Chapter 547: Two Steps To Build A Powerbase

Chapter 547: Two Steps To Build A Powerbase

“Hehehe. Interesting! I like it.”

Chen Wuxin understood Ye Qing’s plan immediately and allowed a hint of excitement to appear on his face.

As a troublemaker, it was ingrained in his blood to start trouble.

“Taking control of Chaos Heaven Brigand is just the first step. Once you’ve assumed control, I need you to grow its power and influence as quickly and humanly as possible,” Ye Qing continued his explanation while rapping his knuckles against the table.

Over half of Chen Wuxing’s excitement fizzled out just like that. “I don’t foresee any trouble taking over the Chaos Heaven Brigand, but... rapid development is going to be difficult.”

Mount Qi was a massive mountain range spanning hundreds of kilometers to the southwest of Bei You. It encompassed three commanderies—Xuan Hua, An Ding and Qing Wu—and bordered Yan. Geographically and strategically important, the three commanderies were heavily garrisoned and constantly embroiled in armed conflicts.

A lot of forces built their bases on Mount Qi due to how vast, defensible, and strategic it was. Unfortunately, most of these forces were composed of bandits and brigands.

These brigands relied heavily on the natural stronghold that was Mount Qi to assault civilians and rob merchants. If an opportunity were to present itself, they would even attack the Chu army and rob them of their provisions and siege weapons. Daring and audacious beyond belief, there was no crime they wouldn’t commit.

The worst part was that there was nothing the imperial court could do against them. Qing Wu, Xuan Hua and An Ding might be protected by not one, but three huge armies, but their main responsibility was to defend the borders. The commanderies possessed immense strategic importance, and Yan was constantly probing their defense line for holes. As a result, they were unable to deploy the number of troops to uproot the brigands once and for all.

Of course, every once in a while, there would be a bold commander who had had enough of these bastards and threw caution to the wind. Unfortunately, the brigands would simply scatter like rabbits and retreat into Mount Qi, which was generally enough to foil most extermination attempts.

On the rare occasion a commander actually succeeded in eradicating the brigands, it usually took a couple of years at most before new brigands infested the area. It was literally impossible to end their ilk in a permanent fashion.

The brigands of Mount Qi were, without a doubt, a thorn in the border armies’ sides. Although they weren’t a major threat, they were about as annoying as the shitstain on your shoes. No matter how hard you tried to wipe them on the grass or wash them with water, there would always be a faint stench somewhere. They were disgusting to say the least.

The Chaos Heaven Brigand’s main headquarters was located inside Mount Qi. In fact, the ninth rank Mountain Mover Brigand, the eleventh rank Black Haw Brigand, and the thirteenth rank Green Wolf Brigand were based in Mount Qi as well.Fịndd new updates at novelhall.com

Besides that, dozens other minor and major factions were entrenched within Mount Qi. Some people claimed that Mount Qi boasted one hundred thousand bandits, and it was anything but an exaggeration.

Most of these factions had solidified territories and circles as well. If you challenged one of them, you challenged all of them.

In short, the border army was constantly on the lookout for brigands, and the brigands themselves were on the lookout for each other. Therefore, Ye Qing’s dream of expanding the Chaos Heaven Brigand rapidly could very well be just that—a dream.

“It is difficult, but where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

Ye Qing said calmly and handed the Boundless Mara Buddha to Chen Wuxin. “You can have this. I’m sure your endeavor would be easier with its aid.”

“You’re giving me the Boundless Mara Buddha? Are you sure?” Chen Wuxin accepted the Strange Artifact with astonishment.

As a Half-Step Grandmaster, a Soulstealer-class Strange Artifact was beneath him. However, a sapient Soulstealer-class Strange Artifact was a different story.

Moreover, he had witnessed the Boundless Mara Buddha’s power back at Chaos Heaven Mountain. Not only did it possess incredible offensive and defensive capabilities, its artifact spirit was beyond exceptional. The Fog Demon possessed the ability to bewitch and control minds, extract memories and more. This alone made it impossible to evaluate by its rating.

His enemies thought they could fuck with him? Okay. He would play.

“Xue Beikun? Commandant-in-chief? You have connections in the border army?” Chen Wuxin was speechless. Every time he thought he had had a grasp of Ye Qing’s abilities, the young man would strive to surpass it. “Is he reliable?”

“He will never betray me,” Ye Qing replied simply.

“That’s good. With his aid, things should be even easier.” Chen Wuxin didn’t prod deeper as he doubted that Ye Qing would give him a straight answer. “When and how can I contact him?”

Ye Qing replied, “He will contact you in due time. Just bring the Fog Demon, and he will know that you are one of mine and trust you.”

“Got it.” Chen Wuxin nodded.

“Remember. Always be careful, and keep a low profile as best you can,” Ye Qing advised.

“Like I need you to tell me that!” Chen Wuxin shrugged.

Ye Qing nodded and drank his wine. When he looked up and saw that Chen Wuxin was still there, he asked, “Do you have any more questions?”

“No...?” Chen Wuxin replied, puzzled.

“Then what are you waiting for? Get your ass over to Mount Qi already!” Ye Qing ordered.

Chen Wuxin: “...” I ran all the way here without stopping just to meet up with you, and you’re kicking me out before I can even enjoy a cup of wine? Are you even human?

“It’s going to take time for you to muster the Chaos Heaven Brigand and get everything prepared. That is why I need you to depart as soon as possible. This way, you can start as soon as Xue Beikun arrives at Qing Wu.”

As if he could hear Chen Wuxin’s thoughts, Ye Qing poured him a cup of wine and said, “Sorry for the trouble, but I expect great things from you.”

Chen Wuxin accepted the cup of wine and drained it all in one gulp. Then he rose to his feet and declared, “Got it. I’ll be going now.”

“Yeah.”

Ye Qing got up to see him off. When Chen Wuxin was at the exit, Ye Qing suddenly called out to him. “Hey.”

“What is it?” Chen Wuxin turned around with a puzzled look on his face.

“It’s nothing.” Ye Qing raised his cup and saluted him. “Take care. I’ll treat you to a drink when you return.”

“Hahahaha!” Chen Wuxin suddenly burst into a hearty guffaw. “I’ll be waiting.”