174: Chapter 174 Everything is ready, only the east wind is lacking

Meanwhile, that streak of purple lightning, like the Grim Reaper, had already completed its harvest!

"Puchi! Puchi! Puchi!" Three dull sounds of blades piercing flesh rang out almost simultaneously!

Those three top-tier assassins, who were also at the Sixth-Rank Grandmaster level, didn't even have a chance to react before their throats were pierced one by one by that elusive purple phantom!

Their eyes were filled with endless unwillingness and fear, and then, they slowly fell into the ruins that had long been stained red with blood.

Less than ten breaths! It had been less than ten breaths of time!

Those six top-tier assassins, who were enough to make any faction in the outside world tremble with fear, those six arrogant Sixth-Rank Grandmasters, were just like that, easily slaughtered on the spot by those two terrifying demonic gods that seemed to have walked out of Hell!

Corpses littered the ground! Blood flowed like a river! The entire martial arts arena, at this moment, fell into a deathly silence!

One could hear a pin drop!

Everyone, whether it was the commoners cheering in the spectator stands or the Martial Artists watching under the ring, upon seeing this terrifying and bloody scene that would make anyone sick, were so frightened that their faces turned pale, their bodies went cold, and they didn't even dare to breathe!

That... that was six Sixth-Rank Grandmasters! They were the kind of peerless experts capable of establishing sects and dominating a region!

Just like that... they were gone?! They were... slaughtered easily, just like chopping melons and vegetables, by those two monsters who looked like guards?!

Everyone felt that their worldview had been completely overturned at this moment by an unprecedented, massive force!

And in this deathly silence, Gao Feng slowly walked out from behind those two guards who were like gods and demons.

His body was spotless. His face still wore that faint, mocking, and contemptuous smile.

He slowly walked to the unrecognizable pile of flesh, then, lightly raised his foot, and kicked the only relatively intact head—that of "Lone Goose Sword" Li Xun—off the high platform as if kicking a ball.

Then, he slowly turned around, his eyes as deep as the stars slowly sweeping over the hundreds of thousands of spectators below who had already been scared silly. His voice was not loud, but like a thunderclap from the Nine Heavens, it clearly reached the ears of everyone present.

"Who else wants to challenge this King?"

No one dared to respond! The entire martial arts arena remained in a deathly silence!

Everyone, upon making contact with that cold gaze that looked down on all living beings like a god, subconsciously lowered their heads deeply, not even daring to have the courage to meet his eyes! In their hearts, only the most primitive and pure fear and awe remained!

And Yun Zheng, who was standing in the crowd, was so scared that his whole body went cold, and cold sweat had already soaked his entire back! His legs were trembling violently and uncontrollably, and he could barely stand! His lips were blue, and he muttered to himself, his voice filled with endless despair and horror!

"Seventh-Rank... they are two Seventh-Rank guards! My god... this... how can this be fought?!"

"The northern border is invincible! Absolutely invincible!"

He knew that from this day on, there was no longer any faction in this world that could stop the footsteps of this king of the northern border as he moved to rule the world!

And at this moment, Gao Feng's gaze slowly fell on the five, Zhao Yu, Ma Qianli, Xiang Hao, Gu Shenwei, and Xue Biao, who were also not lightly scared.

The five of them had chosen to help without hesitation during that critical moment just now. At this moment, although they were also shocked beyond measure by the terrifying strength of the two Seventh-Rank guards, there was more in their eyes: a burning, fanatical worship and admiration!

Gao Feng looked at the five of them, and on that usually cold face, a sincere and appreciative gentle smile appeared.

"You five are all very good. I have seen your performance just now." He spoke slowly, his voice filled with endless sincerity and appreciation.

"I ask you, are you willing to join my ranks, follow me, sweep across the world, end this damned chaotic era, and return a bright and clear world to all the people?"

His voice was not loud, but the supreme passion it contained, looking down on the world and aiming for the four corners of the earth, made the five of them, Zhao Yu and the others, feel a shiver and excitement from the depths of their Souls!

"General Zhao Yu is willing to die for you, my King!" Zhao Yu was the first to react! Without any hesitation, he abruptly knelt on one knee and used all his strength to make the loudest and firmest oath of his life!

Ma Qianli, Xiang Hao, Gu Shenwei, and Xue Biao also knelt on one knee without hesitation, shouting in unison: "We are willing to follow you, my King, and will not refuse even if it means death!"

"Hahaha! Good! Good! Good!" Seeing this, Gao Feng let out a hearty laugh filled with endless satisfaction!

He stepped forward personally and helped each of these five peerless Prodigies, who would be able to stir up the world's situation in the future, to their feet.

Then, he slowly turned around again and cast his gaze toward the Martial Artists below who had unfortunately lost in the previous matches but had also performed outstandingly, such as the domineering Central Plains swordsman Wan Guifeng, and the northern border Genius Luo Fengnian, who had been ambushed by assassins but had still tenaciously survived.

He said loudly, his voice spreading to every corner of the martial arts arena: "All the heroes who have shown your courage and potential at this 'World Heroes Assembly'!"

"The doors of my Yan Kings Residence are always open to you!"

"As long as you are willing, you will all become members of my Panshi Army! Together with me, we will create a brand new era!"

"Boom——!!!!!" As soon as Gao Feng's voice fell! The thousands of Jianghu heroes below, who had already been conquered by his supreme majesty and personal charm, instantly boiled over completely!

"Long live the king of the northern border! Long live the king of the northern border!"

"I am willing! I am willing to join the Panshi Army! I will die for the King!"

"Being able to follow such a peerless hero as the King is the greatest honor of my life!"

Countless people were so excited that their faces turned red. They chanted the slogan "Long live the king of the northern border" and expressed their willingness to join the Panshi Army and serve Gao Feng! The momentum was so vast that it was even more fanatical and shocking than any previous time!

The first "World Heroes Assembly" slowly came to an end in such an atmosphere filled with fanaticism and passion.

Although the true number one in the world was not decided, the huge impact it brought had only just begun, sweeping across the entire world like a storm!

Through this grand conspiracy, Gao Feng, without shedding blood, gathered into his pocket a large group of peerless generals like Zhao Yu, Ma Qianli, Xiang Hao, Gu Shenwei, and Xue Biao, who would be enough to become regional commanders in the future!

It also attracted hundreds of powerful Jianghu experts to willingly join the Panshi Army, greatly enriching the power of the Panshi Army's mid-to-high-level officers and special forces!

And the fact that he lightly killed six Sixth-Rank Grandmasters in front of hundreds of thousands of people, and revealed the terrifying strength of the two Seventh-Rank guards that would make any faction despair, completely intimidated all the petty and treacherous people in the world!

From now on, no one dared to openly oppose this king of the northern border! This also won precious golden time for the future stable development of the northern border!

More importantly, through this carefully planned assassination incident, "Sky Net" followed the vines to find the melons, rounding up all the secret stakes and spies that the Great Qian royal family, the "Revenge Alliance," and other hostile forces had planted in the northern border for many years, completely eliminating all internal hidden dangers!

And Gao Feng's supreme reputation as "Number One in the World," and his reputation for benevolent virtue in valuing talent and treating the wise with respect, also spread like wings through the mouths of those thousands of contestants to every corner of the world! His prestige reached an unprecedented Peak at this moment!

That night, Yun Zheng wrote a letter overnight and sent it back to Yunzhou with the highest specification of an 800-li urgent dispatch. On that letter, there was no long-winded analysis, no thrilling description. There were only eight blood-red characters filled with endless bitterness and awe—"The northern border is like the sun, it must not be opposed!"

And Gao Feng, under the bright moonlight, walked alone and slowly up to the towering city tower of Yan King City. He stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze calmly looking out at the southern land filled with endless war and strife. His eyes flashed with an unprecedented and brilliant light. Everything is ready, only the east wind is lacking. Next, all he needs to wait for is the best opportunity to let him rightfully sweep across the world!

The day after the Heroes Assembly concluded, an unprecedented celebration banquet, which included almost all the civil and military core of Panshi Land, was held grandly in the main hall of the Yan Kings Residence—the "Chengtian Hall," which looked even more magnificent after reconstruction.

Inside the hall, the lights were bright, as bright as day. On the huge round table carved from a single piece of golden silk nanmu wood, there were delicacies carefully prepared by the royal chef. The mellow and rich aroma of the "Panshi Burning Knife" wine, mixed with the charred aroma of the roasted whole lamb, permeated the warm air, enough to make any veteran gourmand drool.

Gao Feng sat high on the main seat. On his left hand side were the heads of the civil officials of Panshi Land, Left Chancellor Liu Chengfeng and right chancellor Xu Changqing. And on his right hand side were the number one military man, Grand Commander Du Wei, and the silent, iron-tower-like personal guard commander, Big Fool, whom no one dared to underestimate.

Further down, the arrangement of seats showed some subtlety. Wulu, Luo Qi, and Gong Qianxue, the veteran generals who had followed Gao Feng early on and had killed their way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, sat on one side, while Zhao Yu, Ma Qianli, Xiang Hao, and Gu Shenwei, the peerless generals who had shone brilliantly at the Heroes Assembly and had just bowed in submission, sat clearly separated on the other side.

Although under Gao Feng's supreme majesty, the atmosphere at the banquet was still warm, with everyone toasting and chatting happily, there was always a faint sense of estrangement and alienation in the air.

Come! General Zhao! I, old Du, toast you a cup!

Du Wei stood up, his face flushed, holding a large bowl three times the size of a standard wine cup. His voice, like a booming bell, echoed through the great hall, "Your marksmanship is truly miraculous! I, old Du, am impressed from the bottom of my heart after seeing it!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yu's typically cold and stern face revealed a rare smile. He raised his wine cup in a distant toast: "Commander Du, you overpraise me. Your Tiger Guard Battalion, with its magnificent military bearing and soaring Battle Intent, is what truly puts soldiers of my generation to shame."

The two drank it down in one gulp. It seemed hearty, but between their words, there was always a sense of politeness and distance.

Immediately after, Wulu also stood up. Holding his wine bowl, his gaze fell upon Xiang Hao, who was like a small mountain, buried in a struggle with a huge roasted lamb leg. He said in a muffled voice, "Brother Xiang! Your strength is great! I, Wulu, admire it! Come, finish this bowl!"

Xiang Hao lifted his greasy, honest face, grinned, and revealed two rows of stark white teeth.

He put down the lamb leg, lifted his own large bowl, and clinked it heavily against Wulu's. He gulped down the spicy, strong liquor, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and replied in a muffled voice, "Your strength is also great! When we have time, let's fight again!"

"Good!"

The two burly men, both known for their strength, smiled at each other, their smiles full of pure appreciation and mutual sympathy.

However, this harmonious atmosphere did not last long.

When Ma Qianli, with his white horse and silver spear, finished toasting Gao Feng and prepared to toast the Panshi Stockade veterans like Du Wei and Wulu in turn, a young general beside him, also recently surrendered, pulled him back. He lowered his voice, his face full of resentment, and said, "General Ma! Why must you do this? What kind of person are you? Why should you toast those two crude brutes first? If anyone is toasting, they should be the ones to toast you first!"

Upon hearing this, Ma Qianli frowned slightly. He glanced at Wulu, who was happily playing finger-guessing games and drinking with Big Fool, and said in a deep voice, "Stop talking nonsense! General Wulu and General Du Wei are both founding heroes who followed the Prince when he was in humble beginnings. Reason and propriety dictate that we, as latecomers, should pay our respects first."

Although he said this, the young general's disobedience and contempt could not be hidden. This scene also fell into the eyes of the Panshi Stockade veterans not far away, drawing a series of cold snorts suppressing their anger.

New blood brought vitality, but it also brought unavoidable conflicts and contradictions.

Gao Feng took it all in, but he just watched quietly without speaking. He knew that the birth pains brought about by this transition between new and old, and the establishment of various factions, were a process that any emerging power must experience after rapid expansion.

Forcible suppression would only be counterproductive. He needed an opportunity, an opportunity sufficient to make everyone submit wholeheartedly, to establish a brand-new, unshakable set of rules for this army, which was complex in composition yet possessed infinite potential.

The banquet slowly ended in a strange atmosphere that seemed lively but was actually surging with undercurrents.

The night was deep.

Inside Gao Feng's bedchamber in the Yan Kings Residence, the candlelight flickered, and it was as warm as spring.

Su Yue was kneeling behind Gao Feng, using her gentle, slender hands to carefully remove the heavy royal robe that symbolized supreme power from Gao Feng.

In her eyes, there was endless pride for her man's brilliant achievements, as well as a trace of hard-to-conceal, deep worry about the invisible sword shadows.

"Husband, at today's banquet, those newly arrived generals were all very arrogant. I fear..." she said softly, her voice carrying a trace of delicate concern.

"It does not matter." Gao Feng closed his eyes, enjoying this rare tranquility and tenderness. He reached back and held Su Yue's slightly cool, small hand, comforting her softly, "They are just a group of fierce tigers whose rough edges haven't been smoothed down by reality yet. As long as the cage is strong enough and the rules are strict enough, they will eventually become the sharpest claws and teeth in my hands."

Just at this moment, Luo Qin's cold yet pleasant voice came from outside the door.

"Husband, are you asleep? I have urgent matters to report with Chancellor Xu and Chancellor Liu."

"Come in."

The door was gently pushed open, and Luo Qin led Xu Changqing and Liu Chengfeng, who both had grave expressions, in with hurried steps.

"Your Highness," Xu Changqing spoke first. The feather fan in his hand was waving rapidly, showing his extreme inner agitation, "Something has happened. According to a secret report just sent back by the 'Sky Net', just tonight, more than a dozen old aristocratic families, led by the Zhang clan of Suzhou Province and the Li clan of Jizhou Prefecture, have openly colluded and jointly submitted a petition opposing the 'Equal Field Edict' and the 'panshi code of law' that we are about to implement! They are even secretly inciting the tenant farmers under their rule, spreading rumors that you, Your Highness, intend to confiscate all their land for the state and turn them into homeless refugees!"

"Not only that," Liu Chengfeng added in a deep voice from the side, "There are also signs of instability in the army. Those newly surrendered soldiers, relying on their meritorious service at the World Heroes Assembly, are dissatisfied with the treatment of our Panshi Stockade veterans, believing that we are biased. Today's brawl is just the beginning. If not restrained in time, it will likely lead to a great disaster!"

Listening to their reports, there was no surprise on Gao Feng's face. He just slowly opened his eyes, and a cold, icy glint flashed in his deep eyes.

"Beneath the cheers, undercurrents are surging. Conquering the world is difficult, but governing it is even harder. These remnants of the old era are not yet willing to withdraw from the stage of history. In Panshi Land, the joy of victory is not enough; an iron fist of order is needed even more."

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at Yan King City, which was illuminated as bright as day by endless lights, a cold arc curling at the corner of his mouth.

...

Meanwhile, in the most inconspicuous corner of Yan King City, a little beggar, no more than seven or eight years old, ragged and covered in filth, was curled up in a corner. He was using his big, dark eyes to curiously observe this bustling world, which was full of vitality but also hid surging undercurrents.

His name was Douzi, an orphan who had just fled from the war-torn Central Plains.

He saw with his own eyes several young soldiers wearing brand-new armor, clearly new recruits, gathered at the entrance of a tavern, boasting about their "illustrious military exploits" at the World Heroes Assembly with spit flying, drawing bursts of cheap cheers from those around them.

He also saw with his own eyes several Panshi Stockade veterans, also wearing armor, but with their armor covered in sword cuts and arrow marks, walking by with disdainful faces. One burly man with a full beard even spat fiercely on the ground.

"Bah! A bunch of baby soldiers who haven't seen blood! Just because you won a few arena matches, you really think you're the greatest? Back in the day, when we were following the Prince at Ghost Sees Sorrow and couldn't even get enough to eat, you little brats didn't even know where you were wearing split-crotch pants!"

Although Douzi couldn't understand what they were saying, he could clearly feel that the air was filled with a dangerous smell called "gunpowder."

He knew that this seemingly calm city would likely have a major incident very soon.

Sure enough, the next morning, an even bigger storm erupted at the water supply point in the West Camp!

The morning sun had just shone on this huge military camp, which was filled with the scent of iron, blood, and sweat. Thousands of soldiers who had just finished their morning exercises were standing in a long line, waiting by the only well in the center of the camp to draw water and wash up.

The atmosphere should have been calm and orderly.

However, an arrogant and discordant voice, like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly broke this tranquility.

"All of you bastards, get out of my way! Don't you see your Grandpa Wang is thirsty?!"

A burly young soldier with a hideous scar on his face was seen impatiently pushing aside several veterans who were blocking his way, walking straight to the front of the line.

His name was Wang Scarface, a personal soldier under the newly surrendered general Zhao Yu. Because of his outstanding performance in the previous preliminary rounds of the World Heroes Assembly, he was exceptionally promoted to Centurion by Zhao Yu. For a time, he was riding high, at the Peak of his success.

"Hey! You kid, do you know the rules? Don't you see everyone is queuing?" A veteran who was queuing saw this, frowned, and couldn't help but scold him.

This veteran was named Tie Tou, one of the earliest veterans of the Panshi Stockade. He had followed Gao Feng and fought his way out of Ghost Sees Sorrow. His character was honest and straightforward, and he valued the rules and seniority in the army the most.

Wang Scarface glanced at him disdainfully upon hearing this, a mocking arc curling at the corner of his mouth: "Rules? I am the rules! You country bumpkin who only knows how to farm, are you worthy of talking to me about rules?"

"Who the f*** are you calling a country bumpkin?!" Tie Tou was furious when he heard this! He hated it most when others brought up his Panshi Stockade background!

"What if I did say it?" Wang Scarface put the water bucket in his hand heavily on the ground, crossed his arms, and said provocatively, "A bunch of mud-legged peasants who haven't even seen decent weapons, just lucky enough to follow the right person! If it weren't for us, the true battle-hardened elites, joining, you would have probably been trampled into meat paste by the iron hooves of the Heavenly Wolf Army long ago!"

"Bullsh*t!" Tie Tou was trembling with rage. He pointed at Wang Scarface's nose and cursed, "You, a defeated general, a surrenderer begging for pity, how dare you spout such nonsense here?! If the Prince hadn't been kind-hearted and taken you in, you bunch of stray dogs, you would have long since become lonely ghosts on the side of the road!"

The two words "surrenderer" were like two of the most vicious steel needles, piercing deeply into Wang Scarface's arrogant heart!

"You're f***ing asking for death!"

Wang Scarface instantly went berserk! He roared, and his fist, the size of a sandpot, brought a whistling gust of wind as it smashed fiercely towards Tie Tou's face!