Human Martial Saint: Starting with Bajiquan

Chapter 95 Deliberation 1

Mohai Caves.

In one of the more spacious caves, a bronze oil lamp with a book-shaped handle hangs in a niche.

The flickering lamplight illuminated the vast cavern with alternating light and shadow, making the mottled and colorful paintings on the stone walls seem to sway with them.

Above the cave is the magnificent and famous "Five Hundred Robbers Becoming Buddhas".

The bandits in the picture initially held knives and guns, their faces ferocious. After looting and killing, they were captured and subjected to the cruel torture of having their eyes gouged out, with blood flowing everywhere. The bandits' cries of agony were chilling.

Ultimately, they received enlightenment from the Buddha, regained their sight, laid down their weapons, shaved their heads and became monks, and practiced meditation in the mountains and forests, gradually becoming more peaceful.

The murals, though hundreds of years old, still retain their smooth lines and vibrant colors, appearing as if they were newly painted.

Beneath the murals lies the main section of the grotto.

An old felt mat was laid on a simple stone platform.

Zhang Tianxing sat upright on it.

He wore a dark blue round-necked casual suit with a belt around his waist. His full head of silver hair was not tied up with a crown, but only held in place by a wooden hairpin, with a strand of silver hair hanging down in front of his forehead.

His face was sharp and clear, with deep-set eyes that shone brightly under the light. He was calm, intelligent, and carried the authority of someone who had long held a high position.

On either side below it, there are five stools.

Seated on the seats were five generals of the rebel army: Wang, Suo, Kang, Li, and Gao.

Standing slightly behind Zhang Tianxing was a young man, about twenty years old, whose appearance was somewhat similar to Zhang Tianxing's, but he was younger and more handsome.

He was Zhang Tianxing's nephew, Zhang Faqing, dressed in a neat, narrow-sleeved brocade robe, his hand on the hilt of the horizontal sword at his waist, standing quietly to the side.

"Let's begin."

Zhang Tianxing spoke softly, initiating the meeting at the head of the tent.

General Wang Jingyi was the first to stand up and bow with clasped hands.

His voice was loud and clear:

"General, I have received an initial report on my mission to investigate the Guazhou Iron Mine. The Guazhou Iron Mine is currently controlled by the Shang Clan. In addition to a demon army stationed by the Shang Clan headquarters, there are many human gangs that are affiliated with the Shang Clan, providing them with warriors to act as guards and supervisors. These positions are mostly filled through internal promotions or recommendations from relatives and friends, making it difficult for outsiders to get involved."

Seeing that Zhang Tianxing did not express any opinion.

General Wang paused for a moment, then continued to explain the difficulty of the mission.

It turned out that not only was it difficult to place guards and overseers, but the ordinary miners were not martial artists, just ordinary people. Working in the mines was extremely arduous, and if ordinary people were sent there, they might not be able to return unscathed.

However, if it is a dispatched martial artist, whether it is an internal cultivation martial artist or a martial artist of imitative style, their physical characteristics are too obvious and they are easily identified.

Moreover, this iron mine is heavily guarded, and people are usually allowed to enter but not leave. Only during the Lunar New Year can people have a few days off. Unfortunately, the Lunar New Year has only been around for a short time.

Therefore, whether martial artists or ordinary people are sent in, even if they manage to infiltrate, it will be difficult to get the message out. However, without information, this iron mine is considered easy to defend and difficult to attack; even a large army would find it hard to breach it.

At this point, General Wang looked up at Zhang Tianxing, his gaze honest and firm:

"The several groups of men dispatched so far have made little progress. I will certainly seek other methods to thoroughly investigate the iron mine's internal passages, guards, craftsmen, and production details before reporting back to the Commander!"

Zhang Tianxing listened without changing his expression, and nodded slightly to show his approval:

"Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. The Guazhou iron mine is the foundation for our army's future foothold. General Wang, you have worked hard on the exploration. Please continue to do your best."

"This subordinate obeys!"

Wang Jingyi clasped his hands in a fist salute again, responded in a deep voice, and sat down again.

Immediately afterwards, another General Suo slowly stood up.

He was younger than Wang Jingyi, but also thinner, with a slightly gloomy look in his eyes. He wore a dark blue robe and his voice was somewhat hoarse.

"General, military report from the northern front: the main force of the imperial army is still confronting the army of the Bone Bird Khanate on the northern border of Yizhou, but a force of 5,000 elite demons, led by a trusted general of the Lun tribe, has been dispatched and has recently completely sealed off Shazhou City, with extremely tight checks at the four gates."

General Suo's sinister gaze swept over the crowd.

He continued:

"Furthermore, several neighboring prefectures and counties in Shazhou have recently shown signs of frequent mobilization of prefectural and county troops by their commanders and generals. This is likely also aimed at our righteous army. How should we respond to this? Please advise, Commander!"

Everyone's expression hardened. Originally, this was a war between two countries. If the imperial court had only sealed off Shazhou, it could have been said to be to guard against the human race.

But if they were to mobilize troops from surrounding prefectures and counties, it would be a sign of hostility.

The crowd began to discuss it.

Zhang Tianxing remained calm, as if he had expected this. He took out three brocade pouches of different colors from his sleeve, each inscribed with the characters "Suo," "Li," and "Wang," and placed them on the stone platform in front of him.

"I am aware of General Suo's concerns. The court's actions are entirely within my expectations."

He first picked up a crimson brocade pouch and handed it to General Li: "General Li, you are meticulous and adept at concealment and maneuvering. This pouch contains information about the protection of numerous spies within Shazhou City and among the imperial border troops, as well as the maintenance of communication channels. Follow the plan and ensure that our eyes and ears are never deprived."

General Li respectfully accepted it:

"This subordinate understands."

Zhang Tianxing then took out a blue brocade pouch and handed it to General Suo:

"General Suo, you are skilled in defense. The troop movements in the nearby prefectures and counties may not actually be enough to launch a direct attack on my Shazhou or the righteous army's base. They are more likely to be feints or mopping up the outer perimeter. This plan will teach you how to reinforce various places, using a mix of real and feints to hinder their reconnaissance and delay their actions."

General Su stepped forward and accepted it with both hands.

He solemnly said:

"This subordinate obeys!"

Finally, Zhang Tianxing handed the remaining yellow brocade pouch to General Kang:

"General Kang, you are known for your fiery and impulsive nature, but this time I require you to act decisively. This secret plan is for you; it contains strategies to create trouble, lure our forces into a feint, and draw them away. Remember, make a big fuss, but if the enemy is stronger, do not engage them in a direct confrontation."

General Kang took the brocade pouch, squeezed it, his bushy beard trembled, and he replied in a low, booming voice, "Yes!"

Zhang Tianxing was still somewhat worried and gave one last instruction:

"The three of you will go back and read the plan privately, and then act accordingly. Do not show it to anyone else, and do not inquire or communicate with each other. Go now."

"Yes, we will take our leave!"

Generals Suo, Li, and Kang rose, saluted, and filed out of the grotto, their footsteps fading into the distance.

At the end of the table, Gao Huang, dressed in pristine white, sat casually, idly playing with a smooth pebble he had picked up from somewhere.

After the three generals left, he sat up straight and said:

"Master, my eldest disciple Lu You just reported that a defeated demon army has appeared near Crescent Moon County again. They are colluding with the Kang family, where the county magistrate Lun Ren and the county lieutenant reside, and are specifically targeting passing human caravans, especially aristocratic families like the Yan family that refuse to submit to the demons."