Invincible Divine Destiny Selection System Chapter 10: Chapter 10 South Mountain_1

Three distinct paths materialized before Chu Yuan’s eyes.

The first option was to permit the bandits to continue their expansion. This was out of the question, as it would directly insult the Emperor's dignity, incite civil unrest, and erode the people's respect for the throne.

The second option involved deploying the Forbidden Army to crush them. This seemed like a reasonable choice, allowing Chu Yuan to remain safely within the palace walls while awaiting reports from his commanders.

However, the third option gave Chu Yuan pause. Personally hunting down the bandits was fraught with peril, but he knew that the greatest rewards were always born of risk.

"This sudden surge of banditry..."

Chu Yuan rhythmically tapped the surface of his desk. "Should I delegate this to the Forbidden Army? No, I trust my own hands more."

"Ding! The host has selected option three. You have received one hundred Destiny Points."

....

Located a hundred miles from the Imperial City, the Southern Mountain range was a sprawling expanse of peaks perpetually choked by thick miasma and infested with venomous vermin.

The terrain was so treacherous and the cliffs so jagged that even masters of the Original Spirit Realm, despite their ability to fly, found traversing the region a daunting task.

Prior to the rise of the Great Wu Dynasty, these mountains were a haven for outlaws. When the dynasty was first established, however, the founding Emperor led the God-martial Army in a bloody purge. For decades afterward, the mountains remained silent.

"Southern Mountain!"

Chu Yuan reached the base of the range, gazing up at the mist-shrouded peaks.

There were no established roads here, only narrow, winding paths through the brush.

As Chu Yuan ventured deeper, the metallic scent of blood drifted on the breeze. It wasn't long before he began discovering corpses scattered along the slopes.

These victims wore simple civilian clothes. Their cultivation had been low, mostly at the Body-nurturing and Channel-opening stages. They appeared to be local hunters, slaughtered by the bandits and left to rot.

The Southern Mountain was home to various beasts and small, isolated villages. Now, the arrival of these ruthless bandits had brought total carnage, leaving the settlements in ruins and devoid of life.

"Anyone who dares to sow chaos at the gates of my Great Wu Imperial City must be wiped from existence!"

Chu Yuan glanced at the second seal on his Emperor’s Sword.

(695 million / 1 billion)

Previously, the Emperor’s Sword required the aspirations of 300 million more people; now, it was only short by several tens of thousands.

"The willpower of all living beings is dynamic. Any act of rebellion or death will cause a corresponding drop in this power," the system cautioned.

Chu Yuan understood the logic. Those who turned to banditry or declared themselves rival kings no longer considered themselves part of the Great Wu Dynasty, thus they no longer contributed to the collective willpower.

"Yo! We’ve got another one coming up the trail. Just a young brat—does he think he’s a hero? I’ll take his head and mount it on the gates of the stronghold. The Southern Mountain belongs to us now!"

Suddenly, over a dozen rugged, fierce-looking men lunged from a side path. They were clearly hardened killers who thrived on violence. They quickly moved to encircle Chu Yuan.

Because the Southern Mountain had so few accessible paths and was surrounded by sheer drops, it was an ideal fortress—easy to hold and nearly impossible to storm.

"Haha, Scorpion, don't be so quick to draw blood. You're going to scare the poor boy to death."

A man with a sinister aura spoke up. "It’s no fun if he’s paralyzed with fear. Things have been boring lately. Let’s drag him back instead; I’ve been itching to test a new torture method I picked up."

"Viper, you were always the sadistic one. Why not just give him a quick death?" Scorpion replied. "But fine, do as you like. As long as you're entertained."

"Hehe, kid, falling into my hands—the hands of the Viper—is a fate worse than dying. I’m going to carve a thousand small cuts into your skin. While you bleed, I’ll coat you in honey and watch as every insect in these mountains crawls over you. It’ll be a masterpiece."

Viper cackled, closing the distance toward Chu Yuan step by step.

"Original Spirit Realm?"

Ignoring their taunts, Chu Yuan noted their cultivation levels with a hint of surprise.

These were no ordinary highwaymen.

The six stages of cultivation consisted of Body-nurturing, Channel-opening, Soul-forging, Original Spirit, Spiritual Abilities, and God-peering.

Being at the Original Spirit Realm—the fourth stage—meant these men could easily serve as colonels within the Great Wu Forbidden Army or be treated as honored guests by noble houses. Why would such experts choose to live as common thugs?

[Option One: Execute this band of bandits immediately to receive one hundred Destiny Points.]

[Option Two: Spare them and retreat to investigate the underlying truth to receive one hundred Destiny Points.]

[Option Three: Mask your true strength and allow yourself to be captured to launch a surprise counter-attack, earning one hundred Destiny Points.]

"Has the little brat lost his mind from fear?" Viper sneered when he saw Chu Yuan standing motionless.

"Viper, quit playing around. Last time, Great Wu sent the garrison. We only won because we were prepared. Who knows when the Second Emperor will lose his patience and send a real army into these woods?"

Scorpion urged his companion to finish it.

"Hah! It doesn't matter how many soldiers the Second Emperor sends. We'll slaughter them all. We see every move they make."

Viper laughed, his hand darting toward Chu Yuan with the fluid, lethal grace of a serpent.

"I am that 'Second Emperor' you speak of."

With a sharp whistle of air, Chu Yuan unsheathed the Emperor’s Sword. A flash of light erupted. A thin red line appeared on Viper’s face before his entire body was violently split down the center.

"You killed Viper!"

Scorpion was struck by a wave of fury and terror. Both he and Viper were Original Spirit masters, yet Viper had been cut down in a single heartbeat. Recalling the boy's words, he gasped, "You... you are the Emperor of Great Wu!"

Chu Yuan’s gaze remained frozen. The Sword of the Human Emperor unleashed a crescent of light spanning dozens of meters. In one sweeping motion, it cleaved Scorpion and the remaining dozen bandits through their waists.

"Ding! Host has completed Option One. You have earned one hundred Destiny Points."

After dispatching the group, Chu Yuan vanished, reappearing dozens of meters away in a blur. He moved across the jagged mountain terrain as if walking on level ground, completely unhindered.

The Emperor’s Sword at his hip began to vibrate with a low hum. This was a unique property of the blade; it could sense the life force of human beings.

Following this spiritual resonance, it took Chu Yuan only half an hour to reach the heart of the Southern Mountain.

"The stench of blood is overwhelming."

Chu Yuan’s brow furrowed. The air was so thick with the smell of slaughter that it felt heavy and stagnant.

Tracing the source, he searched the area until he discovered a massive pit beneath a cliff. Inside, thousands of bodies had been stripped of their armor and tossed together in a chaotic pile.

Examining the remains, Chu Yuan recognized them instantly: these were garrison soldiers!

Beyond the Divine Abilities Army and the Martial Guard, Great Wu maintained a Forbidden Army of one million in the capital, the Border Army at the frontiers, and various garrison forces in the prefectures.

These fallen men belonged to the Wudu garrison.

Wudu was the very heart of the Great Wu capital region.

While garrison troops weren't as elite as the Forbidden Army, they still operated in battalions of thousands. For a mere band of bandits to wipe out an entire battalion was a feat that should have been impossible.

"It's no wonder the Prefect of Wudu sent an urgent plea for the Forbidden Army. The massacre of a thousand soldiers is certainly not the work of simple thieves."

Chu Yuan let out a cold smirk.

An Original Spirit master could lead a battalion, and a garrison battalion typically possessed several such experts. Where did all these enemy masters come from?

Who possessed the power to annihilate a full battalion of imperial troops?

He moved with predatory grace, leaping between the peaks. With the Sword of the Human Emperor acting as his compass, he tracked the highest concentration of human Qi. He eventually came to a halt in a thicket, peering at the scene ahead.

Before him, three massive peaks converged to form a hidden natural basin. With only one narrow passage leading inside, it was a perfect natural fortress.

Using his Thunder Eye, Chu Yuan peered into the pit. He saw at least several thousand men, all fully armored. Their discipline and aura were not that of disorganized bandits; they looked like a highly trained, professional army stationed in secret.

[Option One: Retreat. The situation is murky, and a disciplined army is too much for one person to handle. Earn one hundred Destiny Points.]

[Option Two: Record the coordinates and return to the capital to mobilize your generals. Earn one hundred Destiny Points.]

[Option Three: The lone hero's path. Charge into the fray alone to avenge the thousand fallen soldiers and unmask the truth behind these 'bandits'. Earn one hundred Destiny Points.]