Eternal Immortal Dynasty: Starting as a Petty Official

Chapter 184 The troops split into two groups and stationed themselves in Dongzhu (Seeking monthly votes)

Inside the military tent, the lights were on, and a topographical map of Ronghuai County hung on the tent wall.

"Ronghuai County has three most powerful bandit groups: Mangniu Mountain, Feilong Mountain, and Zhuhe Bandits!"

Looking around at everyone in the military tent, Zhao Xiansu said in a solemn voice.

"Just now, Mr. Zhou identified them as the bandits we attacked and defeated a few days ago—they were indeed the bandits from Mangniu Mountain!"

"There are nearly three hundred bandits in Mangniu Mountain, who are divided among four leaders."

"We fought a bloody battle all night and defeated them, but the remaining bandits are so terrified that they have probably already fled to Flying Dragon Mountain!" Zhao Xian said, a look of solemnity on his face.

"The Feilong Mountain bandits originally numbered around three hundred, but now that they have the remaining bandits from Mangniu Mountain have joined them, their power is probably already above that of the bandits!" Zhou Yan said in a deep voice at this moment.

"Flying Dragon Mountain has a treacherous terrain; a direct assault is absolutely not advisable!" Seeing the solemn expressions on Zhao Xian's and the others' faces, Zhou Yan continued, "I once followed Lord Chen in leading the attack on Flying Dragon Mountain. Although we had Lord Chen, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, to assist us, we still couldn't do much to take down Flying Dragon Mountain!"

"Even a Foundation Establishment cultivator can't help?" Zhao Zheng asked solemnly, his expression turning serious.

"Flying Dragon Mountain also has Qi Refining cultivators assisting it. Although Foundation Establishment cultivators are strong, they are still in danger of being overwhelmed if they are surrounded!" Zhou Yan nodded slightly and said helplessly.

"This bandit actually has a Qi Refining cultivator helping him; his background must be quite extraordinary!" Zhao Cheng asked tentatively.

"Commander Zhao, please don't test me like this. I don't know where the Qi Refining cultivators from Flying Dragon Mountain came from!" Zhou Yan said sincerely, then paused and added, "What I can guarantee is that they are definitely not cultivators from my Zhou family!"

At this point, Zhou Yan also sighed.

"It seems that Feilong Mountain's power far surpasses that of Mangniu Mountain!" Zhao Xian pondered for a moment before slowly speaking, then looked at Zhou Yan again, "What about the remaining Zhuhe bandit family? Could they have occupied Zhuhe?"

"Zhu He isn't a river, but rather the name of its leader!" Zhou Yan immediately explained. "This Zhu He is quite famous in Ronghuai County; he's a rogue cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refining! But for some reason, he suddenly raised his banner and gathered thieves to wreak havoc on the village!"

"How strong is this Zhuhe bandit?" Zhao Cheng pressed, his gaze fixed on Zhou Yan.

"They are few in number and move about secretly, and most of them are Qi Refining cultivators!" Zhou Yan replied in a deep voice, his tone also carrying a hint of solemnity. "Although their numbers are fewer than those of Flying Dragon Mountain, their combat strength should not be underestimated, and their whereabouts are unpredictable, making them extremely difficult to surround and wipe out."

"South of Ronghuai County lies Xiao County. Does Lord Zhou know the situation of Xiao County?" Suddenly, Zhao Xian looked up at Zhou Yan and asked in a deep voice.

"My family is a prominent clan in the county, and we have some dealings with prominent clans in Xiao County, so we know some things!" After a few moments of consideration, Zhou Yan nodded slightly and looked at Zhao Xian cautiously.

"The three southern counties of Xiao County have been occupied by rebellious Daoist tribesmen. The governor of Xiao County is currently training Daoist troops in preparation to recapture the three southern counties, right?"

Zhao Xian didn't take Zhou Yan's cautious attitude seriously. Such a scion of a powerful family was meticulous and difficult to trust. He immediately revealed what he knew.

"That's true!" Seeing everyone looking at him, Zhou Yan could only smile helplessly and nod in agreement.

"The rebels from Xiao County have infiltrated Ronghuai County, intending to collude with bandits to launch a joint uprising. Are you aware of this?"

"What?!" Zhou Yan's face showed a hint of surprise. He suddenly stood up and exclaimed in surprise.

"It seems that Lord Zhou is truly unaware of this matter!" With a sigh, Zhao Xianxuan recounted his encounter with the refugees from Xiao County on the official road earlier that day.

"Such a thing could happen?!"

"How dare these thieves do this!"

Zhou Yan took a deep breath, then slowly sat down, muttering to himself.

"Heh~" Zhao Ji chuckled lightly, his face full of disdain. "You've already become bandits in the mountains, what way out do you have?"

"This news is still just a rumor and has not been confirmed!" Zhao Xian said, seeing that Zhou Yan's eyes were lifeless.

"The bandits of Feilong Mountain are powerful. If any troublemakers infiltrate Ronghuai County, they will inevitably contact Feilong Mountain!" Zhao Xian changed the subject, speaking solemnly, "As long as Feilong Mountain is wiped out, the bandits' plans will be ruined!"

"What Zhao Jun says is quite right!" Zhou Yan snapped out of his daze, a hint of murderous intent flashing across his face. "I will immediately send someone back to the county town to inform Lord Chen of this matter!"

"In addition, the Zhou family behind Zhou Jun should also be aware of this matter!" Zhao Xianfu added.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yan readily agreed without hesitation.

"Lord Zhao, the bandits of Feilong Mountain are powerful. Even if we combine our strength, we are no match for Feilong Mountain. What should we do now?" Zhou Yan asked with a frown, his tone tinged with urgency.

"Does Lord Song have any insights?" Zhao Xian did not answer Zhou Yan, but instead looked at Song Ming below and asked with a smile.

"I originally intended to feign weakness, but after the previous night raid, the bandits of Mangniu Mountain collapsed, so this plan is probably not going to work!" Song Ming sighed and said helplessly.

"Feilong Mountain is treacherous and cannot be attacked by force. Now, feigning weakness to lure the enemy out is also not feasible. Are we going to surround Feilong Mountain and trap them there?" Zhao Zheng said slowly at this moment.

"With just a few hundred of us, we can't hold them back!" Zhao Cheng shook his head, pouring cold water on the idea.

For a moment, the military tent fell into silence, and everyone buried their heads in deep thought.

Zhao Xian stared at the marching map inside the military tent, lost in thought.

After an unknown amount of time, a smile gradually appeared on Zhao Xian's face.

"Zhou Jun, you are a traitor, and you must be quite familiar with the sixteen townships of Ronghuai County?" Suddenly, Zhao Xian looked at Zhou Yan and asked with a smile.

"I wouldn't say we're that close!" Zhou Yan nodded slightly, then said modestly.

"Among your subordinates, are there any who are familiar with the sixteen villages?" Zhao Xian asked again.

"Han Du, a subordinate official, is a veteran who has served as an assistant to several corrupt officials!" After a moment's thought, Zhou Yan slowly said.

"Feilong Mountain is west of Ronghuai County, and outside the mountain is Dongzhu Township. All the main roads into the mountain are under the jurisdiction of Dongzhu Township!" Zhao Xian picked up a bamboo whip, pointed to the location on the marching map, and looked around at everyone as he spoke.

Seeing everyone's eyes glued to the map, Zhao Xian continued, "We'll split into two groups! One group, led by me personally, will be stationed in Dongzhu Township to block the bandits' eastward advance. The other group, led by Dejing, with Han Du as their guide, will wipe out bandits in all the surrounding villages!"

At this point, Zhao Xian looked at Xu Dejing and said solemnly, "Dejing! I entrust all the cavalry in the camp to you! Zhao Hong, Huang Zhong, and the other three will also be added to the cavalry. With seven or eight first-rate martial artists and dozens of second-rate martial artists, you can wipe out all the bandits!"

"Xu Dejing will certainly not fail Lord Zhao's trust!" Upon hearing this, Xu Dejing immediately stood up, cupped his hands, and accepted the order!

"Zhou Jun, the two of us will stay in Dongzhu Township and keep watch on the bandits of Feilong Mountain!" Zhao Xianfu said with a smile as he looked at Zhou Yan.

"What if the bandits of Flying Dragon Mountain never leave Flying Dragon Mountain?" Zhou Yan pondered for a few moments, then asked with focused concentration.

"If only Feilong Mountain remains among the bandits within Ronghuai County, what will become of Feilong Mountain?" Zhao Xian did not answer, but instead asked a question in return.

"I see!" Zhou Yan pondered for a few moments after hearing this, but the light in his eyes grew even brighter.

"General, what a brilliant plan!" Everyone now understood Zhao Xian's intention and praised him.

"But if the bandits from Flying Dragon Mountain come down the mountain to attack, and we don't have the help of our cavalry, how can we withstand their counterattack?" Zhao Zheng suddenly asked again.

"Once the bandits have left the mountain, they are like fish out of water! What is there to fear?" Zhao Xian said, glancing at Zhao Zheng, and then chuckled.

When Zhao Zheng noticed Zhao Xian looking over, he remained silent.

For now, this may be the only option!

"Zhou Jun, bring that Han Du tomorrow!" After pondering for a few moments, Zhao Xian looked at Zhou Yan and said.

The next morning, as dawn broke.

Amidst the noise of people and the neighing of horses, wisps of smoke rose from the camp.

Outside the military tent, Zhao Xian washed up briefly and then began practicing martial arts.

To this day, daily morning exercise remains an unwavering habit for Zhao Xianlei.

After finishing practicing the fist techniques, he naturally began practicing the sword techniques.

The snow-white blade light transformed into an impenetrable silver screen beside Zhao Xian. With each turn and movement, the chilling killing intent sent shivers down the spines of the onlookers, causing them to feel a slight stinging sensation.

"Phew!" Zhao Xian let out a long sigh, sheathed his sword, and a golden glint flashed in his eyes.

"Wind Chaser Spirit Slayer Blade Proficiency +20!"

Immediately, a golden light screen appeared before Zhao Xian's eyes.

Owner of the cauldron: Zhao Xian

[Fortune: Light Red]

[Spiritual Root: Fire Root (丙中火)]

[Cultivation Level: Qi Refining Stage 7]

[Lucky Golden Pearl: 0]

【技艺】：烈阳真法（精通：5820/10000）、穿云射术（大成：31417/100000）、松鹤养元拳（大成：16311/100000）、追风斩灵刀（大成：13320/100000）、鱼龙九变（精通：910/10000）、基础制符（精通：2345/10000）

It has been more than a year and a half since Zhao Xian entered the late stage of Qi Refining, but his cultivation level is still stuck at the seventh level of Qi Refining.

It wasn't that Zhao Xian had been lax in his cultivation; rather, it was because of the guidance he received from County Magistrate Gao Su that Zhao Xian hadn't taken a single elixir in the past year and a half.

He usually meditates and breathes using spirit stones, fearing that the toxins in his body will accumulate more and more.

However, after more than a year of arduous cultivation, Zhao Xian also felt that the erysipelas in his body had decreased significantly.

Or perhaps it's because of the progress made in Qi and Blood Martial Arts!

Unfortunately, apart from the skill section, his cheat only shows the progress of his immortal cultivation, but does not show any progress in his martial arts cultivation.

However, since both the skin training and tendon training stages have been perfected, there is no need to say more!

Now, "Nine Transformations of Fish and Dragon" has entered its seventh transformation, which is equivalent to entering the bone-refining level.

Close your eyes slightly, focus your mind and spirit, and gradually let your mind sink into your dantian.

A crimson mist filled the sky above the dantian, where dozens of thick strands of magical power floated and sank, clustered together, already occupying a quarter of the dantian's space.

"It won't be long before I reach the eighth level of Qi Refining!" Zhao Xian thought to himself as he gradually withdrew his mind from his dantian.

"Zhao Jun~" Just then, a shout reached Zhao Xian's ears.

Looking up, I saw Zhou Yan walking towards me with a smile, and behind him was a burly figure.

"Zhao Jun's swordsmanship has probably reached a very high level!" Zhou Yan praised even before getting close.

"I am unworthy of such praise, Lord Zhou. I am but a peasant!" Zhao Xian waved his hand modestly, his gaze falling on the person behind Zhou Yan.

"Lord Zhao, this is Han Du!" Upon seeing this, Zhou Yan immediately raised his hand to introduce Zhao Xian.

"This humble clerk, Han Du, pays his respects to Your Majesty!" The burly clerk stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"Please rise, Lord Han!" Zhao Xian raised his hand in a gesture of support, then asked in a solemn voice, "Lord Zhou once said that Lord Han has assisted several bandit officials and is very familiar with the sixteen townships of Ronghuai County. Is that true?"

"As you say, Lord Zhou, I have indeed assisted several magistrates and have some understanding of Ronghuai County!" the burly clerk said modestly upon hearing this.

"How old is Han Jun?" Zhao Xian looked Han Du up and down, then asked with a smile.

"I am forty-five years old!" Han Du replied respectfully, his expression unchanged.

"How many years have you served as an official?"

"A three-year gap!"

"Two trillion years have passed, yet you remain a lowly official, barely scraping by. You've wasted half your life!" Zhao Xian nodded slightly, then looked at Han Du and sighed.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yan showed a look of astonishment, as if he could not believe that Zhao Xian had said it!

How can you speak such insulting words so bluntly!

Han Du, however, showed no unusual expression upon hearing this and remained very respectful.

"Bandits, both big and small, are as numerous as hairs on a cow in Ronghuai County. I order you and Xu Dejing, the captain of my cavalry unit, to lead a troop of cavalry to wipe out the bandits in every village with lightning speed!" Zhao Xian quickly changed the subject, speaking in a deep voice, "After the mission is accomplished, I will recommend you to County Commandant Chen for the position of patrol officer! Are you willing to take on this important task?"

"This humble official is willing to go!" Upon hearing this, Han Du immediately bowed, then continued, "Not for the position of a hundred-stone official, but because these wicked men are wreaking havoc on our village!"

"My wife is a member of the Chen clan, and my arrival in Ronghuai with my men was also thanks to Chen's invitation!" Zhao Xian, unperturbed by Han Du's quick wit, continued, "Siyouwei's actions have been ineffective, causing bandits to proliferate like weeds in various villages of Ronghuai. He should be dismissed from his post! I only grant you one month; you must eradicate all the bandits in the villages!"

Looking at the Han banner, Zhao Xian pulled out a roll of parchment from his sleeve and handed it to Han: "This is a map of Ronghuai County. After breakfast, depart immediately!"

"Your humble servant will obey Your Majesty's command!" Upon hearing this, Han Du bowed again and held the sheepskin map with both hands.

"Ah Hong, take Han Jun to see De Jing!" Zhao Xian waved his hand and gave the order.

Han Du rose to his feet, and Zhao Hong stepped forward, bowing respectfully to Han Du: "Lord Han, please!"

"Use the Buddha to subdue the enemy, leave no survivors!"

Suddenly, Zhao Xian spoke up again, offering a word of advice.

Upon hearing this, Han Du turned around again, cupped his hands in apology, and bowed.

"Zhao Jun's wife is actually a member of the Chen clan!" Zhou Yan, who was standing to the side, looked at Zhao Xian and said with great surprise.

"It's just an engagement, the wedding isn't over yet!" Zhao Xian replied with a smile.

"Haha! Mr. Zhao, my cousin Qi has also married a wonderful woman from the Chen family!" Zhou Yan chuckled, his words carrying a hint of intimacy.

After breakfast, a troop of cavalrymen rushed out like a gust of wind and disappeared from the sight of the soldiers in the blink of an eye.

The cavalry originally numbered over three million, and with the addition of Zhao Hong and his four men, as well as Wang Cong and Zhang Wenren, and Zhou Yan's own five or six riders, the total number of riders was nearly a full-fledged unit!

Among them, even the lowest cultivation level is at the Qi Shuai Liu level.

Just as Zhao Xianzhi said, seven or eight first-rate martial artists, plus so many other martial artists, are enough to defeat any bandits except those from Feilong Mountain and Zhuhe!

After the cavalrymen left, Zhao Xian ordered the camp to be packed up and headed towards Dongzhu Township.

For the next two days, the industry began to set up camp.

By the time the main force set up camp on the 1st, they had already arrived at Dongzhu Township.

As night fell, the moon was bright and the stars were few, and the night was deep.

On the open ground west of Dongzhu Township, seven or eight military tents stood side by side, with bonfires glowing red, and soldiers sitting around the bonfires, sleeping peacefully.

At the camp gate, four guards, each holding a long spear, scanned their surroundings warily, with a gong beside them for signaling danger.

Inside the camp, soldiers frequently patrolled in formation, maintaining a tight security.

In the summer forests, the chirping of insects rises and falls, occasionally punctuated by a few shrill howls that echo through the woods.

"Huff! Huff!" A figure panted heavily as he ran along the mountain path.

Suddenly, a tripwire rose from among the withered branches and fallen leaves, and the figure, unable to dodge in time, was tripped and fell to the ground.

"Ouch!" the figure cried out, immediately bursting into curses, "You brat! You've killed your father!"

Several agile figures emerged from the surrounding mountains and forests, holding long spears and pressing them against the fallen man.

Upon seeing this, the man who had fallen immediately stopped slashing and lay down on the ground!

A few breaths later, another person slowly emerged from the forest, wearing a tattered leather armor and holding a ring-shaped scalpel. By the starlight, he examined the figure that had fallen to the ground!

"Who do you think I am! It's Xu Damu!" The leader kicked the man on the ground, then asked with a grin, "Why aren't you enjoying a life of leisure down the mountain? What are you doing barging into the mountain gate in the middle of the night, you scoundrel?"

"Pull me up! I'm on the mountain to report important matters to the chief!" The man on the ground didn't care about the kick he'd taken and shouted loudly.

"What's the matter? Tell me!" The leader didn't waste any time and pulled the man on the ground up.

"The troops that defeated Mangniu Mountain have already reached Dongzhu Township!" Xu Damu shouted loudly without any attempt to hide anything.

"What?!" Upon hearing this, the squad leader also exclaimed in surprise!

Mu Niu Shan, along with his remaining troops, fled to Fei Long Shan. Now, everyone in Fei Long Shan knows that Niu Shan was defeated by the soldiers of Rong Tai County!

Three hundred men launched a night attack, but were defeated by the soldiers of Rongtai County, with most of them killed. How could this not terrify the bandits of Feilong Mountain!

After all, it was a night raid!

"Come on, Buddha, come with me to see Da Ya's family!" The little leader, Ya, grabbed Xu Damu and hurried up the mountain!

The remaining soldiers looked at each other in bewilderment, and finally had no choice but to remove the tripwire and continue to hide in the woods on both sides.

The mountain path was steep and difficult to traverse, and the night was deep. After stumbling and falling for more than half an hour, and passing through several checkpoints, Fang Hui arrived at the mountain stronghold's council hall.

Late at night, only Qi Cai, a ruthless bandit, was guarding the hall. After Xu Damu informed the guards in charge of the hall, the guards immediately withdrew and informed Qi Cai's leader.

A moment later, Xu Damu finally entered the council hall under the guidance of his guards.

Several lamp stands stood in the hall, and the thousands of oil lamps illuminated the empty hall as if it were daytime.

"This humble servant, Xu Damu, pays his respects to the Great Chief!" As soon as the Buddha took a step, Xu Damu knelt down and kowtowed.

"Xu Damu, when did Zhao Xian arrive in Dongzhu Township?" Immediately, a clear voice echoed in the hall.

"We'll be setting up camp near Dongzhu Village around noon today!" Xu Damu replied immediately.

"How many people are there?"

"There are as many as three to five hundred people who have donated!"

"Nonsense!" As soon as these words were spoken, a burly figure on the throne above suddenly stood up, glaring at Xu Damu below and sternly rebuking him.

"Chief! Zhao Xian only brought three hundred men from Rongtai County. In the night raid, over a hundred were killed or wounded. How could he possibly have three or five hundred men now!"

The burly figure, after being helped up, turned to look at the chief on the throne and bowed, saying...

"Chief Cheng, don't be in such a hurry!" The chieftain waved his hand and said with a smile, "Let this young man continue!"

This burly figure was Cheng Niu'er, the former leader of the Mangniu Mountain. Now, he has been ordered by the envoy to join Feilong Mountain with his troops and assume the position of leader.

"Xu Damu, get up and speak quickly!" At this moment, another gentle voice echoed in the hall.

Upon hearing this, Xu Damu bowed in thanks and then straightened up.

Looking up, one could see seven figures sitting above, the seven leaders of Flying Dragon Mountain.

The leader was a tall, robust man dressed in a blue brocade robe with a jade pendant hanging from his waist.

At this moment, Cheng Niu'er also looked up and saw a thin man below. He was short and stocky with dark skin, one eye big and one eye small.

"No wonder he's called Xu Da Mu, his eyes are certainly big!" Cheng Niu'er sneered at his ugly appearance.

"Are you sure you can see clearly? There are at least three to five hundred people?" A scholar in a blue robe on the stage asked with a smile, waving a folding fan.

"This~"

"I haven't checked in detail, but the marching column is quite long, and seven or eight military tents have been set up in the camp. The soldiers coming and going look like they're not to be trifled with!" Xu Damu hesitated for a moment, then continued.

"Alright, go down!" After questioning for a while, seeing that he couldn't get any useful information, the leader waved his hand and said indifferently.

"In recognition of your loyalty, I will reward you with five hundred talismans!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Damu thanked him repeatedly and followed the guards behind him out of the council hall.

Once there was no one else in the hall, all the leaders looked at the head leader.

"Will Zhao Xian send troops up the mountain to suppress the bandits?" After a long silence, seeing that the chieftain did not speak, Chief Qi asked tentatively.

"Heh~" Upon hearing this, Qi Ren chuckled lightly, "If that's really the case, then it's actually a good thing!"

"Feilong Mountain is treacherous. If Zhao Xianzhen sends troops up the mountain, we will make sure that not a single one of his soldiers will leave Feilong Mountain alive!"

'

"Chief Cheng, is it true that Zhao Xian's troops only number three hundred?" Suddenly, the chieftain looked at Cheng Niu'er and asked in a solemn voice.

"Absolutely true!" Cheng Niu'erya immediately stood up, looked around at everyone, and replied solemnly.

"How could such a small force defeat the three hundred men of Mangniu Mountain?" Unexpectedly, a mocking look appeared on the face of the person opposite him. He glanced at Cheng Niu'er and said leisurely.

"You!" Upon hearing this, Cheng Niu'er's face flashed with anger, but he took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

"Chief, if you don't believe me, you can send someone down the mountain to investigate!"