Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 450 Slaying the Enemy in Battle
"middle!"

Ye Zhengwen held the Ruyi scepter and unleashed a seven-colored ray of light, burning through the robes of a middle-aged true cultivator with red hair and red eyes, revealing his back covered in rotten flesh.

Ye Zhengwen could even see the red-haired cultivator's internal organs writhing inside, but when the screams rang in his ears, there was not a trace of pity in his eyes.

A soft-hearted person would find it difficult to survive in the cultivation world of Shannan Dao, let alone attain the Foundation Establishment stage. If the roles were reversed, this red-haired true cultivator would still not hold back.

The red-haired cultivator was severely injured, but he dared not stop for even a moment and continued to flee for his life.

However, a talisman appeared beneath Ye Zhengwen's feet, and his movements became much faster. The Ruyi in his hand shone with light again, and the red-haired cultivator was unable to dodge in time. Without any protection, his internal organs were shredded into mud by the light. With such injuries, how could he still be alive?

After picking up the red-haired cultivator's storage bag, Ye Zhengwen sighed. This opponent was no weaker than him, yet he had died so easily at his hands.

However, just looking at the endless stream of pursuing troops behind them, although they were completely chaotic and disorganized, each of them was full of imposing momentum, one could understand why the red-haired cultivator dared not stop for even a moment.

In such a situation, fleeing for one's life might offer a sliver of hope for survival, but staying behind to entangle with the pursuers would only make one a scapegoat for those who ran faster.

Ye Zhengwen had cultivated for many years and experienced countless battles, but this was the first time he had ever seen a battle where a storage bag could be obtained so easily. He couldn't help but feel a little regretful, thinking that if he had brought the Qingjue Guards with him, the younger generation could have made a small fortune as well.

The moment this thought crossed his mind, Ming Zhe, who had fallen behind, caught up. The latter had just fought against a fellow cultivator of the same level with three or four Zheng family cultivators; there was no reason why he couldn't defeat him.

The Zheng family was surprisingly generous. Ming Zhe had a brand-new low-grade spiritual weapon flying sword hanging at his waist, and a look of joy appeared on his face.

"Uncle Ye, Mingzhe is late."

Ye Zhengwen smiled and indicated that it was alright. He looked up and saw that this time the pursuit had covered at least three or four hundred miles, but he still couldn't see his sect leader. Heaven knows where Sect Leader Kang had gone with several alchemists.

Ye Zhengwen still retained his rationality and was not swept forward by the red-eyed people behind him. Instead, he pulled Ming Zhe out of the crowd and stood in a quiet corner to calm his mind.

"We've taken advantage of enough, let's rest for a bit. Even a rabbit will bite when cornered, and with our limited cultivation, it's too dangerous to be reckless."

Ming Zhe was very respectful, and after responding, a hint of worry appeared on his face: "But Senior Uncle Ye, our Grand Master Uncle is still ahead, what about us?"

Ye Zhengwen narrowed his one eye and smiled, "It's alright. Although the sect leader is greedy, he is also the best at seeking advantage and avoiding harm. In this skill, not to mention that we are far inferior, even those high-level cultivators are probably far behind. You don't need to worry about it, kid."

That's what the elders all said, so although Mingzhe couldn't say he was completely at ease, he still took the pill and started to regulate his breathing.

Few in the arena acted like them. The storage bag was so tempting, and the opponent was so cowardly. Taking their lives would be effortless. How many people could still be rational?
You know, if you can kill one more person of the same level this time, you might be able to save several years of hard work. Who wouldn't be tempted?

The large group of people hurried past the uncle and nephew. Some were indifferent, some looked surprised, some snickered, and some, seeing that the two were alone, harbored malicious intentions.
Cultivators blinded by spirit stones are unlikely to retain their rationality. After all, this team was assembled rather hastily, including not only various sects that obeyed the state court but also some audacious rogue cultivators who came to earn resources.

In this chaotic world, anyone who sees a weak but wealthy person is slaughtered without hesitation. I doubt anyone will be able to sort out the legal issues afterward.

However, as soon as this audacious man approached Ye Zhengwen and Ming Zhe, he was immediately dazzled and his mind was cleared by the six-petaled blue lotus Dao seal on their clothes.

"Damn it, they're from the Chongming Sect."

Even now, the title of Sect Leader Kang still carries considerable weight, no less than that of an ordinary fake cultivator. After all, his reputation for being "vindictive and fond of bullying women" is so widespread that only a handful of rogue cultivators in the entire Shannan Dao would be unafraid of him.
Ye Zhengwen was perfectly clear-headed. Although he was prepared, he remained calm and simply smiled and bowed to the rogue cultivator in front of him, which was considered a greeting. However, no matter what expression Ye Zhengwen had, his face was not friendly enough, which immediately frightened the rogue cultivator, who bowed and took his leave.

Ming Zhe suddenly lowered his grip on the sword hilt and sighed softly, "Uncle Ye is right. These rogue cultivators are most afraid of power and have no sense of morality. They are all a scourge."

Ye Zhengwen smiled and said nothing more. He did some calculations with his fingers, pondered for a while, and then said to Ming Zhe, "That's about enough. It's time to go back."

Mingzhe was taken aback. Before he could ask any questions, he heard a commotion ahead. Ye Zhengwen's expression turned serious, and he grabbed Mingzhe and turned to leave.

"What happened?"

Those with quick legs caught up with the two in a few steps, only to be stopped by Ye Zhengwen and questioned. They were initially impatient, but not wanting to get entangled with the former, they could only briefly call out:
"They rushed ahead too fast. The reinforcements arranged by the Liangyi Sect didn't come to help. Instead, they trapped and set up a formation, killing many of our comrades inside!"

"Phew, so the Liangyi Sect does have someone knowledgeable in military affairs." Ye Zhengwen murmured, but he was no longer as confident as before and began to worry about the safety of Sect Leader Kang.

At this point, it would be impossible to turn back and search. When the fleeing soldiers lose control and go on a rampage, they would dare to use their magic weapons to slash even a Golden Core cultivator in front of them. How could an ordinary person possibly rush over?
However, after only about fifteen minutes, Ye Zhengwen noticed that the line behind him was starting to thin out.

"What other unexpected event has occurred?" Even Mingzhe began to have doubts. Ye Zhengwen did not want to dwell on it. He decided to take the former back to Laoniu Mountain to make some preparations and wait for news. Even if it was fruitless, it would be the safest course of action.

But the surrounding comments made him stop in his tracks.

"We've turned the tide of battle again! Fei family's Yingshan army arrived and broke through the great formation. Pu Yue, the main alchemist of the Liangyi Sect, was killed by Yue Lin, the alchemist, and the formation collapsed completely!"

"All eleven alchemists of the Liangyi Sect were defeated and fled, and none of them escaped injury!"

"Sect Leader Kang of Chongming Sect possesses unparalleled halberd skills. In a single battle, he killed four opponents of the same rank, including Sect Master Ge Qinglan of Changning Sect. His bravery is unstoppable!"

"Yingshan Army abandoned the pursuit of the Golden Core cultivator and caught up? In that case, the Dan Master Pu Yue is not guilty of any fault in battle. No matter how ingenious his plans were, how could he possibly stop them?! It's a pity that all his hard work was still dragged down and he lost his life."

As Ye Zhengwen murmured to himself, he turned back with Ming Zhe.

However, this time it wasn't to find someone's storage bag, but rather because he was in a hurry to check on the safety of Sect Leader Kang.

With so many rumors circulating, who can say for sure how much of them are credible? Heaven knows whether Master Kang was actually surrounded by Ge Qinglan and her family's true cultivators, or whether he truly killed her.

After initial victories followed by defeats, and then victories again, the ranks became even more chaotic. The majority wanted to pursue, while smaller groups wanted to escape, resulting in a chaotic and disorganized scene. Ye Zhengwen and Ming Zhe exerted considerable effort to squeeze a path through the crowd. After about half an hour, they saw a battalion of soldiers returning, their ranks neatly arranged and their movements cautious.

Those cultivators who were still hoping to get a bargain at the front calmed down upon seeing this scene, slowed down, and turned back.

Anyone could see that the Yunjiao Prefecture government was about to back down, or, according to those cultivators, that they hadn't completely broken ties with the Liangyi Sect after all.

After all, this event seemed quite lively, with Fei Nanying making his first move after achieving the Golden Core stage. However, it was actually just a minor skirmish, with not a single Golden Core cultivator dying. It was far from a serious conflict, so the state court was probably satisfied with the small gain.

In particular, even now, Fei Nanying and the other cultivators still don't know what Mohegu is looking for within the Five States.

A war can be fought, but a foolish war should be avoided if possible. Perhaps, in Fei Nanying's opinion, figuring out the truth of this matter is far more important than eliminating these Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining cultivators who have betrayed us.

Ye Zhengwen snapped out of his thoughts and looked again, only to find that the person walking in front of the Yingshan army was none other than the Grand Master Kang!
Kang Dabao, riding a tall, spirited steed which he had somehow managed to seize from some unfortunate cultivator, was chatting and laughing with Fei Bofeng and Fei Zhongyun as they rode in front of the army formation.

Judging from his face and complexion, there was no indication that he was seriously injured, or even that he looked disheveled.

Ye Zhengwen was relieved. He led Ming Zhe forward to greet the two deputy generals of Ying Shan Army, and then silently followed them to the front of Master Kang.

Those who had rushed over to take advantage of the situation realized they were too slow, which was regrettable, but they also knew the gravity of the situation. So they stopped and went back with the Ying Shan army.

The atmosphere in the group was excellent. Although many families lost their children and disciples during the pursuit, the storage bags in their arms provided some comfort, so they were not too heartbroken.

Compared to the other side who lost face and money, their situation was much better, and they should be happy. The cries of grief were quickly drowned out by the noise. Some impatient people wished they could set up a barter fair on the spot.

However, the Yingshan Army, commanded by the brothers Fei Bofeng and Fei Zhongyun, remained serious and disciplined, never letting their guard down for a moment, making them far superior to the disorganized and unruly troops around them.

Fortunately, the journey was uneventful. The Liangyi Sect had indeed suffered a defeat and was temporarily unable to cause trouble for the Yingshan Army. Only half a day after the group reached Laoniu Mountain, Kang Dabao and his two companions received orders to disperse and return home. According to Granny Fei and the fake Sima Yan, Fei Nanying had likely gone to pursue Mo Hegu and had no intention of keeping Master Kang behind to give him any instructions.

The latter's original plan to take advantage of the great victory to ask Fei Nanying to invite Jiang Qing to return to his clan was thwarted. However, there was nothing he could do but return to Xiaohuan Mountain with the instructions to "go back and search carefully, and report any abnormalities in time".

Along the way, Kang Dabao ran into an acquaintance again. Zhou Yun, Wu Fengshangxiu's prized disciple, didn't look too good, but Kang Dabao considerately didn't ask any questions.

However, based on his private speculation, it was probably because Wu Fengshangxiu had difficulty getting back the black arrow magic weapon that Huang Si Niang had taken away, which was why Zhou Yun, as his disciple, was also in a bad mood.

After racking his brains for a long time, Master Kang finally picked out something good to say in his greetings: "I heard that Senior Wufeng will soon be establishing his sect in Dingzhou. When that time comes, please don't forget to tell me that I must come to your door to offer my congratulations."

"Not at all. Everyone around here knows that you are a master of management. Even the stewards in wealthy families are far superior. In the future, I, Zhou, will have to visit you more often to learn about the methods of governing the clan. I hope you will not hesitate to give me your guidance."

Even after Wu Feng Shang Xiu's sect was established, there were still many loose ends to clean up.

Now that Wu Feng Shangxiu has lost his natal magic weapon, his abilities are likely to decline further. Afterwards, Dingzhou will likely become even more turbulent under the harassment of Hongyi Sect's Supreme Master Jieyi Shangxiu.

However, there was no need to tell these worries and troubles to an outsider like Master Kang. Zhou Yun and Kang Dabao agreed to visit each other in a few days to discuss matters concerning the management of spirit fields and markets, and then they parted ways.

With no outsiders around, Ye Zhengwen suddenly asked, "Did the sect leader really kill Ge Qinglan?"

The sect leader was slightly taken aback by the question, then nodded and took out an item to hand to Ye Zhengwen, saying, "Let this be offered at Junior Brother Chu's grave as a small consolation."

Ye Zhengwen took the head without expression. Ming Zhe leaned closer to the head and saw that the old woman's expression was extremely ugly. Her face, which resembled a withered tree, was full of disbelief.

Mingzhe thought to himself, "Perhaps this is what they mean by 'dying with eyes wide open'?"

Ge Qinglan probably couldn't have foreseen that, after only a few years, when she met Kang Dabao again, the latter would be able to easily and effortlessly remove her head without expending any effort.

After doing all this, Kang Dabao felt no sense of satisfaction at having avenged his great enemy; it was as if he had done something ordinary.

The matter of Changning Sect will not end with the death of an old woman like Ge Qinglan; things will proceed slowly. It's them who should be restless and unable to eat or sleep right now.

Ye Zhengwen carefully put away Ge Qinglan's head and then said, "I will handle this matter after we return to the sect. We can also call Junior Brother Pei out to join us. He has been secluded in his room refining pills all day long and hasn't come out for a long time. This is a good opportunity for him to get some fresh air."

"No, leave this matter to Mingzhe,"

The remaining two were startled by the voice, but Sect Leader Kang said, "Old Ye, you should come with me to Chongming City first. The things that Mohegu of Liangyi Sect found must be of great importance. All the lives lost today are due to this matter. If they are really hidden within the territory of our Chongming Sect, I'm afraid a big problem will arise."

"Understood,"

"Yes,"

After the two responded, Kang Dabao, who had been fighting fiercely, finally couldn't help feeling tired and sat cross-legged on the flying boat to take a nap. When he opened his eyes again, he saw that Ye Zhengwen had already driven the Kui Xing Shuttle to the outside of Chongming City, where the city gates were tightly closed.

————In Chongming City

"Squeak," the somewhat mottled red door made an unpleasant sound when it opened.

Shang Baijiang glanced at the old steward behind him, whose face had turned pale with fright. He took a deep breath and cautiously peeked out. Seeing that it was the military officer who had inspected the house a few days ago, his face immediately lit up with a fawning expression: "What brings you here today, sir?"

The military academy officer frowned, and after confirming that there was no unusual expression on the young cultivator's face behind him, he scolded, "What are you trying to get close to? I don't have time to chat with you today. Open the door quickly, or you'll delay the immortal master's inspection."

"Yes, yes, yes! I will open the door to welcome you right away!" Shang Baijiang trembled at the shout and immediately opened the main gate wide.

He Chang had considerable influence in Chongming City. The house that Kang Rongguang chose for the Shang family was in a very good location, with three courtyards, and even the money, food, and servants were readily available, so they could move in with just their satchels.

Despite He Chang's considerable influence, this family of unknown origin still received special attention during the city lord's massive search operation.

The rest of the Shang family were unremarkable. Even their leader, Shang Baijiang, was only rudimentary in martial arts. Despite being over forty, he had not yet reached the level of bone refinement and had little future to speak of.

The old man they pulled up was the only one with many suspicious points. The military academy that was investigating had come with people, and they dared not neglect him and reported to the city lord's mansion. The rogue cultivator Ning Daoren had also come, and he felt that he was indeed an ordinary martial artist, but he was not sure, so he reported it as well. This attracted the attention of Song Cheng, the patrol disciple of the Chongming Sect's Punishment Hall, who came to investigate in person.

As Shang Baijiang led the way, his tone was filled with regret: "I dare not deceive you, Immortal Master. I have always been a kind-hearted person since I was a child. I just never thought that after saving this old man in the middle of the river, I would cause you, the soldier and the Immortal Master, to come and check on me again and again. It is indeed my fault."

No wonder he was somewhat apprehensive about the military academy's visit; the recent large-scale search had uncovered few unusual places, but a large number of local scoundrels and sycophants had been swept out of Chongming City.

Whether they are local tyrants who oppress the good and kind, or martial arts masters who run the Unity Society, if they commit crimes, they will only be dragged to the city center and beheaded.

With heads rolling in, how could Shang Baijiang not be afraid?
Song Cheng smiled and offered a few words of comfort, but the military academy urged Shang Baijiang to hurry up. Before long, the group arrived at the room where the old man in black robes was being housed.

It was clear that Shang Baijiang had put in a lot of effort; the earthen bed in the room was very warm, and a pretty maidservant was attending to him in case anything happened.

“There’s nothing wrong with it.” Song Cheng examined the area and his brows furrowed.

The military academy student's expression relaxed, and Shang Baijiang also let out a long sigh: "Phew, thanks to the Dao Ancestor's protection! Immortal Master, you have no idea how anxious I've been these past few days! I consulted several doctors, and they all said this old man couldn't be cured. If I wasn't afraid of being accused of having a guilty conscience, I would have dragged him out and thrown him away long ago! In this world, how can saving someone lead to disaster! Really!"

Song Cheng didn't find Shang Baijiang's rambling annoying; instead, he listened attentively and, after understanding the cause and effect, said, "Since Shang Baijiang has no feelings for him and the doctor can't cure him, it's better to relieve him of his suffering."

"Ah?! Yes!! Immortal Master is right!" Shang Baijiang was also used to killing people. As soon as he understood the meaning of Song Cheng's words, he picked up his short knife and stabbed it into the heart of the black-robed old man.

"puff"

The black robe ripped open along with the old man's skin, and blood spurted out, soaking Shang Baijiang and the military academy officer, but not reaching Song Cheng. The latter, his brow furrowed, was still uneasy upon seeing that the old man was truly dead, and thus gave further instructions:
"Burn it. Since you, Friend Shang, are so kind-hearted, why don't you make room for this old man in the ancestral hall and share some of the blood offerings with him?"

"Absolutely! Absolutely! The Immortal Master's consideration is truly thoughtful!!"

Without a second thought, Shang Baijiang, ignoring the pale-faced maid beside him, picked up the still-warm old man in black robes and shoved him into the earthen bed.

Song Cheng opened his eyes and saw that the old man was indeed being charred by the fire in the kang (heated brick bed), and only then did he feel relieved.

He wasn't heartless; he just felt that in these turbulent times, it was best to be cautious. Even if he were to take a step back, he was just an old martial arts practitioner of unknown origin, already struggling to survive.

"Sorry for bothering you!"

Song Cheng ignored the ordinary military officer who had brought him there and immediately left with his hands clasped in a fist salute. Shang and Jun immediately bowed and saw him off with great ceremony. The pretty maid was so frightened that she burst into tears, which annoyed Shang Baijiang, who sent her away after Song Cheng left.

The moment the pretty maid left, Shang Baijiang's once vibrant complexion vanished, and the military officer beside him also had a pale, bloodless face.

The opening of the kang (a heated brick bed) was gently pushed open from the inside, and a large, charred hand came out first, followed by a blackened, charred corpse.

The "charcoal corpse" stood up, glanced in the direction Song Cheng had left, a few bits of debris were squeezed off his eyelids, and then all the charred dead skin on his body fell off, revealing his original appearance.

"That's cautious enough, but unfortunately, caution is useless."

(End of this chapter)