Hearing the voice that came from Tianshan Tonglao’s use of the Sound Transmission Soul Searching Technique, Jiang Dali was originally intent on responding with a roar of his Lion Roar Skill to give the opposing side a show of force.
However, a thought struck him; considering the uniqueness of this secret technique, he chuckled softly and did not roar back at that moment.
Rising from his seat, he adjusted the new tailor-made Iron Nail Bracelets on his arms and let two female players step forward and tip-toe to drape a Black Cloak over him. Then, unhurried and steadfast as a tiger patrolling its mountain, he stepped out of the great hall.
Many players and native NPCs, upon seeing his burly figure outlined by swelling, robust muscles emerging, felt a tide of intimidating, fierce, and brave aura rush toward them, inexplicably instilling a strong sense of security.
Calls filled with respect and warmth came from all around, briefly thickening the atmosphere.
Compared to the blood-pumping shouts and battle cries below the mountain, there was a solemn stillness on the mountain, like an ice ocean silently flowing beneath a volcano.
Faces cold as ice and burning gazes seemed to await only an order from Jiang Dali before they would fearlessly rush down the mountain to kill.
At this moment, even the most boisterous of players were unusually serious, mustering their strength in preparation for the imminent battle.
Jiang Dali surveyed the crowd, nodded in satisfaction, and laughed loudly, "Lads, the enemy’s armies are pressing on us, yet Laozi is not panicked. Are you?"
"With the Village Chief here, we’re steady as a rock!"
A group of players and mountain bandits roared back with necks outstretched, their momentum like a rainbow.
"Hahaha, good! Where are the Shuanglong?"
"Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling are here!"
Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling stepped forward from among the crowd.
Jiang Dali glared down and barked, "Is everything prepared?"
Kou Zhong, wielding a blade, smiled and said, "Rest assured, Village Chief, Mr. Ling and I have arranged everything."
"In that case," Jiang Dali chuckled, pointing towards the mountain peak, "someone, move a chair to that mountaintop. This Village Chief shall be ready to watch the battle at dawn!"
Immediately, mountain bandits sprang into action, quickly moving a large chair to the mountaintop.
Shuanglong exchanged glances, knowing that Jiang Dali intended to test their ability to lead troops in battle, their hearts filled with emotion.
Although the Black Wind Village Chief was ruthless and a formidable nemesis, his imposing manner was truly admirable. He disregarded Lingjiu Palace as trivial and dared to fully entrust the power to them, not fearing any mishaps.
They too busied themselves promptly, mobilizing their forces in readiness for a fierce fight.
Below Wuliang Mountain, great masters from the Thirty-Six Caves and Seventy-two Islands of Lingjiu Palace, led by Tianshan Tonglao in her palanquin, charged up together, as threatening as the stormy skies.
The heavens seemed covered with clouds of war.
On the mountaintop, Black Wind Village’s mountain bandits and players were all poised and ready for action.
Compared to yesterday’s concern, the players from Black Wind Village today were filled with a surge of confidence, eager and rubbing their hands in anticipation of the battle.
This was because that morning on the Jianghu Forum, a video of Jiang Dali overpowering the East and West Swords of Power Gang had appeared, and even Murong Fu had emerged.
But the three of them together were still driven away by Jiang Dali in a hasty retreat.
Once the video was made public, it immediately solidified the wavering hearts of the players of Black Wind Village.
They believed that their Village Chief’s strength had advanced by leaps and bounds, and that the several enemies coming now had been taken care of in the blink of an eye, with the threat significantly reduced.
At this moment, hearing the clamor rising from below the mountain,
quite a few mountain bandit players walked onto the stone path, glancing down the mountain, and were slightly startled.
They saw below them hundreds of women and players divided into eight groups, each group wearing differently colored clothes—red, yellow, green, purple, flamboyantly lifting a palanquin as they charged up the mountain.
Next to these eight groups of women and players, there were over a thousand sword-carrying heroes of the Martial World, with extravagant and odd attire, shouting loudly and with great vigor.
Beyond that, at the foot of the mountain, there were many players from the Martial World who had come to watch the excitement, forming a dark, dense crowd at first glance.
Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, from their vantage point, watched Lingjiu Palace’s people ascending the mountain and exchanged heavy looks.
"Zhong, the forces of Lingjiu Palace are considerable, and judging by their Qi Mechanism, the experts among them outnumber ours."
"Never mind those experts; even this Tong Lao alone, I’m afraid the two of us together can’t stop her. What do we do?"
"What can we do? We have to try blocking them even if it seems impossible, to blunt their sharpness.
These Martial World experts may have decent personal combat abilities, but their formations are loose, all acting as lone warriors. Using our strategies and formations, let’s give them a taste of defeat first!"
While conversing, the pair had already directed their forces to prepare their defensive formation.
Many Dragon Gang archers on both sides of the mountain path swiftly notched their bows, aiming at the Lingjiu Palace forces charging up the mountain path; others were rolling large stones, causing a resounding rumble.
This scene was immediately noticed by the experts of Lingjiu Palace, and one of the Island Masters among the Seventy-two Islands, Boss Wu, wielding the Green Wave Fragrance Blade, called a halt and respectfully reported back to Tong Lao inside the palanquin.
"Lord, it seems Black Wind Village is ready to resist to the end. The archers on the mountain-top, spearheaded by Feiqingzi, are aiming at our people."
From within the palanquin, laughter from Tianshan Tonglao sounded coldly, "What’s to fear from a bunch of pretty-boys with crossbows? Continue up the mountain!"