Lu Chengfeng was hesitant.
"Those town heads and Manor Masters are a rough and rowdy bunch. Out here, the mountains are high and the emperor is far away. You didn’t come up through their ranks. To suddenly parachute in with the title of ’General Leader’..."
"I’m afraid they might not buy it."
This made Ji Xiu curious.
"Then what did the previous leaders of the Three Great Gangs do to earn their respect?"
Wei Dinchang answered.
"Back in the day, Yang Daohan, Zhang Liechen, and Xu Xin all fought their way into Anning from the Mountain Dao. They later cut a deal with the County Yamen to gain authority over the Mountain Dao trade."
"Immediately after... they ventured three hundred *li* into the mountain roads, hunted three Centennial Demons, and held a great banquet. They invited all the influential figures in Anning County, including those town heads and Manor Masters, and used their exceptional Skin Refining skills to establish a firm foothold. Everything was smooth sailing after that."
Hearing this, Ji Xiu grew thoughtful.
’So that’s how it is. In the end, it all comes down to establishing oneself with Martial Power.’
He narrowed his eyes.
"In that case, I’ll have to ask the four of you to go out and invite the heads of all the surrounding mountain towns and manors to a gathering. I’ll set the stage, treat them to a feast, and put on a demonstration."
Liao Yuanhua asked curiously,
"What kind of demonstration?"
In response, Ji Xiu gave a faint smile, stroking the Broken Jade Great Bow on his back as he spoke softly,
"As it happens, this bow of mine needs another high-quality string."
"Cai Ling’Er, go fit another string for me. I’m heading up the mountain!"
"If the three Central Yellow Remnants could do it..."
"Then why can’t I, Ji Xiu, storm the Earth Dragon Cave and hunt demons to awe the masses!?"
Ji Xiu’s eyes shone with a brilliant light.
His words sent a jolt through his listeners, who had almost forgotten...
Just a moment ago!
This young man...
Had returned from hunting two Skin Refining masters.
Though it was true he had the aid of a powerful bow and strong crossbows...
’But still... maybe he can actually do it?!’
...
「Two days later.」
Anning County, West Street.
On this day.
The sign of the former Tiger and Leopard Hall had been taken down. Its members were dead, scattered, or captured... when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter.
In its place hung a plaque with the single character "Ji." Its fresh black ink seemed to flow in the cold winter light.
It was hung perfectly, right above the entrance of the once-imposing gang headquarters!
Inside the vast and imposing hall, the place was decorated with festive lanterns and colorful banners, a dazzling, fiery red.
Today, more than a dozen tables were set up in the open air, with over a hundred seats for the county’s most prominent figures.
Representatives from the Three Major Professions, the Three Great Halls, and landed gentry like those from the Lin Residence... all were in attendance.
On the perimeter, County Soldiers and guards from the Lin Residence stood watch, armed with bows, crossbows, and Sword Weapons. They surrounded the newly established Ji’s Mansion, home to the so-called "General Leader" who now controlled the Anning Mountain Dao trade.
At the very front of the open-air banquet.
Gathered around a large, crimson jujube wood table were more than a dozen guests. They were clad in tough hunting gear, their gazes fierce and untamed. One could tell from their expressions and clothes alone that they were not the county’s wealthy elite.
Hearing the incessant crackle of firecrackers from outside while the host himself had yet to arrive, one of them couldn’t help but bellow in discontent:
"Manor Master Lu, Instructor Liao! The Three Major Professions, the Martial Arts Hall instructors—you are all renowned figures who have been famous for a long time."
"Yang Daohan and his men fell from power for colluding with the Central Yellow Sect. The County Magistrate seized their homes and is putting someone new in charge of the mountain trade. We have no issue with that, but..."
"You’re making a sixteen-year-old brat the ’General Leader’! We town heads and Manor Masters have spent decades earning our reputations. What does that do to our pride?!"
"And now, we’ve come here to give face to you all, and to him, yet... he still hasn’t even shown up."
"Is he looking down on us, or is he just trying to put his new ’subordinates’ in their place?"
As soon as he spoke, someone slammed their hand on the table in frustration.
However, some, like Song Chai, the Master of Wushan Hunting Manor, who had previously bought Demon Materials from Ji Xiu, remained silent.
Time ticked by, and the murmurs of discontent grew louder. Finally, another man snorted, slammed his hands on the table, and rose to his feet.
"Back in the day, Yang Daohan and his two partners fought their way up from the smaller towns and manors."
"Even then, they had to personally brave the dangers of the Earth Dragon Cave, capture three Centennial Demons, and swear a blood oath before we would even begin to acknowledge their position."
"That kid is so young he won’t even show his face. He’s just riding the County Magistrate’s coattails to get this status. He must be scared, delegating everything to you four so he can sit back and reap the rewards, just waiting to collect the Silver."
"Where on earth is there a deal that good?"
"He’s nothing but a sycophant! I’m not serving the likes of him!"
Having said his piece, Liang Cheng—the hot-tempered Master of the Tiger Hunting Manor, a man who loved hunting in the mountains—grabbed his saber and stormed off without a backward glance.
"Exactly! Only sixteen years old and he’s the General Leader? It’s the most absurd joke I’ve ever heard!"
"How could we possibly accept him?"
"We’re leaving! Let’s go!"
With someone taking the lead, several other town heads and Manor Masters also made to leave with their men, creating a huge commotion.
But...
When they reached the threshold, they saw the instigator, Tiger Hunting Manor Master Liang Cheng, standing frozen in the doorway, completely motionless.
Confused, one of them called out,
"Brother Liang, what are you just standing there f—"
Before he could finish, their eyes followed his gaze outside Ji Family Hall. They saw a young man, stepping over a carpet of spent firecrackers, his hair whipping in the wind and the corner of his robes stained with blood.
He was walking toward them, step by step, dragging four Centennial Demons rich with Qi and Blood, each marked by a Demon Pill.
Everyone froze.
The young man glanced at the commotion inside the hall but didn’t say much.
With a great THUMP, he tossed the four Enlightened Demons onto the open ground in front of the hall. He pulled a great tendon from a Centennial Red Python and handed it, along with the once-again snapped Broken Jade Great Bow, to a young woman who had just walked out. Her expression was complicated, tinged with the numbness of someone who was getting used to such sights. He just laughed brightly and said,
"Miss Cai, come here and string this centennial python tendon for me!"
Then, Ji Xiu turned his gaze to the defiant town heads and Manor Masters.
"For this Mountain Hunt, I spent a day and a night riding a deer four hundred *li* to the area before the Earth Dragon Cave. I hunted four centennial Enlightened Demons and dragged them, step by step, back into the county!"
"As it happens, I’ve arrived just in time for the banquet."
"And I heard all the ruckus you were just making."
A dead silence fell over the crowd.
He pointed to the four demon carcasses, his tone light but laced with a youth’s untamed and wild spirit.
"So tell me, have I now surpassed those three Central Yellow Remnants? Am I worthy..."
"...of the title of General Leader!?"
[The Tutor has traversed the Mountain Dao and hunted four Demons, practicing the concept of ’Mountain Search.’ Progress of the Divine Technique ’Mountain and Sea Search’ has increased from 26% to 37%!]
[The Tutor has drawn a great bow and hunted a centennial Enlightened Demon. Pre-completion progress for Arrow Stance: Dusk Crows +67...]
[The Tutor’s Arrow Stance: Dusk Crows pre-completion progress +61...]
[...]
[The Tutor’s ’Arrow Stance: Dusk Crows’ has reached pre-completion Perfection!]
[The Tutor has comprehended the arrow’s True Stance: ’Dark Heaven and Earth’!]
[Arrow Stance: Dark Heaven and Earth!]
[Description: A master of Arrow Skill who has comprehended a True Stance of the arrow. When an arrow is loosed, the target will be momentarily blinded, as if by a black sun.]
[Currently available Skill Daos or Martial Arts for pre-completion: 1!]
(PS: A large 2-in-1 Chapter!)
(I was writing today when I suddenly noticed I have a new Alliance Leader. Thank you so much, Jianshan Gen! I don’t use the mobile app backend, so I only just saw it now while looking through the novel’s page. It’s been a while since I’ve gotten an Alliance Leader... I’ll release an extra Chapter for you before the New Year when I get a break from work!)