Chapter 118: From Now On, You Should Be More Considerate of Him

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The Immortal Shunguān saw Bai Jie and He Taiping showing great respect, and nodded with a gentle smile: “Disciple, the battles and strife of the mortal world are affairs for men. You are but a woman; why do you meddle in such matters?”

Bai Jie laughed sweetly: “If not for Your Mastery teaching me military strategy and formations early on, I would never have concerned myself with these trivial things. Now that I have learned them, I humbly ask you to see me through to the end and help me fulfill my wish.”

He Taiping also knelt repeatedly, pleading, “Please, Immortal Master, guide us with your secret methods to defeat the enemy.”

The Immortal Shunguān pondered briefly and then said, “Very well. It must be fate. I, a humble Daoist, must also follow Heaven’s will. The bandits of Liangshan plague the land and harm the nation; they are the rot within the state. If they are not eradicated, when the Purple Qi rises in the East and the Great Golden Dragon ascends, many calamities will follow. Today, I shall grant your wish and bestow upon you two divine generals, warriors unmatched in courage!”

He then took from his bosom a handkerchief embroidered with the Bagua diagram. Breathing immortal aura upon it, he intoned an incantation, “By decree,” and from the depths of the clouds emerged two towering Yellow Turban warriors—strange spirits of immense power.

This handkerchief, famed throughout the Qi-refining world of the Great Song, is a treasured Daoist artifact passed down from the Shang and Zhou eras, called the Bagua Cloud Radiance Handkerchief, imbued with mysterious magic.

Upon seeing the handkerchief, the Yellow Turban warriors immediately knelt and bowed, requesting the Immortal Shunguān’s commands. With a subtle gesture and a mental transmission, the Immortal instructed them:

“I shall forge new divine generals. You two must swiftly find two destined men.”

After pledging their obedience, the Yellow Turban warriors soared through the clouds and soon returned, each bearing a man upon his shoulder.

When the warriors set these two fated men down, He Taiping was dumbfounded and muttered in secret: “Can these really be called divine generals? If so, then Bai Jie’s husband Zhang Ji might as well be a Celestial Immortal.”

Indeed, these two were a simple shepherd and a humble farmer—faces weathered by rustic life, their expressions dull and foolish. Illiterate and lacking martial prowess, anyone could tell they were nothing but two country bumpkins.

He Taiping was about to speak when Bai Jie sharply pinched his flesh, silently signaling him to be quiet.

The Immortal Shunguān, having crossed three heavenly tribulations and nearing ascension as a Grand Qi Refiner, caught He Taiping’s thoughts with a glance. Smiling calmly, he said, “Fear not, noble sir. I will not disappoint you. Today, I shall grant you two valiant generals whose bravery surpasses all. Even Lin Chong of Liangshan would be no match for them.”

Bai Jie smiled, “Please, Master, perform your marvels and transform these fated men, so they may rise like dragons leaping through the heavens and become true divine generals.”

The Immortal Shunguān flicked the Bagua Cloud Radiance Handkerchief and smiled gently at Bai Jie: “No need to instruct.”

Instantly, the handkerchief transformed into a cloud of red mist, from which two black beams shot forth like meteors, rushing toward the two stunned country bumpkins.

“Warrior souls of Heaven and Earth, merge with their bodies; wrath of Asura, relentless in battle; Infinite Celestial Lord, by your command!”

The black beams pierced the shepherd and farmer, inflicting agonies as if cut by a thousand blades, and soon the two fainted.

The Immortal Shunguān had not expected them to be so fragile; his expression darkened. Casting a furious glance at the Yellow Turban warriors, he scolded, “Your negligence shall be punished!”

He then unleashed the Bagua Cloud Radiance Handkerchief again. Stepping in intricate patterns, his fingers weaving complex mudras, he performed a terrifying Daoist art capable of absorbing and transferring the essence and blood power of the Yellow Turban warriors—the Seven-Character Seal of the Northern Star.

Chanting “Zha? B Gong Ren You Liang,” and empowered by the handkerchief’s extraordinary power, the two towering Yellow Turban warriors instantly withered, their essence and blood flowing like a stream into the bodies of the shepherd and the farmer.

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The two frail men, infused with the Yellow Turban warriors’ power and the warrior souls of Heaven and Earth, underwent a miraculous transformation. It was akin to Rogers receiving a potent gene serum and becoming Captain America—suddenly, they changed from weak and short to tall and strong.

In the blink of an eye, they upgraded from simple country bumpkins into supreme martial experts at the peak of innate power, fierce generals fit to lead tigers and wolves.

This was truly a resurrection from decay to brilliance. The Immortal Shunguān’s profound Daoist art made forging peak martial prowess as effortless as reaching into a bag.

The shepherd and farmer slowly rose, now eight feet tall with broad shoulders and muscular builds. They knelt before the Immortal Shunguān, He Taiping, and Bai Jie, bowing deeply:

“Your humble servants Wei Ying and Li Tang pay respects to the Immortal Master and the esteemed lords. We vow to tread the path of immortals!”

The Immortal Shunguān laughed heartily: “Excellent! Wei Ying, you possess the martial soul of Wang Botang, the martial champion of Wagang Village in the Sui dynasty. Since you were originally a shepherd, I add a character to your name—henceforth, you shall be called Wei Yangyin. Take up the Five-Finger Edge Trident Spear to conquer the battlefield.”

“Li Tang, you have obtained the general’s soul of Xie Yingdeng, the divine archer of the Sui-Tang era, mastering his Five Ghost Linked Arrows. As a farmer, I also add a character to your name—henceforth, you shall be Li Zongtang. From today forward, you two must swear undying loyalty to Lord He and Lady Jia, and be lifelong enemies of the Liangshan bandits. Fight to the death.”

Wei Yangyin and Li Zongtang bowed deeply, solemnly pledging their allegiance. The Immortal Shunguān and the Yellow Turban warriors had not chosen these two by chance; in a radius of a thousand li, only these two had the single-mindedness suited to be transformed into killing machines.

He Taiping and Bai Jie, seeing their forces bolstered by two generals rivaling Lin Chong’s valor, felt their worries vanish and joy blossomed. They hurried forward to thank the Immortal Master profusely.

The Immortal Shunguān stroked his beard, smiled, and gave a few parting instructions. Just as he was about to depart, he suddenly recalled something, beckoning his hand to summon from the void a scroll and a set of golden silk armor.

“Bai Jie, as a woman, you are less skilled in combat. This battlefield is fraught with danger. I gift you these two treasures to ensure your safety.”

Bai Jie took the scroll. The title was emblazoned in gold: “The Technique of Summoning and Unseating.” On the first page, it read:

“Whenever an enemy general is within five li and not of the same gender as the caster, this technique may be employed. By chanting the general’s name thrice, the enemy general will uncontrollably rise from their ranks, fall unconscious from their mount, or stray alone into our stronghold.”

This technique was specially chosen to counter Bai Jie’s limited martial skill, allowing her to personally engage and capture the Liangshan bandits.

As Bai Jie rejoiced, the Immortal Shunguān used his voice transmission art, sending words deep into her mind:

“Disciple, this armor is called Seamless Heavenly Garment, crafted to fit your figure perfectly. It contains my essence and power. Wear it close to your skin; it will render you impervious to blades and arrows, immune to fire and water.”

Hearing this, Bai Jie smiled coyly within her mind: “Master, you know my body best.”

The Immortal Shunguān replied with an ambiguous tone: “Indeed. Is there any part of you I have not touched or tasted?”

These words were exchanged silently within their minds—imperceptible to mortals like He Taiping, who maintained reverence and humility as they saw the Immortal off, avoiding any embarrassment.

With two new fierce generals, He Taiping’s strength greatly increased. His fear transformed into ambition. He immediately ordered his subordinates to prepare armor, supplies, and provisions within five days and led an army of twenty thousand in a grand march toward Puzhou.

The vanguard was led by the martial champion Jin Chengying, a battle-hardened general wearing a purple-gold crown binding his hair, a phoenix-winged cloud helmet, golden chainmail armor, mounted on the famed Iron Linked Windhorse, wielding a dragon-tongue spear. His fierce gaze and towering stature marked him as a formidable warrior.

At Puzhou, the Liangshan faction was defended by Lin Chong, known as Leopard Head. A cautious tactician, Lin had already dispatched numerous scouts to gather intelligence long before the enemy’s arrival.

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Thus, before He Taiping’s forces reached Puzhou, Lin Chong had received word and fortified the city’s defenses. He then led an elite cavalry unit out of the city for a preemptive ambush, aiming to catch the imperial army unprepared.

Jin Chengying led his troops, marching through the night. Soon, they approached the outskirts of Puzhou, entering a place called Sunset Valley. It was a wide-open space flanked by dense woods, silent save for hidden dangers—an ideal place for an ambush.

Though inexperienced in leading troops, Jin Chengying was bold and skilled. Despite a faint unease, he ignored the adage “Never enter the forest” and pressed forward, heedless of the lurking tiger.

Sure enough, he invited the tiger—though not a white-eyed beast, but the Five Tiger Generals of Liangshan.

No sooner had Jin Chengying’s troops fully entered Sunset Valley than the thunderous sound of hooves filled the air. Arrows rained down like locusts, and countless warriors charged from three directions, galloping and shooting simultaneously.

On the eastern front, their commander was a short, red-robed man with gleaming eyes radiating lecherous fury, riding a poor horse and brandishing a steel spear. He shouted and slaughtered isolated soldiers but avoided directly charging Jin Chengying’s main force.

Though no great hero, this man was notorious in the underworld. Every woman who heard his name trembled with fear. He was “Short-legged Tiger” Wang Ying, a former mountain bandit lord from Qingfeng Mountain, infamous as a lustful glutton.

From the west came a troop of female soldiers, slender and beautiful, clad in red tassel armor, all mounted on white horses. Their commander was a stunning beauty with a tall figure, porcelain skin, lotus-like features, golden hairpins securing her hair in cicada-wing style, wearing phoenix-heeled shoes and precious stirrups. Her chainmail was layered with red gauze, and in her delicate hands she wielded dual blades—a natural flower blooming amid the battlefield.

Behind her fluttered a general’s flag bearing the inscription: “Earth Wisdom Star Beauty, One Zhang Qing!”

Jin Chengying understood immediately. This was the first and only female general of Liangshan—also known as the rare flower blooming in dung—One Zhang Qing, Hu Sanniang.

Hu Sanniang coyly declared, “Dog traitors, today you walk into a trap.” Furious, Jin Chengying wished he could swallow her whole. He roared and charged with his dragon-tongue spear.

The two clashed fiercely, spears and blades flashing for twenty rounds, ending in a stalemate. Jin Chengying, as a peak innate martial artist near the level of the Liangshan Five Tiger Generals, should have overwhelmed Hu Sanniang, who was once only on par with Ou Peng when fighting the Zhu Family Village. Normally, she would not be his match.

However, it was revealed that after joining Liangshan, Hu Sanniang received training from Leopard Head Lin Chong, greatly advancing her skills over the years. Without fully unleashing her inner power, she was now comparable in martial prowess even to Qin Ming and Dong Ping.

Thus, in their desperate battle, Jin Chengying could not best Hu Sanniang.

As their fight raged, the sound of war drums suddenly echoed. From the northern hill, another force charged, led by a commander who shouted like thunder from the earth:

“Sister, rest a moment; your brother comes to capture this foe!”

Jin Chengying, reckless and unaware, looked up toward the voice and saw on the ridge a warrior known as Leopard Head, with ringed eyes, swallow’s chin, tiger mustache, standing eight feet tall and in his mid-thirties. Bathed in the sunset glow, he charged like a bolt of lightning atop his steed, spear poised.

Wearing a jewel-studded helmet and polished silver armor, his plain robe embroidered with floral patterns, lion’s mane sash ornamented with precious stones, holding a formidable serpent spear, riding a frost-marked steed that neighed fiercely.

The whole mountain knew him as Little Zhang Fei—Leopard Head Lin Chong had arrived!