Immortal Traces on Guling Mountain

In just two days, one of the two commanders had fallen ill, and the other had died. The generals' expressions were incomparably grave, and the atmosphere had grown oppressive to the extreme.

Yet when their gazes swept over Wang Liu's corpse, strange smiles clearly tugged at their lips. Everyone had heard of death on horseback, but none had ever seen it with their own eyes.

No one doubted Wang Liu's cause of death. After all, his lecherous nature and excessive indulgence were plain for all to see.

"General Feng, only you can preside over Xuanwei Camp now. How this matter should be handled, we ask General Feng to decide!"

The other deputy generals were far inferior to Deputy General Feng in both seniority and prestige.

The generals spoke with one voice, and Qin Sang echoed them.

Deputy General Feng repeatedly waved his hands. "I am lacking in both talent and learning, and dare not make decisions on my own... In my view, this matter should still be reported to the Commander. Only the Commander can make the decision."

The Commander had remained unconscious. Qin Sang followed the generals into the command tent and was startled at the sight of the Commander's deeply sunken features and wax-yellow face.

Truly, when illness came, it toppled one like a mountain.

The military physician was ordered to forcibly wake the Commander. Deputy General Feng briefly explained the situation beside his ear. The Commander's vacant eyes suddenly widened, an unhealthy flush surged across his face, and he broke into violent coughing, his lips trembling fiercely.

Judging by the shape of his lips, he was probably saying the word "trash."

Before everyone's eyes, the Commander painfully handed the Marshal's Seal to Deputy General Feng, then fainted dead away.

By the time they had discussed how to handle Wang Liu's funeral arrangements, dawn had already broken.

When Qin Sang returned to his tent, he found Wu Chuanzong waiting inside.

"Sir," Wu Chuanzong began hesitantly, "how will General Wang's funeral arrangements be handled? I heard the two women in the tent are both to be killed?"

It seemed Wang Liu's disgrace had spread through the camp overnight. Even Wu Chuanzong knew of it.

Qin Sang was not surprised. Wang Liu had always been arrogant and overbearing, and no one knew how many people he had offended. They were all more than happy to help spread the tale.

"Don't talk nonsense once you leave," Qin Sang said lazily, reclining in a great bear-pelt chair. "General Feng has issued a gag order. General Wang died from worrying over military affairs and toiling day and night. Naturally, everyone inside and outside the military tent at the time must die... Hm?"

Qin Sang sat upright. "You brat, have you taken a fancy to one of them?"

Wu Chuanzong's face flushed crimson, and he waved his hands again and again. "No, no... Sir, don't misunderstand. I only heard them say that those two girls were both pitiful victims forced by General Wang. Back in Hening County, if not for you, my brothers, sisters, and I would either have starved to death or been killed by the chaotic troops. Back then, Chuanzong prayed every day for Heaven to open its eyes and grant us a path to survival, and then you came. I think their feelings right now should be the same as Chuanzong's were back then..."

Qin Sang gave an "oh." During this time, Wu Chuanzong had stayed by his side and always adhered to his own principles. Qin Sang had never interfered.

"After the county magistrate's wife learned the truth, she hanged herself in prison last night. The girl is still alive. I'll petition General Feng shortly and arrange for you to clean up the loose ends. Keep your hands clean."

"Yes!"

Guling Mountain, a thousand-year-old road.

Until a new Commander could be appointed, Xuanwei Camp was temporarily under Deputy General Feng's command.

With Wang Liu no longer obstructing matters, and with the scouts bringing back reliable intelligence after locating the old road, Deputy General Feng immediately sent half the troops to Guling Pass for a feigned attack to confuse the defenders. Qin Sang, meanwhile, led the First Battalion, Eighth Battalion, and Supply Battalion into the old road to clear a path.

Qin Sang stood atop a mountain at the mouth of the old road. Before him, mountain ranges stretched away without end, their depths impossible to see clearly.

Though vegetation ran wild, a careful look revealed that in some places, the cliffs still bore faint traces of excavation.

It was hard to imagine how people, relying solely on human strength, had carved such a treacherous ancient marching road through these towering mountains and steep ridges.

"Do you remember? Where was it?"

Qin Sang turned his head and asked the herb gatherer beside him.

This herb gatherer was the one Wang Liu had captured, the man who had encountered an Immortal Cultivator on Guling Mountain. Wang Liu had intended to keep him alive to silence others, and so he had luckily survived.

After finding the herb gatherer, Qin Sang had spoken with him several times. He did not seem insane, but the ferocious soldiers had frightened him out of his wits.

The herb gatherer trembled as he pointed deep into the old road. "This little one remembers. It was over there."

Following the direction of his finger, Qin Sang's face abruptly darkened. He shouted coldly, "You still dare lie before this general! How could a few herb gatherers have gone that far?"

"This little one wouldn't dare, this little one wouldn't dare..."

The herb gatherer's legs shook so badly that he nearly could not stand. "This little one... this little one entered the mountains from over there. There was an animal trail. We... we could ride donkeys on it. Later, they were eaten by wolves. This little one was frightened... ran... ran down the wrong path..."

Qin Sang's expression eased somewhat. He nodded and said to those around him, "Down the mountain. Clear the road!"

Even with the manpower of three battalions, clearing the path was no easy task. Some trees along the old road had grown so thick that several people would be needed to encircle them, making them impossible to fell. They could only carve out a separate marching path beside them.

Fortunately, they were aiming for a surprise attack, and Duyakou had a large garrison storehouse, so they had brought little baggage or provisions. The army traveled light; even if the road was narrow, they could barely pass through.

Once they became practiced, the soldiers of the three battalions spread out, and their speed steadily increased. In only half a day, they had advanced quite a distance. At this rate, it would not be long before they opened the old road.

Qin Sang had been busy for most of the day and had finally arranged the manpower. Just as he was about to take the herb gatherer into the mountains to search, a sudden commotion erupted ahead. Someone hurried over to report, "General, a mountain cliff has collapsed ahead and blocked the old road."

"A landslide?"

Qin Sang's expression changed slightly. If the old road could not be opened, it would not merely mean missing the window for battle.

"What exactly happened? How serious is it?"

The soldier hesitated. "A section of cliff broke off and crashed down. It looked like... like someone had sliced it off with a blade."

The soldier wore a face full of disbelief.

At those words, Qin Sang's heart jolted. He said urgently, "Take me there at once."

The foremost soldiers had already gone deep inside. Only after crossing two mountains did Qin Sang see the broken cliff. Just as the soldier had said, a detached peak had split apart, and its severed surface was smooth as a mirror, truly as though it had been cut by a blade.

The fallen rocks had smashed onto the old road, tightly blocking it with rubble.

"Send someone to have the Supply Battalion bring up the equipment and clear the road!"

Qin Sang absentmindedly gave the order, then looked around before impatiently using his movement technique to climb the tallest nearby peak.

The herb gatherer had said that the Immortal Cultivator they saw had flown in precisely this direction!

Could Immortal Cultivators truly have fought within Guling Mountain?

Qin Sang's heart burned with urgency as he raced to the mountaintop at his fastest speed.

The mountain peak had collapsed, rocks lay shattered, ancient trees had snapped, and grass and foliage were flattened.

Beyond that, there were scorch marks from fire. Even more astonishingly, ice crystals still lingered on the vegetation in some shadowed places. This area seemed to have passed through all four seasons in a single night.

This scene abruptly reminded Qin Sang of the banks of the Chen River, and he could not help feeling both startled and delighted.