Capítulo 42: The War truly Begins

Everyone watched in silence as Zhao Shu cried. No one really knew whether he actually felt for her, or if he was simply happy she died.

It had been quite clear that he hated her, so the latter was much more believable. However no one asked, or even dared to utter a single word. They all watched as he stood there for a few minutes, crying in front of the headless corpse.

This was the first time Zhao Shu had shown anything other than arrogance or anger. It was at that moment Jian remembered what Uma used to say whenever he mentioned how emotionless the other slaves looked.

' Everyone has feelings, good feelings, bad feelings...Everyone has them. It's just that some people hide their emotions, or....In the case of some people, they just don't have the strengh to feel like we do. ' That was something she used to say all the time. She was convinced of that, and Jian had never truly taken it to heart. Some people seemed truly unable to feel like he could, or like normal people could.

And the proof that she had been right laid before his eyes. The mighty Zhao Shu was crying all the tears his eyes could let out. Years of torture had lead to this moment. He was free of one of the only things that kept him shackled to fear.

"We should go....The rest of the Zhao Warriors must've started to attack my own soldiers already. That or they've already run away, and if we wait, we won't catch up to them." Daiyu said.

No one even acknowledged what she said, except Hircen who came behind her and took her away.

" Trying to catch up to your men would be too dangerous. I got words that some disciples were sent to get help from the knight orders. They went to the Gorudenryu Order's HQ. We should go there. I'm sorry to say this, Daiyu, but your men are either already dead, or they'll be soon. "

Daiyu looked at him in horror, shocked he would abandon those men so easily. He wasn't even apart of the free states, but he had been there for so long, those men had become his in a sense. However he was right. At this point it was better to seek help from those who could actually put up a fight against the Zhao Tribes. This war wasn't just about the Raja Sect now. The Buddha Free States had entered the fray, and whoever hired the Zhao Warriors had too.....This would soon turn into a global war.

As Hircen and Daiyu walked away, Uma went to Jian and Zhao Shu and hugged them.

" I know this is hard on you kiddo, but you need to go beyond now. I know what the Zhao Warriors do to their prodigies, the Twin Sister do the same. I know just how horrific it can be, I know it can stick in your mind forever and devour your mind. You're free now. She's dead and she ain't coming back. Smile and forget." She said to the young warrior, while Jian sighed and went to grab Qiang's halberd. He decided to analyze it with the System, but right before he did, it seemed to change a bit, it's aura becoming less menacing

[ Name: Black Crow

Rank: Qi Core 6th Step ( Yanhua Type Equipment )

Unique Ability: Non-Existent

Bonus:

- Evolve whenever the User does. ]

Jian was quite puzzled by this Yanhua type equipment thing, and even more so by the bonus the halberd gave him.

[ Yanhua Type Equipments are equipments that can grow with the user. They can unlock unique abilities as the user evolves, and they can even give that bonus to any martial spirits you may imbue in them. Per exemple, if you were to imbue your diamond fang wolf in that weapon, it would grow with you too. ]

'Do it....Now !' Jian thought excitingly. This was great news. Not only did he get a weapon that could become stronger than the red sky sword, he also had a way to enhance the power of his martial spirit. For the diamond fang wolf was quite good to travel, but against the monsters Jian seemed to be facing these days, it was entirely too weak. However somethiing intrigued Jian, and that was the current rank of the weapon.

'Why is it of the 6th step though ? I think it became weaker when I claimed it, but I'm at the 4th step, not 6th.'

[ Correction, you were at the 4th step. Unlocking that secret power allowed you to phase through two steps. I would recommend getting to the mortal realm as soon as possible, user. Not only will you become stronger, but I will also be able to evolve.]

'I definitely should. But before that...I should get some materials and sell them to you. It would be a waste to let that occasion go and be unable to use the lottery once you evolve. As I am sure that it will be much more difficult to get points after you evolve.'

[ Indeed, however selling materials is not exactly the normal way to get points. Quests are the way to go, though I have decided to wait until I evolve to start giving you quests. The quests I can give you now are only emergency quests and I cannot make interesting quests. ]

'I did think it was a weird way to get points. It's a good thing though. Then I should focus on getting stronger instead of trying to get as much points as possible. I will still sell the random materials I find along the way, who knows...Maybe luck will be with me. I wouldn't really bet on it however.....I tend to have terrible luck after streaks of good fortune like that...'

It was only after that, that Jian finally noticed Zhao Shu and Uma speaking. Zhao Shu had stopped crying and now looked insanely angry.

"Well, I'll be damned. I knew those Zhao Tribes weren't to be triffled with...But wow. Even the Twin Sisters aren't THAT harsh. Must've been hell on earth kiddo. Well you're in good hands now !" Uma said as she smiled at him. It was weird for Jian, seeing her like that. He wanted to hate her, but he just couldn't. Even after it was revealed that she was part of an organisation that had destroyed Chimi's village and taken her who know where, she was still the same.

"Uma...We're going to have a long talk. Don't think I forgot about what happened before we woke up here. I want.....I need answers."

The young orphan glared at her for a few seconds, before she nodded albeit reluctantly.

"I think I'll need to do some explaining too.....Now that the tribes have entered the fray, you need to know just how dangerous we...They are." Zhao Shu said getting nods from the two.

Since there was pretty much nothing else to do in the ruined city, the three decided to leave it and go to the outpost of the Raja's sect.

And surprisingly enough, they saw a messenger snake right as they arrived.

"News from the sect ?"

"Not really surprising. With the Zhao Tribes attacking, I'm sure the sects didn't lose any time too. They must've attacked right away."

Jian decided to take the message the snake was holding in it's mouth, and gasped as he read it.

"..."

He had no words to describe what he felt. With the Zhao Warriors's attack and now this, the reality was starting to get to him. They were truly at war. And this war wouldn't last only a few months, see a few battles and end by the death of some sect's patriarch. No...This wasn't exactly a huge war in comparison to the ones this continent had already seen..But it was already huge to a young disciple like Jian.

"What does it say ?"

"....The Headquarters are being besieged. All the sects who have declared war on us....All of them sent disciples to surround the whole mountain. It's impossible to get in or out. They even blocked the secret tunnels, meaning someone on the inside gave them their location.....We have a traitor among us, and the Headquarters are pretty much lost at this point...."

"What ?! Then what are we to do ?! What have the elders decided ?! The sect can't get through a siege, not with the ressources it has !" Zhao Shu exclaimed as Jian's shoulders sagged.

" A few elders and elite disciples left the mountain before the siege could be organized. They are spreading throughout the continent to find potential allies, and if they can't they'll have to hire mercenaries using the funds of the sect. All the disciples who weren't at the mountain when the siege began have received the same order....Find ways to get the Sect the ressources it needs. The Patriarch devised a plan to effectively use the ressources the sect already has....And the final estimate has come....The sect has enough ressources to stand for a year and a half. More than that and everyone will starve to death. "Jian said.

".....A year and a half, huh ? That is more than enough for the disciples that were sent to get the knights' help....But...."Uma trailed off as she looked at Zhao Shu who sighed.

"That's why whoever had to funds to hire the Zhao Tribes did it. They knew that the knights would end up helping the sect, no matter what their sacred rule dictates. And with the Zhao Tribes here, the knights won't be able to do anything. What we fought today was just the first wave. I saw warriors from all the tribes...Meaning all of the tribes were hired...50 000 Zhao Warriors will be marching on the continent.....Not even taking the tribes' elites into account, the foot soldiers alone are alone to block the knights orders for months."

The situation seemed quite bleak, however Uma looked to be taking it quite well.

" I think it's no use to explain just how useless we are going to be. We have no way to get any ressources for the sect, and we aren't supposed to search for allies.....As such I have only one thing to propose !" She exclaimed.

"....Training I suppose ? That's pretty much the only thing we can do at this point. Except if you got any ideas to get ressources or allies, Jian ? " Zhao Shu asked.

Both Uma and Zhao Shu thought they knew the answer to that question, however they had no idea what Jian was thinking about at that moment.

' Ressources...The Worms and the Flies.....Those guys have enormous amounts of ressources and could supply the sect for decades at least....The Worms already did it once with a sect.....But they won't do it again. Be it the worms or the flies, they all know now not to get involved in the matters of the sects....But I can do exactly what they did...'

[ What are you thinking about, User ? ]

'I want to know too, Kiddo. Your memories are already telling me a lot, and I like where this is going...' Mara said. The Unholy Being was currently looking into a very specific memory of Jian. A memory in which a rather talkative member of the worms explained to Jian how exactly the Worms were able to get so many ressources and quite literally get the kingdoms to beg them for said ressources.

' All the countries, sects and organisations trade ressources between each others. Whoever controls the the ressources, control said countries, sects and organisations. The Worms managed to get exclusive contracts with random sects to get some ressources that were vital to the Peizhi and Qurang Kingdoms....They blocked the roads so the kingdoms couldn't get their supplies, and then they started to sell those exact same ressources to said kingdoms...With ridiculous prices. Prices that the kingdoms were forced to accept. When they got rich enough, they started to do the same with more countries, again and again, building a financial empire. So technically speaking...If I were to get the ressources the sects need to continue the siege...'

'HAHAHAHA ! You...Kiddo you're killing me ! Let me get this straight.....You want to take advantage of the fact that the sects are currently deployed around the mountain and need ressources...To sell those same ressources they need at absurd prices ?! That way, they'll either have to pull off the siege, or cave in and accept your prices...Either way they lose, and you win.....But tell me, how are you going to get those ressources AND make sure they don't any supplies for their siege ?' Mara asked, extremely intrigued by Jian's plan.

"Well....They do get those ressources from their allies and their headquarters, they have convoys coming to deliver those ressources....So I just need to constantly rob those convoys and then sell the ressources I've stolen right ? I just need a lot of firepower to pull this off....So basically I need a lot of people to get it done. I still don't know how I'm going to do it...But I have a year and a half...And you know, I always wanted to get strong AND rich...So it's time to train and then rob a dozen of sects !