Chapter 944 - 784: Firearms

Chen Ji and his companions slashed through the pirate camp, causing thunderous cheers on Jingjiang City’s walls as Jiang Chai and Yuan Xi brought two large drums and pounded them vigorously to boost morale.

The accumulated hatred and resentment from yesterday were pounded out along with the drumbeats.

The Anti-Japanese Army crowded onto the wall, and under the dim gray sky, their eyes barely managed to follow Chen Ji and his companions’ movements.

When Chen Ji and his companions were surrounded again, the soldiers tightened their toes against their straw sandals and held their breath. As soon as Chen Ji and his companions broke through the encirclement once more, the walls erupted in a sea of cheers, echoing far off over the river.

On the Five-masted Treasure Ship, the Wang Family’s Store Manager listened to the cheers and drumbeats and quietly observed Hu Junye: the latter had originally come to oversee the battle, planning to settle the sea trade register after the pirates had breached Jingjiang City.

Unexpectedly, he witnessed the Anti-Japanese Army storming the camp, leaving the pirates helpless.

Hu Junye glanced at the Wang Family Store Manager’s expression, raised the thousand-mile mirror to look at the pirate camp, and said calmly, "Victory and defeat are common in military affairs. If a minor setback makes one desperate, then Chongli Pass needn’t be defended; the Imperial Three Camps might as well commit suicide together."

The Wang Family Store Manager breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Hu Junye looked in a certain direction and said indifferently, "Keep watching, the pirates aren’t stupid."

The Wang Family Store Manager hurriedly raised the thousand-mile mirror for a look, only to see Chen Ji and five others had changed direction.

Heavenly Horse became the spearhead, the brilliant longbow was drawn with immense strength, and when released, the bowstring snapped with a twang, causing the air to explode.

A meteor arrow pierced through a pirate’s chest, carrying blood through the person behind him, until the third person, when the meteor arrow exploded into a brilliant dust of stars in his chest, scattering among the chaotic troops.

For a moment, the chaotic camp was illuminated by clusters of stars, and Yuan Xing exclaimed in wonder, "This Official Gateway is impressive; it looks fierce..."

Saying this, he swung his twin knives, glancing disdainfully at Jin Zhu beside him.

Jin Zhu was instantly displeased, slashing a ranger to death with his knife and questioning Yuan Xing, "What are you looking at me for? What the hell do you mean?"

Yuan Xing muttered quietly, "Big Fat Fish has quite a loud voice."

Before Jin Zhu could retort, Chen Ji already ordered, "Change formation!"

Heavenly Horse suddenly stopped, allowing Yuan Xing, Jin Zhu, Chen Ji, and Old Ears to run past him.

In a blink, Old Ears and Chen Ji were at the forefront again, while Heavenly Horse was protected by Yuan Xing and Jin Zhu, focusing solely on drawing and shooting arrows.

Chen Ji continued to slash the pirates before him while searching through the chaotic troops for the Great Wokou Leader’s figure.

He took a deep breath and said to Old Ears, "Don’t get caught up in fighting; seize the leader to capture the bandits."

Old Ears replied irritably, "Isn’t that what we’re doing? That grandson doesn’t know where he’s hiding."

Yuan Xing, hearing the intermittent drumbeats from afar, immediately advised, "The pirates use drumbeats to issue orders; we should charge toward where the drumbeats are coming from, the old guy can’t be far away."

Old Ears praised, "You’ve got a good head on your shoulders."

Yuan Xing, hearing Old Ears’ compliment, suddenly felt his blood rushing to his head and stammered, "I... I..."

Jin Zhu glanced at him and asked, "Why are you suddenly getting excited?"

Yuan Xing retorted impatiently, "What do you know!"

Chen Ji interrupted, "Follow me!"

The next moment, Old Ears captured two pirates, locked each of their necks in his hands, and held them in front as shields. The caught pirates resisted, but with a shake of Old Ears’ hands, they heard a series of crisp snapping sounds, and the bones of the two pirates were all shaken loose.

A pirate swung a knife at him, and Old Ears tossed the pirate in his hand up, switching from gripping its neck to holding its ankle.

Old Ears held the pirate’s ankle and casually swung it, using the soft pirate like a burlap sack to smack the incoming pirate on the head, shattering their heads together.

Seeing this scene, Jin Zhu felt goosebumps; did he possess such strength? Naturally, he did, but this was the first time he had seen someone use a person as a sledgehammer—rude, reckless, fierce.

Suddenly, Jin Zhu recalled that the northern Kujue Temple had an Official Gateway that could cultivate Dragon Elephant Power; was this person cultivating that gateway?

But legend holds that those who cultivate this gateway must keep two hundred and fifty Bhikkhu Precepts, and once broken, their cultivation would be lost, while the third Parajika precept is to refrain from killing...

Could the rumor be mistaken?

While Jin Zhu was lost in thought, two pirates suddenly swung their swords at Chen Ji. In an instant, Chen Ji lifted his sword upward, and with two clangs, the two Japanese swords held by the pirates broke cleanly, with tidy cuts.

Yuan Xing exclaimed in surprise, "Gold Grinder, Father, you indeed know Gold Grinder!"

Jin Zhu’s pupils sharply contracted; he was very familiar with this blade-breaking skill. Chen Ji had used it in Luocheng City, and in the Imperial Capital.

He had tried it out in his spare time, but could only barely manage it with brute force; he couldn’t utilize the skillful force that Chen Ji had.

In the dim gray light, Jin Zhu looked at Chen Ji’s straw coat-clad back...

Chen Ji?!

Earlier, he had found the news of the Anti-Japanese Army unbelievable; why did the Zhang Family have so many officials as trump cards? Where did all these Seeking Dao Realm Officials suddenly come from? Why wear masks to hide their names?

It was illogical.

But once Jin Zhu realized the person before him might be Chen Ji, he was suddenly enlightened, and everything made sense again.

Old Ears and Chen Ji advanced in tandem, resembling a long knife cutting through the pirate’s encirclement, charging toward the drumbeats. Jin Zhu followed behind, guarding the side while carefully observing Chen Ji’s every move.