34: Battle General

Currently, the entire Yunshan City looks increasingly dilapidated, with the common people and farmers outside the city struggling, and the residents inside the city also facing difficulties.

Food, cloth, gold, silver, copper, iron, salt, and various other materials were all scarce and exorbitantly priced.

There were some things Gu Chang didn't even need to ask about actively, as he could hear them from the mouths of people coming and going.

"Xuan King is conscripting again!"

"This is the third round this year, isn't it?"

"Alas, with everyone going to be soldiers and fight, who will farm the land?"

"I heard they're setting up some kind of 'Tuntianbing'—farmers in peacetime, soldiers in wartime!"

...

There weren't many guests in the inn, but those who could afford to eat there were certainly not ordinary commoners.

Gu Chang roughly learned about some of Xuan King's plans from them.

Now that he had occupied three provinces, he had many soldiers and generals under his command, along with numerous talented and virtuous individuals; as long as he made good use of the resources and population of these provinces, he would surely be able to establish his kingly dominion!

Of course, these matters had little to do with Gu Chang; his main objective this time was to resolve the trouble at Da Wu Mountain.

So, after nightfall, Gu Chang quietly left the inn and stealthily made his way towards the military camp.

Compared to his last visit, Gu Chang acted even more cautiously this time.

Perhaps because Yunshan City was located in the heart of Qingzhou and not bordering enemy forces, the military camp's defenses here were not very strict, and Gu Chang easily entered the military camp.

"It seems this isn't a very important military camp; most of them are ordinary soldiers, with very few elite martial artists, but this suits me perfectly!"

After a quick reconnaissance, Gu Chang directly made his way to a military officer's tent.

This tent was much more spacious than the others, and there were several personal guards on night duty outside, indicating that the officer inside must hold some position.

Gu Chang acted decisively, instantly dispatching the personal guards, then rushing into the tent to attack the officer inside.

The opponent had clearly just been startled awake, not even having time to put on his armor, and immediately drew his sword to confront Gu Chang who was charging at him.

"Clang! Bang!"

"Boom! Rumble!"

"Refining Bone master!"

"Damn it!"

"Stop! Attacking a military camp is a capital offense!"

This officer's strength was a level below Gu Chang's; he had probably just begun Refining Bone, and even with a weapon in hand, he began to retreat steadily under Gu Chang's fierce offensive.

"Crack!"

Immediately after, Gu Chang lunged forward, then broke both of his arms, and then directly grabbed him by the neck and rushed out of the military camp.

The entire process took only a few breaths; the soldiers and officers in the military camp who were alerted simply didn't have time to gather their forces to surround and intercept him.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

"Woof woof woof!"

"All forces assemble!!!"

"Seal the city gates! Notify the General!"

...

Inside the suddenly awakened military camp, various commands were issued continuously, and the formerly peaceful Yunshan City was instantly roused.

Gu Chang, meanwhile, took his captive and moved swiftly over rooftops and walls, then directly hid in an unoccupied civilian house.

"From now on, I ask, you answer!"

"Tell me what you know, and you will live."

"Otherwise, I will crush every bone in your body, completely cripple your martial arts, and leave you to live as a useless person, like rotten flesh!"

"At that time, no matter how great your ambition, no matter how much others value and trust you, they will eventually see you as a waste, a burden; at that point, living would definitely be worse than dying!"

Inside the civilian house, Gu Chang woke the unconscious officer and threatened him with a cold tone.

"I..."

The opponent opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but when he thought of the outcome Gu Chang had described, he immediately lost most of his courage.

For a young master of a military family who had just entered the Refining Bone Realm, with a promising future ahead, there was no fate more terrifying than what Gu Chang had described.

"Tell me, why does Xuan King want to attack Da Wu Mountain?"

"What are his plans, what is the maximum force he can deploy, and what kind of losses would he consider not worth it?"

Seeing that the opponent no longer spoke, Gu Chang continued to interrogate him.

...

The opponent immediately fell silent upon hearing this, seemingly pondering how to answer.

"Crack!"

"Ah! Wuwuwu!"

However, if his answer was even a little slow, Gu Chang would directly crush one of his bones, and even if he wanted to scream, his mouth would be covered, preventing him from making a sound.

"Answer me."

Gu Chang spoke again, his tone devoid of any emotion, as if facing a corpse.

"Da, Da Wu Mountain does not obey the King's orders; if left unchecked, it will surely become a future problem!"

"Therefore, the King listened to his strategists' plan and intends to subdue the bandit strongholds within for his own use; if they refuse, then martial arts masters will definitely be arranged to directly destroy their camps and strongholds to deter others!"

"Unless, unless there is a Marrow Refining master in Da Wu Mountain, otherwise the King will certainly not give up!"

...

This officer was not a person of unyielding integrity; under intimidation and coercion, he immediately spilled all the information he knew.

"Very good! You are very good!"

After hearing this information, Gu Chang patted his face with satisfaction, then ignored him and walked out of the civilian house.

At this moment, the civilian house was surrounded by Xuan King's army, but due to the haste, the strength of the soldiers surrounding the area was not particularly strong.

So, until Gu Chang came out of the house, the soldiers outside did not make a Move.

Because they all knew that a powerful martial artist who could take down a captain in a very short time was definitely not someone they, ordinary soldiers, could deal with.

"What? Not going to attack?"

"Then I'm leaving!"

Gu Chang had no interest in bullying these soldiers whose strength was at most at the Stone Skin stage, and instead teased them.

Upon hearing his words, these soldiers retreated one after another, nervously holding up their weapons to block his path.

"Leave! Where can you go tonight?"

Suddenly, a powerful voice full of vigor echoed in the night, and then a fierce general, two meters tall, clad in heavy armor, and wielding a long spear, slowly walked towards Gu Chang.

"Tsk tsk, that was fast, I didn't expect it to be a general!"

Looking at the great general who appeared before him, Gu Chang's blood immediately surged, and his entire Battle Intent began to burn.

This was definitely the strongest existence he had encountered since he started practicing martial arts!

In the past, those generals would never have noticed a small fry like him, but today, unless the general personally made a Move, no one else had the confidence to take him down directly.

"Hehe, remember, the one who kills you is General Wei Hu, Yan Zhiliang, lest you become a wronged ghost in the underworld after you die!"

Seeing Gu Chang's surging Battle Intent, the opponent narrowed his eyes and Domineeringly reported his name to Gu Chang!

"Come!"

"Fight!"

Immediately after, neither of them wasted any words; Gu Chang instantly snatched a military saber from a nearby soldier's hand and began to fight with the opponent.

"Bang! Clang!"

"Crack!"

"Swish swish swish!"

"Hahaha, you've got some skill, but with just this much strength, it's still far from enough!"

"Rumble! Die for me!"

"Bang! Crash!"

Facing Gu Chang's storm-like fierce attack, General Wei Hu, Yan Zhiliang, easily wielded his long spear to parry his attacks.

Then, he suddenly unleashed his strength, directly sending Gu Chang flying with a single blow, making him smash into the house wall like a cannonball.

"Crash! Bang bang bang!"

The next moment, Gu Chang reappeared, and the Moves in his hands became increasingly fierce; the ordinary military saber actually broke inch by inch in his hands, eventually turning into countless fragments that flew in all directions.

"Hmph! Petty tricks!"

Facing these attacks, Yan Zhiliang didn't even bother to block; his Moves changed, a killing Move was unleashed, and the long spear appeared before him as if spanning heaven and earth, then easily tearing through his Jade Skin and destroying his Iron Bone!

"Cough cough, impressive!"

Looking at his pierced body, Gu Chang couldn't help but praise, even though he was covered in injuries.

Although part of the reason for this exchange was his inferior weapon, it was more due to the huge disparity in strength; the opponent was a Marrow Refining Realm master, with long-lasting internal Qi, and his internal organs had all been strengthened, making his strength far superior to martial artists at the Refining Bone level.

"You're quite a man, then, die!"

Seeing that Gu Chang could face his own death without changing his expression, the opponent also praised him endlessly, and then directly used internal force to destroy Gu Chang's lungs and heart.