Chapter 687: Sword Knight Village

Zhi Xu Daozhang gave a faint, inscrutable smile and said, "The so‑called trip to Qiang Land to take in the scenery and sights is really about enjoying the fine heads of the Qiang people and observing that the Qiang bandits get what they deserve."

Chen Wuji chuckled; he knew this scenery was definitely not simple.

As expected.

In other words, they ran off to Qiang Land to kill and burn.

At that moment, Zhi Xu Daozhang continued, "Lu Jia Village is just a bunch of sword‑playing ruffians, which could be considered a jianghu force; inside the village they are farmers waving hoes, but once they step out they are true sword knights, a rare breed of sword knights seldom seen nowadays."

"You, Commander, need not worry about this bunch of mud‑legs; they have no schemes and are not colluding with the Qiang—I can guarantee it with my life. If they make a mistake, you may take my worthless head."

"Lu Jia Village borders Qiang Land, yet the Qiang do them no harm—not that they don't want to, but they dare not. Let me tell you a few stories, Commander: when the Lu clan picked that auspicious feng shui spot and moved the whole clan there in less than a month, the Qiang showed up."

"Several hundred Qiang surrounded the just‑built Lu Jia Village and demanded that each Lu household send out one person to be killed, and also pay a hundred taels of silver and a hundred shi of grain, after which they would spare the rest."

"That day, not a single Lu died, nor did they hand over any grain or a single tael of silver; instead, of those several hundred Qiang, only two made it back alive. As they fled, they were followed by over a hundred Lu Jia sword knights."

"Two days later, that little settlement was left without a chicken or dog, and the leaders of several nearby settlements had their heads taken; from then on, the Lu people settled in that area."

Hearing this story, Chen Wuji had many doubts: "Daozhang, if I remember correctly, the Qiang are known to hold grudges—after the Lus did that, didn't the Qiang retaliate?"

"'How could there be no retaliation?' Zhi Xu Daozhang stroked his beard and chuckled lightly. 'The Qiang did retaliate, and quickly. That time the Lus hid, while several Qiang settlements banded together and sent out over a thousand troops—but when they stormed the Lu homes, they couldn't even find a chicken.'"

"The Qiang burned the Lus' newly built houses and withdrew, but when they returned, they found their homes, the guardians left behind, and all their cattle, sheep, chickens and dogs slaughtered to the last."

Holy shit!

Chen Wuji almost blurted those two out instinctively.

Years of campaigning had honed his mindset to near‑unshakable steadiness, yet hearing this still shocked him a bit.

The Lus are not just fierce; they're also a bit ruthless.

Since he began his campaigns, he has issued only one order to level the enemy's wagons—and that was against Zhong Qiang.

If the enemy hasn't lost all heavenly conscience, he would never resort to such an inhumane act.

As for this matter, the Lus carried it out without a hint of hesitation—utterly decisive.

However, since it was directed at Zhong Qiang, Chen Wuji felt no aversion; instead, he inexplicably felt gratified.

He who kills will be killed.

Toward a people who do not treat others as humans and delight in massacring them, pity is hardly warranted.

The Zhong Qiang people are much like that lowly tribe that likes to keep a beard right under the nose.

Zhi Xu Daozhang went on with the Lu Jia Village story: "Seeing that scene, the Qiang flared with rage and launched another Revolving Horse Spear attack, but once again they came up empty."

"The enraged Qiang combed the surrounding dozens of li, yet found no trace of the Lu clan; they set fire to the mountains, re‑burned the incompletely destroyed Lu Jia Village, and after days of fruitless vigil, they finally cursed their way back to Qiang Land."

"In the years that followed, those several Qiang settlements, together with the nearby ones, fell into a panic over their people being killed for no reason. Every few days they would discover a strip of cloth on a dead warhorse, bearing words like 'On such‑and‑such a date and time, we will kill so‑and‑so; let him hide.'"

"But no matter how deeply those people hid or how many protected them, when their time came they still died—some silently, some openly."

"'This story is indeed thrilling,' Chen Wuji remarked. 'But how can one die openly?'"

He still didn't quite grasp what that meant.

What does it mean to die openly?

"'It means being killed openly—purely, in full view of countless Qiang of the settlement, slaying the person they wanted dead, and still managing to withdraw completely,' said Zhi Xu Daozhang."

"The people of Lu Jia Village are skilled at hiding and at killing enemies while hidden; that is their talent. And precisely because of this talent, they have made their neighbors panic and fear them."

"And precisely for this reason they have been able to coexist peacefully with their neighbors for many years—or at least not completely peacefully; rather, whenever they thought of revenge, they struck first, so the neighbors dared not act rashly."

Chen Wuji's expression shifted slightly: "Does Lu Jia Village have its own intelligence network?"

Zhi Xu Daozhang shook his head. "That bunch of mud‑legs couldn't pull off such delicate work; they're merely good at picking out enemies."

"The Qiang number in the hundreds of thousands, while they have only a little over two hundred. They cannot stand against the Qiang's great army, nor can they wipe out those brutal foes completely, so when they have nothing to do they simply go out more often, eliminating the bigger threats early."

"Because they kill so often, coincidences naturally arise. Thus, whenever a Qiang leader or elder bent on revenge and wanting to wipe out this little village once more prepares to act, they happen to be already dead."

After hearing Zhi Xu Daozhang's little tale, Chen Wuji had a rough idea of things.

His assessment of Lu Jia Village's status instantly became clear.

Their position can, for now, be equated with that of Ciji Zhai.

They must be top‑notch assassins.

"Thank you, Daozhang, for clearing up my doubts!" Chen Wuji said sincerely.

If it weren't for Zhi Xu Daozhang's story, he would surely have to expend more effort to fully understand Lu Jia Village; however, Zhang Lao's place would probably give him a similar answer.

Zhi Xu Daozhang laughed and shook his head. "It's just a trifle; incidentally, I congratulate the Commander on becoming allied by marriage with Lu Jia Village. Though Lu Jia Village is only a small hamlet, this connection may well make them a help to the Commander."

"'That bunch of mud‑legs should still be quite useful; they're just a little proud. If the Commander has nothing to do, giving them a few extra drills will set them right.'"

"'Daozhang, this joke isn't one to make, and I don't want to become enemies with such a bunch,' Chen Wuji replied in kind, though he wasn't really afraid."