Minglong

Chapter 223 Southern Frontier Killing Formation

After returning to Zheng'an Street, Xie Jinhuan first went to say goodbye to Momo. Qingmo was very interested when she heard that he was going to the Southern Frontier to search for treasures, but unfortunately, she was not strong enough to deal with powerful enemies above the first rank. So she could only stay at home and cultivate her cultivation in seclusion, hoping that he would go and return as soon as possible.

During the visit, the landlady also mentioned to him his upcoming mission to the Northern Zhou Dynasty in a few days.

Xie Jinhuan had this legitimate opportunity to visit his father, which he certainly couldn't miss. However, the opportunity at Phoenix Mausoleum was practically free, so he couldn't give it up either. Therefore, he had to rush back and forth to catch up with the group as soon as possible.

After giving his instructions, Xie Jinhuan went to Wanyi's house to retrieve Le Busihuan's coal briquettes. He went out again as soon as he returned, and Wanyi inevitably scolded him. However, after giving him many instructions, she still saw him out the door.

Xie Jinhuan didn't waste any time and went to the Vermilion Bird Gate to meet up with his fellow disciples from the Azure Sword Manor. Afterwards, they flew south.

Once they reached the first rank, their speed on long-distance runs far surpassed that of horses, and they could cross mountains and rivers in a straight line. Therefore, all three of them walked. Because they were eager to get on the road, there was not much to say along the way. They simply ran at full speed for hundreds of miles, used pills to restore their Qi and physical strength, and then continued on their way, repeating the cycle.

The high-intensity trek was indeed grueling, but the results were remarkable. The three of them traveled through Weizhou, Huzhou, Ningzhou, and Ruizhou, roughly the same route he had taken during his arduous journey years ago. However, back then, his cultivation level was low, and he had to walk on foot and fight against criminal gangs along the way to replenish his travel expenses. It took him almost half a year to complete the journey, but now it only took a few days.

As you travel further south, the landscape and even the climate change noticeably. It's already snowing in Luoyang, while Ruizhou, located in Lingnan, still feels like late summer.

The cities and towns they encountered were much poorer than those in Jingzhao Prefecture, and there were many more unruly cultivators. Poisonous rats were a common major faction. In one town, they even encountered disciples of the "Moon Worship Cult," who worshipped the Moon Goddess and regarded the Crescent Moon Manor as their mortal enemy, and Bu Yuehua as a blasphemous demoness who had desecrated the Moon Goddess.

However, the name 'Crescent Moon' means the night of the new moon, when the heavens and earth are extremely yin, and it has nothing to do with this sect. It is purely a name that is used to search for enemies in the void.

When Xie Jinhuan saw this, he remembered Wanyi's joke in her boudoir, and how she had mentioned changing the name of Queyue Villa to 'Qianri Villa'.

Bing Tuozi wholeheartedly agreed, but for some reason, Senior Sister Hua ignored her and silently continued on her way ahead...

The three of them traveled such a long distance that they arrived at the South Gate of Ruizhou Town on September 27th.

Most of the soldiers serving at Zhennan Pass were convicts, and there were also many laborers who built defensive facilities inside and outside the pass. However, they were not guarding against the troops from the southern border, but rather against evil demons and heretics who plundered in gangs, as well as wild animals that came to harass the town in winter when they lacked food.

Xie Jinhuan had been to Zhennanguan before, but he never returned. He originally planned to travel south, passing through the territory of Queyue Manor, which was thousands of miles away, and go directly to Huofeng Valley, which was located deep in the southern border.

But as the three were passing through a mountain valley, Coal Ball, which was acting as a scout bird in the sky, suddenly emitted a warning:

"Cuckoo..."

Hua, who was walking at the front, immediately stopped on the hillside and looked towards the valley.

Xie Jinhuan and Bing Tuozi landed to the side, took out their binoculars to examine the area, and discovered that there was a market hidden in the mountain valley, consisting of more than a hundred thatched huts, where many shamans and henchmen were selling medicinal herbs and animal hides.

In a corner of the market, a group of wizards were gathered, with three mummified corpses in the center. It appeared that a sorcerer had killed people there, and the area's administrators were investigating.

Southern Xinjiang is the stronghold of the Gu Poison Sect, but it is also home to many sorcerers and bandits. Murder cases committed by sorcerers, which are rare in the capital, are extremely common in the desolate Southern Xinjiang.

Xie Jinhuan glanced at him briefly and asked:
"Is this the territory of Crescent Moon Manor?"

Southern Xinjiang is a remote and impoverished region with many civilians but few who can form a unified state. Instead, it consists of independent mountain villages and tribes. The religious sects that have taken root there naturally act as their protectors. The tribes exchange medicinal herbs for peace and tranquility. Wherever people gather, various sects can be implicated.

The Crescent Moon Manor is only a thousand miles from Ruizhou, and this area is indeed within its jurisdiction. Bu Yuehua noticed a sect leader inspecting the area and responded:
"This is Heishan Market, where merchants from within the Great Wall often trade with those from the Southern Frontier. People from Queyue Manor have already arrived, but it seems the situation won't have a significant impact. Let's get down to business first."

Xie Jinhuan didn't say anything more and continued flying towards Fire Phoenix Valley with the two of them.

Meanwhile, in the market town nestled in the mountains.

Dozens of men, laborers from southern Xinjiang, surrounded the three mummified corpses, whispering amongst themselves:

"Where did this sorcerer come from? He seems to be quite powerful..."

"They're probably from Ghost Cry Marsh. They've got guts to make a move on the territory of Crescent Moon Manor..."

……

Behind the crowd stood an elderly man and a young man, dressed simply.

The old man's name was Lü Yan, the head of the Zhouling Mountain sect in Northern Zhou. His status in the Northern Zhou Taoist sect was second only to Huang Songjia, the head of the Divination Sect.

The young man in his early twenties beside him was his junior apprentice, Xi Yanjun.

This was Xi Yanjun's first time in southern Xinjiang. He was alarmed to find mummies in the markets, and the locals seemed to take it for granted.
"The Southern Dynasty's Taoist sects also have the Witch Alliance, which, like the Northern Underworld Sect, are all good-for-nothings. They occupy the leading position but do not fulfill their duties, causing evil spirits to rise up everywhere. If my Divination Sect were stationed at the Imperial Academy, the world would not be in this state."

The Court of Imperial Sacrifices was mainly responsible for the dynasty's sacrificial rites. The Northern Zhou Dynasty revered the lineage of the priests, so the ministers of the court throughout the dynasties were the heads of the lineage of the priests, also known as the high priests. Their positions and responsibilities were the same as Lu Wuzhen's.

The Northern Zhou Imperial Astronomical Bureau, overseen by the divination faction, was tasked with simply observing celestial phenomena and revising the calendar. It did not possess the same level of authority as the Southern Dynasty, and the two dynasties had always been at odds.

Hearing Xi Yanjun's words, Lü Yan responded with one hand behind his back:

"Taoism originated from ancient shamanism, and the ritual sect has been rooted in the north for far longer than we have. It has many believers among the people, so it won't be so easy to replace it. Let's keep going and not delay our business."

Seeing this, Xi Yanjun followed Lü Yan south, asking along the way:
"If the sorcerer can plant a spy on the father-in-law and crown prince of the Southern Dynasty, it is impossible for my Northern Zhou to miss even a single spy."

"Forgive my bluntness, but the Empress Dowager of the current dynasty has a mysterious past and has indeed made great achievements. However, she is somewhat ambitious and has the intention to wage war against the Southern Dynasty."

"The North-South Alliance was brokered and signed by our ancestors during the chaos of the Witchcraft Cult. If we don't dissuade the Empress Dowager, she might break the alliance and start a war, causing chaos in the North and South and plunging the world into turmoil. Wouldn't that be exactly what the evil cult wants..."

Lü Yan, naturally aware of the situation in Northern Zhou, said with displeasure:

“You are still young. You should focus on your cultivation now. Only when you can shoulder the responsibility of the Divination Sect will you be qualified to concern yourself with these worldly affairs.”

Xi Yanjun could only nod in agreement.
"I was just saying this because I was afraid that the world would be at peace and that it would be ruined by people who are driven by self-interest. I will devote myself to cultivation from now on."

"Before you set off on this journey, your master divined your fate, and it was a mixed bag, with unforeseen circumstances. That's why I'm personally protecting you. Remember to be extremely careful. This southern border may seem desolate, but the evil spirits lurking within its myriad mountains outnumber those of the Northern and Southern Dynasties combined..."

"Yes……"

……
-
On the other side, Ghost Cry Marsh.

The vast wilderness of the Southern Frontier borders Jiangzhou to the east and Xirong to the west. Hundreds of thousands of mountains house countless sects and tribes, including three perilous places: Fire Phoenix Valley, Ghost Cry Marsh, and Misty Mountain.

The Gu Poison Sect and the Black Yama Gang operate mainly near the border or the coast, which are considered relatively safe areas in southern Xinjiang. Ghost Cry Marsh, located in central southern Xinjiang, is a swamp stretching for eight hundred miles. Legend has it that even the souls of those who die there cannot escape, and the wailing of vengeful ghosts can often be heard at night.

This rumor is not fabricated, but it is not naturally formed either. It is because Ghost Cry Marsh is the base of the Corpse Witch Sect, where a large number of Corpse Witches and Ghost Witches are hidden. Among the more famous ones is Linglu Valley, the second master of Taishu Dan.

As night fell, the faint cawing of crows echoed from the depths of the smoky swamp.

"Gah—Gah—"

A massive complex of buildings, constructed in the swamp, consisted of stilted houses with iron cages chained to their bases. Inside were living people, brought in from who-knows-where, half-submerged in the swarming, foul-smelling swamp teeming with insects, their lips and eyelids completely sealed, only able to utter muffled groans.
"Woooo..."

This method is not a form of criminal law, but rather an ancient practice of "raising a ghost child"—causing someone to die unjustly in extreme pain, thus leaving behind a vengeful ghost that lingers in the human world.

Because it is a standard evil method, the Gu Poison Sect has listed it as a forbidden technique, and only the Corpse Witch Sect dares to use it. The Corpse Witch Sect is not a member of the Southern Border Witch Alliance, and it is hostile to the Gu Poison Sect and even the entire righteous path. It is only slightly more righteous than the demonic cultivators who directly eat people.

With the new moon high in the sky, there were few lights in the Linglu Valley compound, and only a few disciples wearing cloaks could be seen walking among the buildings.

Inside the spacious central building, Valley Master Jiang Qizi, holding a black needle, inscribed incantations on a complete corpse.

There were no fewer than thirty people standing on either side of the house, all wearing black cloaks to cover their faces and carrying weapons at their waists, seemingly observing the valley's attack.

But in reality, there was only one living person in the entire house; the rest could be considered as part of Jiang Qizi.

Just then, amidst all this activity, footsteps could be heard on the wooden bridge outside the house.

Step, step...

wow~
Thirty puppets simultaneously gripped their sword hilts and turned to look out the door.

Jiang Qizi also stopped what she was doing, looked up and saw a person walking along the wooden bridge.

The figure was a tall, imposing man, dressed in a brocade robe and wearing a blue-faced Asura mask. He walked with a leisurely gait, casually surveying the iron cages hanging on both sides of the wooden bridge.
"Fellow Daoist Jiang, after all these years, you're still wallowing in the mud. Don't you find it boring?"

Jiang Qizi put down her tools, glanced at them briefly, and her dim, yellowish eyes showed a hint of surprise:
"Blue-faced Buddha? I've been thinking of ways to avenge the grudge from years ago, and I never expected you to dare to come knocking on my door..."

He Tianqi entered the house and looked at the white-haired old ghost behind the corpse case:

"The path of cultivation has always been like this: if you suffer a loss, you must accept it; as long as you are alive, that is a good thing. I have come here not to settle old scores, but simply to tell you some news."

Jiang Qizi could be described as hating the person in front of her to the bone.

More than 20 years ago, Jiang Qizi was still young. He was building up his strength by creating puppets in Guikuze when one day, a well-dressed young man suddenly came to his door, claiming to be the Blue-Faced Buddha and a man of the Second Prince of Daqian. He wanted to play a big game with him.

The gist of it is that he secretly acts as a henchman for the second prince of the Great Qian Dynasty, helping him launch a coup to seize the throne. After the coup is successful, he will give him the opportunity to enter the Qilin Cave and help him deal with the Grandmaster Sikong.

The original sect of Linglu Valley was located at the current location of Chilong Cave. A hundred years ago, the Sikong family came and raised the banner of 'righteous path' to clean up the local natives. Linglu Valley was almost completely wiped out, and the remaining members fled to this muddy pond and took root.

Jiang Qizi also wanted to restore her sect and return to her base. When she found that the person who came was indeed capable of contacting the Second Prince, she agreed to cooperate. She even planted a "deadly move" so that if the Second Prince would deny it or kill her afterward, she would have people spread the news that the Second Prince had been supported by evil sects to ascend to the throne among the people.

As it turned out, Jiang Qizi spent several years painstakingly creating hundreds of puppets, gathering a group of evil and heretical people, secretly infiltrating Luoyang, and together with the Second Prince, assassinated the Crown Prince and eliminated anyone who might threaten the throne.

Just when things were almost done, Emperor Qian inexplicably sneaked into the palace and stabbed the Second Prince to death.

Fortunately, Jiang Qizi was with her apprentice Taishu Dan at the time. Taishu Dan was extremely shrewd. When he realized that things were going too smoothly, something was wrong. So he told her to run away first. Anyway, things were almost done, and they already had leverage over the Second Prince. They weren't afraid that he would renege on his promise. That's how Jiang Qizi managed to escape death.

Jiang Qizi had the Second Prince's alleged collusion with evil forces, but this posed no threat to Emperor Qian. If she revealed it, she would be besieged by the Great Qian Dynasty. She could only swallow her anger and return to the muddy swamp to accumulate wealth.

For the past twenty years, Jiang Qizi had always thought it was just bad luck that his plans had failed, and he could only accept his misfortune. It wasn't until recently, when he heard the news that the He clan had been exterminated for their treachery, that he suddenly realized—he had been used as a tool!

The evil Taoist directly caused Emperor Qian to launch a coup, killing the Crown Prince and the Second Prince. His rule was illegitimate and he would not be able to win the support of the people. He would inevitably face a lot of trouble in the future and would also be suspected by various religions and schools of thought.

The second prince assassinated the crown prince and took full responsibility for the coup. If the Qian Emperor then purged the traitors and restored order, his ascension to the throne would naturally be legitimate.

Emperor Qian himself was trapped and besieged in the Ten Princes' Mansion. His father-in-law's family was hunted down by the Second Prince. Only his father-in-law and two grandsons were left dead. The remaining thirty-odd people were all slaughtered by the rebels. This couldn't possibly be a ruse, could it?
But He Tianqi was indeed using the lives of his brothers, wife and children to clear Emperor Qian's name and gain Emperor Qian's trust without reason!
At this moment, Jiang Qizi discovered that the Blue-Faced Buddha who had come looking for him years ago had reappeared, and he was filled with murderous intent!
However, the influence of the Underworld Cult outside the pass was far greater than inside, so after some consideration, he still inquired:

What news do you have?

He Tianqi said calmly:

“A few days ago, Xie Jinhuan, a rising star in the Great Qian Dynasty, came to the Southern Frontier. As expected, he was going to Fire Phoenix Valley to seek opportunities. Xie Jinhuan never makes a wasted trip. His coming here means that the opportunity has already appeared.”

"You're quite the schemer, aren't you?"

Jiang Qizi, leaning on her cane, sneered:

"You deceived me twenty years ago, causing me to lose everything. Now you want to use me as a tool? Your entire He family was wiped out by Xie Jinhuan. Do you think I would dare to steal his opportunities?"

He Tianqi turned and walked out:
"I've told you the news. The opportunity at Phoenix Mausoleum is there, whether you go or not is up to you. Also, I've spoken to Yan Lang of the Black Yan Gang. He and Xu Guanfu have already set off to ambush Xie Jinhuan. With your abilities, it shouldn't be difficult for you to be the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind."

"Why don't you go and encourage old man Sikong?"

"That old codger isn't short of opportunities; he's always thinking about going straight and becoming the leader of the righteous path. How could he possibly run into Xie Jinhuan?"

After He Tianqi finished speaking, he disappeared.

Jiang Qizi, leaning on her cane, watched the plague god leave, but ultimately did not lift a finger and continued to deal with the corpse.

But Fire Phoenix Valley is right next to Ghost Cry Marsh, and it has indeed experienced frequent wildfires and earthquakes this year. If the opportunity really comes...

The old master Sikong might not lack it, but without this item to transform his body, he might not live for many more years...

After working for a while, Jiang Qizi's conscience was uneasy, so he finally put down his tools, leaned on his cane, and left the house...

(End of this chapter)