No one from Myriad Mountains showed any reaction when it came to the vanishing act pulled by Yan Mountain’s headquarters. In these troubled times, each Grand Archfiend focused their attention inwardly. Even if it were still peaceful, a Grand Archfiend conducting a wide-scale search would still fall short of discovering this trivial matter.
Once Chen Ming settled Yan Mountain’s affairs, each day he held lectures for the disciples, and also refined the blades on the sword mountain within Dao Empyrean Bamboo.
Time slowly drifted. The wind fiend Patriarch was a strange being. He was quite similar to Vermilion Bird, both being spirits, but strong ones nonetheless. This Patriarch was extremely territorial, hating any creature that crossed his lands. If by any chance one happened to step through here, he would toy with them to death.
Wind fiend Patriarch never agreed to guard Yan Mountain, yet the result was the same. Killing any that lingered in his domain was his instinct.
Under the safeguard of the Patriarch, it a.s.sured Yan Mountain a safe and stable environment to develop and grow over the course of this year.
Outside Yan Mountain’s headquarters, laid the Overflowing Fiend City.
This city was established by the many surrendering Archfiends. Ever since they developed their own Alchemy Houses, and after settling the matter of educating their Great Fiends, the Archfiends’ new hobby was to sit inside the Alchemy Houses and watch how the adorable furnaces spat out pill after pill.
As the number of pills grew, they also enjoyed going to Yan Mountain Bank every two-three days to see the rise in their wealth.
Witnessing the speed of growth of their spirit stones, they felt unreal. But after making a few more trips, each time depositing, they were soon convinced.
Usually, everyone counted their spirit stones and, once finished, they would go to the Yan Mountain Bank to deposit them.
But all have gathered here today because more and more of their pill caravans have suffered bandit attacks.
All Archfiends were strapped from top to bottom in fine clothes, jade, and gold. Their bulging belly testament to a healthy diet. They had clearly been living a life of abundance and comfort, becoming increasingly wider with the added growth of their spirit stones account. Bai Yue was rolling his fat to the meeting. He thought it shameful for an Archfiend to look like this, but soon after justified it as being the appearance of a great merchant. Then they basically all got fat.
When Bai Yue arrived, he waved at the others waiting for him, “Everyone, good afternoon!”
The rest cupped their hands, “Head Bai Yue, good afternoon!”
Bai Yue adjusted his robe as he talked, “Times have changed for the better. From the restless days of the past to the prosperous life of now. This was all bestowed to us by the kind Mountain Lord. So our first cup we offer in respect to him!”
Bai Yue raised his cup, urging the others to do the same, “Honor to our Lord!”
The rest all followed his example, “Honor to our Lord!”
After downing the wine, he began, “Now let us get down to serious matters. After Mountain Lord gave us the right to run our own Alchemy Houses, everyone’s lives improved. But now there are some who desire our wealth, who desires our painstakingly refined pills. They cannot refine so they can only steal our work, robbing our caravans. If this goes on much longer none of us will see better days!”
Some Archfiends complained, “Yeah, they are cutting away our lifeline!”
“We cannot ignore this. I don’t want to go back to those dangerous and sleepless nights. To work hard each day and not have an income of ten thousand spirit stones a day from a year ago!”
“The more we endure the more aggressive the attacks. The current price for pills has never been higher. The Qi Pills we refine within Yan Mountain are spread outside, at ten times its value! We have to strike back!”
“Head Bai Yue, you are the wealthiest among us. You must surely have a plan!”
Bai Yue cut to the heart of the matter, “I have thought long about this, but there are many things at stake here, and I need your help. This is why I have called for this meeting with each and every one of you.”
One Archfiend smiled, “Right, if we have to strike we have to hit them hard!”
“This is the only way we can pa.s.s through Myriad Mountains!”
“Head Bai Yue, what is the plan? Come, say it! You have my support!”
“And mine!”
In quick succession, many many Archfiends were excited as they rose and expressed their intentions to pitch in.
Bai Yue waved for silence, “Yan Mountain of today is separated into Yellow Sea’s outside and inside. The ban on caring spiritual weapons outside the Yellow Sea’s outside must be lifted by now. Presumably, it is the time for everyone to pay the annual tax, so you all must have earned the right to take spiritual weapons outside Yan Mountain.”
The other Archfiends responded one after the other, “Right, we all can now take spiritual weapons with us outside the Yellow Sea!”
Bai Yue continued, “Then does everyone know the latest report on the Regalia Legion’s power?”
An Archfiend cut off Bai Yue before he could answer, “The latest information tells that a Regalia company can trap and kill an Archfiend, that all of them are equipped with armor, top quality spiritual armor. An Archfiend is unable to deal with them! But we have no chance of getting the Regalia troops to help us. Head Bai Yue, if we try to, we will surely meet our end. ”
Bai Yue laughed, “How can I think of involving the Regalia troops? You know that Yan Mountain Escort Agency has a bit over ten thousand guards, and the spiritual weapons they’re using are the old weapons of the Regalia Legion. Despite none of them being elites like the Regalia troops, they still have their cultivation method changed to the Blood Regalia and Warding Sword Art. Plus, the guards allow us to hire them!”
Someone asked, “Then Head Bai Yue, how many guards should we hire this time?”
Bai Yue said, “I am intending to employ all of them, but since my wealth is not enough to support such costs, I have invited all of you here to discuss this matter.”
Bai Yue though he needed to run his mouth some more to convince them. But just as he opened his mouth, another talked over him, “Isn’t it just hiring all Yan Mountain Escort Agency’s guards? We all have earned quite a fortune over this year, yet not enough to pay the tax. This gamble, I will take it!”
“Right, we must give those greedy bandits a b.l.o.o.d.y lesson!”
“Offending us, who are from Yan Mountain, no matter where they are, they will get their sentence!”
Bai Yue was overjoyed, and soon divided the number of guards each were to hire according to the number of their Alchemy Houses. Thus, a great merchant party left the Yellow Sea, rushing towards the pill market outside.
Bai Yue was the one to lead the merchant party on this journey, with over ten thousand guards laying in hiding behind them.
They left the Yellow Sea and were soon found treading, in the dead of night, along their usual trading route.