Chapter 221: Chapter 216: Order of Mobilization by Gang Leader Bai_i
Translator: 549690339 I
Rumors have spread in great detail, claiming that the Hundred-Tempering Child, upon reaching a hundred years of age and deteriorating to the limit, would place himself in a coffin. Buried alive for three years, then upon breaking out of the coffin three years later, he would emerge as a child again.
As for whether this is true or false, the common folk are entirely clueless.
The world respectfully refers to the Hundred-Tempering Child as the Hundred-Tempering Immortal Master.
The Hundred-Tempering Immortal Sect is a fairly dominant Immortal Sect that has been growing stronger over the years.
As for the infighting and power struggles among the sects within its jurisdiction, the Immortal Sect generally doesn’t interfere.
Competition leads to becoming ever stronger.
Some Immortal Sects even give out two or three Sect Founding Orders annually, setting certain conditions to attain them. Those powerful families or individuals who emerge victorious in the competition would be rewarded with a Sect Founding Order.
With a Sect Founding Order, one can legally establish their own sect within the territory of an Immortal Sect.
Some might then ask, if the Immortal Sect doesn’t intervene in the clashes and slaughters between sects, what use is there in having a Sect Founding Order?
A legally recognized sect is naturally useful.
There is an opportunity to receive various high-level cultivation resource rewards from the Immortal Sect, such as Immortal Pills, Immortal Techniques, Cultivation Techniques, Immortal Artifacts. Obtaining any one of these treasures can allow a sect to quickly rise to a higher level in an extremely short amount of time.
Moreover, the stronger the sect, the more Immortal Pills, Immortal Techniques, Cultivation Techniques, and Immortal Artifacts they obtain, the closer they get to becoming true Immortal Masters.
This is a process of accumulating power to become stronger.
Once enough is accumulated, there is a chance to undergo a transformation and step through the Immortal Gate to become a true Immortal Master.
This is the ultimate pursuit that all mortals dream of.
Becoming a disciple of an Immortal Sect is not what many people imagine—that one is born with a superior immortal root and then recruited by the Immortal Sect, breezing through with cheats and directly cultivating immortal techniques.
That is a dream.
In this world, to become an Immortal Master, even if one’s parents are the leaders of an Immortal Sect, one must still cultivate step by step on their own.
Only those who meet the recruitment conditions can be accepted into the Immortal Sect.
It is not a matter of being born with a superior immortal root and then being able to practice cultivation directly.
Ordinary mortals, even with good talent, simply cannot cultivate with bestowed immortal techniques if they do not have the means.
It’s like building a house—without a solid foundation, it’s doomed to be a castle in the sky, an illusory dream.
Furthermore, competition within an Immortal Sect is even more intense.
Each disciple of an Immortal Sect will consume vast amounts of cultivation resources, and it’s impossible to waste these precious resources on a mere mortal.
If the child of any Immortal Sect leader could directly enter the Sect for cultivation upon birth, that Immortal Sect would certainly not last long.
It wouldn’t take a thousand years for it to be annihilated by other Immortal Sects, leaving nothing behind.
The Black Tiger Gang is, after all, a legitimate gang and Qin Niu is unclear about its ranking among the more than a thousand sects under the Hundred-Tempering Immortal Sect.
But one thing is for certain—the higher-ups of the Black Tiger Gang are definitely concerned about their reputation.
If they weren’t pushed into a comer, they would never have issued this mobilization order.
This indicates that the enemy is overwhelmingly powerful, that the Black Tiger Gang is finding it difficult to resist, and perhaps even risking the foundation of the gang itself, leading them to lower their pride to call all relatively powerful subjects to join the army and ward off the formidable foe.
Qin Niu couldn’t help but think again of Zhang Banzui’s words, “When disaster arises, the Insect Masters thrive.”
What is meant by disaster?
It is the dread of war that constitutes a disaster.
Zhang Banzui was definitely referring to the war between the Black Tiger Gang and other sects.
The Nine Insect Gang is truly ambitious, seemingly wanting to expand and strengthen its influence!
It had just annexed the Seven-Star Sect a few years ago.
Now, it is targeting the Black Tiger Gang.
The strongest aspect of the Black Tiger Gang should be Beast Taming.
Logically speaking, the combat power of Beast Tamers is generally stronger than that of Insect Masters.
A mighty beast pet can almost crush the insect pets of several Insect Masters.
The fact that the Nine Insect Gang is so dominant indicates that they certainly have insect pets that are far stronger than ordinary beast pets.
Qin Niu’s Termites are actually quite powerful.
If they transform into Army Ants, ordinary beast pets would likely face more danger than fortune upon encountering them.
He opened the letter, and it indeed was a mobilization order issued by the Insect Master Association.
Unlike the previous situation, this time the order was jointly issued by Chairman Li and Bai Xuezhu, the Deputy Gang Leader of the Black Tiger Gang. The ending of the order bore not only the great seal of the Insect Master Association but also the official seal of the government.
“Esteemed Insect Masters, take heed. The Black Tiger Gang was first troubled by an insect calamity, and thereafter, Insect Masters across multiple regions fell victim to assassination, with numerous government officials also brutally murdered. Upon thorough investigation, we have discovered that all these acts are the clandestine sabotages of the Nine Insect Gang and the Shennong Sect. The Black Tiger Gang has always been kind and sympathetic to the common people’s suffering, and we have been reluctant to initiate hostilities. However, these two factions are aggressive and pressuring us relentlessly.
Bai and the Black Tiger Gang’s high-ranking members have witnessed our people and crops fall victim to locusts’ devastation, feeling both enraged and deeply pained.
Just three days ago, the Nine Insect Gang suddenly invaded our borders and directly murdered three hundred and fifty-six people in Dafeng Village by the Blackwater River. Victims included men, women, the elderly, and the young, leaving behind a tragic scene of death. Upon discovering the calamity in Dafeng Village, the warriors on our frontiers immediately launched a counterattack, intent on avenging the unjustly slain and seeking justice for the three hundred and fifty-six lost souls.
However, the enemy was strong and well-prepared, resulting in heavy losses to our forces.
Now that the enemy has amassed a substantial force on our borders, the situation is precariously dire. I hereby call upon the heroes and the brave within the Black Tiger Gang’s territory to unite against our formidable foe, to defend our homeland, and to protect our wives, children, and parents. At the same time, one could achieve great deeds, earn official titles, and bring honor to one’s ancestors.
Deputy Gang Leader of the Black Tiger Gang, Bai Xuezhu respectfully pens this order!”
After reading the mobilization order, Qin Niu felt a heavy weight on his heart.
He had thought there was only the Nine Insect Gang to worry about, but now even the Shennong Sect had entered the fray.
The Shennong Sect focuses on agriculture, with most of the medicinal herbs used for pill making coming from their territories.
There’s even a saying, “When Shennong prospers, no place goes hungry.”
What does it mean?
It implies that as long as the Shennong Sect’s granaries are bountiful, people from all sects need not fear famine.
A sect that mainlines in farming is naturally not adept at combat.
Just as Qin Niu practices the Life-Nurturing Technique, which is unsuited for battle.
The Shennong Sect has remained neutral and refrained from joining the disputes of other factions.
Its power must be strong; at least, there have been no reports of any sect attacking the Shennong Sect.
It’s unclear why they’ve got involved with the Nine Insect Gang this time.
With the Black Tiger Gang’s crops ravaged by locusts, and now with the Shennong Sect siding with the Nine Insect Gang in a two-against-one strike, the Black Tiger Gang is in dire straits.
If things go wrong, the Black Tiger Gang might be annihilated without a trace left behind.
There will naturally be a reshuffling of power.
The most likely outcome is the Nine Insect Gang and Shennong Sect directly dividing up the Black Tiger Gang’s territories.
A mobilization order is just that—a call to arms. Receiving the order doesn’t mean one has to go.
Qin Niu certainly wouldn’t get heated up by an emotional mobilization order and foolishly rush to the battlefield weapons in hand to fight to the death.
“I must seize the Green Demon’s treasure before the conscription order is issued. That way, even if I end up on the battlefield, I will have one more strong card to play.”
His gaze flickered as he contemplated his future path.
If this round of mobilization fails to achieve its results and the frontline can’t hold, then the Black Tiger Gang Leader himself will personally issue a conscription order.
Those who receive this order must enlist.
Anyone who dares not to comply will be deemed a deserter, subject to on-the-spot execution.
Generally, no one dares to refuse.
Especially at the beginning of the conflict, if anyone dares to openly refuse, they will likely be executed as a demonstration to deter others from refusing to join the battle. This is what’s colloquially known as ‘killing the chicken to scare the monkey.’
Qin Niu definitely did not want to become that sacrificial chicken.
The only thing to do was to increase his power before the conscription order was issued..