Apex War God - Chapter 0046

Chapter 0046: Tactician Xun Rui

Cellblock 7, Smoke Signal Mountain Prison:

A bare-chested young man sat on a rocky mountaintop, allowing the early morning dew to condense on his body.

In the mountains, the temperature was always at the lowest between midnight and early morning. But this naked young man was undaunted by the cold. It was indeed an eye-opener.

The most surprising thing was that a small black dog lay on the young man’s shoulder. Like the young man, it was also unafraid of the cold, just obediently lying there, napping.

Who else could this young man be other than Yang Wu?

During yesterday’s battle, he expended all his strength and sustained severe injuries. But now, not only were his injuries fully healed, but he had also become stronger. Altogether, 81 acupoints were now open, getting closer to 108 acupoints.

Once the 108 acupoints were open, he would reach the Superior Grade Warrior Realm. Then, he could form a small cycle that would help the Profound Energy circulate faster, thereby significantly increasing his combat prowess.

Upon a closer inspection, not all the dewdrops on Yang Wu’s body were natural. He had pulled some from his surroundings. When these clear and cold dewdrops fell on him, he thoroughly absorbed them through his pores.

This amazing ability to absorb the energy from water was due to the Supreme Nine Profound Art.

After this paramount profound art got upgraded by the Nascent Profound Essence, it had become even more incredible. Yang Wu could clearly feel how outstanding this profound art was. If he could gather eight other Profound Essences, he would likely be able to achieve even things that surpassed his imagination.

Yang Wu did not think much about it at the moment. His current situation was not very good. The news of his exploits in cellblock 7 would spread. Those who wanted his life would not let him be. He needed to think of how to counter them.

The morning dew dwindled. The chill was starting to dissipate. The sun was rising, and with it came the propitious energy of daybreak.

Yang Wu was like a descended saint, his whole body limned with purple light. When his body directly absorbed this propitious energy, it was as if the peach-pit dantian encountered sweet spring water, guzzling it instantly. Wisps of purple energy also lingered in his thousands of pores, giving his whole body an invisible, indescribably noble air.

This propitious energy was so much more than what he had absorbed before. It saturated his opened acupoints, spinning in them and twinkling like stars, tremendously strengthening his body.

After this battle, Yang Wu was very clear about his unparalleled advantages over other people.

Firstly, his dantian could contain at least tenfold—even dozens of times—more Profound Energy than that of his peers. Secondly, when the Profound Energy became Nascent Profound Essence, its destructive power was incomparably greater than that of the ordinary Profound Energy. Finally, the combination of the Supreme Nine Profound Art and the Dragon Turtle Water Suppression Stance allowed him to absorb water-attributed Profound Energy continuously, enabling him to fight for a long time. His recovery ability would make even a King jealous.

These were all his advantages. As long as he could grasp them well, he could become a top Warrior in no time.

The most important thing at the moment—aside from improving his survivability—was accumulating enough Scarlet Steel Rock to cast off his prisoner status.

Originally, he had hoped that Wan Lanxin or Meng Helang would help him with this matter. But after yesterday’s battle, he no longer dared entertain such an extravagant hope. He realized that relying on himself was more practical.

Then, he heard light footsteps. A seductive woman and a fat man appeared behind him.

Both the woman and the fatty knelt on the ground together and greeted respectfully, “Salutations, Young Master!”

Yang Wu neither turned his head nor spoke to them. He left them kneeling there for fifteen minutes. Only then did he tell them indifferently, “You may get up!”

The two’s cheeks and backs were sweaty, but they did not dare to harbor any dissatisfaction in their hearts. When they heard the voice, it was like receiving pardon for a great sin, most of the pressure on their hearts easing.

Xu Jiaohua spoke first. “Young Master, I cleaned up cellblock 7 together with Fatty Dong. Most of the prisoners have submitted to you. We have beaten to a pulp those few who like to wag their tongue with nonsense.”

“I don’t care about those matters. I only want Scarlet Steel Rock!” Yang Wu told them.

“Young Master, Black Ape had already accumulated thirty tons of Scarlet Steel Rock, kept in the stone hut on the mountain, only twenty tons short of fifty tons,” Xu Jiaohua said.

Fatty Dong added from the side, “Not counting the daily quota, we can accumulate fifty tons of Scarlet Steel Rock in about two months.”

“Two months is too long!” Yang Wu sighed.

He did not want to stay in this mountain prison a moment longer. He wanted to leave as soon as possible.

“The…the earliest would still take one and a half months!” Fatty Dong said, put on the spot.

“Is there any other way to speed up the process?” Yang Wu asked.

Dong Fatty did not dare to speak anymore.

After a moment of hesitation, Xu Jiaohua replied, “There is a way, but…”

“But what? If you have something to say, just say it. I’m not as scary as you think.”

“Black Ape told me previously that there was an agreement between the seven great gang leaders, that they could challenge each other if they could put up enough Scarlet Steel Rock as stakes—winner take all. This way, Young Master can accumulate Scarlet Steel Rock faster,” Xu Jiaohua said truthfully.

“There is still such a thing? Tell me more,” Yang Wu said with interest.

Xu Jiaohua told Yang Wu everything she knew about the matter.

The agreement among the seven great gang leaders turned out to be a gamble allowing the lower-ranking one to challenge someone with a higher ranking once a month. Each wager could be no less than five tons of Scarlet Steel Rock. The winner would take all the Scarlet Steel Rock staked.

Black Ape ranked seventh. His combat prowess was at the bottom, but there was actually little difference between him and the prison gang leaders ranked sixth and fifth. He had not challenged them because he wanted to make better preparations and defeat them at once, to avoid becoming a stepping stone for others.

Unfortunately, he got slaughtered by Yang Wu before he could challenge anyone.

There were seven days left before the next challenge could be issued. As long as Yang Wu had enough strength, he could challenge the prison boss in cellblock 6.

“Is there a limit to this bet?” Yang Wu asked.

“There’s no limit as long as the other party agrees to it!” Xu Jiaohua answered.

“Good!” Yang Wu replied with a gleam in his eyes. Waving his hand, he told them, “You are dismissed. Go tell all the subordinates that I can’t be bothered to manage them or care about what they did previously. I just want them to turn in the Scarlet Steel Rock on time.”

“Yes, Young Master!” Xu Jiaohua and Fatty Dong responded submissively.

Fatty Dong left, but Xu Jiaohua did not. She brazenly approached Yang Wu, sticking out her ample bosom, and said coyly with a blushing face, “Young Master, if you want, this servant can personally serve you.”

She began stripping off her simple prisoner garment, revealing a youthful-looking body that was like a gently swaying flower, offering a distinctive charm.

Xu Jiaohua was not a virtuous person. If not for being somewhat capable, she would have long been reduced to a plaything for men—like most of the women in the prison—after she was sentenced to this place. When she approached Black Ape intimately, it was for self-protection, a better alternative to being taken by other weaker men.

Yang Wu was not only stronger but also young and handsome. Even a middle-aged woman like herself found him very attractive. If she could get together with him, she imagined it would be way better than being with Black Ape.

Unfortunately, Yang Wu did not even spare her a glance. He simply waved his hand and said, “You could be my mother at your age. Please conduct yourself with dignity.”

Xu Jiaohua felt like her heart was stabbed by a crowbar. She was so ashamed that she almost fainted.

Too embarrassed for words, she just put on her prisoner garment, covered her face, and made haste down the mountain.

Only after Xu Jiaohua was gone did Yang Wu let out a breath and say, “There are very few young men who have strong willpower and a sincere heart like this viscount!”

If someone saw the bulge in Yang Wu’s lower body, they would feel embarrassed on his behalf. He was already aroused to this point, yet he actually claimed to have strong willpower? Come off it!

Yang Wu could not be blamed. He was a vigorous young man who was not even sure of his virginity. Even now, he still did not know what happened the night he slept in the same bed as Wan Lanxin.

Comparing Xu Jiaohua and Wan Lanxin would be like comparing the sky and the ground; there was no comparison. This was just a normal physiological reaction.

Just as Yang Wu got up to practice his combat techniques, he happened to glance at a corner and raised his eyebrows slightly. There was an old prisoner not far from him who had been there for who knew how long.

Yang Wu’s perception was not weak. He could easily sense people’s approach over a kilometer away, yet he had not sensed this old prisoner who was within ten meters of him. This really surprised him.

That old prisoner was smiling at Yang Wu. His face was full of wrinkles like tree bark, and his smile revealed rows of decaying yellow teeth that evinced years of dental neglect. He held a broken bamboo fan in his hand, fanning himself with it. The sight was quite comical.

It was not these things that felt strange to Yang Wu, though. What he found strange were the broken, bulky chains around the old prisoner’s ankles. They did not seem like they had been cut off with a sharp tool. Given those jagged edges, the old man had broken them in his struggle to get free.

Sooty, lying on Yang Wu’s shoulder, opened its eyes and glanced at that old prisoner. A faint gleam flickered in its eyes; then, the puppy just closed its eyes and dozed off again.

“You are?” Yang Wu asked, facing the old prisoner.

Fanning himself with the broken bamboo fan, the old prisoner answered proudly, “This humble one is the Wild Tactician, Xun Rui!”

“Dog Rui? It looks like you have fate with my Sooty!” Yang Wu responded, smiling.

“No, it’s Xun from the idiom for all-around talent, not dog like a canine!” the old prisoner objected strongly.

[TL Note: The character for Xun looks similar to the character for dog. Furthermore, Xun is a rarely used word in Chinese, so many people might see the character and pronounce it as Gou, which means dog. However, as this part is dialogue, it is strange that this confusion happens, so it is more likely that Yang Wu is aware of this common error and is messing with the old man.]

[TL Note: The idiom for all-around talent refers to the children of two particular families. When directly translated, it means the Jia’s tigers and the Xun’s dragons. The children of these clans were remarkably talented, so this idiom took on the meaning of being talented in both civil and military matters, an all-around talent.]

“Close enough!” Yang Wu retorted. Then, he asked, “What brings you here?”

“There are three things. I don’t know which one you want to hear first!” Xun Rui replied, drawing out the suspense.

“What’s the difference between hearing just one and all three?”

“They are very different. They also each have their own significance.”

“Oh. Then, you’d better not say it.”

Xun Rui shamelessly bragged about himself. “No, don’t. This tactician knows everything in heaven above and the earth below, astronomy as well as geography. I can also advise on dispatching troops, laying troop formations, and planning strategies. There is nothing I’m not skilled at, nothing I cannot do—”

He was not done talking yet, but Yang Wu had already had enough and interrupted him, “Grandpa Xun, are you not ashamed of bragging to the point of being so incredible?”

Showing decaying, yellow teeth again, Xun Rui said, “Of course not. The things I said are all true.”

“Then, why were you sent to this mountain prison?”

“This…this was because when I presented Twenty-Four Volumes on Governing the World and Saving the Nation at court. It was so amazing that some people envied and hated me, so I was sent here.”

“I seem to have heard that someone presented Twenty-Four Volumes on An Opinion Piece on the Nation’s Disastrous Mistakes at court ten years ago and was condemned for spreading falsehood. Were you that person?”

“Ahem! Ahem! Those useless ministers know nothing!”