Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 619 Breaking the situation
————Shanbei Road Camp
News of the fall of Yuejian Mountain and the disappearance of Master Yunfu quickly reached this place.

News also came from the Liangyi Sect. Pu Honggu claimed that the Liangyi Sect was now sandwiched between Xuanwei City and Yuejian Mountain. If reinforcements could not be dispatched from Shanbei Road to return to Xiabo Mountain, he might have no choice but to lead his disciples to the front lines in Shanbei to avoid the enemy's advance.

However, if that were the case, the fertile prefectures and counties under the jurisdiction of Zhaixing Tower, including Tengwen Prefecture, would soon be taken over by the Fei family's army.

At that time, the balance of power will shift, which will be a great harm to the army.

Under such circumstances, even Bai Canhong, who had initially remained calm, felt a sense of unease, while Feng Wen, the demon officer sitting opposite him, was even more uneasy.

The central tent of the Shanbei Road camp was deliberately opened a crack, and the howling cold wind carrying snowflakes rushed in, causing the flames in the bronze spirit fire basin to sway wildly, making the shadows of the two people inside the tent flicker violently on the tent wall.

Bai Canhong's fingers, pressed on the map, turned white. The words "Yuejian Mountain has collapsed" felt like a lump of ice in his chest, making it hard for him to exhale properly for a long time.

The combined efforts of the two families were a crucial step in Taiyi Temple's decision to expel the Duke of Qin's mansion from the three southwestern provinces.

During this period, the strategists who received instructions from Taiyi Temple were almost everywhere in the twenty-seven sects of the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty, and there were also fence-sitters among the thirty-two Nascent Soul sects.
At this moment, whichever side shines brightest will be more likely to rouse people's hearts.

To understand the magnitude of the shockwaves that Kuang Liuting's actions—killing Golden Core cultivators and showing no regard for True Immortals—had on various factions, one need only look at how Kuang Zefu, the Prince of Wei, could swagger southward with his Imperial Guards.

Along the way, each family, if not offering food and drink, would at least send out a prominent figure to pay respects, ensuring the dignity of the imperial family.

Do not dismiss this change as insignificant; it is a rare sight since the reign of King David, when members of the royal family attacked and framed each other, causing the central authority to fall into the wrong hands.

The significance of Kuang Liuting's superior-grade golden elixir appearing out of nowhere for the imperial family is evident.

Therefore, in this battlefield north of the mountain, from Kuangliuting down, no one in the Qin State Duke's Mansion didn't want to end this messy war.

However, it was different for Bai Canhong, the master of the Star-Picking Pavilion. The Qingxuan True Person of Taiyi Temple had written several times, all instructing him to stir up trouble on this battlefield and keep the True Persons of the Duke of Qin's Mansion from leaving, so that the other sects could support his uprising.

This is a very important matter, and it may take up to ten years. Right now, it's still not quite ready.

Now that Yuejian Mountain has been breached, the whereabouts of Master Yunfu are unknown, and it is also unknown where Huquan has been hidden, or whether he is alive or dead.

If we consider the worst-case scenario, and Tiger Spring Master also escapes and falls into the Qin State Duke's formation, then our side's Master and Demon Captain will have to face the combined forces of six Masters on the other side.
Even if none of them could compare to Bai Canhong, it's true that no matter how arrogant the Lord of Zhaixing Tower is, we know that the odds of winning are not high.

In other words, the balance of power has shifted, and Zhaixinglou has become the side that is less willing to continue fighting.

Even Bai Canhong was overwhelmed with worry, so Feng Wenyao, who was sitting opposite him, had long lost his usual calm demeanor.

This fellow was burly and thick-waisted. Even after transforming into human form, he was still over 12 feet tall. His broad shoulders and thick back made his black iron scale armor bulge out, and there were still blood scabs left from the battle with the True Immortals of the Duke's Mansion a few days ago stuck in the crevices of the armor.

He deliberately left a messy head of bright red hair at the back of his head, as if it had been ruffled by a strong wind, with each hair standing on end and a few strands of dry grass seemingly still tangled on the ends.

His face was bronze, covered with scars of varying depths, the most prominent being the one on his left forehead, which ran diagonally from his brow bone to his jaw, the flesh of the scar rolled up, and had a dark purplish-red hue.

His eyes were a cloudy, dark yellow, and the pupils were not round but narrow horizontal slits. When he glared, they looked like two bronze lamps gleaming with a fierce light.
Two short, thick red hairs stood upright at the tips of his ears, trembling slightly with his breath, occasionally leaking out tiny fluctuations of spiritual energy, as if they contained some Daoist charm flowing out.

However, the words spoken by this seasoned demon officer at this moment were so crude that they were somewhat unseemly.

"Damn it! How could Yuejian Mountain collapse so quickly?! Also, didn't Yunfu boast that he had cultivated a wonderful technique and that after advancing to the mid-stage, he wouldn't be inferior to you, Bai Canhong?!"

"Damn it, my little husband, his words are so unreliable! Who knows where this thieving bald man from the Yuan Buddhist Sect came from, managing to expose his true colors!"

Feng Wen, the demon commander, slammed his hand on the table, causing the flames in the tent to flicker. Sparks landed on his red mane, but he was oblivious. He stared at Bai Canhong, his dark yellow pupils filled with anxiety.
"Old Ghost Bai, didn't you say that the fourth-order grand formation of Yuejian Mountain was as stable as Mount Tai and could not be broken by anyone but a Nascent Soul cultivator?! Only a few days have passed, how are you going to explain this now?!"

He spoke with a rough, hoarse voice, spittle splattering onto the map on the table, leaving a small damp patch. Bai Canhong frowned and stepped back, but didn't rush to refute, instead speaking to himself first:
“He’s a beast. He can’t stand being spoken to nicely. I’m not afraid he’ll get even more aggressive if he keeps arguing with me, especially since we’re already in a bad situation.”

"What's the use of being anxious?" Bai Canhong suppressed his temper and pointed to Tengwen Prefecture on the map. "The most important thing now is Tengwen Prefecture. Now that the Fei family has broken through Yuejian Mountain, their next target might be Tengwen Prefecture."

Once Tengwen Prefecture falls, our Shanbei Road expeditionary force will be isolated. Not only will it be difficult to produce and transport supplies, but our sects and families will also be placed under their command.

Feng Wen, the demon officer, scratched his disheveled red mane, his dark yellow pupils contracted, and his tone suddenly turned somber: "A lone army? I can't be a lone army. If that's the case, then let's disband. I'll lead my men back to Cold Crow Mountain myself."

"You think you can just leave whenever you want? Do you think this is a porridge shop?"

"What do you want? The bandits are powerful. At worst, I will take those hundred or so disciples with me. Don't worry, my Demon Land is vast and boundless, and there will be a place for you to stay."

Feng Wen, the Demon Commander, said this, and Bai Canhong's expression changed immediately. He saw that the Lord of the Star-Picking Pavilion had a silver chain on his hand and two burning eyes that made the former, a fourth-level Demon Commander, turn his head slightly and not dare to look directly at him.

"Heh, you think you can take me into Raven Mountain to be a traitor? You mule probably don't even have that kind of ability!"

"Old Bai, say something again!!"

"Even if I say it a thousand times, you, Feng Wenyao, are still just a mule!" Bai Canhong cursed for a while, his fierceness undiminished, before continuing:
"Let me make this clear to you first: if this time you only think about taking the things and people you've plundered from the fertile lands of the human world back to Raven Mountain so you can continue fighting with those other fools and abandon this place..."

Upon hearing this, Feng Wenyao felt his entire body tense up, but he dared not move, hoping that Bai Canhong would speak again. Unexpectedly, when the latter spoke again, his tone had softened considerably:

"Then you can try and see if I can clean up this demonic officer."

"You scoundrel!" Feng Wen, the demon commander, was so enraged that he could barely maintain his human form, but his furious expression gradually subsided under Bai Canhong's cold gaze. The old demon lowered his head and became slightly more docile: "Lord Bai, the situation is irreversible, and the fate of Shanbei Road is sealed. It is indeed beyond our control. Even if we don't leave, what can we do?!"

Bai Canhong seemed to have been preparing his speech for quite some time. After putting away the silver chain and pondering for a while, he finally began to speak:
"You still have demon soldiers within your barrier; send them all out, leave none behind. Qingxuan and Abbot Taiyi should already know this, and they certainly won't stand idly by and watch us fall and the situation deteriorate."

"'Send them all here, leave nothing behind'?" Feng Wen, the demon officer, felt his teeth ache upon hearing this, and retorted:

“Master Bai, the Cold Crow Mountain is not a paradise on earth. If we lose an inch today, we will have to pay the price with the lives of thousands or tens of thousands of demon beasts tomorrow. If you do as you do, you will lose my place of refuge.”

"Then what do you suggest?!" Bai Canhong glanced at him, a hint of impatience in his eyes: "If that's the case, then go and ask a few more demon officers to come out and help, is that alright?"

"This"

Feng Wen, the demon captain, darkened. He had practically flown in stealth, precisely to avoid attracting the attention of other demon captains who might try and share the spoils. Inviting another demon captain to join him now would be...
"That means you'll have to divide up all my wealth among others!" Feng Wen, the Demon Commander, suddenly jumped up, his black iron scale armor clanging against the tent poles. His disheveled red mane stood on end even more, and his dark yellow vertical pupils were filled with a fierce light.

"What I've invited isn't reinforcements, but a pack of hungry wolves scrambling for food!" he said, reaching for the glass cup on the table and taking a large gulp. The wine dripped down his chin, soaking the scales on his chest.

With a "crack," shards of the glass lamp shattered and scattered. Feng Wen, the demon officer, slammed his fist on the table. The edge of his black iron scale armor scraped against the wooden table, leaving several deep marks. His disheveled red mane trembled slightly with excitement.

Bai Canhong traced the edge of the map with his fingertips, his tone remaining calm:
“Feng Wen, now is not the time to fight for benefits. Yuejian Mountain has fallen, and we only have one real person and one demon officer. If you are unwilling to part with the bottles and jars in your home and cannot summon reinforcements to save our lives, then we will truly be defeated.”

Feng Wen, the demon officer, was panting heavily. His thick, dark fingers were digging into the corner of the table so hard that his knuckles were almost embedded in the wood. "So what if we lose! But I don't believe that old ghost Bai will really not run away. When the time comes, I'll run after you, and you can't blame me!"
"At worst, I'll take my kids back to Cold Crow Mountain and live off our own spiritual veins. That's better than losing everything and letting some other demon general profit from it!"

"You've certainly got a good plan," Bai Canhong sighed, shaking his head. Even he, hearing such disheartening words, had nothing to say, only offering another word of advice:
"Then let's hold our formation. The enemy will get the news just as quickly as we will. If we crumble at the first touch, you probably won't be able to bring back many of your cubs. Those left outside the barrier will be captured, skinned, and eaten."

"Then I'll go and peel a few clean ones to satisfy my cravings first!" The old demon said fiercely, and left the tent on his own, ignoring Bai Canhong's cold gaze.

When Feng Wen, the demon commander, lifted the tent flap and stepped out, the wind and snow were raging. Snowflakes clung to his disheveled red mane, instantly freezing into tiny ice shards.

Upon reaching the enclosure where human animals were kept, a horned demon was enjoying tea and admiring the snow. Seeing it emerge, it hurriedly rose to pay its respects, only to be dismissed by the demon captain Feng Wen with disdain: "Get lost! Don't get in my way!"

The demon soldiers dared not say a word and shrank back as they moved away into the distance.

Feng Wenyao squinted and scanned the area inside the enclosure, which was densely packed with human victims abducted by demonic beasts. There were people of all shapes and sizes, men and women, young and old.

Beside the fence stood a large cauldron and a set of cooking utensils. The demon school had learned the skills of a chef and was an expert in cooking human sacrifices.

However, at this moment, Fengwen Demon Commander was not really interested in eating the exquisite spiritual food. It licked its lips, and a bloodthirsty light appeared in its dark yellow vertical pupils.

The anger he had been holding back in the tent and the anxiety he felt about Cold Crow Mountain all turned into ferocity. He stomped heavily on the snow, making a "crunching" sound, and headed straight for the fence.

The human sacrifices in this column are all made from century-old Solomon's seal and ginseng fruit that are less than half a year old, which are at their best when they taste delicious.

The cultivators in the cage shrank into a ball in fright when they saw him coming. Feng Wenyao raised his hand, and his dark nails grew half an inch. With a "crack", he crushed the wooden bars of the cage and reached out to lift out the boy he had chosen earlier.

The cultivators inside the enclosure huddled together, while the ten-year-old boy clutched the basket of spirit herbs, his face as pale as paper.

He trembled with fear the moment he caught a glimpse of the demon officer's dark yellow vertical pupils. "What are you howling about?" Feng Wen's rough voice shattered the wind and snow. He reached out and his iron-like fingers gripped the boy's neck, lifting him into the air.

The child's cries were stuck in his throat, and his little hands scratched wildly, but he only grasped at a piece of cold air.

Feng Wen's fingernails had pierced through his collar, the tips gleaming with a dark, cold light. With a light scratch, blood seeped from his neck, dripping onto the snow and spreading into small red dots.

"If my son doesn't survive, you little brat won't have a good time either!" He grinned, revealing his yellowed, sharp teeth, and raised his other hand to grab the boy's chest.

Just as the fingertips were about to touch the boy's clothes, a figure staggered over through the wind and snow—it was a Taoist priest in a blood-red robe.

He carried a beast bone talisman in his arms, its corner stained with blood. Seeing this scene, he felt no pity, nor did he care about disturbing his master's mood. His voice trembled as he said, "Master! Hurry. We are in the mountains and cannot delay."

Feng Wen's movements suddenly stopped, a hint of impatience flashing in his dark yellow vertical pupils, but the force in his hand loosened a little.

"What nonsense? Can't you see I'm busy?" He glared fiercely at the blood-robed Taoist, but still threw the boy onto the snow. The boy fell to the ground and curled up in fear, not daring to make a sound.

The blood-robed Taoist hurriedly handed over the beast bone talisman, his fingertips still trembling: "Zeng An, the demon officer who was left behind, rushed out from the breach in the barrier, claiming that all the demon soldiers in his household had been routed and almost none of them were alive!"

"Master Peng!! Do you know what you're saying?!"

In his rage, Feng Wen, the demon general, was utterly devoid of reason. He could barely maintain his human form, and with a giant claw, he snatched the bone talisman from Peng Daoren's hand, tearing off a piece of flesh and blood.

The surrounding demons all paled upon hearing this, yet they were still met with a stern shout from Feng Wen, the demon officer.

But once it could see the demonic script, its eyes, the size of teacups, were already bloodshot. A trace of fear spread rapidly across its disheveled face, causing a hint of cowardice to spill from its voice: "Go back, go back! I don't believe Bai Canhong can really take my life!!"

Just as Feng Wenyao gave the order, the opening in the barrier behind him, which had been opened, closed rapidly.

At this moment, just as astonished as the creature was the Star-Picking Pavilion Master, who had arrived carrying a magical treasure. He muttered incessantly, "The Kuang family... the Kuang family, what a scheme! What a scheme! They managed to endure for so long!"

(End of this chapter)