CHAPTER 344: CHAPTER 341: YANG GONG IS HERE (SECOND UPDATE)

The mountain lord saw it clearly. Since those who had been driven away had returned, they, of course, intended to sever all ties with the main family. But even if the main family was now down to its last member, it remained the main family, still one of the Ten Surnames. If the Five Evil Gods possessed such audacity, it could only mean he already had a contingency. Only other families within the Ten Surnames were qualified to be his contingency.

As for whom he had allied with, that was even simpler. The Tongyin Meng family was the natural first choice. Everyone present knew how fiercely the Zhen Sui Hu Family and the Tongyin Meng family, both of the Ten Surnames, had clashed. The connection to the theft disaster was evident from the Five Evil Gods’ current methods. In Mingzhou Prefecture, he was covertly performing Biebao and engaging in Evil Creation, effortlessly devastating the livelihoods of countless people. Such tactics closely resembled those of the theft disaster practitioners, the sort who constantly evaded heavenly retribution.

However, speculation remained just that. The mountain lord suddenly spoke so plainly that even the Five Evil Gods was startled. He vaguely felt again that aspect of the mountain lord which had once terrified him to his core. After a pause, the Five Evil Gods abruptly burst into laughter.

"HAHA, HAHA! Could it be that you’re thinking of taking this opportunity to defect with me?"

Hearing this, a faint smile touched the corners of the mountain lord’s mouth. He said softly, "No. I was just wondering, why didn’t you stay when you had such a good opportunity back then?"

He could also sense that as those fierce bandits approached, the Five Evil Gods had been steadily accumulating Mana. For an Evil God like him, born from such potent malevolent energy, descending upon this location was no different from being simultaneously worshipped by four or five hundred people. Under the impact of this malevolent energy, even the azure tent, which the mountain lord had fortified with his own power, was reaching its breaking point, about to be forcibly torn apart by the Five Evil Gods.

Yet, even in this situation, the mountain lord remained unflustered. He merely sighed lightly and said, "Are you gathering all your strength, wary that I might actually make a move against you?"

"HEH HEH. But you still haven’t understood. That child invited me here not to help him eliminate you, but merely to ensure you stay."

Although the Five Evil Gods appeared ferocious on the surface, he was inwardly vigilant. He truly feared that this individual before him might disregard the rules and attack. But now, with his thoughts laid bare, he was suddenly startled and bellowed, "Why?"

"Why else?" The mountain lord gazed at him calmly. "He’s afraid you’ll escape."

Those simple, calm words caused the Five Evil Gods’ expression to change drastically. He looked around wildly, but saw nothing but the billowing azure gauze. An indescribable fear surged within him.

But where did this fear stem from? He couldn’t understand. The fact that the people of plum bossom lane had invited him clearly indicated their stance: they would never interfere with his affairs. Even if they were to act, they would find a way to inform him. So, what was that family’s scion, merely a twenty-year-old, scheming?

As panic gripped his heart, the malevolent energy surged, stretching the azure tent to its absolute limit. Distorted faces pressed against the fabric, like a horde of evil ghosts roaring in unison, "Nonsense! Still trying to save face at a time like this?"

The mountain lord, however, merely sighed lightly. "You will never comprehend the true standing of the Ten Surnames. If you could, perhaps you wouldn’t have been expelled in the first place."

"It’s becoming more chaotic."

In plum bossom lane, Old Mr. Mei was, surprisingly, drinking with others. Although everyone was currently on edge and deeply anxious, they maintained an appearance of composure. The little ghost scurried back and forth, delivering messages. Behind closed doors, they were well aware of the turmoil brewing near Old Yin Mountain. They knew that if those bandits were to surge out from the mountains, the villages surrounding Green Stone Town would once again be devastated. More people would be displaced, and more would join the ranks of the bandits, creating even greater unrest—perhaps even posing a genuine threat to Mingzhou Prefecture.

Regarding such grave matters, however, he seemed entirely unconcerned. He merely met their worried gazes and said, "Let it be chaotic. Chaos is good.

"Only in such chaotic times can heroes emerge more easily, and only then can troops be recruited more readily."

Everyone present was indeed deeply anxious. Upon hearing this, all except the Yan family Mage were startled. They lowered their voices, "Old Master, do you mean... that the time has come?"

Old Master Mei did not answer, only calmly turning his head to glance at them. "Those individuals I asked you to select earlier—have you made your choices?"

"Chosen, all chosen!" They all nodded excitedly, their faces flushed, and said urgently, "We just didn’t expect it to be so soon! There’s no word from other places yet. Could it be that it’s truly time to..."

"It’s not that there’s no word; we simply receive news more slowly. Those influential families have already begun placing their wagers in various quarters." Old Mr. Mei sighed softly. "Our foundation here is not deep, and we lack significant advantages. But precisely because of this, we must prepare early. Otherwise, we won’t even get a mouthful of the soup.

"HEH HEH. The Emperor, the Emperor... now that’s the main event." He raised his cup, glancing sideways at the dying fish in the well, and continued in a low voice, "Ever since the Emperor was skinned alive, the Imperial court has effectively collapsed. The world should have descended into chaos long ago, with heroes rising everywhere, but it has been forcibly suppressed for twenty years.

"But only we, only we Hall Officers, can sense it. This world, though seemingly calm on the surface, is roiling with hidden currents that grow stronger by the day.

"Suppressed for twenty years, that resentment has also festered for twenty years. Once it erupts, who knows how vast the ensuing chaos will be. We can only watch and see which fortunate soul ultimately reaps the benefits of this great shift in destiny."

His words, touching upon such vast matters, caused the faces of those around him to flush with excitement, their hands trembling so much they could barely hold their wine cups. Meanwhile, in the area surrounding Green Stone Town, the sounds of battle had already erupted, and its inhabitants were trembling with fear.

The Martial Artists scattered at the first sign of trouble, fleeing so hastily they lost their shoes. The local government remained inert. An oppressive horde of bandits, exuding waves of malevolent energy, surged forward. Even evil spirits gave them a wide berth. The unguarded villages around Green Stone Town were like defenseless, open granaries. The malevolent energy billowed and shrieked. Though countless evil spirits plagued the world, none possessed an aura as terrifying as this.

Yet, just then, from the area to their right rear, a sudden frenzy of galloping hooves and shouts erupted. In the distance, hundreds of torches converged, resembling a fiery dragon slanting forward. Such momentum and imposing presence startled even the Red Lantern Society’s Martial Artists, who had been preparing to temporarily withdraw. They stared, dumbfounded.

"Brothers! Those vicious bandits who murdered our parents and stole our grain and our young women are right ahead!"

At the head of this fiery dragon, mounted on horseback, was Yang Gong, a Red Fragrance Disciple of the Red Lantern Society. He seemed transformed—covered in blood, radiating a wild energy, and leading several hundred robust young men. All brandished torches and weapons, charging forward with murderous intent.

"Everyone, charge with me! Kill these fiends! Seize their horses, seize their grain—no, take back *our* grain!

"Get them! Get those bastards!"

These bandits, heavily influenced by the malevolent energy, were consumed by bloodlust and ferocity. They felt that none dared to resist them wherever they went. Though numbering only four or five hundred, their dark, pressing mass exuded an air of utter contempt for everyone else. However, they had not anticipated an attack from their rear by another group, also numbering in the hundreds. Many of these newcomers were mounted and armed, equally filled with murderous intent. Upon sighting the bandits, they became enraged, howling for blood.

For a moment, even these ferocious bandits were thrown into disarray. Suddenly ambushed, their mounted ranks broke. Since they had been charging forward without any proper formation to begin with, they couldn’t turn their horses in time and ended up bunched together chaotically.

How could this be? These bandits were bewildered. Most had initially been lured by promises of gold and silver, their minds later clouded by the malevolent energy, driving them to focus solely on arson, murder, and plunder. They had never expected to be caught in such a fierce melee. In an instant, their formation completely collapsed.

"What’s happening over there...?" Also caught off guard by the bandits’ sudden chaos, the Martial Artists led by the Red Lantern Society, who had been fleeing, halted. Some, bolder and more curious, stopped and craned their necks to look back.

"Why are *they* fighting each other?"

"Who is it? Who is leading them?" Amidst the crowd, the Red Lantern Lady was also anxious, a red glow swirling around her as she tried to discern what was happening. Lacking her usual lanterns there, she couldn’t clearly grasp the situation. However, her left and right protectors, along with some nearby Shopkeepers who were Shousui men, had sharp eyesight. They clearly saw the individual leading the charge with torches, attacking with great vigor, and they were all stunned.

The Right Protector rubbed his eyes, then said with a wry, incredulous chuckle, "My Lady, someone over there is leading a group of men against the bandits. Their momentum is incredible! It looks like those bandits are no match for them."

The Red Lantern Lady was astounded. "Who is it? So formidable?"

The Right Protector himself seemed somewhat bewildered. After a moment, he replied softly, "It’s... one of your Little Hongxiang."

The Red Lantern Lady: "EH?"

What? Simultaneously, in Yellow Dog Village, the Evil Ghost aspect of the Five Evil Gods was drawing upon the surging malevolent energy, preparing to rip the azure tent apart in one go. Suddenly, he felt something was amiss. The exaggerated smile on his face vanished, and he abruptly looked outside the village.

"Do you see it now?" The mountain lord’s voice echoed coldly from behind him. "You use the Five Evil to cultivate calamity, but how could you know that someone else wouldn’t use this very calamity you’ve sown to cultivate their own fortune?

"Neither you nor those people in plum bossom lane possess any true courage!"