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Chapter 90 The Little Monster of Black Wind Mountain

"Black Wind Mountain?" Chen Guangrui's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. This name evoked two figures in his memory:

One is Elder Jinchi, who is obsessed with the cassock to the point of death, and the other is the seemingly dull-witted but incredibly powerful Black Bear Spirit.

This black bear spirit doesn't understand the principle of making money quietly. He started this Buddhist robe gathering and was even personally dealt with by the Great Sage... Yet he was able to fight the Great Sage to a standstill. His strength is truly not to be underestimated!
Chen Guangrui's mind raced, and he pressed on, "You mean, Li Jing is going to lead his army through the Black Wind Mountain route?"

Yuan Shoucheng thumped his chest loudly, his face full of unwavering certainty that "you underestimate me."

"Hey, what a question. If I, Yuan Shoucheng, could be wrong in this, I might as well smash this signboard and never make a living in this industry again. The divination is a sure thing: the army will definitely take the shortcut through Black Wind Mountain. Speed ​​is of the essence in war, and that road is the shortest."

He leaned closer and lowered his voice.

"Brother Guangrui, you're not still thinking of trying to persuade Li Jing, are you? Save your breath!"

He shook his head, a sneer on his lips. “It’s true you’re the top scholar chosen by the imperial court, but in this army, you’re just a civil official who hasn’t made any contributions! Who will take your words seriously? Saying too much will only make you disliked. Being ostracized will be the least of your worries. It’s not worth risking that.”

"Why would the monsters of Black Wind Mountain help the Turks?" Chen Guangrui asked the crucial question.

"What else could it be?" Yuan Shoucheng rolled his eyes, his fingers unconsciously rubbing together.
"Give me the money! Even monsters need to make a living these days, right?"

A hint of surprise appeared on his face. "It's strange, really. That black bear demon and his Black Wind Mountain are different from the territories of other great demons. Other great demons have hordes of lesser demons under their command, shouting and behaving very arrogantly. But him! He only has two or three under his command, and he's so low-key that people almost forget he exists, like a bunch of rats!"

He clicked his tongue twice. "The Turks provide the money, and the little monsters do the work. That's how it is!"

"The Turks are paying?" Chen Guangrui's eyes flashed with a sharp light. "Then we can pay too! Whatever they offer, we'll offer double! How about it?"

Yuan Shoucheng stroked his goatee, his small eyes darting around, and chuckled, a hint of mockery in his expression.
"Scholar, that's not how you do it. Think about it, if they wanted your money, they could just rob you, why go through all this trouble?"

He spread his hands, giving him a look that said, "You're too naive."

"That black bear spirit, don't let his simple appearance fool you, he's actually quite cunning. He loves gold and silver treasures, but he doesn't want to get his hands dirty with blood. So he sends his little demons out to take on 'jobs' and help him get the treasures. These little demons are dirt poor themselves, so they have to rely on these middlemen to introduce 'business,' right? Most of the ones who ambushed Li Jing's army this time were probably one of these little demons."

Chen Guangrui understood, a playful smile playing on his lips. "Heh, this monster... is indeed very cautious."

He suddenly realized that the black bear spirit's actions seemed rather interesting.

If you're unwilling to do anything immoral or unethical yourself, then just have your little monsters do it.

As for the gold and silver jewelry that were collected...
Chen Guangrui felt that in the end, it should still end up in the hands of the Black Bear Spirit.

It tastes like that.

He then asked, "Master Yuan, what is the strength of this little demon? Did you see it clearly?"

Yuan Shoucheng tried hard to recall, his face showing a somewhat perfunctory apology.

"I only caught a quick glance and didn't see clearly... but," he changed his tone, his small eyes glancing at Chen Guangrui.
"These little things are probably only so-so in terms of skill, a little weaker than you."

He paused, then added with a hint of encouragement,
"Top scholar, don't forget, you're a celestial official who has attained divine status! If it really comes down to a fight, use your fire-controlling abilities, plus that precious dragon pearl that old mudfish from the Jing River gave you..."

He clicked his tongue and said confidently, "Hmph, this little monster is definitely no match for you!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Guangrui seemed to relax. "So, this trip isn't dangerous for me at all?"

"You can't say that!" Yuan Shoucheng said urgently.

"It's backed by the Black Bear Demon, and that guy is truly powerful. Besides, you're in the open, while they're in the shadows. You're surrounded by Li Jing's men, not those ordinary mortals."

He looked worried. "What if it suddenly attacks and injures these people? Can you just ignore it? Once you're tied down by those soldiers, supplies, and equipment, even if you can protect yourself, you might not be able to protect everyone! If there are dead and wounded everywhere, can you bear the responsibility?"

He leaned forward, lowering his voice even further, with a hint of "you know what I mean" warning.

“What’s worse is that Li Jing and those generals are all there! You’re a top scholar, and suddenly you can fly and vanquish demons? What will people think when they see this? Will they see you as a monster? Or will they suspect you’re in cahoots with the monsters? Can you explain this clearly? You might be misunderstood.” He shook his head, emphasizing the seriousness of the problem.

Chen Guangrui remained silent for a moment, his gaze resolute.

"I can't worry about all that anymore. Let things take their course."

"Alright, it's your decision!" Yuan Shoucheng's expression immediately changed. He rubbed his hands together, leaned closer, and his face was full of expectant smiles. His voice even became a little sweeter.
"Hehe, top scholar, look, this old Taoist priest has truly poured his heart and soul into analyzing and predicting the dangers of Black Wind Mountain for you... As for the matter of the Third Prince of the West Sea Dragon King... do you think... um? Give me some concrete clues?"

He stared longingly at Chen Guangrui.

Looking at his insatiable greed, Chen Guangrui calmly nodded: "A clue? It's very simple."

"Oh? Please tell me!" Yuan Shoucheng's ears perked up.

"The clue is that I am not dead."

Chen Guangrui's tone was calm and resolute: "As long as I don't die, there's a way to deal with the Third Prince of the Dragon."

"You...you...you..." Yuan Shoucheng's smile froze instantly, as if he had been doused with a bucket of ice water. His face first turned red, then pale, and his finger pointing at Chen Guangrui trembled.

"You little brat! Here we go again? Trying to fool me with this empty talk and platitudes? How many times have I fallen for it? This is what you call a clue? You...you're so cunning!"

He was so angry that he spun around on the spot, and finally could only jump up and down, cursing, "Cunning, so cunning! Fine, you're really something! We'll see about that, humph!"

After finishing his rant, he turned away angrily, still muttering various vulgar swear words to himself.

……

After bidding farewell to Yuan Shoucheng, who was nearly driven to madness, Chen Guangrui spurred his horse and soon returned to Li Jing's camp, where banners were waving.

Li Jing was standing in front of the tent, looking at the marching map. When he saw Chen Guangrui return to the ranks, a slight smile appeared on his face: "Guangrui is back? Perfect, let's break camp."

Chen Guangrui reined in his horse, his gaze fixed on the direction the column was heading. He had already confirmed Yuan Shoucheng's assessment. Feigning thought, he tentatively asked,

"General, judging from the direction our army is marching, could it be that we intend to pass through Black Wind Mountain?"

Upon hearing this, Li Jing's eyes gleamed, and he slapped Chen Guangrui on the shoulder, laughing loudly.
"Excellent! Sharp eye! Truly a talent for leadership!"

His face was beaming with joy, and his voice was loud and clear.

"It will still take the army nearly twenty days to reach Black Wind Mountain, yet you have already discerned my intentions! Truly a pillar of the nation!" He pointed to the map and explained with great pride.
"Speed ​​is of the essence in war. The main force of the army will press forward head-on to contain the enemy chieftain's main force, while I will personally lead an elite cavalry force to take the shortcut through Black Wind Mountain. This cavalry force will be like a sharp knife, piercing straight into the throat of the Turks! It will surely achieve remarkable results!"

Chen Guangrui remained calm, knowing that trying to dissuade him now would not only be futile but would also arouse suspicion. He said no more, only bowing slightly in agreement.
"General, your strategic planning is truly admirable." Guangrui then silently followed the army.

For the next ten days or so, Chen Guangrui appeared no different from other civilian officials accompanying the army, handling documents and participating in military discussions. However, most of his mind was focused, like a lurking cheetah, on the unusual circumstances around him.

He listened patiently to the rustling of grass near the camp, the startled flight of birds in the woods, and even the changing clouds over the distant mountains. He waited for the "little monster" Yuan Shoucheng had mentioned to reveal itself.

The sun rose and set, and sand and dust swirled. The march had reached its sixteenth day.

The night was as dark as ink, swallowing the endless rows of tents. Soldiers huddled together to rest by the campfire, the sound of patrolling footsteps particularly clear in the silence.

suddenly!

"Ah!" A bloodcurdling scream, as if tearing a throat, suddenly rang out from the dark night at the outermost edge of the camp!

The sound was filled with indescribable terror, instantly piercing the tranquility of the entire military camp, making everyone who heard it feel a chill run down their spines and completely lose their sleepiness.

Chen Guangrui knew that a little monster had appeared!

(End of this chapter)