Five Matriarchs' Clouds of Grief Veil the Fallen Moon; A Plan to Invite Jiuzhen to Break Joyful Sight Mountain

----Ten days later, Mountain North Circuit, Five Old Mothers Mountain

The passing of True Person Moon Hidden might just be a topic of conversation for outsiders uninvolved in the battle between the two sides. However, for the thousands of disciples of Five Old Mothers Mountain, it was truly a bolt from the blue.

It should be understood that whether or not a Nascent Soul cultivator is protecting them is a completely different matter for disciples of major sects.

For the past ten days, the wailing on Five Old Mothers Mountain has never ceased. The sorrow seems to have gathered into dark clouds on the mountaintop, and it is unknown when it will fall like a rain of blood.

In short, as the rumors outside said, Bai Canhong was once again Supreme Unity Temple by Fengwen Demon Lieutenant, Li Mountain Lineage Lishan lineage within the barrier of Cold Crow Mountain.

Afterwards, the barrier around Cold Crow Mountain opened again, releasing the veteran Demon Lieutenant who had fought alongside the Demon Race clan venerable and the Great Ancestor of Great Wei. Caught off guard, the True Person Moon Hidden perished in the formation.

As a result, since the high-ranking officials of the Immortal Dynasty had no ability to conceal the news, the death of a Nascent Soul True Person was a major event even in the entire Great Wei Immortal Dynasty.

Upon hearing the news, Emperor Wei was furious and sent the Immortal Shadow Stone to the north of the mountain. The Northern King Kuang Zefu, Duke of Qin Kuang Liuting, Immortal Jiangxue, and Shen Lingfeng lined up to welcome him.

The fact that it was difficult for outsiders to see its true appearance only caused panic among the troops in the Mountain North camp.

The cultivators below had no idea that True Person Moon Hidden's lifespan was short. Even if he didn't die in the formation this time, he wouldn't have many more years to live. The fact that he was able to injure Bai Canhong by detonating the Five Old Mothers Mountain's protective spiritual treasure at the moment of his death was, in a way, quite worthwhile.

Everyone knew that even True Person like themselves, who had lived for thousands of years, could hardly protect themselves on this battlefield, so they couldn't help but feel uneasy.

Correspondingly, the morale of the disciples of the Star-Picking Pavilion and Joyful Sight Mountain soared, and in just a few days they broke through several strong formations of the Office of the Duke of Qin, achieving a feat that had not been accomplished in the past few years.

Since Kuang Liuting moved his official residence to Phoenix Cry Prefecture in Mountain North Circuit, True Person Moon Hidden, who originally did not understand the meaning of appeasement, became increasingly ruthless in his treatment of the various families under his jurisdiction.

Five Old Mothers Mountain treated the Office of the Duke of Qin with such deference that even though Kuang Liuting was dissatisfied, he considered the bigger picture and did not intervene. The Hehuan Sect was, after all, a heretical sect; its ability to wreak havoc on the local area was beyond question.

Furthermore, the war has been raging for several years now, and during that time, what do two Nascent Soul Grandmasters need: provisions, able-bodied men, wealth, and women?!

No one knows for sure how many of them actually went to the front lines, but just by looking at the fact that many Golden Core from both families have died over the years, while the total number of cultivators who have reached the upper level has remained unchanged, one can get a sense of the situation even without much thought.

Under such immense pressure, even with three True Person Immortals above them to keep things under control, the various families of Mountain North Circuit couldn't help but feel a little smug and harbor some wicked thoughts.

Of course, while the families in the Mountain North Circuit lived under the heavy pressure of war and danger, it did not mean that the families in the Shannan Circuit were not living in dire straits.

Bai Canhong was not a kind person as always. Apart from the hundred or so disciples of the Star-Picking Pavilion, he didn't even care about the lives of peak cultivators like Pu Honggu.

Both sides are living off human lives, the only difference being that the various families in Shannan Circuit, led by the "Three Administrations" under the jurisdiction of the Star-Picking Pavilion, have now seen a glimmer of hope.

However, this could be considered a good thing for both sides' cultivators.

Some powerful families in Mountain North Circuit, who have been established for thousands of years, are probably still secretly looking forward to this day. They were able to survive the period of dynastic change when the old dynasty collapsed. They may have already made plans on how to pass on their lineage to Bai Canhong.

Kuang Liuting and the three True Person may have foreseen this situation from the moment True Person Moon Hidden perished.

At this moment, everyone seated in the tent had their brows furrowed, and even the usually waited-for True Person Crimson Snow was left alone.

When the Northern King Kuang Zefu stood before the crowd, his gaze swept over the people in the tent, his eyes filled with silence.

To outsiders, he appeared to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with a face as smooth as jade but without a trace of effeminacy. His sword-like eyebrows slanted upwards into his temples, and a faint scar at the peak of his eyebrows swept diagonally to the tail.

Instead of appearing ferocious, it added a touch of sharpness. His eyes were extremely dark, usually concealing his spiritual power, as calm as a cold pool.

He was born into a distant branch of the Kuang Household, but because of his bravery Wuwei, he was an outstanding member of the imperial clan who was willing to serve the country and disregard his own safety. This is why, due to an accident, he received Emperor of Wei's favor all the way.

However, due to the low quality of his elixirs, even though he had made countless contributions on the battlefield and obtained a lot of resources beyond what ordinary people could obtain, Kuang Zefu's cultivation could not be considered smooth.

It wasn't until he was 520 years old that Emperor of Wei, defying all opposition, appreciated his exceptionally resolute character and suppressed a group of key figures in the imperial clan, granting Kuang Zefu fortuitous opportunity to become True Person.

Thanks to Emperor of Wei's discerning eye, the extremely declining state of the Kuang Household clan was somewhat reversed, at least preventing the entire clan's Nascent Soul from falling into a state of utter crisis.

However, due to the inferior quality of the elixir, the Prince of the North found it difficult to even study one or two of the several wonderful methods left by the Great Ancestor, let alone grasp their true meaning.

Therefore, if it weren't for the treasures and spiritual artifacts that the Great Ancestor had collected from the world, this Nascent Soul Formation of the Prince of the North, who had been in the Nascent Soul stage for over two hundred years, would be considered a low-ranking figure among the True Person, and would be far from being able to stand shoulder to shoulder with True Person Crimson Snow, who had been in the Nascent Soul stage for many years.

Despite being a member of the imperial family, he started from nothing as a soldier's son to advance his career. Such a powerful figure, who risked his life to climb to a high position, naturally wouldn't waste words when he spoke.

"What His Majesty just said, fellow Daoists, you have all heard. The situation in the Southwest has deteriorated to the point that His Majesty himself has to take charge, and this is entirely our fault. In your wise opinion, fellow Daoists, what remedial measures should we take to remedy Bai Canhong's transgression of the world by privately opening a protective barrier?!"

"Remedy?"

True Person Crimson Snow murmured softly, yet then adopted a serene demeanor, as if saying, "Eyes looking at the nose, nose looking at the mouth, mouth looking at the heart, heart looking at freedom."

After all, to be honest, she was the only outsider in the tent at the moment. This was all about the Kuang Household's affairs; why should she, as the Supreme Elder of the Hehuan Sect, be in a hurry to speak?

"If we had known earlier that Supreme Unity Temple would dare to instigate Bai Canhong to disregard the common people and open a barrier privately, we would have preferred to have granted Bai Canhong's request and allowed him to enter Shannan Circuit."

Half a year ago, he clearly didn't want to fight this messy war anymore, and the peace agreement had already been presented to the emperor. The emperor clearly stated that he wanted Mountain South to Joyful Sight Mountain to govern Huangpi, and so the war ended.

Even if rebellions break out in the vicinity in the future, the Office of the Duke of Qin can still mobilize the people from both directions. These conditions are already quite generous. However, when the Emperor inquired about the matter, my brother-in-law and Liuting refused to accept the offer of amnesty and insisted on fighting.

It must be understood that now, even if one door closes, another will open. Bai Canhong has lost patience and can only wait for Supreme Unity Temple to exert its strength again before Yueyin Daoist can also succeed.

The Silver Saber Prince Consort Shen Lingfeng was no longer as spirited as when he first arrived. He had fought against Nascent Soul Middle Stage True Person before, but he had never seen anyone as fierce as Bai Canhong before.

Whenever I think back, I feel that when I was pacifying the Mountain Rong in Shannan Circuit, I was constantly on the verge of life and death.

Because of his exceptional talent, Shen Lingfeng was greatly favored by Emperor of Wei when he was in the Mystic Firmament Palace, and after hundreds of years of cultivation, he had almost never heard a word of reprimand from him.

Therefore, at this moment, he dared to speak frankly and without reservation, as if he had no fear that his two relatives surnamed Kuang would actually take their anger out on him.

Kuang Zefu was already used to his arrogant nature, so he didn't show any unusual expression.

Kuang Liuting, who made the move, showed some dissatisfaction in his eyes, but he hesitated because there were outsiders present. Otherwise, even if he were facing Nascent Soul True Person, he would probably have argued back.

Kuang Zefu naturally noticed the strange look in Kuang Liuting's eyes. Although he also had some dissatisfaction with Shen Lingfeng, since he attained the Nascent Soul Shen Lingfeng and rose to a high position, his horizons broadened and his temperament became much more accommodating.

Therefore, he did not argue with Shen Lingfeng, but instead asked in a deep voice, "Does anyone have any suggestions?!"

Upon hearing this, Kuang Liuting hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and saying, "Uncle, we must go and invite True Person Jiuzhen again."

Kuang Zefu sighed inwardly upon hearing this, then glanced at the face of his True Person Crimson Snow, before slowly saying, "Yes, I will go tomorrow."

The True Person Crimson Snow, who had been instrumental in bringing this matter to fruition, did not share the smug expression of "it should have been this way all along" that the Silver Saber Prince Consort Shen Lingfeng displayed beside him.

She raised her eyelids, her gaze as clear as water, and caught the complex expression on Kuang Liuting's face before she gracefully stepped forward to the front of the hall.

" With Yueyin now deceased and the Star-Picking Pavilion receiving powerful reinforcements, the rebels on the other side are launching their fiercest and most ruthless counterattack. Perhaps only a full-scale offensive across the entire territory can resolve this urgent crisis."

Kuang Liuting frowned upon hearing this, and seeing that Kuang Zefu was deep in thought, he stepped forward and said, "Senior Jiangxue may not know, but according to the officials of the Duke's mansion, things are already at the point of no return. If we issue another levy, I fear there may be discord."

True Person Crimson Snow was slightly surprised. After all, when Kuang Liuting forced the Golden Core of Five Old Mothers Mountain and Hehuan Sect to commit suicide rather than retreat, he did not have such a compassionate heart.

"The rumors circulating outside are not far from true. This fellow shares the same temperament as Emperor of Wei, and he believes in that dull-witted talk of 'promoting the common people.' A top-grade pill? He's still young, naive, and laughable."

True Person Crimson Snow suppressed her inner turmoil and smiled faintly, saying, "What the Duke of Qin said is quite right." After affirming this, she turned to Kuang Zefu and asked, "Then perhaps His Highness the Prince of the North should inquire with the Northern Bureau whether it is possible to request reinforcements again?"

The latter forcibly suppressed his dissatisfaction, but in his heart he was thinking that it was the obedient and docile True Person Moon Hidden who died on the battlefield, while this beautiful and poisonous scorpion was left behind.

However, at this moment, he, the Prince of the North, was already grateful to have True Person who could be of use to the royal family, so he wouldn't say anything more. He simply shook his head for a moment and replied in a low voice:

"Buried Spring Mound was originally going to come over, but the Supreme Unity Temple instigated a rebellion in the Two Rivers Circuit, which delayed us. For now, we still need to rely on ourselves."

If the battle goes well, His Majesty will have plenty of elite troops at his disposal, and reinforcements will be scattered throughout the surrounding areas; but if the battle goes poorly, the Mystic Firmament Palace will also be in trouble. Alas, the entire court is useless, causing His Majesty to be so controlled, they deserve to die a thousand deaths!

The cultivators in the hall were probably already aware of the situation, so they weren't surprised. However, after hearing Kuang Zefu's rejection, they all gave up on the idea. As for Kuang Zefu's so-called words about being sentenced to ten thousand deaths, they completely ignored them.

Kuang Liuting, like Kuang Zefu, felt the same urge to die for his lord's honor. He then bowed again and said loudly, "Uncle Wang, perhaps our current strategy is to attack what they will surely come to their aid."

This Prince of the North was a seasoned True Person of battle; without needing to ask, he understood Kuang Liuting's meaning after only a moment's thought, "Joyful Sight Mountain? How far is it from the Ancient Mysterious Circuit? Who can shoulder this heavy responsibility?"

Without hesitation, the latter bowed and said, "The Marquis of Fengcheng is courageous in taking on responsibilities, and the Marquis of Martial Peace is resolute and capable; they are both excellent choices."

"That old bird?" Kuang Zefu clearly overlooked another person mentioned by Kuang Liuting.

He and Fei Tianqin had fought side by side several times, so he knew how capable this old fox was. But just as he was about to make his move, True Person Crimson Snow spoke up to remind him, "If Marquis of Fengcheng leaves, the Mountain North Camp will lose a powerful ally."

What the beautiful woman said was true. When it came to the battle, the Golden Core cultivators of the Star-Picking Pavilion were often more terrified than when they saw Fei Tianqin appear than when they saw Nascent Soul True Person.

No one but Kuang Liuting can replace him in this role, so it would be a great loss to turn back now.

However, at this moment Shen Lingfeng, who had always shared the same opinion as True Person Crimson Snow, also spoke up in support of Kuang Liuting. He temporarily put aside his previous dissatisfaction and simply spoke in a calm voice:

"It doesn't matter. Jiuzhen will definitely respond. Otherwise, wouldn't we be sitting here in vain for several years? My direct lineage will only lose some face in front of that Dragon Spawn and give Jiuzhen more supplies."

Don't act impulsively now; the bigger picture is more important. If we weren't so desperate for manpower, even I would want to go to Joyful Sight Mountain with that old bird."

The Daoist priest with the sword paused here, and after a moment of contemplation, he continued:

"Perhaps you have forgotten, Cloud Trust is indeed courting death by colluding with the rebels, but we cannot be certain that the true leader of Joyful Sight Mountain, Master True Person Tiger Spring, is truly dead. If we can capture Joyful Sight Mountain, then..."

Kuang Liuting never expected that Shen Lingfeng, an elder from another clan who had been constantly complaining since arriving in Mountain North Circuit, would actually think of this.

His words clearly had a decisive effect. Even without mentioning the life or death of True Person Tiger Spring, this strategy of attacking the enemy and forcing them to defend is a classic military tactic.

The three Demon Lieutenant True Person Cloud Trust, Bai Canhong, and Fengwen were originally united by mutual benefit, but their internal conflicts were far greater than those within our own side. How could they possibly work together with one heart and one mind?

If a fire were to break out in his own home, how could True Person Cloud Trust dare not offer assistance?

Even if Fei Tianqin returns to Mountain South and causes a huge disturbance, and fails to capture Joyful Sight Mountain after destroying the Two Instruments Sect, Kuang Liuting's proposed exchange will still be worthwhile.

Kuang Zefu quickly agreed to Kuang Liuting's suggestion. The latter summoned Su Chen to give instructions, watched as Su Chen drafted the silk scroll, and then the scroll was stamped, thus finalizing the matter of Fei Tianqin's return.

After all the outsiders had left the tent, Kuang Zefu's face hardened, and he addressed Kuang Liuting solemnly:

"Time is running out. As an elder, I shouldn't be saying things that force things to grow faster, but time truly is running out. Liuting, you really need to hurry up so that I can take control of the Kuang Household's empire."

Crimson banners were planted day and night throughout the cities, prefectures, and counties of the Mountain North Circuit, and the drums of conscription made people tremble; even the dogs in the deep alleys cowered in corners, afraid to bark.

The rogue cultivator, who couldn't even afford to Rogue Cultivator from his privately cultivated field when, the moment he looked up, he was grabbed by the back of the collar and dragged away by fierce-looking soldiers in black uniforms.

An elderly man rushed forward and grabbed the soldier's clothes, begging him to spare his only son. Instead, he was struck on the forehead by the back of a knife, and blood dripped onto the freshly harvested millet.

Both daughters-in-law were kneeling on the ground, holding their babies and crying. The baby's cries were completely drowned out by the drumbeats. A soldier kicked over a clay pot of porridge, splashing hot porridge onto the baby's hand, and the baby's cries suddenly became shrill.

The rogue Rogue Cultivator was soon no longer alone. A fellow villager from a small sect in the crowd had just wiped his ancestral wooden sword clean. After glancing at him, he was forced to wear a cobbled-together iron breastplate. The rust on the edges of the armor plates made his collarbone ache.

Many cultivators are in the same predicament as him, finding it difficult to have a peaceful life. They have lost their ordinary days and are forced to give everything for those important figures in the clouds.

While traveling, they saw a group of defeated soldiers who seemed to have come from nowhere, rushing through the town like stray dogs. Some had broken arms, and some had their armor charred black, with the exposed flesh raw and red.

These routed soldiers were hardly human, and consequently, they lost their humanity as well.

A beautiful woman was dragged into the street. Before her husband, who was standing beside Foundation Establishment, could say anything, he was beaten to death by the fleeing soldiers. The woman cried incessantly, but as her clothes became less and less and more covered with figures, she fell silent in an instant.

The shops in the town, regardless of whether they belonged to immortals or mortals, were all emptied out. More and more women blocked the street, and the cries of children grew louder and louder. The sound was so loud that even Fei Tianqin, who was passing by and traveling on clouds, couldn't help but stop and take a quick look.

It recognized this place as a former sanctuary of Five Old Mothers Mountain, and several prominent figures there seemed to still bear the insignia of Five Old Mothers Mountain, yet they too had been killed by these fleeing soldiers.

Upon further reflection, he noticed that the towns and counties he had seen along the way, which were being ravaged by defeated soldiers, seemed to be directly under the jurisdiction of Five Old Mothers Mountain. He immediately realized something was amiss.

It should be understood that while the situation at the front is certainly dire, it is not as chaotic as it appears. It doesn't believe that this would happen if no one were to allow it to continue unchecked.

Fei Nanying, standing to the side, mistakenly thought the old bird had taken pity on him and was about to help when the latter stopped him, saying, "Let's go. If the Fei Household's situation doesn't change, when my brother dies, the Ying Prefecture clan territory will suffer the same fate."

Fei Nanying fell silent upon hearing this. The man and the bird, accompanied by the city's cries, disregarded the fact that the clouds below had turned into a sea of fire, and without any sorrow or joy, they continued their journey.