I Can See Your Combat Power

The reason why humans are humans lies in the many things they possess that beasts and demons do not, such as the pursuit of life’s meaning, the application of morality as self-restraint, and the creation of seemingly frivolous notions like nobility, lowliness, purity, filth, usefulness, and uselessness as markers to position their life.

Yet, the more intelligent a person is, the more complex they become, with the highest wisdom often appearing paradoxical.

Having spent fifteen years in this different world, Tang Luo cared most for the commoners and despised the noble families the most, even though all noble families originated from the commoners.

Because the more prosperous and powerful a clan in this world is, the more skeletons lie beneath their throne, an observation that is far from a rhetoric but a straightforward statement.

The reason the Tang and Mi clans surpassed other noble families by hundreds of times in power was not due to their descendants being superior, but through hundreds of years spent plundering along the coast. The countless skeletons and unjustly killed souls beneath the Wancheng Treasure Ship were those of hundreds and thousands of smaller clans, forming a towering hatred that forged the Tang clan’s power.

All powerful clans in this world, without exception, are steeped in bloodshed.

Even the most renowned worldly holy place, the Xu Clan, is not as clean as rumored, not because those in power need to employ violent means, but because no matter where, class oppression is always brutal, particularly so among martial families.

But as a transmigrator with his own set of values, Tang Luo couldn’t be at peace with the notion that commoners are worthless.

To noble families, the only use of commoners is to serve as cannon fodder and laborers. The gap between martial artists from noble families and those from common families is as wide as that between infants and adults. A Yellow Rank technique with killing methods is already a treasure for commoner martial artists, but for clans, it’s merely an introductory technique for their guards and servants.

As if, to the noble families, commoners are just like enslaved pigs and dogs, a source of resources to be exploited at will, a mass of insignificant ants under their feet.

Commoners seemed to have accepted this reality, too. Even in Xiling, a city that has enjoyed peace for hundreds of years, less than half of commoners die of old age. One can only imagine how tough life must be for commoners in other cities on the continent.

Tang Luo sympathized with commoners, as seeing their dreary, oblivious existence was like looking at his past self: powerless to resist and surviving by clinging to a predetermined path, ready to be left behind by the era with one mistake.

Of course, part of this is due to a lack of effort, but isn’t it also because this era is too brutal?

He had no aspirations of being a saint, nor was he inclined to show mercy to the commoners. Tang Luo simply wanted to give the commoners of Xiling an opportunity.

Once they had fields, they would have food, and the chance to practise martial arts.

The path of martial arts was the sole pathway for commoners to elevate their status. Tang Luo simply couldn’t bear to see that even this only path was blocked for these poor people.

Despite impending floods, they continued leading their oblivion-filled lives, utterly oblivious. All he hoped for was to alert these poor individuals about the forthcoming disaster, so they could grab their last bag of grains, clothe themselves in warmer garments, take their young children by the hand, and run for their lives.

They may not outrun the noble families, but giving them a chance to run wouldn’t be too much, right?

That’s what Tang Luo intended to do: “The most important thing right now is to let the folks in the city know about the impending flood. I’ll take care of that.”

Du Sha nodded. His clan only had a thousand members, which made their effort to spread the word seem like a drop in the ocean, but he quickly found his role to play: “I’ll lead the Du clan to widen the mountain path and carve out cave dwellings and regions in the mountains for people to live.”

Because they practised the Red Cloud Skill, the Du clan’s warriors could easily carve out a large cave in the Red Cloud crystal, which was very tough for most martial artists. Their Fierce Realm martial artists could even fly, punching out one cave dwelling after another. Now that they decided to open up the mountains, they had to think of ways to provide for millions of commoners.

“I’m counting on you!” Tang Luo expressed solemnly.

The Tang Clan had been preparing for two full years. There were numerous densely packed camps and cave dwellings on North Mountain, but they were all prepared for the various clans in Xiling. As for the area on Red Cloud Mountain where the common people lived, they had to start from scratch.

Thankfully, with the help of the Du clan’s martial artists and given that there should be many craftsmen among the commoners who knew how to build cities and camps, they should be able to rebuild their homes on Red Cloud Mountain through collective wisdom and efforts.

After delegating tasks, Tang Luo left the council chamber in Red Cloud Village and used the Immortal Wind Cloud Body Technique to fly away.

In no time, he had arrived in East City. From afar, he saw three thousand members of the Righteous Gang, all dressed in uniform, standing in square formations. From high above, apart from the first dozen or so who were at a martial rank known as the Transcending Mortal Realm, the rest were mainly folk on the brink of attaining spiritual power.

Landing before the formation, Tang Luo asked Gong Zheng, “Where are their families?”

He had seen no refugees on his entire journey from Red Cloud Mountain to Xiling. He had ordered Gong Zheng to arrange for the shopkeepers of the Righteous Business Group to organize the evacuation of their families, but saw no sign of it happening.

Gong Zheng, with a guilty look, answered, “Young Master, I have conveyed your order. However, the families of our brothers have just started to enjoy better days, and are quite resistant to this order which feels almost like fleeing. Although they dare not disobey, they insist on taking every possession with them. I had people urge them several times, but to no avail.”

“I see,” said Tang Luo, his eyebrows knitted slightly in self-reproach.

When he entered the Martial Hall, he was unsure if Du Sha would agree, so he didn’t directly inform Gong Zheng about the impending flood. He feared that with the news spreading, the people would rush impulsively to other mountains occupied by others. But it now seemed his vague order made it difficult for Gong Zheng to deliver the message.

The lone young man who had landed in front of the formation was talking to Gong Zheng, while the three thousand gang members stared at him intently. Even though they were aware that Tang Luo was the big boss behind the Righteous Gang, the sight of this widely-known wonder boy appearing before them made these men of the Righteous Gang feel as if they were living a dream.

It felt as surreal as finding out one’s supervisor at a small company is in fact CEO of a listed company. Everyone knew that having a powerful backer made things easier. Working under Xiling’s strongest Transcending Mortal Realm martial artist was undoubtedly comforting.

To the commoner martial artists, the Transcending Mortal Realm was the highest level attainable for them. And Tang Luo was Xiling’s strongest Transcending Mortal Realm expert, and in their hearts, he was no different from the strongest in the world.

Those who had otherwise been standing in a lax manner now straightened their bodies, looking like soldiers awaiting inspection, with pride evident on their faces.

With three thousand people in formation, even in Xiling, they made a grand sight. People entering and leaving the eastern gate started to look in their direction from afar.

Upon looking at the formation of the Righteous Gang, and then at the people gathered in the distance, Tang Luo said to Gong Zheng, “The Longjiang river is changing its route to the Lingjiang river. In three days, a giant flood will wipe out Xiling. Dispatch them to various places in eastern Xiling to spread the news.”