World of Cultivation - Volume 06 - All Hail Our King

by Fang Xiang

  Gongsun Cha raised his head and his gaze swept across his commanders. Even though they had undergone a long journey, did not rest at all along the way, and exhaustion could be seen, their morale was high and they were brimming with fighting spirit!

  Xi Xuan's Tiger General Gu Liang Dao!

  Gongsun Cha suddenly smiled. That pair of clear eyes like that of the neighbor's boy burned with fire.

  The commanders became alert. They knew that the true battle was about to begin.

  "We need to win this battle." Lil' Miss' tone was gentle as though he was describing something ordinary but every word caused the people to tremble as though electricity was sparking across their skin. Everyone stopped breathing and stood up straight!

  "Only victory!"

  ———

  The damaged Great Peace City was filled with rubble. The flat ground was now pitted and looked like a ruin.

  From the center of Great Peace Palace, a bright mo matrix lit up under Shi Yue Yi's feet.

  Shi Yue Yi's wrinkled face carried deep sorrow. Starting slowly greyish-white spread from the roots of his hair and eyebrows turned a dull greyish-white.

  He did not speak. The mo matrix that lit up under his feet was like a creeper vine that had woken from a hundred year deep sleep and started to spread into the surroundings.

  Soon, all of the Great Peace Palace was as brightly lit by this mo matrix, as though it was day.

  The light of the mo matrix did not stop. It spread along the damaged walls, and continued to spread outwards.

  The mo matrixes on the streets lit up, the mo matrixes at the corners of walls lit up, the mo matrixes of the buildings lit up.

  In a blink, all of Great Peace City was covered in the bright mo matrixes.

  People suddenly found to their amazement that every corner of Great Peace City was engraved with mo matrixes!

  Zuo Mo also jumped in surprise. He looked at the mo matrixes that almost covered all of Great Peace City and gaped. He could not imagine how they had carved so many mo matrixes when they had constructed the city.

  Such a vast undertaking!

  The Ming Bandits in the air were also surprised and scared by this scene. They retreated.

  "Teacher!"

  Shi Yue Yi cried, the tears falling on the mo matrixes below him. The mo matrixes seemed to hear his sorrow. The light shook and then spread.

  He looked at the ruins of Great Peace City, looked at the Ming Bandits at its borders. In a flash, the glorious Great Peace City had reached its end.

  His wrinkles became visibly deeper and he was rapidly ageing at a visible rate.

  "Teacher, this student is useless!"

  The teary eyes suddenly became determined. He raised his arms as though he was about to embrace the sky.

  Boom!

  The mo matrix light that covered Great Peace City suddenly brightened. The blinding light shot into the sky.

  This Great Peace City that Shi Zi Ming had constructed himself opened its eyes like a monster that woke from its slumber.

  The black sea surrounding Great Peace City started to rise at an astounding rate. It furiously rippled like there was something shaking deep down.

  The black curtain of water quickly rose from the black sea to form an enormous black water shield in the air which covered all of Great Peace City.

  The Ming Bandits were shocked by this suddenly retreated. Everyone was experienced and sensitive to danger. This water curtain looked thin but they could smell the scent of danger.

  The people inside Great Peace City sighed in relief. Many people even cheer. At least they were safe for now.

  "City Master! City Master!"

  The alarmed shout startled everyone. When they looked towards City Master, all of them were stunned.

  Shi Yue Yi stood motionless. His entire body was a pale grey-white, he seemed to be made out of rock and was entirely lifeless.

  He had turned into a statue!

  Princess Xia and the others were frightened by this scene. They covered their mouths with tears in their eyes. Many of the Great Peace City mo started to sob. Shi Yue Yi had been intelligent and gentle, authoritative and was deeply loved by the people of Great Peace City.

  Zuo Mo looked deeply at Shi Yue Yi and sighed inside. He had gotten a good feeling from Shi Yue Yi.

  But he was not sad. The two had not had a deep relationship and this was not the time to grieve.

  He flowed the mo matrix and looked around. He immediately had a grasp on the situation.

  Of the people present, he was not the most powerful but he definitely understood the most about mo matrixes.

  Shi Zi Ming was as powerful as expected!

  Zuo Mo was full of admiration. When he returned, he called everyone over.

  "The water curtain will stand for three days." Zuo Mo lowered his voice and everyone's hearts shook.

  But the people seated here were not normal people. Even though they were afraid, they still maintained calmness on their faces. For them, this was good. Three days was a precious time to breathe and rest. It was enough for them to recover the strength to fight.

  Even though in the eyes of some people, their combined fighting strength was still nothing in front of the Ming Bandits.

  "Everyone, take the time to recover." Zuo Mo turned to Miao Jun, "Miao Jun, spend some time to organize these guards and train them."

  Miao Jun wanted to speak.

  "Tempering before the fight, even if it isn't sharp, it looks good." Zuo Mo glanced at Miao Jun and then said, "If someone disobeys, execute them!"

  "I understand!" Miao Jun nodded and turned to leave.

  Zuo Mo called over the Lan Brothers.

  Lan Tian Long looked at Zuo Mo and said, "Brother Xiao, if there is something you need us brothers to do, tell us. Even if I have to put my life on the line, it is alright!"

  Lan Rong also nodded. "Brother Xiao, speak!"

  Zuo Mo said in a low voice, "Three days, we can't just sit around and wait. There are so many people in Great Peace City and they can fight. Even though there is no time to train a battle formation, having more people is useful."

  The Lan Brothers were thoughtful.

  "We need to recruit more people before everyone else can react. The more people, the better!" Zuo Mo said.

  The Lan Brothers were smart people and immediately understood when they heard this. When the other factions started to react, it would not be so easy to recruit people.

  The two exchanged a look and nodded in unison, "Alright!"

  Finishing, the two did not waste words and silently left.

  The three princesses looked at Zuo Mo and felt admiration. When everyone else was dazed and clueless, Xiao Mo Ge had sent out a string of orders. His way of thinking was clear, his attitude decisive and without hesitation.

  The people around were infected by Zuo Mo's composure and they recovered from their panic. Without detecting it, they seemed to have gained some confidence.

  Even Zhu Ke and the others looked at Zuo Mo under a new light. They had originally thought that Zuo Mo was only talented in cultivation and hadn't expected that he was also outstanding as a battle general.

  Zuo Mo did not know what these people were thinking. He was in a mess on the inside.

  Three days!

  Three days, what could he do?

  Zuo Mo thought hard. The possibility of breaking through just with the manpower he had now was not high.

  He had to think of a solution!

  ———

  "Your Highness!" Fu Feng's expression was worried.

  "En?" BIe Han turned his head slightly.

  "No matter what, you have to break through!" Fu FEng suddenly said.

  Bie Han was silent until he suddenly asked, "Are the Ming Bandits very strong?"

  Fu Feng stilled and reflexively answered, "Very strong, they are the strongest bandits!"

  "Oh." Bie Han nodded and became silent again.

  "Your Highness!" Fu Feng was urgent. "You have
to promise this subordinate! No matter what, you have … …"

  Bie Han raised his hand as he turned around, he interrupted Fu Feng's words.

  "I will show them why they are only bandits."

  Translator Ramblings: Would a person build a city without any defenses at all? Even Zuo Mo's Golden Crow City had defenses.

  Chapter 629: Fight!

  Zuo Mo stared dazedly at the crowd in front of him.

  Looking out, almost half of all the mo in Great Peace City were gathered in front of him. One hundred thousand? Two hundred thousand?

  When the numbers reached a certain level, the atmosphere it produced was shocking. Zuo Mo was shocked by this ocean of people in front of him.

  "How come there are so many people?" Zuo Mo pulled Lan Tian Long over and asked in a low voice.

  Lan Tian Long's expression was slightly smug. "Ha, we were stupid, not many paid attention to us when we first tried to recruit people. Then someone asked if we were in the same group as you, and then I realized why we are failing. So I used your reputation and it became like this!"

  "My reputation?" Zuo Mo gaped and was speechless.

  "Brother, everyone saw how you stopped Lin Qian's sword strike. Now that the city master is gone, the one with the most reputation is you. Ha, well, everyone believes in you!" Lan Tian Long patted Zuo Mo's shoulder and said seriously, "Brother, everyone's lives are now in your hands. No matter what, try to save as many of them as possible!"

  Having reported in, he jumped away.

  Looking blankly at the sea of eyes filled with anticipation, Zuo Mo felt his throat getting dry and was at loss at what to do.

  He had told Lan Tian Long to call some people over as a way to increase his presence. At an important time, they could also act as cannon fodder.

  He had not thought of saving other people.

  But now, when he saw the dense sea of people and the faces that were looking at him, for some reason, his heart felt suffocated!

  Why was it like this … …

  Zuo Mo lost his concentration.

  He was not a saint and he did not uphold the precept of justice nor did he believe he was a hero. He even felt that he was a scoundrel.

  He was selfish, greedy, cold hearted. He could do anything for victory, sacrifice people unconnected to him to save his people. He didn't feel any pressure or guilt when he did that.

  When the world was like this, who could be responsible for others?

  But looking out at the the sea of quiet people, with hopeful eyes and faces covered in dust, he could not bring himself to say those words.

  Completely silent.

  The crowd was so large that they had to stand on the ruins and at the corners. Some people were alone, some were hugging each other. They were looking up. Tens of thousands of people were looking at Zuo Mo.

  They were waiting, waiting for a miracle to occur.

  In their minds, Xiao Mo Ge was another term for miracle. On him, the light of miracles repeatedly flashed. People hoped that a miracle would occur, just like in the past.

  They were waiting, waiting for Xiao Mo Ge to say something.

  ———

  Princess Xia and the others looked at the densely packed crowd, and then at the tiny figure in the sky above the crowd. Their expressions were filled with shock.

  They were astounded by the scene in front of them.

  They had also underestimated Zuo Mo's influence.

  "The times create heroes!" Zhu Ke couldn't help but murmur.

  No one could take their gaze away from that youth carrying the Anti Dragon Claw on his back.

  A strange look flashed through Princess Xia's eyes. She seemed to murmur to herself, "You can always bring hope and bravery to others … …"

  Xiao Mo Ge's figure in the sky suddenly moved.

  Everyone unconsciously stopped breathing. They had a feeling that a scene that they would never forget was about to begin.

  ———

  Zuo Mo moved, and the Anti Dragon Claw on his back also moved.

  He faced the gazes of the people and slowly spoke. His voice was hoarse and deep as it passed through the air.

  "You have surprised me, I am shocked and speechless. I do not know why you have chosen me. I do not understand."

  He shook his head as though he was narrating or speaking to himself.

  "You leave me not knowing what to do. Truthfully, it is very rare for that to occur to me. You do not know me, we are not personally connected nor have we interacted before. I'm very shocked that you have chosen to put your trust in me. But I have to tell you I don't have a good solution."

  Many people showed disappointment but they were still silent.

  "Outside the curtain are the Ming Bandits. You know better than I do how cruel and vicious they are. If I had a battalion of the same scale on my hands, maybe I would have some confidence, but I do not. I am just like all of you; afraid, terrified, and hopeless. I know that the possibility of breaking through is not high. They have never taken hostages. I will die, just like all of you."

  Some people started to tremble, some had hopeless expression and some started to cry and sob. The pairs of eyes that had been bright with hope gradually dimmed.

  "Yes, they are the Ming Bandits. In front of them, we are weak like newborn lambs. In their eyes, we are newborn lambs. They are waiting for the curtain of water to disappear and then have a full meal. We will definitely die."

  Zuo Mo's last sentence was like the call of death. Many people were unable to bear it any longer. They fell to the ground and sobbed.

  "We are definitely going to die."

  Zuo Mo seemed to repeat this like he was speaking to himself but his words caused many people to raise up their heads and look at the youth in the air.

  "But I do not plan to stop resisting. I do not plan on delivering myself under the butcher's knife like a weak lamb, and let them swallow me down. Yes, they are strong! Yes, they are savage! Yes, we don't have any chance at all! Yes, we will die! But so what?"

  With the last words, Zuo Mo's tone suddenly became excited. He glared, his expression twisted, the tendons in his neck bulging. He was like a wolf forced to the corner.

  "But so what!"

  He suddenly increased his volume. His angry shout echoed in Great Peace City like thunder.

  Everyone was shocked by his words. They stopped crying, they raised their heads again and they held their breaths.

  Zuo Mo's gaze swept across the crowd. His face was twisted and his voice seemed to come from his chest, deep and with all the power he could muster, trembling.

  "Yes! But so what! Yes! We don't have a solution but so what! We are too weak, but so what! I don't want to sit here and wait! I don't want to wait to be captured! Other than fighting, do we have any other choice!?"

  Zuo Mo looked at them and then shouted harshly, "Do we have any other choice?"

  The mo below stopped crying. They wiped away the tears, those on the ground stood up and gripped their mo weapons. They raised their faces. The terror and hopelessness on their faces slowly faded. The light of determination crept onto their faces.

  Yes, did they have any other choice?

  When people find that they don't have any other choices but to stand and fight, their terror would fade.

  "We don't have any other choice! Nothing! I don't know why you have chosen me, I don't know why you believe in me, I don't have a good solution, I don't have a miracle, I can only lead you to do one thing!"

  The light in people's eyes grew brighter like there was a flame flashing deep inside.

  Zuo Mo's eyes were burning, his features twisted as he forced the words out between his teeth slowly, "To fight!"

  "Fight! Continue to fight! A fight that will end in death! A fight that will not end until death! We will fight to declare to those bastards 'so what if they are the Ming Bandits!' So what if they are stronger than us!"

  He looked crazy, his tone was crazy, he was like a burning ball of flame that i
lluminated the surroundings.

  Fire burned in the eyes of everyone in the crowd. The fire burned fanatically. They felt that their blood was boiling. Among the hopelessness, an excitement they never had before exploded from deep within their hearts!

  "We can still fight! We can still fight! We can still mother***ing fight!"

  Zuo Mo suddenly grabbed the Anti Dragon Claw and raised it high up. He shouted angrily, "Fight!"

  "Fight!"

  What answered him was an exploding volcano, a tsunami of angry shouts, fists raised in the air like a forest of fists!

  "Kill'em!" Zuo Mo shouted angrily!

  "Kill'em!" Countless voices shouted at the top of their lungs!

  The ground was tremblings, angry waves formed on the ocean, the most minute power was burning!

  ———

  "Quick quick quick, faster!"

  "One thousand people to a unit, faster!"

  "Remember who your unit commander is, what you need to do is follow him. You will attack in whatever direction that he attacks!"

  "During the fight, no matter the reason, do not retreat! Even if you are wounded, even if you are about to die! If you retreat, your unit commander will execute you immediately!"

  All of Great Peace City became busy than ever before. Everyone was furiously learning, trying their best to learn how to listen to the orders of their commander and go through the most basic training.

  The power that the hundred members of Guard Camp could produce in this fight was too small. Zuo Mo decided to use them as the skeleton of their group and made them troop commanders.

  One thousand people per troop, this was the largest unit ever.

  But even so, there were not enough unit commanders. Zuo Mo had to pick some experienced mo to act as commanders.

  Regardless of how chaotic or busy it was, his expression was calm from beginning to end. If he had the time to spare, he would patrol with the Anti Dragon Claw on his back to raise morale.

  Even though everything was still a mess, the morale was high.

  After realizing their hopes of survival were non-existent, people were not left in terror any more. The residents of Great Peace City had mostly come here for the Mo Skill Steles. They each had some power and backbone. When they realized that they would undoubtedly die, their spirits were aroused.