On the Xi Jian River, under the morning sun, the river water flowed rapidly. Suddenly, a group of Vermilion Bird cavalry were stunned. Without ferries or floating bridges, it was impossible for humans to cross the river. Even if the warhorses of the cavalry could wade through the water, the current was too strong, making it easy to be swept away and fall into eternal damnation.
Xiu Zhi narrowed her beautiful eyes, waiting for Lin Zhao to find a way across the river.
Lin Zhao took a step forward, his combat boots stepping into the water. He cupped his fists and smiled at the deep river: "Auntie, I need your help with something here again..."
Golden light reflected from the river. Soon after, a peerlessly beautiful woman emerged from the water, clad in golden armor and a cape, with a golden sword hanging at her waist. Her long hair flowed like water, and her golden eyes looked at Lin Zhao with doting affection, smiling, "Such a grand occasion this time?"
"Mm."
Lin Zhao smiled and nodded, saying, "We purchased 3,000 warhorses from Marshal Han Ye Tang at Shan Hai Pass, and she also gifted us a lot of armor and weapons. There are too many people and too many things, so we have to trouble you to help us cross the river."
"Mm."
Lin Xing Chu gently flicked her sleeve, and instantly figures of deities guarding the Xi Jian River appeared. There were temple officiants of the River God shrine, stewards, river lords of tributaries, and a large group of people who all used their powers. Immediately, a golden floating bridge appeared over the rolling river.
The group of Vermilion Bird cavalry were stunned. One of the cavalry commanders quickly dismounted. He knew very well who this golden-clad woman was – she was the legendary River God of Xi Jian River, the most powerful XIII-realm deity in the world. Legend had it that it was as difficult as reaching heaven for the wandering swordsmen, cultivators, and officials from the Da Shang side to catch a glimpse of Lin Xing Chu. Yet, she now appeared before them. How shocking was this scene! On the Xi Jian River, her strength was that of a true XIV-realm cultivator, a XIV-realm guardian of the human world, and perhaps there was only one such person now!
"We pay our respects to the River God!"
The group of Vermilion Bird cavalry knelt on one knee to pay their respects.
Lin Xing Chu smiled slightly and gently flicked her sleeve, saying, "Rise. You are Han Ye Tang's people, and Han Ye Tang helped my Xiao Zhao, so there's no need to be so formal."
"Thank you, Goddess!"
The crowd rose and orderly transported the supplies across the river. After everyone had crossed, Lin Zhao cupped his fists again to Lin Xing Chu, saying, "Auntie, these five hundred Vermilion Bird cavalry will return later, and I'll have to trouble you again then."
"Mm."
Lin Xing Chu smiled and said, "It's a small matter."
"Then I'm off~~~"
Lin Zhao waved goodbye. Now that they had sufficient troops and provisions, it was time to deal with the demon race properly!
Lin Xing Chu watched Lin Zhao with a smiling face. This was what a fine young man of the Lin family should be like.
One should know that the aspirations of a young man reaching for the sky once vowed to be the foremost in the world.
In this world, if my Xiao Zhao is not among the foremost, who is?
...
Returning to Snow Region Tianchi.
Laughter filled the camp. Xiang Ji was distributing warhorses, armor, weapons, and shields to the assembled soldiers. When the young warriors donned these items, they indeed looked like Yunzhou cavalry. However, they were stronger. Yunzhou cavalry did not possess such a profound foundation in martial arts. These people at Snow Region Tianchi, with a little training, would have an overall combat strength far beyond that of Yunzhou cavalry, with a very high martial arts component.
Inside the command tent, in the biting cold, Xiu Zhi brewed tea for Lin Zhao.
"Has there been any movement these past two days?"
Lin Zhao held his tea and smiled at Mu Zha.
"No!"
Mu Zha smiled, "The demon race seems unusually quiet. I don't know if they have some plan. The scouts we sent out for reconnaissance reported that the demon army camps on Jiu Zhang Yuan have returned to defend their territory, as if they are wary of something."
Lin Zhao nodded, but his mind was constantly hypothesizing what kind of situation would cause the demon race to contract their forces. As the commander of the three armies, thinking ahead was never a bad thing.
"Sir."
Xiu Zhi knelt beside him, her posture graceful, and said softly, "This army we've formed, have you thought of a name for it? We can't go without a title forever, can we?"
"How about the Tianchi Army?" Mu Zha suggested, "Inheriting the will of Marshal Chu Huai Xi, what do you think?"
"Not suitable."
Lin Zhao shook his head, "The Tianchi Army is entirely composed of descendants of the Great Chen Dynasty. Our army doesn't need to be so narrow. We want all the like-minded individuals in the world who are willing to fight demons. Otherwise, we probably won't be able to contend with the demon race."
Xiu Zhi said, "Lin Family Army? After all... it's a force that you personally built up."
"Also not ideal..."
Lin Zhao smiled, "Why not call it the Snow Region Legion? The military structure of the Da Shang Dynasty is no longer based on Jiedushi, but on Legions to differentiate the army corps. Since we want to defend the Snow Region and prevent the northern four tribes from advancing south, why not call it the Snow Region Legion?"
"Oh?"
Xiu Zhi's eyes lit up, and she smiled, "Then Snow Region Legion... that's a great name!"
Mu Zha grinned, "Then let's call it the Snow Region Legion. I'll announce it to the brothers immediately. However... what great banner will our Snow Region Legion fly in the future? Will it still be the Chen flag?"
"A great banner doesn't necessarily have to be just one flag, does it?"
Xiu Zhi smiled, "We can fly a Chen flag and a Lin flag. The Snow Region Legion is Lin Baiyi's army, and we want everyone in the world to know this from now on."
Lin Zhao grinned, "Whatever. It doesn't matter what flag we fly, what matters is being able to defeat the demon race."
"Mm!"
...
In the afternoon, Lin Zhao went down the mountain to farm monsters. He only returned to the camp for replenishment and rest around five in the afternoon. Old Fan, Hua Zi, and Xiao Ou were now doing quite well. In the camp, they had a blacksmith shop, a pharmacy, and a merchant stall. They had even started doing business with the soldiers in the camp.
After a conversation with Old Fan and selling off a pile of worthless equipment, Lin Zhao's heart stirred. A very strong aura flashed and disappeared. Immediately, outside the camp gate, a Mohist wandering swordsman with two long swords on his back cupped his fists and smiled at Lin Zhao, "Xu Shuo of the Mohist school, may I borrow your place to rest for a while? I haven't had a hot meal in days..."
Lin Zhao's forehead twitched. He could tell that Xu Shuo's cultivation was definitely not low, yet he couldn't even get a hot meal?
In Old Fan's stall, Lin Zhao lit a bonfire and cooked a pot of meat soup for Xu Shuo using a camping pot. It was made with the venison that Mu Zha had hunted from the south, along with some wild vegetables from the mess hall, and a few large flatbreads. It was a perfect military meal.
At this moment, it was snowing heavily outside, and the tent was not very warm. Xu Shuo shivered with his sleeves tucked in. Outside, soldiers of the Snow Region Legion kept looking over, finding it strange. Their commander was personally cooking meat soup, who was this young Mohist wandering swordsman to deserve such prestige?
"You've got strong troops and horses recently..."
Xu Shuo smiled, "When I passed by the camp just now, I saw your cavalry training and charging. The momentum was so terrifying that I had to cover my ears to dare to come in."
Lin Zhao glanced at him. He was quite good at pretending.
"Xu Shuo, how have you been lately?"
Lin Zhao smiled, "Have the matters assigned by your sect gone smoothly?"
"It's alright."
Xu Shuo grinned, "I've finally found the most important item."
Saying this, he raised his hand and patted one of the two swords on his back. The sword was wrapped in black cloth, but its rich treasure aura was still hard to conceal.
In fact, Lin Zhao had noticed long ago that Xu Shuo only had one sword when he came last time, and now he had two. So he smiled, "What, one of the Ten Great Famous Swords?"
"That's impossible..."
Xu Shuo said, "I don't have that immense fortune to carry the Ten Great Famous Swords. How many people like you are there in the world?"
Lin Zhao felt a bit dejected and continued to add firewood. In fact, Xu Shuo knew everything. There was nothing to say; this person's cultivation must be extremely high.
"Xu Shuo."
Lin Zhao said, "Are we friends?"
"Of course!"
Xu Shuo slapped his thigh and laughed, "As the commander of the three armies, you can still cook for me personally. If this isn't considered brotherhood, what is?"
He then lowered his voice, "But Lin Zhao, I'm here on a mission from my master. This time, I will only set up mechanisms and formations and will not draw my sword to avoid bringing more karma and trouble to the ancestral home of the Mohist school. So, no matter how the battle goes on your side, I, Xu Shuo, cannot draw my sword to help you. But next time... just tell me who to chop, and I, Xu Shuo, dare not say anything else, but in terms of swordsmanship, among the Mohist disciples of my generation, I'm this..."
He made a gesture with his index finger and thumb touching, and the other three fingers slightly raised.
Lin Zhao was a bit confused, "You mean your swordsmanship is okay among the Mohist disciples of your generation?"
Xu Shuo rolled his eyes, "I mean my swordsmanship, among the Mohist disciples of my generation, is among the top three."
"Oh."
Lin Zhao nodded and smiled, "The soup is ready, help yourself. The flatbread is next to it, it's already baked through, take some."
"Okay."
Xu Shuo stayed in the tent to eat. Lin Zhao got up and patrolled the camp, followed by Xiu Zhi, constantly pointing out where reinforcement was needed, and where it would be best to erect another arrow tower, as the field of fire was excellent. Xiu Zhi smiled gently, nodding slightly, and when she looked at Lin Zhao, her eyes were filled with gentle sunlight.
For a moment, the meat soup and flatbread no longer tasted good.
Xu Shuo looked at Lin Zhao and Xiu Zhi with a bitter expression. In his eyes, there was no her, only the camp. In her eyes, there was no him, only him. No wonder his master had said that the trial of love was difficult, and it was indeed very difficult! Why should I, a twelfth-realm great sword immortal, endure such torment? Among the countless graceful and peerless young female cultivators in the ancestral home of the Mohist school, which one did not have light in her eyes when she saw me? But only Xiu Zhi, the way she looked at me eating soup from a bowl was no different from how she looked at a beggar eating from a bowl by the roadside.
...
Deep into the night.
Countless demon soldiers, braving the wind and snow, appeared on Jiu Zhang Yuan with shovels, spades, and other tools. They began to excavate the graves of the unmanned corpses on Jiu Zhang Yuan. Most of the corpses of those who died in battle were buried on the spot. The remains of over 8,000 soldiers of the Tianchi Army were mostly buried there. In fact, the demons digging them up was like digging into the hearts of the descendants of the Great Chen Dynasty.
Dozens of miles away.
In a tent temporarily set up in the forest by a group of exiled soldiers, Chu Yu suddenly stood up, her eyes filled with rage, "How can the demon race be so despicable and shameless? They dare to dig up Father's grave?!"
Several centurions stood up, clenching their fists, "Commander Chu, give the order! Even if we all die, we cannot let these beasts desecrate the Marshal's remains!"
Chu Yu gritted her teeth, and strands of true qi turned into air currents, swirling and crackling. She frowned, "Immediately issue the order! The entire army will march, and we will quickly head to Jiu Zhang Yuan to fight the demon race to the death!"