Chapter 24
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Chapter 24: Harsh Rule, More Fierce Than Tigers
Qiao Mu listened attentively as Wang Songhe conveyed his ambitions, feeling a slight emotional response, while also surveying the nearby bandits.
He may have understood the reason behind the discipline exhibited by these bandits in prior confrontations, yet it was puzzling how a middle-aged scholar like Wang Songhe managed to rally such a group in these mountains.
Wang Songhe’s gaze and eloquence were remarkable; he likely possessed an impressive background prior to embracing a life of banditry.
“Brother Qiao, let me ask you again, are you willing to join me in a great cause?” Wang Songhe asked sincerely.
“But I refuse,” Qiao Mu replied with a calm mind.
“Actions speak louder than words. Whether you are bandits or revolutionaries, it ultimately depends on your deeds, not just slogans.”
Similar to Qiao Mu, who sought death with unwavering determination, he did not merely utter slogans. Ultimately, he remained resilient and alive.
Wang Songhe did not display anger. As the leader of the bandits, he maintained a demeanor that was composed and gentle throughout.
“I was impulsive.”
“Brother Qiao, if you want to know if we bandits live up to our reputation, why not come and see our hideout with your own eyes?”
“That’s a good idea,” Qiao Mu’s eyes lit up, and his heart started beating faster.
Despite Wang Songhe’s attempts to recruit him, Qiao Mu was fully aware that he remained in the clutches of the bandits at that moment.
If he were to visit the mountain stronghold and uncover the bandits’ hiding place, Wang Songhe would undoubtedly ensure that he could not leave freely.
It’s like a robber taking off his mask right in front of him. If Qiao Mu knows the robber’s true identity, his only choices are death or joining them.
I will go and decide on this mountain stronghold!
“I’m going to die…” Qiao Mu’s heart raced, and he eagerly accepted Wang Songhe’s invitation.
Surrounded by bandits, he walked along the mountain road with Wang Songhe, one in front and one behind.
The mountain road twisted and turned, and after approximately fifteen minutes of walking, the view ahead suddenly became clear and bright.
The bandits’ stronghold was established around a dilapidated and neglected Taoist temple. The houses, though simple, were unexpectedly neat and tidy.
What surprised Qiao Mu even more was that within this bandits’ stronghold, he actually saw terraced fields with fruits and vegetables. Men, women, and children were happily working in front of their houses.
Rather than a stronghold, it was more like a small village in the mountains.
If it is a den of robbers who live by burning, killing, and looting, there can’t possibly be women, children, and the elderly. Even if there were, there would be very few. It seems that this Wang Songhe is not just bragging… Qiao Mu thought to herself.
“Has the boss come back?”
Several strong hunters wearing animal skin clothes were carrying a tiger carcass on their shoulders as they walked on the mountain path. Almost everyone was injured, covered in blood, but when they saw Wang Songhe, they nodded in greeting.
This tiger was nearly three meters long and its fur had a strange dark blue color. It looked more like a demonic tiger than just a regular tiger. It didn’t resemble any ordinary creature.
The martial artists in this world had powerful vitality and could cultivate internal strength, far surpassing ordinary people. For example, with Qiao Mu’s internal strength at the peak of the 9th rank, he could exert a strength of over a thousand kilograms.
And in these mountains, there were also powerful and endless creatures and monsters, comparable to martial artists among ordinary people.
When Wang Songhe saw Qiao Mu’s gaze focused on the tiger, he spoke:
“Cruel rule is fiercer than a tiger, and taxes are more poisonous than a snake.”
“Although there are dangerous creatures and monsters in these mountains, it is still better than starving to death in Yan City.”
Speaking of this, Wang Songhe’s gaze turned cold, and he said coldly:
“Strange tigers and snakes may be venomous, but they are not as toxic as an unhuman heart.”
Qiao Mu seemed thoughtful and suddenly asked:
“Mr. Wang, I have heard of unhumans many times, but I have never seen them. Do you know what these so-called unhumans are? Are they some kind of different race?”
Qiao Mu had also heard Qiao Canxue talk about inhuman before.
It is said that the Martial Saint was defeated by the unhumans. Even with the Martial Saint’s reputation as the second-best warrior in the world, he suffered a terrible defeat. It seems that these unhumans are a very powerful group.
However, whenever Qiao Mu asked further, Qiao Canxue would remain silent.
Qiao Mu’s inquiry surprised Wang Songhe, who carefully looked at him and spoke:
“You are a member of the Qiao family, and I’ve seen you displaying the stance of the Long Life Fist after assassinating Military Officer Chu. How could you be unaware of the unhuman?”
Is there a connection between the Qiao family and non-human beings? Has my Long Life Fist been exposed once again?
Qiao Mu’s heart moved slightly, looking at Wang Songhe with suspicion, and asked tentatively:
“Are you from the Wuji Association?”
Anyway, he wasn’t afraid of death, so he asked when he had questions, not afraid of saying the wrong thing.
As soon as this question came out, Wang Songhe’s expression became even stranger, laughing and saying:
“The origin of the Qiao family’s Long Life Fist Sutra is extraordinary. It’s not only people from the Wuji Association who can see through your punching technique.”
“You are a member of the Qiao family, but you don’t know the details of the unhuman. It seems that even though Heyang City’s Qiao Family still maintains its bloodline, it has already declined, and its inheritance is incomplete.”
“The Martial Saint is really ruthless.”
Qiao Mu narrowed his eyes slightly.
Speaking up to this point, he understood that Wang Songhe had already regarded him as part of the Qiao family.
He just didn’t know why Wang Songhe went through so much trouble and warmly invited him, whether it was because of his connection to the Qiao family.
Speaking up to this point, he naturally knew that Wang Songhe had an extraordinary background and his knowledge and manners were superior to ordinary people. Therefore, he wanted to continue the conversation.
“The origin of the Long Life Fist is extraordinary?” Qiao Mu continued to probe:
“I only know that the Long Life Fist is an internal martial arts style passed down from a master of the Taoist school. There is even a saying that it was bestowed by a Taoist immortal…”
Qiao Mu didn’t actually take this saying seriously.
Many people claim to have a majestic ancestor for their own martial arts.
For example, in Qiao Mu’s past life, there were some martial arts that worshiped Yue Fei as the ancestor, or revered Bodhidharma as the ancestor. Basically, they were just waving a big flag and not truly genuine.
Wang Songhe looked at him firmly.
After a long time, he finally spoke:
“Martial Saint is an extraordinarily talented martial artist who is said to be the second best in the world, but no one dares to call him the best.”
“Many decades ago, he was already a martial artist of the highest level, holding a prestigious position in the court as a high-ranking official, subtly regarded as the leader among the esteemed martial officers of Great Yan.”
“However, even someone as strong as Martial Saint, suffered a devastating defeat in the war against inhumans. He fought fiercely until the very last person, but his 100,000 elite soldiers were completely destroyed by the inhuman creatures, and he was the sole survivor.”
“After returning from that inhuman battlefield, he gave up his rank and pursued the ultimate mastery of martial arts. Thus, the Wuji Association was founded.”
“This remarkable figure later personally went to seize the Qiao family’s Long Life Fist, naturally because the Long Life Fist itself is extraordinary.”
“As for the inhumans…”
Wang Songhe silently looked at Qiao Mu:
“The so-called unhuman, are actually not a different race, they are of the same origin as us.”
