I Can See Your Combat Power

The crowd’s attention had already focused on the conflict at the forefront of the queue. Regardless of perspective, Yue Daoyan seemed to embody the temperament of a heroic figure, while the five-meter-tall giant sitting cross-legged appeared more like a villain.

“So, your choice is freedom, is it not?” Tang Luo looked at Yue Daoyan’s face with interest, his expression filled with amusement.

Yue Daoyan stood tall and dignified with his hands behind his back, staring directly into the eyes of the giant without any sign of servility or arrogance. “Better to die than live without freedom,” he declared.

The aura of a peak mortal shedder burst forth, subtly connecting with the earth’s spiritual power. It seemed that he was on the verge of reaching the realm of unity of spirit and intent.

The more desperate the situation, the more potent the power of a role model, because people instinctively follow a strong leader when they feel weak and helpless.

In the face of critical choices, people often waver, but with a role model like Yue Daoyan who spoke such inspiring words, many found direction instantly.

Tang Luo didn’t particularly care about the choices of the people before him. Whether they chose to become his followers or to opt for a self-sufficient path to freedom, he was pleased either way.

However, he disliked Yue Daoyan’s attitude, and so he decided to raise the price of this man’s freedom, to show the others what attitude they should use when speaking to the master of Red Cloud Mountain.

“Since you choose freedom, I will give you one day to take all of Yue family’s members off Red Cloud Mountain,” Tang Luo coldly stated. “After one day, any Yue family members remaining on Red Cloud Mountain will be thrown off the mountain. Have I made myself clear?”

Just a moment ago, Yue Daoyan was full of righteous indignation. Now, his face suddenly changed, his eyes filled with rage as he challenged the giant with a calm expression, “What gives you the right?”

“Because Red Cloud Mountain beneath your feet is my property,” replied Tang Luo nonchalantly, as if discussing a trivial matter.

He glanced over at Yue Daoyan, who now wore an expression of utter defeat, then addressed the suddenly noisy crowd with a calm demeanor. “Apart from those associated with Yue Daoyan, those who choose freedom may stay here with my permission as the lord of Red Cloud Mountain. But, if I catch wind of any of you preying on commoners or oppressing the innocent, you will meet the same fate as Yue Daoyan and the Yue family. Have I made myself clear?”

Those who were starving and couldn’t survive wouldn’t ask Tang Luo for freedom. Most of those who responded to Yue Daoyan’s call were well-dressed cultivators who were clearly not yet plagued by hunger.

In Tang Luo’s opinion, civilians who had not undergone cultivation were the real jewels—cultivators who had already completed their subjective worlds held little recruiting value.

He saw no problem with their choice of the path to self-sufficient freedom, but since the Red Cloud Mountain had become his territory, he would establish rules.

Tang Luo valued order more than goodness and justice.

The supposed freedom is the range of activities within defined boundaries, not the lack of restrictions as per one’s whims. The boundary on Red Cloud Mountain was: you can try to find food but not through robbery or killing.

Tang Luo preferred the worst-case scenario preliminarily and then set clear boundaries—infringement meant death.

Those who initially thought they could follow Yue Daoyan’s lead and leave the mountain in a grand manner found themselves at a sudden loss, unable to meet the giant’s all-knowing gaze.

In the chaotic Red Cloud Mountain, the wicked were the most prosperous. The way to reduce one’s grain consumption was just getting their hands on the hidden grain of the population.

The rules of Red Cloud Mountain had changed after the setting of boundaries. Even those cultivators hidden among the refugees who were unhappy were obliged to abide by the will of the master of Red Cloud Mountain—this was order.

Despite the loss of their freedom to oppress the good, they were still allowed to stay in Red Cloud Mountain, which was far better than the imminent destruction of the Yue family.

Those cultivators who thought they could follow Yue Daoyan’s lead and leave the mountain were now shrinking into the crowd, carefully retreating.

With one casual glance, Tang Luo could see through their actions. He saw the now ashen-faced Yue Daoyan and said casually, “You’d better get going. One day is not that long.”

Yue Daoyan lifted his desperate face and said, “Champion indeed. I, Yue, admit my defeat and am willing to put on a headband and become your follower.”

If his initial intention was to snatch grain from Tang Luo, now he just wanted to make sure his family was safe.

Just when Yue was sure Tang Luo would accept his defection, the giant refused without a moment’s hesitation, saying curtly, “No need.”

Those short words made the face of the middle-aged warrior burn with humiliation.

“You don’t think that there would be no consequences for the offense to me?” said Tang Luo. His only interest now was for this man to die as soon as possible.

The population of over a million contained countless individuals with talents worthy of choosing, and twenty-five years to reach the peak of shell-shedding was deemed unspectacular!

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