In days past, Li Xuanji, leading the remnants of over five thousand Yunzhou Iron Cavalry, fought their way out of the demon clan's encirclement under the cover of the two feudal lords, Lin Wuyang and Ning Ze. They journeyed eastward, eventually arriving in a desolate tribal region of the Snow Region. At that time, this place was under attack by a demon army of several hundred, all of whom were annihilated by Li Xuanji in a single onslaught.
Following this, the local chieftain accepted Li Xuanji and the Yunzhou Iron Cavalry, allowing them to settle there. As most of the tribal men had perished in the war, Li Xuanji decided to lift the rule that forbade the Yunzhou Iron Cavalry from marrying local women, for the sake of procreation. Subsequently, the Yunzhou Iron Cavalry had children in this region. Within a century, they connected a series of desolate tribes, ultimately forming the present-day Snow Dragon Dynasty. Thus, Li Xuanji, a cultivator at the Celestial Origin realm, was known as the "God of War" in the Snow Dragon Dynasty and was its savior. Coupled with the unwavering loyalty of the thousands of Yunzhou Iron Cavalry who followed him, these cavalrymen took root in this land, their descendants multiplying over generations to reach the current scale of seventy to eighty thousand cavalry in the Snow Dragon Dynasty.
In the Snow Dragon Dynasty, Li Xuanji's word was absolute.
...
After inspecting the troops, Li Xuanji summoned dozens of Thousand-Rider Commanders. The group convened in a large tent. Once everyone was present, Li Xuanji took a deep breath and said, "Brothers, I have someone to introduce to you."
He slowly stepped back a few paces, clasped his hands in greeting towards Lin Zhao, and said to everyone in a deep voice, "This is the reincarnation of Lin Baiyi of the Heavenly Lake in the Snow Region, and the current Marshal Lin of the Heavenly Lake. Not long ago, Marshal Lin and Lin Ruo of the Rock Army jointly fought north of Guxia Pass, inflicting heavy losses on the demon and devil clans, earning the moniker 'Twin Lin.' You should all have heard of this."
The Thousand-Rider Commanders were first surprised, then their faces lit up with excitement. They clasped their hands in unison and said, "Greetings, Marshal Lin!"
"Rise, all of you. There's no need for formalities," Lin Zhao smiled. "This so-called 'Twin Lin' title is merely a ploy by the demon clan. In truth, we are nowhere near that formidable. Both Lin Ruo's and my forces suffered over fifty percent casualties. The number of cavalry at the Heavenly Lake in the Snow Region was halved. This is also why I have come to the Snow Dragon Dynasty. I, Lin Zhao, am not talented, but I wish to borrow some troops from Commander Li Xuanji to reinforce the Snow Region Army. Of course... this is a transaction with no expectation of return. Once you follow me to the Heavenly Lake in the Snow Region, you will face the four northern tribes. It's a life where you might not see tomorrow. However, there is one good thing about the Heavenly Lake in the Snow Region: in our battles against the demon, devil, and ghost clans, we rarely suffer significant losses. Once you join the Snow Region Army, you will be able to fight demons with pride!"
Li Xuanji said in a deep voice, "Lin Shuai and I have discussed it. Without affecting the combat strength of the Snow Dragon Dynasty, we will lend twenty thousand armored soldiers to bolster the forces of the Heavenly Lake in the Snow Region. Any Thousand-Rider Commanders who wish to follow Marshal Lin to fight demons may step forward and lead their troops to follow Marshal Lin. Your families and children will be properly resettled by the Snow Dragon Dynasty, so do not worry!"
A group of Thousand-Rider Commanders hesitated.
Lin Zhao stood beside Li Xuanji, clad in white robes and silver armor, with two swords on his back. He appeared calm and unhurried. He trusted the mettle of the Yunzhou Iron Cavalry and Li Xuanji's leadership. How could Li Xuanji's subordinates be cowards?
As expected, soon after, one Thousand-Rider Commander after another stood up, expressing their willingness to follow Lin Zhao to the Heavenly Lake in the Snow Region. Then, more and more followed. At least half of the Thousand-Rider Commanders indicated their willingness to follow. In fact, Lin Zhao's decision to select only Thousand-Rider Commanders was also strategic. He did not want any Ten-Thousand-Rider Commanders, as they were Li Xuanji's trusted aides, and their absence would be detrimental. By gaining the support of a group of Thousand-Rider Commanders, he would essentially gain the loyalty of an army. After all, Thousand-Rider Commanders were mid-level officers, overseeing ten Hundred-Rider Commanders, who in turn oversaw a hundred cavalrymen. Thus, by securing the loyalty of these Thousand-Rider Commanders, he could firmly control an army.
...
Afterward, the Yunzhou Iron Cavalry were given time to bid farewell to their families. A day later, Lin Zhao and Zhu Zhi led twenty thousand cavalry westward. Li Xuanji additionally dispatched another ten thousand cavalry to escort them. Upon arrival, they were to bring back twenty thousand warhorses. Lin Zhao did not want these twenty thousand Yunzhou warhorses because he could not afford to maintain them. The sixty to seventy thousand Cloud Xi warhorses at the Heavenly Lake in the Snow Region consumed too much grass. If he added these Yunzhou warhorses, Lin Zhao would go bankrupt even without the demon clan's attacks.
At their parting, Lin Zhao gave Li Xuanji a large number of magical treasures, most of which were taken from the Qingliang Sect's armory. These treasures would allow the Snow Dragon Dynasty to cultivate more mountain cultivators, thereby enhancing their national strength. Li Xuanji actually wished to follow Lin Zhao westward to defend the Heavenly Lake in the Snow Region, but he was refused. Lin Zhao preferred Li Xuanji to remain in the Snow Dragon Dynasty, leaving behind a legacy for humanity in the Northern Region and for the Yunzhou Iron Cavalry.
Several days later, they returned to the Heavenly Lake in the Snow Region.
At Lin Zhao's instruction, Huang Tingyu and Mu Zao were appointed as the commanders of these twenty thousand Yunzhou Iron Cavalry. One, a Sword Immortal at the twelfth realm, and the other, a Celestial Origin martial artist, did not dishonor the cavalry. On the contrary, upon hearing that these two were renowned generals who had fought demons at the Heavenly Lake in the Snow Region in the past, the Yunzhou Iron Cavalry appeared greatly invigorated.
All who dared to draw their swords and slay demons were my comrades!
...
Ghost Realm.
A grand formation had been completed. Tan Xin, clad in a qipao, sat at the heart of the formation. At the formation's core stood a young Daoist priest in a green robe, Qi Liandao. He held a rune stone in his hands, his gaze solemn as he surveyed his surroundings. This was a modified Heaven Swapping Grand Formation, different from those of the Daoist or Mohist schools. Outside the formation core were twelve formation feet, each guarded by a cultivator, the weakest being a ghost cultivator at the Star River realm. Half of these individuals were from the Coffin Bearer clan, and the other half were Qi Liandao and Tan Xin's "friends" from the martial world.
"It begins."
As the formation operator at the core, Qi Liandao channeled a surge of immense spiritual energy, instantly unlocking Tan Xin's Life and Death Tribulation ban. Dark clouds rolled in the sky, and golden lightning flashed. The Life and Death Tribulation reappeared. As streaks of lightning descended, though Tan Xin gritted her teeth in pain, the heavenly lightning was soon dispelled by the formation's power and seeped into the earth, transferring the entire power of the Life and Death Tribulation to the Ghost Realm.
The vast Ghost Realm, bearing one Life and Death Tribulation, was unaffected.
In the sky, the lightning grew more numerous and denser.
"Tan Xin, hold on!" Qi Liandao shouted as he operated the formation.
"Mmm!" Tan Xin bit her teeth and looked at Qi Liandao. The young strategist, sharing the tribulation's power with her, had a ghastly pale face and appeared extremely desolate. Soon, Tan Xin began to bleed from her nose and mouth, and cracks appeared on her body. The Life and Death Tribulation that should have befallen a ghost cultivator at the thirteenth realm had prematurely struck her, a peak eleventh realm cultivator. It was both an opportunity and a calamity.
In the distance, Ding Chunqiu and a group of players watched with astonishment.
"Damn it..." Ji Mo Zhi frowned. "If the tribulation fails, will the Ancestor be lost too?"
"Definitely," Qiu Qianren said. "The Ancestor has committed many evils and deserves to die. If the tribulation fails, it's a near-certain death situation."
"So..." Ding Chunqiu said with deep meaning, "we wicked individuals must have strong wills and the courage to defy heaven. Only by defying heaven can we find our true path."
"The boss speaks wisely..." the group murmured, each with a meaningful look on their faces. They all privately thought how disgusting these wicked people were, and how fortunate they were to be slightly better than them.
In the distance, the lightning tribulation in the sky grew more intense. It was not just the lightning tribulation; strands of life essence surged from the earth, constantly impacting Tan Xin's physical body. This was the backlash of the Great Dao of Life against the Great Dao of Death, and the karmic retribution Tan Xin had sown over the years. She cultivated the art of death, killing countless beings, accumulating immense karma, all of which was now manifesting in the Life and Death Tribulation.
"Ahhhhh..." Tan Xin cried out in pain. Her seven orifices were now bleeding. Although the Heaven Swapping Grand Formation transferred some of the Life and Death Tribulation's power, approximately thirty percent that could not be transferred was still borne by her.
"Hold on!" Qi Liandao roared, "Do not give up!"
Tan Xin wept in pain.
"Bang!" With a loud bang, the body of a ghost cultivator at the Star River realm, serving as a formation foot, suddenly exploded. They could no longer withstand the lightning tribulation and perished. The others were horrified; no one wanted to die!
"Who dares to leave?!" Qi Liandao's sharp shout echoed. He flicked his hand, throwing out several blood-colored armor plates. These plates hovered before the foreheads of those guarding the formation feet. With a mere thought from Qi Liandao, their lives would be extinguished. For a moment, everyone could only suppress the formation feet. However, with the rolling thunder tribulation in the sky, another person exploded, turning into a rain of blood.
By the time only seven people remained at the formation feet, Qi Liandao himself spat out a mouthful of blood. He was struck by the formation's backlash, his face incredibly pale. He stumbled and fell to the ground. At the same moment, the Life and Death Tribulation finally ended.
"Strategist..." Tan Xin lay in a pool of blood. The spiritual energy within her began to surge and recover. Now that she had overcome the Life and Death Tribulation, there were no obstacles before her entry into the fourteenth realm. She quickly rose and helped Qi Liandao up. Looking at his pale face, Tan Xin felt a pang of tenderness. She gently caressed his face with her fingers and said softly, "Liandao, I will not fail you..."
Qi Liandao's eyes were tightly closed; he had already fainted.
Ding Chunqiu and the others swooped over. "Congratulations, Master!"
Tan Xin smiled and said, "From today onwards, my Coffin Bearer lineage will officially rise!"
...
Late at night, at the Heavenly Lake in the Snow Region, atop the mountain peak villa.
Lin Zhao, who was drawing talismans in his study, suddenly looked up. He saw a faint sword intent erupt from the direction of Zhang Luobai's residence nearby. A tremor followed, as if something was awakening. Lin Zhao immediately drew his sword and rushed out. Along the way, he saw Zhu Zhi, Chu Yu, and Huang Tingyu arriving. The few of them looked towards the small house where Zhang Luobai resided.
"Tsk tsk!" Huang Tingyu crossed his arms and looked at Lin Zhao, chuckling. "Awakening his first Sword Lake in his sleep. This disciple is quite like you!"