There was no way around it.
Once a person or group gained a certain degree of success, their fame would also go up. Enemies would then pop up who would rack their brains to destroy whatever good was going on for that organization or person.
When anyone took part in an important quest or mission, it was a must for them to make sure the area was empty of enemies, or it would be too easy for them to suffer total annihilation. In fact, they might never be able to recover from that blow.
Dragon Tiger Sect was an organization in the beginning stages of its growth.
It was formed by a normal player who reached Gate Realm, and with the money he gathered, he applied to form a sect. He found a place to set up his foothold and gathered people to him. Then, he gathered resources and advantages which allowed his sect to grow swiftly.
Happy had seen it happen many times.
He could understand why Dragon Tiger Sect could appear so soon and do such a thing, hence he did not react to its birth and growth in Gusu City. When he saw the territories claimed by Dragon Tiger Sect's disciples, he would just leave quietly and choose to train in places like Black Wind Mountain, which was far away from the city.
However, Happy did not intend to fight alone against a group of players who could think.
The Blue-robed Noble Sword User had quite the reputation in Gusu City, but he still did not have the confidence to fight against a sect when he had not even reached Gate Realm.
After a few days of development, Dragon Tiger Sect now had five hundred members with them!
When he thought of this, Happy went to stand in front of the duo.
"Are you free now?"
Eastern Green Gate and Whirlwind Young Li said nothing. They just looked at each other and nodded.
"Pack up. Come with me to Black Wind Mountain."
"Alright!"
They were both smart people. Even though they had been humiliated by the people from Dragon Tiger Sect and it was extremely embarrassing that they were chased out of the tavern, they could not do something such as depending on Happy to regain their dignity.
If they were determined to take revenge, they had to do so slowly. There was no need for them to be in a hurry!
The two of them pulled themselves together and quickly packed up their stuff before coming to wait at Murong Mansion's entrance.
Happy went to the shop across Murong Mansion and sold all the spoils of war he did not need so that he could get money. Then, he carefully stored it in the bank and went back to lead Eastern Green Gate and Whirlwind Young Li out of the city under the cover of the night.
...
A week ago, the wilderness at night had been very empty.
But as the players' abilities increased, more people no longer held on to the principle of going out in the morning and returning by sunset. They would either go out in groups or move at night alone so that they could seize every moment they could to practice their martial arts.
While on the way, Happy's group saw people brandish their weapons against wild beasts. Their movements were pretty standard, which made them give off the presence of martial artists from the modern age.
"Eldest senior brother!" Whirlwind Young Li walked quietly for some time before he suddenly asked, "How many more points do you need before you reach Gate Realm?"
In truth, he had been puzzled by this the past few days. The Blue-robed Noble Sword User had been famous for a long time, and his abilities were much greater than those of people who were already in Gate Realm, so why was it that the progression of his qi was not that good?
"I'll reach it after tonight."
His set of Black Wind Mountain martial arts had already reached the ninth realm, and his qi was currently at 39.78 points. He was about to reach a bottleneck, which was why he called the two to his side.
He was prepared to wreck the nest of the Black Wind Mountain Bandits once he reached Gate Realm!
He remembered that the mountain bandits usually had one or two pretty good treasures in their strongholds, based on his playthrough in his previous life. Even though the drop rate was pretty low, when the stronghold was destroyed the first time, those items would definitely drop!
That was why he wanted to get those treasures from Black Wind Mountain before anyone from Gusu City set their eyes on the place. It would not be good if they ended up benefiting someone else.
Even though Black Wind Mountain might have chosen a new second bandit chief and third bandit chief, it should not be hard for Happy to handle them despite them being at the peak of Gate Realm. As for the Chief Bandit who was in Blessed Realm, if he shaved off his health points (HP), Happy should still have a good chance of killing him.
Eastern Green Gate and Whirlwind Young Li did not know what Happy thought. When they heard that he was about to enter the first qi realm that night, they instantly became happy. Their spirits were lifted!
Right then, getting to Gate Realm was the synonym of being a great player…
The mighty reputation of the Blue-robed Noble Sword User had started to show slow signs of dying down. If he delayed entering Gate Realm any longer, perhaps all the players in Gusu City might only know about Dragon Tiger Sect and no longer remember the Blue-robed Noble Sword User, which was not what Eastern Green Gate and Whirlwind Young Li wanted to see.
The old boatman and Young Huan held each other tightly and cried.
"Looks like someone triggered Black Wind Mountain's mission and failed…" Eastern Green Gate frowned and looked at Black Wind Mountain, which was shrouded in darkness in the distance. He could see a few sparks swaying in it.
"Someone's in there!"
Happy and Whirlwind Young Li did not say anything, but they saw it as well.
Happy counted the sparks in the distance in his heart, and his gaze gradually became even more solemn. He nodded slowly.
"And their numbers are quite large."
Based on memories from his previous life, players in a party would usually only have one person in charge of holding the torch. Multiple torches would only appear when they moved in a large group.
And to reduce wastage, one party was formed from five to ten people.
For the time being, group operations were still in their beginning stages, and the concept was still developing. There were at least thirty players in the mountain, or even more!
Only Dragon Tiger Sect was capable of organizing such an operation in Gusu City, and their target was clearly… the stronghold of Black Wind Mountain!
"What should we do now?"
Dragon Tiger Sect had decided to carry out an operation in Black Wind Mountain. If Happy and his group ran into them, things would definitely not end nicely.
Not only would those people harbor malicious intent when they saw that the trio were by themselves, their plan to train in Black Wind Mountain would also be held up.
The two hesitated.
Happy did not say anything. He frowned and thought for a while before saying decisively to the people behind him, "Come with me."
His confidence affected Eastern Green Gate and Whirlwind Young Li. They looked at each other and nodded. The three of them crept into the dark forest from a small trail.
*****
Happy had a very deep understanding toward Black Wind Mountain, since he came there often. He held his lancet knife in hand. Even if Black Wind Mountain Bandits leapt out, he could handle them easily.
"It's really Dragon Tiger Sect!"
The trio lay in wait behind the bushes. With the help of the light from the torches, they saw dozens of Black Wind Mountain Bandits fighting against several players. Those players had a simple head of a tiger and a dragon sewn over their c.h.e.s.ts. Eight experienced players held torches and guarded the area while they watched the players who were not familiar with their skills. They gave out reminders to those players, making the whole event very organized.
The trio's hearts froze.
The sect actually used Black Wind Mountain Bandits to or
ganize training sessions for disciples who just joined them, and they did so en masse!
Dragon Tiger Sect…
"They're not any simple sect!" Happy's pupils shrank.
Chapter 43 - Invade Black Wind Mountain At Night
Dragon Tiger Sect!
Happy did not have a lot of memories about them from his previous life, but that was not strange.
Besides a wise leader to build and maintain it, a sect also needed strict rules and a group of people who were willing to sacrifice themselves for it!
Even so, Sword Qi Sect, which once commanded the world of martial artists and whose name spread far and wide, still dissolved in one night. Even though it had a grand lineup of one duke and three aces among them, was a major sect that was respected by all the people in World of Martial Arts, and no one could compare to its fame, it still did not manage to stay for more than half a year in World of Martial Arts.
Since its people were dragged into too many fights and were too arrogant, the damages they suffered time and again and the resources they wasted exhausted all the Sword Qi Sect disciples. They dissolved into four small sects, and while they could still gain a footing in World of Martial Artists through the four people who led them, they no longer had the fame they once possessed. Their status from then on was a far cry from before, and countless people could only sigh in regret when they thought about them.
Dragon Tiger Sect might be a normal sect that would end up being drowned by the tides of the game.
When he thought of this, Happy sent a signal to Eastern Green Gate and Whirlwind Young Li with his eyes. He told them not to alert the players from Dragon Tiger Sect, and hey groped about for a way out before they continued heading up the mountain.
"Where are we going?"
"If we continue up, we'll run into Black Wind Mountain's entrance… eldest senior brother?"
Not far ahead of them were burning torches that lit up the outline of a mountain stronghold. Huge round logs were bound tightly in rows, creating several feet tall barriers. There were people moving above them to keep a lookout on the surroundings,. The place looked like a mini standard military camp!
Beyond the wide open gates of Black Wind Mountain's stronghold were groups of men in black. They either stood or sat near the entrance to guard it. There were not many of them, and they were scattered about the area, but their eyes were wary. They would occasionally sweep their gaze through the forest where Happy and the others were.
When they saw this, Eastern Green Gate and Whirlwind Young Li could not help but become nervous. They stilled their breaths and stared at Happy's back with a little uncertainty and excitement.
"Who is it?!"
A shrill whistle sliced through the air, and the mountain bandits on the wooden wall of the stronghold shouted out, breaking the silence of the night!
Two short groans could be heard, and two Black Wind Mountain Bandits at the entrance fell on their backs. Happy did not hesitate. He rushed out of the forest, and the lancet knives left his grip again…
Thud! Thud!
The lancet knives could bring miraculous power in Happy's hands, since he had already reached Grandmaster Realm with Lancet Knife Throwing Technique. When the Black Wind Mountain Bandits noticed that some of their brothers had been attacked and died, they saw two cold flashes from the dark forest appear and disappear swiftly.
Sharp pain instantly engulfed two Black Wind Mountain Bandits' minds before everything before their eyes turned black!
In a single moment, four of the seven mountain bandits near the entrance of the stronghold in Black Wind Mountain died!
Clang, clang, clang, clang…
Happy scowled. Then, without even thinking, the lancet knives that slipped into his grip nailed the mountain bandit on the wall who had struck the bell to warn the other bandits.
"Kill them!"
A chilling glare shone in Happy's eyes, and he rushed out of the forest. He attacked nonstop, his throwing knives snatching lives without care. In a short period of time, he got rid of the three remaining mountain bandits at the entrance. With that, all the mountain bandits at the entrance of the stronghold were gone.
"Eldest senior brother!"
Whirlwind Young Li and Eastern Green Gate chased after him from the forest. When they saw the corpses sprawled all over the entrance to the stronghold, they s.u.c.k.e.d in a deep breath and looked at each other in shock.
Happy's throwing knives had become faster and sharper…
However, they did not think that throwing knives alone were enough to destroy the stronghold. When they heard the hasty and disorderly footsteps and shouts from the stronghold, they knew that the mountain bandits inside had been alerted. Once they rushed out, even if they had a few Happies on their side, it would not be enough.
Before they could say anything or call for retreat, with the help of the light from the fire, the trio saw a large group of Black Wind Mountain Bandits with various blades surge out. They had murderous looks, and their overwhelming presence caused their expressions to change slightly.
'That's way too many mountain bandits!'
The two of them could say nothing. They gulped and g.r.o.a.n.e.d in their hearts.
While it was very exciting to face so many mountain bandits, Eldest Senior Brother Happy was going for a far too large gamble this time! They could not handle so many mountain bandits!
But Happy did not share the same thoughts. He cast a glance at the entrance of the stronghold, and with a flick of his wrist, two of the Black Wind Mountain Bandits at the forefront of the group grunted and fell. He shouted, "Young Li! Eastern Gate! Guard the entrance!
The eyes of the two people behind him lit up. They were surprised and delighted, because they had understood what Happy meant.
The entrance to the stronghold was less than ten feet, and it could at most let four people pass through at one point in time. This meant that they only needed to go up against four Black Wind Mountain Bandits at the same time. With their abilities, this should not be too much of a problem.
"Let's go!"
The two looked at each other and nodded. They moved past Happy and took positions to guard the entrance to the stronghold from both sides.
When they saw the Black Wind Mountain Bandits draw closer to them, neither showed any signs of fear.
At the entrance, the Black Wind Mountain Bandits had to squeeze against each other. The people in front got pushed forward, head straight into Happy's lancet knives, from which they keeled over and died.
When they rushed at Whirlwind Young Li and Eastern Green Gate, the two of them attacked at the same time.
Their weapons flashed, and naturally, the bandits at the front row did not dare to receive them with their flesh. They stopped moving, and once they halted their charge, the people behind them stopped moving as well.
The lancet knives took away two more lives.
Whirlwind Young Li and Eastern Green Gate easily blocked the other two Black Wind Mountain Bandits.
When the bandits jumped over their brothers' corpses, two more throwing knives appeared in Happy's hands.
His moves were decisive, and he did not dally!
The corpses at the entrance of the stronghold swiftly piled up, making it difficult for the mountain bandits to get through.
In the end, there were ten corpses at the entrance, but the mountain bandits still did not manage to charge out. It was only then that the Black Wind Mountain Bandits finally noticed that the situation was bad for them. They began to rush to the wooden walls around the stronghold, prepared to jump down from them to launch a pincer attack on Happy, Eastern Green Gate, and Whirlwind Young Li.
But unfortunately for them, Whirlwind Young Li and Eastern Green Gate did not feel any sort of pressure while they guarded the entrance. They each easily dealt with a Black Wind Mountain Bandit on their own. They killed two people while the bandits did not have any room to move without much trouble!
The lancet knives reaped kil
l after kill.
As more Black Wind Mountain Bandits appeared on the wooden walls, Happy felt the pressure on him increase. Some bandits even began to jump down.
However, those people naturally became Happy's prime targets.
He would never let these people bother Whirlwind Young Li and Eastern Green Gate.
The moment anyone jumped down, Happy used his throwing knives to kill them.
There were not many bandits in the stronghold.
Ten of them had died outside the entrance just then, and later on, another ten or so of them had died while trying to reach the trio. If they added the ones who died on the wall and at the foot of it, then there were no less than forty bandits who had died in Happy's hands!
Young Li and Eastern Green Gate had also killed a few.
As time went on, Young Li and Eastern Green Gate killed a few more bandits, and the corpses that piled up at the entrance practically sealed the place shut. The duo then resolutely moved away from the entrance and faced the mountain bandits who jumped down from the walls.
At that moment, a loud, sonorous roar tumbled out from within the depths of the stronghold like a crack of thunder. "Which idiot decided to invade my stronghold?! Tell me your name! I refuse to kill any nameless fool!"
The trio's faces froze.
The master of the stronghold had come...
Chapter 44 - Black Wind Mountain’s Bandit Chief
There were not many Black Wind Mountain Bandits left. When Happy heard a furious roar from the depths of the stronghold, not only did he not stop with his attacks, he poured all of his attention into throwing his lancet knives. He did not dare to stop killing the remaining Black Wind Mountain Bandits. Regardless of who would come later, he had to make sure that the area was clear and clean of living enemies!
"How dare you?!"
It was the same voice, but the difference from before was that it sounded much closer. It also sounded much angrier and harsher. It was clear that the man had seen the densely packed corpses that blocked the entrance to the stronghold.
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