Ate Too Much

Upon entering the main hall of the Middle Valley Dojo Temple, Li Fan bowed to the five Lou Guan were there, exchanged a few polite words, and roughly recognized each other.

Besides Real Person Huang, who guards Lingqiu Mountain, the other four are Real Person, who guards Daoguo Mountain; Real Person, who guards Fashuang Mountain; Real Person, who guards Mao Mountain; Real Person, who guards Yugao Mountain.

If we add Zhou and Tian, the two guardians currently stationed at Yangjia Mountain and Guanxiangshan, these seven old Daoists from Lou Guan who have guarded the Ten-thousand-mountains for many years are now the most senior core elders of Lou Guan.

Some of them were Outer Sect Disciple from the time of the previous abbot, some were servants who looked after medicine and refined elixirs, some were descendants of disciples of senior brothers such as Real Person Liang, and some were just laborers and odd jobs who made a living at Lou Guan.

In short, when the sect was on the verge of extinction during the war against the Black Lotus Sect, the former Lou Guan and Real Person Liang, along with other disciples of Lou Guandao, were in dire straits, it was the abbot, the only remaining direct disciple, who stepped forward to shoulder the burden. These young men, who were still newcomers to the cultivation world at the time, were the last remaining members of Lou Guan's core group that the abbot could rely on.

Thus, they also received instruction from the abbot on their behalf, who taught them the true methods of Lou Guan. Fighting side by side, united as one, and going through countless hardships, they finally revived the Daoist Tradition of Ink Bamboo Mountain Lou Guan Dao.

Now, the boys have all grown into old men. If they were taken outside and left alone, they would at least be 'patriarchs' who could dominate a region. But they have always followed the abbot's instructions and stayed in the desolate mountains and wilderness full of demons. Only recently did they join the Lou Guan Senior Travel Group to participate in the Sunset Glow Social Gathering on Mount Emei.

It's a pity that after eating peaches, I came back to find that the foundation I had built up over many years had been almost completely destroyed by those good-for-nothing guys in Bamboo Mountain. It's probably quite a sad story...

Li Fan knew that although he was the Mountain Lord, he had actually inherited all the true Lou Guan. In a sense, he was the junior brother of the group of people in the tutoring class run by the abbot. Naturally, he would not take advantage of others' polite address as the master of the mountain to act arrogantly. So, he politely declined and sat at the end of the table.

The old men didn't care about these formalities, so they quickly got to the point, with Real Person Huang explaining the current situation.

"We are fortunate to have received Lord Li's assistance in this matter, which has wiped out the demons that had infiltrated the mountain. We should jointly write to the abbot to acknowledge Lord Li's Door Opening in destroying the mountain and the temple."

"No, no, this is a great calamity for our sect. We should all work together to overcome this difficulty and strive forward. This is what I should do. I just happened to be patrolling the mountain and that's how I came across this good thing. If there's any dirty or tiring work to do, please give me your orders, Guardian Master."

Real Person Huang nodded and suggested, "In that case, please have Master Li stay in Zhonggu to oversee things for the time being. We will immediately set out to patrol the four mountains and wipe out any remaining fugitives."

"We cannot act rashly against the guardian immortal, especially since at least two demon kings are on the run. Perhaps I should go instead?"

Li Fan also didn't want to miss the opportunity to grind monsters, which would bring the double rewards of the sect's great calamity and the destruction of mountains and temples.

Real Person Huang advised, "The Mountain Lord has nearly suffered a blow to his Dao Heart during this massacre. It would be best if he could stabilize his mind again."

Li Fan quickly replied, "It's alright, it's alright. As you all saw, I'm really confident now! I'll definitely be more careful next time!"

Real Person Huang further advised, "Lei Marsh is right across from Zhonggu. If Lord Li is wreaking havoc, it's inevitable that the demons on the other side will come to investigate. It would be most reassuring if you personally oversee things."

Li Fan also said, "The Guardian is too kind. At this time, the Lei Marsh has not yet opened, and those demons are restrained by the heavenly lightning. They wouldn't dare to brave the lightning. Besides, with all of you Real Persons here, isn't that the most reassuring thing?"

The several Lou Guan exchanged glances. Real Person Huang knew that the quarantine and observation of Li Fan had already been delayed for a day, and the other two great demons had already run off for quite some time. If they didn't chase after them soon, they would never catch a trace of them. So, they simply stopped stalling and told the truth.

"Lord Li, you've eaten too much by yourself."

Li Fan was taken aback, not understanding for a moment.

Real Person Huang had no choice but to speak frankly, "These demons Moon Worship and cultivate demonic arts. They have long been tainted by evil energy, and their flesh and blood are nourished, which greatly benefits our cultivation. Moreover, it is rare for the abbot to personally perform the ritual and arrange the destruction of the mountain and temple. At this time, slaying demons and eliminating evil spirits will also greatly benefit our personal cultivation destiny."

We, fellow disciples, have always lived a life of hardship, steadfastly guarding these Ten-thousand-mountains. It's been a long time since we've received any fresh wine or meat from Ink Bamboo Mountain. It's a rare treat that so many dishes have come to us of their own accord; they should be shared equally. But you ate so much first, and now you want to fight us for it? That's a bit inappropriate."

Li Fan was stunned, and cautiously said, "Ah... what does the Master mean... I... I don't quite understand..."

At this moment, the old Daoist priest Real Person with a gray beard on the left laughed and said, "Master Li's cultivation is incredibly fast. We have also heard of your great name. You have just returned from your tribulation in the Central Plains, and the abbot is busy with other matters. No one has given you any advice on these things. It is not your fault that there are some misunderstandings."

To be honest, the Daoist friends of Bamboo Mountain have limited abilities and are somewhat overwhelmed by too many demons. It is understandable that they lost their territory. But for us Lou Guan of Louguan, it is not difficult to annihilate these wicked beasts.

However, these monsters have always been adept at hiding in the mountains, and those that have survived our attacks are all cunning by nature and swift as the wind. Once they escape into the deep mountains and marshes, we, who are on duty to guard the area, cannot pursue them for long. Moreover, if we stay in the south for too long, their methods will be discovered, and they will always escape our clutches.

Therefore, even if we personally take action and reclaim the dojo, it won't be a problem. However, it will still be the same as before, repeatedly fighting against these demons. Even if they are defeated, they will retreat to those secluded Youquan and deep ravines to hide. In this world, they can breed for several decades and there will be many more. It will be really troublesome to deal with them."

The square-faced Real Person chimed in, "Therefore, when we returned from the Central Plains this time, we saw that it was rare for all the demons to come out together, actually daring to gather together and deliver themselves to their deaths. So we also had some plans. We agreed to play a game of Guanmen, first showing them weakness, so that we could lure them all into the net and harvest them."

However, these demons were quite cautious. Once they reached the territory of Yangjia Mountain, they dared not cross the border in large numbers. They only reinforced their troops at Fei Mountain, while cautiously probing in Lei Marsh. At the same time, they were launching a fierce attack on Lunzhě Mountain in the east. They probably wouldn't dare to launch a large-scale attack until they had eliminated all the external strongholds, surrounded the area on three sides, and had a way to retreat from all directions.

On the right, Real Person, with his silkworm-shaped eyebrows, added, "These demons are so cautious, it's obvious that someone is planning and guiding them behind the scenes. The abbot is worried about being attacked from both sides, and we don't want to have waited so long only to make a rash move and scare them away, thus ruining everything."

They discussed that they would wait it out for now, taking advantage of the relatively small demon tide in the early stages to give the Inner Sect disciples in the mountains some opportunities to fight against the heavens, hone their skills, and cultivate some promising talents. Once the demon leaders gathered for a general attack, they would then strike and wipe them all out.

So everyone stayed within the Four Mountains Formation, patiently preparing for some time. Now that the secret agreement with Hengshan has been completed and the order to destroy the mountain and temple has arrived, it seems the abbot has made up his mind and everything is ready. That's why we originally planned to make our move in the next couple of days..."

The bearded Real Person stared at the speechless Li Fan and said, "It's no use saying anything now. Things have gone wrong. Those two demons will definitely flee towards Lunzhě Mountain, where there are still many demons gathered. We should eat as many as we can. If we don't eat them now, they'll all run away, and we won't even get a sip of soup!"

Finally, Real Person Huang gave a summary.

"Lord Li, your Moshan sect often Moon Worship, and we've given you a hearty meal this time. You should be satisfied with all that food, right?"

Moreover, judging from your cultivation level, it seems you have already mastered the true teachings of my Lou Guan lineage. Whether you eat this wine and meat or not, it makes no difference. So don't compete with us for immortal opportunities anymore, how about it?"

Holy crap! You old fogies! You were all just pretending!

Li Fan was speechless, but thinking about it, it made sense. When Li Fan got serious, he could devour and kill thousands of monsters. These Lou Guan's True Persons, no matter what, were selected by Lou Guan's ancient methods, passed the tribulation of death and advanced to the Nascent Soul Stage by their own abilities, and even witnessed the chaos of the Luo Sect back then.

Now that their prestige has been officially certified by the Nine Great Xuan Sects, and they've easily passed the Ten Ultimate Formation, how could they possibly be unable to handle the monsters on a few mere mountain peaks? So, after all that time lying in wait, they were just planning to pull off a big heist, weren't they?

"This... this junior has been negligent, but do you True Lords really not need my help? After all, you are Demon Kings at the Divine Transformation stage..."

The Real Persons grinned and chuckled.

"If the mountain lord truly wishes to help, then please help regulate these incompetent fools in Zhonggu. They're always making a racket, creating chaos and disturbing my peaceful cultivation. It's a pity our disciples are all helping out in the north; there's not a single one we can command."

"I've been watching for many days, hoping to see if there are one or two rogue cultivators I could make an exception and take under my wing. Unfortunately, these people lack the ability to exorcise demons, but when it comes to vying for merit certificates, they all shout louder than the last. They're truly useless."

"The disciples of Bamboo Mountain are also getting worse with each generation. Back then, the Nine Peaks of Bamboo Mountain were their ancestors, fought back with swords and spears. Now they're fighting a few monsters on equal terms. If it weren't for the other side's caution, the Ten Mountains Dojo would have been completely disgraced by them. It's truly shameful."

"Alright, alright, enough talk! Let's go! If we don't hurry, there won't be any soup left!"

"Let's go, let's go!"

Li Fan couldn't ask any more questions. The five old Daoists had already hurriedly dumped the mess in Zhonggu onto him, threw away the magic array flags, and then transformed into a burst of light, rushing out of the Divine Sense temple and disappearing into the air in an instant.

Li Fan was speechless. How was he supposed to know that these monsters were hoarded by the old men? But there really was no need to keep fighting for monsters. They had already farmed 22.7k monsters. At this rate, when would they ever be able to draw a prize?

So Li Fan put the command flag of the Zhonggu Grand Formation in his pocket and went out to take a look. At this time, the Middle Valley Dojo was indeed a bit crowded. There were not only many disciples from the Nine Peaks of Bamboo Mountain, but also Outer Sect Disciple and servants from aristocratic families who had recently come to reinforce with the supply ships, the Jianghu demon-hunting group led by the refugee leader, and the defeated soldiers of the Nangong Family who had fled over. It was indeed a mixed bag.

Because there are already five Nascent Soul Stage from Lou Guan stationed here in Zhonggu, there are no Nascent Soul Stage cultivators from the various peaks of Bamboo Mountain. Moreover, Middle Valley Dojo is considered the front line, with the main force of the Demon Race in Lei Marsh to the south and a group of demons attacking the mountain to the east. Demons often infiltrate and besiege it, so most of those gathered here are Golden Core cultivators with some self-confidence in their abilities, and there are also some Foundation Establishment. Other slightly weaker people are probably stationed at Yangjia Mountain, Guanxiang Mountain, and Chicken Mountain.

At this moment, most of these Outer Sect Disciples and refugee leaders had never seen Li Fan, the new Mountain Lord, before. Moreover, the scene of him transforming into two dragons and eating and drinking on his way up really frightened everyone, and for a while, no one dared to take the initiative to come over and pay their respects.

So Li Fan jumped onto the top of the Daoist temple tower, coughed twice, and transmitted his voice,

"Gentlemen, I am Qingyue, the garrison commander of Moshan, temporarily taking over the responsibility of guarding Zhonggu in place of Real Person Huang. We are here to discuss the matter of breaking down the mountain and destroying the temple. Those of you who hold official positions, can gather fifty people under your command, or have your own capital and property, please gather here for this meeting!"

Seeing that the great Mountain Lord had taken the initiative to greet them, a group of people immediately rushed forward to ask for a chance to be among the immortals. This group was indeed a mob, pushing and shoving and vying for a spot, all wanting to be closer to the immortal. When they started arguing, they started cursing and swearing at each other, with greetings in various dialects flying everywhere, making as noisy as a vegetable market.

Li Fan clapped his hands and said, "Alright, I won't waste any more words! This time, our Ink Bamboo Mountain organization is going to destroy mountains and temples and exterminate demons! Those who just want to make a little money, stand on the left! Those who are willing to risk their lives for Ink Bamboo Mountain, stand on the right! We'll work according to the price. Those who just want to try their luck, stay in the middle!"

So the crowd split into three groups amidst the commotion. Most of the disciples of Ink Bamboo Mountain naturally stood on the right, some rogue cultivators and refugee leaders stayed in the middle, and the other merchants and powerful figures from Li Country, as well as some who knew they weren't very capable, stood on the left.

At this moment Fuling Asha also returned in their flying boat, bringing Li Moyun Li Sheng with them. They also picked up a group of merchants who were stranded outside the mountain because of the demons surrounding it.

These merchant caravans from Ink Bamboo Mountain were originally loaded with large quantities of elixirs, talismans, armor, bows, crossbows, and arrows. They planned to unload their military equipment and return north laden with monster pelts and materials. Unfortunately, Li Fan devoured all the monsters this time, and the merchant guild got nothing.

However, Li Fan wouldn't let them suffer a loss, so he discussed it with the merchants and, with Fuling, a familiar face who had been running Jiang's shop for many years, acting as guarantor, he took all the military equipment that had been transported for the transaction.

They could see the skills of the Mountain Lord from afar, and they also knew that this was the same amazing person who issued tofu tickets. The group of shopkeepers gave Li Fan face, each accepting a tofu ticket from him, and then unloaded all their goods on the spot.

Li Fan also said on the spot, "Everyone, the Demon Race has invaded my sect. I, Qingyue, have decided to use my own money to help the sect!"

Sister Fuling, the group of people on the left are here to make money. You can assign them some easy tasks, such as repairing armor and soldiers, maintaining magic arrays, and collecting materials. Please take charge of this and coordinate with the various merchant owners.

Li Moyun, among these people, you screen them out and organize them into units according to your militia and private army methods. Those who are willing to join my Moshan private army, come and collect a set of armor. Once the money, food, and supplies are in place, I will lead you to attack the mountain!

Asha, look at these fellow disciples on the right! How many monsters have they killed in the past two years? What are their skills? Give me a list!

You three are also my full representatives from now on! Their words represent my authority! Anyone who disagrees, shout it out now!

Now, who in Lingqiu Mountain would dare to question Li Fan? Besides, the three of them were indeed quite easy to recognize. Asha, needless to say, with her unique appearance, even the disciples of Ink Bamboo Mountain recognized this rustic girl. Fuling was also well-regarded in the Chamber of Commerce, having known them for many years. Even Li Moyun, who frequently hunted demons and did missions, was a familiar face to several of the refugee leaders. Moreover, with his large size, ordinary rogue cultivators wouldn't dare to challenge him.

So Li Fan made some hasty arrangements, organized the people in Zhonggu, and did a survey.

Fuling was quite convenient; those who came to make money most wanted someone to communicate with and ensure a stable business relationship. Moreover, Fuling wasn't trying to monopolize the market, but rather to maintain order and organize manpower to provide logistical services such as protection and transporting goods. For merchants, time was money, so the Middle Valley Dojo immediately began operations, clearing out its inventory and filling its armory.

Li Moyun's side also went quite smoothly, because the refugee leaders were originally sent in groups, and everyone was already familiar with the mode of accepting missions and receiving rewards. It didn't matter whether they were a demon-hunting team or a private army, and they could also receive a batch of equipment in advance, so why not?

Asha encountered some difficulties, but it wasn't that her disciple was being disrespectful; rather, the immortal soldiers of the Nangong Family had actually joined the right flank...

"Mountain Lord, we are also willing to risk our lives for your mountain. No, please give us a chance to do so."

The Nangong Family's immortal soldiers actually number over a hundred at the Golden Core realm! That's more than the disciples of Ink Bamboo Mountain! And each one of them is fully armored and wields a spear, so they must have fought their way out of the demon tides. No wonder they don't want to associate with those local militias.

Therefore, Li Fan instructed Asha to first reorganize the disciples of Ink Bamboo Mountain, and then personally spoke with the Nangong Family members.

"What is your name, General?"

The leader immediately knelt down, "We dare not! I am Chang Jian, a junior officer of the Danxue Mountain Phoenix Guard. Because our commander was killed in battle, the brothers have chosen me to lead. We have already discussed it and do not wish to work for the Nangong Family anymore. We are willing to serve under Mountain Lord!"

A group of Armored Soldier knelt down, declaring, "We are willing to die for Mountain Lord!"