Chapter 51: Coercion and Bribery

  The people from the Haozi camp who came to the collapsed place earlier, now had to retreat again. Hei Xiao and dozens of horses also left this place after the magnetic fog erupted on the ground.

  They also saw the huge palace that came with the magnetic fog. At this time, Peng Tianyang, who had his legs wrapped up, finally woke up, and his dry lips moved as if he was saying something.

  Next to the camp of the wasteland, people were busy whispering to each other and then calling over a few people to help Peng Tianying sit up straight. Under the sunlight, Peng Tianying's face was as pale as gold paper, and in just this short period of time, he had aged a lot.

  Peng Tianrui endured the pain of his broken legs and persisted in looking at the collapsed place, looking at the only giant palace that appeared from there.

  Everyone in this place is now holding their breath and staring in the same direction, even all the horses are silent, staring at the huge palace that is getting closer and closer to here.

  But the people brought by Haoziying and Pang San are different. The people here in Haoziying's camp all have red eyes, pursing their lips tightly. As for Pang San's side, they are flashing with glances, each one thinking about something unknown.

  The magnetic fog did not thoroughly spread out, but stopped at the mountain pass and could no longer move half a step. The Chengtian Palace blocked the only entrance, but it was possible for Jiang Yunshui and others to safely exit from inside.

  When Jiang Fenglin supported Qian Chenglin, who had not fully recovered, and walked out of the Chengtian Palace, the camp could no longer hold back, and the sound of wailing and crying suddenly echoed here.

  Jiang Feng saw Peng Tianyang's legs broken, and Jiang Feng immediately turned red-eyed, tears falling on his chest. After Qian Chenglin was taken away by others from the Haoziying camp, Jiang Feng rushed to Peng Tianyang's side in three strides, grasping Peng Tianyang's hand tightly.

  Jiang Yunshui was speechless, but Peng Tianyang, who was also in low spirits, just smiled comfortingly and even managed to lift his hand to pat Jiang Yunshui's head.

  "Tiande Liu Shu! Cha Ershu is dead!"

  Peng Tianyang had actually guessed the outcome since Jiang Yunshui appeared from that huge palace, and he owed his life to his third brother Zhou Futong. This time, the Haoziying camp was completely defeated, with two leaders and half of its core members dying in this place!

  The sound of wailing filled the remaining camp, even the horses inside, including Hei Xia's, felt the thick sorrow and let out a long mournful whinny.

  At the time when grief was spreading in Hàozi Camp, the group of people brought by Páng Sān Yé looked at the magnificent Tiānchéng Palace. Although they knew that almost everyone who entered the Emperor's Crown Mountain would die, they saw Jiāng Yùnshuǐ and Qiān Chénglín walking out alive from this very palace.

  Among the people brought by Pong Sam-ya, there were a few brave ones who, after thinking for a while, packed their things and entered Cheonjeon Palace.

  The Chengtian Palace was like a ferocious beast with its mouth wide open, waiting for batches of people to be sent to their deaths. As soon as these few people entered the Chengtian Palace, golden light appeared from within it, causing the people outside, led by Pang San Ye, to move again, and several more people took advantage of this opportunity to enter the palace.

  Jiang Fengshui was about to remind them, but a somewhat older husky-like person next to Peng Tianyang blocked him and said: "No need, some people are just greedy and insufficient. Even if you tell them now that there is a knife mountain and a sea of fire ahead, these people will think it's just alarmist talk, blocking their path to wealth, and instead they'll resent you in their hearts."

  After hearing what the slightly older Haozi Camp had to say, Jiang Yunshui's idea of bringing them up also diminished a lot. However, Jiang Yunshui still looked towards Peng Tianying, wanting to seek his opinion.

  In the time it took Jiang Yunshui to snap back to reality, Peng Tianying had fallen asleep again. This made Jiang Yunshui hastily check on Peng Tianying's condition. Fortunately, Peng Tianying's breathing and pulse were still normal, and he was not in any great danger.

  The old man beside Peng Tianyong said: "You are the son of our Big Brother Jiang Jing, that is the current leader of our bandit gang. Please accept my respects, I am Duan Hongyi of the bandit gang!"

  This made Jiang Yunshui dizzy and busy, so he went to support this person named Duan Hong, who said: "I really can't bear it, and as the leader of the wasteland camp, I don't even dare to think about it."

  He bowed his head and said, "You see, several leaders of the Huoziying have died or been injured. It's a situation where there is no leader among us, so why don't you be our leader?"

  That loud voice of Hong resonated far and wide, and the majority of the people in the other camps, upon hearing this, bowed their hands to Jiang Yunshui, saying: "Please be our leader!"

  This put Jiang Yunshui in a difficult position. Originally, he had only planned to follow Peng Tianying to learn the art of Feng Shui, so that he could use this method to save his father in the future, and was not prepared to do anything in Huozi Camp. But as this section of Hong said, Huozi Camp was created by his father's own hands, and now Cha Qianzong and Zhou Futong had both died at Emperor Crown Mountain, and Peng Tianying could no longer lead Huozi Camp. It seemed that only he could be the leader of Huozi Camp now.

  That Hong raised his head and glanced at Jiang Yunshui, then said: "If you feel embarrassed, Young Master Yunshui, why don't we take a middle-of-the-road approach? You temporarily take over as the leader of Huozi Camp, and when Tian Yang's sixth brother is better, we can make arrangements later."

  Most of the people around also echoed, and now Zijiang Meng couldn't shirk it anymore. He could only clasp his fists and say to the people of Huozi Camp: "Alright then, I'll temporarily take over Huozi Camp on behalf of Sixth Uncle. When Sixth Uncle recovers, I'll let him lead all of you uncles and elder brothers again."

  "That's settled then," said Na Hong, standing up straight.

  Later, under Duan Hong's arrangement, the remaining twenty or so people from the Haozi Camp sorted out their belongings and left Emperor Crown Mountain on horseback.

  Pang San's men had intended to intercept them when they left Haoziying, but after weighing the pros and cons, they finally took action.

  About the time it takes to burn an incense stick, after Jiang Yunshui and his men left, another mournful cry suddenly came from inside the Chengtian Palace. A bloody man ran out of the palace, shouting something incoherently, with a terrified look in his eyes as he kept glancing back over his shoulder.

  Outside the Chengtian Palace, those who had not yet left were startled by this bloody figure. Some of them recognized the figure's appearance as that of a person who had just entered earlier.

  Just as the man was about to run out of Chengtian Palace, a somewhat emaciated palm suddenly pierced through his neck, and with one swift motion, he was nailed there. The blood-covered man struggled for a few moments before losing all reaction.

  From behind the bloody man, a face slowly emerged. Among the people outside the Chengtian Palace, someone pointed at the face that appeared inside and exclaimed: "It's Master San's adopted son! It's Young Master Du Zhong!"

  As the man shouted, others also recognized him. Indeed, his figure and face were very similar to Du's, but compared to the original Du, this Du was much thinner, covered in blood, and his clothes were stained with still-wet blood!

  Du Zhong put the man's neck to his mouth, and then his throat started to bulge up, and he actually started swallowing this person's blood. After swallowing a few mouthfuls, he threw the man directly out, and he fell right in front of Pang San Ye and those people.

  Du Zhong walked out of the Cheng Tian Palace, facing those who were constantly retreating from Pang San's men, and said in a cold, hoarse voice: "My adoptive father was killed by Jiang Yunshui of the Haozi Camp! And he even joined forces with that scoundrel Jin Duzi! However, I have already avenged half of my adoptive father's death, as I personally beheaded Jin Duzi. As for Jiang Yunshui, he is a helper of the Haozi Camp, and I am no match for them."

  Pang San Ye and the others, although they didn't believe it in their hearts, could only follow along and nod at this time. Du Zhong looked around at Pang San Ye's people and said: "I think you all have your answers now, with the death of our benefactor this time, you also know how to speak."

  One of them immediately said: "Young master! If it weren't for you this time, we're afraid we would have all died at the hands of Haozi Camp. This grudge must be avenged!"