Chapter 10: Great Village Master

Someone behind him seemed to see an opportunity, forcibly suppressing the pain from his severed arm, and pulled out a dagger, pouncing at his waist.

Thud...

Jiang Ming didn't look back; with a slight twist of his body, he sent his opponent flying. The man landed far away, his chest completely collapsed.

The bearded goat old man trembled and grew even more respectful.

"What's your name? Why didn't you take action?" Jiang Ming asked.

Before the man could answer, the previous leader yelled angrily, "Hu Laosan, are you fucking betraying me? Did you find these people? Screw your ancestors!"

Hu Laosan's mouth twitched slightly, but he ignored his leader and instead respectfully said to Jiang Ming, "Hero, I am Hu Tu, the third-ranked leader of the Three Villages, known as Hu Laosan. I was originally a scholar who knew a bit of martial arts. One year, I was framed and had no choice but to run away. I was caught and brought up the mountain, and since I was versed in both literature and martial arts, I was made the third leader. I didn't want to do it, I really didn't, but even a tiny ant clings to life, so I could only follow the flow."

"But, hero, I've never actively taken someone's life!" Hu Laosan pleaded earnestly.

"What about you?" Jiang Ming looked at the young man.

"My grandfather was a mountain bandit, and my father was a mountain bandit. After our village was destroyed, I was captured and brought here. I had no choice but to become a mountain bandit, but I don't want to be one, and I don't want my son to become one either," the young man said a bit excitedly. "My name is Chang Qing, and I've always wanted to leave the mountain village but never had the chance."

"I can testify to that!" Hu Laosan hurriedly said, "He can't stand people killing each other, so he's been ostracized by his fellow mountain thieves. However, his skills are exceptional, and he's always chosen to accompany them on missions, but he avoids taking action when possible. If it weren't for my covert support, he would surely suffer at the hands of Big Boss Ma."

Jiang Ming remained noncommittal but asked, "You want to live or die?"

"Live! Of course, I want to live!" Hu Laosan said, "Ahem, I may not be a good person, but I don't think I'm a bad person either. At least not intentionally."

Jiang Ming couldn't help but laugh out loud.

As expected of a scholar, eloquent with his words.

"Go and kill Big Boss Ma, and kill all those you think are incorrigible. I'll spare your lives!" Jiang Ming pointed at the severely injured Ma bandit leader.

Hu Laosan hesitated slightly, stood up, and drew his knife to walk over.

But Chang Qing was even faster, stabbing his knife directly into Big Boss Ma's heart. Hu Laosan also gave a stab, and amidst unwillingness and pain, Big Boss Ma died with his eyes wide open.

The two men killed several more people before stopping.

"The remaining people are basically not evil, they were all forced!" Hu Laosan's voice was faint, and he crouched down.

"Fine!" Jiang Ming nodded and looked at Chang Qing. "You go and bandage them up, but they can't run away; whoever runs away will die. Then dispose of the bodies. Hu Laosan, come here!"

Jiang Ming gestured to the front.

Hu Laosan had no choice but to follow.

"I just left my clan, wandering through the mountains and rivers, observing the world, honing my martial arts, and also learning about the customs of the people in various parts of the world." Jiang Ming stated a brief, vague origin before asking, "Tell me about the surrounding situation."

"Yes!" Hu Laosan breathed a sigh of relief upon learning that the youth was a member of a prominent clan. "This is Black Cloud Mountain. There are several bandit hideouts on the surrounding mountains: Black Wind Village, where I am; Black Dragon Village, Black Saber Village, and Black Tiger Village."

The four villages had similar strengths and had been fighting overtly and covertly. They all had one commonality: they engaged in banditry and carried out all sorts of evil deeds. At one time, the four villages had even collaborated to discuss attacking a nearby county town.

"No wonder they're so wild!" Jiang Ming couldn't help but blurt out.

"Sigh!" Hu Laosan sighed, "The emperor is incompetent and corrupt, selling official positions, and the court is dark. High and low officials collude together, their hearts turning black like maggots. The common people have nothing to live on, especially last year's flood in Jiangzhou, which displaced countless people. The court not only failed to provide relief but also prevented people from fleeing the disaster. It was a tragedy! In the first half of this year, Yunzhou suffered a severe drought, and some people even resorted to cannibalism. Sigh..."

Jiang Ming's eyebrows twitched as he listened.

- "Clan powers grow, dividing lands and nations."

- "Noble families divide territory amongst themselves, creating countries within the country."

- "Bandits roam the land, leaving a trail of woe."

- "Sigh, the common people's suffering is great. Many people were forced to join the ranks of bandits out of desperation.",

Jiang Ming couldn't help but express his thoughts: "Prosperity brings suffering to the people; decline brings suffering to the people."

Hu Laosan's eyes lit up: "The young master has such literary talent!"

Jiang Ming continued to ask questions and gradually learned more about this world.

The Great Yan Dynasty ruled the world, with the northern barbarians known as Beimang, which used to be insignificant, now posed a great threat.

The three hundred year-old dynasty had declined and was nearing its end.

In the world of martial artists, the prominent sects included the Dalin Temple, Zhen Wu Sect, Chunyang Sect, Lengyue Palace, Divine Sword Villa, Sun and Moon Demon Sect, and Divine Fist Sect.

The Sun and Moon Demon Sect once stirred up the martial world, and although they are low-key now, they remain very powerful.

The martial world is still divided into good and evil factions.

The martial arts realm is rather peculiar, divided into: Not Ranked, Third-tier, Second-tier, First-tier, Innate, Grandmaster, and Great Grandmaster.

'Not Ranked' are those who know some basic martial arts techniques, like farmers.

At the Initial stage, one cultivates their qi; opening up the Dantian and the Sea of Qi makes one a Third-tier practitioner, unblocking all twelve meridians elevates one to the Second-tier, and opening up the extraordinary vessels makes one a First-tier practitioner.

Breaking through the Governor and Conception vessels and absorbing the power of Heaven and Earth transforms one's true Qi into that of an Innate warrior.

"As for Grandmasters and Great Grandmasters, I'm not sure!" Hu Laosan shook his head. He looked slightly puzzled: why would someone ask about such common knowledge?

He didn't think too much about it.

Jiang Ming's expression was quite strange.

In the Main World, cultivation starts with refining the body and directly drawing the breath of heaven and earth into the body to open up the Dantian, with Qi circulating throughout the body, and the strength leaving the body. There is no need to open up meridians.

But here, the process starts from the inside out, requiring the opening of the twelve meridians and the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, only after stepping into the Innate realm can one absorb the Primal Qi of Heaven and Earth.

"In the Main World, all the meridians are opened, which can directly save the process of opening meridians and directly draw the energy of Heaven and Earth into the body, equivalent to the Innate here. Starting from Innate, because the Primal Qi is violent, a powerful body is required to withstand it, which results in the Bone Forging Realm?"

Jiang Ming speculated in secret.

However, to be sure, he needs to find the cultivation skills of this world and verify them through textual research.

"Is the Bone Forging Realm equivalent to Third-tier, Second-tier, and First-tier? Is the Qi Sea Realm equivalent to Innate, and the Martial Arts Realm of the Third Layer of Gang Qi equivalent to Grandmaster?"

Jiang Ming suppressed the idea.

He would look for an opportunity to explore it thoroughly later on.

"Come on, follow me to Black Wind Village!"

He made a decision.

"To Black Wind Village?" Hu Laosan was momentarily stunned.

"I want to be a Village Master and play, also leading you to change from evil to good, finding a way for you to live!" Jiang Ming laughed, "Go, lead the way."

"Okay, okay!" Hu Laosan nodded in amazement.

Being a Village Master just for fun?

Changing from evil to good?

If changing from evil to good could provide a way to survive, who would become a mountain thief?

Chang Qing was also a bit confused, he thought they would be released and leave the mountain village to wander around the world.

But they were still going up the mountain.

Dammit!

"Young Master, now the second Village Master is on the mountain, and there is also the junior Village Master. I have no say in it. I usually just give advice and manage food and drink issues." Hu Laosan whispered.

"My surname is Jiang, you can call me Great Village Master from now on. As for the two of them? Leave them to me!" Jiang Ming waved his hand, and he jumped onto a horse, "Go!"

He could ride a horse.

It is a required course for students in the Main World, so basically, everyone knows it.

It didn't take long for them to arrive at the foot of the mountain village.

Hu Laosan was in the lead, Jiang Ming followed behind.

"Third Boss, you're back. Where is the big boss?"

The mountain thief guarding the village gate asked.

"The big boss has something to do and told me to come back first. Watch the door carefully, or you'll be robbed!" Hu Laosan patted the other's shoulder and continued up the mountain.

Without any accidents, they directly arrived outside Juyi Hall, where the second boss and the junior Village Master had already come out.

"Hu Laosan, where's the big boss?" The second boss was fat and disdainful of Hu Laosan, just slanting his eyes to ask.

"Didn't you bring me a few young girls?" The junior Village Master was also full of resentment.

"The big boss is waiting for you. As for the young girls?" Jiang Ming walked forward, revealing a hint of coldness.

"You brat, it's not your place to speak here!" The second Village Master glared and was about to take action.

Overbearing and domineering.

Slap...

Jiang Ming stepped forward, a roundhouse kick sent his opponent flying before he could react, crashing into a nearby stone wall. His face was a mess of blood and brain matter.

The bewildered Junior Village Master was also sent flying, dying on the spot.

The others began to stir restlessly.

"Brothers, be quiet, be quiet!" Hu Laosan knew it was time for him to show up and waved his hand, shouting, "Ma Guang is a tyrant, the second boss is cruel, and the Junior Village Master always beats and scolds us, even killing us and taking our wives if he's unhappy. I've had enough. But under their cruel threats, we can only endure. Now, our savior is here, I have invited Young Master Jiang, who killed the big boss, and wiped out the second boss and Junior Village Master, saving us from the fire and water, and helping us in times of crisis. He can be regarded as our rebirth parents."

"From today, Young Master Jiang is our Great Village Master, our sky, our king!"

"He will bring us good food and drink and teach us the real martial arts skills."

"Everyone, follow me to pay homage to the Great Village Master!"

Without further ado, Hu Tu knelt down on one knee.

Many brothers hesitated, but many smart guys knew that the times changed, they better be smart and also knelt down one by one.

"Hu Laosan, you traitor..." One of them was furious, but before he could finish, he was stabbed from behind by Chang Qing.