Year Sixty-Five: Battle Royale of the Transmigrators (Part Six)

Master Wen said, "Yun Zheng, you finally dared to show your face."

Second Master Wen sneered, "Yun, staying instead of running when you see us—are you hoping those two sweethearts of yours will scatter paper money on your grave next year?"

Cui Xuanliang, wincing in pain from his wounds, could not help but spit out a harsh threat: "Yun Zheng, do you really think you alone can block the three of us?"

This remark was formulated with considerable calculation.

Yun Zheng had not come alone; behind him stood dozens of armored warriors brandishing sabers. Together with Lin Dengwan, Song Xiangling, and the others, they formed a pincer movement against the trio.

Yet Cui Xuanliang deliberately singled out Yun Zheng, creating the impression that everyone else was merely insignificant ants. Coupled with his earlier nearly immortal display, this tactic was designed to sow doubt in the enemy's judgment and crush their fighting spirit.

However, Yun Zheng was a veteran of countless battles; how could he fall for such a trick? To him, anything that breathed flesh and blood could certainly be killed.

Yun Zheng calmly replied, "There is no need to try and bluff me, gentlemen. Among the three of you, only Cui Xuanliang possesses nearly endless stamina and an inner breath as vast as the sea, but even he is now at the end of his tether, about to snap. As for you Wen brothers, you clearly favor speed and agility. If my army surrounds you, you will undoubtedly find no path to survival."

Though Masters Wen maintained their composure, their hearts tightened slightly. While Yun Zheng had underestimated their true strength—and the claim that an encircled army would leave them zero chance of survival was naturally a miscalculation on his part—falling into a full-scale siege would nevertheless cause considerable trouble. Who could tell if Yun Zheng had other cards up his sleeve? Once bogged down in a quagmire, unknown variables were bound to multiply.

Yun Zheng continued, "How about this, let us strike a bargain. This general believes you Wen brothers are merely rushing to your deaths. You have been coveting my head for quite some time now, so why don't we have a fair one-on-two duel—meaning I take you two on by myself, while this undying Cui Xuanliang stays behind to spar properly with our miner brothers. What do you say?"

The Wen brothers exchanged glances, their minds made up instantly.

They knew Yun Zheng had always valued his honor; since he had declared in plain sight of everyone that he would duel them alone, he would certainly not allow a fourth person to interfere.

Conversely, refusing Yun Zheng's demand would mean facing his unknown preparations. Should someone sustain an accidental injury, it would cast a dark shadow over their subsequent operations.

Moreover, accepting Yun Zheng's challenge was a tremendous bargain for them—in the eyes of the Wen brothers, either one of them possessed a martial prowess surpassing Yun Zheng's within this illusion, let alone fighting two against one.

Second Master Wen said decisively, "Yun Zheng, since you are courting death, the two of us brothers will grant your wish."

Cui Xuanliang's expression turned grim at once.

Clearly, the Wen brothers intended to abandon him. Seriously wounded as he was, even if he drove his stamina to desperate lengths against a horde of miners, he could not hold out for long.

Master Wen hurriedly said, "Do not fret, Brother Cui. Since Yun Zheng is arrogant enough to bite off more than he can chew, the two of us will dispatch him in no time. Once that is done, the three of us can break out of the encirclement amid the chaos."

Cui Xuanliang let out a cold snort and made no further reply.

Yet deep down, he believed the Wen brothers could make quick work of Yun Zheng, which was why he refrained from hurling any harsher insults. After all, though the four had collaborated for a long time, they had plotted against each other just as often, and they were long used to it.

Furthermore, following the defeat and demise of the Water West Regent An Bangyan and the Water West Chieftain An Wei, the decline of Water West was a foregone conclusion. Even if the imperial court later offered terms of pacification, Water West's influence was destined to be severely curtailed—perhaps reduced to a mere ten percent of its former self. When that day arrived, these so-called Water West nobles would tear each other to pieces over an ever-shrinking share of territorial interests. Under such circumstances, the growing estrangement among the four was gradually coming out into the open.

Besides, Cui Xuanliang knew full well that while the Wen brothers appeared to have contrasting personalities, they operated almost as one mind. Their combined offensive strength was enough to force even that obnoxious An Litong to temporarily yield the initiative.

An Litong, who was being inexplicably remembered by others at that moment, was also embroiled in a fierce battle.

To be precise, it was a one-sided slaughter.

Ever since he had executed the wandering swordsman Han Ping through brutal means, An Litong had never intended to keep a low profile. Every strike he delivered either hacked his target to pieces or sliced off their facial features, casting bloody, unrecognizable heads directly into bustling crowds to incite panic and flight.

Such a flamboyant style clearly contradicted his identity as a seasoned assassin.

In reality, however, this was entirely intentional on An Litong's part.

*(Those four fools should have already clashed with Yun Zheng.)*

*(By making a personal move, I have thrown Luxian County into complete chaos.)*

*(If they still cannot defeat Yun Zheng after all this, then let the corpses of those idiots rot away in the underground palace.)*

With these thoughts, An Litong casually tossed a severed head onto the ground.

Before them stood a squad of Miao warriors attired in patrol uniforms.

Witnessing An Litong commit murder in broad daylight, not a single one of them dared to step forward and stop him.

This was because the head belonged to none other than the leader of these patrolmen—the deputy constable of the Luxian County Yamen, Song Xiangyang.

He was also the county magistrate's other brother-in-law, sharing the exact same mother with Song Xiangling.

Only in the remote southwestern frontier, far from the reach of the emperor, could such blatant nepotism run rampant.

Just moments before, An Litong had darted forward like a phantom, severing Song Xiangyang's head right beneath their noses.

From start to finish, no one could track An Litong's movements.

Worse still, an oppressive, suffocating aura of slaughter clung to An Litong, subtly warning their primal instincts that the moment anyone dared approach him—regardless of how many souls stood together—the only outcome would be decapitation.

An Litong's chaotic rampage quickly drew the attention of increasingly numerous factions.

Luxian County at this hour was not merely a stage for outside forces like Lin Dengwan and the bearded mine owner; various other mining magnates hailing from elsewhere in Guizhou had gathered here as well. It was just that Lin Dengwan, being the most powerful mine owner locally in Tongren Prefecture, had brought the largest retinue.

These mine owners had converged for a singular purpose: to conspire on forming a united front against the extortionate levies and tyrannical taxation imposed by Yang Rong.

They were hardly lacking in strength. Anyone capable of operating a mine was inevitably either a deeply entrenched local chieftain or a powerful gentry clan, backed by substantial influence. Coupled with the massive pools of able-bodied laborers gathered at the mines, these seemingly inconspicuous mine owners actually held the potential to trigger an earthquake within the imperial court. It was merely due to their geographic dispersion across various regions that this colossal power had struggled to unite into a single fist.

Yun Zheng, who had recently achieved renown throughout Guizhou for wiping out the Tian estate, had emerged as an exceptional banner due to his willingness to openly defy Yang Rong. Following the announcement of support from several major mine owners including Lin Dengwan, an increasing number of mining operators began rallying under this banner.

Though vast in number, these factions were a mixed bag of individuals of varying backgrounds. Consequently, when Yun Zheng mapped out his ambush against the Four Beasts of Water West, he had deliberately chosen not to invite them.

Provoked by An Litong's unmasked and frenzied defiance, these men sharpened their blades in unison and began scouring the mountains and searching the seas in pursuit of An Litong's whereabouts.

In an instant, Luxian County was plunged into total turmoil.

Meanwhile, the fierce confrontation between Yun Zheng and the Wen brothers had officially begun.