Stroking his long mustache, the True Man of Taiyi spoke solemnly: "The old Taoist understands that you look down on these barbarians living in the deep mountains and ancient forests. However, I can guarantee that if they are organized into an army, their power will far exceed your imagination."

  Xu Haifeng detected a hint of displeasure in the old Taoist's tone and hastily said, "Immortal Master, what are you saying? We would never dare to disbelieve your words."

  "A student has something unclear and wants to ask a true person." Jiang Kongming suddenly asked from the side.

  "That's all."

  "A true man has always been extraordinary and unconventional, but I don't know why he suddenly became so interested in building a barbarian army?"

  Taiyi Zhenren's eyes narrowed, and then became profound. His voice was slow and full of emotion: "Twenty years ago, the old Taoist traveled on foot to the southwest. Unexpectedly, he caught a cold and fell ill in a guest house."

  Xu Haifeng and the other naturally knew that twenty years ago, Taiyi Zhenren was already a master of the sect. A martial artist of this level is physically strong and healthy, without illness or disaster, but once they fall, it's like a mountain of illnesses collapsing, and wanting to recover is even more time-consuming and laborious.

  The inn was afraid that the old Taoist would die there and insisted on driving him away. At that time, the old Taoist was uneasy in his heart and faintly felt that his life was not long. So he left the inn, intending to find a place with clear wind and water to wait for his fate to arrive. Unexpectedly, however, he encountered a pair of barbarian husband and wife who were picking herbs on the mountain.

  The old Taoist thought of the past days and sighed: "They saw that I was alone, so they pulled me down from the mountain and had me live with them for a month. It's strange to say, but after a month, my body actually recovered."

  "After that, Lao Dao stayed there for half a year, coinciding with the outbreak of the plague, and Lao Dao rescued several people."

  "Alas..." Jiang Kongming let out a deep sigh and said, "You are truly too kind. If it were another student, they would have torn down that dog of a shop long ago."

  Upon hearing these words of injustice, the old Taoist couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time, saying: "So many years have passed, there's no need to bring it up again."

  "How many years have you lived there?" asked Xu Haifeng.

  Jiang Kung-ming's ears immediately perked up; this question was also of utmost importance to him.

  "For three whole years." The old Taoist said calmly.

  "It's been three years, no wonder you're so certain." Jiang Kongming nodded, as if muttering to himself.

  However, Xu Haifeng and others understood his meaning.

  With the insight of a true master, he had lived in one place for three years. If he still couldn't make an accurate assessment, then he didn't deserve to be called the number one under heaven.

  "The mountain people are poor and destitute, and the barbarians are even more discriminated against by their Han neighbors. The game they hunt in the mountains often sells for only a third of its actual value. Their lives are hard, almost to the point of having nothing left but the four walls of their homes. But precisely because of this, every single one of these barbarians is a good man who can endure hardship and labor."

  "As long as you can give them some benefits, they will devote their hearts to you. If it's on the battlefield, they must be the most brave and good warriors......" After a pause, the old Taoist added: "Of course, except for the Black Flag Army."

  Having witnessed the combat power of the Black Flag Army, even if Taiyi Zhenren wants to exaggerate about the barbarians, he can't speak blindly.

  The combat power of the barbarians can surpass that of the Black Flag Army, a statement which even the old Taoist himself does not believe.

  This time, even Xu Haifeng felt unexpected. The old Taoist's words were clearly intended to induce Xu Haifeng to form a barbarian army.

  This old man is so enthusiastic about this matter, it's really an unusual thing.

  "I understand......" Jiang Kongming suddenly clapped his hands heavily and shouted loudly.

  "What?"

  "Haha, students understand why Lao Xian Zhang is so keen on the barbarians and hope that we can form a barbarian team."

  "Why?" Xǔ Hǎifēng asked, Jiǎng Kǒnmíng was indeed Jiǎng Kǒnmíng, and he had actually guessed the intentions of Tài Yǐ Zhēnrén. Could it be that his mind-reading technique also worked on a master-level warrior like him?

  "The barbarians live a hard life, and it's even more difficult for them to make a living in the mountains. The cost of supporting one soldier in our Wolong City is enough to support several families for years. If I'm not mistaken, Elder Xian has taken pity on us and wants us to use money and grain to buy their loyalty." Jiang Kongming said with a smile.

  "Alas... General Chiang's foresight is indeed godlike, and the old master's thoughts are exactly as he expected. Unfortunately, those in power have always regarded them as fierce beasts and avoided them at all costs. Otherwise, such military strength would not have fallen into your hands."

  Xu Haifeng nodded at Jiang Kungming and loudly promised to the Taiyi True Person: "Since it's your recommendation, what else can be said, only..."

  Xu Haifeng gazed into the old man's eyes and said, "It's just that war is cruel and battle is perilous..."

  "Dying in battle is better than starving to death." The old Taoist said slowly, "Besides, exchanging one's life for several years' worth of food for the whole family, they won't let you down."

  "In that case, rest assured, as long as they are under Wind's care, they will absolutely not be treated poorly."

  "But how much ability they have, how much food they can get, and what kind of treatment they will receive, still depends on their performance." Jiang Kongming added from the side, thinking to himself, good master, every time it's him being the good guy, indeed a true master.

  Taiyi Zhenren burst out laughing, his voice filled with uncontrollable joy: "Alright, then I'll thank you both on their behalf."

  "There's no need for you to be polite, this is a mutually beneficial matter." Jiang Kongming said with a smile.

  The old Taoist seemed to have put down a thought, and suddenly he asked in a low voice: "Jiang Junshi, this twenty-year-old past event, the old Taoist remembers that he has never discussed it with anyone. How did you know?"

  "Haha......" Jiang Kongming laughed exceptionally happily: "Can you still remember, in those years you went down the mountain several times to rescue people and bought medicine in nearby towns, did such a thing happen?"

  The old Taoist hesitated for a moment and said, "It's simple in the mountain, everything is in short supply, I have to go out of the mountain to buy some things."

  "That's it, you ran a few houses and found that one of the pharmacies was the cheapest, so later when purchasing, basically all bought from there."

  Taiyi Zhenren's eyebrows moved slightly, and he said, "Could it be that something is wrong with that pharmacy?"

  "Exactly..." Jiang Gongming applauded and said: "You are indeed brilliant, guessing it right on the spot. That pharmacy is actually a secret outpost of the Demon Gate in the southwest."

  "Their leader, recognizing your esteemed identity, lowered the price. He wasn't intentionally trying to curry favor with you, it was just a natural reaction after seeing the world's number one master." Jiang Gongming explained with a smile.

  The old Taoist's actions were indeed never publicized, but man's calculations are not as good as heaven's, and he was still discovered by someone unintentionally.

  The power of the Demon Gate was at its peak during the era of Li Yanbo. Since learning that the True Man of Taiyi had appeared in the southwestern barbarian territory, how could he not pay attention to it for a moment?

  The parties involved were even more cautious, and even sent people deep into the barbarian territory to collect furs under the pretext of trade, and eventually learned about the causes and consequences.

  He didn't know that the old Taoist priest also had a saying of falling into trouble, and perhaps in his heart, the old Taoist priest's identity was almost equal to that of a divine being.

  Will God have birth, aging, illness and death? Of course not, so he will absolutely never think of this aspect.

  In his view, the old Taoist made a grand vow and went through hardships, but had nothing to gain.

  He couldn't help but admire the old man and wrote down the details of the matter in his diary, which he then submitted to the head office.

  Since Li Yanbo retired and Xia Yajun delegated power, all actions of the Demon Gate were handled by Jiang Kongming. This matter was also impossible to hide from him.

  The old Taoist sighed and said: "You want me to run a trip to the southwestern barbarian tribe, not to form an army, what else is it for?"

  Jiang Kongming suppressed his smile and said, "Originally, I just wanted to ask you to help us communicate and let our Black Flag Army pretend to be barbarian soldiers. However, after hearing your words, we might as well directly recruit them."

  Taiyi Zhenren was taken aback and asked: "Pretending to be a barbarian army? What are you going to do?"

  Xu Haifeng's mouth corners revealed a faint, calm smile, that smile was filled with an uncomparable strong self-confidence, he lightly, from his mouth spat out two words: "Taiyuan..."

  "Taiyuan?" The old Taoist's eyes suddenly burst out with unbelievable gaze, even with his composure, when he heard these two words, he couldn't help but turn his head around.

  At this moment, Xu Haifeng's greatest enemy is the Caesars.

  Taiyi True Man is not an ordinary person, and the news of the arrival of a large army led by Caesar would absolutely not be hidden from him. Xu Haifeng's transfer of the weak women and children in Wulong City to the Western Camp further proved the correctness of this message.

  Whether it was him or others, they all thought that Xu Haifeng was considering how to deal with the continuous attacks of the Caesars.

  However, he would never have thought that Xu Haifeng would actually leave Wulong City at this critical moment.

  Moreover, what surprised him even more was that, judging from Xu Haifeng's tone, he actually wanted to take away the Black Flag Army, the strongest fighting force in this battle.

  So what will they use to block when the Roman army is at their gates?

  "Think carefully, Wind."

  "Yes, the wind has already been well thought out."

  Taiyi Zhenren slowly lowered his eyebrows and closed his eyes: "Wolong City is where your roots truly lie. Taiyuan... is really too far away."

  Xu Haifeng's eyes were fixed on the old Taoist priest, but his gaze seemed to pass through his body.

  At this moment, in Jiang Kongming's eyes, there was a inexplicable sense of disorientation.

  What Xuhai Feng's eyes looked at was the entire Great Han. In his eyes, what he could accommodate was the territory of the empire. Or, even more vast...

  "Contending for the Central Plains... How could I be left out? — Xu Haifeng."

  A proud voice echoed in the room, lingering on and on.

  （）