A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 140 Defending the Pass with an Array
Upon hearing this, Yin Zhong took a deep breath and said solemnly, "This expert certainly has the ability to deal with this blood mist. However, Daoist Master, why isn't he making a move? Is there some restriction?"

Yin Zhong thought that the higher a person's cultivation level, the more cautious they are when they make a move. After all, once they make a move, it will be earth-shattering, and the slightest carelessness could cause irreparable damage.

"I don't know about that, but Your Excellency has the right to decide. We just need to do our best. If things really come to that, Your Excellency will certainly not ignore us. To put it another way, our sect's patriarch will not stand idly by."

Hearing Wei Feng's words, Yin Zhong felt somewhat relieved. Although he had never met the patriarch Wei Feng mentioned, he was certain that he was a highly accomplished person. With this reassurance, he no longer needed to worry too much about what he would do in the future.
"Daoist Master, I will discuss this with the City Lord later. It's best not to hide anything about the dissipation of the blood mist."

"Alright," Wei Feng nodded. This matter had caused too much of a stir, and it couldn't be kept secret any longer, so it was better to explain it openly.

"I will keep a close eye on the formation. If there are any unusual movements, I will immediately notify Master Yin."

"Thank you so much."

Yin Zhong clasped his hands in a salute, then descended the city wall and headed towards the city lord's mansion.

Inside Jiushan City, Elder Zheng and Elder Zhao led a group of Zhenwu Hall disciples into the city. Elder Zhao looked around and found that there were almost no civilians, only soldiers and some martial arts practitioners.

"Elder Zheng, it seems the city lord here is a benevolent man, having actually relocated all the people."

Upon hearing this, Elder Zheng said, "This is a last resort. Soldiers can fight, but the civilians have no fighting ability. If Jiushan City falls, it will only increase casualties."

"The geographical location of Jiushan City is much better than that of our Lianyun Prefecture, and the formation is also quite ingenious, seemingly the work of a supreme master."

"Yes, Elder Gu gave instructions before we came. Right now, the top priority is to resolve the Blood Mist problem; everything else can be put aside for the time being."

Since the Blood Puppet of Lianyun Prefecture was wiped out by them, the reputation of Zhenwu Hall has spread to other prefectures. Elder Gu felt that this was a good opportunity to expand its reputation, so he sent Zheng and Zhao over. If support is needed, Zhenwu Hall can send more people at any time.

"Let's enter the city," Elder Zheng said, looking at Jiushan City shrouded in light. He took the lead and stepped forward. Just a mile from the city, the guards on the city walls narrowed their eyes and then called out loudly, "May I ask who you are?"

"We are disciples of the Zhenwu Hall, invited here; this is our proof."

After Elder Zheng finished speaking, he suspended two objects in the air. One was the True Martial Token, which proved his identity, and the other was a jade slip, the Nine Mountain City Recruitment Slip. The two objects were stimulated by true energy and emitted a brilliant light. Upon seeing this, the guard was certain that these things were not fake. He immediately waved his hand and opened a door in the light barrier.

The guards had received prior notice that if anyone from the Zhenwu Hall came, they needed to report immediately. They instructed the doctor to the people around them, and the guards led several people down from the city wall to greet them.

"Please forgive any neglect caused by my lack of knowledge of the arrival of the True Martial Hall esteemed guests."

"It's alright. We need to see the city lord. Is that convenient for us?"

"I have already sent someone to inform the city lord. Please enter the city first." The guard gestured, and Zheng and Zhao nodded, leading their disciples into Jiushan City. Just after they entered, the light barrier closed again, enveloping the city.

Saiwonju, Xuguyuan

On the stone platform, a man with an effeminate appearance, dressed in a red robe, sat upright. His body was surrounded by flashing blood-red light, which illuminated the area several feet in front of him as if it were a pool of congealed blood. The reflected light shot straight into the sky.

"My divine skill is nearing completion. Once I devour the earth veins of Tianhua Prefecture, I can break free from my shackles and reach the other shore. However, what about Lianyun Prefecture?"

Blood God Child glanced warily at the northeast direction. He had sensed a gaze fixed on him since his birth, and later learned from the blood puppets that it was the name of the True Martial Hall in Lianyun Prefecture.

"This person's cultivation is unfathomable; he's truly troublesome. And what about those two weaker auras?"

Although Qingshan Jun and Qi Feng are not bad, if it were a real battle, Xue Shenzi believed he would not lose to them. The only thing to watch out for is Zhenwu Hall; he needs to find a way to restrain him.

"Blood Lord, everything is arranged in Nine Mountain City; we can attack at any time."

A blood puppet with bright, intelligent eyes walked in and bowed to the Blood God Child.

"Hmm, I understand. In one month, have them break through the magic array at all costs and take over Nine Mountain City."

"Yes"

Blood Puppet accepted the order and left. Blood God Child closed his eyes to rest, and the blood energy around him rose like clouds and mist, shrouding him within.

Lianyungang, Zhenwu Temple, underground secret cave
Gu Xu awoke from his meditation, and five-colored light shone behind him one by one before returning to normal. Meanwhile, the two black and white beams of light that crisscrossed back and forth swirled around Gu Xu.

With a thought, the black and white light shot into Gu Xu's dantian and merged with the pure yang true qi. As yang reaches its extreme, yin is born. The pure yang true qi was nourished by the yin qi and began to slowly transform. Then, yin and yang were generated in the dantian, and a faint Dao essence emanated from Gu Xu's body. Soon, it filled the entire secret cave and then quickly enveloped the entire Qingchao Peak.

Everyone on the mountain peak felt a strange sensation. Some elders with profound cultivation disregarded everything else and hurriedly sat down on the spot, closing their eyes to sense it. Some disciples followed suit and silently sensed it as well.

This strange feeling came quickly and went quickly; in just a short while, the feeling was gone, and some elders and disciples came to their senses.

"The power of enlightenment!" The white-haired elder exclaimed excitedly. Looking at the people who had not yet regained consciousness, he instructed the elders who had woken up to stay and not let anyone disturb them.

"The opportunity for enlightenment is rare and cannot be sought after. This time it must be because of the Venerable One. With this opportunity, these disciples' future path to enlightenment will be much smoother than ours."

Although the white-haired elder envied those who had not yet awakened, he felt no jealousy whatsoever. The further his disciples went, the more renowned the True Martial Hall would become, and he himself would benefit from it to some extent.

Elder Sun, look.

The elder in black exclaimed and pointed in the direction of the Zhenwu Hall. Elder Sun looked in that direction and saw that the Zhenwu Hall was surrounded by auspicious five-colored clouds, shaped like a precious mushroom. Black and white light gathered and resembled a long sword. An astonishing aura was spreading in all directions.

Although they were inside the mountain peak and their power was neutralized by the formation, they were still unsteady and wanted to prostrate themselves.

"The Venerable One is about to emerge from seclusion. Elder Feng, give the order to prepare to welcome him."

Elder Sun was overjoyed. He then gave a brief instruction to the man in black, glanced at the few people still immersed in enlightenment, waved his hand, and a layer of light enveloped everyone before heading towards the mountaintop.

Inside the Zhenwu Hall, a flash of light appeared, and Gu Xu's figure appeared on the throne. His aura was smooth and unrestrained, and his eyes opened, as if a flash of spiritual light appeared, illuminating everything in the hall.

"come in"

A gentle voice reached Elder Sun's ears, and then the palace doors opened. Elder Sun led the group in orderly fashion and saw a dazzling, unrecognizable Venerable One seated on the throne. Elder Sun immediately bowed down, and the others followed suit.

"Welcome back to the Lord from seclusion"

"Get up"

Upon hearing the sound, Elder Sun and the others immediately stood up. Sensing the unfathomable aura emanating from the Venerable One, Elder Sun bowed respectfully once more.

"Your Excellency's success is a momentous event for our True Martial Hall. Shall we invite our fellow practitioners to celebrate?"

"We'll discuss this later, Elder Sun. While I was in seclusion, what unusual activity could have occurred in Lianyun Prefecture?"

"Reporting to Your Excellency, all is well. The blood puppet problem in the state has been resolved by Elders Zheng and Zhao with their disciples, and they have also taken the opportunity to enhance the reputation of the True Martial Hall. Now, they are on Elder Gu's orders to go to Jiushan City in Tianhua State to help resolve the blood puppet issue."

After listening, Gu Xu nodded, agreeing with Elder Gu's approach. He glanced at the people below, then with a flick of his finger, several beams of spiritual light landed before them. "Your cultivation is somewhat weak, and you haven't been immersed in enlightenment for long. These pills might be of some use. Consider it a reward for your diligent assistance. Work hard in the future, and you'll be rewarded. Go now. When Elder Gu wakes up, have him come to the hall."

Elder Sun accepted the gift with a look of delight, stepped down, bowed respectfully to Gu Xu, and then led the group away.

"I never imagined that His Majesty would bestow such a fine gift. Everyone, you must not show off, lest you put His Majesty in a difficult position. From now on, you must work even harder and not let His Majesty's kindness go to waste."

Elder Sun carefully put away the pills, his expression turned solemn, and he solemnly instructed the others.

"Elder Sun, rest assured, we all understand." The others were not ungrateful either. Having received such a great advantage, how could they not do their best? If they were to cheat or shirk their responsibilities, not only would others not be able to justify it, but they themselves would also find it unacceptable.

Hearing everyone's words, Elder Sun nodded in satisfaction. He walked to the mountainside, quietly removed the light barrier, looked at the person who was immersed in enlightenment, gave an instruction to the caretaker, and then returned to his residence.

Three days later, just as Elder Sun finished his daily cultivation, someone came to report that Elder Gu and the others had woken up. Upon hearing this, Elder Sun immediately tidied his appearance and went to the mountainside.

"Elder Sun, thank you for taking care of worldly affairs these past few days."

When Elder Gu saw Elder Sun approaching, he bowed respectfully. Elder Sun repeatedly said he dared not accept such a greeting. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Elder Sun said, "His Majesty instructed that if Elder Gu awakens, he should come into the hall."

"I'll go right away."

Upon hearing that these were the words of a revered elder, Elder Gu dared not take them lightly. He bid farewell to Elder Sun and hurriedly departed.

In no time, Elder Gu arrived outside the hall. After tidying up, the hall door opened and a voice came out.

"Is this Elder Gu? Please come in."

Elder Gu slowly walked in. The hall was brightly lit, like the sun, but not at all dazzling. Elder Gu bowed respectfully to Gu Xu at the head of the table.

"Elder Gu, please rise. No need for such formalities."

Although Gu Xu didn't care about such etiquette, Elder Gu still insisted.

"Elder Gu, I heard that you have already sent people to Tianhua Prefecture to deal with the Blood Puppet calamity."

"Your Excellency, this is indeed the case. Although the Blood Puppet scourge in Lianyun Prefecture has been eliminated, the other prefectures are powerless to stop it. Tianhua Prefecture is the rightful seat of the Nine Prefectures. If it were to be ravaged by the Blood Puppet, it would be extremely disastrous. Therefore, I took it upon myself to make this decision," Elder Gu replied respectfully.

"You've done a good job, but you could have increased the intensity a bit. As for the person behind the Blood Puppet, don't worry, I'll handle that personally. Your job is to wipe out all the Blood Puppets outside; don't leave a single one alive."

"Subordinates obey orders"

Elder Gu felt relieved and immediately agreed. Although these blood puppets were difficult to deal with, they were not difficult to resolve. The only thing to consider was the mastermind behind the blood puppets, which the Supreme Being would handle. If he still couldn't complete the mission, he would have no face to see the Supreme Being again.

"go"

Gu Xu bestowed some magical artifacts upon Elder Gu, who accepted them. After leaving the hall, he immediately summoned the elders and disciples to prepare to send people to aid Jiushan City.

Tianhua Prefecture, Jiushan City

On the city wall, Wei Feng was monitoring the formation when he suddenly felt uneasy. A loud noise came from outside the city, and a group of blood puppets were approaching Jiushan City amidst the dust and smoke.

Upon seeing this, Wei Feng's heart sank. He gave an order to the person beside him and went to the array platform. He reached out and pressed down on the array element. The "Blood Luo Heavenly Instrument" that was floating in the air shone brightly with red light. The light shield that was originally faint suddenly became bright and covered the entire city. The light shield was full of mysterious runes, with lightning, wind, fire, ice arrows and other supernatural powers and techniques.

Just as the formation was fully activated, a blood-red spear suddenly appeared from the distance, hurtling towards the light barrier. It struck the barrier directly, and under the pressure of the external force, the formation shattered the spear. At the same time, streams of true fire shot out from within, heading towards the direction from which it came.

"Taoist Master"

Upon receiving the news, Yin Zhong immediately rushed over. Looking at the blood cloud that appeared in the distance, Yin Zhong gripped his longsword and coldly stared at the blood puppets.

"It seems the Blood God is determined to destroy Nine Mountain City this time."

Wei Feng turned to Yin Zhong and said solemnly, "Master Yin, this battle is one of advance or retreat; let us strive together."

Upon hearing this, Yin Zhong clasped his hands in a salute, then descended the city wall to gather forces from all sides, preparing for a desperate battle. Wei Feng, on the other hand, was in charge of the formation to deal with any unforeseen circumstances.

In less than half an hour, the Blood Puppet Vanguard had already reached the city gates. Because of the obstruction of the magic array, they were unable to advance a single step. Just as everyone was on high alert, Wei Feng shouted and unleashed a series of hand seals. The light shield suddenly became bright, like a blazing sun, emitting intense light.

Just as the light shone brightly, a blood cloud swept in rapidly from afar, seemingly about to engulf the entire Nine Mountain City. The light collided with the blood cloud, producing a thunderous roar. The array's power was compressed by this, and some flaws inevitably appeared in certain places, allowing the blood puppets to take the opportunity to attack.

But as soon as they entered, they were enveloped in a mist. Within a few breaths, dozens of blood puppets vanished into thin air. When the mist cleared, the disciples of the Supreme Path were all pale-faced and, under the protection of those around them, sat quietly to recuperate their true energy.

"Reverend Daoists, please focus on healing your injuries. Leave the rest to us."

A burly man with a bushy beard, wielding a giant axe, spoke gruffly to the group from the Supreme Dao Sect.

The black-clad Taoist priest urged, "Everyone be careful! Do not make any physical contact with the blood puppet. If you do, you must sever it, or the consequences will be unimaginable."

Upon hearing this, the burly man with the bushy beard and the others checked their armor and found it undamaged. They nodded to the Taoist priest, then held their weapons and stared at the opening of the formation.

On the city tower, Wei Feng, who was presiding over the formation, suddenly felt the pressure increase. The formation mechanism seemed to be sluggish, and the light dimmed for a moment, which gave Xue Yun an opportunity to take advantage.

"Junior Brother Meng, Junior Brother Wang, make your move!"

Wei Feng realized he couldn't muster any more strength, so he immediately gave an order.

With a flick of his wrist, Meng Yu summoned the Nine Souls White Jade Fan, which swirled in mid-air, revealing seven beast souls—tiger, leopard, wolf, bear, python, lion, and fish—that swept away the gloomy, blood-red clouds with a surge of air.

Wang Xiao then summoned the Blazing Fusion Cauldron, from which a burst of Yin Fire shot out, landing on the Blood Cloud and scorching out one large hole after another.

The blood cloud seemed to be enraged, churning incessantly. The dense blood energy continuously impacted the light shield. Every time the blood energy collided with it, it would tear open a few small holes. Although these holes were quickly neutralized by the array's power, the time it took to heal them was getting longer and longer. Once the array's power was exhausted, the light shield would eventually be broken.

While the three of them were defending against the blood cloud on the city wall, Yin Zhong led a group of martial arts masters with the highest cultivation levels to firmly guard the city gate.

Half an hour later, Yin Zhong was startled and looked towards the city tower. He saw that the Blood Luo Heavenly Instrument had stopped and the light barrier was rapidly dissipating.

"coming"

Knowing that the formation had been broken, Yin Zhong gave an order, and everyone stared intently ahead.

A moment later, two blood-red spears pierced through the city gate. With a flash of red light, the city gate shattered into pieces, and splinters of wood flew towards the crowd.

Yin Zhong's eyes flashed with sternness. He leaped forward, drew his sword, and slashed, a white light cutting into the dust and smoke.

(End of this chapter)