Strongest Lord by Opening Blind Boxes

Chapter 61: Ma Changgui Is Capable Again

The hundred-meter-tall Floating Mountain was like a hot air balloon, drifting through the sky and quickly reaching a speed of forty kilometers per hour.

It was impossible for such a behemoth to go unnoticed.

The villagers of Pottery Village, Gourd Village, and other settlements, along with passersby, traveling merchants, and sightseers—more and more Indigenous People spotted the Floating Mountain in the sky. It was something entirely beyond their comprehension.

And for things beyond their comprehension, the simple and unlearned Indigenous People naturally developed a sense of awe.

While some chased after it, watching with curiosity, most fell to their knees and kowtowed.

Wang Yi looked down from above and thought, ’After today, my territory will probably be discovered by a lot of people. But that’s fine. If you want to build something great, you can’t just lay low. You have to advertise and raise your profile!’

’Developing a territory is the same. With name recognition, people will flock to you. Refugees will seek you out, and development will speed up.’

’Of course, a tall tree attracts the wind. As they say, fame courts danger. High-profile actions could also attract the attention of those with ulterior motives and make us a target.’

’But on the whole,’ Wang Yi thought, ’the pros outweigh the cons.’

"Today’s a great day for some advertising. Too bad I can’t hang up a banner or something!"

After a moment’s thought, Wang Yi lowered the Floating Mountain’s altitude until it was nearly skimming the ground. Then, he gave some instructions to Yang Wanli and the others.

From then on, whenever they passed over a populated area, Yang Wanli and the others would shout at the top of their lungs from the Floating Mountain.

"Listen up, you people down there! We are the Celestial Soldiers and Divine Generals from Eggshell Village! Today, we’re carrying out heaven’s will and heading to Black Stone Mountain to wipe out the bandits!"

"Executing justice!"

"Don’t you go tipping them off!"

"Want to join us? Then go! Find Eggshell Village in the river valley!"

"For fairness and justice!"

"Want to eat your fill? Want to stop going hungry? Eggshell Village welcomes you!"

"Wealth, status, fame, and power! Come to Eggshell Village, and you can have it all!"

"Eggshell Village is recruiting righteous heroes from all across the land!"

"HEY! HEY! HEY! Justice will prevail!"

The men shouted with all their might. Whenever they passed over a large crowd, Wang Yi would even toss down some braised beef and Vegetable Soup. The whole journey was a boisterous affair.

The Black Mountain Stronghold was about three hundred li in a straight line from the Jade River valley. By noon, Wang Yi could already see Black Stone Mountain.

From his vantage point, Black Stone Mountain’s terrain was certainly treacherous. The Black Mountain Stronghold was perched atop it, relying on its geographical advantages. It was easy to defend and difficult to attack. Taking it down with a conventional army would be no easy feat.

However, in the face of the airship-like Floating Mountain, relying on terrain was a joke. The stronghold was about to face an aerial assault.

...

「Black Mountain Stronghold. The Gathering Hall.」

Ma Changgui had been summoned by the Big Boss, Rolling Python.

The hall was filled with Mountain Bandits; the Hall Masters of every branch were present.

Ma Changgui was dressed in rags, but he strode forward with a contemptuous gaze. He carried an official’s hat-back chair with him, marched to the center of the hall, and plopped it down right next to the Wind Hall Master, Yuan Hei, before sitting down with great fanfare.

Before, he would never have dared. He couldn’t even beat a single random brute from the stronghold. The slightest hint of insolence would have earned him a beating.

But times had changed. Ma Changgui felt like he was hot stuff again!

He had drawn two Unusual Skills: one was [Toad Skill], and the other was [Iron Cloth Shirt]!

The system had instantly turned him into a Martial Arts Master!

However, this was different from the Toad Skill Ma Changgui was familiar with. This version was a Hard Qi Gong. Upon activation, his body would swell up as if inflated, drastically increasing his defense until he was Invulnerable to blades and spears.

His newfound, powerful Inner Strength also gave him incredible palm striking power.

As for the Iron Cloth Shirt, it was another Martial Art for increasing physical defense, a type of special Hard Qi Gong.

This skill specialized in tempering the skin. For an ordinary person to practice this Cultivation, it would require medicinal baths and enduring years of being beaten and having their skin abraded. It would take over a decade just to achieve minor proficiency. But with the system’s help, Ma Changgui’s Iron Cloth Shirt had instantly reached the grand completion stage.

Now that he had Martial Arts, he naturally had to show off. Ma Changgui had fought his way up to the hall, knocking down over a hundred men with his bare hands. That was why Rolling Python, Luo Jiu, had agreed to see him.

"Allow me to reintroduce myself. I, Ma Changgui, am a prodigy sent from the heavens! You all used to bully me, dunked me in the cesspit... But I’m a bigger man now, so I won’t hold it against you..."

Ma Changgui spoke as if he owned the place. An outsider seeing this would have probably assumed he was the Big Boss of the Black Mountain Stronghold.

Luo Jiu, Lei Liao, Yuan Hei, Liao Siniang, and the others watched Ma Changgui coldly, their faces grim and silent.

Ma Changgui paid them no mind and continued, "I’m not going to fight you. We’re on the same side. We should stick together, share the riches, and face our enemies as one! Our enemy is the Lord of the Jade River valley. His name is Wang Yi..."

"Hmph! You’re courting death!"

Luo Jiu couldn’t take it anymore. He slammed his palm down, shattering the armrest of his chair, ready to kill the insolent bastard spouting nonsense before him.

"Some random nobody becomes the Feces Hall Master and suddenly thinks he’s a big shot?"

"You shit-shoveler, you’ve got a lot of nerve!"

Lei Liao, Yuan Hei, and the others roared, also preparing to strike.

Ma Changgui burst out laughing, completely unafraid. He took a sharp breath, and his body began to expand bizarrely. Within two breaths, he had practically become a human beach ball.

"I’ll be honest with you. With my skills, you can’t break through my defense even if all of you attack together. Don’t believe me? Come and try..."

The words came out as a mumble. His head had swollen into a sphere, affecting his speech.

Just then, a man ran into the hall, shouting, "Bad news! Bad news, bosses! A Divine Being is Moving Mountains to come wipe us out!"

Everyone froze. They abandoned their attack on Ma Changgui. Luo Jiu roared, "You damn dog, what nonsense are you spouting?"

Sweat beaded on the reporting Mountain Bandit’s forehead. "It’s not nonsense, it’s true! A mountain flew through the sky! There are people on it, shouting about carrying out heaven’s will and executing justice! Oh, and there’s a giant iron man on the summit, like a statue, but it’s not Buddhist or Daoist. It’s really strange!"

"Huh?"

"How could a mountain be flying in the sky?"

"What giant iron man? What do you mean ’not Buddhist or Daoist’? You! Speak clearly!"

The chieftains were astonished.

Ma Changgui’s eyes darted around. He shouted, "This is bad! It’s a Player coming to raid the stronghold! Damn it, they’re so fast! I haven’t even taken control of this place yet, and they’re already attacking! All of you Indigenous People listen up! Now is not the time for infighting! Follow me out to face the enemy!"

With that, Ma Changgui started running for the hall’s exit. His body was a sphere, making his legs look short and stubby. He moved with a hopping motion, bouncing along like a rubber ball.