"Senior Sister..."
Ding Muchen plopped onto the blood-stained Platform of Deification, leaning against a stone stalagmite that still held a residual trace of divinity. He spoke softly in his mind, "Senior Wang Xu has run into trouble. I need to make a trip to the Outer Heavens. Please inform Master that you will guard the Platform of Deification for me for a while."
"Oh."
Shortly after, a figure clad in snow-white robes arrived from the direction of the Eternal Secret Realm, sweeping onto the Platform of Deification. It was Ming Yuechi, the female immortal who had ascended on her sword at the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool in years past.
Ming Yuechi was the senior sister and had entered the Thirteenth Realm of Sword Cultivation before Ding Muchen. However, Ding Muchen's talent in the way of the sword was too terrifying, and he had ultimately entered the Fourteenth Realm of Sword Cultivation a step ahead of Ming Yuechi, consuming a significant portion of the upper realm's sword dao luck. Consequently, Ming Yuechi did not enter the Fourteenth Realm through sword dao.
This was the intention of their sect, and it was also Ming Yuechi's concession for the sake of the Three Realms.
Otherwise, the balance of luck for the Three Realms would be shattered, and if Ming Yuechi also entered the Fourteenth Realm through sword dao, becoming a genuine Fourteenth Realm Sword Cultivator, the combat power of the Eternal Secret Realm sect would be truly terrifying.
"Junior Brother."
Ming Yuechi's delicate eyebrows furrowed. "Are you sure Senior Wang Xu has run into trouble?"
"Yes, his last known presence was in the Abyss of Heavenly Demons."
Ding Muchen lightly raised his hand, and the Fusu Sword, solidified by sword intent, sheathed itself. He looked up at the sky, took a deep breath, and said, "I'm heading to the Outer Heavens now. Whether I live or die, I must see him."
"Be careful yourself."
Ming Yuechi said softly, "Little Junior Brother is already deeply mired in the lower realm. It's understandable that you, as his senior brother, cannot step away. Just don't get yourself trapped in the Abyss of Heavenly Demons."
"What did Master say?"
Ding Muchen frowned. "Although the Ancestor of the Five Peaks is merely an undefeated heart demon, after merging with the remnants of an ancient wind god, he is not to be underestimated. To be frank, current human cultivators cannot stop him. If Master has no arrangements, then the Confucian and Daoist schools should at least have something planned."
"Rest assured."
Ming Yuechi pursed her red lips, her beautiful eyes gazing in the direction of the lower realm. She said softly, "Before I came, Master said she has never met Little Junior Brother, so she intends to make this trip herself to impart some of our sect's knowledge to him. We cannot let Little Junior Brother be looked down upon in the human world."
"That's good!"
Ding Muchen smiled with relief. "With Master going personally, there won't be any problems. Alright, Senior Sister Yuechi, I'm off."
"Alright, go and return soon."
"Mm."
Ding Muchen clasped his hands behind his back, his body soaring into the air, enveloped in a surge of flashing sword light. He ascended once more directly from the Platform of Deification, heading straight for the pitch-black Outer Heavens.
...
The Human Realm, Yumenguan.
By this time, the southern territories of the human realm were already engulfed in flames of war. The beacon fires from one watchtower after another soared into the sky, stretching from Yumenguan to Furong Prefecture, then to Yuzhou, and finally to Jizhou, where Baidi City was located.
Beneath Yumenguan lay countless corpses and piles of white bones.
The central military tent of the Barbarian King Meng Rong was located tens of miles away. Countless barbarians, spread across the mountains and forests, were felling trees to build siege ladders and mining giant rocks from the mountains to construct siege weapons such as ballistae and catapults.
As countless barbarian soldiers, skilled in archery and mounted combat, ascended the siege ladders, raining arrows down on Yumenguan, a bloody battle ensued. On Yumenguan, countless Cangnan Iron Cavalry, clad in armor, some wielding iron spears, others battle bows, each fulfilling their duty, fought desperately to defend the pass.
Beside a cold battlement, a woman in dark blue armor, the Grand Commander, gazed out at the region beyond the pass. Her beautiful eyes were bloodshot. She was Chen Xi, the Grand Commander of the Cangnan Iron Cavalry and the Lord of Yun Prefecture.
After traveling thousands of miles south from Yun Prefecture, Chen Xi had not had a moment's rest, constantly guarding the pass. She had even repeatedly punched out, killing barbarian soldiers who attempted to approach Yumenguan.
Outside the pass, arrows rained down like a storm. Although each was repelled by the protective fist aura surrounding Chen Xi, her true qi was being repeatedly depleted. Her fair face had already grown somewhat pale. If this continued, even though Chen Xi was a peak Eleventh Realm martial artist, she would eventually be exhausted to death.
"Grand Commander."
A general, carrying a bloodstained saber, approached Chen Xi and said in a deep voice, "You haven't rested in a long time. I've ordered the military cooks to prepare some meat broth. Why don't you eat something and get some sleep?"
"How can I sleep?"
Chen Xi's gaze turned sharp as she looked towards the south. "It's almost noon. Why hasn't Wen Hao's army arrived yet? This place is only two hundred li from Chun'an City. At the speed of the Furong Prefecture cavalry, they should have arrived by noon if they departed in the morning."
"Grand Commander..."
The general frowned. "The accompanying cultivators we dispatched have reached Chun'an City. It is said... Wen Hao is ordering his cavalry units to return to camp and rest, with no intention of attacking immediately."
"What?!"
Chen Xi was astonished, her pretty face contorted with rage. "What is Wen Hao trying to do?"
"They say..."
The general hesitated. "Wen Hao's intention is 'before the army moves, the provisions must go first.' He will only send troops after Chun'an City has gathered two hundred thousand shi of grain and provisions."
"This..."
Chen Xi's heart burned with anger. She slammed her fist heavily onto the battlement, causing a section of the city wall to hum. Her beautiful eyes were filled with righteous indignation. "What is Wen Hao trying to do? Is this so-called Grand Supervisor truly only capable of eradicating some bandits and rebels within his territory?"
She gritted her teeth. "It's one thing that he doesn't dare to fight the demon race, but now he doesn't even dare to fight these barbarians from the Southern Wilderness? If Wen Hao is that spineless, he should just go home and enjoy his wife and warm hearth! Why does he shamelessly occupy the position of Southern Commander?!"
"Hush..."
The general frowned. "Grand Commander, be careful of walls having ears and trouble coming from the mouth..."
"Hmph!"
Chen Xi sneered. "Enough. We can't count on Wen Hao. When will our Cangnan Iron Cavalry arrive?"
"They have already passed through the teleportation array in the western part of Furong Prefecture. They should arrive at Yumenguan around dusk."
"Understood."
Chen Xi took a deep breath. "I will personally pen a reinforcement letter and have someone deliver it via flying fish to Grand Commander Bei Ming of the Navy. I want him to send as many men as possible. If no one comes, we can only watch as Yumenguan falls."
"Yes!"
"Also."
Chen Xi's expression was one of helplessness. "Send someone with my handwritten letter to all the border armies in the southern region of Furong Prefecture. Order them to dispatch troops to reinforce Yumenguan. We cannot just wait for death. We must try every possible method."
"Yes, Grand Commander!"
The general turned and left, feeling a pang of sympathy in his heart. Chen Xi, the esteemed Lord of Yun Prefecture and a Grand Commander, had been reduced to this state. Yumenguan was a territory within the Great Shang Dynasty's domain. To face such a situation while fighting on home ground, the consequences of an expedition would be unimaginable.
He sighed with a look of helplessness. The Great Shang Dynasty was not as monolithic as it appeared on the surface. Various factions hoped to weaken each other's strength. As for the consequences, who would care?
Wen Hao, the esteemed Southern Commander and one of the Three Dukes, the Grand Supervisor, did he show any semblance of a Southern Commander?
He couldn't help but scoff. He heard that Wen Hao's original name was Shi Hu, and he was treated like a younger brother by Lin Baiyi a century ago. Lin Baiyi was currently leading Xu Zhi, Tang Guangjun, Gu Lingyu, and others to resist the culprit of this calamity, the Ancestor of the Five Peaks, on Mount Changming. What was Shi Hu doing?
Comparing people, one truly couldn't compare.
...
Mount Changming.
A dazzling and resplendent sea of Confucian texts enveloped Mount Changming. Gu Lingyu was stationed at the core of the formation, his Confucian Dao manifesting, making him appear like a true Confucian sage. He protected Mount Changming within the grand formation. Although the Ancestor of the Five Peaks continuously attacked, he still managed to keep Mount Changming as solid as a golden fortress.
On the flanks, Xu Zhi and Tang Guangjun, two peak Twelfth Realm Sword Immortals, continuously unleashed their swords. Rolling sword qi continuously pressed down along the mountains, clashing with the Ancestor of the Five Peaks' various spells and attacks, neither side giving way.
Beside Gu Lingyu, Chen Ben and Yu Wanning, exuding potent fist intent, continuously threw punches. Relying on the protection of the sea of texts formation, they sent out streams of fist aura, crushing all the heart demon flames emanating from the Ancestor of the Five Peaks.
As for Lin Zhao, he controlled a cluster of flying swords, launching a series of attacks on the Ancestor of the Five Peaks whenever he had the chance, inflicting as much damage as possible. He absolutely refused to leave the sea of texts formation, otherwise, he, this "little glass cannon," would be too easily instantly killed.
Unfortunately, the Ancestor of the Five Peaks' rank was simply too high. Lin Zhao couldn't see his level, his Boss rank, or even any description. The Ancestor of the Five Peaks' portrait only displayed a blood-red skull, nothing else. He was simply a terrifying existence that players at this stage couldn't even glance at.
Despite this, Lin Zhao had led the people of the Mountain Peak Villa in resisting the Ancestor of the Five Peaks' fierce assault for half a day.
"Hmph!"
The Ancestor of the Five Peaks let out a cold snort, narrowing his sinister eyes. He knew that without employing extraordinary means, it would be impossible to shake the foundations of these individuals from the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. In the next moment, he flicked his sleeve, and a broken divine throne manifested, emitting dense and blazing divine power that surged and enveloped him.
As the divine power grew, the heart demon flames in the Ancestor of the Five Peaks' eyes intensified. Wisps of black aura appeared on either side. At this moment, the Ancestor of the Five Peaks, as a strand of undefeated heart demon, had his heart demon power elevated to its peak. Furthermore, this strand of heart demon power had fused with ancient divine power.
"Very well, everyone."
The Ancestor of the Five Peaks' eyes emitted a blazing light. He suddenly spread both sleeves forward, and the Dharma forms of the five immortal mountains were instantly annihilated, transforming into five heart demon shackles. He said with a smile, "Allow me to probe your states of mind. If your states of mind cannot pass the test, then it's a dead end~~~"
With that, he pushed his palms forward. Instantly, five heart demon shackles in the air, like vines, shot forth. They actually pierced through Gu Lingyu's sea of texts formation. The five heart demon shackles, like five black tree vines, enveloped Gu Lingyu, Xu Zhi, Tang Guangjun, Chen Ben, and Yu Wanning.
"Ah?!"
Lin Zhao was greatly alarmed and turned to look. He saw that the expressions of the five people had become extremely weary and confused.
It was over. The five of them had all fallen into their own heart demon绝境 (jue jing - desperate situation/predicament)!