Chapter 1168: Roshenjia

Red Valley, Ying territory.

A-Xun had just closed a deal selling horses to some foreign visitors. As he walked back, he instinctively sighed.His father had said he would return in a few days before leaving.However, more than a month had passed, and the Ying people's chieftain had still not appeared.

An atmosphere of unease began to spread throughout the tribe. A-Xun tried his best to reassure everyone, but his authority was insufficient to command full respect. He also had to manage all the tribe's affairs, big and small, often working through the night without closing his eyes.Only now did he truly understand the immense responsibility his father bore and how exhausting it was to hold that position.

One day, an envoy from the Yao Kingdom arrived again, bringing a new mission.This time, the mission was straightforward:Assassination.

Recently, a new opinion leader had emerged in the south. He frequently traveled across various regions, advocating for nations to unite and resist the Yao people once more.According to the Yao envoy, this was "heretical talk leading people astray."However, the common people of various nations were receptive to his message, often becoming incensed and inspired by his words.This individual had garnered significant popular prestige, becoming known as the "National Advisor." He had also received respectful treatment from several monarchs; it was said he had a deep conversation with one king for three days and three nights in his palace, demonstrating how much he had won the king's favor.Naturally, the Yao Kingdom could not simply stand by.

"My king always says that lies cannot replace hope," the Yao envoy stated with his usual arrogant tone. "You will burst this false hope for my king!"The Yao Kingdom demanded that this assassination be disguised as a bandit attack.

Upon hearing this, the Second Uncle slammed the table in a rage. "This is outrageous! Why doesn't the Yao Kingdom deal with such a prestigious figure themselves, instead of asking us to kill him? If we really kill him, we'll never be able to show our faces in the Glittering Gold Plains again. No, we're not doing this!""Who are you to decide?" the Yao envoy retorted ambiguously. "Are you in charge of the Ying tribe?"The Second Uncle glanced at A-Xun, who hesitated before stepping forward. "The chieftain isn't here, so I'm in charge now. We won't..."

"We can accept!" a familiar voice called from outside. "But what are the Yao Kingdom's terms?"The chieftain had returned.A-Xun was overjoyed. "Father!"The Second Uncle, startled, said, "What did you say? You want to take on such a disgraceful mission?"

The chieftain strode in, his back as straight as a spear. Before he even reached them, a powerful aura suppressed the Second Uncle's remaining words."Such a person is playing with fire, dancing on a knife's edge; something will happen to him sooner or later," the chieftain said coldly. "If we don't act, others will. The Yao Kingdom won't let him go unchecked. So let's be practical: we help him achieve his 'benevolent' end, and he helps us fulfill our desires!"The last sentence was directed at his younger brother.A-Xun's Second Uncle wanted to retort, but his elder brother's gaze was like a tiger's, as if poised to devour someone, making his limbs feel numb. For a moment, he couldn't utter a word.This was highly unusual, especially for a battle-hardened warrior like himself.

The Yao envoy immediately said, "Seventy thousand measures of grain. There have been poor harvests everywhere this year, so grain is very expensive.""Are you trying to fob off beggars?" the chieftain scoffed. "Once we complete this job, all our debts to the Yao Kingdom will be written off! Furthermore, from now on, we decide who we sell Red Valley horses to; the Yao Kingdom won't profit from reselling them! Take this message back: if the Yao Kingdom agrees, we'll do it; otherwise, you can find someone more capable!"

After his father appeared, A-Xun stepped back.Meng-Meng leaned closer and whispered to him, "How much do we owe the Yao Kingdom?""It started at 140,000 taels," A-Xun said, clearly remembering the sum. "Now it's 350,000 taels."In five or six years, the total amount had more than tripled.Meng-Meng was so shocked his mouth hung open. "Huh? Are you sure you haven't miscalculated?"A-Xun replied bitterly, "It's calculated with interest."The Yao Kingdom hadn't miscalculated a single coin, but the interest itself was exorbitant!

"That's how the Yao Kingdom has always made its money. If we need to fight, or if other nations need to fight, they have to borrow money from it. After the war, they have to start paying it back."During wartime, with their backs against the wall, they had no choice but to borrow, no matter how high the interest rate.The Yao Kingdom's true power lay in its ability to enforce debt repayment; no one dared default on their loans."Do both sides in a conflict have to borrow from them?""Usually, yes. Who else has that much money?" A-Luo added. "Besides money, there are also weapons, grain, armor, and so on. As for the Yao Kingdom's usurious loans, I've only ever heard of the Giant Deer Kingdom managing to pay theirs off completely."

The Ying people had long been suffocated by this crushing debt. When they couldn't repay it, they had to carry out shady or universally detested tasks for the Yao Kingdom to offset what they owed.Meng-Meng said resentfully, "These vampires!"

Upon hearing this, the envoy's eyes widened in shock. "Are you mad?"The Ying people had always been like dogs, obeying their every command. Had they lost their minds this time?The chieftain unsheathed the blade from his waist, and a chilling aura of killing intent surged towards the Yao envoy.The envoy stumbled back two steps, shouting, "What are you doing!""Are you in charge of this matter?" the chieftain pointed towards the door. "Go back and deliver the message!"The Yao envoy dared not linger; he scurried out, only daring to glance back once he was a dozen zhang away.He certainly couldn't make such a decision and had no choice but to report back to the Yao King.

After he left, chaos erupted within the Ying tribe.The Second Uncle angrily demanded, "If we do this job, will we still be able to stand in the Glittering Gold Plains?""Whether we can stand depends on our strength!" the chieftain said, turning to face him with an icy tone. "The Luodian Kingdom also betrayed the alliance back then, so why do they live so much better than us, and no one dares to criticize them?"

What he said was true, and the tribesmen exchanged uneasy glances.Both the Luodian Kingdom and the Ying people had defected together back then, yet for all these years, only the Ying had suffered constant exclusion from their neighbors, scorn, and sanctions. Although the Luodian Kingdom also had a poor reputation, they conducted their business as usual and lived their lives seemingly unaffected.Why did they receive different treatment for the same mistake? This had been a source of resentment for the Ying people for years.

"Isn't it because the Luodian Kingdom's military was stronger and their warriors more formidable? Since they couldn't defeat the Luodian Kingdom, they came to take out their anger on the Ying people!" The chieftain spat on the ground. "This cursed world, full of arrogant fools who look down on others! Once we become strong, our neighbors naturally won't dare utter a single 'no' to us!""How many heinous acts has the Yao Kingdom committed over the years, and has anyone dared to curse them to their face?" he sneered again. "As long as we break free from our debts and can freely trade horses, why wouldn't we prosper and become powerful? By then, anyone who dares to point fingers at us, we'll chop off their limbs!"His powerful speech stirred the tribesmen's blood.Yes, might makes right; that was the law of survival in the Glittering Gold Plains!

The Second Uncle frowned, feeling that something was amiss but unable to pinpoint it.Only A-Xun watched his father with concern.His father was fiercer and more volatile than before. Although his words seemed logical, A-Xun knew exactly where he had been.

Finally, an elder from the tribe stepped forward and said, "Everyone, calm down. The conditions the chieftain has put forth are not low, and the Yao Kingdom may not agree to them."Upon hearing this, the Ying people felt a touch of disappointment.

After the tribesmen dispersed, the father and son returned to their dwelling. Only when A-Xun saw that no one else was around did he dare ask his father:"Did you get it?"The chieftain's face showed a triumphant expression. "Of course!"He stepped back, and suddenly, his entire body was covered in a black scale armor, from head to toe, with only his neck and face exposed.The armor's sudden appearance startled A-Xun. He saw that while its style was somewhat ancient, it was free of rust or blemishes, with even very few scratches.His own battle armor was scarred and had only just been taken by Meng-Meng for repairs, yet the Rakshasa Armor his father brought back from the ruins was as gleaming as new?"This... this is the Rakshasa Armor?" He circled his father. The armor didn't look very imposing.

"For armor meant for killing, practicality is paramount," the chieftain said, clenching his fist and lightly touching the tabletop. He didn't strike with force; with just a gentle touch, the table instantly disintegrated, splitting into pieces.A-Xun had excellent eyesight, capable of shooting a kite with his bow. Even in the slightly dim light of the tent, he noticed that the scales on his father's left chest were somewhat different.Although they were all scales, these few pieces were thicker and had sharp, serrated edges.It looked as if they had been added later?"Here, it looks like..." He reached out to touch them, but his father suddenly recoiled.A-Xun's hand paused in mid-air, then slowly retracted, feeling a little awkward.

"Where are A-Li and A-Yi?" His father had taken his capable guards with him, but they were nowhere to be seen upon his return.The chieftain shook his head. "Jing Mountain is dangerous; they couldn't make it out.""Were there evil spirits or demons inside?""Yes, but the worst were humans," the chieftain replied. "Several adventurers ambushed me. I killed five, but two escaped."

A-Xun's expression dimmed slightly, but his father patted his head, full of confidence. "Don't look so glum! Our good days are coming."He had completely shed his former dejection; his voice was full of vigor, his movements powerful and swift, and every gesture exuded inexhaustible strength.All his old injuries and ailments seemed to have vanished.The Ying chieftain appeared to have returned to his peak, as he was more than a decade ago.No, it was more than that.A-Xun felt a flicker of unease. "Father, are you... are you alright?""Alright? What could be wrong?" his father boomed. "I haven't felt this good in over ten years!"

"Is there anything unusual when you wear this armor?" So many warriors had fallen in the past; how exactly did the Rakshasa Armor affect them?"Nothing," his father said with a triumphant smile. "Did you think there would be an evil voice in my ear, constantly tempting me? What a foolish idea! Wearing this armor makes me feel completely at ease, my thoughts flow clearly, as if I could pluck stars from the sky.""But the Rakshasa Armor...""Don't worry, everything is within my control!"

To A-Xun's disappointment, the Yao Kingdom quickly agreed to the Ying people's terms, with hardly any negotiation.They were truly eager for the man's death.Over the next few days, the Ying began gathering intelligence, probing for information, and tracking their assassination target.This mission was far from easy. The target, who advocated for a united front against the Yao, naturally knew the Yao Kingdom desired his head. Therefore, he traveled with a guard of over two hundred men and more than ten highly skilled followers—These were men provided by three different monarchs.How many people did the entire Ying tribe have? They had never encountered such a tough nut to crack. If the Ying wanted to eliminate such a target, the best method would be a covert ambush rather than a direct frontal assault.