Chapter Six Hundred and Fifty Four – Gu Liang Dao
Gu Liang Dao looked at the mo battalions who had almost been wiped out and praised, “Brother Gongsun’s battalion is peerlessly sharp!”
Gu Liang Dao’s figure was tall, his features rough and his voice boomed like a drum. His face was weathered and he didn’t look anything like the disciples of the four great sects who lived in comfort. His praise attracted agreement from the commanders around him. They all nodded. These battle generals from Xi Xuan were all subordinates of Gu Liang Dao. They had followed him for a long time, and usually had their eyes up in the sky. But right now, they did not disguise the admiration they felt.
This battalion was qualified to be treated this way.
Gongsun Cha smiled bashfully and said, “Brother Gu is too complimentary. If it was not for Brother Gu’s help, we would still be travelling here.”
His tone was sincere.
The battalions of Gongsun Cha and Gu Liang Dao had met in Old Field Jie and the two had immediately started to fight. Gu Liang Dao had been shocked by the power of Vermillion Bird Camp and he immediately ordered his battalion to retreat. Even though Vermillion Bird Camp had some mo among their ranks, the great majority of them were sword xiu. Gu Liang Dao had thought that this was a core battalion from Kun Lun and sent someone to inquire.
When he learned that the other was not a Kun Lun battalion, Gu Liang Dao was even more shocked. If he did not see it with his own eyes, he wouldn’t believe that any faction other than the four great sects would have such a strong battalion.
Gu Liang Dao appeared rough but he was actually detail-oriented. He immediately began forming a relationship with the unknown faction. A strong battalion, and a top ranked battle general, they were worth the effort to establish amicable relations.
The battalion that Gu Liang Dao led had been undefeated in the mo territories. He hadn’t felt any pain at giving this Old Field Jie up to Gongsun Cha if he had to.
When he learned that Gongsun Cha was doing all this to meet up with a single person, Gu Liang Dao was filled with curiosity. Such a powerful battalion, and such a powerful battalion general, their origins would not be simple. Any person that could have them as an escort would not be simple. And when he heard about how Gongsun Cha and the others were travelling through numerous jie and fought innumerable battles in search of his shixiong, he was moved.
After pondering for a few moments, he decided to help Gongsun Cha.
Gongsun Cha hadn’t thought that the other would be willing to help him. Seeing the other’s sincerity, Gongsun Cha agreed. With Gu Liang Dao as company, their rate of advance accelerated.
The two battalions travelled together and as they continued to fight along the way, their admiration of each other increased. Nothing had to be said of Gu Liang Dao’s status. He was the most famous battle general of Xi Xuan, and one of the top battle generals in the world. But he had not thought that Gongsun Cha could rival himself.
Gongsun Cha’s style was strange and hard to predict.
After spending time with Gongsun Cha, Gu Liang Dao had gained a better understanding of this person and respect had formed. Gu Liang Dao was an open person and valued friendship highly. Gu Liang Dao came from Xi Xuan but he was not one of the core disciples. He had obtained his present position purely through fighting. Gongsun Cha had never expected that Xi Xuan’s Tiger General, famed through the world, was not a core disciple.
Whenever this was mentioned, Gu Liang Dao’s subordinates had expressions of rage.
Gongsun Cha felt this was hard to believe. Such a famed battle general yet his sect did not value him. Were the higher-ups of Xi Xuan blind?
Later on he learned that Gu Liang Dao’s good friend had died due to the son of one of the higher-ups in the sect. Gu Liang Dao had waited for a chance and heavily injured this disciple. If it wasn’t that the matter eventually blew up, that higher-up would have already taken Gu Liang Dao’s life. But while he managed to live, he had offended the the majority of the higher-ranking members of the sect. This meant he could not safely stay in the sect so he was sent to Bloody Sky Metropolis Jie.
He had fought many battles of varying scale, all the while the core disciples of the sect had schemed against him but he managed to survive and accumulate achievements. His victories meant that, in public, the sect had to reward him, but in the shadows they colluded against him. They did so by sending him on ever increasingly dangerous missions.
He had, against the odds, miraculously survived and grew even stronger. Because of his openness and the value he placed on friendship, a group had gradually formed around him. The people he attracted were not valued by the sect, but they were talented and skilled.
Gongsun Cha gaped when he heard this. He had never thought that Xi Xuan’s Tiger General who seemed to be so honored on the surface was forced into such a bad situation.
Gu Liang Dao did not care about these matters and brushed them away with a smile. While his relationship with the sect’s higher-ups was terrible, he was open and willing to help others. This allowed him to make many friends from many places.
Gongsun Cha wondered why Gu Liang Dao did not leave Xi Xuan. With his strength, he would have an easy time no matter where he was. However, Gongsun Cha did not ask. Everyone had core beliefs they held onto and guarded.
With two powerful battalions and two top ranked battle generals, the road forward was smooth. But when they were just about to arrive at Great Peace City, they suddenly encountered a lot of mo. These mo came from different families, and they carried mo weapons. The group seemed to be scheming something.
Once battle started, Gu Liang Dao was a completely different person.
Before the mo could react, he sent the order to charge. He was decisive and did not hesitate at all!
Vermillion Bird Camp was not willing to fall behind and also entered the fray.
The battle was one-sided.
Gu Liang Dao and Gongsun Cha even had the time to idly chat.
The battle quickly finished but during the cleanup phase of the battle, when Gongsun Cha heard the terms “Great Peace City,” “Xiao Mo Ge,” “Great Peace Treasure Pavilion” from the captives, his expression immediately changed.
Especially when he heard that Marshal Yu’s Yu Frontier Guard had arrived ahead of them, Gongsun Cha’s face almost turned completely white. Even Gu Liang Dao’s expression became more serious.
A marshal level!
Gu Liang Dao had interacted with the mo ever since Bloody Sky Metropolis Jie. He knew what a marshal level existence represented.
But he still didn’t hesitate to accompany Gongsun Cha to Great Peace City!
Feeling urgency, Gongsun Cha headed for Great Peace City at full speed.
But when they arrived at Great Peace City, they saw Bie Han massacring the Yu Frontier Guards.
———
With the little black dots appearing in the sky, the calm expressions of Great Peace City’s populace immediately changed.
Bie Han who had been excited by the slaughter immediately became calm again. He forced down the murderousness he felt and stopped his slaughter. He carefully retreated back to Zuo Mo’s side. He narrowed his eyes and stared at the battalions flying over at high speed. His gaze suddenly focused.
Two battalions!
His skill was high and he immediately recognized that the two battalions flying at them were two elite battalions.
He felt his heart shudder.
He had had a fun time in the fight just now, but he had also expended great energy.
If a conflict occurred, then it would not end well.
Gongsun Cha and Gu Liang Dao had seen Bie Han’s almost mad style of fighting. Both of them were surprised. But when Gongsun Cha saw Bie Han fly next to Zuo Mo and set up a perimeter, he immediately understood.
As expected of Shixiong!
Gongsun Cha praised inwardly. When he saw Zuo Mo was safe and unharmed, he immediately released a breath. Then he became excited. He had finally found Shixiong after travelling so far!
When Vermillion Bird Camp saw Zuo Mo, they couldn’t help but cheer.
At this time, everyone’s tense nerves relaxed.
So these were Xiao Mo Ge’s people.
But Princess Xia and the others had expressions of shock and surprise. They had already been shocked at Bie Han’s Sin Battalion but now two battalions that could rival Sin Batatlion had arrived!
What was Xiao Mo Ge’s background?
However, once they discovered that the majority of these two battalions were xiuzhe, the crow shifted again. Was Xiao Mo Ge also a xiuzhe?
The fighting between mo and xiuzhe was an everyday occurrence. The mo had a deep hatred of xiuzhe. If it wasn’t for the strength of these two battalions, many people would have attacked already.
When Zhu Ke and the others looked at Zuo Mo, their expressions were complex.
Only Princesss Xia’s expression returned to normal after a momentary pause.
———
The arrival of Vermillion Bird Camp led by Gongsun Cha allowed Shu Long and the others to relax. The suppressed exhaustion crashed into them like a tide and they could only yield to their bodies.
With Gongsun Cha introducing them, Zuo Mo and Gu Liang Dao met each other and thanked each other for the help.
Gu Liang Dao examined Zuo Mo and was filled with shock. He hadn’t thought that Zuo Mo could be so young. When he heard Vermillion Bird Camp’s cheers just now, he knew that Zuo Mo was extremely well-liked by these people. It was not easy to accomplish that. Also, observing what he had from this journey alongside Vermillion Bird Camp, he knew just how proud this battalion was.
This person was impressive to have received such affection from Vermillion Bird Camp!
Gu Liang Dao’s gaze then landed on Bie Han. At this moment, Bie Han was like sword that had been resheathed. There wasn’t any edge to him and it was the exact opposite of his bloodthirsty battle state just now. Detecting Gu Liang Dao’s gaze, Bie Han didn’t even flick an eyelid and stood silently at the side. The icy blue mo matrix made him appear like an icecube giving off cold air.
Gu Liang Dao suddenly spoke, “Are you Bie Han of Sin Battalion?”
Bie Han stilled. He hadn’t thought that the other would recognize him. He nodded. “That’s me.”
Gu Liang Dao’s eyes lit up. He smiled and said pointedly, “The rumors say much about the most accomplished battle generals of Xuan Kong Temple: Jiang Zhe is flexible, and Bie Han is fearless. Seeing you today, the rumors are not false!”
Bie Han frowned. “I am not of Xuan Kong Temple.”
Gu Liang Dao wasn’t surprised at all and nodded. He said, “I have also heard of the matter of Brother Bie.” He couldn’t help but glance at Zuo Mo. The news that Bie Han had fled Xuan Kong Temple wasn’t a secret among the higher-ups in the xiuzhe world and the information had been spread far. Sin Battalion had always been one of the core battalions of Xuan Kong Temple. The defection and betrayal of a battle general and a core battalion from the four great sects had never happened before.
What he also had never expected was that Bie Han would pledge his allegiance to this unknown Xiao Mo Ge. [1]
“Who are you?” Bie Han hadn’t expected the other to know so much about him and was slightly surprised. When he had been in Xuan Kong Temple, he never went out. There were only a rare few that knew so much about him, yet the other had managed to easily identify him.
“Xi Xuan’s Gu Liang Dao.” Gu Liang Dao smiled.
“I have heard of you.” Bie Han nodded and understood. No wonder the other knew of him, he was a disciple of the four great sects. The competition between the four great sects had been ongoing for thousands of years. The factions had a thorough knowledge of their rivals.
“Your days aren’t easy, why don’t you join us?” Bie Han said directly.
Gu Liang Dao’s smile froze on his face.
[1] Fang Xiang refers to Zuo Mo as Zuo Mo here. But from Gu Liang Dao’s perspective he should be Xiao Mo Ge. The change is to maintain continuity with the next chapter.
Translator Ramblings: If Zuo Mo’s elders had been more biased, and all this stuff never happened, Zuo Mo might have ended up like Gu Liang Dao.
I imagine Gongsun Cha facepalming at Zuo Mo’s pseudonym. Really, Shixiong, really?
Editor (WGoD) Ramblings: You addicts couldn’t even wait 1 hour. Wyhcwe had it queued up, so I’ll post your fix. Just remember the next time you are jonesing that we own you now. BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. No seriously, Wyhcwe works very hard- be patient.
