23: Chapter 23 The Yellow Robe Army

Chen Fan's laughter was slightly coarse.

This was a trait inherited from Black Wind Demon.

He pinched Cui Qiao's smooth chin, feeling the warmth of the beauty in his arms.

"A debt of blood must be paid in blood? I'll be waiting right here on Black Wind Mountain."

"If she has the ability, she is welcome to bring men to take my head."

"However..."

He changed his tone, taking the opportunity to pull Cui Qiao into his embrace as well.

"Tonight, neither of you is getting away."

Having said that, he didn't give them any chance to speak.

The temperature in the stone chamber kept rising.

Chen Fan completely let go.

All sorts of tenderness and warmth left them intoxicated.

That night, Chen Fan fully experienced the life of a mountain lord.

It was exhilarating.

...

The next half month was the most comfortable time Chen Fan had experienced since his Transmigration.

Black Wind Mountain had become wealthy.

That fat man, Smiling Tiger, had taken the policy of "robbing the rich to help the poor" to the extreme.

Of course, it was a discounted version.

Of the money and grain robbed, seven out of ten parts went into the stronghold's treasury, two parts were used to reward the brothers for eating, drinking, and gambling, and the remaining one part was reluctantly distributed to the poor commoners at the foot of the mountain.

Even so, the reputation of Black Wind Mountain had undergone a curious change within the territory of Qinghe County.

To those wealthy gentry, Black Wind Mountain was a more terrifying death warrant than the government.

But for those destitute refugees and tenant farmers who couldn't survive, Black Wind Mountain had instead become a kind of ethereal hope.

The bandits in the stronghold had much more spirit.

There was money, grain, wine, and meat.

Although the Chief had established some strange rules, as long as they could live a good life, who would care about who was being robbed or how much was given to the peasants?

Iron-Armed Monkey no longer drank alone; he led men in training every day and occasionally went down the mountain to "open for business," full of vigor.

The entire Black Wind Mountain presented a scene of eerie prosperity.

And Chen Fan had completely settled into the life of a corrupt feudal lord.

He slept until he woke up naturally every day.

Upon waking, three mountain wives with different charms would be waiting for him.

After eating, he would go to the back mountain to practice his saber, familiarizing himself with the steadily increasing Internal Energy in his body.

Although this body's Aptitude was mediocre and a Breakthrough was hopeless, feeling the growth of strength every day was still a pleasant experience.

The remaining time was spent in the back hall's stone chamber, exploring the true meaning of life with his wives.

Life was simply delightful.

He had almost forgotten that there was still Magistrate Zhao De down the mountain who might return at any time, and Zhang Shan, whom he had let go and who had threatened revenge.

It didn't matter.

When soldiers come, block with generals; when water comes, cover with earth.

With the Substitution Reincarnation System, what was there to fear?

At worst, he would just switch identities and start a new life.

This go-with-the-flow, Zen-like mindset made his life exceptionally relaxed.

Until this afternoon.

Chen Fan had just finished practicing a set of the Gale Saber Technique and returned to the back hall's stone chamber, drenched in sweat.

Cui Qiao was carrying a plate of sliced fruit, ready to bring it to him.

The two had just met and hadn't even had a chance to say a few intimate words.

"Bang!"

The door of the stone chamber was violently pushed open with enough force to nearly shatter it.

A bandit responsible for guarding the mountain scrambled in, his face wearing an expression mixed with terror and confusion.

"Chi... Chief!"

Chen Fan frowned, slightly displeased.

Who else was blind enough to dare disturb his peace?

"What's the panic! Are the government troops attacking again?"

He took the towel Cui Qiao handed him and wiped the sweat from his face.

"No... not the government troops!"

The bandit panted heavily, shaking his head desperately.

"A... a group of people have arrived at the foot of the mountain!"

"A group of people?" Iron-Armed Monkey and Smiling Tiger also rushed over upon hearing the news, the former carrying his saber, his face full of Evil Qi.

"How many? Did they bring weapons? Daring to run wild on our Black Wind Mountain territory, are they tired of living?"

"No... they didn't bring weapons, there are only a dozen or so of them." The bandit explained, stammering.

"They said... they are a rebel army!"

A rebel army?

In Juyi Hall, all the bandit leaders who had rushed over were stunned.

This term was both familiar and strange to them.

In the final years of the Great Shang Dynasty, the world was in chaos, uprisings were breaking out everywhere, and groups calling themselves rebel armies were as numerous as ox hair.

But weren't those all causing trouble elsewhere? How did they end up in a backwater like Qinghe County?

Smiling Tiger rolled his eyes and leaned forward.

"A rebel army? What are they here for? Do they want to borrow grain from us, or do they want to recruit us?"

"Neither!"

The expression on the messenger bandit's face became even stranger.

He swallowed his saliva, seemingly organizing his words.

"They... they specifically named our Chief and want to see him."

Upon hearing this, Iron-Armed Monkey burst into laughter.

"Want to see the Big Brother? Who do they think they are! Are they worthy of seeing our Big Brother?"

"Big Brother, in my opinion, just beating them out is enough!"

Chen Fan sat on the tiger-skin armchair, peeling an apple with a small knife without even raising his head.

"Let them come up."

His words made Iron-Armed Monkey's laughter come to an abrupt halt.

"Big Brother?"

Chen Fan ignored him and just waved his hand at the messenger bandit.

The bandit, as if granted amnesty, scrambled out.

Soon, a dozen or so men wearing various types of clothing, but all carrying an air of toughness, were brought into Juyi Hall.

Leading them was a tall, middle-aged man with a resolute face.

As soon as he entered the cave, his gaze locked directly onto Chen Fan, who was sitting in the main seat.

The man's gaze was as sharp as a knife.

He looked Chen Fan up and down, as if confirming something.

The atmosphere in the cave was somewhat heavy.

The bandits gripped their sabers, staring unkindly at these uninvited guests.

The middle-aged man, however, didn't care at all; he cupped his hands to Chen Fan, neither humble nor arrogant.

"I am Chiliarch Zhou Tong of the Yellow Robe Army."

Yellow Robe Army?

Chen Fan's hand, which was peeling the apple, paused for a moment.

He had come across this name in Black Wind Demon's memories.

It was one of the eighteen rebel armies of the Great Shang Dynasty, which had always been causing trouble in Jing Province; to put it bluntly, they were rebelling.

However, shouldn't they be in Jing Province? How did they appear here?

Jing Province was next door; he was currently in Xiushan Province.

"Something up?"

Chen Fan handed the peeled apple to Honge beside him and finally raised his head.

The middle-aged man named Zhou Tong stared at him intently.

After a moment, he spoke in a deep voice, every word clearly echoing throughout the cave.

"We are here to find you."