—There is no ‘must win,’ only ‘to win.’
A line of black-cloaked figures continued their trek along the mountain path.
An unspoken understanding hung among them: Polaris had summoned them to act as enforcers.
This realization stemmed from their earlier deductions, made even before their departure—what else could Polaris’s true objective be besides violence and bloodshed?
Though clad in simple black cloaks, these individuals were no ordinary folk.
Each was a grandmaster or venerable elder, a helmsman leading various martial arts factions across the Eastern Continent.
Within their own domains, they commanded immense influence; while they might not cause mountains to crumble by stomping their feet, dislodging a few stones was certainly within their power.
Many among them disliked the idea of concealing their faces and identities, yet in Polaris’s presence, they dared not show their displeasure too overtly.
After all, Polaris had provided significant aid and support to their respective factions.
This very patronage was the underlying reason for their willingness to serve as Polaris’s enforcers.
“Director Ji, you’ve just outlined Polaris’s purpose in summoning us, but you’ve barely touched upon the matter of the East Bamboo Immortal.”
“Could you elaborate on that aspect to better prepare us?”
“After all, no matter how formidable one’s strength, how many truly merit the title of ‘Immortal’?”
Chi Yiheng, the scholarly man, fanned himself with a feather fan.
Though he appeared to converse with ease and composure, the truth was he felt quite warm, necessitating the use of his fan.
He had no doubt that Director Ji was speaking truthfully.
Having witnessed the extensive reach of Polaris’s intelligence network firsthand, Chi Yiheng knew that for Director Ji of the Xingwu Bureau to utter the phrase ‘know very little’ indicated a genuine scarcity of information about the individual in question, rather than mere humble pretense.
Yet, even with scant knowledge, he felt it imperative for Director Ji to divulge any additional relevant details.
He simply refused to believe that this East Bamboo Immortal could be an ordinary, unremarkable individual.
“That makes sense! Could it be that this East Bamboo Immortal is as boastful as Sword God Wanzai Chuan?”
Immediately, someone in the crowd jeered, clearly having disregarded the first half of the scholarly man’s statement and focusing solely on the less significant latter part.
“That’s quite mistaken! Your words, my friend, are far too presumptuous.”
“While we may not have personally witnessed the immense power of Sword God Wanzai Chuan, Mr. Yu, who stands beside me, has seen his swordsmanship with his own eyes.”
“To speak as you do, are you not implying that all who have witnessed Wanzai Chuan’s strength are nothing more than blind fools?”
The speaker was the stout dwarf, who, while picking his nose, clapped the back of the man next to him.
The man beside him possessed a righteous countenance and a rather heroic demeanor.
From the dwarf’s words and actions, it was clear that this valiant tall man was indeed the Mr. Yu he spoke of.
The person who had spoken earlier in the crowd instantly fell silent.
Only one black-cloaked figure, walking with a hand on their sword, let out a disdainful snort.
“Everyone, please calm yourselves and refrain from straying off-topic.”
“I believe you are all quite concerned about the East Bamboo Immortal, aren’t you?”
“Why not settle down and allow Director Ji to enlighten us?”
At these words, the crowd gradually quieted considerably.
While those present had initially considered this task to be easily accomplished, the scholarly man’s interjection subtly planted a seed of doubt, making them suspect the East Bamboo Immortal might not be as straightforward as they had imagined.
“You flatter me, ‘enlighten you’ indeed! I merely speak of what I know.”
Director Ji offered a slight smile, adjusted his tie, and began walking backward, facing the crowd while his back was to the mountain path.
“Over two centuries ago, during the chaos of the Mortal Heavenly Kingdom’s rebellion, a Heavenly Army contingent of over a thousand soldiers approached East Bamboo.”
“This area was never a prosperous region, as you can all plainly see, lacking even a proper road.”
“Yet, this Heavenly Army was forced to pass through here.”
Observing Director Ji speak with such eloquence, much like a seasoned storyteller, the crowd listened with rapt attention.
Their respect for his position, coupled with their own burgeoning curiosity, compelled them to hang on his every word.
“There was no other choice! They had pursuers at their heels, and only by passing through East Bamboo to rendezvous with other Heavenly Army forces could they hope to counterattack.”
“But consider, everyone, the conduct of the Mortal Heavenly Kingdom.”
“Even with pursuers, if they entered East Bamboo, would they truly rush to join their comrades and leave the populace completely unharmed?”
“Director Ji speaks wisely! Those bastards of the Mortal Heavenly Kingdom burn, kill, and plunder wherever they go, committing every conceivable evil!”
“Ever since He Weidao declared himself emperor, this rabble has run rampant, lawless and tyrannical, causing immense suffering among the common people.”
“Wherever the Mortal Heavenly Kingdom passed, life was utterly devastated.”
“Do they even deserve to have the phrase ‘not harming a single blade of grass’ associated with them?”
Listening to the clamor of the crowd, Director Ji understood this to be the very essence of human nature.
Even in his capacity as the Director of the Xingwu Bureau, he couldn’t instantly silence everyone, for every individual harbored an innate desire to express themselves; otherwise, humanity would never have evolved the faculty of speech.
Since it was an intrinsic human trait, any attempt to suppress it would prove futile.
Rather than resisting it and causing resentment, it was far better to go with the flow and subtly guide it in the direction he desired.
Only after the discussions had subsided did he resume speaking.
“At that time, this East Bamboo Immortal confronted that Heavenly Army of over a thousand soldiers, single-handedly.”
“The result was…”
Director Ji deliberately paused, seemingly to heighten the suspense for his audience.
His objective was indeed achieved, as everyone present remained utterly silent, waiting with bated breath for him to continue.
“A resounding victory.”
This time, no one dared to jeer after he finished speaking.
The crowd fell into a stunned silence.
Everyone exchanged bewildered glances, their faces etched with confusion.
After a long moment, someone finally spoke.
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
“One person fighting so many…”
The middle-aged strong man repeated the words involuntarily, lightly nudging the dark-faced man beside him.
“Blackie, if it were you and I, this would also…”
“Speak properly! Stop constantly hitting my ribs!”
The dark-faced man, visibly annoyed, nonetheless gave the middle-aged strong man a serious reply.
“My old friend! If it were a thousand or eight hundred newborn players, you and I could handle them, couldn’t we?”
“But these were the Heavenly Army, not chives to be harvested in handfuls.”
“Without some wide-area damage, it’s simply impossible.”
Among the crowd, there were many experienced individuals, who immediately offered their insights, much like the middle-aged strong man and the dark-faced man.
“Director Ji, did this East Bamboo Immortal, single-handedly taking on so many of the Heavenly Army, perhaps use some kind of ‘area-of-effect’ attack?”
“It would have been better if that were the case.”
“However, to my knowledge, the East Bamboo Immortal eliminated them one by one.”
No sooner had Director Ji uttered these words than Tian Qi, shouldering his iron spear, quickly took a few steps to catch up with him.
“Hehe, so it turns out this East Bamboo Immortal specializes in one-on-one combat!”
“Precisely.”
“After eliminating the Heavenly Army, the East Bamboo Immortal remained in East Bamboo, forbidding anyone from entering and threatening the local safety.”
“The local people, holding profound faith in her, began to refer to her as an Immortal, thus earning her the title ‘East Bamboo Immortal.'”
“That’s incorrect! Has no one challenged her since the Heavenly Army incident?”
After the stout dwarf interjected, the crowd once again began to stir.
“Indeed! Has no one crossed paths with her in over two hundred years?”
“Ultimately, she’s merely a figure secluded deep in the mountains.”
“Even if she hasn’t left, surely someone has ventured into the mountains to seek her out?”
“Of course there have been,” Director Ji said, waving a hand to signal for quiet.
“Over the past two centuries, many individuals have attempted to enter East Bamboo, but not a single one has ever returned.”
“After all, under the East Bamboo Immortal’s fists, no one is left alive.”
Not only the dark-faced man and the middle-aged strong man, but even Chi Yiheng, the scholarly man, the arrogant youth, and the stout dwarf along with Mr. Yu, couldn’t help but show expressions of profound shock.
However, as leaders of their respective domains, despite their inner turmoil, their astonishment flickered across their faces for only a moment before they swiftly regained their composure.
“To possess such skill… one truly wonders who could have tutored this East Bamboo Immortal?”
“Brother Chi, you speak incorrectly.”
In response to the scholarly man’s question, Director Ji offered him a respectful bow.
Chi Yiheng, the scholarly man, immediately returned the gesture, unwilling to be addressed as ‘brother’ by Gong Ce’s disciple.
“This East Bamboo Immortal belongs to no sect or school; all her abilities are self-taught.”
“Though her true power remains unknown, I hope you are all prepared for the possibility of her being impervious to blades and spears, and immune to all poisons…”
Upon hearing this, everyone exchanged bewildered glances, momentarily at a loss for words.
“Director Ji, are you not trying to push us, your brethren, into a fiery pit?”
The tall, thin man shook his head in resignation.
If this East Bamboo Immortal was truly so formidable, even if their group managed to win, they would undoubtedly suffer significant casualties.
He had already begun to worry if he would leave East Bamboo alive.
Many others present harbored similar thoughts, but having already pledged their allegiance to Polaris, attempting to renege now would likely prove…
“Actually, the solution is rather simple…”
Once again, everyone’s attention was drawn by Director Ji’s words.
He held up two fingers, gazing at the crowd as he spoke.
“Firstly, we shall pay our respects to the East Bamboo Immortal under the pretense of a ‘martial arts challenge.'”
“We will propose a duel: if one of us defeats her in a one-on-one match, she must leave East Bamboo.”
“Conversely, if none of us can best her, then we shall withdraw from East Bamboo and never disturb her again.”
“However… you are all renowned heroes and formidable individuals.”
“Should you be defeated due to inferior skill, it would undoubtedly tarnish your esteemed reputations!”
“Blackie…”
This time, the dark-faced man proved wiser.
The instant the middle-aged strong man opened his mouth, he swiftly dodged to the side, avoiding a blow to his ribs.
Seeing this, the middle-aged strong man stopped mid-sentence.
Everyone present understood the underlying meaning of Director Ji’s words: if they didn’t exert themselves, their own reputations would ultimately suffer.
Polaris had indeed played its cards well.
While a one-on-one challenge meant they couldn’t leverage their greatest advantage—their numerical superiority—a mass assault, even if victorious, would still compromise their prestige.
“Secondly, although this is a martial arts challenge, governed by the unwritten rules of the Jianghu to stop before fatal injury, both you and the East Bamboo Immortal are formidable figures who have weathered countless battles.”
“Injuries are inevitable when combat begins, as no one can guarantee such precise control over their strength.”
“This is another point you all must consider carefully.”
Those present nodded in agreement.
They were uncertain whether the East Bamboo Immortal would fight to kill, but given the current circumstances, they could only adapt as the situation unfolded.
“Director Ji, this humble Daoist has a question.”
Daoist Master Chuanyun had remained silent behind Director Ji, waiting until he finished speaking to pose his question.
“How can you be certain the East Bamboo Immortal will accept this challenge?”
“Daoist Master Chuanyun, why do you think the East Bamboo Immortal annihilated over a thousand invaders from the Mortal Heavenly Kingdom in one fell swoop?”
“Couldn’t she simply have routed them?”
“Presumably, the East Bamboo Immortal believed that letting even one escape could lead to them reporting back and drawing in more invaders, which is why she… I see.”
Daoist Master Chuanyun nodded, understanding Director Ji’s implication.
“Though the East Bamboo Immortal has long resided deep within the mountains, she is not entirely ignorant of the outside world.”
“She is also aware of Polaris’s formidable power.”
“Therefore, rather than attempting to annihilate all of us, it would be more advantageous for her to accept ‘our proposed method.'”
“In doing so, she would only need to secure a victory to resolve the matter once and for all.”
“But, Director Ji…”
Daoist Master Chuanyun glanced at the black-cloaked figures discussing amongst themselves, then turned his gaze to Director Ji’s eyes, lowering his voice.
“If we lose this challenge, will Polaris truly withdraw from East Bamboo and never trouble her again?”
Director Ji met Daoist Master Chuanyun’s gaze, knowing the other man sought a hidden answer within his eyes.
Yet, he had grown accustomed to such scrutiny, his expression remaining utterly unchanged.
“To honor one’s bet after a loss—is that not simply a matter of course?”
He took a step, turning to walk forward.
“However, we cannot possibly lose.”