"We're poisoned? How did we get poisoned?"
"Yeah! We drink our own boiled water and eat our own food that was tested with animals before eaten. How can we trust you that we're poisoned?"
"You! Who are you, come down here and let this uncle give you a lesson! What? You're only a Half-Step Inner Qi Warrior! Guys! He's a weakling!"
The crowd of soldiers is shouting nonstop against Zhang Wu Ji on top of the flagpole. Although most of them were suffering from the Dispersal of their Internal Qi, it did not disturb them in the term of spouting more nonsense and looking for more trouble.
But compared to their Commanding Officers, each of them are looking at Zhang Wu Ji with different thinking in their mind. Few wanted to capture him to search for the medicine, while a few are interested in the technique he used to sneak here unaware by everyone.
Of course, among them, one belonged to the experienced military officer and considered something different from their greedy mindset. He took the liberty to look all around him and noticed that there is some missing tents, weaponry, and even the cauldron to boil water is gone from the ground.
'This person is not simple! Can my strength of a 14th Stage Inner Qi Warrior capture him? If we're all poisoned as he said, won't that means we're halfway to the underworld by now?' he whispered to himself while trying to decide his next move.
"You! Come down here now!" one of the commanding officers make his move to try to apprehend Zhang Wu Ji, but in a flash, Zhang Wu Ji vanished from everyone's sight once again. With his attack only hitting the air at where Zhang Wu Ji just stands earlier, the commanding officer bellowed in anger.
"Search for that kid! We have to force him to surrender the antidotes! If this problem disturbs our progress in attacking the Wen Wu City, then our masters will give us a traumatized lesson!" he said before searching around through his eyes to look for a hint related to Zhang Wu Ji.
"The two of you! What are you waiting for? Search for that kid!" he shouted at the two highest position officers similar to his strength. But his shouting went into deaf ears as they were unbothered by his words. Instead, the two of them ordered their men to get them a chair to seat their butt.
"Jing Yong Kang! Hu Meng Ming! Don't think that your Upper South Mercenary and Jie's Clan can protect you from the Second Prince's penalty if we failed in this mission!" he shouts at the two and warns them for disobeying his order.
"Yuan Ji, don't bother to take the second prince to order the two of us. You have to remember that if anything goes wrong, your Wen Qing City will be the first to face his wrath." the one from Upper South Mercenary, Jing Yong Kang replied to him.
Although there were some Internal Qi is dispersing from his body, it wasn't too much for somebody like him, an Inner Qi Soldier, to worry about. The amount of Inner Qi that was dispersing was similar to between 20 to 30 strands of Fighter Qi every minute, which is something insignificant for him.
As an Inner Qi Soldier, Every strand of his Soldier Qi worth 1000 strands of Warrior Qi. Which means he possesses over a few million strands of Fighter Qi for him to slowly let it disperse. Instead of urgently looking for his target, the two prefer to wait for their opponent to grow impatient instead.
It was easier to hunt for an impatient target, especially for somebody with the ability like Zhang Wu Ji that can vanish from their sight without a hint of his whereabouts. It wasn't an issue to ignite their Soldier Qi to expose their target that possibly hiding nearby but they care about the total cost they have to bear.
The losses of a pile of Fighter Qi is something insignificant. But if they were forced to use their precious strand of Soldier Qi to force this opponent out, it will be too expensive for them to do so. Their search continues, but nobody noticed that while they're busy searching for their target, the target is actually following them behind to keep robbing their belongings.
Now, even rags and blankets or pillow stone is stolen. Almost every tent they went past will be emptied. This continues until they're finally noticed the changes in a tent filled with weaponry. The missing weaponry inside this tent made Zhang Wu Ji's movement visible to them through the number of weapon racks vanished.
"Weapon Tent!" one of the patrolling scouts shouted. But in return of his report, it wasn't a sign of gratitude, but the attack from three Inner Qi Soldiers. Zhang Wu Ji immediately escaped from the tent by cutting open a hole from its top, but the few soldiers inside the tent were killed by that strike for no reason at all.
"They're very unfortunate..." Zhang Wu Ji clicked his tongue and landed on top of a tent. Standing right before the three commanding officers, the first question they asked is about the real identity of the youth. And before Zhang Wu Ji can answer the question, he was surrounded with a large number of soldiers.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
"Speak your name!"
"Why should I be bothered with your question? All of you will slowly die the moment I flick my finger. If you don't believe me, try to see how bad is the Dispersal of Qi now compared to earlier..." Zhang Wu Ji did not bother with their question and asked every soldier to check on their own condition.
When each of them noticed that the previous losses of 20 to 30 strands of Fighter Qi become 120 strands now, they panic. If this continues, an hour will drain away 7,200 strands of Fighter Qi from them. And that is equivalent to seven strands of usable Warrior Qi. With this kind of losses happened on their physical body, how can they not be nervous?
"GIve us the antidote now!"
"Yes! Give us the antidote! We will leave you with an intact corpse if you do!"
"You people are just plain stupid. By threatening me with my life, do you think I will give you the antidote? I got no antidote in my hand. If you want, I will have to concoct them through my own Inner Qi and blood. But I think... saving you guys will waste my time because everyone should be a dead man when I'm done with the first pill."
"Instead of giving you guys some medicine, how about I return everything belonged to your camp?" Zhang Wu Ji completed his words, and with an action of opening his hand wide, it releases a large stack of treasures that were not life-saving, but life-threatening.
"Run! It's the Rhinoceros Roar!" as a soldier well equipped with the tool, how can they not know the identity of this item? The moment all these canisters touches the ground, an explosion happened. It shocks even the Inner Qi Soldiers standing not too far from them.
"Crazy bastard! By exploding that amount of Rhinoceros Roar with himself in the middle, won't that action equals to seeking death himself? Quickly go in and search his dead body for an antidote!" Yuan Ji, the one represents the Wen Qing City's Militarized Forces ordered.
Without wasting time, his men went inside the explosion zone. But after searching for a while for naught, they reported their results of no corpses is inside that explosion zone and its core. After more soldier went in for the search, they conclude that the instigator should be left just before the explosion happens.
But for them, they have no time to waste.
Unbothered with the number of equipment remained inside their camp, they equipped themselves as much as they could before started their march towards the Wen Wu City. Their total of troops still remained at 16,000 strong, but in term of preparation, it was too pathetic.
After the soldiers left, Zhang Wu Ji appeared in the vicinity once more to clear their camp. After taking everything usable and might be usable, he flew away by riding on top of his Qiyue Flying Sword. At this moment, only the remains of a large number of people stay in this location is left.
Marching for the whole time until the moon came up to replace the sun, the troops of 16,000 soldiers make their first stop somewhere far from the main road to access the Orchid Mountain. With the loss of Lan Shan Clan now, the Orchid Mountain route is no longer a safe zone.
The guards temporary gathered for their distribution of meals, and due to the night time, the Day Poison Mist is no longer capable to put a toll on their body. With the dinner completed, the soldiers returned to their allocated camp to start their meditation.
In preparation for the war that will start two days later, they have to be fully prepared. A small difference in their reserve of Warrior Qi will determine the results of the war, especially when the allocated equipment for them end up stolen by their enemy.
Unless properly equipped, nobody is willing to participate in a fight. Although according to the report given by their scouts few days earlier about the Celestial Designed weapons in their opponent's arsenal, they were nothing threatening to their current forces.
But the nothing threatening estimation is compared during the period they're all fully equipped with many war-used pieces of equipment. If it was to be re-evaluated once more, perhaps their answer this time will be significantly different.
Even as an Inner Qi Warrior, who dare to face against a ballista or Yuan-Tie Cannon that possess damage between 90 points of damage. For a Warrior Tier Cultivator with defensive ability over 150 points naturally without wearing any pieces of equipment, receiving the first shot is not a big deal, but how about two to three at the same moment?
There might be an invincible spear that can pierce all shield, but the possibility of having an invincible shield that can block all spear is very rare. At least until not, there is no such thing as an armor that will not break.
But what they did not think about is that even at this moment, Zhang Wu Ji is still staying with them. It wasn't too visible to his opponent, but as long he saw the chances to steal from his enemy, he will not miss the opportunity.
Of course, by following them along their way, he can make sure he can return to the Wen Wu City without getting lost again. With their opponent that came under the leading from Wen Qing City Lord, Upper South Mercenary, and Jie's Clan is handled by his hidden act, he's confident with the others to defend against the attack came from the Seven Star Sect.
Two days later, the 16,000 soldiers finally reach the wall that keeps the City safe from outside attack. But the difference is, not half of them is equipped with battle provision and equipment. Of course, it was due to the sneak and steal operation conducted by Zhang Wu Ji himself throughout their journey.
At this moment, except the commanding officers and a few lucky soldiers, 99.9% of their troops are here without a weapon, armor, siege tools, and not even a single craft that helps in scaling the wall. Their appearance is taken as a note by the guards from the city wall as "War Clowns" due to their immature presentation.
Worst of all, they're all lack of Internal Qi supply due to the Day Poison Mist inflicted by Zhang Wu Ji on the night before their march. Since it was daytime at this moment, each soldier is suffering the Dispersal of Qi as they stand straight before the city wall.
"People inside the City Wall, open your gate and surrender without a fight! We're here on behalf of Second Prince to inspect and evaluates your loyalty towards the great Southern Imperial Kingdom!" Yuan Ji warned those standing on top of the city wall.
But when Zhang Wu Ji appeared from one of the defensive towers, his appearance surprised everyone within his enemy formation.
"Aren't that guy the one disturb us when we're leaving the camp? How can he stands inside of the City Defense Tower?" the soldiers started to whisper to each another while their commanding officers are scratching their head to solve this matter.
"Those that not from our Wen Wu City. I suggest you surrender before we teach you a lesson of not messing with Wen Wu City by coming to attack us without any preparations. Do you think the people from Wen Wu City is so weak that you can attack us without any armed preparations?" the next word came from Zhang Wu Ji left all of them sweating.
"How dare you become the offended person that said we did not put all of you in our eyes!"
"You're the one robbed us clean from everything before we reach this damn city wall!"
Each soldier wishes they have a bigger mouth as they shout the unfair treatment placed on them. But what can they do when the robber, instigator, and poisonous tactician is standing just before them and bringing injustice on them?
Worst, nobody knows that all of this happened because Zhang Wu Ji is lost in his direction to Wen Qing City in the first place!!!
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[Author's Note]
Alright! Seven Chapter for the week is done! Oh yeah!
Did you all get frustrated with the story still not entering the actual fight to reclaim the land of Seven Star Sect? Well, vote me! Review Me! What are you waiting for?