This scoundrel is a bit of a swordsman.

Chapter 207 The Hidden Dangers of the Ling Family Army

"How do you know so much? You give me the feeling of being a ghost, so terrifying."

Ling Feiyuan said with lingering fear, "Ever since I first met Xiao Xingchen, he has been like a celestial being who can predict the future. It is a terrifying thing. It is as if I am naked in front of this person, with no secrets left."

"You can rest assured that I will never reveal a word about Xiao Jianxian to anyone. You just need to hide your men. However, it is not yet time for those things he left behind to see the light of day again."

"Do you mean?"

"gunpowder,"

"You even know this?"

Ling Feiyuan looked on in disbelief. Gunpowder—that was their biggest secret.

"Yes, that thing is a great weapon of war. I can't be sure yet whether it can kill cultivators. Let's save this treasure for later. Perhaps with some improvements, it can threaten the Ninth Heaven. So we must not reveal it now. This is a trump card."

Xiao Xingchen understood perfectly well that once the power of gunpowder reached cultivators, not only would the world's格局 (geju, a term referring to the overall situation or structure) change drastically, but even the格局 of the Nine Heavens would undergo earth-shattering changes. Across the ocean, there was already a Great Xia undergoing a steam revolution. If gunpowder were to suddenly appear here, the Nine Heavens, as the rulers, would probably spare no effort to wipe it out. These things were shaking the foundation of their rule, so how could they remain indifferent?

Ling Feiyuan was struck dumb, his mind a complete mess. He shook his head frantically, seemingly trying to shake off the shock Xiao Xingchen had brought him. However, he quickly regained his composure, secretly relieved that Xiao Xingchen wasn't his enemy. If he were, the mere thought of having his trump cards exposed sent chills down his spine.

"In that case, I expect you to keep your word. The Ling family has a total of seven generals and eight armies, ready to be deployed at any time."

As Ling Feiyuan clenched her fists and bowed deeply, the Ling family army's decision to surrender seemed inevitable. This filled Xiao Xingchen with immense excitement. Just a moment ago, he had nothing, but now he commanded hundreds of thousands of troops, possessing the power to overthrow the world at any moment. This sudden and joyous news overwhelmed even the most resolute man, making it difficult to suppress his excitement.

“Feiyuan, there’s no need for that in the future. The Ling family army will still be under your command. If there is ever a need for me to intervene, I will use you to mobilize troops. This military power will forever be in your hands.”

Xiao Xingchen quickly helped Ling Feiyuan up.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"There's no need to call me Your Highness. From now on, we'll address each other as brothers. You're a few years older than me, so I'll call you Big Brother, and you can just call me Brother. Big Brother,"

"this..."

"Stop with the formalities. We're both young, no need for all that politeness. The future is a tough road. Bringing you onto my ship means blood and battle. We'll need each other, brothers, to fight side by side. Your grudge is my grudge. When the time comes, I'll personally lead you to wipe out Nanling."

"Thanks...brother."

Ling Feiyuan let out a long breath, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his heart. At this moment, he felt incredibly relaxed. Although the Ling family army still revolved around him, years of dormancy had gradually worn him down. Now, with a king standing by his side, it was as if he had found a support, and his whole body began to feel lighter.

"Haha, alright, then you can come with me to the Prince's Mansion. We can accommodate some of the brothers there. As for the rest who can't be settled yet, we can put them in the Princess's Mansion first. That way, your identity issues will be resolved, and the brothers won't have to be beggars here anymore."

"The Princess's residence?" Ling Feiyuan was taken aback.

"Of course, don't worry. The Princess is one of our own. Only in this way can I get you legitimate identities. Once your identities are settled, I won't stop you brothers from going wherever you want."

"Alright, but it's not appropriate for me to go directly into the Prince's mansion. It's better for me to remain hidden. Some dirty tricks always need to be done by hand, so let me stay here."

Ling Feiyuan's refusal did not surprise Xiao Xingchen. A person accustomed to hiding in the dust had already become used to concealing themselves; minimalism was, in a sense, their normal state.

"I understand what you mean. I will send someone to contact you. As for the brothers who want to join the Prince's Palace, please coordinate with them as soon as possible. Since I have just been enfeoffed as a Prince, it will be easier to recruit soldiers and horses without arousing suspicion."

"Understood. By tomorrow at the latest, all my men in Yong'an will be able to gather."

"Then it's a deal. Tomorrow evening, I'll bring people to meet with you, brother, and we'll arrange everything then."

"Until then,"

Ling Feiyuan reached out and took a roster from the table, then handed it over.

"This is the roster of everyone in the Ling Family Army, along with the hidden supplies, gold, and silver. Since you've chosen to join forces as brothers, I naturally can't keep anything for myself anymore. Don't refuse me; this is what you deserve. No matter what the future holds, I will always be the one hiding in the shadows. Everything in the Ling Family Army will be handed over to you sooner or later."

Xiao Xingchen took it; it was a thick stack of names, a truly substantial gift. The names were dazzling to look at, and the booklet covered the entire table.

"You really surprised me. You've secretly expanded your army to this extent. If Emperor Wu knew, he would go crazy."

Xiao Xingchen couldn't help but sigh.

"My Ling family's remaining forces number only tens of thousands. After experiencing a great calamity, many died or were wounded. Fortunately, we escaped into Cangshan Mountain, where we found the secret left behind by Xiao Jianxian: gold, silver, food, and supplies. With these, the world will have no shortage of refugees."

"The war between the nations has lasted for many years, especially in the northern regions. As long as you give refugees a bite to eat, they can immediately take up arms and become soldiers. Over time, we have found more and more refugees, and the number has grown to what it is today. However, I strictly forbid them from leaving the mountains. Except for a limited number of people, no one is allowed to have contact with the outside world."

"In the end, it's all because people are living in misery. If the world could truly be a place where people could live and work in peace, who would give up a good life to come out and mingle with us?"

Ling Feiyuan's words made Xiao Xingchen nod. Xiao Jianxian's legacy was just a starting point. In the end, it all comes down to the same thing: people need to be fed. The saying "whoever feeds you is your mother" is not a derogatory term. If you can't even fill your stomach, what kind of morality and righteousness can you talk about?

However, the scale of Ling Feiyuan's activities still surprised him. In the depths of Cangshan Mountain, so many people had already begun to form a kingdom. Subduing these people would not be an easy task. There are all kinds of birds in a big forest. Ling Feiyuan had been in Yong'an for the past few years. Could it be that some changes would really happen in the deep mountains?

This prevented Xiao Xingchen from becoming overwhelmed with joy. He had a premonition that the subjugation of the Ling family was far from over. Ling Feiyuan's personality was still somewhat ruthless enough, and he didn't believe that someone like that could command everyone's unanimous opinion.

"Did you encounter any resistance when you submitted? Or rather, were there no dissenting voices within your ranks?"

He voiced his biggest concern.

"Yes, with so many people, it's impossible for there not to be dissenting voices. But thankfully, apart from the direct descendants of my Ling family, no one else knows the whereabouts of Xiao Jianxian. Four of the seven generals are former officials of my Ling family, and five of the eight armies follow my lead. In the face of absolute power, even if someone opposes, they can be suppressed."

“Most importantly, I have always kept their supplies under control. I have not relaxed my control over them just because I am not in Cangshan. The environment deep in Cangshan is harsh and the area is extremely vast. Without my people to lead them, even if they were released back to freedom, they would not be able to leave Cangshan. So I am very at ease with them because they are in a deadly place.”

"Jedi?"

Seeing the confident Ling Feiyuan, Xiao Xingchen didn't press the matter further. He knew that Cangshan was full of mystery, and there was no such thing as a 100% safe haven. Although it was dangerous, it was also full of opportunities. He needed to go back and discuss this matter properly. He didn't intend to accept all the opposing voices.

“I know your concerns. After our Yong'an people are settled, I will personally go back to appease them. To be honest, over the years, we have split into several factions. With my father’s death, it has taken me quite a bit of effort to suppress those old officials.”