Mirage of the Northern Frontier's Great Chanyu
Not to mention the cultivators, even the soldiers and generals traveling with the army heard it all.
"Who's speaking? It sounds like it's coming from a great distance. Are the Grasslands cultivators about to make their move again? Are our army's retainers prepared?"
The general leading the army was no stranger to similar situations. During the more than one month of marching, he had encountered several attacks by cultivators. However, Military School had a complete set of countermeasures. They made preparations in advance in setting up camp and in the formation of troops. Even if there were some oversights, they could reduce the losses by relying on the formation and the Qi and Blood itself.
Moreover, the imperial court is currently launching an offensive, and many of the officials from the Five Army Commandery are gathered here and scattered among the various armies, ready to be deployed at any time.
This is how the imperial army, when faced with extraordinary abilities, defends with battle formations and responds and restrains with offerings.
However, compared to before, this time, the generals leading the army could still sense the ominous meaning in those words and felt a little uneasy. But strangely, the mirage that spread across the entire Grasslands had little effect on the soldiers of the Great Rui army; they could not see the strange phenomenon with the naked eye.
Only those with official positions, military ranks, or high destiny, or generals with cultivation and martial arts prowess, can detect it.
But with military orders in hand, even if they had doubts, they couldn't go and investigate. Moreover, their consciousness was connected to the military formation, and they weren't affected by the mirage at all.
On the other hand, many people who had been hiding for a long time were now exposed beneath the mirage. Most of them were dressed Daoist Sect, clearly cultivators who had descended from the mountains to enter the world, but they were more cautious and did not directly get involved in the dynasty's conquest like Ding Chunzi, but chose to observe from the sidelines.
However, these people had different motives; some were concerned with the rise and fall of Fortune, others with the conflict between the two countries, and still others with Qiu Yan's intentions.
Among them, three monks are the most representative.
"This Qiu Yan is truly difficult to deal with. We rushed here immediately after learning he had descended the mountain, only to find him completing his classic work. He then gathered his forces, creating Qi and Blood Military Momentum with a strong connection to the Dragon Court's Fortune, making it difficult to plunder him. Later, he further fueled Lord Su's ambitions, and now he's also completing another classic work, having incurred the wrath of powerful figures from the Grasslands. The situation is becoming increasingly difficult to resolve. However, since he is the chosen successor to the Daoist Master, we cannot let him go unchecked. After all, the vacancy for the Golden Crow Daoist has been vacant for quite some time..."
One of them spoke, and the other two nodded.
If Qiu Yan were present, he would immediately recognize the two nodding figures as the Golden Crow Elders, whom he had once captured, had their cultivation sealed, and kept by his side. However, he later made the two copy Daoist scriptures and their own reflections on reading, using this as proof to release the two elders.
When the two elders left, they marveled at Qiu Yan's words, saying that he always kept his word and they admired him. However, Qiu Yan had first defeated the Crow and then captured the Golden Crow Golden Crow Dao. He was regarded by the sect as a candidate for the new generation of Golden Crow Daoist and they wanted to capture him, change his mind, and refine him into another person. They would not easily give up the pursuit.
Original Edition, with Qiu Yan in the Imperial City, even the powerful cultivators of Divine Ability Golden Crow Dao Sect had to be cautious and couldn't take action. Later, when Qiu Yan left the capital with the delegation to go north, some people became suspicious. Knowing about Qiu Yan's grudges with the Daoist Sect, they realized that once the news spread, people would come running.
The three from Golden Crow Dao were among them. Due to various reasons, they had not been able to make a move before, but they had been paying close attention and were already on guard, not daring to underestimate Qiu Yan in the slightest. When the mirage appeared, their thoughts were almost drawn out, but because they were prepared in advance and possessed a soul-stabilizing treasure, they did not fall into the trap.
However, during their conversation, the three of them suddenly experienced a surge of Fortune, their Karma suddenly shifted, and they were pulled outwards, merging into the mirage. Then, layer by layer, they connected with the pillar of energy deep within the Grasslands!
This caused the three cultivators to jump in fright.
"We didn't go looking for him, but he actually came to us on his own initiative!?"
As the thought arises, perception and consciousness, following the Karma connection, overcome layers of obstacles and arrive at a specific place!
Many people had already gathered here, their figures flickering. Each person was a manifestation of a wisp of consciousness, carrying their own aura and artistic conception, evolving into various scenes and revealing varying levels of cultivation.
In the center of the crowd, a man dressed in Confucian robes and holding a stone staff was wielding his brush and ink, painting Grasslands scene on a section of a long piece of white paper. Each stroke of his brush emitted ripples, causing the crowd to tremble!
This person is none other than Qiu Yan!
What gathered here was a wisp of thought from the many cultivators on the Grasslands.
"Having caused such a commotion, we'll see how he handles it."
"Is this the Central Plains man who's been making headlines lately?"
"You've got some nerve! Now look what's happened. You've really angered that person; you're going to get what's coming to you!"
The three from Golden Crow Dao heard discussions as soon as they arrived, each with their own thoughts, but all were equally shocked by Qiu Yan's work.
"Are they trying to wipe out Divine Ability warriors on the Grasslands in one fell swoop?"
As they exchanged bewildered glances, the three sensed an invisible pressure emanating from Qiu Yan. They also realized that those who were talking in hushed tones, seemingly casual, were actually on high alert, using their words to create tension within them, outwardly relaxed but inwardly wary of Qiu Yan.
"When writing down classic texts, the power of the writer is irrelevant. Once one attacks the texts, it is actually a struggle against the Human Path laws corresponding to the texts." The Golden Crow Elders exchanged a glance and understood the reason.
They had heard of and seen many figures from classical texts, but very few would use this opportunity to fight against an enemy. Even Military School Grandmaster, some of whom possessed cultivation, would not be arrogant enough to challenge all the cultivators in the entire region.
Despite their wariness, the crowd did not have a good outlook on Qiu Yan's fate.
"How impressive!"
At this moment, a cold laugh came from afar. A person strode forward with his head held high, walking from a distance. Around him, one after another, dark holes appeared, square in shape, like entrances to strange spaces.
"Stealing the Grasslands's Fortune, extinguishing the Grasslands people's life force, and gathering all the cultivators on the Grasslands —does this mean they intend to unleash a massacre?"
Wherever he went, monks with Grasslands background bowed and addressed him as "Great Chanyu".
"The Great Chanyu?"
This title caused many cultivators from the Central Plains to change their expressions, recalling a rumor.
"Is the rumor true? This person really didn't perish? But wasn't it said that he was suppressed by Wolf-Sealing Marquis? Why is he here? Could it be because he's just a wisp of his consciousness?"
As they pondered, the Great Chanyu turned his gaze and swept it over everyone present. Those whose eyes met his felt a chill run through their bodies, and their consciousness seemed about to dissipate!
"Are you cultivators from the Central Plains all accomplices?"
Fortunately, he only glanced at it and left without lingering.
The Great Chanyu didn't walk particularly fast, giving the impression of a leisurely stroll, yet if you looked closely, it was difficult to catch his movements.
He walked with a cold smile on his face, his expression as hard as ice. He looked to be only in his thirties, but he exuded an air of authority.
Before they even reached Qiu Yan, the square, dark holes around him suddenly expanded and spread out in layers.
"If you're so eager to run wild on the Grasslands, I'll see just how capable you really are!"
After he finished speaking, dozens or even hundreds of holes expanded outwards, spreading out haphazardly all around. The pitch-black scene within underwent a dramatic transformation, radiating various lights and auras. Some were fiery red, radiating intense heat; some were eerie and chilling, exuding a biting cold; and some were lush and vibrant with life...
"What kind of Divine Ability is this? It doesn't seem like an illusion; it's as if it connects to many real worlds!" Upon seeing this, the Golden Crow Elders and the others immediately became wary.
In a corner, Master Flying Tiger, who was leading several cultivators to observe the situation, also twitched. "This is a method of creating a passage out of thin air! The aura emanating from one of the holes is similar to the ghost realm sealed by my Spirit-Sealing Dao sect! However, although this place seems crowded, it is actually a virtual space formed by the fusion of Order when the Human Dao Canon were completed, similar to the Scholar Forest World, but it is difficult to exist for long. The people who appear here are all manifestations of their thoughts, and the space they communicate with should only be a projection of their intentions..."
As soon as the thought crossed his mind, a commotion erupted from the holes, followed by the neighing of horses and the shouts of men. Squads of riders charged out, each carrying a bow, but their weapons varied: some wielded scimitars, others halberds, chains, and whips...
They burst out from different holes, each wielding different weapons and displaying different strange phenomena. Some were engulfed in flames, others emanated chilling auras, some had quicksand beneath their hooves, and some riders were simply skeletons, devoid of flesh and blood!
Rumble!
As the horses' hooves passed, rumbling thunder echoed, dark clouds gathered above, and incessant black lightning flashed—a kind of Human Path Thunder indeed.
The Great Chanyu sneered, "Don't think you're the only one in the world who can win Human Path's favor. Your arrogance is a death wish! Let's see how you deal with my move!"
"Being able to exchange skills with different Human Path is exactly what I wanted! What is there to regret?" Unexpectedly, Qiu Yan smiled in the face of the stampeding horses and stuck his Stone-Jointed Staff into the ground.
Bite!
With a crisp sound, ripples radiated from the bottom of the staff, sweeping in Eight Directions. Wherever they passed, the cultivators' expressions changed, their bodies felt heavy, and their extraordinary abilities showed signs of being blocked. The charging troops also paused in unison, but quickly recovered.
At the same time, Qiu Yan flung the pen in his hand, which landed in the cavalry formation and exploded, scattering the ranks. Then he stretched out his hands, grabbed the roll of drawing paper in front of him, and tore it apart with force!
Zzzzt!
He actually tore the drawing paper apart!
"Hmm?" Even the Great Khan showed surprise, then his pupils widened suddenly. "Could this person be planning to..."
Before he finished speaking, the two pieces of drawing paper in Qiu Yan's hand changed on their own. One became a vast landscape, and the other evolved into an endless Grasslands. Then he blew a breath between the two.
The energy shifted and transformed into a book.
<The Northern Frontier Gazetteer> (To be continued...)