These were the fallen heroes of the Xia clan, spoken of by her aunt Lin Xingchu!
Lin Zhao felt no fear towards these heroic spirits; on the contrary, the scholarly qi within him resonated with them.
"Kill!"
A group of heroic spirits drew their swords and charged fearlessly towards the ghost cultivator before them.
"Hmph?!"
The ghost cultivator raised an eyebrow and sneered, "I've refined and devoured countless Yin beings in my life. How dare you, these damned wretches, show off your meager skills before me? You're simply courting death!"
As he spoke, the ghost cultivator spread his palms, and streams of bloody mist surged forth. Instantly, more than ten iron cavalrymen at the forefront were annihilated, their essence turning to blood mist which the ghost cultivator absorbed. However, the remaining cavalrymen still split into two groups, charging towards the ghost cultivator from either side through the bamboo forest, their swords and spears attacking him.
The ghost cultivator laughed heartily, continuously using his techniques to assault the heroic spirits.
"Green Banner Battalion!"
The leading heroic spirit general slowly rode forward and declared, "This Golden Core stage ghost must not be allowed to live. Go, Green Banner Battalion! Even if the entire army is annihilated, you must kill this eighth-realm ghost!"
The sound of horses' hooves grew more intense.
Lin Zhao's brows furrowed. At this moment, the qi within his body had stabilized, and his injuries were not too severe. However, he could not use the talismans for dispelling miasma or suppressing demons, as they might harm the heroic spirits. Thus, he quickly ignited a third Speed Talisman, followed by two Immobilization Talismans. With a light leap, he appeared in mid-air and hurled both Immobilization Talismans towards the ghost cultivator. Simultaneously, he channeled his boxing intent and, from above, unleashed a powerful "Springing from Dry Land" punch towards the ghost cultivator!
A chill ran through the ghost cultivator's heart. To block the two Immobilization Talismans, he would have to endure Lin Zhao's punch. If he dodged the punch, he would certainly be hit by the talismans. Who knew what kind of monster that brat was? The punch of a sixth-realm martial artist was causing the eighth-realm ghost cultivator pain, his old bones almost unable to bear it. Coupled with these hundreds of remaining Xia clan heroic spirits, this elderly ghost cultivator felt greatly troubled.
As a result of his slight hesitation, he not only suffered the Immobilization Talismans but also took the punch.
"Boom!"
Lin Zhao's heavy punch sent the ghost cultivator's legs sinking into the snow. The two Immobilization Talismans temporarily sealed his spiritual energy. Instantly, more than ten cavalry sabers landed on the eighth-realm ghost cultivator's body, severing his arms, ears, and shoulders. Following that, the general's sword pierced his Golden Core!
...
A dignified Golden Core stage cultivator met such a humiliating end in the bamboo forest.
"Hoo... hoo..."
Lin Zhao panted heavily, exhaustion filling his body. In this battle, he had used too many scholarly talismans, depleting a significant amount of his true qi and spiritual energy. Fortunately, with the assistance of the Xia clan heroic spirits, he had managed to kill the eighth-realm Golden Core ghost cultivator.
"Thank you all."
Lin Zhao stood up and cupped his fists towards the heroic spirits. "This junior is Lin Zhao, a descendant of the Great Chen Dynasty, a vassal state of the Xia clan!"
The heroic spirits cupped their fists in return from their horses. The leading general said solemnly, "Young hero strikes out for the sake of the common people; it is our undeniable duty to assist! Green Banner Battalion, we bid farewell now!"
"Farewell!"
Lin Zhao nodded.
The soft snow continued to fall, but the figures of the iron cavalry gradually dispersed with the wind.
Lin Zhao's heart surged with emotion.
Eighty thousand armored heroic spirits guarding the land – such a grand undertaking was truly unimaginable. How had Aunt Lin Xingchu managed it?
Returning to the ancestral shrine.
After bandaging his wounds, the young man circulated his martial artist's true qi to heal himself. He looked up at the top of the shrine, illuminated by the firelight, and from this moment on, he felt he was no longer as afraid of ghosts.
...
Early morning, before dawn, Lin Zhao ate a little and then hurried on his journey once more.
Since this eighth-realm ghost cultivator had found him, it meant that other assassins could reach this place. The demon race's assassins, in particular, would surely not be few, especially given the high status of the eleventh-realm Great Demon Yu Zhi among them. Although her cultivation was not the highest, she was astute and strategic, a "beautiful military advisor" to the demon race. When Yu Zhi was enraged, the entire demon race would also be furious. Therefore, once the news of Lin Zhao's southward journey reached them, those pursuing him would certainly not be limited to just one or two.
Early morning, before dawn, the heavy snow was still falling.
Lin Zhao traveled rapidly out of the bamboo forest. At a green mountain ahead, as he was about to pass through a desolate ancient road, he suddenly felt a gust of Yin wind. Immediately thereafter, he heard the sounds of horses' hooves and the clashing of weapons against armor from the front – an entire cavalry legion was sweeping past.
It was an ancient battlefield. Within the thousand-mile fertile land between the Washing Sword River and the Fusu Great Wall, there were dozens of such ancient battlefields, where the Xia clan armies had fought decisive battles against demons and fiends. Countless heroic spirits lay buried amidst the green hills and clear waters. And now, this eerie army was marching along the path of the living.
Grey Mist Mountain.
Yin soldiers borrowing the road.
Lin Zhao stopped, no longer daring to trespass. He simply stood by the roadside, waiting for this Yin soldier procession to pass. Not only was there no disrespect, but he cupped his fists and bowed with the etiquette of a martial artist towards the front. To this group of Yin beings, it seemed as if a young martial artist with an ancient sword and a bamboo basket on his back was bowing to them.
"Thank you!"
Someone said softly on the ancient road.
And when Lin Zhao looked up, he saw the iron cavalry riding their steeds. As they approached him, they automatically slowed their pace and, cupping their fists in a bow, passed by.
The human martial artists of today and the human martial artists of several hundred years ago thus met amidst the mountains and rivers.
...
Several days later.
Lin Zhao was only three days' journey away from the Fusu Great Wall. As he passed through a dense forest, he heard the heavy sound of horses' hooves and sensed unfamiliar auras. He immediately leaped into the snowy woods nearby. Ahead, a troop of iron cavalry, numbering about several hundred, thundered past.
However, this cavalry did not belong to the human army.
They were beings with purple eyes, finely equipped with armor, weapons, and steeds. The steeds were half a head taller than human warhorses, extremely spirited. These humans with purple eyes exuded a strong killing intent. One of them glanced towards the bamboo forest, seemingly sensing something, and sneered, "A mere human martial artist, shall we kill him?"
Another said indifferently, "He's only in the lower five realms. No need to waste time, let's go!"
"En!"
The cavalry galloped away.
...
Lin Zhao remained standing in the snowy forest. He had seen these people in scrolls.
The Demon Race.
A race from the cold eastern lands. Compared to the Demon Race, the individual combat power of the Demon Race was not particularly high; eighth-realm cultivators were extremely rare among them. However, the Demon Race armies were remarkably disciplined. In large-scale battles, the strength displayed by Demon Race legions often surpassed that of the Demon Race and the Ghost Race, making them formidable opponents.
Now, a troop of Demon Race cavalry had appeared within several hundred miles of the Fusu Great Wall. This was an extremely dangerous development.
"It doesn't matter, I can't do anything about it anyway."
Lin Zhao pursed his lips. What could a mere sixth-realm martial artist like himself do about the affairs of the human world? Nothing. He should continue delivering the topographical maps and reach the Fusu Great Wall as soon as possible to train there.
At dusk.
He arrived at Luoxia Valley, marked on the map. This was also an ancient battlefield.
Lin Zhao found a cave on the mountainside at the edge of Luoxia Valley, which would serve as his shelter for the night. Everything was as usual: he made a fire, cooked, ate his fill, and then practiced his punches and sword techniques at the cave entrance until he felt tired and fell asleep.
However, he did not sleep for long before the thunderous sound of horses' hooves echoed from below the mountain.
Lin Zhao woke from his dream and went to a hilltop to overlook the entire Luoxia Valley. He was stunned by what he saw. In Luoxia Valley, on the left was a dazzling golden Demon Race cavalry corps, numbering about five thousand. On the right was a human Yin soldier legion, shrouded in Yin energy, numbering tens of thousands.
The battle between the living and the dead seemed to have never ceased in this area.
"Clang~~~"
A Demon Race general drew the sword at his waist, pointing its tip forward, and roared, "Flatten them, sever the destiny between the Fusu Great Wall and the Washing Sword River, and exterminate all human power in this thousand-mile territory!"
The Demon Race warriors drew their swords one after another, roaring incessantly.
On the human Yin soldier legion's side, a commanding officer, clad in armor and wearing three golden stars on his collar, also drew his blade and shouted, "Brothers, ahead are the Demon Race troops who attacked our right flank in the past. Today, we meet on a narrow path, fight to the death!"
"To the death!"
A group of heroic spirit warriors drew their swords in unison.
The two sides quickly engaged in a fierce battle, dust flying.
Lin Zhao stood on the hilltop, dumbfounded, gazing at this earth-shattering battlefield. This battle would not be recorded by any historian. The court of the Great Shang might receive reports from the assassins, but they would always pretend to be unaware. The common people south of the Fusu Great Wall would not know, and perhaps even Chu Huaixi and Huang Tingyu on Tianchi Ridge might not be aware.
The young man began to establish his sword stance, gazing at the battlefield and nurturing the killing intent of his scholarly qi.
...
In the real world, Xicheng.
In the affluent district, a bar on the second floor was open for business. Inside the bar, holographic projections shimmered above the crowd, and on stage, seven stunning dancers were performing a lively dance. The lead dancer was particularly beautiful, with an exquisite face and clear, limpid eyes, drawing enthusiastic cheers from the patrons. The atmosphere was fiery.
Late at night.
The lead dancer finally finished her shift and emerged from the back door of the bar, named "jACk," her body weary. She wore a woolen coat, frowned, and walked quickly, seeming already tired of her life.
Her name was Chen Xue, the most popular girl at the bar.
"Beep beep beep~~~"
The moment she mounted her magnetic levitation motorcycle and put on her helmet, her communicator rang. The caller's name was "Murong Feiyue."
"Sister Feiyue?"
After Chen Xue confirmed the call, Murong Feiyue's image appeared in the upper right corner of her helmet's display. She couldn't help but smile, "It's been so long, why are you suddenly calling me?"
"I want to discuss something with you."
Murong Feiyue smiled, "The game 'Tianxia' will be opening soon. You know about this, right?"
"Mm-hmm..."
"Do you plan to venture into the martial world again?"
"Yes..."
Chen Xue smiled, "I'm currently with the Azure Dragon Guild. I was the chief knight in the 'Conquest' era. How's that?"
"No, no..."
Murong Feiyue laughed, "I plan to have my younger brother, Lin Zhao, re-establish the Crimson Moon Knights. How about you go and help him? You're both around the same age, so you should get along well."
"Ah?!"
Chen Xue paused, "I'm doing well at Azure Dragon, why would I go help Lin Zhao?"
"Because..."
Murong Feiyue pondered for a moment, "My brother Lin Zhao has the potential of a Heavenly King..."
...
Chen Xue almost spat out a mouthful of blood. She hesitated for a moment and said, "Alright then, let me think about it..."