Eldest uncle Kong Yushuo: The shift from offense to defense at the Demon-Suppressing Pass

After an inspection at the city gate, Kong Wenxuan followed the patriarch into the Demon-Suppressing Pass.

Just inside the gate, his eldest uncle Kong Yushuo had long been waiting with a group of people. As soon as he saw them, he came forward with a smile, first greeting the patriarch before turning to Kong Wenxuan. "Wenxuan, it's only been two years, and you've already reached Late Qi Refining. Impressive!"

Kong Wenxuan immediately returned the greeting. "Greetings, Eldest Uncle. Now that I'm at the Demon-Suppressing Pass, please look after me."

Kong Yushuo smiled. "Wenxuan, you made the right choice coming to the Demon-Suppressing Pass. Your uncle will help you strike it rich."

After exchanging a few pleasantries at the gate, they headed into the pass. Eldest uncle Kong Yushuo and the others had served here for years, so naturally they had a place to stay.

Among them was his older cousin Kong Wenzhang, the eldest of Kong Wenxuan's generation.

Seeing that there were only four of them, the patriarch couldn't help asking, "Where are the others?"

Eldest uncle Kong Yushuo immediately said, "Some time ago, we found a vermilion fruit tree in the mountains to the south. Its fruit is almost ripe."

"To guard against mishaps, Fifth Brother and the others stayed behind temporarily to watch the Vermilion Fruit tree."

The patriarch's expression shifted slightly. "Vermilion fruit can be swallowed directly to increase Law Power without being refined into pills. That makes it quite a temptation. You must be careful."

Eldest uncle Kong Yushuo smiled. "Don't worry, Patriarch. The Kong Household's illusion techniques may not have much killing power, but in the complex terrain of the mountains beyond the pass, we're like fish in water. We won't slip up."

The patriarch nodded. "You've served at the Demon-Suppressing Pass for nearly ten years. You have more experience than I do when it comes to weighing your options, taking action, and staying alive. I'll say what I always say: lives come first, wealth second. Better to give up wealth and put the lives and safety of our people first."

After asking about the other clansmen, the patriarch changed the subject and asked about the Demon-Suppressing Pass. "Has anything important happened at the pass in the past few months?"

"There really has been something," eldest uncle Kong Yushuo replied at once. "Just last month, the Du Household recalled Du Ziting, who was in charge of affairs at the Demon-Suppressing Pass, and replaced him with Du Zhimin, who is now overseeing the pass and its affairs."

"Du Zhimin..." Patriarch Kong Changgeng said thoughtfully. "He's from the Du Household's previous generation. I know a little about him."

"Back when our Kong Household followed the Du Household to expand its territory and establish this Third Demon-Suppressing Pass, we worked together. We fought under his command for a time."

"Overall, Du Zhimin is more conservative. He's good at defense, not offense, and rarely takes the initiative to attack."

"Now that the Du Household has sent Du Zhimin to oversee affairs at the Demon-Suppressing Pass, it seems they've made up their minds to take a defensive stance here for the next few years. They won't launch attacks beyond the pass to seize the Demon Race's land and resources."

"Still, that makes sense. Cuckoo County has expanded as far as this Third Demon-Suppressing Pass, and the territory under its control now spans three thousand li. That's enough to help the Du Household when it attempts to become an Eighth-Grade True Spirit Lineage. There's no need to expand outward and claim more territory."

"Besides, even if they wanted to keep expanding, their current ninth-rank Cuckoo True Spirit Star probably couldn't support or control it."

"So they've shifted from offense to defense at the Demon-Suppressing Pass. They only need to hold on to these three thousand li of territory."

"But in that case..." The patriarch looked up at Kong Yushuo, Kong Wenxuan, and the others. "You'll probably have to be even more careful and cautious in your activities beyond the pass from now on."

"The Du Household is turning its attention inward and taking a defensive stance at the Demon-Suppressing Pass. Unless a major event occurs, such as a horde of demons attacking the pass, they probably won't concern themselves with what happens beyond it."

"In that case, order in the mountains beyond the pass will probably grow worse and worse. You'll have to watch out not only for the Demon Beasts in the mountains, but also for other cultivators!"

As eldest uncle Kong Yushuo listened, his expression grew grave and a hint of worry appeared on his face. "No, this won't do. We'll set out first thing tomorrow morning and join Fifth Brother and the others."

Clearly, after hearing the patriarch's analysis, he was worried about his teammates guarding the vermilion fruit tree.

The patriarch nodded, then waved his hand. "There's no hurry! Tomorrow morning, I'll first take you to visit Du Zhimin. We fought under him before, after all, so we do have some ties."

"If we pay him a visit, even if we don't ask him to look after you, at least you won't be singled out for different treatment."

Hearing this, Eldest Uncle calmed down and nodded. "Yes, we'll do as you say."

The patriarch, however, was still frowning slightly. He said gravely, "The Du Household has changed direction. Since they've chosen to focus on defense at the Demon-Suppressing Pass, they'll probably devote most of their efforts to internal matters over the next few years. Our Kong Household needs to respond carefully too, and avoid running onto the point of the Du Household's spear."

"Moreover, judging by this change at the Demon-Suppressing Pass, the Du Household probably really isn't far from attempting to become an Eighth-Grade True Spirit Lineage. It should happen within the next few years."

"But becoming an Eighth-Grade True Spirit isn't easy. One mistake and their household could be destroyed and their star fall. The whole of Cuckoo County might even suffer with them, and lineages like ours, which depend on the Du Household, would be caught in the misfortune too."

"Back then, wasn't our Kong Household destroyed in an attempt to become an Eighth-Grade True Spirit... It seems I'll need to make preparations early once I get back."

As they were talking, third aunt Kong Yuyin had a table of spirit dishes delivered from outside. Smiling, she said, "Patriarch, Eldest Brother, the spirit dishes are ready. Everyone, come sit down and talk while we eat."

They took their seats and talked at length about the Demon-Suppressing Pass and Cuckoo County over the meal. Eldest Uncle and the others also learned of the destruction of the Blazing Fire Bird Lie Household.

As Kong Wenxuan listened to the others over the meal, he gained a more detailed understanding of the Demon-Suppressing Pass.

The Du Household had built the Demon-Suppressing Pass with the servant cultivator lineages under it. The pass was controlled principally by two Du Household armies: the Cuckoo True Spirit Army, made up of Du clansmen, and the Cuckoo Dao Soldier Army, made up of cuckoo spirit beasts the Du Household had awakened as Dao soldiers.

The dozens of servant cultivator lineages under the Du Household had all sent their younger members to serve here as required, ranging from a dozen or so to several dozen people each, but none had formed an army.

For one thing, the Du Household did not permit any army other than its own at the Demon-Suppressing Pass, not even armies belonging to servant cultivator lineages.

For another, none of these servant cultivator lineages were True Spirit Lineages. Without a Bloodline True Spirit Star above them, they could not form the battle formations an army needed, making it difficult to form a true army.

Thus, the cultivators and younger members sent to serve by servant cultivator lineages like the Kong Household mostly worked beyond the Demon-Suppressing Pass, exploring, searching for resources, and investigating Demon Beast activity.

Only when Demon Beasts came in hordes to attack the Demon-Suppressing Pass would the younger members and cultivators of these servant cultivator lineages be organized to help the Du Household's True Spirit Army and Dao Soldier Army defend it.

So Kong Wenxuan's work at the Demon-Suppressing Pass would probably also consist mainly of following Eldest Uncle and the others into the mountains beyond the pass to explore, hunt, and gather resources.