resentment against us now."

Seeing this, Xu Xing took Yao Dang’s hand and quietly walked to the side. "Big Brother, I thought you would understand. How can you be as impulsive as Third Brother?"

Yao Dang was utterly confused.

Ever since Xu Xing arrived at the Siming Mountain Stronghold, my own wits seem insufficient, he thought. I used to be the sharpest mind in the stronghold.

"Heyang Mountain, at this very moment, is likely doing the same as us—absorbing the forces of other rebel kings. If we completely take over the soldiers and horses of Meng Haigong, Phoenix King, and Lord Xia, we... will directly face an attack from Heyang Mountain, as well as pressure from the official soldiers."

"It would seem like we’re growing stronger, but it’s actually a path to self-destruction," Xu Xing analyzed seriously.

Yao Dang nodded in agreement. "Fourth Brother is right. So, how should we handle it?"

The forces of the other rebel kings had merely collapsed; the true major power, Heyang Mountain, had not yet been defeated. After a round of absorbing other armies, Heyang Mountain’s strength was bound to increase significantly. Heyang Mountain was the rebel stronghold directly confronting the Forbidden Army. These few rebel kings had fled to the Tiger Soul River precisely because they feared being swallowed by Heyang Mountain after their defeat.

The Local Army, lacking the Forbidden Army, was indeed superficially stronger than Heyang Mountain. However, without orders from their generals, they wouldn’t dare attack a mountain stronghold on their own. In other words, after a round of fierce fighting, the Local Army and the rebels had now fallen into a strange stalemate.

"A snake trying to swallow an elephant is courting death."

"Of the soldiers and horses from these rebel kings, we’ll only take a portion, thereby preserving our reputation for righteousness. When these rebel kings see Heyang Mountain acting more excessively than us, they will instead feel grateful towards us, relieved they came to Tiger Soul River. Meanwhile, the Righteous Army leaders swallowed by Heyang Mountain will inevitably be indignant at this."

"With the realm still unsettled, Monk Shang must safeguard his benevolent reputation."

"If he loses the title of Alliance Leader and descends into unrighteousness, he will be sealing his own doom!" Xu Xing concluded his analysis.

If Heyang Mountain acts unrighteously and loses the position of Alliance Leader? King of Sorrow Yao Dang’s heart pounded. Wouldn’t that mean Mount Siming’s time has come?

The benefits of stepping back slightly were so obvious; how could he not agree?

「The next day.」

「Heyang Mountain, Righteousness Hall.」

In the previous day’s battle, both the Righteous Army and the official soldiers had suffered wins and losses. However, the overall strength of the Righteous Army remained intact, while the official soldiers had lost one hundred thousand Forbidden Troops. Essentially, it was a great victory for the Righteous Army.

However, after that battle, of the Eighteen Rebel Kings, only seven factions survived. These seven rebel king factions included Alliance Leader Monk Shang’s Heyang Mountain, King of Sorrow Yao Dang’s Mount Siming, and the three forces belonging to Meng Haigong, Phoenix King, and Lord Xia. As for the other two rebel king factions, they had sensed the unfavorable turn of events after the battle and fled beforehand, taking a different path instead of heading towards Heyang Mountain or Tiger Soul River.

Monk Shang glanced at the assembled rebel kings in the hall. Why... didn’t Mount Siming absorb them?

Behind Meng Haigong, Phoenix King, and Lord Xia, strong soldiers and fierce warriors still stood. This was unlike the eight rebel kings who had fled to him; they had all become commanders without armies, looking utterly destitute. He, too, possessed some political acumen. He hadn’t killed these rebel kings but instead treated them with reverence as "elder statesmen."

"Alliance Leader..." Gongyang Yi, who had hurriedly sent men to investigate Mount Siming’s unusual actions, reported with an anxious expression after his subordinate returned, "This is terrible! Mount Siming has put us in a real bind. This must be another of Xu Xing’s schemes..."

Faced with such a large prize, neither he nor Monk Shang had imagined Mount Siming would resist the temptation to devour it whole. Mount Siming had acted with honor, making Heyang Mountain appear dishonorable by comparison.

"What?" Monk Shang was aghast.

The chance to absorb other rebel factions and become the strongest was a golden opportunity right before his eyes; he wouldn’t easily let it slip. Putting himself in their shoes, he had assumed Mount Siming would share his ambition. However, reality defied his expectations.

"Alliance Leader!" Meng Haigong and Lord Xia exchanged a look, a silent understanding passing between them. "Why have Sea King’s subordinates joined Heyang Mountain? Please give us an explanation!"

They suppressed the urge to lodge a formal complaint against Mount Siming and instead turned to challenge Heyang Mountain. As for Mount Siming absorbing some of their soldiers and horses, they wouldn’t even bring it up. With their own forces diminished, they lacked the confidence to truly pressure Monk Shang. For these lesser rebel kings, the more factions that remained, the more advantageous their own positions became.

"This..." Monk Shang was tongue-tied, unsure how to explain.

If Heyang Mountain and Mount Siming were the only victors, he wouldn’t even spare a thought for Meng Haigong and the other sidelined rebel kings. However, Meng Haigong and his allies still commanded some troops. While these forces were insignificant to Heyang Mountain individually, their combined strength was not yet something Heyang Mountain could completely disregard.

At this moment, Heavenly Kun King Chang Kun dramatically slapped his chest and declared magnanimously, "When brothers face hardship, it is a brother’s duty to help! To all our brothers present, I, Chang Kun, won’t waste words. For those who have lost their subordinates, Mount Siming will gift each of you one thousand soldiers, horses, and sets of weaponry, to demonstrate our fraternal bonds and righteousness!"

"As long as Mount Siming keeps its promise," declared the dozen or so rebel kings who had lost their forces, unwilling to let go of this last lifeline. "We... are willing to acknowledge King of Sorrow as the Vice-Alliance Leader!" they pressed, effectively cornering Monk Shang.

"This king is feeling unwell," Monk Shang announced, left with no other recourse. "I shall retire first." He then feigned illness and departed.

Once Monk Shang and his retinue had left, the dozen or so rebel kings immediately flocked around Heavenly Kun King, showering him with endless flattery.

「Heyang Mountain, a side hall.」

Upon entering the side hall, Monk Shang’s supposed headache vanished instantly. "I regret not killing Xu Xing at the first alliance assembly!" he seethed. "With Yao Dang having him, it’s like giving a tiger wings!"

Seated on the gilded Dragon Chair, he slammed his fist on the table, his furious curses constantly invoking Xu Xing’s name.

"This Xu Xing..." Gongyang Yi sighed, a profound sense of defeat welling up within him. "He likely anticipated that you, King of Law, knowing he was invited, would harbor murderous intent. That’s why he declined your invitation and only dispatched Heavenly Kun King Chang Kun to our Heyang Mountain."

Even with all of Heyang Mountain’s manpower and resources, I’m still being consistently outmaneuvered, he lamented internally.

"With a Yi already in this world, why did a Xing have to appear as well!" he sighed, shaking his feather fan.

"Mister Gongyang," Monk Shang asked, his outburst concluded, turning to the critical matter at hand, "what should we do now?"

"I have Three Plans: a superior, a middling, and an inferior one," Gongyang Yi replied, deliberately building suspense. "I wonder which one the King of Law is willing to adopt?"