The night was deep.
From afar, the sounds of shouting and neighing horses could be heard. Another contingent of troops was passing through the mountain. Lin Zhao paid them no mind and continued drawing talismans in the Natural Dwelling. This was because the person arriving this time was the Northern Marshal, Li Chunyang, the true commander of the eleven Zhenjian Towers in the north. However, Li Chunyang was a figurehead, appointing incompetents like Yu Rang as his deputy. In truth, Lin Zhao's impression of Li Chunyang had long since soured. Over the past century, he was no longer the famed general of Xishu. Now, he was hardly different from a power-hungry official.
Despite this, Lin Zhao still issued an order for Changzhi and Mu Zha to receive Li Chunyang's 300,000-strong army and head north.
As Li Chunyang led his army to the foot of the Northern Mountain, he turned and glanced towards the villa on the mountain peak. The area was rich with spiritual energy and brightly lit. Li Chunyang frowned.
"Great Chieftain."
Beside him, Yu Rang, mounted on a black steed, displayed undisguised anger. "This Lin Zhao actually refused to see us, claiming he was busy. What does that mean? This clearly shows his prejudice against you, Great Chieftain. Hmph, how can such a person be allowed to guard the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool? If we defeat the demon race this time, we must eradicate them completely, lest they become a scourge in the future!"
Li Chunyang sneered, "I presume it's related to your opinions of our Linlu Legion during the battles of Yecheng in Dongwu and Guxia Pass. Yu Rang, when you ordered the massacre at Yecheng, did Lin Zhao defy your military orders?"
"Yes."
Yu Rang dared not conceal the truth. "The massacre was for the army's provisions, not for my personal enrichment. Lin Zhao openly disobeyed a military order and should have been executed on the spot. Who would have thought a Confucian Saint of the Thirteenth Realm would suddenly appear and protect Lin Zhao single-handedly? Otherwise, that brat would have died long ago."
"Perhaps you are the one who should have died?"
Li Chunyang's gaze was icy, instantly sending a chill through Yu Rang as if he had fallen into an ice cave. "Do you know what the protection of a Confucian Saint of the Thirteenth Realm signifies? Even the imperial family of Baidi City would show great respect to such an individual. Moreover, Lin Zhao has a Sword Cultivator senior brother of the Fourteenth Realm above him. Who do you think you are, Yu Rang, to even consider eradicating Lin Zhao?"
"..."
Yu Rang was stunned. He hastily dismounted and knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly. "Great Chieftain, your subordinate knows his mistake. Your subordinate knows his mistake..."
Li Chunyang's eyes held a chilling disappointment. "Do you truly believe I, Li Chunyang, must rely on people like you? Are there no generals in the Northern Three Prefectures that you, Yu Rang, must be the deputy commander of the Linlu Legion? Dammit, take a look at yourself when you have the time. If you hadn't saved my life back then, with my personality, I would have chopped you down long ago!"
"Great Chieftain..."
Yu Rang was trembling. "Your subordinate knows his mistake, your subordinate knows his mistake."
"Do you know where you went wrong?"
"Your subordinate... your subordinate shouldn't have angered Great Chieftain. Your subordinate deserves to die!"
"Utterly foolish!"
Li Chunyang's gaze was sharp, and he roared, "You may anger me, Li Chunyang, and perhaps not die. But if you truly provoke Lin Zhao and those behind him, let alone yourself, our entire Linlu Legion, our entire Great Shang Dynasty, will be implicated by your idiotic actions!"
"Your subordinate... your subordinate..."
Yu Rang was so terrified that tears streamed down his face.
"Remember,"
Li Chunyang pointed his whip at him and said indifferently, "From now on, you are forbidden to show any disrespect to Lin Zhao, nor harbor any ill will towards him. Otherwise, no one will be able to save you."
He sneered, "If a person is stupid enough to die, then they are truly beyond saving."
"Yes... Yes..."
Yu Rang kowtowed repeatedly.
Li Chunyang looked again towards the villa on the mountain peak, his heart filled with a touch of sadness. The speculation that the white-robed figure on the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool might be Lin Zhao reincarnated had been confirmed by Chen Xi and Han Yetang. Thus, Li Chunyang was naturally certain of it. A hundred years ago, as a famed general of Xishu, Li Chunyang had participated in the battle for the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. Was he not also Lin Zhao's subordinate then? Back then, when Lin Zhao held court, Li Chunyang sat far from him and had clasped his hands in obedience.
But now, he led his army to the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, and Lin Zhao refused to see him.
This disappointed and saddened Li Chunyang. Was Marshal Lin disappointed in him? If not, he wouldn't have acted this way. After all, he was the Northern Marshal of the Great Shang Dynasty!
He frowned. He would deal with this after the current battle. One day, he would surely tell Lin Zhao that he was still the Li Chunyang of the past, still someone willing to draw his sword and die for the human race, and still possessed a sincere heart.
...
In the early morning, the Ghost Realm was shrouded in a dense, yin-laden mist, the entire world permeated with an aura of death. As dawn was about to break, ethereal figures seemed to drift through the forest amidst swirling clouds and mist, giving the impression of a hundred ghosts returning to the misty woods. In the sky, figures enveloped in immense spiritual energy streaked across the horizon. These were the seven human cultivators of the Twelfth Realm, descending westward.
Su Qingjiu and Lin Wanhua each rode a flying sword, leading the way and surveying the land below.
Xu Zhan and Cao Ying flew their swords on the flanks, while Huang Qingning and Han Fang followed behind. In the center, Xu Shuo held a delicate gray compass, charting the mountain formations and water currents. Beneath their feet flowed a continuous, wide river, which appeared to be in flood season, its waters surging.
"We've arrived."
Xu Shuo halted. "This is the source of the Kusong River. You can all descend along the river, severing the tributaries, and disrupting the water transport of the Kusong River. Remember, the larger the tributary, the more crucial it is to sever it. I will remain here to try and seal the source of the Kusong River, diverting most of the water transport to our human race's Xijian River."
"Mm."
The group descended along the river.
Soon, various tributaries of the Kusong River appeared. Su Qingjiu and Lin Wanhua each chose a large tributary and continued westward. As further tributaries emerged on either side of these, the two Great Sword Immortals drew their swords. Immediately, streaks of brilliant sword light descended from the sky, shattering the tributaries and diverting endless water into the mountains and forests, preventing it from converging.
Xu Zhan, Cao Ying, Han Fang, and Huang Qingning also traveled along the river, continuously disrupting the water transport of the tributaries. As they traversed the great river, their expressions were grave. Although they could not see it with their eyes, nor could it be detected by the Water Moon Observation technique, they could clearly feel a colossal entity slumbering deep within the water transport of the Kusong River. This dormant behemoth was currently absorbing a vast amount of water, nourishing its Great Dao.
This entity had already reached the Thirteenth Realm. If it absorbed more water, it might break through its bottleneck and reach the legendary Fourteenth Realm. If that happened, who among the human race could resist it?
"Such potent demonic energy..."
Su Qingjiu swept through the air, frowning. The entire river was permeated with the same demonic energy, yet she could not pinpoint its source. It was as if the entire Kusong River were its true form. Could it be that this slumbering colossal demon was trying to merge with the Great Dao of the entire Kusong River's water transport to break through to the Fourteenth Realm?
If that were the case, it would be truly troublesome.
Xu Zhan and Huang Qingning moved along the sides. Xu Zhan continuously unleashed sword strikes from the air to disperse the water tributaries, while Huang Qingning waved his long sleeves, sending spells into the earth to guide water transport and then evaporate it.
Just then, a blood-red figure suddenly appeared in the air above Huang Qingning.
"Ah?!"
Huang Qingning's heart pounded. Realizing the impending danger, he hastily waved his sleeve, shattering a golden magic artifact and transforming it into a ball of flames that surrounded him. In the air, the blood-red figure was none other than the Thirteenth Realm Great Demon, Ning Yuansheng. With a light touch of his Blood Weeping Fan, a stream of blood-red light pierced Huang Qingning's abdomen with a "hiss," splattering blood.
In a single exchange, Huang Qingning was heavily wounded.
Human cultivators were at a disadvantage against demon cultivators of the same realm, let alone a demon of the Thirteenth Realm, one of the four guardians of the Ancestral Mountain, facing Huang Qingning.
"You had perfectly good shelter in Baidi City, why did you come to the Kusong River to court death?"
Ning Yuansheng spread his five fingers, wisps of fiery cyclones swirling around them. The primal wilderness intent descended like a tidal wave, causing Huang Qingning's hair and beard to rapidly turn white. His lifespan was violently accelerated by Ning Yuansheng. This bloodless method of killing horrified Huang Qingning. He hastily spun, producing a golden brush, and with a clang, shattered it to slightly block Ning Yuansheng's attack. Then, Huang Qingning transformed into a streak of multicolored light and plunged into the water, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.
"Water Escape?"
Ning Yuansheng couldn't help but chuckle. "Not much skill in fighting, but quite a knack for escaping."
Behind him, figures descended into the Kusong River of the Ghost Realm. There were fifteen in total, each exuding an incredibly powerful and fiery aura. They were all Twelfth Realm Great Demons!
Ning Yuansheng slowly raised his head, looking at Xu Zhan, the Mohist Sword Immortal, who was effortlessly lifting a water vein with his sword not far away. He smiled and said, "Your turn."
Saying this, he glanced at the numerous Twelfth Realm Great Demons behind him and said sternly, "None of you should be idle. Go and kill Su Qingjiu and Lin Wanhua."
"Yes, sir!"
...
On the Demon Ancestral Mountain, in the Demonic Spirit Abyss.
A gray-white figure stood at the edge of the abyss. It was the Demon Ancestor, who had finally emerged from seclusion. His body was a hazy gray, and his eyes stared into the depths of the abyss. Beside him stood a woman in a red dress, the Great Demon Yu Zhi.
"It is time."
The Demon Ancestor looked at the abyss and smiled. "Manyuan'er, who do you wish to kill in your first battle after emerging from the abyss?"
From the depths of the abyss, a sharp voice echoed, "Master, how about the Thirteenth Realm Marquis of Champion?"
"Agreed."
The Demon Ancestor smiled slightly and extended a hand, squeezing a drop of golden essence blood from his fingertip and letting it fall into the Demonic Spirit Abyss. Instantly, the abyss was filled with dazzling light, and the newly born Demon King hidden at the bottom of the abyss broke through his final bottleneck.
Yu Zhi watched this, her delicate brows furrowed.
A new era was about to dawn.