126: The flag is rolling and Chen Yuan is recruiting soldiers (asking for monthly tickets)

At this moment, outside the alley, faint murmurs of women could be heard.

“Look, the martial artist next door, Yue, is coughing so badly. I hope nothing happens to him.”

“In this world, why is he so foolish? He abandoned his wife and children to guard the city wall.”

“Alas, you see, in the end, he didn’t get anything good out of it, and he even got injured. How pitiful.”

“Yes, yes, why do such a foolish thing? Wouldn’t it be better to just live a peaceful life?”

“……”

In the alley, several old women from the neighborhood, hearing the urgent coughing from the courtyard, whispered to each other, almost rubbing shoulders, as they gossiped while looking at Yue Shan’s courtyard.

Inside the house, the woman heard the faint sounds from outside and was about to rush out.

“Lianmei, what are you going to do?” Yue Dao pulled his wife back.

“I’m going to reason with them,” the woman’s eyes turned even redder.

She would not allow those people to defile what her husband had done.

However, just then, a scolding voice came from a courtyard in one of the houses.

“These old women are always gossiping, making themselves disliked.”

“If it weren't for Hunters like Martial Artist Yue, what business would you old women have? Always chattering, not doing anything important, crying when it’s time to run, and now what are you doing here?”

“He is a Martial Artist. What status do you have? It’s one thing for him not to stoop to your level, but you’re getting addicted to it.”

A grizzled old Hunter, nearly fifty, with a white beard, holding a pipe, rushed out, glaring and scolding the old women.

Then he pointed at one of the women, his eyebrows furrowed in anger.

“Crazy woman, hurry up and get back home. Don’t get involved with these people.”

One of the women, seeing her old Hunter’s fury, quickly shrank back.

The other women, being scolded, were indignant and put their hands on their hips, pointing at the old Hunter.

“Wei Laosan, what business is it of yours?”

“We’re all neighbors, what’s wrong with showing some concern? Look at how you’re talking about us.”

“And what status do we have?”

“Bah, you old tree bark.”

The pipe-smoking Hunter was not at all intimidated; he pointed and cursed, “What the hell are you talking about? That’s not concern. Talking behind people’s backs outside their courtyard? Is that how it is? Old Fang, Old Jin’s family, if you’re real men, then shut your wives’ mouths.”

With this argument, the noise grew louder, and suddenly the entire Ji Ming Alley became lively.

Some were cursing, others were pulling people away.

At some point, the commotion suddenly stopped, and everyone collectively looked towards one end of Ji Ming Alley.

A rumbling sound came from afar, and the ground of the alley began to tremble.

Before long, the sound became clearer and clearer.

“Clip-clop”

“Clip-clop”

“……”

Soon, at the alley entrance in the distance, a team of Black Armored Soldiers, clad in dark armor, gleaming with cold light, and exuding a chilling Aura, galloped into the alley.

The Aura made a group of Mortals feel weak in the knees.

It felt as if this group of soldiers had emerged from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, captivating their souls.

Soon, this team of Black Armored cavalry arrived in front of the Mortals who were gathered in the alley watching the commotion.

With a sudden gasp, everyone involuntarily retreated.

Among them, the leading cavalryman raised his hand, and behind him, the horses neighed and the people stopped.

He rode forward on his large, exotic horse, whose eyes glowed like flowing fire, and two wisps of white Qi puffed from its nostrils.

“Ji Ming Alley, where is Yue Dao’s family?”

The cavalryman, forged like black iron, a solid iron pagoda, only his eyes visible, looked at the woman at the very front.

The woman felt as if she had been targeted by something terrifying; her tongue tied in knots, she could only frantically point to a courtyard about ten meters ahead.

The cavalryman said nothing, merely raising his horse’s reins, and the crowd automatically parted into two rows.

Then, this team of Black Armored Soldiers quickly arrived at Yue Dao’s courtyard gate in Ji Ming Alley.

The leading cavalryman softly called out, holding a scroll of silk with a jade buckle in one hand.

“Ji Ming Alley’s Yue Dao, are you here?”

Not long after, with a “creak,” the courtyard gate opened.

Yue Dao, supported by his wife Lianmei, emerged from the courtyard gate.

Yue Shan’s expression tightened as he looked at these soldiers, whose uniforms were completely different from the Baidi City’s Xuanjia Army.

This was the Ninth Mountain Fa Shan Army.

Directly subordinate to the rumored Dao Fu Division.

The night before, when the Demonic Cult attacked the city, he had personally witnessed this group of armored soldiers forming a formation and directly confronting the Demonic Cult’s Azure Dragon, who was a Heavenly Gate-level expert.

And the one he revered was precisely the Ninth Mountain Zhonglang General!

“May I ask, esteemed sirs, what business do you have with me?”

Yue Dao gently pushed away his wife’s supporting hand, straightened his body, and with a slightly hoarse voice, cupped his fists.

The leading cavalryman, however, unfurled the silk scroll he held and began to read aloud.

“By order of the Dao Fu Division’s Ninth Mountain Zhonglang General,”

“Yue Dao of Ji Ming Alley, on the Bing Shen day, voluntarily signed up to guard the pass and fought bravely in the battle against the Demonic Cult.”

“The Zhonglang General is deeply pleased and orders his conscription into the Ninth Mountain Fa Shan Army, to lead a Total Banner, with a salary of one hundred taels of silver and provisions for fifty households.”

Within the Fa Shan Army, below the Zhonglang General were the Colonel, then the Hundred Household, who led two Total Banners. A Total Banner led five Small Banners, and each Small Banner commanded ten soldiers.

“By this order, Yue Shan, do you accept?”

The leading cavalryman asked Yue Shan.

Yue Shan’s eyes were wide open, his entire body trembling with excitement.

For him, a humble individual, to be favored by the Ninth Mountain Zhonglang General, he would have no regrets even if he died.

“Your subordinate accepts the order!”

He tried to kneel on one knee to receive the order, but his injury made his movements somewhat stiff. His wife, seeing this, looked worried but did not stop her husband.

However, the leading cavalryman dismounted, helped Yue Dao up, then placed the order into his hand and patted his shoulder.

“Well done. I am your Hundred Household. From now on, we are family.”

“I heard that the Zhonglang General’s first order was written for you. In the future, you must not disgrace the General’s prestige.”

Saying this, the man’s gaze dropped to Yue Dao’s abdomen, where a bandage covered a wound. With a flick of his hand, a small white jade bottle appeared.

“It seems you were injured on the battlefield. That black stain is the result of Demonic Qi erosion. Ordinary herbal medicine might not be very effective. This is a Spirit Pill; take it to treat your injury.”

Yue Dao did not decline, cupping his hands in thanks, “Thank you, sir.”

The Hundred Household waved his hand, “This is what you deserve!”

With that, he turned and leaped onto his horse, pulled the reins, turned the horse’s head, and did not forget to remind, “Tomorrow at Mao Shi San Ke, report to the Sky Patrol Division! Let’s go!”

As soon as he finished speaking, the Hundred Household gave a soft shout and led his small team, rumbling away from Ji Ming Alley at a fast pace.

As this team of cavalry rode away, the previously quiet Ji Ming Alley instantly erupted.

“Oh my goodness, the Dao Fu Division, it sounds so grand. What kind of place is that?”

“Idiot, I don’t know why you’re squawking. That’s the Heavenly Army of Jin Guan City. I heard they’re incredibly powerful, holding the power of life and death. Mortals must never provoke them.” Someone exaggerated.

“Then, Martial Artist Yue must have struck it rich! A Total Banner, provisions for fifty households, and a salary of one hundred taels of silver! A big official!” another woman’s voice chimed in, full of envy.

“Look at how quickly you change your tune! Didn’t you hear what the esteemed sir said? That’s what Martial Artist Yue deserves! Martial Artist Yue went outside the pass to fight against demons and even got injured. He’s brave. This is what he should get.”

“Wei Laosan, look at how proud you are, as if you’ve become a Total Banner yourself.”

“…………”

In the alley, chatter filled the air, and the neighbors’ voices were full of envy.

In front of the courtyard gate, Yue Dao watched the Black Armored Soldiers ride away, clutching the jade-buckled order in his hand. He felt as if it weighed a thousand jin, and a surge of Qi surged in his chest.

This was the first order written by the Zhonglang General!

…

Meanwhile, inside Baidi City, the Black Armored Soldiers led by the Ninth Mountain Fa Shan Army were galloping throughout Baidi City, carrying summons to various streets and alleys across the city.

“By order of the Ninth Mountain Zhonglang General,”

“Yang Biao of Qinghua Alley, on the Bing Shen day, signed up to guard the pass… recruited into the Ninth Mountain Fa Shan Army, to serve as a Small Banner, leading ten men…”

“Zhu Qing of East Market Street!”

“Fu Shan of South Gate!”

“…………”

One by one, the names of those who had once gone against the current, mustered their courage, and signed up to guard the pass, echoed through the city, eliciting cheers.

At this moment, atop the Sky Patrol Division tower, Chen Yuan gazed into the distance, his hawk-like eyes watching the movement of men and horses. His heart surged with emotion.

This was Chen Yuan’s first time commanding troops!

And it would be his first time leading troops!

The invisible pressure on his shoulders, accompanied by the surging Qi in his chest, rose and fell, like a mighty river flowing.

At this moment, his gaze dropped, and in his hand were three Fashan Flags, three feet in size, with black backgrounds and gold-bordered patterns.

The flagpoles were black-gold, covered in marks from sword and saber strikes, and were incredibly heavy, cast from Geng Jin metal.

On the flags, the black fabric was covered in dark red splotches, one after another. The material of the flags was unknown; they could not be burned by true fire nor soaked by water.

But the numerous mottled marks on them seemed to tell Chen Yuan what these three flags had endured.

A golden light flickered in Chen Yuan’s eyes.

These were the “Felling Mountain Flags”!

They were the main general flags of the Ninth Mountain Fa Shan Army!

They belonged to the Ninth Mountain Zhonglang General, which was now Chen Yuan!

These flags could form a grand formation with the Ninth Mountain Army’s Small Banners, possessing great power and the might to fell mountains, which Chen Yuan had witnessed the day before.

Good stuff!

Chen Yuan’s eyes moved, and he tossed the small flags in his hand. The three Fashan Flags instantly transformed into streaks of light, falling behind Chen Yuan and growing larger against the wind.

The wind roared, and the flags unfurled!

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