Hundred Ghosts Walk by Day

Small Forest Town lies northeast of Maple Forest City, with Green Mountain Town in between. By straight-line distance, it is the farthest settlement from the main city within Maple Forest City's domain.

Under Wei Yan's lead, the group traveled without pause, passing through Green Mountain Town without stopping, and reached the outskirts of Small Forest Town in just half a day.

There is no green mountain outside Green Mountain Town—the name must have been passed down from who knows how many years ago, or perhaps there once was one, later lost to the shifting of seas and fields.

Outside Small Forest Town, however, there is indeed a grove of Moon Cypress trees, though it is small enough to see the end of at a glance. Moon Cypress has calming properties, and furniture made from its wood is highly sought after.

It is said that the grove was once vast, but because Moon Cypress trees are so valuable, the townsfolk often poached them, and the grove has shrunk over time. Had Maple Forest City not issued a special decree forbidding illegal logging, this small forest would have vanished years ago.

The constables transferred from Green Mountain Town were stationed in the grove, some sitting, some lying down, quite lackadaisical. Hearing the thunder of hooves, they gathered together and came forward to greet the arrivals.

These constables were merely mortal fighters, naturally not daring to enter the town to investigate under the current circumstances. They served only as observers and sentinels.

Wei Yan reined in his horse outside the grove, swept a casual glance over these men, and asked, "What is the situation in Small Forest Town?"

The constable leading the Green Mountain Town team was a broad-faced man in his forties. He replied, "Five days ago, fog began to rise outside Small Forest Town. At the time, we didn't think much of it, assuming it was just a change in the weather. Back then, we could still make out the town's outline and faint figures of people. Someone from Green Mountain Town even went to visit relatives there. Yesterday, we received orders to set up a checkpoint here and observe. We haven't seen anyone come out, but the fog has only grown thicker. Now we can't see anything at all."

Among the Dao Academy disciples, Jiang Wang craned his neck to look toward Small Forest Town. Maple Forest City was the land that had raised him, and though he had grown up in Phoenix Creek Town, Small Forest Town was no stranger to him.

The West Mountain Bandits he had single-handedly broken with his sword had once holed up in the West Mountains, ten li north of Small Forest Town.

From the Moon Cypress grove, one could usually see Small Forest Town—a modest place, but peaceful and content. Now, looking out, there was only a blanket of mist.

Then Wei Yan's voice rang out: "I ordered you to observe Small Forest Town, yet you lazed about without discipline. Worse, some of you took the opportunity to illegally log Moon Cypress trees. Are you here on official duty, or to line your own pockets?"

The Green Mountain Town constables had already gone pale. The lead constable repeatedly bowed, trying to stammer out an explanation.

But Wei Yan's judgment had already been delivered: "Send the felled Moon Cypress trees to the city guard camp. Additionally, all of you will have one year's salary docked. The lead constable bears responsibility for leadership—dismissed from your post!"

The broad-faced man's face turned ashen, but he did not even dare to protest. He withdrew in dejection.

Hearing Wei Yan's ruling, Jiang Wang only then noticed the several felled Moon Cypress trees.

And Wei Yan had taken in everything at a single glance the moment he arrived.

Jiang Wang marveled at Wei Yan's sharpness, yet also felt that this man was truly severe.

With Small Forest Town lost, this Moon Cypress grove was temporarily unclaimed. These constables had risked their lives to set up a checkpoint outside the town, and taking a few trees back to supplement their income, while a dereliction of duty, was still understandable.

Green Mountain Town was not wealthy. A year's docked pay meant these constables would suddenly find their lives straitened. For this middle-aged man in his forties, the position of lead constable was likely the peak of a lifetime's effort. And with one sentence from Wei Yan, he was back to square one.

But this expedition was nearly a military march, and Wei Yan led as a commander. His orders were military commands, and no one could defy them.

Having dispensed his judgment, Wei Yan pulled on the reins and spurred his horse forward, charging toward Small Forest Town.

The horses were all warhorses from the barracks, and the riders were all cultivators from the Dao Academy. Though only a little over thirty in number, they moved with discipline, swift as lightning, carrying the momentum of a thousand troops.

Hooves thundered like rolling thunder—then stopped abruptly!

Those battle-hardened warhorses reared and neighed before the mist that shrouded the entire town, refusing to advance no matter how their riders urged them on.

More than thirty warhorses trembled in terror, neighing in unison. It was as if something within Small Forest Town inspired the deepest dread in them. The scene was chilling.

Even though the riders' strength prevented any embarrassing falls, morale had plummeted, far from the high spirits they had when leaving the city.

Even Wang Changxiang, usually calm and detached, had a grave look in his eyes.

Only Wei Yan's expression remained unchanged.

His armor was mottled with scars. The saber at his waist was long, narrow, and straight. The warhorse beneath him was tall and majestic.

Everyone knew these were Wei Yan's three prized possessions.

But he suddenly drew his saber!

Like a bolt of lightning flashing out of nowhere, the blade's gleam vanished as quickly as it appeared. The fine horse beneath him stopped its neighing mid-cry, its massive head severed from its body, then sprayed a distance away by the gushing blood from its neck.

The horse's corpse crashed to the ground.

Wei Yan pressed his saber down, his eyes fixed on the mist-shrouded town, but his voice was cold: "Cowardice before battle—what use are you?"

"Good!" The first to respond was Du Yehu. Fierce by nature and fond of straightforward action, he smashed his fist down, shattering the horse's head. "Wei, how do we charge next?"

Wei Yan raised his right hand slightly. "Follow my orders. Dismount and prepare for battle. Form an Arrowhead Formation. I take the tip. Straight into Small Forest Town!"

By killing his horse, Wei Yan had made it clear to everyone that there was no turning back. With no room for hesitation, they all dismounted in unison.

Wei Yan added, "Draw weapons!"

A sharp, unified sound of blades leaving their sheaths rang out!

Then Wei Yan's plain-featured adjutant stepped forward. He raised his right palm upward, formed a hand seal with his left, muttered incantations under his breath, and finally said, "Sharpness!"

Jiang Wang felt a surge of sharpness in the longsword in his hand. This blade, which could only be called fine quality, now gave him the illusion that it could cut through anything.

"Flame Infusion!"

Flames erupted on every weapon! The cultivators raised their swords and blades like torches, ready to illuminate the mist-shrouded town ahead.

"Solidify!"

Ling He felt his body grow tough, a swelling urge to clash fists with an opponent. But he only glanced at the bristling Du Yehu beside him and quietly suppressed the impulse.

Zhao Rucheng, meanwhile, thought to himself that group-enhancement techniques were at least Grade C, top-tier. And this unremarkable adjutant of Wei Yan's had cast three in a row without changing expression—the Ministry of War truly hid dragons and crouching tigers.

Whatever each person thought, on the march there could only be one will. With the techniques empowering them, Wei Yan raised his saber and led the way, stepping first into Small Forest Town.

The group advanced cautiously, the town so silent that only their footsteps could be heard.

They walked for a while, and the fog seemed to grow even thicker.

This fog was so heavy it was almost tangible; beyond three paces, figures were no longer visible, only the flames on their weapons could be seen, stubbornly standing tall in the seemingly endless thick mist.

Forced to tighten the formation once again, the spacing between them shrank from five paces to three. Any closer would hinder combat.

Jiang Wang and his brothers were positioned near the back of the formation, the lowest in cultivation realm, receiving default protection. There was no need to be shy about it; it was a fine tradition of the Dao Academy.

Du Yehu cracked his knuckles audibly. He wasn't nervous, but excited, itching for a fight.

Jiang Wang had no doubt that even if the Nine Great Demon Lords, whose infamy had spread across the world, stood before him, Du Yehu would charge in swinging without a second thought. Whether he could win, of course, was another matter.

Just then, a startled cry came from the outer edge of the formation: "What is that?!"

Another voice replied dismissively, "Just some ghosts, what's there to be afraid of?"

But soon, panic set in: "So many?!"

Hearing this, Wei Yan spun around abruptly and slashed horizontally with his blade!

A massive blade light burst forth, cleaving through the surrounding thick fog for an instant!

And in that instant, everyone saw it—the entire street was filled with stumbling, clawing, densely packed wandering souls!

In broad daylight, a hundred ghosts walked the day!