On the other side, less than a day after Xiao Yun left, the situation changed drastically.
When the first piece of bad news arrived, Yan Pojun was in the Council Hall looking at a map.
The map had been drawn generation after generation by the Mountain Clan's ancestors. It marked in detail the location of every volcano, every river, and every stronghold in the outer region of the Hundred Thousand Volcanoes.
The map was huge, covering the entire long table. Its corners were somewhat damaged, the paper yellowed, and the ink had faded in places.
As more and more reports came in, Yan Pojun circled them with a red brush. Each circle represented a stronghold from which news could still be received.
The circles grew fewer and fewer. Yesterday there had still been a dozen or so; today, only seven or eight remained.
"Grand Elder, there's news from Yuhua Stronghold." The messenger stood in the doorway, panting. "Large numbers of undead creatures have been discovered around the outskirts of Yuhua Stronghold. There are at least a thousand, and their numbers are still increasing. The stronghold chief requests instructions—should they defend or withdraw?"
Yan Pojun's brush stopped in midair. Yuhua Stronghold was the southernmost stronghold of the Mountain Clan, and also one of the largest. It had more than three hundred households and over a thousand people. They could not hold it. A thousand undead creatures were only the vanguard; more would follow. With the few dozen warriors at Yuhua Stronghold, there was no way they could defend it.
"Withdraw. Have them retreat to the nearest Blazing Fire Stronghold. Bring everything they can carry, and leave behind what they can't." Yan Pojun's voice was hoarse. The messenger froze for a moment. "Grand Elder, Yuhua Stronghold is the foundation our ancestors left