The green-robed man's gaze was indifferent as he watched the apricot woman cough up blood incessantly. Any further attack might scatter her soul. It was a pity, she had been at the beck and call of others in life and had become such a pitifully weak spirit after death.
He looked at the apricot woman with cold eyes and said lightly, "You have one month left. If you still refuse to hand over the treasure, you can die along with the treasure's essence."
The maiden gritted her teeth and glared at him hatefully, remaining silent.
The man looked up at the sky and frowned involuntarily. "This snow just won't stop?"
With that, he leaped into the air, ascending above the heavy clouds in an instant. His golden body suddenly transformed and enlarged, as if anchoring the entire sky. He said in a low voice, "Snow Domain Celestial Pool, why is it snowing today? Han Buyu, get out here!"
The clouds swirled, and a figure appeared – Han Buyu, the Cloud Master of the Tenth Realm.
"Greetings, Lord Rain Master..."
Han Buyu clasped his fist.
"Had enough of watching the show?"
The green-robed man smiled faintly. "Let me ask you, why has there been continuous north wind snow over the Snow Domain Celestial Pool these past few days? The meteorological records clearly state that it should be sunny during these days..."
Han Buyu respectfully replied, "Reporting to you, Lord, the Snow Domain Celestial Pool has been at war with the demon race these past few days. The north wind and snow are conducive to our human race's ambushes, exterminations, and reinforcements. Therefore, your subordinate has conjured clouds and snow, slightly shifting the heavy snow from the coming days to the present. The total amount will not differ by an iota, nor will it affect the general landscape of the world."
"Not affect it?"
The green-robed man's eyes were icy. "The time of day for snow, the depth of the snow, these are all clearly recorded in the meteorological charts. We are both gods conferred by heaven and earth to manage mountains and rivers. Why do you not adhere to your duties? Do you, Han Buyu, still believe you are a human sword cultivator?"
"Lord, I..."
Han Buyu attempted to explain further, but in the next moment, the green-robed man lunged forward, exuding the immense power of mountains and rivers. He directly kicked Han Buyu to the ground and then fiercely stomped on him amidst the clouds. He said coldly, "Although you are my subordinate, you have not adhered to the schedule. Do you believe I will immediately cripple your golden body?"
Han Buyu's face turned ashen, his golden form wavering. A Cloud Master of the Tenth Realm was no match for his superior. He gritted his teeth and said, "Your subordinate understands. I will never dare to offend again..."
"That is good!"
The green-robed man hooked him up with a kick, then followed with a punch. Han Buyu immediately coughed up blood and tumbled across the clouds. The man's gaze was icy as he said, "Now that we have become gods who conjure clouds and rain, we should know to condense our divine nature and eradicate the remaining traces of humanity. This is the cultivation left in this life. You, Han Buyu, still cling to your human sentiments. I believe you will be stuck as a mere paper tiger Cloud Master of the Tenth Realm for the rest of your life, with no hope of advancing further."
Han Buyu coughed up blood incessantly, looking up at the man, silent.
This man was Yue Ling, the son of Marquis Yue Hao!
A hundred years ago, Yue Ling had followed the fifty-three thousand Cloud State cavalry on a northern expedition and died in the Eastern Realm's Snow Domain alongside his father, Yue Hao. In the end, Heaven took pity, and the Great Dao conferred him the title of Rain Master, in charge of the frost, wind, rain, and snow across thousands of miles in the northern territories. Yue Ling had been diligent, cultivating to a very stable Eleventh Realm. However, with time, his divine nature increased, and his humanity dwindled.
Mountain gods and river gods were deities of the earth, while the Rain God was in charge of the frost, wind, rain, and snow in the sky.
Below the Rain Master were three assisting deities: the Cloud Master, the Wind Master, and the Thunder Master. These deities had different responsibilities but collectively contributed to the changing climates of heaven and earth.
...
"Impressive, truly impressive~~~"
On the southern mountainside of the Celestial Pool, in front of a dilapidated Mountain Lord shrine, a remarkably handsome young man in white, the Mountain Lord, emerged from the shrine and stood in the courtyard, looking at the sky and clapping his hands. "Yue Hao probably never imagined he would have such an accomplished son, tsk tsk!"
"Hmm?"
The Rain Master Yue Ling descended from the sky and, in the next second, sat atop the shrine's roof. He casually took out a pot of wine, took a hearty swig, and said with a smile, "Yo, isn't this Mountain Lord Su? Tsk tsk, still only in the Fifth Realm? I still remember the Fourteenth Realm Mountain Lord Su drawing his sword against a group of Sages in the Sea of Heavens. He was truly sharp, truly impressive!"
"You flatter me, you flatter me."
Mountain Lord Su sat on the threshold, crossing his legs. He smiled, "I'm simply far more elegant and refined than you, Lord Rain Master. The glory of the Fourteenth Realm, with your disposition, Lord Rain Master, I'm afraid you'll never have a chance to witness it in this lifetime~~~"
"It's nothing."
Yue Ling looked down at the Mountain Lord shrine and said with a laugh, "It's still better than Mountain Lord Su guarding such a dilapidated shack."
"Dilapidated?"
Mountain Lord Su turned to look around and chuckled, "Although it leaks wind and rain, it doesn't leak conscience. Unlike some people. A loyal son of the human race, who, after becoming a god, truly thinks he's an immortal? Your father was killed by Bai Lan of the Thirteenth Realm with a single sword. The one who ultimately avenged your father was not you, Yue Ling, but that Lin Baiyi. Now you go to such lengths to trouble Lin Baiyi's old friend. Has your conscience been eaten by dogs?"
"Am I troubling him?"
Yue Ling grinned, " I don't think so? I'm just following the rules. Han Buyu, as the Cloud Master, failed to conjure clouds and rain according to schedule. This is a grave offense. With such a merciful disposition, how can he ensure timely rains and favorable winds for the world in the future?"
"Get lost, get lost."
Mountain Lord Su waved his hand and said, "I can't talk to an animal."
"Fine."
Yue Ling spun around and rose into the air, looking down at the Mountain Lord shrine with a sinister smile. "When I, Yue Ling, break through to the Twelfth Realm, Mountain Lord Su had better also be in the Twelfth Realm."
Mountain Lord Su smiled calmly, "Don't worry, you will never reach the Twelfth Realm in this lifetime, otherwise, heaven would be blind."
Yue Ling bristled with indignation and soared away.
...
Snow Domain Celestial Pool.
The heavy snow stopped abruptly. The clouds and mist dispersed in the air, and the warm sunlight cascaded onto the Snow Domain Celestial Pool. On a cliff at the northern edge of the Snow Domain Celestial Pool, Lin Zhao, Fu Zhi, Mu Gua, Chu Yu, and Xiang Ji looked north. Lin Zhao sat down on the edge of the cliff, his legs swinging back and forth. When he used to frequently visit Jiuzhangyuan, he often saw Miss Leng and Shen Xingchen sitting here, likely observing the situation of the great battle in the Snow Domain Celestial Pool.
Now, Shen Xingchen was by his side, and Miss Leng was far away.
Speaking of which, he missed Miss Leng.
"Lord."
Fu Zhi pursed her lips and sat beside Lin Zhao. In truth, she yearned to lean on his shoulder, which would surely be very comfortable. But Fu Zhi dared not and could not do so; it was too presumptuous. He was Commander Lin, her Lord, and Fu Zhi's feelings for him were truly born of affection and constrained by reason. She harbored a certain liking, and keeping it in her heart was also good. Secretly liking someone was also sweet, at least she could remain by his side, right?
"Fu Zhi."
Lin Zhao squinted, looking into the distance, wishing he had a high-powered telescope. "Fu Zhi, can you see what the demon race is doing?"
"They are continuing to excavate the corpses of the Celestial Pool army soldiers."
Fu Zhi said calmly, "Lord, Shi Jungang must have another plan. Not long ago, an Eleventh Realm ghost cultivator entered the Ninth Army tent. It seems Shi Jungang's plan is definitely related to this Eleventh Realm ghost cultivator."
"Understood."
Lin Zhao's sword-like brows furrowed. "It's nothing more than a repeat of their old trick, building another Jingguan. And this time, it will be built with the corpses of the fallen soldiers of our Celestial Pool army."
"Damn it!"
Mu Gua clenched his iron fist, and dense fist intent flowed through his body. "Lord, are we just going to watch like this?"
Chu Yu gritted her teeth, "Commander Lin, what should we do?"
"Don't rush."
Lin Zhao said, "What happens after they build the Jingguan? Does anyone know the trick?"
"I know very little about the path of ghost cultivation."
Fu Zhi shook her head.
Mu Gua, Chu Yu, and Xiang Ji also looked confused.
Just then, a voice called out, "This, I know a little about."
Xu Shuo, the Mohist wandering knight, had also arrived.
He sat down beside Lin Zhao and said, "When a person dies, their three souls and seven spirits leave their bodies and linger in the world for a period. Most people eventually enter reincarnation. A small portion, with too much resentment, lingers in the human world for decades, becoming legendary lone ghosts. They are subjected to the Heavenly Dao's disturbance of wind, rain, and lightning daily. Some, with deep obsessions, become heroic spirits existing in the human world. The eight hundred thousand heroic spirits guarding the homeland of the Xia clan are such. Why were there no such heroic spirits produced in the battle of the Snow Domain Celestial Pool?"
"Why?"
Lin Zhao and Chu Yu asked in unison.
"Because..."
Xu Shuo frowned. "The fifty-three thousand Cloud State cavalry were used to build ten Jingguan. Once the corpses of the human race are melted into a part of the Jingguan, they will truly dissipate into smoke, leaving not even a wisp of soul. In other words, if these more than seven thousand Celestial Pool army corpses are used to build a Jingguan, then all the remaining heroic spirits of the Celestial Pool army in the human world will scatter like the wind, utterly annihilated by the killing aura of the Jingguan!"
"This won't do..."
Mu Gua said angrily, "Among those corpses are Luo Yang, Lei Yue, Hua Ping, Gu Luan, Zhu Zhi, and their group... as well as Commanders Wang Jiang, Liu Ping, Ma Feiyu, and others..."
Lin Zhao's gaze was solemn, and he frowned without speaking.
"Lord?"
Fu Zhi said softly, "We should do something. We can't just watch everyone truly turn into a cold Jingguan."
"Hmm."
Lin Zhao took a deep breath, looked at Xu Shuo, and said, "Xu Shuo, this matter might truly require your intervention."
Xu Shuo smiled slightly. "How can I help?"
"The Mohist school is knowledgeable in mechanisms and formations. Is there a formation that can move all things? In other words... can it move the Celestial Pool army corpses that the demon race is piling up to build the Jingguan to the Snow Domain Celestial Pool?"
"Yes."
Xu Shuo's lips curved into a smile. "Simple displacement formations are known by almost every inner disciple of the Mohist school. Jiuzhangyuan is not too far from the Snow Domain Celestial Pool. Moving more than seven thousand remains... requires a superior displacement formation."
"No, it can't be that simple."
Lin Zhao looked into the distance and said lightly, "Ever since Shi Jungang arrived, the demon race has been full of tricks. This woman cannot be allowed to continue. Do you have a more powerful formation that can not only move the Celestial Pool army remains to the Snow Domain Celestial Pool but also send the corresponding people from the Snow Domain Celestial Pool to the front of the demon race? In this battle, everything else is secondary. We must eliminate Shi Jungang!"
Xu Shuo narrowed his eyes. "This would require a 'Steal Heaven and Exchange the Sun' formation. You're lucky. I know this one too. In terms of formation cultivation, among my peers in the Mohist ancestral temple, I rank this..."
He made an 'OK' gesture again.