"You may not have heard, but the Ninth Mountain faced defeat at the frontline, was utterly crushed. My neighbor’s boy served there as a soldier and returned with one arm amputated. It’s said that not one in ten survived, even the former Colonel died. Now, a new Colonel has taken office and is looking to rebuild the Ninth Mountain and is recruiting soldiers and buying horses."
"If this were normal times, joining the Mountain-cutting Army could be impressive, but entering now would likely mean heading straight to the battlefield. Isn’t that clearly a death mission? Only a fool would go."
In a certain alley, in front of a military recruitment notice.
Residents were pointing and discussing, some shaking their heads, others critiquing, but most remained silent, just watching the excitement.
The notice had been posted here for nearly two hours. Many people came and went, pointing and discussing, but no one stepped forward to answer the call.
Some were tempted by the soldier’s salary mentioned on it, but after hearing what the people around them were saying, they too let go of the idea.
Now, all of Jingguan City was in an uproar. The south had been breached by demons, a great battle was imminent, and the Mountain-cutting Army naturally at the forefront. Who would willingly march to their death?
Then, a low exclamation arose from the crowd.
A typically silent, hardworking man dressed in coarse clothes and dark-skinned, suddenly pushed through the crowd and ripped down the notice.
"It’s him, dear me, all for that meager soldier’s salary, totally not worth it."
"There are still people who aren’t afraid of death."
A middle-aged, fat man dressed in a landlord robe, surrounded by house servants, with thin mustaches under his nose, laughed at the man’s action, pointing at him, "This guy has worked in my house before!"
"Just a servant, gone crazy wanting to turn his life around, rushing to his death, but even so, the Ninth Mountain is no place for riff-raff!"
After he finished speaking, he laughed loudly toward the dark-skinned man who had torn down the notice, "Really a fool! Don’t you all agree?"
Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, the dark-skinned man’s eyes flashed with anger, his body moved swiftly, and then, the fat landlord let out a scream.
His chubby body exhibited unexpected elasticity as he sat down hard then rolled over.
"My lord, my lord,"
Several servants hurriedly helped the fat man up.
The fat landlord cried out in pain, gritting his teeth, then glared fiercely at the dark-skinned man,
"Rebellion! Kill him!"
Several servants immediately moved forward, encircling with ill intentions, cracking their knuckles loudly, clearly skilled with fighting, and then they pounced to brawl with the man.
A few breaths later, suddenly, a stern shout came.
"Stop!"
Immediately after, the sound of galloping horse hooves approached rapidly.
A troop of about ten soldiers, making their way through streets and alleys, arrived swiftly with an imposing aura.
The surrounding civilians exclaimed and hurriedly cleared the way.
The fight in the field also stopped due to this imposing presence.
The crowd parted, and at the front rode a tall black horse, bearing a man unlike the others in black armor, dressed instead in Cold Light Green Armor that emitted a chilling deadly aura, the onlookers daring not to make a sound.
This man, high on his horse, eyes shimmering with cold light, surveyed the scene.
In the middle of the field, of the combatants, four servants were knocked down, only one stood, and the dark-skinned man, his face bruised and lips split, gasping for breath, his eyes fierce.
The Mounted Armored Soldier noticed the red recruitment notice in the dark-skinned man’s arms, his eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a chilling gleam, and he spoke:
"Did you tear down the recruitment notice?"
The dark-skinned man, feeling like facing a mighty beast, his face turned stiff, yet he still straightened his neck,
"Yes!"
The Mounted Armored Soldier surveyed him for a moment, appraising his qualifications and physique as merely at the Bone Forging stage.
The man’s face paled, his fists clenched tighter.
Laughter broke out around them, especially from the fat landlord who, after a cautious glance, watched the dark-skinned man mockingly.
But then the Armored Soldier said chillingly, "However, you are stronger than these useless scum. I am Yun Tiansheng, the Leading Military Officer of the Ninth Mountain. Tell me, why do you want to join the Ninth Mountain?"
With these words, the surrounding civilians immediately stirred.
And the Military Officer Captain’s blunt remarks about them being useless made their faces change colors.
As for the fat landlord, his face went pale.
Upon hearing that these Armored Soldiers were from the Ninth Mountain and the person before him was the Leading Military Officer, the dark-skinned man was startled and immediately knelt on one knee, his eyes couldn’t help but turn red, "Sir, my family was killed by demons, leaving only me to barely survive. I fled here from elsewhere, living in a daze, but I have never forgotten my vengeance against these beasts. Please give me a chance, my life is thin, and death means little to me!"
After speaking, the dark-skinned man’s voice turned hoarse, he bowed deeply, and made a heavy fist salute.
Yun Tiansheng, after hearing the man’s statement, the air fell silent for a while, finally nodded, speaking, "You will later report to the Ninth Mountain, use my name for entry."
The dark-skinned man’s face instantly became ecstatic, rushing to express his thanks, "Thank you, sir!"
But then, Yun Tiansheng’s face turned cold, his voice icy and piercing.
"Did I tell you to go?"
Noticeably, the fat landlord and his servants, sensing the situation turning unfavorable, were about to quietly slip into the crowd to escape.
As he spoke, several of the soldiers behind him sprang to action.
Following some noise, a few figures fell in front of Yun Tiansheng’s horse.
"It seems you have complaints about the Ninth Mountain."
The fat landlord, terrified to the point of losing control, quickly knelt and begged for mercy, "Sir, spare my life. I was just talkative, just talkative."
Yun Tiansheng drew out a long whip from his horse,
"Crack"
"Crack"
"Crack"
Several loud cracks filled the air, as the long whip viciously struck the fat landlord and his several servants.
The fat man let out a piercing scream like a pig being slaughtered. His clothes were torn, and his plump body was lashed open, revealing trails of blood.
Moments later, Yun Tianfei glanced at these half-dead fellows and then took up the reins, leading his men away proudly.
The surrounding crowd quickly gathered again, sparking a new round of discussions, this time focusing on the unfortunate landlord.
Some whispered that people from the Jiushan were overbearing, sweeping everyone up in their wake.
Others murmured curses, comparing Jiushan to autumn grasshoppers that wouldn’t leap long, upset that the Colonel had called them worthless.
As if it had anything to do with them.
At this moment, Yun Tiansheng, riding fiercely with a small troop, pondered the scene he just witnessed, his heart filled with icy resolve.
Those unconcerned now would hang on until chaos reached their doorstep, but what faces would they show then?
The civilians of Jingguan City, residing in the premier city of Jiannan Road under the watch of the Government Administrative Office, had grown far too comfortable for too long!
He felt a sudden weight on his heart, fearing the task entrusted by the General might not be accomplished.
Lost in thought, Yun Tiansheng arrived at the grand gates of a sprawling estate.
It was Yun Mansion!
"You all wait outside," Yun Tiansheng instructed his troops before he entered the Yun Mansion.
"Third Young Master has returned."
Dismounting and handing over his helmet to the servants who came to greet him in the mansion,
Yun Tiansheng strode briskly, passing through several corridors and quickly reaching a detached courtyard.
Before he could enter, he heard a sharp voice from inside.
"You live in my house; you follow the rules of Yun Family Second Branch—don’t think just because Third Brother spoke up, you and your daughter can rest easy..."
Walking through the painted green and blue round gateway, Yun Tiansheng saw in the center of the courtyard by a green pond, under a pavilion, a woman in a sky-blue embroidered dress, surrounded by several slaves, scolding a gently-dressed woman in white, who stood with her head slightly bowed.
That moment, a sharp-eyed slave by the woman noticed Yun Tiansheng’s silhouette at the gateway and called out sharply to the woman,
"Third Young Master is here!"
The woman’s mouth, previously flapping quickly, changed expression in an instant, her harsh features softening into a smile as she spoke to Zhao Yunluo:
"If you have any requests regarding food or clothing, feel free to tell your aunt—the place is yours, don’t worry."
As she saw Yun Tiansheng in his armor turning the corner of the veranda, pretending to just notice him, she greeted cheerfully, "Oh, Tiansheng is back! Second Mother was just having some heartfelt talk with Yunluo—aren’t you the one who asked me to look after her? Of course, I’d take it to heart."
Saying that had a ring of self-justification to it.
Yun Tiansheng glanced over without a change in expression, merely asking blankly, "Father?"
"Your father should be in the study at this hour!" Second Mother quickly responded.
Yun Tiansheng said nothing more, just walked away.
He had seen everything but remained silent, as due to the General’s past kindness, he had done all he could for that distant father and daughter. The rest they would handle themselves, plus he had no time now to intervene in such minor domestic affairs.
Thinking this, Yun Tiansheng hurried to the study. He asked the servant waiting outside if his father was inside.
A resounding voice came from the study.
"It is rare for you to come looking for me. What brings you?"
Following this, the study door opened without a breeze.
Yun Tiansheng stepped inside, where a middle-aged man was sitting behind a desk, showing a trace of a smile.
Dressed in a black brocaded robe, the man had a round face, large ears, straight nose, square mouth, and a robust body encircled by a Jade belt—
It was Yun Chuxiong, head of the Yun Family Second Branch, the only other member of the Fourth Heavenly Barrier, Tao Seed Realm!
Yun Tiansheng, as the eldest son of the Second Branch,
Unlike his father, he was tallé and handsome, perpetually expressionless, resembling an emotionless robot.
After entering the study, Yun Tiansheng closed the door behind him.
"Father, I need to ask for your assistance with something."
..........
An hour later, as the day neared evening, dozens of members from various branches of the Yun Family gathered in the Yun Family Main Hall.
This assembly was even larger than the previous night’s, bustling with noise.
"Big Brother, what is so urgent that you called us here?"
"Yes, I was just checking the accounts at our store outside. It’s bustling in Jingguan City, our store has almost sold out of Elixirs, Talismans, and other consumables," someone said, partly excited,
"What’s the occasion to make it so grand?"
As they entered, they immediately started asking questions, chattering away.
At that moment, from the main seat, Yun Fangting, head of the Yun Family, seeing that almost everyone had arrived, raised his hand for silence.
He then turned his head, furrowing his brows, speaking to the broad-shouldered Yun Chuxiong,
"Second Brother, what’s the matter?"
Yun Chuxiong’s face shifted between expressions, eventually beckoning someone from behind,
"Tiansheng, explain to your uncles and elders!"
Just then from the side hall, Yun Tiansheng emerged, his iron armor clanking with a metallic clash, the aura emanating from him even more formidable than the other branches.
The several uncles and elders looked at their grandnephew with some displeasure—unhappy that he didn’t tone down his immense presence, giving his elders some respect.
"Tiansheng, speak," they urged, furrowing brows even more due to Yun Tiansheng’s unique status.
Yet, Yun Tiansheng, with focused eyes, cut directly to the heart,
"Gentlemen, uncles, I wish for all able members of the Yun Family to join me in ascending the Ninth Mountain!"

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