"Changming Mountain..."
Chen Mengjun pursed her red lips, her beautiful eyes gazing into the distance with worry.
"Changming Mountain is in a fierce battle."
Bei Minghai frowned and said, "Marshal Lin, along with five experts of the Upper Five Realms – Gu Lingyu, Fu Zhi, Tang Guangjun, Chen Ben, and Yu Wanling – are resisting the offensive of the Five Peaks Patriarchs. What you are seeing is a grand array of a sea of books, conjured by Gu Lingyu."
Chen Mengjun circulated her Shuiyue Guantian technique, yet she could not discern the situation on Changming Mountain. She could only see strands of inner demon flames continuously eroding the sea of books array from afar, while within the array, spiritual energy surged. Those five Upper Five Realm experts seemed to still be contending with the power of the Five Peaks Patriarchs.
"Since that is the case."
Chen Mengjun glanced at the chaotic battlefield between the Cangnan Iron Cavalry and the Nanhuang Iron Cavalry not far away and said, "Shall I lead my fellow disciples to draw our swords and assist Commander Chen Xi?"
"Good!"
Bei Minghai nodded. "Then thank you, Fairy Chen!"
Chen Mengjun smiled faintly, twisted her body, and merged with a flying sword, transforming into a beam of sword light that shot into the distance. Behind her, a group of female disciples from the Lingyan Sword Sect also took to their swords and departed. One of them, a Nascent Soul stage senior sister, said in a deep voice, "Follow Sect Leader Sister, let's fight our way through!"
After Xie Yiying's sacrifice, although Chen Mengjun was unwilling, the entire Lingyan Sword Sect, from the Deputy Sect Leader Uncle above to the outer disciples below, almost unanimously elected Chen Mengjun as the successor Sect Leader. Only she was qualified to bear this heavy responsibility.
To avoid disappointing her master Xie Yiying, Chen Mengjun did not refuse. After succeeding as the Sect Leader of Lingyan Sword Sect, the first thing she did was to lead a group of elites from the Lingyan Sword Sect to the south, to protect the human realm's mountains and rivers and avenge her master Xie Yiying.
On this journey, Chen Mengjun left all the sword cultivators above the Star River Realm in the sect, only taking fellow disciples of the Nascent Soul and Golden Core realms down the mountain. This way, even if they were annihilated, the Lingyan Sword Sect would still have over a dozen experts stationed, and its foundation would remain intact. As for herself, an Eleventh Realm cultivator, her death would be inconsequential.
In the distant forests and fertile plains, with the addition of Chen Mengjun and other sword cultivators, strands of sword light streaked across the land. Innumerable fine sword energies shredded swathes of the Nanhuang Iron Cavalry into bloody messes. Especially the sword strikes from Chen Mengjun, a peak Eleventh Realm cultivator, were incredibly sharp!
Originally, "mountain fairies" like Chen Mengjun would not easily intervene in the disputes between secular dynasties. But this time was different. The Southern Barbarian invasion was driven and instigated by the Five Peaks Patriarchs. This time, it was inseparable, hence Chen Mengjun's participation in the battle was only natural.
The sword strikes from the other Nascent Soul and Golden Core realm sword cultivators were also incomparably sharp. Strands of condensed sword energy crisscrossed, slaughtering Nanhuang Iron Cavalry in large numbers. In a blink of an eye, they began to change the tide of a battlefield. Although the Cangnan Iron Cavalry was valiant, they were at an absolute numerical disadvantage, and now the situation was finally reversed.
On the ground, Chen Xi rode a warhorse, leading several thousand elite Cangnan Iron Cavalry. They charged left and right, their punches repeatedly blasting the Nanhuang Iron Cavalry in front of them into bloody pulp. Even the Barbarian King Meng Rong retreated after a brief confrontation, choosing to evade Chen Xi's锋芒 rather than clash with her.
At this moment, Chen Xi's deep blue battle robe was already stained with blood. She had been leading the Cangnan Iron Cavalry in continuous battle for far too long. Her continuous punching had severely depleted her true qi, and her pretty face was already somewhat pale. Fortunately, at this moment, Chen Mengjun arrived with dozens of sword cultivators from Lingyan Sword Sect.
"Hm?"
Chen Xi knew who it was after just a glance. While leading the cavalry to charge and fight, she transmitted her voice to Chen Mengjun, saying, "Thank you, Fairy Mengjun, for your assistance. Chen Xi is deeply grateful!"
"Commander, you are too polite. Lingyan Sword Sect is the Lingyan Sword Sect of Furong Prefecture, and drawing our swords here is our duty!"
"Good!"
Chen Xi smiled. "Fairy Mengjun, please strike freely. This is a war between armies and nations; it incurs no karma. Thank you!"
Chen Mengjun smiled and nodded. With a wave of her sword, endless sword energy rained down, causing a cacophony of slaughter among the Nanhuang Iron Cavalry.
...
Yumen Pass, atop the city wall.
Shi Hanyin, dressed in a stunning red dress, held her pipa and gazed at the chaotic battlefield below. Especially when Chen Mengjun and other mountain cultivators fearlessly drew their swords to fight the enemy, Shi Hanyin's heart swelled with passion, wishing she were a mountain sword cultivator herself, able to help fight the enemy.
She took a deep breath and said, "Commander, may I play a song for the three armies?"
"Ah?"
Bei Minghai was startled, then smiled and nodded. "It would naturally be best if Miss Shi played a song to boost morale."
"Mm."
Shi Hanyin smiled and nodded. A retinue member brought a stool, allowing Shi Hanyin to sit on a high platform, while several others guarded her. In reality, these were unnecessary, as the Eleventh Realm sword cultivator Bei Minghai was present, and the Five Peaks Patriarch was entangled on Changming Mountain, so no one could harm Shi Hanyin.
"Soldiers of the three armies, listen!"
Bei Minghai infused spiritual energy into his voice and boomed from the parapet, "Miss Shi Hanyin, the most beautiful woman in Yunzhou, has now arrived at Yumen Pass to play a song for the soldiers of our human race's three armies. Brothers, in appreciation of Miss Shi's kind intentions, we must fight bravely!"
"Fight bravely!"
"Fight bravely!"
A surge of passionate spirit rose from the three armies.
Shi Hanyin smiled faintly, sat down, and began to play a song of war. Beside her, a Golden Core disciple channeled spiritual power to transmit the sound of the pipa to the heavens and earth. Instantly, the pipa music struck the ear, and the hearts of the human race's soldiers became even more resolute, each of them thanking Shi Hanyin in their hearts.
After all, these cavalrymen and foot soldiers had always been regarded as mere "runners and stable hands" in the human realm, with very low status. Yet now, the renowned most beautiful woman in Yunzhou, Shi Hanyin, personally came to Yumen Pass to play a song for every soldier, which was naturally an affirmation.
Some would die on the battlefield, their bodies shattered, but what they truly sought was an affirmation from the human realm.
Now, though princes and nobles showed no pity for the three armies, a beauty's compassion was a form of solace.
Bei Minghai's expression was solemn, and he remained silent.
At this moment, the three armies charged, mountain fairies drew their swords, and Shi Hanyin played the pipa. This was how the human realm's mountains and rivers should be!
From this point on, it was likely that countless human soldiers would yearn for that city of Yunzhou, wanting to visit the Yunxiang Tower in Yunzhou City and see the admirable Miss Shi.
...
Changming Mountain.
Gu Lingyu, enveloped by inner demon black vines, suddenly stumbled. Black energy filled his brow. He retreated several steps, finally unable to stand, and knelt on the sea of books array, his eyes pale and tears streaming down his face as he said, "How can this be... how can this be?"
"Lingyu!"
Lin Zhao hastily approached, brandishing his flying sword Hao Ran, intending to guard Gu Lingyu, but he did not know where to begin.
At this moment, Gu Lingyu was covered in inner demon blazing flames, his body and soul being fiercely burned. Deep within his inner demon dreamscape, a scene of human purgatory unfolded.
He knelt in the Shenyan Forest. Not far away, his teacher was not only emaciated but skeletal, even his bones had turned black.
"Teacher, Teacher..."
Gu Lingyu knelt on the ground, his body bound by strands of the Great Dao's cage, unable to move. He could only watch his teacher suffer, tears streaming down his face, yet helpless. At this moment, the figure of a great demon appeared behind Teacher Zihui and fiercely struck with a sword, instantly splitting Teacher Zihui's body in two.
"Teacher!"
Gu Lingyu cried out in grief.
At this moment, cold winds swept through the air, and as if more figures appeared. Initially, a Confucian disciple in official court attire, Liu Xingshu. Then, a young Confucian sword cultivator carrying a long sword, Xiao Cong. Both of them had pale pupils and appeared ghostly and ethereal.
"Junior Brother Xiao Cong, Junior Brother Xing Shu..." Gu Lingyu was astonished.
Not far away, two more figures appeared: a swordsman wearing a bamboo hat and with only one arm, and a scholar carrying a book box on a journey, Wen Liang and Gu Zixi. Both of their figures were very ethereal, like wandering spirits, their eyes pale, emitting low sobs.
"Uncle Wen Liang... Uncle Zixi..."
Gu Lingyu's tears flowed. These were two uncles he respected the most!
Further away, an ethereal figure slowly descended, a middle-aged scholar in a gray long robe, appearing refined and elegant. He held a bamboo slip in his hand, standing under the moonlight, letting the watery moonlight spill onto the slip. He seemed lost in thought, as if missing someone.
It was Qin Suihan.
"Mr. Qin!"
Gu Lingyu looked at Qin Suihan's spectral remnant soul, tears streaming from his eyes. The Confucian Sage Qin Suihan was the scholar he admired the most, without exception.
However, sword light surged in the air. It seemed that the figure of a white ape descended from the sky. Under the sword light, the figures of Qin Suihan, Wen Liang, Gu Zixi, and other fellow disciples were successively crushed by the sword light.
Following that, the white ape stepped on the remains of Teacher Zihui, its blood-red eyes fixed on Gu Lingyu, and it laughed, "You scholars cultivate your minds but not your strength. In the end, aren't you all just fish on a chopping board? Gu Lingyu, what are you? Do you really think you can be uncompromising and save the world?"
Gu Lingyu trembled all over.
He saw that around the white ape's waist was tied a head. The head was incredibly old, belonging to the revered old teacher.
"Grandmaster!"
Gu Lingyu was overcome with grief.
At this moment, that strand of undefeated inner demon blazing flame was already eroding Gu Lingyu's Dao heart.
...
"Lingyu!"
Lin Zhao was frantic, but he had no way to deal with Gu Lingyu, who was shrouded by inner demons.
At this moment, Fu Zhi, not far away, suddenly stumbled and knelt on the ground. Her beautiful eyes were filled with confusion, and she said softly, "Daddy... Mommy, Cheng'er..."
Her pupils rapidly shrank; inner demons were about to invade her mind.
"Fu Zhi!"
Lin Zhao lunged forward, enduring the scorching of the inner demon flames, and held Fu Zhi's slender shoulder. "Wake up, wake up!"
Fu Zhi's beautiful eyes were filled with confusion. How could she wake up in such a short time?