164: I plan to let the Yun family's children enter the Ninth Mountain (asking for monthly tickets)

“You might not have heard, but the Ninth Mountain suffered a defeat on the front lines and was crippled. My neighbor’s son was serving there as a soldier; he came back with one arm missing. I heard that nine out of ten died, and even the previous Zhonglang General perished. So now, a new Zhonglang General has taken office and needs to rebuild the Ninth Mountain, recruiting soldiers and buying horses.”

“Normally, the Fa Shan Army is impressive, and it wouldn’t be bad to join them. But going in now, they’ll probably be sent to the battlefield very soon. Isn’t that clearly sending them to their deaths? Only a fool would go.”

In a certain alley, in front of a recruitment notice.

The common people pointed and gestured, some shaking their heads, others commenting, while most remained silent, watching the spectacle.

This notice had been posted here for nearly two hours, and many people had come and gone, pointing and discussing, but not a single person had torn it down.

Some were tempted by the military pay offered on it, but after hearing the words of those around them, they extinguished their thoughts.

Now, the entire Jinguancheng was in an uproar; the south had been breached by demons, and a major war was imminent. The Fa Shan Army would naturally bear the brunt, so who would be willing to go to their deaths?

At this moment, a low cry rang out from within the crowd.

Suddenly, a Hunter, who usually kept to himself in the alley, working as a laborer, dressed in coarse short clothes, with dark skin, pushed through the crowd and stepped forward to tear down the notice.

“It’s him! Good heavens, for that small amount of military pay, it’s not worth it.”

“There are still people who aren’t afraid of death.”

A middle-aged Fat Man, dressed in a rich man's robe of brocade, surrounded by his servants, twitched the sparse two strands of beard beneath his nose, then smiled at the people beside him, pointed at the Hunter, and mocked, “This fellow used to work for me!”

“A servant, gone mad with the desire to rise up, rushing to his death, but even so, the Ninth Mountain isn’t a place that takes just anyone!”

After speaking, he laughed heartily at the dark-skinned Hunter who had just torn down the notice, “What a fool! Don’t you all agree?”

Unexpectedly, when the dark-skinned Hunter heard these words, anger appeared in the corner of his eye, his body flashed, and then the fat rich man let out a miserable shriek.

His plump body swayed with surprising elasticity, his butt sat back, and then he rolled.

“Master, Master!”

Several servants quickly helped the fat man up.

The fat rich man let out cries of pain, grimacing, then his small eyes glared fiercely at the dark-skinned Hunter.

“Rebellion! Kill him for me!”

Several servants immediately stepped forward, surrounding him with ill intent, rubbing their fists together, their knuckles cracking loudly, clearly skilled in some martial arts, and then pounced, fighting with the Hunter.

A few breaths later, suddenly, a cold shout came.

“Stop!”

Following that, the sound of hooves clattering quickly approached.

A troop of about ten Black Armored Soldiers, riding through the streets and alleys, arrived nearby, their Aura sharp.

The surrounding common people exclaimed and quickly made way.

The fighting on the field was also startled by this Aura and stopped.

As the crowd parted, a troop of Black Armored Soldiers reined in their horses and advanced. Leading them was a nine-foot-tall black horse. The man on the horse, unlike the other Black Armored Soldiers, wore cold, green armor, and the sharp Evil Qi emanating from him made the surrounding common people dare not utter a sound.

This man sat high on his horse, his eyes gleaming with cold light, surveying the scene.

On the field, of the two sides fighting, three of the four servants had been knocked down, and one was still standing. As for the dark-skinned Hunter, he had taken a few punches to the face, his lips were bruised, and he was breathing slightly heavily, his eyes still fierce.

The armored soldier on the horse saw the red notice tucked into the dark-skinned Hunter’s embrace, its top peeking out, and his eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a cold glint. He spoke, “Did you tear down the recruitment notice?”

The dark-skinned Hunter felt as if he was facing a tall, powerful beast in front of him. His expression froze, but he still stiffened his neck, “Yes!”

The armored soldier on the horse looked him over, assessing the Hunter's Aptitude and bones: “Your Aptitude is a bit poor, only at bone forging.”

The Hunter’s face turned pale, and his fists clenched slightly.

Snickers broke out around them, especially from the fat rich man, who carefully glanced at him, then looked at the Hunter with a mocking expression.

At this moment, the armored soldier spoke again, his tone eerie: “However, you are stronger than these good-for-nothings. I am Cloud Skyborn, the Commander of the Ninth Mountain. Tell me, why do you want to join the Ninth Mountain?”

As soon as these words were uttered, the surrounding common people immediately gasped.

The person who came was the Commander of the Ninth Mountain!

And this Commander unceremoniously called them good-for-nothings, causing their faces to turn various shades of red and green.

As for the fat rich man, his face turned even paler.

The dark-skinned Hunter was startled to hear that this group of armored soldiers came from the Ninth Mountain, and that the person in front of him was even a Commander. He immediately knelt on one knee, his eyes uncontrollably reddening. “Sir, my entire family was once killed by demons, leaving only me to live on. Later, I fled here from another place, living in a daze, but I have never forgotten my hatred for those beasts. Please, Sir, give me a chance. My life is insignificant; if I die, then I die!”

Having said that, the dark-skinned Hunter’s voice was hoarse, and he lowered his head, clasping his fists heavily upwards.

Cloud Skyborn listened to the Hunter's statement, and the air was silent for a moment. Finally, he nodded and said, “You will report to the Ninth Mountain later. Give my name for passage.”

The dark-skinned Hunter’s face instantly showed excitement, and he quickly kowtowed in thanks, “Thank you, Sir!”

At this moment, Cloud Skyborn’s expression suddenly turned cold, his voice utterly chilling.

“Did this Commander tell you to leave?”

The fat rich man and several servants, seeing that the situation was not good, were trying to quietly slip into the crowd and run away.

As he spoke, several of the soldiers behind him sprang forward.

Then, there was a commotion, followed by sounds of “bang, bang, bang,” as several figures fell in front of Cloud Skyborn’s horse.

“It seems you have an opinion about the Ninth Mountain.”

The fat rich man was so scared that he peed his pants, and quickly knelt down begging for mercy, “Sir, spare my life. This humble one has a foul mouth, just a foul mouth.”

Cloud Skyborn drew a long whip from his horse.

“Crack!”

“Crack!”

“Crack!”

Several air-bursting sounds, the long whip lashed fiercely onto the fat rich man and several servants.

The fat man shrieked like a slaughtered pig, his clothes ripped, his plump body whipped until his skin was torn and flesh exposed, revealing streaks of blood.

A few breaths later, Cloud Skyborn glanced at these half-dead fellows, then reined in his horse and, with his subordinates, rode away.

The surrounding crowd swarmed back, and a new round of discussions began, this time the target of their pointing having shifted to the unfortunate rich man.

Some said that the people of the Ninth Mountain were overbearing, having whipped the man so badly.

Some cursed in low voices, saying that the Ninth Mountain was like a grasshopper after autumn, it wouldn't be able to jump for much longer, because they were “indignant” that the Commander had called them good-for-nothings.

It was as if they were saying it had nothing to do with them.

At this moment, Cloud Skyborn, leading a small troop of soldiers, galloping through the alleys, thought about the scene just now, his heart filled with coldness.

It’s none of my business, I’ll just hang high. But when the blade is at their throats, what kind of faces will these people show?

The common people of Jinguancheng, because they were in the first prefecture of Jiannan Road, with the Dao Fu Division stationed there, had been too comfortable for too long!

His mood became somewhat heavy for a moment, fearing that the task the General had given them might not be completed.

As he thought this, Cloud Skyborn arrived in front of a grand manor with a wide expanse of land.

It was the Yun Residence!

“You all wait outside first.” Cloud Skyborn instructed his soldiers, then walked into the Yun Residence.

“Third Young Master has returned.”

He dismounted, took off his helmet, and handed it to the servant who came to greet him from the residence.

Cloud Skyborn strode briskly, passing through several corridors, and quickly arrived at a separate courtyard.

Before he even entered, he heard a sharp voice from inside.

“If you live in my house, you must follow the rules of my second branch. Don’t think that just because the Third Young Master spoke, you two, father and daughter, can be at ease...”

Cloud Skyborn walked through the circular archway of white paint and green tiles, and saw by the green pond in the middle of the courtyard, under the pavilion, a woman dressed in a sky-blue damask carved dress, with several maids standing beside her. In front of her, a gentle woman in a white dress stood, her head slightly bowed, receiving the woman’s scolding.

At this moment, a maid beside the woman, facing the archway, sharply caught sight of Cloud Skyborn’s figure and immediately shrieked to alert the woman.

“Third Young Master is here!”

The woman, who had been rattling on, immediately changed her expression upon hearing this. Her originally harsh eyebrows softened into a smile, and she said to Zhao Yunluo:

“If you have any requests for food or clothing, you can tell your aunt. Feel free to stay, it’s fine.”

After speaking, she caught sight of Cloud Skyborn in his armor walking from the corner of the covered bridge, pretending to have just noticed him, and said with a beaming smile, “Oh, Tiansheng is back. Er Niang was just having a private chat with Yunluo. Didn’t you instruct me? Er Niang naturally takes it to heart.”

As she spoke, it was as if she was trying to make excuses for herself!

Cloud Skyborn glanced at her, his expression unchanged, only asking expressionlessly, “Where is Father?”

“Your father should be in the study at this time!” Er Niang quickly said.

And Cloud Skyborn said nothing, just walked off on his own.

In fact, he had seen everything, but he said nothing, because of the General, he had already done his utmost for that distant father and daughter. The rest was for them to resolve themselves, and he simply did not have time to meddle in such small family matters now.

Thinking this, Cloud Skyborn quickly arrived at the study, asked the servant waiting outside if his father was inside.

As a result, a deep voice came from inside the study.

“It’s rare to see you come looking for me. What do you need?”

Then, the study door opened by itself without a breeze.

Cloud Skyborn stepped inside. In the study, a middle-aged man was sitting behind a desk, a faint smile on his face.

The man wore a black cloud brocade robe, with a round face and large ears, a straight nose and square mouth, a full beard on his cheeks, a strong physique and broad waist, and an jade belt around his waist.

He was Yun Chuxiong, the head of the Yun Family’s second branch, and one of only two Fourth Heavenly Gate and Dao Seed Realm cultivators in the Yun Family!

Cloud Skyborn was the eldest son of the second branch!

However, unlike his father, Cloud Skyborn was tall and slender, with a dignified appearance, but his face was always expressionless, like an emotionless robot.

After Cloud Skyborn entered the study, he waved his hand to close the door.

“Father, there is something I need to trouble you with.”

An hour later, as dusk approached, dozens of people, young and old, from several branches gathered in the main hall of the Yun Family.

The scene was even grander than last night, and a bit noisy!

“Big Brother, what’s the matter? Why did you call us so urgently?”

“Yes, I was just checking accounts at the shop outside and was called here. Jinguancheng is very lively now; Medicinal Pills, Talismans, and other consumables in the shops are almost all sold out.” Someone said with a hint of excitement.

“What’s the matter, making it so formal?”

Several family members spoke as soon as they entered, chattering away.

At this moment, in the main seat, Yun Fangting, the head of the first branch, seeing that most people had arrived, raised his hand, signaling for silence.

Then he turned his head, frowned, and spoke to the burly Yun Chuxiong,

“Second Brother, speak, what’s the matter?”

Yun Chuxiong’s large face was also fluctuating between clear and overcast. Finally, he waved his hand towards the back,

“Tiansheng, you tell your uncles!”

At this moment, Cloud Skyborn walked out from the side hall, the iron armor on his body clanging with metallic sounds, and the imposing Aura emanating from within him was even stronger than that of the other branches.

Several uncles looked at this eldest nephew, somewhat displeased, wishing he would just restrain his Qi and show some respect to his elders.

“Tiansheng, what do you need to say, just say it!”

The head of the first branch frowned even deeper, because Cloud Skyborn’s identity was different.

Cloud Skyborn’s gaze sharpened, and he spoke directly:

“Uncles, I want all eligible Yun Family disciples to join the Ninth Mountain with me!”

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