181: Chapter 181 Recruiting Mountain Bandits (1)

Time flowed by like water, and in the blink of an eye, a week had passed.

Over the past week, Zhao Hai had demonstrated extraordinary administrative skills, managing everything in Qingyan Town in an orderly fashion. Yang Juncheng was very satisfied, so he took Zhao Hai in and placed him in charge of all administrative affairs in Qingyan Town.

At the same time, tempted by tax exemptions and high military pay, Yang Juncheng successfully recruited a full 20,000 new soldiers from Qingyan Town and nearby villages, increasing the number of soldiers in his Militia Battalion by over 23,000, which was truly astonishing.

Yang Juncheng was very satisfied with this and immediately arranged for personnel to conduct strict training for the 20,000 new soldiers to improve their strength and combat effectiveness.

During this process, Yang Juncheng organized many blacksmiths in Qingyan Town to forge armor and weapons for the soldiers of the Militia Battalion, ensuring they would have equipment to use once their training was complete.

At the same time, Yang Juncheng tasked Zhao Hai with managing the army's logistics, ensuring that the food and supplies needed for training were met so the army could Cultivate with peace of mind, without worrying about shortages.

Afterward, except for checking on the army's training progress every day, Yang Juncheng spent all his remaining time to Cultivate.

With the assistance of his Hundred-fold Amplification Talent and an ample supply of medicinal herbs and food, in just one month, Yang Juncheng completed the third volume of the Great Sun Visualization Method, becoming a Peak Martial Artist in the Blood Refining Realm. He possessed a strength of 100,000 jin and could mobilize the power of his Qi and blood to fight enemies, killing from a distance!

After a month of strict training, the new recruits of the Militia Battalion had also become qualified soldiers with decent combat effectiveness.

Among them, some talented soldiers who practiced the visualization method passed down by Yang Juncheng even advanced to become Skin Refining Martial Artists. Their cultivation and strength greatly increased, giving Yang Juncheng a new batch of Skin Refining Martial Artists under his command and significantly boosting his overall strength.

"The Zhenbei Army is currently in a standoff with foreign races at the border, with constant small-scale conflicts. A full-scale war could break out at any time, so they cannot attend to Qingxuan Prefecture in the short term!"

"Meanwhile, inside the Great Qian Empire, it remains peaceful and prosperous, military preparations are lax, and refugees are everywhere. No one cares about the anomalies in Qingxuan Prefecture, let alone a tiny Qingyan Town or a small Militia Battalion commander like me!"

"Therefore, Qingyan Town is relatively safe for the time being, and no one will come looking for trouble with me!"

"However, this period cannot last too long!"

"Once the Zhenbei Army and the foreign races decide the outcome, it will affect the situation in Qingxuan Prefecture and the safety of Qingyan Town!"

"If the Zhenbei Army wins, I, as the commander of the Zhenbei Army Militia Battalion, will either be replaced or executed on charges of unauthorized military expansion!"

"If the foreign races win, they will be able to march into Qingxuan Prefecture on a large scale, and Qingyan Town will become one of their targets!"

"Therefore, I must take advantage of the time while the Zhenbei Army and the foreign races are in a standoff to develop and grow as quickly as possible, becoming a powerful force that cannot be ignored!"

Looking at the intelligence in his hands regarding the Zhenbei Army, the foreign races, and the Great Qian Empire, Yang Juncheng's expression remained unchanged as he muttered softly.

After muttering to himself, Yang Juncheng called Zhao Hai over, gave him a few instructions to maintain order in Qingyan Town, and then quietly left Qingyan Town, galloping toward the distant, rolling Qingxuan Mountain Range.

Qingyan Town was located not far from the foot of Qingyan Mountain.

And Qingyan Mountain was a spur of the Qingxuan Mountain Range, a small part of it.

The Qingxuan Mountain Range stretched for thousands of miles, traversing the entire Qingxuan Prefecture and bordering many towns in Qingxuan Prefecture.

The Qingxuan Mountain Range was home to a vast number of bandits.

These bandits formed various bandit factions, entrenched on steep mountain Peaks, and cultivated farmland in some of the flatter areas of the mountains to grow food crops, becoming self-sufficient.

At the same time, these bandit factions would occasionally descend the mountains to raid towns near the foothills and passing merchants, obtaining money, grain, and supplies.

However, the overall strength of these bandit factions was far inferior to the town forces of Qingxuan Prefecture, and they had no ability to capture the towns of Qingxuan Prefecture; at most, they could only raid villages near the towns and scare the common people living in the towns.

Therefore, the town forces of Qingxuan Prefecture did not take these bandit factions seriously.

Of course, the town forces of Qingxuan Prefecture had enough strength for self-defense but lacked the capability for offense.

They wanted to exterminate these bandit factions, but the town forces of Qingxuan Prefecture lacked the power to do so.

At this moment, Yang Juncheng's goal was simple: to recruit the bandit factions of the Qingxuan Mountain Range, integrate them, and form a powerful force.

Following that, Yang Juncheng would lead these bandit factions to break through the towns of Qingxuan Prefecture, eliminate the aristocratic families within, and seize their land and property.

Afterward, under the guise of exterminating bandits, Yang Juncheng would lead the more than 20,000 soldiers of the Militia Battalion to occupy the towns of Qingxuan Prefecture, eventually controlling the entire Qingxuan Prefecture and becoming its overlord.

At that time, Yang Juncheng would be able to train an army of one million, becoming a powerful force in the Northwest Territory, and even the entire Great Qian Empire, influencing the situation in the Northwest Territory and even the Great Qian Empire itself.

Soon, Yang Juncheng arrived in front of the gate of a bandit stronghold.

"Who are you? What are you doing at our Blackwater Stronghold?"

A bandit patrolling near the stronghold gate saw Yang Juncheng, immediately raised the long spear in his hand, and shouted with a face full of Evil Qi.

"I am Yang Juncheng, commander of the Zhenbei Army Militia Battalion. I have an important matter to discuss with your stronghold leader. Go and report it immediately."

Yang Juncheng replied in a calm tone.

"Someone from the Zhenbei Army actually came to our stronghold to discuss important matters with our leader? You are insulting my intelligence!"

Hearing Yang Juncheng's words, the patrolling bandit's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and he shouted coldly.

While shouting, the bandit waved the long spear in his hand and thrust it rapidly at Yang Juncheng, appearing as if he wanted to kill Yang Juncheng on the spot.

Seeing this, a fierce light flashed in Yang Juncheng's eyes. With a wave of his hand, a blood arrow condensed from the power of his Qi and blood flashed like lightning through the Void Realm, piercing the patrolling bandit's throat, causing blood to splatter as he died on the spot.

"A Martial Artist of the Blood Refining Realm!"

Seeing Yang Juncheng condense a blood arrow and easily kill the patrolling bandit, the other patrolling bandit's face changed drastically. He exclaimed involuntarily, his eyes filled with terror, and his legs trembled uncontrollably.

"Take me to see your leader!"

Seeing the cowardly appearance of the patrolling bandit, Yang Juncheng said in a calm tone.

"Yes, my lord!"

As soon as Yang Juncheng finished speaking, the patrolling bandit felt a sense of relief and responded respectfully.

After speaking, the patrolling bandit led Yang Juncheng toward the depths of the stronghold.