" The Fire Phoenix Army wasn't defeated and punished by the imperial court?"
Zhou Wuji had been in the Lower Court for a long time and was out of touch with the news, so he didn't really understand the internal situation of the Northern Pole Sect.
Regarding the Fire Phoenix Army, they only knew its name, but had no idea what it actually was.
Being in Yunze, he inevitably had to deal with the Fire Phoenix Army, so he always needed to figure out the situation first.
"Legend has it that the great demon of Yunmeng Marsh is called Lord of Yunmeng, with a bird's head, a human body, and wings growing from its ribs."
"It is said that the phoenix is the king of all birds, and fire overcomes water; the so-called Fire Phoenix Army is there to subdue Lord of Yunmeng."
" The Xie Household has controlled the Fire Phoenix Army for two or three hundred years; everyone in the army is a Xie Household."
Daoist Yizhen shook his head. "The last mutiny was probably because the imperial court wanted to purge the Xie Household, but it caused a huge mess. They had no choice but to appease them again and let the Xie Household take command of the Fire Phoenix Army."
Zhou Wuji nodded in understanding. Communication was poor in this era; it would take an unknown amount of time for imperial orders to reach here, and another unknown amount of time for military information to be transmitted back.
This alone limited the extension of imperial power to the lower classes.
Not to mention that due to various material limitations, military towns were all self-contained, holding military and political power in their respective areas, and even the power to appoint personnel.
Even though the emperor is high above everyone else, he can't do whatever he wants.
"In short, the Fire Phoenix Army is a complicated situation, and it's uncertain when the Emperor will deal with them again. The safest approach is to keep our distance from them."
Daoist Yizhen reminded Zhou Wuji: "The one you should really pay attention to is Abbot Zhi'en. He is a master of our Heavenly Pivot Lineage. He is already Fourth Rank expert and is only over fifty years old. He still has a chance to advance to the Third Rank."
"This person is magnanimous and very willing to mentor younger generations. Since you have no foundation in the sect, if you get along well with this person, you will be able to find someone to take care of you when you go to the Upper Court in the future."
"And there's Yiming, the head of the Demon-Expelling Hall, a Fifth Rank expert from the Army-Breaking Lineage. He's as fiery, resolute, and decisive as a raging fire. You're a bit impulsive, so you'd better behave yourself in front of him."
Zhou Wuji was a little surprised that the Demon-Expelling Hall actually had a Hall Master instead of the Chief, which was very different from the situation in the Lower Court.
Yizhen was only second-in-command at the Demon-Expelling Hall, and he wasn't doing too well...
However, he also understood that Yunze was a dangerous place, so he had deployed many experts to guard it, with one of the hall masters being Fifth Rank.
"You should rest well today. Tomorrow I'll take you to meet the abbot and the head of the hall..."
Daoist Yizhen valued Zhou Wuji Zhou Wuji, explaining all the important points to him and even taking him to meet the abbot and hall master to help him build connections.
Zhou Wuji appreciated the gesture and sincerely thanked him.
He also stated directly that he had advanced to the Sixth Rank. This was something that could not be kept from Daoist Yizhen.
Regardless of which Lower Court, the higher one's cultivation level, the more attention they will receive and the more preferential treatment they will be given.
Daoist Yizhen was overjoyed and full of praise.
It should be noted that Zhou Wuji Seventh-Rank Register Conferral in March, and it is only the end of August now. At most, it has only been half a year, and he has already advanced to the Sixth Rank. It is truly unbelievable.
A 23-year-old Sixth Rank is quite extraordinary!
They will also gain respect from the abbot and the head of the hall!
This is also a great thing for him, as having such a capable junior will give him more say in the Lower Court.
Back in his room, Zhou Wuji opened the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment, pondered the Army-Breaking Sword for a while, and decided to wait.
There's still plenty of time. If something unexpected happens to his body and he doesn't have his Origin Mystic Essence to respond, that would be troublesome...
The next morning, Zhou Wuji had just finished his morning prayers when he heard a series of orderly shouts outside.
As he came out of the room, he saw a group of people practicing swordsmanship in the square in front of the main hall.
The Swordsmanship techniques appear simple, yet they are truly practical Swordsmanship.
The Daoists, wielding real swords, launched their attacks in unison, led by Xie Wuying.
The numerous Daoist priests were all dressed in blue robes, their attire neat and uniform. Their swordplay was also synchronized, with over a hundred people simultaneously drawing and sheathing their swords, creating a sense of orderly beauty.
This was the first time Zhou Wuji had ever seen swordsmanship practiced like this. Swordsmanship is a very personal matter because people have different natural conditions, such as height and arm span, and therefore different training Method Formula.
With the same Swordsmanship, everyone will adjust it to suit their own style.
Such uniformity completely erases any individual understanding of Swordsmanship; it's more like a military fighting style.
Considering that Xie Wuying came from the Fire Phoenix Army, and that Cloud Marsh Lower Court would have to face a large number of demons, this collective sword training was also to cultivate teamwork.
Yang Tie Ying also heard the commotion and ran out. He exclaimed with a look of novelty, "They look quite imposing."
Zhou Wuji said, "If you like, you can practice with me."
"Forget it." Yang Tie Ying thought for a moment and shook his head. "I still need to practice swordsmanship with my master. What can I possibly learn by following them?"
Zhou Wuji smiled; this child is still quite sharp.
Wuming arrived early, and since he couldn't say anything intimate in front of Yang Tie Ying, he took them out for breakfast.
At the beginning of the morning, the Daoist Yizhen led Zhou Wuji and Wuleng to the Heavenly Pivot Hall.
After the young Daoist announced their arrival, the group quickly entered the side hall and met the abbot Zhi'en.
The Zhi'en had thick eyebrows and a wide mouth, a slightly dark complexion, and a robust build. He wore a purple-gold star crown and a purple-gold patterned Daoist robe, and lay back on a cloud bed.
Seeing Zhou Wuji and Wuleng bow, Zhi'en waved his hand and said, "No need for formalities."
He looked Zhou Wuji and Wuleng up and down, a smile appearing on his slightly dark face, "Both of you are in your early twenties and have already advanced to the Sixth Rank. You are both outstanding disciples of our sect."
"They all have the courage to come to Yunze for training; they're all commendable."
Zhi'en's voice was booming, and his speech was somewhat rough and forthright, displaying great charisma.
Zhou Wuji, Wuleng, and Zhi'en were two generations apart, not to mention the other was the abbot, so both of them listened obediently.
Zhi'en was quite satisfied with this. His praise was just a casual remark. If the two younger people were to be humble and polite, it would be a sign that they didn't know their place.
He then turned to Daoist Yizhen and said, "They are new here and know nothing. You take them around to familiarize themselves with the situation. If they need anything, they can go to the steward for help."
Daoist Yizhen nodded his thanks.
Zhi'en added two more instructions, "The demons of Yunze are ferocious and numerous. You two are still young, so don't be reckless when you encounter danger."
"It is our duty to slay demons and monsters, but our own lives are more important. Without our lives, what are we left to slay demons and monsters?"
"Survival comes first, slaying demons second; we will always remember the abbot's teachings."
Seeing that Wu Leng remained silent, Zhou Wuji had Wuleng choice but to take the initiative and speak, as he couldn't let the abbot's words fall flat.
Zhi'en laughed heartily, pointing at Zhou Wuji with his stubby fingers. "He's smart, I like him."
Zhou Wuji bowed respectfully, thanking the abbot for his praise.
After leaving the Heavenly Pivot Hall, Daoist Yizhen Zhou Wuji, "The abbot is a straightforward person. When he says he appreciates you, he really means it."
"The host has good taste," Zhou Wuji smiled.
Daoist Yizhen also smiled. He originally wanted to remind Zhou Wuji of something, but found that Zhou Wuji was more eloquent than him, so he didn't need to say anything more.
Upon arriving at the Demon-Expelling Hall, Zhou Wuji and his group met the hall master Yiming.
This Fifth Rank expert had a thick beard that covered his mouth and most of his face, revealing only his high, bluish forehead and blue-green pupils. He was tall and strong, and his wide, dark blue Daoist robe was bulging.
On the table beside him lay a large, long sword, which looked to be at least five feet long and more than a hand's width, and its shape was very imposing.
Zhou Wuji felt a tingling sensation on his face when Yiming swept his gaze over him.
The man's eyes were sharp as lightning, making his heart tighten.
Since killing the Devil Cultivator Xue Ying, Zhou Wuji believed he was no longer afraid of facing Fifth Rank cultivator.
Yiming, standing before them, was clearly far more capable than Xue Ying.
He sighed inwardly, realizing that cultivators of their sect who practiced righteous methods were far superior to Devil Cultivator. He wondered what martial arts or Daoist techniques Yiming, practicing, belonged to the Army-Breaking Lineage, given Yi Ming's extraordinary phenomenon.
Yiming merely glanced at Zhou Wuji and Wuleng to assess their cultivation levels and conditions, concluding that both were quite capable.
He stated directly, " Yunze is teeming with demons and monsters; we bear a heavy responsibility."
"I don't care what you were like before. Once you're here, it's like entering a military camp. You must obey orders, follow the rules, and never act on your own."
"This is of utmost importance. If you can't do it, leave immediately. Don't stay here and harm yourselves and others."
Yiming's words were extremely harsh and impolite.
However, when you're on someone else's turf, it's normal to obey their management and assignments.
Zhou Wuji and Wuleng naturally understood this principle. Regardless of what they thought in their hearts, they both nodded and whispered their agreement on the surface.
"You will all receive the same treatment as deacons. If you are truly capable, I will not hesitate to promote and reward you."
Without waiting for their reply, Yiming said to Yizhen, "Junior brother, you make the arrangements."
Yizhen color should be...
The group returned to Daoist Yizhen's room, where Daoist Yizhen explained to Zhou Wuji and Wuleng, "Our sect leader encountered a slight mishap while cultivating the Army-Breaking Divine Gang, so he speaks rather bluntly. Don't overthink it."
Wuleng said he dared not.
Zhou Wuji nodded. He didn't really think there was anything wrong with it. It's perfectly normal for capable people to have tempers, and there are plenty of incapable people with tempers too.
However, Daoism emphasizes cultivating Yiming's temperament is somewhat violent, which is quite rare.
It's possible that practicing Daoist arts has influenced one's nature. Of course, it's also possible that Yizhen didn't want them to be upset and used these words to appease them.
Anyway, Yiming is indeed a difficult person to get along with.
Zhou Wuji didn't care; he came here to train in order to slay demons and monsters.
Regarding his trip to the Upper Court, Zhihe True Person Zhihua said they would arrange it for him, so he had no need to ask Yiming for help.
Everyone handled things professionally; he didn't necessarily need to cultivate a good relationship with Yiming.
"I'll take you to Yunze this afternoon. Be prepared. Yunze is dangerous; any carelessness or mistake could be fatal."
Daoist Yizhen was not one to talk much, but the matter was important, so he had to emphasize it again...
Just after noon, Daoist Yizhen led Zhou Wuji and his group into Yunze.
After walking for more than ten miles along the mountain road, the group saw a vast expanse of white, wetland.
Lakes and puddles are scattered throughout the landscape, with crisscrossing waterways and patches of marshland and wetlands. Various shrubs and wild grasses grow wildly in patches, and every inch of soil seems to be covered with a thick layer of moisture.
Large swirling white mist drifted and lingered over the water, like long white veils, partially obscuring the true appearance of the lake.
Zhou Wuji entered the marshland, he felt the dampness in the air was sticky and clinging to his body and face, making it difficult for him to breathe.
He looked up at the setting sun, which was shrouded in heavy white fog and had become a dim, yellowish halo. The light was so soft and weak that it could not even illuminate the water in front of him.
Daoist Yizhen pointed to a wide open area beneath his feet and said, "This area is a hundred feet in circumference, and the ground here is very solid. It is also the eye of the Yao Yaoguang."
"Your job is to hold the key point of the formation and do your best to kill the invading monsters."
"There are seven array points in total, arranged in a dipper shape, spaced only a few miles apart, sealing off the exit of Yunze. The array can be activated using command tokens to unleash the immense power of the Seven Stars Demon-Slaying Sword and the Northern Dipper Yin Thunder."
Daoist Yizhen patted the ten-foot-tall bronze tower at the center of the formation, saying, "This is the central hub that maintains the formation and also the magical Law Artifact for releasing Law Technique."
"The situation is critical. You should release a flying star talisman to warn others, and someone will come to your aid..."
Zhou Wuji and Wuleng listened attentively; protecting the array's core was a crucial matter that could not be overlooked.
"Seven people per group, rotating every two days."
Daoist Yizhen said, "This time, let Wuming accompany you on your shift. She has done this many times and has experience."
Wuming nodded vigorously, indicating that she was very skilled at it.
Daoist Yizhen gave a detailed explanation before leading the others away.
Zhou Wuji saw several simple tents next to the bronze tower, enough to shelter people from the wind and rain and provide them with a place to rest.
Wuming Zhou Wuji would find it distasteful, Wuming smiled apologetically and said, "The conditions are very basic, but there's not much to do most of the time."
"With my junior sister here, this place is like paradise..." Zhou Wuji whispered in Wuming's ear.
Wuming's cheeks flushed slightly, but he was quite pleased with himself. Even though there were other people around, he was too embarrassed to get too close to Zhou Wuji.
Yang Tie Ying, being quite sensible, looked away, and Wuleng pretended not to see her.
The other three Daoist priests on duty were unaware of the situation. Seeing Wuming and Zhou Wuji being so intimate, their expressions were somewhat complicated...