Fate Cannot Be Changed? A Bizarre Encounter in Flame Mountain!
(A long chapter of 10,000 words)
"Captain, I am willing to go!" Long Xiao was the first to stand up.
"Captain, I am also willing to go!" Chen Shijie followed closely behind.
"Commander Zhang Lie of the Fire Element Camp requests to join the battle!"
"Commander Xu Quan of the Earth Element Camp requests Xu Quan to fight!"
"..."
As soon as Liao Rulong asked the question, many commanders stepped forward.
After preparing for so long, these commanders were all itching to get going.
Keep in mind that it's already mid-September.
Starting in July, the entire Pacifying Barbarians Battlefield began to rest and recuperate, but in August, the four powerful armies in the north —the Tigron Army, the Black Armor Army, the Beginning Origin Army, and the Red Cloud Army— had already begun attacking the Fire Demon Tribe's northern defense line.
On the west side, Lu Yuanwei's Divine Thunder Army had already breached Yang Qilin's first line of defense a month earlier.
The fighting was fierce on both sides, but the eighteen armies on the east side made no progress.
No battles, no military achievements.
While the Agricultural Official and Mechanism Master could handle logistical tasks, the martial artists had absolutely nothing to offer.
You must be really pent up!
Now that it's finally time to attack Fire Dragon Pass, everyone is eager to volunteer.
Zhao Xing also stood up and volunteered to fight.
Although he had achieved many military exploits in planting the Earth Fire Lotus, it also took up a lot of time. Besides, who would complain about having too many military exploits?
"Good!" Liao Rulong also stood up. "You all have commendable courage. What is there to worry about in Fire Dragon Pass?"
"Chen Shijie, Long Xiao, Xu Quan, Zhang Lie, Gao Jue."
Liao Rulong called out the names of five people.
"You five go and select your elite troops to form the Vanguard Battalion for this mission."
"The battalion commander will be Chen Shijie!"
"Each battalion must retain one Assistant Official, and the selected person must be of no lower rank than the Eighth Grade."
"Submit the list Wei Hour, and depart at 3:45 PM."
"You will pass through the Seven Inch Valley of the Flame Mountain Range, and then lie in ambush nearby."
"Once the battle outside the pass begins, we will go and seize it."
"Yes!" the four immediately replied.
Liao Rulong gathered these people together for a meeting, and those who participated in the meeting were naturally all members of the Vanguard Battalion.
However, some people were not assigned by Liao Rulong. He left at least two of the original deputy generals of the Dragon March Battalion, Nine Section Battalion, Five Elements Battalion, and Divine Mechanism Battalion in their original tents.
The Vanguard Battalion was composed of elites drawn from the eight battalions.
After the secret meeting ended, Chen Shijie called Zhao Xing over.
After Zhao Xing was transferred from Ninety-Second City, he became Old Chen's Assistant Official. He is now a Seventh Grade Nine Section Commander, no longer Seventh Grade Equitable Transport Magistrate.
"This time it will be a tough battle, and Long Xiao will lead his own team. There won't be anyone specifically protecting you."
"The mission is quite dangerous. There are many barbarian experts at Fire Dragon Pass, and we can't bring many Divine Soldier weapons with us when we cross the mountain. If you don't want to go, I can remove you from the list," Chen Shijie said bluntly.
"You cultivated a fifth-tier Earth Fire Lotus. This time, you will deserve credit for conquering Fire Dragon Pass, even if you stay in Zhiyou City."
Zhao Xing knew that Chen Shijie was doing it for his own good, not because he looked down on him.
But why would he back down at this point?
"Don't worry about me," Zhao Xing said with a smile. "Don't let my reputation as a farmer fool you; I'm also a formidable fighter."
"Of my nine high-level spells, only [Instant Primordial] is a proper farming spell; the other eight are all for fighting."
Chen Shijie chuckled lightly, "I almost overlooked that."
Yes, Zhao Xing knows nine advanced techniques!
Strictly speaking, the Volcano Art is not for farming, but for controlling volcanoes to kill enemies.
It just so happens that the Earth Fire Lotus is a rare creature that requires a harsh fire environment.
Volcano Art was then transformed into farming magic.
The rest, such as "Soaring Serpent Transformation", "Dripping Rain", "Netherwind of the Fiend", "Earthly Fiend Thunder", "Thunder Breaking Illusion Finger", "Startling Thunder Transformation", and "Five Elements Mist Concealment", can all be used to kill enemies.
Even the Startling Thunder Transformation Art, while capable of nurturing exotic beasts, depend on how they are used. If used on enemy exotic beasts, they can also be lethal spells!
"Are you worried about my first time on the battlefield?" Zhao Xing said. "There's absolutely no need for that. I've killed people back in Gucheng, and we've seen blood before when we infiltrated Fire Dragon Pass."
"Although this one is on a larger scale, you don't need to worry about me."
Chen Shijie didn't waste any time and immediately said, "Okay."
"But just to be safe, you should still bring the Mountain Cat with you."
"Heaven Defier?" Zhao Xing asked. "Can it work?"
Chen Shijie asked curiously, "Do you look down on Mountain Cat?"
"Now that the Mountain Cat has reached the peak of the Earth Fiend Realm, to be honest, I might not be able to beat it in a skirmish."
"Huh?" Zhao Xing really didn't know; he had always adopted a free-range policy towards the Mountain Cat.
Old Master Zhao is busy with his own cultivation and has very little time to play with cats. He keeps the Mountain Cat purely as a pet for his own enjoyment.
He had seen many powerful and strange beasts in his previous life.
In Old Master Zhao's mind, the beasts used as battle pets must be exotic creatures that have emerged from the Millennial Climate Shift.
For example, the Kunpeng and the Dark Bird.
Unexpectedly, Chen Shijie has such a high opinion of the Mountain Cat?
Chen Shijie said, "When you farm in Ninety-Second City, the Mountain Cat mostly follows Long Xiao around."
"The Mountain Cat has been on the battlefield more times than you!"
"And during the months you were farming, what kind of people did the Mountain Cat train against on a daily basis?"
"Me, Long Xiao, Yu Ziqi, and even Liao Rulong and Pu Zhong would occasionally practice with it to relieve their boredom."
Chen Shijie laughed and said, "If you don't believe me, go and fight the Mountain Cat yourself and see how it goes."
Zhao Xing asked, "Where is it now?"
Chen Shijie said, "I had Long Xiao put it on the Weaving Method Tower Ship and made a cat-themed Fire-Warding Robe for it, just in time for you to come back and use it."
"I estimate it's almost done now; you can go and ask."
Outside the Weaving Method Tower Ship.
Upon seeing Zhao Xing's arrival, Che Shihai couldn't help but wink and say, "Hey, boss, what brings you here?"
"Aren't you ambitious and don't care about these personal feelings?"
"So you've also fallen for worldly desires? Which Weaving Girl have you made an appointment with?"
Zhao Xing glanced at Che Shihai: "Get lost! I'm here on serious business. Stop hanging out with Han Bing, you're getting more and more lewd."
"Hehe. I get it, I get it." Che Shihai walked away with a lewd smile.
Zhao Xing took out a jade tablet and injected a wisp of vital energy into it. Then, a beam of light shot out from the jade tablet and entered the Weaving Method Tower Ship.
Soon, a simple figure flew down from the Tower Ship.
"Lord Tu." Zhao Xing bowed to the figure.
"Lord Zhao," Tu Yao returned the greeting, speaking softly. "Please follow me."
As soon as the two met, a chorus of cheers and jeers erupted from nearby.
"Lord Zhao, you have excellent judgment! This is Lord Huang's prized student!"
"Miss Tu, Lord Zhao is the youngest and most talented Agricultural Official in our Divine Might Army!"
"Ah~"
Zhao Xing glared fiercely at Che Shihai. That bastard was yelling and screaming like a ghost. He would definitely give him a good beating when they got back.
Tu Yao blushed slightly, seemingly unaccustomed to this situation. "Lord Zhao, please come with me."
Zhao Xing nodded and followed behind Tu Yao.
The Weaving Method Tower Ship was specially dispatched by the Military Realm to create ceremonial robes for various armies.
Their duties are somewhat similar to those of the Transportation Department, but they are also different.
Because the demand for custom-made robes is not large, they are only used at certain times.
Of course, some powerful armies are accompanied by Weaving Method Tower Ship, but the Divine Might Army does not have such resources.
Among the Five Great Grotto Heavens, only the Genesis Army and the Illusory Nether Army have their own exclusive Weaving Method Tower Ship.
Other armies, if needed, also dispatched these kinds of warships.
Generally, only armies under the command of a king would have warships with woven patterns and dancing and music Tower Ship.
Zhao Xing glanced at Tu Yao; she was dressed rather simply.
At this moment, her long hair was tied up, adorned only by a single red hairpin.
Her robes were also the white everyday clothes of Seventh Grade Weaving Girl Cloud White Regular Uniform, with a gold and colorful sash tied around her waist and an Azure Ribbon Silver Seal of Seventh Grade hanging from it.
The decorations on the Weaving Method Tower Ship were not luxurious. Although there were many Weaving Girl coming and going, he did not feel like he had entered a spider cave. Instead, he was surrounded by a dignified and elegant beauty.
Soon after, Tu Yao led Zhao Xing to a spacious room.
"Lord Zhao, Lord Long previously commissioned a custom-made robe for your battle pet."
"The teacher then assigned this task to me."
"Because it needed to be custom-made, it was left on the Tower Ship. I originally planned to send it down today, but I didn't expect Lord Zhao to arrive ahead of schedule."
Zhao Xing cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Lord Tu. I hope the Mountain Cat hasn't caused you any trouble."
Tu Yao shook her head slightly. "No, it's very well-behaved, and it cooperated well when we were making the clothes."
"I just don't know what it's called?"
"Ahem, Long Aotian."
"... A good name." Tu Yao gave a forced compliment.
Indeed, this sounds like a name a general would choose.
Meow~
Hearing the voices, the Mountain Cat darted out from behind the curtain.
It ran to Tu Yao's feet and rubbed against her, looking lazy.
The Mountain Cat's fur is originally gray and black, with a purple stripe running from its forehead to its tail.
But now it has turned into a 'red cat', with only its eyes, ears, mouth and nose exposed, while the rest of its body is covered up, making it look quite festive.
After rubbing against Tu Yao, it opened its mouth again, seemingly waiting to be fed.
Looking up, he saw Zhao Xing.
The Mountain Cat was clearly stunned, and then the dog furtively took two steps back.
Zhao Xing snorted, "You lecherous cat, you're actually enjoying yourself here."
"Lord Zhao, are you satisfied with this robe?" Tu Yao asked.
"Satisfied." Zhao Xing cupped his hands in thanks. "Thank you, Lord Tu."
"Heaven Defier, we should go."
Zhao Xing called out, and only then did Long Aotian walk away from Tu Yao's feet.
Seeing that Zhao Xing had no intention of sitting down, Tu Yao got up and saw Zhao Xing and Long Aotian off the boat.
"Lord Tu, farewell."
Goodbye.
Zhao Xing disembarked without looking back.
"Yaoyao, who is that person? You actually picked him up and dropped him off yourself." A Weaving Girl passed by and asked Tu Yao.
"Zhao Xing, the Nine Section Commander of the Divine Might Army," Tu Yao said. "It is said that he planted these Earth Fire Lotus."
"Ah, it's him?" The Weaving Girl was clearly excited. "I've heard that name so many times lately, but I've never actually seen him. Such a talented young man, why don't you invite him to stay a little longer?"
"That depends on whether he's willing or not." Tu Yao shook her head helplessly. "He took the robe and then disembarked."
Down on the boat, Che Shihai came running over excitedly and asked:
"Boss, how come you got down so quickly? That's fast!"
"Want to know? Then come with me." Zhao Xing narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Huh? Boss, you've heard of me..." Che Shihai subconsciously took a half step back.
Without saying a word, Zhao Xing grabbed Che Shihai by the neck, lifted him up, and carried him to the training ground with Mountain Cat and Che Shihai.
"Boss, what are we doing at the drill ground?" Che Shihai had a bad feeling.
"Didn't you want to know what I was doing on the Weaving Method Tower Ship?" Zhao Xing said with a half-smile. "Now I'll tell you."
"Boss, I suddenly remembered I have some things to do at the camp, I'll go first..." Che Shihai subconsciously wanted to slip away.
"Heaven Defier, beat him up!" Zhao Xing immediately ordered Mountain Cat.
"Whoosh~" The Mountain Cat pounced on Che Shihai.
"Bang!" Che Shihai had just taken off and flown two meters when he was knocked to the ground by a fiery red shadow.
"Cough cough..." Che Shihai flew dozens of meters away and collapsed on the ground, coughing incessantly.
"Stop pretending to be dead, get up," Zhao Xing said.
"Boss, please don't!" Che Shihai said pitifully. "I know I was wrong."
"Do you know what you did wrong?"
"I shouldn't have led others to cause trouble."
"The Weaving Girl is a legitimate Official Rank. How dare you cause such a ruckus, like a thug in front of a brothel? You know you're wrong, yet you still do it! Mountain Cat, hit her!"
The Mountain Cat pounced like lightning, and with another kick, Che Shihai was sent flying back like a ball.
"Do you know what you did wrong?"
"Boss, was what I said wrong? Then... I don't know?" Che Shihai cautiously raised his head.
"Don't know? I'll show you today! Mountain Cat, attack!"
"..."
Che Shihai finally understood that he couldn't escape this beating today.
Zhao Xing said, "I see you haven't had any combat training for a while, so today I'll use the Mountain Cat as your sparring partner."
"Boss, then I'm really going to fight back." Che Shihai got up again, a fighting spirit flashing in his eyes.
"Go all out, don't be afraid of hurting it, you're not strong enough yet."
"Don't have the strength?" Che Shihai's eyes gleamed with fighting spirit. "Just a Mountain Cat? I'm a genius Military Sima Nong trained by the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven!"
"Boss, you said it yourself!"
Che Shihai's figure became ethereal, surrounded by a blue wind, as if he had disappeared.
Then a cloud layer with a radius of one kilometer appeared above the training ground.
"Boom!"
The lightning struck the Mountain Cat.
Ground Thunder Formation!
In an instant, the Mountain Cat was bathed in lightning.
"Meow!"
Like a nimble dancer, Aotian Meow darted forward through the thunder, dodging all the lightning bolts.
Those that couldn't be dodged were bounced off by the purple light on the Mountain Cat's back.
"What?!"
Upon seeing this, Che Shihai was greatly surprised and immediately tried to retreat.
However, before he could cast the spell, a tremendous force came from his chest.
"Bang!"
As the clouds dispersed and the wind subsided, Che Shihai was once again sent flying.
The Mountain Cat lightly leaped over Che Shihai's chest. As it leaped, it turned back and flicked its tail at Che Shihai, slapping him back to the ground as he straightened up.
Meow~
As it jumped, the Mountain Cat glanced back.
It seems to be saying, "Is this all the geniuses of the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven are?"
"The Mountain Cat is pretty strong." Zhao Xing was secretly surprised when he saw this.
Che Shihai is now Seventh Grade Earthly Fiend Realm; he is not weak.
But it was still powerless against the Mountain Cat.
"The Mountain Cat is inherently Spiritual Elegance Variant. After being fed multiple times by Long Xiao and Chen Shijie, it has already reached the peak of the Earth Fiend Realm. Its talents, [Divine Speed] and [Ninefold Healing], have been further enhanced as it enters its growth period."
"Its usual sparring partners are geniuses like Long Xiao and Chen Shijie. Its secret techniques, 'Thunder Rending Claw' and 'Wind Riding Ninefold Step,' have undergone a transformation. With the blessing of its innate Divine Speed, they are now comparable to high-level martial arts techniques."
Long Xiao also dotes on Mountain Cat, and Mountain Cat's current strength has exceeded Zhao Xing's expectations.
Different species are difficult to cultivate, but if they are cultivated, their combat power is also amazing!
Just a moment ago, Zhao Xing estimated that the Mountain Cat's speed had exceeded the limit of 'One Cry Speed'.
The Mountain Cat's talent, "Divine Speed," grants it an astonishing speed, making its Mountain Cat arts incredibly powerful.
"With Mountain Cat in close combat, I have an extra layer of safety when I enter Flame Mountain. Old Chen and Long Xiao are really thoughtful."
The list was submitted Wei Hour 1-3 PM, and the journey began at 3:45 PM.
A team of three thousand people crossed the Seven-Inch Valley, a hundred miles away from Fire Dragon Pass.
The Flame Mountain Range to the east resemble a dragon, hence the name Fire Dragon Pass.
Apart from Fire Dragon Pass, the place that Liao Rulong named "Seven-Inch Valley" is a relatively narrow section of the mountain range.
When the three thousand men arrived at a point twenty miles from Seven-Inch Valley, the sky had already begun to brighten.
When they reached a distance of ten miles, the sky was completely illuminated by this Flame Mountain Range.
"The Flame Mountain Range that will never be extinguished." Zhao Xing looked at the distant mountain range, which resembled a fire dragon coiled on the earth. "Legend has it that the Flame Mountain Range were once a Fire Dragon King raised by the ancient Divine Court. After being banished to the mortal realm, it landed in the territory of the Fire Demon Tribe."
"The totem of the Fire Demon Tribe is also a fire dragon, but this evil dragon was unruly and, after being punished, it still wreaked havoc on the human world, becoming a demonic dragon."
"In the end, he was killed by divine punishment from the Divine Court, and his body turned into the Flame Mountain Range."
The Flame Mountain Range are rarely patrolled because they are brutal to enemies, just as brutal to their own people.
Large-scale patrols will only appear after you pass the Fire Dragon Pass.
Of course, it's wartime now, and there might be some sixth or seventh rank Fire Demon Tribe patrolling the Flame Mountain.
Therefore, the three thousand people entered the mountain in batches, and they all walked.
"Sizzle~"
A meter-high flame suddenly erupted from a crevice in the rock.
The flames formed lines, like flowers blooming in a valley.
Just as the flames were about to erupt higher, a military boot suddenly stepped into the gap.
"Whoosh~" The flames vanished instantly.
The military boots were moved aside, and flames shot out again.
However, another military boot followed closely behind and stepped on it.
"Whoosh~" "Sizzle~"
The sound of flames burning echoed through the valley, and in this forbidden land, an army was advancing.
Zhao Xing stood on a rock, looking at the road ahead, waiting for the army to pass.
"Meow!" Aotian Meow suddenly hissed.
Zhao Xing looked down and saw that it had taken advantage of Long Xiao's military boots moving away from the gap and couldn't help but lean over and lick the flames that were emanating from it.
"That unlucky kid," Zhao Xing shoved the Mountain Cat away, "Why do you want to eat everything?"
A moment later, a figure leaped over from a distance and appeared in front of Zhao Xing. It was Long Xiao: "How's the rear guard? Nothing's wrong, right?"
Zhao Xing shook his head. "We didn't find anything. Even if there were Mountain Patrol Envoy, they shouldn't have found us so quickly. We've only just entered the mountains."
Long Xiao said, "We should still be careful. It's not easy for the other soldiers to fight here. The only ones who can fight are the Seventh Grade- rank commanders."
"The military formations and tactics are ineffective here."
"If we run into the Mountain Patrol Envoy, it will be very troublesome."
Zhao Xing said, "Normally there is only one Sixth Rank Mountain Patrol Envoy every hundred kilometers. I've always been very lucky."
Long Xiao nodded. "This place is too hot. Even if I go all out, it will only last for a quarter of an hour at most."
Zhao Xing said, "It's not purely due to the heat. The fire veins of the Flame Mountain Range are already close to the level of the Li Fire True Lord Huo."
"In history, a high-ranking official named Agricultural Official once attempted to extinguish the Flame Mountain, but ultimately failed."
"That terrifying?" Long Xiao asked in surprise.
"However, its area is large enough, which means the power is spread out. We are also wearing robes made of Earth Fire Lotus, which is itself part of the Flame Mountain Range. Such fifth-tier wonders, born in the Flame Mountain Range, have unique enhancement effects."
"Alright, stop chatting. Save your energy. We can't get water here if you're thirsty," Zhao Xing said.
The army of three thousand men moved rather slowly, especially since they were in the Flame Mountain Range. The Seven-Inch Valley was fifty kilometers long, and after an hour of entering the mountains, they had only covered one-tenth of it.
"Ah!" Suddenly, an Eighth Grade martial artist screamed, causing Zhao Xing to stop in his tracks.
"What happened?"
"Someone has been burned."
"Where's the medic?!" Zhao Xing hissed. "Come quickly and take a look."
"He can't be saved." A Sixth Rank military doctor rushed over, took one look, and pronounced the death sentence on the Eighth Grade martial artist. "The fire poison has instantly attacked his heart."
"What's going on?" Zhao Xing asked, looking at the teammate next to the man.
"He happened to come across a tiny flame while he was climbing, and it got into his mouth."
Zhao Xing. This was purely a matter of luck.
The robes made from the Earth Fire Lotus are only just enough to protect people as they pass through; they are only enough to cover the threshold.
The eruption of subterranean fire can sometimes suddenly increase in power, and if it hits a vulnerable part of the robe directly, it still cannot withstand the force.
Zhao Xing was wearing Fifth-Tier Premium Earth Fire Lotus robe, but this Eighth Grade martial artist was only wearing a fifth-grade low-quality one. There was nothing he could do; even if he and Dong He worked themselves to the bone, they couldn't possibly produce all the Fifth-Tier Premium materials.
It was destined that only high-ranking military officers could wear better robes.
"You're not going to live. I'll send you on your way now, so you'll suffer less." The army doctor squatted down, pulled out a needle, and looked at the martial artist.
The latter could no longer speak, but simply nodded.
"Tch~"
The needle pierced the victim's neck, instantly ending his life.
The medic stood up. "Zhao Tong, tell the brothers to be careful."
Zhao Xing nodded silently.
The camp marched another ten kilometers in a dreary atmosphere.
Despite taking utmost care, casualties still occurred during the process.
Each of the small teams, consisting of three thousand people, encountered accidents of varying degrees during their journey.
By the time they were halfway through the journey, thirty-five people had already died.
It even included a Seventh Grade martial artist.
In the Flame Mountain Range, injury is practically a death sentence.
There's no way to save him; taking off his robes means certain death.
When they were halfway through the journey, Zhao Xing's rear guard, a total of 500 men, had only lost one person.
But several men under the command of other commanders had died.
Sudden--
Another unexpected event occurred.
Zhao Xing rushed over and saw Chen Shijie standing in front of a crack with a livid face and clenched fists.
"What happened?"
"Someone in the Vanguard Battalion accidentally stepped on a vulnerable spot. After the landslide, the entire ten-man team was engulfed by the thick fire vein," Long Xiao said in a low voice. "This is the twenty-first person to die in Old Chen's team."
Zhao Xing frowned. Old Chen's luck was just too bad.
"Has he always had such bad luck?"
Long Xiao thought about it carefully, then nodded. "I had two life-or-death crises ten years ago, both of which were with Old Chen. But he should have already had his fortune injected three times, so he shouldn't be in this situation now."
Zhao Xing's heart skipped a beat.
Fate and fortune are separate. If Old Chen's fate is full of misfortunes, then the increase in fortune he gained from the Sub-Ninth Rank to the Seventh Grade will not change much of the problem.
Moreover, he is now in command of three thousand men, and this Sixth Rank battalion commander position is temporary, not a real Sixth Rank Official Rank.
If Chen Shijie is someone with a weak innate destiny and bad luck, he cannot bear the fate of three thousand people now; this would be an even greater burden for him!
Therefore, generals who command hundreds of thousands of troops are generally people with great fortune and blessings.
The more one ventures into dangerous places, the more their luck declines.
Zhao Xing is currently at the Derivation Three level of destiny. If he goes to the Golden Feather Royal Court, he will be courting death and putting himself in danger. His destiny will fluctuate as a result, temporarily dropping to the Derivation One.
They are now in the Flame Mountain, and for Chen Shijie, it is very likely that his luck has dropped to a dangerous level.
If only Old Chen had a control panel, he could see it directly, but unfortunately he doesn't.
Thinking of Old Chen's fate in the Pacifying Barbarians War, Zhao Xing immediately pulled Chen Shijie back from the edge of the crevice.
"What are you staring at!"
Chen Shijie looked at his hands, somewhat bewildered. "Do you think they did it because of me...?"
"Don't let your imagination run wild!" Zhao Xing shouted. "We're crossing the Flame Mountain Range. It's normal for a few people to die in accidents."
"But the team I lead has the most unexpected incidents," Chen Shijie muttered to himself. "Is it possible that my luck is not enough to support a Chen Shijie -Sixth Rank Official Rank?"
His life was full of misfortunes in his youth. His aunt said that he had brought death to his parents. Later, he met Yang An, who recruited him into the army, and it took him five years to Essence Gathering.
After many life-and-death battles, he gained favor with the court and gradually rose to the Seventh Grade, but was then demoted to Gucheng.
The journey became smoother after he met Zhao Xing.
Chen Shijie thought he would never encounter such mystical problems again, but unexpectedly, the feeling of panic that made him feel when crossing the Flame Mountain reappeared today.
Zhao Xing actually thought the same thing, but he couldn't say it at the moment.
"Old Chen, remember one thing."
"What?"
"My fate is in my own hands, not in the hands of heaven!"
"The more lost and uncertain you feel right now, the more likely you are to run into trouble," Zhao Xing said. "Your spirit and energy influence your fortune. As the commander-in-chief, you must stay focused!"
Seeing that Chen Shijie's confidence was wavering, Zhao Xing said, "Old Chen, if you don't believe me, Mountain Cat, Long Xiao, and I will walk with you ahead."
"You ordered that Vice Commander Liu take over my position to command the rear guard, and transferred Long Xiao and me to your side."
Zhao Xing himself possesses the Qi of the Derivation Three, and Long Xiao will become the Divine Firmament Marquis, so his Qi will not be too bad either. Mountain Cat has also consumed a lot of spiritual essence and is already a "Spiritual Elegance Variant".
Changing the leader at the last minute is not a good idea. Now Zhao Xing has decided to use his own, Mountain Cat's, and Long Xiao's luck to stand with Chen Shijie and carry the burden together.
"Okay." Chen Shijie immediately changed his plans and had Zhao Xing and Long Xiao come to his side.
In a valley amidst the vast Flame Mountain, Pang Guangyao was meditating amidst the flames.
He only has one horn on his head because he is not a pure Fire Demon Tribe, but a hybrid of Human Race and Fire Demon Tribe.
Pang Guangyao was originally a member of a powerful clan under the Golden Feather Royal Court.
He is Sixth-Rank Heavenly Dipper Realm cultivator and has lived for 198 years.
In the early years of the Renewal Era, he lived well in his family, but this changed after Emperor Jing's policies shifted.
His mixed-race heritage made life Wishful within the Fire Demon Tribe, and his family gradually declined.
Originally, working at Fire Dragon Pass was a lucrative position, but Pang Guangyao was assigned the arduous task of patrolling the mountain, and he was assigned there for fifteen years without ever moving an inch.
He wanted to revitalize his family and regain a place in the tribal council of the Golden Feather Royal Court.
There's no hope in staying here.
"Unless I can break through to the Fifth Grade, I'll have to stay here and waste the rest of my life." Pang Guangyao sighed inwardly after finishing his cultivation.
But at that moment, the token on his body trembled.
"Huh? The mechanism has been triggered?"
Pang Guangyao looked at the token with utter astonishment.
"Was the ground fissure caused by a landslide, or a natural event occurring in the Flame Mountain Range?"
Out of habit, he immediately got up to investigate.
But it flew halfway.
Pang Guangyao suddenly changed his mind.
Just then, Zhao Xing arrived beside Chen Shijie.
A strange feeling arose in Pang Guangyao's heart.
Why should I check?
"The Earth Fire Lotus the Lava Cavern was stolen, but Yue Haisheng completely unharmed."
"I was only punished with a drink while on guard duty, and I've been stuck here for fifteen years!"
"Is the royal court so unjust? Even if enemies do cross the mountain, what does it have to do with me?"
"With such a fool guarding the pass, even a formidable pass will be lost sooner or later."
Pang Guangyao's years of accumulated resentment suddenly erupted at this moment.
He roared to the sky, stomped his feet and struck his chest, causing the surrounding rocks to tremble.
A moment later, he recalled what had happened a few days earlier.
A minotaur once secretly visited him.
I brought him a letter.
The content states that if he were to surrender to the Great Zhou, he could obtain Sixth Rank Great Zhou position and serve in the powerful army, instead of joining the barbarian army disguised as barbarians.
This means he will be regarded as a true general of the Great Zhou, rather than a subordinate citizen of Zhou.
The person in the letter is someone of considerable importance.
Moreover, his son was also outside the Great Wall.
When Pang Guangyao recalled these words, his mind began to race.
"I'm almost two hundred years old. If I can't break through to the Fifth Grade, it'll be hard for me to live much longer."
"Why not surrender to the Great Zhou?"
Pang Guangyao thought for a moment, then continued forward.
He hadn't decided yet, but he still wanted to go and see if someone had really trespassed into the Flame Mountain.
Zhao Xing and Chen Shijie walked together, accompanied by Long Xiao and Long Aotian.
The rest of the journey went much more smoothly.
There have been no further casualties.
Chen Shijie recovered completely and calmly ordered the army to advance.
Just when Zhao Xing thought he had secured Old Chen's fate.
Suddenly—
"Meow!"
The Mountain Cat suddenly arched its back, its fur stood on end, and roared in one direction.
"Um?"
Zhao Xing and the others immediately looked in the direction the Mountain Cat was heading.
In the valley cliff ahead, there was a cave.
The surrounding area was filled with flames, but the area within ten meters of the cave entrance was clean and free of flames.
A figure in a fiery red Daoist robe emerged from the shadows at the cave entrance.
He met the gazes of Zhao Xing and the others.
"What? This..." The man in the fiery red Daoist robe was stunned. "How come so many people have appeared at Flame Mountain!"
"Oh no! Run!"
"Whoosh!"
The figure in the fiery red Daoist robe immediately leaped forward, rushing towards the distance.
In just a moment, he decided to run away.
Because he saw thousands of people, and Chen Shijie, Zhao Xing, Long Xiao and others gave him a very dangerous feeling.
He patrols the mountain, not guards it.
In this situation, the best course of action is to run away immediately!
"Kill him now!"
Zhao Xing was the first to react.
If this person informs them, their undercover mission will fail.
"Whoosh~"
The Mountain Cat had already darted out before Zhao Xing could speak.
Long Xiao followed closely behind, riding his greatsword as he chased after the man in the fiery red Daoist robe.
"What? A sword cultivator? And a mutant one too?!"
The bright red Daoist robe startled him.
He is only at the early stage of the Heavenly Star Realm.
Their strength was also just average; being Mountain Patrol Envoy wasn't exactly an easy job anyway.
Why would someone so capable be sent here?
"How could I be so unlucky?!"
"You might not encounter enemy troops even after patrolling the mountains for ten years, yet I've only been in office for less than a year and I've already run into so many of them?"
"Run!"
"Running back would be a great achievement!"
The man who had just revealed the truth gritted his teeth and spat out a mouthful of blood, his speed increasing dramatically.
He was focused on running away and didn't dare look back.
"Why is Old Chen so unlucky?" Zhao Xing looked at this sudden scene and began to question his own life.
"Liao Rulong sent a small team back and forth seven times, and they didn't encounter them even once. But when he brought his troops, there were deaths and they ran into the Mountain Patrol Envoy again?"
"Is his fate really so unbreakable?"
Zhao Xing was also desperately chasing after him.
As for Chen Shijie, he did not move, and ordered his army to remain in place and wait for orders.
Because the others couldn't catch up either.
After chasing for ten miles, the distance was barely reduced.
Mountain Cat was even faster, while Long Xiao lagged far behind.
But the Daoist-robed man in front seemed to be very good at escaping.
They've covered ten miles and still haven't caught up.
They were about to catch up.
Zhao Xing suddenly noticed another figure appearing ahead.
The fiery red figure exuded an even more powerful aura.
He wasn't just a beginner in the Heavenly Star Realm; he had reached the Sixth Rank of perfection!
"Wow, this is really weird."
"Another one?"
"Old Chen didn't have such a bad time in the previous two months. In fact, he even made quite a few contributions in the past two months."
"No, his luck has always been a bit unusual, but when Long Xiao and I followed him, it was never noticeable." Zhao Xing recalled the scene when he infiltrated Fire Dragon Pass.
"If I hadn't been there, he would have been exposed when he faced the Hidden Vein Sect."
"Even if he disguises himself as Sang Ma and Luo Ba, it won't be so easy for him to get there; he might even die there."
Zhao Xing gave Old Chen some tips and even went to accompany him in person, hoping to see if he could change his Predetermined fate.
Now it seems that fate is truly unpredictable!
"I refuse to believe this nonsense!"
"Die!"
Zhao Xing pointed a finger, and all the vital energy in his body was drained in that instant.
Suddenly, the flames were dispersed, and the entire world seemed to collapse upon them.
At this moment, Zhao Xing desperately wanted to change Chen Shijie's fate, and his Soaring Serpent Transformation actually reached a new level.
Breakthrough to the advanced Sixth-Turn!
Along with the Start of Autumn Solar Terms Decree, he also broke through to the Sixth-Turn of the Knowing Realm!
Soaring Serpent Transformation, activated!
The Golden Light instantly covered a distance of a thousand meters and caught up with the man in the fiery red Daoist robe.
"Ah--"
The man in the fiery red Daoist robe screamed and fell from mid-air.
He turned to another Mountain Patrol Envoy, Pang Guangyao, who was approaching from the front, for help.
"Pang... Pang Shi, save me!"
Pang Guangyao was shocked to see the Mountain Patrol Envoy strange scales growing on his face, scratching his skin.
In a flash, he made a decision.
"Whoosh!"
Pang Guangyao suddenly bent down and rushed straight towards the Daoist-robed man.
"Bang!"
Under the hopeful gaze of the other party, Pang Guangyao smashed his head with a punch.
The powerful energy swept over his entire body, turning even his bones into pulverized dust.
"General of the Celestial Empire, hold your hand!"
Pang Guangyao shouted at Long Xiao and Zhao Xing.
"I'm one of us!"
Swish~
The Mountain Cat had already appeared in front of Pang Guangyao, and swung its claws.
"What?!" Pang Guangyao instinctively raised his hands to defend himself, but a sharp pain immediately shot through his arms.
"Hmm?" Upon seeing this, Long Xiao immediately withdrew his golden sword.
"Heaven Defier, stop!"
Zhao Xing and Long Xiao called out to the Mountain Cat together.
"Meow?" The Mountain Cat turned its head in confusion, as if to say, "Aren't you going to kill this person?"
He has horns on his head!
Everything happened too fast.
In the blink of an eye, the situation changed.
Chen Shijie was stunned. He quickly flew to Zhao Xing's side and slowly brought him closer.
Long Xiao and Mountain Cat were in front, stopping a hundred meters away from Pang Guangyao.
Pang Guangyao put his hands behind his back to hide his slightly trembling hands.
Seeing that the other party had stopped, he asked, "May I ask which general is named Xia Jing? Are you a member of the Black Armor Army?"
"Oh?" Zhao Xing immediately understood what was going on when he heard the other party call out Xia Jing's name.
Is this the spy Xia Jing was talking about?
No, if he were a spy, how could he not recognize the Black Armor Army insignia, and how could he not recognize Xia Jing?
Xia Jing had been to Fire Dragon Pass once.
So this person is planning to surrender to Xia Jing?
In a flash, Zhao Xing figured out the key.
Xia Jing is a good brother, why should we distinguish between "you" and "me"? Voting for him is the same as voting for me. In this emergency, we should act expediently and trick him into coming over first!
"That's right!" Zhao Xing immediately stood up and walked to the front. "I am Xia Jing Heir Apparent."
"If you have something to say, just tell me directly!"
Pang Guangyao saw that Zhao Xing had an extraordinary bearing. Seventh Grade official, he was able to kill the Mountain Patrol Envoy so cleanly and efficiently. Both his appearance and ability matched the characteristics of Heir Apparent.
Without any doubt, he immediately bowed and said, "The guilty general Pang Guangyao pays his respects to the Heir Apparent."
Ugh, I finished writing it a long time ago, but the author assistant crashed, and I couldn't publish it. After exiting, I couldn't log back in. It only got fixed now.