CHAPTER 59: 59. EIGHT-ARMED BRIGHT KING SUTRA (REQUEST FOR RECITATION)

Gongyang Yi journeyed to Tiger Soul River, not to see King of Sorrow Yao Dang first, but to see Xu Xing instead—a move calculated to sow deep suspicion!

Although Xu Xing was curious about Gongyang Yi’s purpose in entering Siming Mountain Stronghold, he felt compelled to avoid suspicion and thus sought out Yao Dang first. After explaining the situation, he deliberately kept Gongyang Yi waiting for a while before finally appearing.

But a Positive Strategy is, after all, still a Positive Strategy.

Compared to the past, Yao Dang’s gaze towards him now carried an additional hint of suspicion.

"My visit to King Xing Tian is not for any other matter..." Gongyang Yi said, fanning himself. "It is to resolve King Xing Tian’s hostilities towards Heyang Mountain."

"Master Shang became the Alliance Leader because Mount Siming proposed it," Xu Xing stated. "The two families are part of the Brotherhood Alliance. Mister Gongyang’s words... this king finds them truly hard to fathom."

Xu Xing had experience in official circles and was long accustomed to this kind of wrangling.

Even though both sides knew the rebels’ recent actions were instigated by him, he absolutely could not admit this "mistake." Once admitted, it would mean shattering the unity of the Righteous Army, and he would instantly be branded with a damning label.

"Conversely, regarding Heyang Mountain..." Xu Xing narrowed his eyes, pressing Gongyang Yi. "I’ve heard the Alliance Leader has acted unfairly and is suspected of forcibly annexing troops. Is this true?"

"With the official soldiers watching closely, the Alliance Leader had no choice but to take such measures to prevent chaos in the mountain stronghold and resist the enemy’s attacks," Gongyang Yi replied. "At the time, I advised the Alliance Leader against it, for the sake of camaraderie among the feudal lords... Who would have thought that for the greater cause of the rebellion, the Alliance Leader was willing to bear the resounding infamy of widespread condemnation..."

Uniting the feudal lords was a minor principle; rebelling against the Imperial Court was the greater principle. Sacrificing a minor principle for a greater one could be justified on the surface.

"Mister Gongyang’s words..." Xu Xing sneered. "The various rebels might not believe them."

"That is why the Alliance Leader sent me here," Gongyang Yi stated concisely, no longer beating around the bush. "He intends to appoint King of Sorrow as the Deputy Alliance Leader, to discuss future matters together."

"Deputy Alliance Leader..." Xu Xing pondered.

Heyang Mountain would not easily relinquish power. Offering Yao Dang the position of Deputy Alliance Leader could be a genuine move or a pretense. However, in his view, Heyang Mountain was likely sincere in wanting Yao Dang as Deputy Alliance Leader. Firstly, Mount Siming’s current power was second only to Heyang Mountain, possessing the actual substance of a Deputy Alliance Leader. Secondly, under his manipulation, Mount Siming had strategically retreated half a step, seizing only the soldiers and horses of some rebels. Among the Eighteen Rebel Kings, Mount Siming’s reputation was far better than the notorious Heyang Mountain, thus they had earned the *name* of a Deputy Alliance Leader. Appointing Yao Dang as Deputy Alliance Leader... was likely intended to defuse the pressure from the other rebels. Considering the current situation, Xu Xing quickly guessed Heyang Mountain’s intentions.

"To be frank, Mister Gongyang..." Xu Xing’s voice choked with emotion, tears welling in his eyes. "My Big Brother... A few days ago, while attacking Sun Chengxiang’s Feijie Army and Wang An’s Baotao Army, my Big Brother was accidentally gravely injured and is now bedridden. As for my Second Brother, he unfortunately perished. Now, everyone in Siming Mountain Stronghold is in Mourning Clothes, holding vigil for Second Brother..."

Now that Heyang Mountain was seeking Siming Mountain’s cooperation, he had to bargain and make Heyang Mountain cough up some resources. As for his current claims that King of Sorrow was gravely injured and King of Might had perished—to outsiders, King of Sorrow’s serious injury might be false, but King of Might must truly have died. After all, the Righteous Army of Siming Mountain was all in Mourning Clothes, holding vigil for King of Might...

"All of you, withdraw," Gongyang Yi’s gaze swept over the bodyguards from Heyang Mountain as he spoke calmly. "King Xing Tian and I will discuss the subsequent matters privately."

"Mister Gongyang..." Wang Tong, seeing this, grew anxious. He was, after all, one of Monk Shang’s confidants, a favored general, and a trusted aide, holding a significant position in the mountain stronghold. Although Gongyang Yi’s action was justifiable, in Wang Tong’s eyes, it inevitably seemed like a slight.

"Stand down!" Gongyang Yi’s expression turned cold. "The King of Law has ordered that I am to take full responsibility for the matter of today’s alliance. General Wang... are you intentionally defying the King of Law’s command?"

Wang Tong said no more and led his men out of the Yangxin Pavilion.

Xu Xing also clapped his hands, signaling the maids and guards inside the room to withdraw.

"Of course, the King of Law wouldn’t fail to bring a gift for King of Sorrow." Seeing that only he and Xu Xing remained in the pavilion, Gongyang Yi no longer concealed anything. He took out the human-skin Scripture that Eight-Armed Dharma King Monk Shang had entrusted to him and presented it to Xu Xing. "I, Gongyang Yi, wish to honor King Xing Tian as my Ming Gong. Therefore, I have procured this Scripture to demonstrate my sincerity!"

With that, he knelt on one knee, holding the human-skin Scripture in both hands, offering it to Xu Xing.

"This..." Xu Xing was genuinely astonished by Gongyang Yi’s pledge of allegiance. "Why is Mister Gongyang doing this?"

In terms of status, at Heyang Mountain, Gongyang Yi was second only to Monk Shang, a position above tens of thousands. He, Xu Xing, on the other hand, was merely a minor rebel in Siming Mountain Stronghold, not yet even in full control of its military power. Even if Gongyang Yi were to switch allegiance, it should be to his Big Brother, King of Sorrow Yao Dang. It shouldn’t have been his turn, no matter how one looked at it.

"Monk Shang..." Gongyang Yi narrowed his eyes. He knew he now had to explain his reasons for choosing Xu Xing.

He then detailed his upper, middle, and lower-tiered strategies.

"Monk Shang," he continued, "is nothing more than a skeleton in a tomb. He is vain, impatient, lacks magnanimity, and disregards loyalty. He is doomed to perish eventually. If I were to remain in Heyang Mountain, I would merely be buried alongside him."

"Mount Siming was originally just a small stronghold. But after King Xing Tian arrived, in a mere few months, it grew to become a major stronghold second only to Heyang Mountain. He also devised strategies to defeat the official soldiers."

"Their current weakness is merely temporary..." he declared with unwavering confidence. How can one who aspires to great deeds shrink from personal risk?

When Monk Shang was still obscure, he showed the makings of a leader. But ultimately, he is just a renegade monk from Xuanji Temple with limited vision. After becoming the Alliance Leader of the Eighteen Rebel Kings, he lost the audacity to pursue grand ambitions.

"Mister Gongyang, you were previously my adversary..." Xu Xing said, collecting himself. "Your sudden change of heart... this king finds it difficult to comprehend at the moment."

He didn’t believe Gongyang Yi was attempting a counter-espionage ploy. The relationship between Gongyang Yi and Monk Shang hadn’t reached that depth. Besides, a counter-espionage ploy... wouldn’t be used on him, the second-in-command of Siming Mountain Stronghold. How could the foremost strategist under a rebel leader stoop to being an agent in a counter-espionage scheme? Only a halfwit would devise such a flawed plan.

"King Xing Tian and I served different camps," Gongyang Yi replied, "so my strategies were often directed against King Xing Tian. Please understand, King Xing Tian."

He didn’t think he and Xu Xing shared any irreconcilable feud. Offering counsel to Monk Shang was a consequence of their opposing allegiances. On the contrary, his strategies having caused King Xing Tian some setbacks also served to demonstrate his own capabilities. Among the Eighteen Rebel Kings, only King Xing Tian was someone he couldn’t see through...

"In that case..." Xu Xing took the Eight-Armed Vajra Sutra from Gongyang Yi’s hands, then helped him to his feet. "This king accepts Mister Gongyang’s allegiance," he said gravely.

Though his own strategic acumen was considerable, he believed that ’many heads are better than one.’ He wasn’t so arrogant as to underestimate the heroes of the world.

A short while later, Xu Xing summoned a bodyguard into the Yangxin Pavilion. "Relay my order," he commanded. "Kill Wang Tong!"