Blood Mountain Readies for War

---- Yangming Mountain

Even though the Ying Prefecture Fei Household has declined somewhat in recent years, when it comes to grand battle formations, they are still far superior to border tyrants like the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall.

It's unclear what kind of concealment this team used, but when Fei Nanying and Fei Donggu, the two elders of the Fei Household, led the Ying Mountain Army to surround them, Preceptor Huang Mi and the group of warrior monks who were covering the front lines only then realized what was happening.

There was no reasoning to speak of this; the moment they clashed, Preceptor Huang Mi's prized Buddhist formation was shattered.

As each Buddhist practitioner's physical body vanished, so too did the spirit of Preceptor Huang Mi be completely extinguished.

The old monk had no time to be surprised or angry, and he was quite decisive. Even though he still had some injuries, Fei Donggu and Fei Nanying chased after him for half a day, but still couldn't stop him.

In the end, a small portion of the warrior monks were swept away and fled to Ink Cloud Marsh in Huo Prefecture to lie low and lick their wounds.

At this juncture, it is clear that the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall is not the only one that needs to lick its wounds.

However, Kang Dabao had no time to spare for that. He was currently focused on earnestly placing the three Palace Masters, Yu Nian'en, Xia Ming, Gou Shier, in front of Fei Nanying, and said apologetically, "This humble one must once again thank Boyue and Elder Zong for their timely assistance."

Fei Nanying's gaze lingered on the three cultivators before him for a long time, his inner turmoil needing no further explanation.

It should be known that among the eighteen Golden Core cultivators of the Fei Household in existence, less than half could capture someone of the same level alive. Not to mention the three Pill Masters of the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall, who are not simple characters either. In remote border states like Pu Prefecture, it might be difficult to find even one like them in hundreds of years.

His mere appearance was enough to inspire countless cultivators to write books and record his life story for centuries.

Fei Nanying sighed, and when he turned to Sect Leader Kang Da again, his expression was no longer as relaxed as before. He then hesitated for a long time before speaking, trying his best to sound relaxed:

"If you want to thank someone, thank Ancestor Tianqin. If it weren't for his constant presence in Cloud Horn Prefecture, how could Elder Donggu and I have brought our sons here to help you?"

The Sect Leader Kang Da's tone was more respectful than before, yet also more humble. "The Ancestor's kindness is something I will never forget."

"What a fine young man!" Fei Donggu exclaimed, his gaze fixed on Fei Nanying to Kang Dabao. He thought to himself:

"This Nanying is truly a talent scout. Even in such a remote corner as Cloud Horn Prefecture, he has the discerning eye to recognize talent. After Ancestor Ye Shui passes away, he will take over the family business, and with Kang Dabao providing support from outside, perhaps we will not be at our wits' end?"

Fei Donggu suppressed his joy, but his smile remained warm as he softly spoke to Kang Dabao:

"You did a great job this time, Da Bao. The Duke and the two elders must be very pleased. When the Three Southwest Circuits are pacified in the future, you will likely be ranked high on the merit list. The Emperor has always liked to promote scholars from humble backgrounds, so your future is limitless."

"Elder Zong, you flatter me greatly; I am unworthy of such praise."

"What are you afraid of?" Fei Nanying scoffed. "Elder Zong did write a letter of introduction for you to Master Gu Rong, and you put it away very neatly, didn't you?"

Fei Nanying's tone was sarcastic, causing Fei Donggu to chuckle. Kang Dabao was about to explain when Fei Nanying's tone changed, and he said in a deep voice, "Alright, it's not time for a long talk yet."

Upon hearing this, Sect Leader Kang Da was taken aback. He probed out with his Divine Sense, only to find a desolate scene.

The light curtain of the Xuanhuang Remnant Array resembled a shattered piece of glass, with cracks spreading from northwest to southeast like a fine spider web.

The base of the protective mountain array was corroded with honeycomb-like holes by voodoo poison. The array flagpole was broken in half, with half of the wooden pole stuck diagonally in the bloody soil, and the strips of cloth wrapped around it whipping the ground in the wind.

On the newly cleared training ground, a large section of jade slabs was trampled into pieces by the sorcerer soldiers, revealing dark red blood and mud underneath.

The broken spears piled up in the ravine were taller than a person, and the copper rust and blood scabs on the spear tips had hardened into a shell, which shimmered with an eerie purple light when the sunlight shone on them.

The roof of the clinic, made of animal hide, was gnawed open by locusts, leaving countless holes and looking like a tattered patch on the ground.

The stone mortar inside the hall was cracked in two, and the dregs of medicine mixed with bloodstains had hardened into a lump. The Higher Vehicle Pill Furnace, which was always polished to a shine, was lying on its side, and half of the unburnt thorny bush was buried in the ashes at the bottom of the furnace.

"It's at least twenty years of accumulated wealth." Kang Dabao had just mentally estimated the price when he heard Fei Nanying say again:

"You stay here with your disciples to rest for now. Elder Zong and I will take the young men to explore the Ink Cloud Ink Cloud Marsh Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall. We'll see if it's as dangerous as the rumors say. If we're too slow, Huang Mi, that turtle in a jar, might escape."

However, Sect Leader Kang Da showed extraordinary loyalty at this moment. Upon hearing Fei Nanying's words, he immediately replied, "I will prepare my disciples and followers and come to help immediately."

Fei Nanying understood the former's veiled meaning, but with Fei Donggu present, he couldn't speak openly. So he said tactfully, "The Chief Clerk Chief Clerk Zhu of the Duke's Mansion has already transferred military supplies to your family. Tianqin has made special arrangements, so you won't be disappointed."

Fei Donggu, a shrewd and experienced man, was perfectly able to understand the veiled meaning in the conversation between the father-in-law and son-in-law. He chuckled and said calmly, "I've heard that another batch of supplies from Great Abyss Capital will be transported by Myriad Treasures Trading Company. It will arrive soon, and the Duke will personally oversee its distribution."

At this point, Fei Donggu could sense the gleam in Sect Leader Kang Da and thought to himself, "He really comes from a humble background; he's too shallow and lacks any real shrewdness."

However, despite his thoughts, the old cultivator spoke again with great kindness. He pointed out the three cultivators bound in front of him one by one before smiling and saying:

"The Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall has been domineering and rampant in Huangpi Circuit for hundreds of years, yet it has fallen into the hands of your Chongming Sect. How could the Duke not show some leniency?"

Before Fei Donggu had even finished speaking, Fei Nanying turned to Fei Enwen, who had been standing by his side, and said:

"Quickly draft a battle report for me so that I can present this matter to the gentlemen of the Duke's mansion. Marquis of Martial Peace is indeed loyal to the country, but we cannot allow those who follow him to enjoy a life of ease while the pillars who truly shed blood suffer in vain."

"Yes," Fei Enwen had been trained by Fei Nanying over the years and his spiritual talent was no less than that of the Fei Household's direct descendants. He had already filled the vacancy left by the deceased former deputy general of the Ying Mountain Army.

"Well, let the men rest for another half day, then we'll leave," Fei Donggu nodded with a smile, then looked around at the now-changed Yangming Mountain and asked the Sect Leader Kang Da in a low voice, "Do you intend to move the sect here?"

Kang Dabao honestly replied, "I'm thinking that since it's a Third Tier Spirit Vein, I do have some ideas."

"Let's forget it," Fei Nanying spoke first, "We can't stay here any longer."

Seeing the doubt on Sect Leader Kang Da, and knowing that Kang Dabao was no longer the insignificant figure he once was, Fei Nanying then explained:

"Star-Picking Pavilion's actions this time are quite significant, and Xian Prefecture is not a good place to establish a foothold. Even if Huang Mi fails, Rouge Temple and Thousand Buddha Grove still have a very ambiguous relationship. I wonder what their next move will be."

Kang Dabao had no doubts whatsoever after hearing this, and simply asked again, "Will that kid still move back to Cloud Horn Prefecture afterward?"

"No rush. I imagine that after this battle, there will be countless unclaimed Third Tier Spirit Vein throughout the Three Southwest Circuits, which you can choose from."

----Ten days later

When Fei Nanying and Fei Donggu were about to leave, Sect Leader Kang Da was quite at ease and asked them to take the three hall masters of the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall with them, so that Chongming Sect would not have to spare manpower and worry about guarding them.

He wasn't worried that the two would steal his credit, after all, they came from noble families and would always have some pride to show when facing his juniors; but even if he took a step back, if the two Fei really wanted to share some of the credit, it might not be a bad thing for Kang Dabao.

For two thousand years, the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty has had established rules for recognizing Fei Household. Even if the merits attributed to the Sect Leader Kang Da are only one-third of his original achievements, the final benefits may still exceed them by a considerable margin, so it is not considered a loss.

At this time, Ying Mountain Army was struggling to advance in Ink Cloud Marsh. Even though Kang Dabao had told the two Fei Household elders about the Double Brightness Alliance's previous experience, it seemed that the results were still minimal.

It's unclear whether this is due to the change in the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall's rules, or whether the Ink Cloud Marsh with Huang Mi in charge is inherently a different place from the Ink Cloud Marsh without Huang Mi.

Since the Ying Mountain Army's progress is not going well, Sect Leader Kang Da's original plan to rest and recuperate will also fall through. After all, there's no reason for him to just sit back and watch the Ying Mountain Army suffer heavy losses.

Under the instructions of Sect Leader Kang Da, the Chongming Sect's recuperation proceeded in an orderly manner.

Chongming Sect's recuperation proceeded methodically, like a carefully restored ancient painting slowly unfolding on Yangming Mountain after the smoke of war had cleared.

Yang Xun, the deputy general of the Crimson Zhang Guard, was still directing the young men from various families to clear the intricate battlefield, his feet still treading on the blood-soaked mud that had not yet fully congealed.

The jade pendant at his waist clashed with his armor from time to time, each sound like a rhythm setting the tone for the assembly.

Because of his numerous military achievements and the generous nature of the Sect Leader Kang Da, Yang Xun calculated that even before the war was over, he had already accumulated most of the resources needed to form a False Core. Therefore, he was full of enthusiasm when doing things.

"Spearhead to the left, shaft to the right, anything broken into three or more pieces should be melted down!" Yang Xun's roar pierced through the morning mist and landed on a pile of broken spears that had just been dug up.

Two Crimson Zhang Guard beside him were struggling to move a broken halberd about ten feet long. The bloodstains on the halberd had turned black, but it was still clear that it was a standard weapon of the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall.

"Is this thing a False Core Spirit Artifact?" The short, armored soldier wiped the sweat from his brow, his fingertips brushing against the runes on the halberd. Suddenly, he felt a burn and pulled his hand back.

"Be careful, it's still carrying voodoo!"

The tall, armored soldier took out a detoxification talisman from his robes and rubbed it on the halberd for a moment until the black aura around the talisman dissipated.

"The Alchemist from the upper sect said that all weapons contaminated with witchcraft must be Pure Spirit Stone, otherwise they will corrode the Storage Bag." The two of them worked together to lift the broken halberd into the Spirit Artifact wreckage. They saw that the jade table was already piled high with several similar broken Spirit Artifact, but Yang Xun was still not satisfied and kept urging them on.

Not far away, in front of the mountain-protecting array, Wei Gu, who had just stood up and whose face was deathly pale, was carefully examining the array base in front of him, constantly estimating with a ruler.

The newly arrived Spirit Stone of various colors were piled up into a small mountain and arranged into a mysterious array according to the guidance of the array masters.

"This needs to be filled with mid-grade Spirit Stone," Wei Gu said to his followers, his fingertip tracing the honeycomb-like holes eroded by the voodoo. "They need to fit perfectly, otherwise the spiritual energy will escape through the gaps."

An unfamiliar array master crouched down, carefully inserting Spirit Stone into the hole, but knocked it over due to nervousness. "What's the rush!" Wei Gu frowned, personally demonstrating how to wrap the Spirit Stone with spiritual power and embed it.

The master immediately blushed and nodded repeatedly.

Just then, the team that went out to search for the remaining enemy and deliver a message to the local tyrant sent a message via a spirit bird.

"Over a hundred deserters have been discovered in Yellow Wood Valley in the southeast, claiming to be from the Wind Stone Fang Household and the Cloud Valley Zhang Household. Uncle Jin says they look like they escaped from the battlefield last time!!!"

In such a great battle, it's perfectly normal for some mishaps to occur among the families from the capital who came to accompany Fei Shuhe in her dowry. It would be strange if they were all truly willing to die for Sect Leader Kang Da. Moreover, the Chongming Sect had already killed quite a few on the battlefield beforehand, but they simply couldn't stop them all.

Inside the central hall, Kang Dabao was intently reviewing the grain and provisions ledgers sent by Chief Clerk Zhu of the Duke's mansion. Upon hearing the news, his expression remained calm, revealing neither joy nor anger.

Ye Zhengwen, who was standing to the side, naturally noticed that the man was angry. Just as he was about to try to comfort him, the ear-piercing sound of chains dragging on the ground suddenly came from outside. Jin Shilun led the Azure Jue Guard to escort the escaped soldiers over.

This disciple of the sect leader had clearly selected the most outstanding among the deserters for questioning by Sect Leader Kang Da.

The latter glanced at the row of Foundation Establishment cultivators kneeling below the hall and saw that the Zhang Household cultivator at the head had gray hair, his dark blue brocade robe was torn in several places, and he had half a half-eaten spirit rice cake in his arms, with crumbs falling down his clothes. He had clearly been driven to the brink of despair, and there was no trace of the dignity of a True Cultivator left. He was truly in a sorry state!

Upon seeing Kang Dabao, his legs went weak and he collapsed to the ground, his knees thudding against the bluestone pavement. "Marquis of Martial Peace, spare my life! We were momentarily blinded by greed and confusion!"

He mumbled and rambled on for a while, finally emptying his mind of all excuses, when the heads of the Cloud Valley Zhang Household and the Wind Stone Fang Household finally arrived together.

Upon seeing the figures in the hall, the two people's expressions changed immediately, but before they could speak, Sect Leader Kang Da's gaze turned back to them.

The latter showed no anger, but simply said calmly, "Please, the two family heads, take him back and deal with him as he sees fit."

"I will heed Your Excellency's instructions."

"Well, let's leave it at that. The two patriarchs need not worry about it. It's normal to lose one's composure a bit on the battlefield for the first time."

"Thank you for your generosity, Your Excellency."

"I'm glad that the two heads of the family have come here to suffer with me without any complaints."

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Kang Dabao gave Jin Shilun a wink, signaling him to lead the two men out of the hall with the fleeing soldiers. Just as these men thought they had escaped, Jin Shilun suddenly felt a foul wind blowing in from his side, and the stench of blood assaulting his nostrils.

The screams reached Duan Anle's ears in the hall, causing him to change color slightly.

Seeing the actions of the two family heads who were slaughtering the routed soldiers, Kang Dabao simply nodded and said nothing more. Only when the sounds of the righteous soldiers training gradually replaced the screams and reached Sect Leader Kang Da's ears did he feel much more at ease.

"They do know what's good for them."