Chapter 117: Other Contestants

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Watching Lu Zhishen bound tightly and staggering on his feet, Deng Long felt as if the fire burning in his heart had been extinguished by icy water—a deep satisfaction overwhelmed him.

“Hahaha, you big monk! Weren’t you skilled in martial arts? Didn’t you want to take my head, Deng Long? I’m right here in front of you, come on!” Deng Long laughed, pointing at Lu Zhishen. The surrounding henchmen laughed along and occasionally praised Deng Long, as if he truly had captured Lu Zhishen.

Cao Zheng took off his hat and said, “Leader Deng, this monk drank at my place without paying. I also heard he planned to join the Peach Blossom Mountain faction and lead troops to attack you. So, I drugged him to seal his inner energy and brought him up the mountain. But the effect is mild; if you want to deal with him, better do it soon.”

Deng Long stepped down from his seat and strode over to Lu Zhishen. “Heh heh! You fat monk, all that flesh must hold quite some oil!” He looked at Lu Zhishen as if he were a fat pig.

Lu Zhishen glared, wanting to curse but his mouth was gagged—a helpless rage that made Deng Long finally drop his last guard.

He turned to his men. “Bring in the feast! Today is a great celebration!”

“I’ll celebrate your death!” A loud shout came from behind. Before Deng Long could react, a sharp pain pierced through him.

Shi Jin had already sliced through the knots binding Lu Zhishen and handed the monk his staff. That slash was Cao Zheng’s doing. Nicknamed the Blade Ghost, Cao Zheng’s swordplay was all about speed, precision, and ruthlessness.

Deng Long collapsed, dead. The henchmen inside the hall were stunned until Lu Zhishen shouted and swept his staff charged with inner energy across the hall. The nearest henchmen were cut in two, blood splattering the floor, jolting the others to react.

Cries, screams, and wails echoed everywhere. What was thought to be a good day turned into a nightmare.

But the chaos quickly ended—Lu Zhishen had killed them all. Thanks to Deng Long gathering his loyalists here, they were wiped out promptly.

Soon, many henchmen knelt in surrender. Erlong Mountain had thus been taken!

“Congratulations to you both. The assets of Erlong Mountain are largely intact. Once integrated, it will be a formidable force,” Cao Zheng said.

Lu Zhishen replied, “If I hadn’t needed a place to settle, I wouldn’t have chosen this spot. But Brother Cao, your skill and courage are not lacking. Why not take a seat atop the mountain?” He was serious. Capturing Erlong Mountain so easily meant Cao Zheng’s idea was crucial; otherwise, it would have been a tough fight. Plus, Cao Zheng ran a shop before and was skilled in intelligence—perfect for the stronghold’s growth.

Cao Zheng smiled and waved his hand. “I’ll keep running my shop! It worked well before, and with you brothers in charge here, I’ll feel more at ease. If someday my little shop can’t go on, I hope you two won’t refuse me!”

Below the mountain, Monk Yuanjue’s eyes widened, and even his inner energy darkened slightly.

“Namo Amitabha!”

A golden Buddha seal appeared on his chest, the golden light suppressing the darkness again.

“Southward, huh? Looks like my fate lies there!” Yuanjue said, writing a brief farewell on the ground before leaving the inn.

“Lu Zhishen’s advance has halted for now; he’s only encountered a few generals,” Mu Xingye reported.

“It seems our targets have stopped moving. Should we keep focusing on them?” Pix asked.

Sun Meng said, “Any new findings?” On his side around Chai Jin’s estate, no new generals had appeared. According to his original estimate, someone should have arrived soon, but reality hadn’t followed his prediction. His grasp of the future was growing more uncertain.

“There should still be generals near Liangshan!” Sun Meng suddenly said.

“Are you sure?” Pix asked. “The formations near Liangshan interfere with my robots. I can’t rely on them as my own eyes.”

“I plan to scout the area. Lin Chong is currently staying at Chai Jin’s manor,” Sun Meng said.

“Then keep in touch at all times!” Mu Xingye said.

“Strange, why haven’t we heard from Cocoraru?” Pix suddenly asked.

The three realized that Cocoraru had not reported her experiences or status for a long time.

“I found others,” Cocoraru suddenly said. “I just left the Western Xia inheritance secret realm. I met other competitors but don’t know their purpose yet.”

Sun Meng’s eyes flickered with surprise. Although the system had warned other teams might enter this world, nothing had happened for months—they almost forgot.

“They don’t seem related to our mission. They’re after martial arts inheritance. I entered the secret realm earlier to avoid being discovered,” Cocoraru said.

“Ensure your safety. Notify us immediately if you learn their purpose,” Mu Xingye said.

After the communication ended, Sun Meng sighed. He felt he couldn’t continue acting by the book. Although previous information had changed, the overall direction hadn’t. Now, with new teams entering, a massive variable had been introduced to the world, with unpredictable direct or indirect effects on their mission.

Glancing at Chai Jin’s yard, Sun Meng recalled the timeline. Although many events had become chaotic, what was meant to happen still would.

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‘Then that matter is bound to happen!’ Sun Meng thought as he flew off.

Near the Water Margin Liangshan, besides strongholds like Zhu Family Village, other places escaped Liangshan’s bullying.

Shijie Village, a fishing village relying on the water margins, had existed for over a hundred years. Most villagers bore the surname Ruan. Children were taught to swim from a young age, and every adult was a master of underwater skills. They depended on fish from the waters for survival, but the Liangshan bandits claimed the waters as theirs, demanding payment for fishing.

However, Liangshan’s rise was relatively recent compared to Ruan Village, so natural resistance arose.

Though Liangshan bandits outnumbered them, the villagers excelled on water. Several skirmishes caused losses on both sides. With previous government campaigns, Liangshan never fully subdued Shijie Village, leading to a rare peaceful period.

Sun Meng arrived outside Shijie Village. With the system’s help, he soon identified the three strongest brothers of the current generation:

Earthbound Tai Sui Ruan Xiao’er, Short-lived Erlang Ruan Xiaowu, and Living Hell Ruan Xiaoqi.

All three could live underwater without surfacing for air. Underwater, whether fish, shrimp, crabs, turtles, or venomous snakes, they could catch them by hand faster than anything else!

Sun Meng landed and saw a small flag hanging outside a house, fluttering with the character “gamble.” Entering, he heard shouting inside.

“Fifth Brother, you better go home with this bad luck, or you won’t have a single coin left!” a young man shouted.

“Go away! What bad luck? I’m just temporarily unlucky! I tell you, my luck’s about to change. Watch me win all your money!” a more mature voice replied.

Sun Meng pushed open the door, and everyone looked up, then put down their gambling, vaguely gathering around.

“Brother, what’s the matter? If you want fish, go to the village head. If you want someone, also go to the village head. We’re just idlers here, playing small stakes gambling,” said the man called Fifth Brother.

Sun Meng smiled faintly. “I’m here for the Ruan Brothers!”

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