Taking the City (II)

In less than half an hour.

A flag rose over South-Pacifying City, its azure-nether field embroidered with flowing clouds and wind patterns, interwoven with Qiuran's Dao rhythm.

The city lord's residence had also been converted into the Ye Clan's temporary headquarters.

Ye Jinyu reclined against the main seat, playing with a golden Jade Slip found deep in the treasury.

"A map of the Wind Abyss Southern Domain's terrain... the distribution of Demon Beasts... the deployment of Great Qi's border troops... smuggling routes across the border, the Great Qi Wang's capital in the Eastern Region..." Ye Jinyu slowly looked through it, then suddenly stopped at one of the maps.

The scroll depicted lakes and mountains, as well as an Azure Luan soaring with its wings spread. Five small ancient seal-script characters marked the center of the lake: Heavenly Gang Bifeng Pool.

"Where is this place? Have you found out..." Ye Jinyu raised his eyes to Ye Anlan.

Hearing the young master's question, Ye Anlan thought back carefully for a moment. He unconsciously rubbed the back of his head and gave an embarrassed smile. "Young master... I don't know. I was too busy killing people at the time and forgot to search their souls..."

"But I seem to remember leaving one or two alive. They might know. I'll have them brought here for questioning at once."

With that, Ye Anlan went out and gave his subordinates a few instructions before returning to stand at Ye Jinyu's side.

Ye Jinyu said nothing and simply continued looking through the Jade Slip.

Before long, two men were kneeling in the main hall.

One was a deputy general in battered armor, a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator. He was trembling all over, his forehead pressed against the cold floor tiles.

On the right was a middle-aged man dressed as a scholar, at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage. His blue robes were stained with blood and filth, yet his back remained straight. His face was haggard, but his gaze was defiant. He was South-Pacifying City's chief recordkeeper.

"Speak."

Ye Jinyu remained reclining in the main seat without looking up, his voice calm and tinged with laziness.

"Tell me everything you know, and I might spare your lives. If you perform well, I might even reward you with something."

The deputy general spoke first, his voice shrill with fear. "I-I report to the exalted immortal!

"There are two great Demon Race clans in the Southern Region, the Azure Luan and the Wind Surge Flood Dragon Clan. I've heard the commanding general speak of the exact locations of Myriad Dragon Marsh and Azure Nether Mountain!"

"And... and... a message came from the Wang's capital three days ago, ordering us to defend the city to the death, stall for time, and wait for reinforcements from the royal court...

"It... it also said to rely on the formations and guard the city. If the city fell, we had to strengthen the walls and clear the fields, burn the resources... the Cultivation Methods, and leave no intelligence or information for the fiends... no, no, no, for the exalted immortals."

He spoke quickly and urgently, as though he wished he could spill everything he knew.

Ye Jinyu gave a soft "Oh" and turned his gaze to the scholar. "And you?"

The scholar closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. When he opened them again, his eyes were a desolate gray of utter resolve. "If you're going to kill me, do it. I've studied since childhood, and my family has received the court's favor and stipends for generations. I will never betray my home and country and beg for mercy from otherworldly fiends like you."

"You have backbone. Not bad..." Ye Jinyu smiled, set down the Jade Slip, and clapped his hands. "I admire people with backbone most of all."

He rose, walked slowly down the steps, and came before the scholar, looking down at him. "What a pity. It's all just words. Why didn't you take your own life when the city fell? You're still someone who clings to life and fears death, merely trying to make a name for yourself this way..."

The scholar sneered and spoke solemnly, word by word. "You're trying to goad me. What of it if you humiliate me? Judge deeds, not hearts. At least my actions are worthy of what I've learned."

"Forget it. You're all hard bones, and I can't be bothered to argue with you."

"I can't be bothered to speak, and you're not worthy of listening."

"In that case, I'll oblige you." Ye Jinyu nodded, the corners of his mouth curving into the faintest smile, one that sent a chill into the heart.

He raised a hand and pointed lightly at Ye Anlan beside him. "Anlan, just search their souls..."

"No-!!! Immortal, I'm willing to talk..." The deputy general immediately began knocking his head against the floor frantically. He looked at the scholar, his eyes filled with tangled emotions.

The scholar, meanwhile, threw back his head and laughed, bitterness in his smile.

Ye Anlan moved behind them like a ghost and pressed his slender hands against the crowns of their heads.

A flash of blue-gray light appeared.

Their screams cut off abruptly. Their eyes rolled white in an instant, their bodies convulsed violently, and foam spilled from their mouths.

Azure Nether soul searching: blue-gray Law Power brutally tore through the defenses of their Divine Sense, rifling through fragments of their memories.

The details they had been unwilling to share, even those they themselves had forgotten, had nowhere to hide from Ye Anlan's cold Divine Sense.

A moment later, Ye Anlan withdrew his hands. The two men crumpled to the floor like heaps of mud, their life extinguished and their pupils unfocused.

"Young master," Ye Anlan said with a bow.

"Their memories were tampered with and are very confused, but roughly speaking, I surmise that a request for aid from the Southern Region's Demon Race was granted. To find Azure Nether Mountain, one must first find Azure Luan royal blood. The Bifeng Heavenly Gang Pool... is the Azure Luan Clan's inheritance site."

Ye Jinyu chuckled, turned, and sat back in the main seat, murmuring to himself.

"Azure Luan royal blood..."

As he repeated the words, the Heavenly Cauldron of Fate bestowed by the system shone within his sea of consciousness.

The cauldron's illusory form slowly rotated, purple qi intertwining and condensing until a Dao Seed of Fate formed, its pale azure and dark red colors intertwined. Faint patterns of dark Yin Fire lay upon it.

A few indistinct scenes also entered Ye Jinyu's mind.

An Azure Luan was struggling as countless cultivators hunted it down. Vast waters surged to the heavens, faintly reflecting the face of Xie Qingying of the "marsh" Xie Clan, the "Heavenly Luan Phoenix Cry."

Mountains rose all around amid layers of clouds and mist. Countless bird Demon Beasts worshipped and offered congratulations, then charged into the wind pool together. In the blink of an eye, the wind grew turbid and bitterly cold, a vast pool of blood appeared, luan birds cried out, and heaven and earth changed color.

Wind and water turned in mutual accord; Zhunan Yin Fire was born within the pool.

Water became cloud and mist, mist gave rise to wind; where water ran its course, the netherworld appeared.

Just then, Ye Jinyu suddenly felt his mind clear. Wisps of dark Bifeng Qi drifted from his eyes, rising slightly and guiding him.

After a moment's silence.

Ye Jinyu suddenly asked.

"How are things going on Jinming's side?"

"Reporting to the young master," Ye Anlan said, "Cousin Jinming has spread the word among the Southern Region's Rogue Cultivators, using Spirit Stones, pills, and Cultivation Methods as bait.

"More than five thousand Rogue Cultivators and five small sects have now expressed their willingness to become vassals of our Ye Clan and await our orders."

"Send them all out to search carefully for me... I want that Azure Luan royal blood!"

"As you command."

Ye Anlan cupped his fists in salute.

Before the words had died away, Ye Jinming strode into the hall and said in a low voice, "Young master, the inventory of the city is complete. Three sword force Jade Slips were found in the secret vault.

"They should contain the Great Qi Dynasty's King-Observing Sword Force Instruction, but they're incomplete. Only the Foundation Establishment section remains."

"Besides that, there's another important matter. A large number of Xie Clan cultivators have appeared deep in the Southern Region, and they've offered a generous reward among the Rogue Cultivators. They seem to be searching for Azure Luan royal blood..."

Hearing this, Ye Jinyu was briefly taken aback. Then the corners of his mouth rose. Leaning back in the main seat, he looked at Ye Jinming and Ye Anlan and beckoned them both over.

"Jinming, Anlan, come closer and lend me your ears..."

"The mantis stalks the cicada... unaware of the oriole behind."