Heavenly Dao Engine
Chapter 293 - 293 0237 There Are Just Four People in Total_2

Chapter 293: Chapter 0237: There Are Just Four People in Total_2 Chapter 293: Chapter 0237: There Are Just Four People in Total_2 “Bind him.” Qi Tian said coldly.

Immediately, Pan Yulin charged out and tied up Jixiang with a hemp rope interwoven with black gold threads.

At this point, all the surrounding cultivators were in an uproar. They had been expecting a spectacular duel, but to their surprise, Qi Tian knocked Jixiang down directly with an Explosive Thunder Talisman. This was too unsportsmanlike, and how could they willingly accept it?

Qui Tian gave the cultivators immersed in discussion a cold glance and said sternly, “The Chi Di people are about to invade from the south. If we don’t hurry to the border, yet squabble over the leadership here, the delay would cost us greatly. Who would bear the responsibility for that? Any of you who think I am wrong are welcome to come and dispute with me. Jixiang needs a few companions. You can discuss together what it feels like to be struck by thunder. Maybe you can even glean some insights.”

Having heard these words from Qi Tian, the prattling cultivators all shut their mouths. They knew Qi Tian must not have many Explosive Thunder Talismans left, but they didn’t dare to gamble. Even if they did, they certainly wouldn’t want to get hit by the talisman themselves while allowing others to profit from it.

“Does anyone else have objections to me being the leader? If you do, step forward now. After this point, you will lose your opportunity,” Qi Tian’s voice became more impassive.

All the Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators hung their heads. They felt Qi Tian was too intimidating. First, he knocked down Yin Zexiong with a punch, then he used an Explosive Thunder Talisman to strike down Jixiang. His tactics were manifold and his heart was as relentless as iron. They felt they had no confidence in dealing with him. Among them were indeed some cultivators whose cultivation realm was weaker than Jixiang’s but stronger than that of Zhang Lei’s group. But thinking about Qi Tian’s methods, they decided to keep their heads low and stay quiet. They certainly didn’t want to be struck by thunder like Jixiang.

When he saw that everyone was silent, Qi Tian nodded and said, “Since everyone agrees, I will take up this leadership for the time being. Please rest assured, I will not force you to do anything beyond guarding against the invasion of the Chi Di people. Besides, my leadership is temporary. I was conscripted by the court, and once my mission ends, it will be time for me to leave. At that point, I will relinquish my leadership. But let me make one thing clear, during my term, anyone who dares to sabotage our mission of intercepting the Chi Di will have to face my wrath.”

All the cultivators, whether at the Foundation Establishment Stage or the Qi Cultivation Stage, resoundingly promised to follow his order.

Qi Tian nodded satisfactorily. He turned to Huang Zhiwei and asked, “Commander, is now the appropriate time for me to assume duty?”

Huang Zhiwei watched everything with astonishment on his face. He was just about to announce Jixiang as the commander when Qi Tian turned the tables in such a short time and secured the position for himself. Naturally, Huang Zhiwei was overjoyed by this outcome. He quickly replied, “Of course. Please, immortal master, take up your duty immediately. In the future, while guarding the Tongmen West Pass, we will need you to cooperate in many matters.”

Huang Zhiwei, indeed a tactful person, immediately returned to the central army camp, retrieved the command flag and token, and conferred them on Qi Tian. He also promised to report to the superiors at once and confirm Qi Tian’s position officially.

With the command flag and token in hand, Qi Tian began to issue orders. He divided the more than six hundred cultivators on the scene into six teams, each with an evenly distributed number of members. Three teams formed a squadron and two squadrons rotated, with one stationed at Tongmen West Pass and the other responsible for the defense of the small city and patrol duties.

The two squadrons would switch every three days, ensuring that everyone had the opportunity to fight and capture prisoners, as well as rest and recover from injuries.

Some cultivators were discontented with Qi Tian’s allocation. They hoped they could guard the Tongmen West Pass day and night, killing more Chi Di cultivators and gaining more cultivation resources. Qi Tian straightforwardly rejected this request.

Historically, when the Chi Di invaded each year, the battle lasted for a long period—shorter durations taking a month and longer ones exceeding three months. No one could guard Tongmen West Pass for such a long stretch. Of course, those who merely wanted to kill some Chi Di cultivators at Tongmen West Pass, gather a batch of cultivation resources, and then plan to leave, didn’t need to consider these matters. But how could Qi Tian let such people leave easily? He had made it clear from the start that anyone who accepted him as the commander would have to stick with him here at Tongmen West Pass. Anybody unwilling to do so was free to leave—he wouldn’t stop them. But if they chose to stay, they had to follow this rule without exception.

Because of Qi Tian’s rule, a number of people had left, leaving each small squad short of a hundred soldiers. However, Qi Tian had anticipated this and remained unphased.

After making rudimentary arrangements for the troops, Qi Tian appointed Pan Yulin as the deputy commander and left Jiang Pan and Zhang Guangyao to assist him. After that, he led Zhang Lei and a squadron straight to Tongmen West Pass.

The small town was not far from Tongmen West Pass, even less than five miles. By the time Qi Tian and his party arrived at Tongmen West Pass, the last line of defense was already being set up. The local strongmen who were hired to guard the pass were transporting various guard supplies to the ramparts, the gates of the pass were wide open, and batches of scouts on warhorses charged into the night in search of the traces of the Chi Di tribe. The entire Tongmen West Pass bore the solemn atmosphere before a battle.

Huang Zhiwei had arrived at Tongmen West Pass ahead of Qi Tian. Seeing Qi Tian bringing several hundred cultivators, he hurriedly brought over several heads of the military to greet Qi Tian. Regardless of anything else, they first had to understand each other.While there, Huang Zhiwei briefly introduced the situation to Qi Tian.

Ten batches of scouts had been dispatched from Tongmen West Pass, but none returned so far. All Huang Zhiwei could do was to heighten the guard, moving as many guard supplies as possible to the Guard City Gate Tower and ramparts. As for the rest, Huang Zhiwei could not do anything for now.

Qi Tian nodded without saying much. He wasn’t professionally trained or experienced in guarding a city, and he didn’t want to play the role of a jack of all trades and master of none. He assured Huang Zhiwei that he would fully cooperate and protect the border army from the slaughter of the Chi Di cultivators.

Huang Zhiwei expressed his gratitude to Qi Tian, then carried on with his soldiers. Qi Tian, meanwhile, gathered a squadron of cultivators and asked: “Among you, who has participated in the battle against the invading Chi Di tribe? If you have, please step forward.”

Immediately, several tens of cultivators stepped forward. The number was quite substantial. Qi Tian then asked: “How many years have you all participated?”

“One.”

“Two.”

“I have participated in ten.” At this moment, a somewhat incongruous voice sounded.

Qi Tian looked towards the sound, discovering that the person was a cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Stage, appearing to be quite old. Just judging from his appearance, he seemed to be over sixty. Qi Tian asked: “Sir, did you say ten? Not four?”

The Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator said: “That’s right, I said ten, not four.”

“Understood, please step forward. And those who have participated in battles more than five times, please stay as well. The rest of you Sirs, you can find a place to rest for a while. I will find you later.” Qi Tian instructed, taking the cultivators who stepped forward to one side.

The conditions set by Qi Tian were indeed very strict. There weren’t many cultivators who had participated in the defensive battle of Tongmen West Pass for more than five years. Even counting the self-claimed Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator who had participated for ten years, there were only four people in total.