Chapter 243: Chapter 239: War Preparations

After two to three months of work by thousands of laborers, with even Martial Artists pitching in to help, the initial construction of White Cloud Manor was complete. The manor was grand in scale, covering a vast area. It resembled a fortress, with thick walls and a massive steel gate that gleamed with a metallic luster.

Above the gate hung a plaque inscribed with—White Cloud Manor! The calligraphy was flamboyant and powerful, the strokes vigorous as if drawn with iron hooks and silver strokes.

With the initial construction of White Cloud Manor complete, the Great River Gang also moved its headquarters into the manor to serve as its protectors.

At this moment, on a path on White Cloud Mountain, two figures covered in blood were running at top speed. Soon, they arrived before the gates of White Cloud Manor.

The two squads of guards standing watch before the gate stood ramrod straight, their auras anything but weak.

"Halt! This is White Cloud Manor. Unauthorized personnel are forbidden from entering!" the Guard Team captain at the gate shouted sternly at the two approaching figures.

Both men were disheveled and filthy, their clothes in tatters. One was a middle-aged man in a green robe, the other a young man.

"Get out of the way!"

The young man took a token from his robes.

When the Guard Team captain saw the token, his expression changed drastically. He hurriedly bowed and knelt. "This subordinate greets the Gang Leader!"

As the Guard Team captain knelt, the other guards at the gate saw the token and also scrambled to their knees. "Greetings, Gang Leader!"

"Close the gates immediately! And notify Ma Feng and Niu Dequan to meet me in the assembly hall at once!" Ye Xing commanded, then led Gao Zhisong through the gates without pause, quickly heading into the manor.

"What happened? The Gang Leader’s killing intent is so heavy!"

"I could smell the thick stench of blood from a mile away!"

The guards at the gate discussed among themselves in low voices.

"I’m afraid something major has happened!" The Guard Team captain’s gaze was grim as he said in a low voice, "Quick, close the gates and heighten security!"

...

「White Cloud Manor, Manor Master’s Residence, Assembly Hall.」

Ye Xing sat high up on the grand master’s chair at the head of the hall. Below him, seated in two rows, were the Great River Gang’s Vice Leaders Ma Feng and Niu Dequan, as well as Hong Hai, Xue Yong, and other high-ranking members of the gang—twenty to thirty people in all.

At this moment, all twenty to thirty of them were aghast. With the exception of a few, the faces of the rest were deathly pale, and a palpable sense of unease spread rapidly through the hall.

"Gang Leader, that Ouyang Xu is the Grand General of Red Sun Province! He commands a hundred thousand troops! How did you provoke him?"

"Exactly! We’re finished! How can our Great River Gang possibly fight him?"

"And Ouyang Xu’s cultivation is at the Innate Realm..."

"Maybe we should try to sue for peace?"

"What are you all shouting about, you bunch of spineless cowards! The enemy isn’t even here yet, and you’re already in a panic." Xue Yong boomed. "Our White Cloud Manor has high, thick walls and thousands of gang members. You think we’re just for show?"

"Xue Yong, that’s easy for you to say! The other side has over a hundred thousand troops! If they all swarm us at once, our White Cloud Manor won’t be able to hold them off."

"Personally, I suggest suing for peace. I just don’t know how the Gang Leader offended Ouyang Xu."

"Yes, Gang Leader. Suing for peace is the better option. As long as it’s not a matter of deep-seated hatred, I doubt Ouyang Xu would dare to act recklessly. To conquer our White Cloud Manor, he would also have to suffer immense losses."

The crowd in the hall erupted into a flurry of discussion, with a peace faction and a war faction arguing heatedly.

"Enough. Stop arguing." Ye Xing’s voice rang out. "The reason Ouyang Xu is hunting me is that I, your Gang Leader, have obtained a treasure—a treasure worth one million gold coins!"

HISS!

The moment Ye Xing’s voice fell, a collective gasp echoed through the hall.

"A million gold coins! Isn’t that enough to buy an Innate Realm Demon Beast?"

"How on earth did the Gang Leader obtain such a treasure? This is incredible!"

The eyes of everyone in the hall were filled with utter shock.

"Just as you all said, a million gold coins is indeed enough to buy an Innate Realm Demon Beast. With the remaining gold, we could even equip our brothers in the manor with High-tier Demon Beasts." Ye Xing said in a low voice, "With an Innate Realm Demon Beast standing guard, and with everyone putting in more effort, I believe that in a few months, our White Cloud Manor will become one of the top powers in the Southern Tang Country!"

As soon as Ye Xing finished speaking, the sound of heavy breathing filled the hall. Pair after pair of eyes gleamed with a mixture of conflict and fervor.

"What are your plans, Gang Leader?" Ma Feng asked, his eyes glinting with worry. "If Ouyang Xu really does send tens of thousands of troops to besiege us, I’m afraid White Cloud Manor won’t be able to hold out for many days."

All eyes in the hall immediately turned to Ye Xing. After all, the plan for the million gold coins was wonderful, but the enemy was unlikely to give White Cloud Manor time to develop. They would probably be attacking very soon.

"My plan is simple: however many enemies come, that’s how many will die!" A cold light flashed in Ye Xing’s eyes. He took a Qiankun Bag from his waist and tossed it to Ma Feng. "This Qiankun Bag is full of armaments—all sorts of firearms and ammunition. Distribute them to our brothers in the gang."

"Firearms and ammunition? Are these the hidden weapons the Gang Leader uses?"

Everyone in the hall felt their eyes light up, their expressions ecstatic. Many of them had witnessed Ye Xing using his pistol and bombs before; their power was simply immense, especially the speed of the bullets. Even a Senior Martial Artist at the ninth layer of the Martial Arts realm could be killed instantly if they were careless. Such hidden weapons had to be incredibly expensive. Besides the Gang Leader, they only knew of a handful of people—Ma Feng, Hong Hai, and maybe three to five others in total—who were each issued a pistol. But now, from the sound of it, the Gang Leader intended to equip them all, handing them out in large quantities. A fire of excitement ignited in their hearts.

"Alright. If there’s nothing else, go and prepare for battle," Ye Xing said gravely.

"As you command!"

Ma Feng, Hong Hai, and the others withdrew respectfully, their hearts surging with emotion.

Soon, Ye Xing was the only one left in the great hall.

’With these armaments, a single bomb can kill a huge swath of people. But I don’t have much ammunition left. I need to make a trip to America soon.’ Ye Xing’s eyes flickered. He suddenly noticed a little girl poking her head in from outside the hall door, peering inside. He couldn’t help but laugh. "Qiao’Er, what are you doing out there?"

"Hee hee, is your meeting over, Big Brother?" The little girl ran in, skipping joyfully.

「At the same time.」

"SKREE!" "SKREE!"

A flash of purple lightning shot through the hall, and a palm-sized purple eaglet appeared in front of Ye Xing, flapping its light purple wings and chirping nonstop.

Having not seen him for more than two months, the little girl and the Little Purple Eagle were both overjoyed to see Ye Xing.

After spending a little time with the two little ones, Ye Xing left the assembly hall and entered his Training Room.

’After all, I have to prioritize. The armaments within White Cloud Manor are limited; the most urgent task is to purchase a large new supply. Once I have them, what does it matter if Ouyang Xu really does send a hundred thousand troops to besiege us?’

’Just imagine: machine guns strafing, bullets filling the sky. Grenades and bombs blooming like flowers. It would absolutely be a case of ’however many come, that’s how many will die.’’

「Training Room, inside the cave.」

He took the Purple Light Group Teleportation Gate out from his Qiankun Bag. In an instant, the surrounding Spiritual Qi surged, and a vibrant aura filled the air.

Ye Xing stepped through the Purple Light Group Teleportation Gate and left White Cloud Mountain on the Martial Arts Continent.

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