Several days later.
After rushing for a hundred miles, the path in the forest gradually disappeared. Overgrown vegetation obscured the formerly official road from sight. Lin Zhao had no choice but to draw his sword and hack through the thorns, using the setting sun to guide his direction as he journeyed south. As dusk fell, the sound of ceaseless flowing water reached his ears from afar.
The young man burst from the treeline, carrying the saber of a vanguard camp centurion and a pile of wild fruits from the forest. After sheathing his sword, he took a bite of a wild apple and surveyed the scene before him.
Before him lay a great river flowing from east to west, its waters surging, waves constantly crashing.
"Hmm?"
The young man narrowed his eyes. A trace of power within him resonated and echoed with the river, giving him a feeling of "meeting an old friend in a foreign land." Lin Zhao understood that this trace of energy originated from the soldier's killing intent he had cultivated while writing military talismans. This energy differed from the true qi of a martial artist, being more profound and inexplicable.
This river was no ordinary one.
Deep within this river, a potent soldier's killing intent seemed to reside. As Lin Zhao spread his map on the bank to locate the river, he found it quickly.
The Cleansing Sword River, the largest river in the entire Northern Region, flowed from east to west, dividing the continent into north and south. As for why this river bore the peculiar name "Cleansing Sword River," it was unknown. The map offered no explanation, and Lin Zhao's studies of strange tales and the geographical atlases of the Great Shang Dynasty never mentioned it, as if it were some kind of taboo.
However, the intense killing intent within the Cleansing Sword River deeply attracted Lin Zhao.
He decided to stay and cultivate by the Cleansing Sword River for a few days. This place could nourish the soldier's energy in his chest. The strength of this soldier's energy directly determined the grade of the military talismans he could write. Moreover, Commander Chu and Chen Yu had both told him before his departure that he could stop anywhere along the way; the escort of the topographical map was not urgent and should not hinder his cultivation.
Thus, the young man immediately built a simple dwelling by the river. He chopped down trees with his sword to construct a small, modest wooden hut, its roof thatched with leaves for shelter from wind and rain. Being diligent, he also fashioned a wooden door and then mixed moss and mud from the riverbank to plaster the gaps in the hut. Such a dwelling was sufficient for him to reside there for an extended period.
He worked until deep into the night before finally resting. He lit a bonfire, set up a small "campaign pot," dug up some wild vegetables from the forest, added his dried meat strips, and casually cooked a pot of soup. He then heated several flatbreads by the fire and enjoyed his meal comfortably.
After eating, he began practicing his boxing by the river, nourishing the soldier's killing intent in his chest.
...
At this very moment, at the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool.
Within the Commander's mansion, Chu Huaixi meticulously reviewed a stack of documents at his desk. Beside him, Huang Tingyu couldn't be bothered to look at them. Old Huang found it all too troublesome. If it's a war, then it's a war; why bother with all these trivialities?
"What day is it?"
Chu Huaixi, while reviewing the documents, suddenly asked, "How many days has it been since Lin Zhao left the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool?"
Huang Tingyu made a rough calculation. "It's been nine days."
"Oh..."
Chu Huaixi nodded.
"What?"
Huang Tingyu smiled slightly. "Regret it? You shouldn't have sent Lin Zhao to deliver this topographical map, right? You even said this map was the culmination of the efforts of the Earth Master cultivators of the Great Chen Dynasty, something so precious. We have dozens of them in our treasury. If the Great Shang Dynasty wants them, they can dispatch ten Iron Cavalry riders to deliver them swiftly. Why would you need the commander of the Death-Defying Battalion himself to go?"
"It's different."
Chu Huaixi frowned. "Lin Zhao has never descended the mountain and needs some experience. A commander, a warrior, cannot only rely on their fists but also understand the principles of the world. This is absolutely unacceptable."
"Hmph~~~"
Huang Tingyu scoffed. "I'm afraid that's not a valid reason, is it?"
"You, Huang Tingyu, are truly the 'dog-headed strategist' of the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, able to divine and predict with uncanny accuracy? Nothing can escape your notice?"
Chu Huaixi said with a laugh, "Then I'll be direct. Ten days ago, I received a secret report from a northern scout. After suffering the loss of eight thousand elite demon soldiers in the Battle of Jiuzhangyuan, the demon race's vanguard commander, Yu Zhi, flew into a rage and has already sent people to the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool to ascertain Lin Zhao's identity. The next step will be to send assassins to kill Lin Zhao. Unless Lin Zhao's head is placed on Yu Zhi's desk, this great demon will not rest."
"So that's the reason for sending Lin Zhao down the mountain?"
Huang Tingyu couldn't help but chuckle. "On Tianchi Ridge, how many people are protecting Lin Zhao? You and I, not to mention Boss Qin from the bookstore, and Lord Su Shan. It would be a miracle for demon assassins to kill someone on Tianchi Ridge."
"I'm not afraid of the demon race."
Chu Huaixi frowned. "What about the human race? The Northern Four Tribes have ruled the northern frontier for centuries, and their roots are deeply intertwined with the northern landscape. Is it difficult for Yu Zhi to bribe human cultivators to kill Lin Zhao?"
"I hadn't considered that..."
Huang Tingyu touched his forehead. "Forget it. These troublesome matters are for Commander Chu to ponder. Old Huang is just a sword in Commander Chu's hand; I'll cut down whoever you tell me to."
Chu Huaixi smiled and said no more.
...
Early morning.
A cold wind blew by the Cleansing Sword River. Logically, when the wind picked up, fog wouldn't form. Yet, wisps of smoke-like mist clung to the riverbank, shrouding the entire forest. On the bank, a yellow bone fish, nearly a meter long, struggled ashore, its tail slapping frantically. In an instant, it transformed into a figure clad in a short apricot-yellow robe. He was a middle-aged man, holding a short knife with thorns covering its blade. The knife, much like the spines of a yellow bone fish, gleamed with a cold light, clearly poisonous.
After the monster, disguised as a yellow bone fish, emerged onto land, it glanced at Lin Zhao from a distance before heading into the forest on the other side. It stamped its foot lightly in the woods, its voice icy. "Land God, come out!"
Immediately, a short, elderly man, leaning on a staff, emerged from the earth. It was the land god of this mountain forest, his face a mask of fawning politeness. "Daoist friend Huang, what is it?"
"Over there."
The yellow bone fish spirit pointed towards Lin Zhao's hut. "That brat dares to build a dwelling on my territory and refine his soldier's energy. He's practically asking for death. Who gave him the audacity? Just a mere sixth-realm martial artist, does he really think he can do as he pleases in this area?"
The Land God said, "Daoist friend Huang, but you are also only in the sixth realm..."
"Is that the same?!"
The yellow bone fish spirit roared. "I cultivated in the water for five hundred years! Five hundred years to reach my current attainment. The foundation of the sixth realm is incredibly deep. When the opportunity ripens, I shall ascend as a dragon of the river! Land God, let me be blunt. I have my eye on the sword he carries on his back, and those golden and silver talismans he has in his embrace!"
The Land God stammered, "Daoist friend Huang, if you wish to take action, do so freely. Why are you calling me?"
"Without you, it won't be so easy to act."
The yellow bone fish spirit sneered and pointed a thumb at the Cleansing Sword River behind him. "That old woman is still in her cave... I cannot afford to offend her. Therefore, when doing business by the Cleansing Sword River, one must be clean and skillful. I called you, my friend, for no other reason than this: I will deal with that brat, and you will help me conceal things a little?"
"This..."
The Land God looked troubled.
"Hmph, I won't let you work for nothing." The yellow bone fish spirit took out a pouch from his embrace and jingled it, spilling out dozens of Qing Fú coins. He smiled, "These fifty Qing Fú coins are a deposit. You help me conceal my presence. Once I'm finished with my work, you'll receive another fifty Qing Fú coins from me."
"This..."
The Land God hesitated slightly. "In addition to these one hundred Qing Fú coins, I want something else. The sword, the blade is yours. I'll take some scraps, but the scabbard belongs to me. How about it?"
"Why would a Land God want a sword scabbard?"
"To absorb some immortal aura, perhaps. What if one day I sever the three corpses and ascend to immortality?"
"Hahaha~~"
The yellow bone fish spirit patted the old man's head. "Whether human or ghost, once you have a dream, you become remarkable~~~"
The Land God: "..."
...
Dawn. As the first rays of light pierced through the clouds and mist, a streak of earthy yellow appeared, carried by the wind. It was the yellow bone fish spirit, holding his short knife. He narrowed his eyes, standing before the wooden hut. He could even hear the young man's soft snores from within. At this moment, he could almost imagine himself slicing open the boy's belly, pulling out his liver and lungs, and feasting upon them.
The Cleansing Sword River was located in the desolate northern lands, where people rarely came. He hadn't tasted blood in a long time. Moreover, with that old woman upstream keeping him in check, he felt constrained in everything he did. Today, this young man appearing at his doorstep was truly a gift from heaven!
He licked his lips, preparing to strike.
Just then, with a "creak," the wooden door opened on its own. Immediately, a fist slammed into the yellow bone fish spirit's face, causing the sixth-realm demon to slide out and roll dozens of meters across the ground, nearly dropping his short knife.
He was awake, and had even put on his clothes.
Lin Zhao stepped out of the hut, his boxing intent surging. He smiled faintly. "I heard you wanted my life, and you're also in the sixth realm? What a coincidence, I am too..."
Saying this, he cupped his fists. "Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, Lin Zhao, a sixth-realm martial artist. I request to learn your boxing!"
"You..."
The yellow bone fish spirit's face contorted with rage and humiliation. He gritted his teeth. "That punch just now was simply because I was careless and unprepared. Don't tell me you really think you're my match, you little brat?"
"Come on!"
Lin Zhao didn't want to waste time on him and stepped forward, delivering another punch.
The yellow bone fish spirit shifted his body sideways, feeling quite smug. "Such a slow punch, can I, a dignified fifth-realm old immortal who has cultivated in water for five hundred years, not dodge it?"
As a result, he moved, and the young man's fist also changed direction.
"Bang!"
Another heavy punch, this time smashing the yellow bone fish spirit's head until it cracked.
With the "Array Horse Sail Mast" stance activated, Lin Zhao followed up with another punch, saying, "Cultivating is not easy for all living beings, but since you intended to harm others, I can only act on behalf of heaven!"
With one more punch, he directly killed the opponent. After a few thrashings, he transformed back into a meter-long yellow bone fish, struggled for a moment, and died.
...
Lin Zhao frowned and looked at it, murmuring with mixed feelings, "Truly a gift from nature..."
He then returned to the wooden hut, taking out salt, a small oil bottle, and a small bottle of cumin he had brought from the kitchen before his departure. If nothing else, as the third manager of Baiwei Xuan, he certainly had to be equipped for dining while traveling the world.