Tang Duanmu was a despicable bandit but he was also tenacious like a donkey. He refused to give up on Gray even though he couldn’t catch up. He kept up the chase without a moment of pause and caused the two of them to run straight through the night and into the morning.

They covered an unknown amount of distance and were now completely in the wilderness of the Jade Plains. The river was still wide and impassible. Flat grassland went on in every direction, occasionally interrupted by small hills. If they kept going like this upriver, they might even reach the foot of the King’s Mountains. Gray certainly hoped that wouldn’t happen.

“Hey, Tang! How about we call it a draw? I admit you are stronger than me and I can’t beat you. Stop chasing me and we can go our separate ways.” Gray called out.

“Hah… If you’re too tired to go on, then just stop and obediently let me…” Tang spoke while gasping for air. “tie you up…”

Gray almost laughed but he kept it in, “Hey, you sound a bit tired, how about you stop and rest?”

Tang didn't respond and just kept running, while struggling visibly.

Gray’s stamina was better even though his peak strength and speed could not compare. It was a side effect of his supreme cultivation art and unnatural physique. His spiritual sea was much larger and held a greater store of spiritual energy than a normal cultivator. Even a three-level gap in cultivation was not enough to overcome the difference.

Gray felt like he could still run like this for another half day at least. If he persisted, Tang would surely collapse and he would be able to escape. However, since the bandit was so despicable, Gray wasn’t content with merely running away. He wanted to torment the man even if he couldn’t win a straight-up duel.

“Okay, I’m tired. Let’s take a break.” Gray said and slowed his pace.

He turned his head while still running and observed his pursuer. Tang slowed down as well and they eventually came to a complete stop.

The exhausted man plopped down in the grass and heaved for air. His clothes were soaked in sweat and he was shaking from exhaustion. His expression was a mix of relief and suspicion. Even while he rested, he held his narrow sword out, ready to attack at any time.

Gray stood a good thirty strides away and mocked, “You need some more time?"

Tang ignored the barb, “I always felt you were a bit strange… but I didn’t realize you are a freak!”

“Thanks for the compliment!”

“How do you cultivate? What level are you at? Third, fourth? I’m at the seventh level… it doesn’t make any sense!”

Gray obviously wasn’t going to give a straight answer but a funny idea came to him.

“Actually, it’s quite simple. I became the son-in-law of the Patel family. They were impressed with my talent as well as my wealth.” He lied with a straight face, “Since I will be Alisha's husband, the Jade Hill Lord taught me a high-level cultivation art. I can also afford to buy as much spiritual stone as I want so cultivation is easy!”

“What a bunch of bison shit…” Tang shouted. “Someone like you can’t possibly marry Alisha Patel. Impossible!”

The man’s exaggerated reaction was unexpected, belying not just disbelief but jealousy. It seemed that Alisha was quite a famous woman in the region. Even bandits were her fans.

Gray waved his hand dismissively. He only wanted a convenient explanation for his fast cultivation and since he already spoke, he wasn’t going to it back even if the bandit didn’t believe him.

“You don’t have to believe if you don’t want to. You asked a question so I simply answered. Now, it’s my turn. This is the second time I’ve heard you mention it but why do you hate Jade Hill Town? Why not live peacefully and make an honest living like normal people.” Gray asked.

Tang shook his head. “Peace… there can be no peace. Those people came from the south, took over that tiny bit of land, and think they can own the whole thing. That Jade Hill Lord has no right to rule over us. The Duanmu Clan bows to no one!”

Gray snorted, “He’s the lord this place. He has a whole kingdom backing him.”

“He is the lord of nothing. He is nothing!” Tang spat, “The plains belong to us, the Duanmu Clan. It’s not called the Jade Plains but Broken Wood Plateau. We have lived here for countless generations and we are simply trying to take back what is rightfully ours… I’m surprised you don’t know about these things, are you really the Patel son-in-law?”

“…”

Gray felt a headache developing. He was merely a passer-by; he didn’t want to get involved in what sounded like a long-running grudge match. He just wanted to make money, cultivate, and not be bothered by anything else. But sadly, things weren't going according to plan.

Tang continued speaking and explained how people from the south arrived on the plateau a century ago and set up a trading post. At first, the Duanmu Clan tolerated this because the trade benefitted them. However, it was soon apparent that the invaders were here for the jade and spiritual stone deposits. They brought experts with overwhelming strength from the south, forcibly took the land, and established Jade Hill Town.

“… and we’ve been fighting them ever since.” He finished.

Gray rolled his eyes. He didn’t care about the Duanmu Clan’s sob story and he wasn’t going to believe the words of a murdering bandit. Although Tang tried to justify his actions, capturing miners and wildly killing those who surrendered was wrong. It was wrong in the King's Mountains and it was wrong here. It was unacceptable and unforgivable.

Innocent people such as Krish and his sons had nothing to do with the merchants or the Duanmu Clan. They were merely here to earn a living. It was tough enough to simply survive, they shouldn’t have to deal with this crap. They didn’t deserve any of it. None of them did.

“Uh-huh… and why do you need the miners?” Gray asked. “They didn’t do anything wrong. They shouldn’t be a part of your dispute with Lord Reddy.”

Tang stood back up slowly and patted his clothes, “You are right. That’s why the ordinary miners will keep their lives. They will simply work for us now. And you could, too…”

He leaped toward Gray suddenly. He had been sneakily gathering his strength for this attack. He managed to cover the entire distance of thirty meters in a single leap!

It was indeed an impressive effort but Gray wasn’t standing still either. He leaped backward ten meters at the same time and let loose a spiritual stone he had prepared well in advance.

Clang!

Tang’s sword flew out and cleaved the stone in two. The sun was already bright above the east and any stone's Gray threw could now be seen clearly.

Gray turned and dashed away while Tang once again gave chase.

“I guess we’re done talking. I thought we were going to stop fighting and be friends!” Gray called back.

“Come back here! You and I will never be friends, merely unfortunate acquaintances!”