Yamafu Military Affairs

Chapter 690 Clues

"Brother, we'll be entering Guandu soon. The postmaster of Qinglong Town has already prepared the post boat. We'll just board the boat and cross the river to meet up with Huben."

The sudden change before leaving the capital gave everyone a vague sense of unease. To prevent any unforeseen complications, Chen Yun led Qin Wen and the others on a journey with minimal equipment and spared no effort, and they soon reached the Wusong River.

Out of consideration for preserving the physical strength of his soldiers, Chen Jing ordered this morning that the 800 elite soldiers who had spent the night in Hainingwei should go to Songjiang first to await orders, so as to conserve their energy and avoid the hardship of traveling back and forth.

Fortunately, the Chen family encountered no major troubles on their journey from Jinling to Suzhou, except for a chance encounter with two monstrous creatures that fed on the flesh and blood of living people on a country road. Now, as long as they cross the river and reunite with the Tiger Guards, with the military formation protecting them, there should be virtually no unexpected incidents on their trip.

After all, they were within the territory of the Southern Ming Dynasty. As long as they didn't encounter any celestial beings descending to earth or great evil spirits incarnate, the eight hundred Tiger Warriors were more than capable of roaming freely in the Jiangnan region.

“Brother, Hong Risheng previously served in Jiangnan and has many former subordinates scattered in various places. Although we have the Tiger Warriors to clear the way for this trip, we still need to be careful that they might do something bad in secret.”

Before boarding, Chen Jing waved away the smiling postmaster, and glancing at the absent-minded Chen Yuncong, he specifically reminded him: "Since that old bastard Hong Yanyan chose this critical moment to launch his attack and wipe out all the rogue cultivators you gathered, he must have a backup plan. Now there are only a few of us on the ship. Although we can protect ourselves, we still need to be careful of one person."

"Brother, are you referring to Master Miaoxuan?"

After regaining his senses, Chen Yun glanced up at the room where Qin Wen was staying and asked softly.

"Indeed, although Miao Xuan is incredibly powerful, his identity is questionable. It's hard to say he might be a spy hired by the Hong family."

"Brother, could you have dodged that sword strike from Miao Xuan at the city gate?"

Chen Yun interrupted Chen Jing, his tone somewhat somber.

"There's no escaping it."

Chen Jing was taken aback, then told the truth.

"That's the problem. Even though there are many mysteries surrounding Ms. Miaoxuan, the old man trusts her, and that alone is enough."

Looking at the not-so-calm river in the wind and rain, Chen Yun thought for a moment and then said to Chen Jing, "Besides, Jiangnan has been peaceful for a long time, and I haven't heard of any evil cults or wild societies causing trouble. That old bastard wouldn't send his private army to besiege Tiger Warriors for the sake of us brothers. If we're talking about backup plans, I really can't think of where they might be."

"The Hundred Lotus Sect, or some kind of ritual to summon evil spirits?"

Upon hearing Chen Yun's words, Chen Jing also thought of the Hundred Lotus Cult, which had been extremely rampant in its early years but had recently fallen silent and disappeared without a trace.

"I don't know, but I guess the Hong family's actions this time are probably just a test."

Chen Yun shook his head, gazing at the riverbank to the south, lost in thought.

"Brother, are you saying that the Hong family is trying to probe the Chen family's strength this time?"

Chen Jing also looked south, in the direction of Haining, which was also the direction of the ancestral hall of their Chen clan.

"It's very likely that the Hong family has something to rely on this time, otherwise, given the old man Hong Yanyan's personality, he would never be so reckless."

As he spoke, a dark glint flashed in Chen Yun's eyes, and his whole being inexplicably exuded an eerie aura.

As the two brothers chatted idly at the bow of the ship, Qin Wen, who had been sitting quietly in the cabin, using his True Qi to envelop the lingering shadow of the strange figure, slowly opened his eyes. Looking at the empty room, he murmured to himself, "This thing feels very complex, like many elements are intertwined. If it weren't for the fact that it can be influenced and controlled, I would suspect it's solidified demonic contamination." "That Chen kid wasn't lying. This thing is indeed related to military-style malevolent energy, but the malevolent energy here acts like the base of a cocktail—a container to hold these complex elements. What truly allows it to achieve a strange balance is this thing itself."

Taotie put down the Qiqi Umbrella, stretched out a finger and pointed at the black sphere in front of Qin Wen from a distance. With its Qi energy flowing in and out, relying on the abnormally meticulous control of a martial arts immortal, it managed to separate a little bit of viscous black liquid from it.

Looking at the deep, liquid substance with a texture similar to jelly, Qin Wen reached out and poked it, immediately feeling a stinging pain from his fingertips.

The next instant, a chilling and eerie atmosphere erupted, and the entire room instantly became decayed, old, dark, and damp. Moss spread across the walls, a fishy green liquid dripped from the corners, and large patches of black blood stained the bedding, a horrifying sight.

Dirty, foul-smelling, and nauseating.

Disordered black lumps of flesh appeared out of nowhere, spread, and gradually occupied the already cramped space of the cabin. Strange and twisted tentacles grew randomly on the walls, and a large number of intricate patterns appeared on the floor that would make people dizzy just by glancing at them.

"wake up!"

A thunderous sound resounded in his mind, and Qin Wen, who had briefly broken free from the illusion, took out the spring water and drank it. The mixed pure nectar immediately freed him from the sudden demonic influence.

"Is the Chen family connected to the Outer Heavens? Or are those two brothers outside actually followers of some unknown evil god?"

Recalling the "family tradition" mentioned by the efficient servant when he first entered the Chen family, Qin Wen felt that things were not so simple.

"I don't know. The nature of this matter is too fragmented and complicated. Even I can't trace it back to its source and pinpoint who is behind it."

Crouching in front of the black liquid, Taotie observed it closely without raising its head. It divided its Qi into countless forms, intending to repeat its previous trick and separate its neutral aspects one by one.

However, not long after the Qi was channeled in, Taotie's expression changed, and he turned to look at the military aura that was also suspended in mid-air.

"what happened?"

"The connection has been lost. I don't know if it's because of Chen Jing, but this thing seems to be able to simulate the characteristics of the Southern Ming evil energy, devouring and assimilating everything except its nature."

As the colorful light dimmed and the Qi energy was about to be eroded and transformed into malevolent energy, Taotie suddenly had a brilliant idea and gathered the separated deep fluid and military malevolent energy together.

As he did so, a miraculous scene unfolded. The liquid, like ink dripping into a pool, quickly spread and faded, blending seamlessly with the Nanming evil energy, returning to a relatively stable and wondrous state that was not easily disturbed by the outside world.

"Interesting. Is this why the Chen family was able to rise to prominence back then?"

After using his Qi to envelop the remaining remnant and confirming that it would not disperse and corrode any further, Taotie narrowed his eyes. Just as he was about to take out a jade bottle to temporarily store it, he heard a loud shout coming from the deck outside the door.

"who?!"

Before he finished speaking, Taotie raised its umbrella and followed Qin Wen out of the cabin.

Chen Yun stood at the bow of the boat, while Chen Jing, standing beside him, held a halberd with its cold, sharp edge pointing towards the distant river.

(End of this chapter)