Chapter 123: Zhao Jiangbo
In the depths of the desolate mountains, the waterway wound around, with layered desolate mountains stretching along both banks, and strange cries coming from time to time.
Emerald green river water flowed, and on the wide and gentle Desolate Mountains River surface, seven or eight large wooden boats were drifting downstream.
“Be careful, everyone. After selling the goods, go back to the village to claim your rewards. You might even get pills or cultivation manuals from Commander Ding and the others.”
“Heh heh, Commander Ding and them are so generous. There will definitely be rewards. You might even get a reward from the Leader.”
More than twenty young men stood on the fleet, all dressed in short shirts and coarse cloth, with weapons at hand, their eyes constantly scanning the situation along the shore.
They were mountain bandits who had surrendered after the conquest of San Die Stream and joined under Ding Meng and the others. Now they had gradually integrated into the mountain stronghold’s system and taken on the responsibility of transporting freight outward.
The cargo on the ship consisted of medicinal herbs, feral beast materials, and other mountain goods that Su Yan no longer needed. The quantity was considerable. Although not what Su Yan required, the value was actually not low.
Taking the goods out via the waterway could exchange for a large sum of money, whether for purchasing grain or armor, it was a substantial amount of supplies.
The leader was Wang Liu Tao, a Minor Spirit Nurturing martial artist.
Originally the commander of San Die Stream, during the vacancy after the death of Red-Striped Leopard Du Erniang and the second-in-command, he had briefly served as leader.
Later, Yang Lun and Ding Meng led their subordinates there and brought San Die Stream under their control.
Wang Liu Tao’s expression was serious as he thought to himself: “I hope nothing happens. Those Tianhe Gang bastards still want to invade the Desolate Mountains River. They should take a look at the strength of Commander Yang and the others.”
Wang Liu Tao was not only convinced but, more importantly, he saw hope.
On Ding Meng, Wang Cang, and the others, he saw traces of the Red Leopard Mountain Suppressing Technique.
In other words, the Red Leopard Mountain Suppressing Technique, which Du Erniang had regarded as a treasure, had been passed on by that lord.
This was a cultivation manual that could be cultivated to the True Intent Realm.
Who doesn’t have dreams of progress?
“What is that?!”
While pondering, Wang Liu Tao suddenly glimpsed two huge sailboats appearing on the river surface, like fortresses emerging on the river.
The sails billowed, approaching rapidly, stirring up waves on the river surface.
“San Die Stream fleet, who are you to dare collide with us!”
His subordinates had also seen the large ships approaching and issued a warning.
However, the ships showed no sign of avoiding, but instead sped up even more.
“Enemy attack! Grab your weapons and prepare. Wang Qi, steady the ship. Don’t let them capsize the cargo!”
Wang Liu Tao immediately shouted orders, and the San Die Stream mountain bandits knew something was wrong.
The fish dragon flag appeared, and Wang Liu Tao finally saw the people on the large ship clearly.
A man in a short strong suit with dark skin stood at the bow, his gaze cold and disdainful, looking at their fleet.
“It’s Zhao Jiangbo!”
His heart tightened. Seeing that the newcomer was Tianhe Gang Leader Zhao Jiangbo, he knew trouble was inevitable.
He was about to leap into the river to escape.
Suddenly, water splashed loudly, the river churned, and the sky suddenly darkened.
He jerked his head up, and a scarlet giant fish leaped out of the river surface, crossing over the fleet…
The Blood Bone Flood Dragon Fish descended, water flows like knives, instantly shattering the fleet into pieces with countless dead and wounded.
“The killer is Tianhe Gang’s Zhao Jiangbo. From today onward, Tianhe Gang calls the shots on the Desolate Mountains River.”
——
“Zhao Jiangbo has courted death!”
Yang Lun’s face was ashen. He had just received the news and nearly rushed over directly.
The entire San Die Stream fleet was wiped out, the cargo fell into the Desolate Mountains River, half destroyed, half looted clean by Tianhe Gang.
Of the escorting subordinates, only a scant few were released back, all covered in wounds, missing arms or legs.
These were people deliberately released by Tianhe Gang, also a major warning to San Die Stream and Grindstone Stockade.
“Hmph, what a Tianhe Gang. They just learned of our contact with Little Mountain Association and couldn’t wait to issue this warning.”
“Big Brother, we can’t lose face. We must hit back and show them who’s boss.”
“No, the lord still has plans. The most important thing now is to guard for the lord’s breakthrough.”
Hearing this, Yang Lun and Yang Kun involuntarily looked toward the deepest room in the village.
Spiritual energy continuously gathered, aura continuously rose. Anyone could feel the changes here.
Compared to their breakthroughs, Su Yan’s commotion was undoubtedly much greater.
“That guy Zhao Jiangbo got lucky.”
Yang Lun was indignant, his eyes full of anger.
Yang Kun calmed himself slightly and said in a deep voice: “You go appease the young ones at San Die Stream. Scout Tianhe Gang’s movements and reconnoiter their positions at the same time. Since they dared to use the Blood Bone Flood Dragon Fish and provoke us like this, they are dead for sure. Just wait for the lord to emerge.”
“Big Brother, I’ll go right now.”
Yang Lun left quickly. With San Die Stream suffering this setback, without anyone to hold it down, chaos might ensue.
Yang Kun looked toward Su Yan’s room and murmured: “Two days already, and the lord’s beast spirit true intent requires such accumulation. Truly not an ordinary person.”
In Su Yan’s room, the White Ape Phantom was still absorbing and expelling spiritual energy, continuously merging into his body.
The phantom flickered faintly, still in a virtual form.
But the Green-scaled Poisonous Flood Dragon beside it had changed dramatically. The true essence-turned greenish-black poisonous creature churned, with most of its body already materialized.
The green scales gleamed coldly, the flood dragon body coiled powerfully, its aura condensed, like a fierce beast gradually awakening.
The medicinal potency of the True Intent Pill far surpassed the previously refined pills, with even stronger effects on true essence growth and tempering of spirit and will.
The first slightly flawed True Intent Pill took Su Yan a full day to refine its potency, completely absorbing the hundred-zhang poisonous flood dragon in his dantian inner landscape.
On the second day, after recovering slightly, Su Yan took the second True Intent Pill without resting.
The flawless True Intent Pill’s effect was even stronger than the slightly flawed one. The aura of the inner landscape’s illusory poisonous flood dragon was so powerful that it even gave Su Yan considerable pressure.
He methodically bound it, then continuously refined it.
In the dantian, true essence liquefied, the inner landscape’s true essence lake surged continuously, bit by bit turning the Green-scaled Poisonous Flood Dragon from virtual to real.
Another day passed like this, finally reaching the third day.
When the last True Intent Pill was swallowed, the illusory flood dragon appeared in the inner landscape.
Chains bound it, imprisoned beside the solitary peak.
Su Yan’s Green-scaled Poisonous Flood Dragon True Intent had gradually materialized and pounced forward, tearing and biting directly.
In reality, Su Yan also manifested the Insect Bone Armor Body posture.
The insect yuan from the four insect tamers was drawn out and fused into his body.
Rolling true essence like tidal waves, the aura emanated like raging billows.
The Green-scaled Poisonous Flood Dragon gradually solidified, tens of thousands of green scales manifesting continuously, gradually extending to the head.
The tightly closed eyes began continuously gathering true essence, with strands of spirit also merging into them.
“Roar”
With a flood dragon cry, the Green-scaled Poisonous Flood Dragon suddenly opened its eyes, the greenish-golden beast pupils burning like flames.
Su Yan’s muscles and bones all stirred, the dantian vortex contracted, becoming more compact and solid, and his aura became thicker and more powerful at this moment.
“True Intent Realm achieved.”
Su Yan abruptly stood up, the Green-scaled Poisonous Flood Dragon coiling and circling beside him like a guardian divine beast.
He reached out to touch the Green-scaled Poisonous Flood Dragon’s body, a chill spreading from his skin.
“Clearly condensed from true essence, spirit, and qi and blood, yet so real. No wonder turning from virtual to real is such a difficult step.”
Su Yan controlled the Green-scaled Poisonous Flood Dragon, and it churned its body.
Its seven-to-eight-zhang-long body nearly burst the entire room, knocking over many tables and chairs.
With a thought, he drew out some true essence, and the true intent form shrank slightly, reaching three zhang long.
This was already the smallest form he could control.
Shrinking and enlarging the true intent depended not only on cultivation level and true essence amount, but also on the cultivation manual and control ability.
He had no such technique at hand, so making the true intent palm-sized was impossible.
He put away the fierce insects, strode out the door, the Green-scaled Poisonous Flood Dragon landing on four claws and following closely behind, stepping out of the room.
Though a poisonous flood dragon true intent, it was ultimately limited by Su Yan’s strength.
Long-distance flight would consume too much; for now, he couldn’t soar through clouds and mist over mountains.
“Hiss”
Yang Kun, who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion, saw this ferocious flood dragon. Under the rolling poisonous mist, those greenish-golden eyes were full of majesty and coldness.
It immediately made him gasp, his heart shocked, his guess about Su Yan elevated further.
‘A flood dragon as true intent—this cultivation manual is probably no less than Beast King Sect’s Azure Dragon Peak cultivation manual.’
Yang Kun prostrated himself, congratulating: “Congratulations, lord, on your great cultivation progress and attaining supreme true intent.”
“Rise. How’s the reconnaissance?”
“We’ve roughly scouted the scale of Mangshan Great Mine. Over 200 resident guards are all Skin Refining Realm and above martial artists. The guard commanders are Lin Dong and Zhao Kang, both from guard backgrounds with Minor Spirit Nurturing cultivation. The True Intent Realm guardian is Pang Jian.”
They couldn’t infiltrate the minerals, so more specific arrangements were unknown, but gathering this much information in a few days was already good.
“Lord, there’s probably one matter that needs your decision first.”
Su Yan raised an eyebrow and looked at Yang Kun.
“Tianhe Gang attacked the day before yesterday, wiping out one of our cargo transport teams, and declared the Desolate Mountains River belongs to Tianhe Gang.”
“Quite the bold tone.”
A cold glint flashed in Su Yan’s eyes. He had just broken through and wanted to test his hand at Tian Feng Weapon Shop, but now someone came to deliver death.
“Lord, Tianhe Gang’s move is likely to intimidate us and disrupt our cooperation with Little Mountain Association…”
“Continue cooperation with Little Mountain Association, demand more benefits. As for Tianhe Gang, I’ll handle it.”
Yang Kun wanted to dissuade him, after all, Tianhe Gang’s leader was also a veteran True Intent Martial Artist.
Though not yet entered the second layer Ruyi Realm, definitely at minor accomplishment mind monkey realm.
Plus that Blood Bone Flood Dragon Fish at his side, unmatched in water battles. Even a Ruyi Stage True Intent Martial Artist might not gain advantage.
But Su Yan had Yang Kun prepare for the assault on Mangshan Great Mine, then went straight out the door.
Su Yan headed straight for Desolate Mountains River, the Blood Fiend Mother Worm carrying him in low-altitude flight, quickly passing over the mountain forests.
Soon he reached the Desolate Mountains River territory, where the wide river flowed slowly, winding through the mountains.
He followed the river downstream.
Tianhe Gang’s lair was naturally in the eight-hundred-li Bai Lu Lake.
There, Tianhe Gang dominated almost exclusively. Apart from their affiliated subordinate forces, no other force could challenge them.
This was Tianhe Gang’s arrogant backing.
Apart from Bai Lu Lake, from Bai Lu Lake outward along the upstream river system, Tianhe Gang had also set up water strongholds, attempting to bring the entire waterway under their sphere of influence.
Su Yan’s trip was naturally to hit Tianhe Gang hard, and by the way draw out Zhao Jiangbo and his Blood Bone Flood Dragon Fish.
After traveling about twenty or thirty li along the waterway, he reached the downstream area.
Suddenly, lights blazed in the distance, torches dotted like stars under the moonlight. A massive water stronghold appeared on the river surface.
Built along the water against the mountain wall, with only one land route and one water route, it was an impregnable defensive water stronghold.
Before Su Yan even approached, he heard singing and shouting. A grand banquet was held in the water stronghold, and outside, those two huge ships like fortresses were docked at the port.
His face instantly turned cold: “Very good. Not only did they not retreat, they even dared to hold a grand banquet here. Since they want to probe so badly, probe with your lives.”
Zhao Jiangbo’s attack was a surprise, a warning, but more a probe.
A warning and probe to force San Die Stream into cooperation or concessions.
Tianhe Gang alone could never control the entire waterway.
Previously with Du Erniang there, their connection worked fine.
But now, the new San Die Stream was uncooperative, so measures were needed.
“Splash”
As soon as the Blood Fiend Mother Worm approached, the water surged instantly, raising huge waves. A crimson gigantic strange fish surfaced, emitting a roar like a whistle.
In the water stronghold, the sentry water bandits immediately alerted and sounded the alarm.
The grand banquet’s noise abruptly stopped, replaced by hurried footsteps and curses. Water bandits poured out, already holding weapons, ready for battle.
Though reeking of alcohol, each was full of fighting spirit, eyes showing greed.
‘Specially waiting for me?’
Su Yan saw through it and took in the water bandits’ shocked expressions upon seeing the Blood Fiend Mother Worm’s ferocious form.
“You are Feng Ruohan? Indeed, some insect taming skills.”
Zhao Jiangbo strode forward, short shirt draped at his waist, bare muscular dark upper body like bronze, holding a nearly one-zhang-long black glossy steel fork in hand, eyes like knives staring at Su Yan.
Zhao Jiangbo could be Tianhe Gang Leader for a reason; he had his domineering side.
Though surprised that Su Yan’s controlled insect beast seemed also second-order and could fly.
But this trace of gloom didn’t show on his face. Instead, he pointed the Black Essence Steel Fork at Su Yan.
“You wiped out Du Erniang and ruined my business, now wanting to monopolize Desolate Mountains River, overstepping bounds. Today I wiped out your transport team as a small punishment and big warning. From now on, the upstream Desolate Mountains River is mine, Tianhe Gang’s. The downstream I give to you.”
“No need for such trouble.”
Su Yan’s eyes swept over, the cold glint making everyone shudder involuntarily.
“Kill you, and even eight-hundred-li Bai Lu Lake is mine to come and go as desired.”
“Hmph, such big talk. Come try if you dare.”
A fierce glint flashed in Zhao Jiangbo’s eyes, his face showing killing intent.
A thing that doesn’t drink a toast but insists on a forfeit—better to kill it.
True essence threads rose, spirit gathered, and before him the true intent slowly emerged: a two-zhang-long Blue-scaled Fish Hawk.
As soon as the Blue-scaled Fish Hawk appeared, it shot like an arrow toward Su Yan, aiming to strike him down.
