Longevity Martial Arts: Obtain Golden Affixes at the Start

Huang Li forced a smile and said, "My lord, please reconsider. This group of people arrived at such a convenient time. What if... what if someone deliberately lured you out of the city?"

Mo Qiushui's chest heaved violently; she knew, of course, that Huang Li was right.

But Ningyuan Town is under her jurisdiction. If she were to cower in the county office because of a mere suspicion that "there might be a trap," and watch the thieves swagger around on her territory, what face would she, as the county magistrate, have left to sit in office?

Her father, Mo Wentian, was able to rise from a minor county magistrate in Longxiang County to conquer the entire Tianmu Prefecture with his sword and spear, not by hiding or weighing options.

"Summon all the martial artists in the yamen! Also, send someone to Tianmu City to report this matter to the prefect!"

"yes!"

Half an hour later, Mo Qiushui led eleven martial artists and rushed towards Ningyuan Town.

We arrived outside Ningyuan Town at noon.

The sunlight shone down, making the bloody smell at the town entrance even stronger and more pungent.

Mo Qiushui reined in her horse, her gaze sweeping over the town, and she gritted her teeth inwardly.

Dozens of corpses lay scattered across the street, some old and some young, all men.

Some were beheaded, and some were disemboweled.

Several disheveled women huddled in the corner, barely clothed, their eyes vacant, like soulless shells.

A seven or eight-year-old boy was lying on his doorstep, with a cut on his back that ran from his shoulder blade to his waist, the flesh torn and mangled.

"Where is the thief?" Mo Qiushui asked a woman sitting blankly on the ground at the entrance of the town.

The woman raised her hand blankly and pointed southeast: "They...they went that way. They said they were going to rest by the river."

Mo Qiushui looked in the direction he was pointing and indeed saw smoke rising from the riverbank in the distance.

Those beasts slaughtered an entire town, and yet they still dared to brazenly start a fire and cook.

"Chase!"

She uttered a single word, spurred her horse forward with her legs, and charged ahead, followed closely by eleven martial artists.

On the riverbank, Huo Qingbai sat on a large rock, looking relaxed, as if the massacre of the previous night was nothing more than an ordinary hunt.

Luo Heng squatted by the river washing his knife. The blood on the blade was washed away by the water, turning into pale red wisps that slowly disappeared.

"They're here," Huo Qingbai suddenly said.

Luo Heng stood up and tucked the knife back into his waistband: "Sooner than expected."

"Young and impetuous, lacking composure. Let's go, proceed according to plan!"

The two mounted their horses and, leading six warriors, slowly retreated towards the southeast.

Behind them, Mo Qiushui's roar could already be faintly heard.

"Thief, don't run!"

Mo Qiushui took the lead and saw several riders fleeing southeast on the riverbank. His anger burned even brighter.

One of her men chased after her, shouting repeatedly, "Sir, be careful, it might be a trap!"

Mo Qiushui immediately pulled on the reins. She also sensed something was wrong. These people were not in a hurry, as if they were deliberately waiting for someone.

However, before she could figure out the key to this, two groups of people rushed out from the dense forest on both sides and surrounded her and the eleven warriors behind her, trapping them on the riverbank.

Mo Qiushui's heart sank: "Oh no! We've fallen into a trap!"

……

Tianmu City.

Mo Wentian stood in front of the map, and Hehua hurriedly pushed open the door and entered.

"My lord, an urgent report from Hengjiang County! Magistrate Mo has led all the county's martial arts personnel out of the city to pursue the bandits!"

Mo Wentian frowned: "Tell me in detail!"

"Last night, Ningyuan Town was massacred by six martial artists who were fighting under the banner of the Yellow Heaven Sect. Magistrate Mo led his men to pursue them."

The massacre in Ningyuan Town, the six martial artists, and Mo Qiushui's all-out attack... What a coincidence.

Mo Wentian quickly figured out the key point: this group of people was most likely sent by Gongsun Qi.

The goal is not to massacre the town, but to capture Mo Qiushui alive!

They used Mo Qiushui as a hostage to force him to send troops to rescue her.

If he were to send troops to rescue Hengjiang County, the only route he would take... Mo Wentian's finger moved slowly across the map, eventually landing on a canyon between Tianmu City and Hengjiang County.

Eagle Beak Cliff.

With steep mountains on both sides and a narrow ancient road in the middle, it is the fastest and only way to Hengjiang County.

If there is an ambush, it must be here.

Seeing that he remained silent, Lotus said urgently, "Sir, what about Miss...?"

She didn't address him as Magistrate Mo, but as Miss.

Mo Wentian noticed the change in address and his gaze sharpened.

Lotus lowered her head without explanation, and silence spread throughout the room.

After a long silence, Mo Wentian spoke: "Order all warriors of Tianmu City to assemble within half an hour and follow me into battle!"

"Sir, are you going to rescue the young lady?"

Mo Wentian slowly said, "No, we're heading straight for Lingchuan City!"

Lotus was stunned: "My lord... what about the young lady?"

Mo Wentian walked to the window, his back to the lotus flower: "Life and death are predestined; it all depends on her own fate."

Lotus was startled and looked up abruptly, but ultimately couldn't utter a word. She had followed Mo Wentian for many years and knew what those four words meant when they came out of his mouth.

Mo Wentian turned around, his face no longer showing any emotional fluctuation.

"Gongsun Qi was waiting for me to lead troops to rescue Hengjiang County. He calculated that I, Mo Wentian, was too eager to love my daughter, and that I would fall into his trap."

He sneered, "Unfortunately, he miscalculated one thing."

Lotus stared at him blankly.

"I, Mo Wentian, was able to take over the entire Tianmu County not because of sentimentality. Since he dared to touch my daughter, I will destroy his stronghold!"

Lotus was startled, finally understanding Mo Wentian's intention.

If Gongsun Qi learns that Lingchuan City has been attacked, he will surely return to its aid. As for whether Mo Qiushui lives or dies, it will depend on her fate.

Lotus gritted her teeth: "My lord, I am willing to lead a troop of men to Hengjiang County..."

"No need," Mo Wentian interrupted her. "Gongsun Qi wants Mo Qiushui alive. Otherwise, he could just kill her directly. There's no need to go through the trouble of setting up an ambush. She won't die for now, but if she's unlucky... that's her fate."

Half an hour later, all the troops in Tianmu County had assembled, and three hundred warriors on the training ground were ready to go.

Mo Wentian, mounted on his horse, glanced at his men.

He has already given orders to the fifteen county magistrates, instructing them to immediately lead their troops to Lingchuan City!

This time, he's going to break Gongsun Qi's spine!

Suddenly, billowing smoke and dust appeared in the distance.

A group of about three hundred men galloped in from the southeast, dressed in black armor, each with a long sword tucked into their back.

The leader, with gray hair and beard and a lean build, was none other than Li Heming, an elder of the Black Wind Sect.

"Prefect Mo!" Li Heming rode up and bowed from his horse with a beaming smile. "I heard that Gongsun Qi is incredibly audacious and dared to harm Miss Mo, so I have led three hundred of my disciples to come and help him."

Mo Wentian nodded slightly: "Elder Li is very kind. Since you have come to lend your assistance, please join the ranks and go into battle with me."

Li Heming remained unmoved. He rode his horse to Mo Wentian's side, his face showing difficulty: "Prefect, there is something... I must explain it to you."

Mo Wentian frowned slightly. What kind of trouble is this old guy up to?

Li Heming coughed lightly and lowered his voice, saying, "My lord, you may not know this, but just last night, the Prefect sent an urgent order, saying that the Black Wind Sect must not interfere in the internal affairs of Zhaohua Prefecture again, otherwise..."

He paused, pointed upwards, and smiled meaningfully: "The Prefect said that if we offend again, he will raze my Black Wind Sect to the ground."

Mo Wentian's gaze darkened.

Seeing that he remained silent, Li Heming was not in a hurry and slowly took something out of the horse's back.

It was a long sword, its blade as black as ink, with a faint, cold light emanating from its edge.

It was the Black Wind Sword, a mid-grade treasure weapon that Mo Wentian had used before.

Li Heming toyed with the longsword in his hand, seemingly waving it in front of Mo Wentian intentionally or unintentionally.

"Lord Mo," Li Heming's smile deepened, "I have a solution that satisfies both sides. I wonder if you would be willing to listen?"

"Elder Li, please speak freely."

"If Your Excellency is willing to place these disciples into the system and give them official positions, then they will no longer be considered 'external forces,' and naturally there will be no question of them interfering in internal affairs."

Li Heming brandished the longsword in his hand: "If Lord Mo agrees, I will lend you this precious weapon on this trip."

Having said that, the meaning couldn't be clearer.

You want a knife? Sure.

You can have people if you want.

But the price of having three hundred Black Wind Sect disciples incorporated into Tianmu County is something you can't ask whether Tianfu can afford.

"Elder Li, if these three hundred men are incorporated into the Tianmu County government, whose rations will they receive? Whose orders will they take?"

Li Heming's smile remained unchanged: "Of course, I will obey the Prefect's orders."

Mo Wentian sneered. Obey his orders?

If the expenses for the Black Wind Sect disciples' food and supplies are borne by Tianmu County, in the long run, will these three hundred people listen to Mo Wentian or to the Black Wind Sect?

At that time, will Tianmu County belong to Mo Wentian or to the Black Wind Sect?

Mo Wentian rose from a minor county magistrate in Longxiang County to conquer the entire Tianmu Prefecture with his own sword, his own life, and his own men.

Mo Wentian coldly said, "Elder Li, you can keep this sword for yourself!"

Li Heming's smile froze.

Mo Wentian declared loudly, "Even without the help of your Black Wind Sect, I, Mo Wentian, can still take over Lingchuan County."

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned his horse around, facing the three hundred soldiers, and shouted in a booming voice, "Let's go! Destination: Lingchuan City!"

"yes!"

Three hundred people responded in unison, their voices echoing across the surrounding area.

The thunderous sound of hooves and fluttering banners marked the departure of Mo Wentian's army.

Li Heming stood there, holding the mid-grade treasure weapon, the smile on his face gradually fading.

"Elder," a disciple whispered from behind, "Mo Wentian is showing us no respect."

Li Heming did not answer, but stared at the smoke and dust gradually disappearing in the distance and snorted coldly.

"You ungrateful wretch! Let's go back to the mountain!"

The three hundred Black Wind Sect disciples turned their horses around and slowly retreated in the opposite direction from Mo Wentian.

……

It was dusk when Hong Lang and his group entered Hengjiang County.

Zhu Dachang rode on his horse, his huge pig head looking around, his small eyes full of curiosity.

The local people had never seen such a monster before, and they all stopped to watch.

"This is Hengjiang County?" it muttered. "It's... smaller than I imagined."

"You think it's too small? Then go back to the Bone Plains. It's a big place there, you can do whatever you want."

Zhu Dachang quickly waved his hand: "Not small, not small at all, it's very good, it's small but complete, I think this place is just fine."