Starting from the imperial palace guards, his clones spread all over the world.

Chapter 727 Invasion
Amidst the astonished gazes of the middle-aged women, the middle-aged man's previously listless state gradually improved after he finished coughing.

His chapped lips moved, and a faint but clear sound came from deep in his throat:
"Hungry...so hungry...water...give me water..."

To A Luo and A Shi, this sound was nothing short of heavenly music!

The two children were overjoyed and tears welled up in their eyes again.

They hurriedly picked up the food and water that Liang Jin had casually tossed over and carefully fed it to their father, bit by bit.

Watching their father greedily swallow water and chew food, their hearts seemed to be filled with immense happiness.

This scene brought unparalleled shock and subsequent fervor to the women nearby!
"He's alive! He's really alive!"

"My God! This...this is simply divine intervention!"

"He was almost dead just now, and after one bowl of talisman water, he can talk and eat again?!"

They looked at each other and saw the same disbelief and excitement in each other's eyes.

Immediately, as if realizing something, they turned around abruptly and, as if seeing a savior, crowded around Liang Jin!
"Miracle doctor! Living god! I beg you, have mercy and save my husband too! He's been coughing up blood for half a year, and he's about to die!"

"You living god! I... I've had chest pains for years, and I can't sleep at night. Please, take a look at it too! I'm begging you!"

"And my child! The fever just won't go down, and the doctors all say they're no good! You living god, please have mercy and save my child! Our whole family will set up a longevity tablet for you!"

……

For a time, cries of pleas, sobs, and kowtows rose and fell.

These women, who are usually numb from the heavy burdens of life, now have a last flame of hope burning in their eyes, bursting forth from despair.

More and more people were drawn to the commotion – miners, women and children from other shacks, hearing that a “living god” could bring the dead back to life, gathered around with a mixture of disbelief and longing.

The crowd grew larger and larger, forming a dense, dark mass that completely surrounded Liang Jin's location.

However, just as the crowd was buzzing and excited, Liang Jin's expression suddenly froze!
His gaze seemed to lose focus for a moment, piercing through the crowd in front of him and casting itself into the distant void.

"The Black Dragon Empire's army has launched a massive invasion at this very hour?!"

The news came from the border between the Western Desert and the Black Dragon Dynasty.

Just now, the nine warriors he had already arranged at the border transmitted back an extremely urgent military intelligence through the [Nine Void Boundless].

"Today was the day that Hua Nongying and Yin Xi's assassins agreed to take action."

"The Black Dragon Army chose to invade today... What a coincidence that the timing is so coincidental?"

Liang Jin frowned deeply, his mind racing.

The situation at the Yinxi Gathering...the Black Dragon Empire...instantly became complex and critical!
He no longer hesitated and had to respond immediately.

Immediately, he flipped his hand, and a whistling arrow with a special device at its tail appeared in his hand.

He raised his arm, released a little internal force, and shot the whistling arrow into the sky!

“Swoosh—Bang!!!”

A sharp, piercing whistle suddenly rang out, like tearing silk, instantly drowning out all the noise of people and clearly spreading throughout the entire mine, and then spreading further and further away!
This is the emergency signal he made with Leng You!
Just as the echo of the whistling arrow was still reverberating in the air, a group of burly men wielding gleaming swords and clubs, looking menacing, were seen striding towards the shack area, led by a fat man in a silk robe with a bloated and fleshy face.

They had clearly learned of the devastating news of the complete annihilation of the guards at the village gate, and their faces were filled with a mixture of shock and anger.

"Which damned bastard dares to run wild on my turf?! And even dares to kill my men?!"

Before the man even arrived, the obese mine owner's hoarse roar, like a broken gong, already echoed over, filled with violence and murderous intent.

The women and miners who had been crowding around Liang Jin, upon hearing this voice, had their fervor and hope instantly replaced by boundless fear!

"Oh no! The mine owner is here!"

"Run! Run! If he targets you, you're dead!"

……

Amidst screams, the crowd scattered and fled in all directions like startled birds!
The once bustling shack area was now completely empty, leaving only Liang Jin standing alone.

Inside the shack, only a middle-aged man and two children clung tightly to each other, their faces filled with fear and unease.

The mine owner, wielding a heavy machete, pointed it at Liang Jin and, spitting as he spoke, demanded in a stern voice:
"You're the one who killed my brothers?!"

"If you've got the guts, give me your name!"

Liang Jin was too lazy to waste words with these people.

He simply raised his arm casually and waved it lightly in the direction of the mine owner and the group of thugs.

A vast and powerful internal force, as condensed as a tangible substance, surged out silently with the flick of his sleeve, like an invisible, raging wave!

This internal force did not directly impact the human body, but rather precisely struck the ground less than ten feet away from the mine owner and the others!

"Bang—!!!!"

A deep, muffled thud, like a thunderclap, suddenly exploded!

The hard ground beneath the feet of the mine owner and his thugs seemed to have been struck by an invisible giant hammer from the heavens, instantly collapsing downwards to form a shocking, enormous pit, half a person deep and several feet wide!
At the same time, countless fragments of stone and clods of earth, propelled by this tremendous force, rained down on the group of dumbfounded men with a piercing sound, like dense hail or streaks of crossbow bolts.

"Ouch!"

"my leg!"

"My head! My head is bleeding!"

……

For a time, screams, the sound of bones breaking, and the muffled thuds of stones hitting flesh filled the air!
The mine owner and his thugs had no time to react before they were pelted by the "rain of stones," falling to their deaths and screaming in agony.

The first few people who rushed forward were instantly smashed, their bones broken and tendons snapped, and they fell to the ground howling in pain; those slightly behind were also smashed, their heads bleeding, their faces bruised and swollen, and they fell to the ground in a sorry state.

When they finally came to their senses from the sudden blow and saw the huge crater on the ground, everyone's faces instantly turned pale, and their eyes were filled with boundless fear and horror!
"Internal...internal energy being released externally?!"

"He...he can actually injure someone from a distance of several feet?!"

"Such methods... I'm afraid... I'm afraid the strength is no less than the fifth rank! No, it might even be the fourth rank!!"

"We...we've messed with a real tough nut to crack!!"

At that moment, all the thugs who could still move were frozen in place, as if under a spell, and dared not take another step forward.

The way they looked at Liang Jin was filled with intense fear, as if they were looking at a prehistoric beast; their previous arrogance had completely vanished!
Liang Jin completely ignored the group of terrified chickens and dogs.

His entire focus was once again on connecting with his clone, issuing clear combat orders through the [Nine Boundless Realms] towards the border front where the flames of war were raging.

The Black Dragon Empire's army had just achieved a great victory on the border of Daqian, and was at the height of its military might and high morale.

Moreover, the Black Dragon Dynasty was powerful and well-equipped, far beyond what the barren Western Desert could directly confront.

However, since they dared to trample their iron hooves into the land of the Western Desert, Liang Jin, as the lord of the Western Desert, had no reason to back down and would fight to the death!
He ordered the garrison on the western border to retreat across the board, relying on the familiar terrain and pre-prepared fortifications to avoid the enemy's sharpest attacks and never engage in a direct, head-on battle with the Black Dragon Army.

He was waiting, waiting for the entire army to retreat in an orderly manner to those strategically important and easily defensible passes.

At that time, the large amount of gunpowder he had already prepared for the Black Dragon Army, enough to change the course of the battle, would be a "surprise" that these arrogant invaders would never forget!

This is just a general strategic direction. The specific details, such as troop deployment, retreat routes, blocking points, and material allocation, are extremely complex and require strict execution by subordinates.

Liang Jin was making arrangements through his communication with his clone.

Meanwhile, the mine owners and thugs who dared not approach the mine looked at each other, their hearts filled with confusion and unease.

They couldn't understand why this mysterious and terrifying expert, after stunning them with a casual strike, suddenly stood there like a stone statue, motionless, with empty eyes, as if his soul had left his body.
This eerie state only intensified their fear and sense of oppression.

Time passed quietly for about fifteen minutes in this strange and tense atmosphere.

Sudden--

"Rumble...!!!"

A low, muffled tremor came from the ground, growing louder as it approached, as if a thousand horses were galloping!
The next moment, billowing smoke and dust rose from the direction of the abandoned gate of the mine!

A troop of elite cavalry, gleaming in armor, brandishing swords and spears, and exuding a murderous aura, stormed into the mine like an unstoppable torrent of steel!

Faced with such elite cavalry, the mine owner and his henchmen who were lucky enough to survive were terrified and had no courage to step forward to stop them.
Especially when they saw the black banner fluttering in the wind, held high in the cavalry ranks, and the unique emblem on the banner that symbolized the supreme authority of the Western Desert, they were terrified. Their legs went weak, and they collapsed to the ground, too weak to even stand up!
"My God! It's...it's the personal guards of the Marquis of Zhenxi!!"

At this point, how could they not understand Liang Jin's identity?
The thought that they had been so blind, not only offending the Marquis but even attempting to harm him...

Extreme fear instantly seized their souls, making them feel as if they were in an ice cellar. They were so frightened that they could barely speak their pleas for mercy, and all that could be heard was the sound of their teeth chattering.

In the blink of an eye, this elite cavalry force had already reached Liang Jin's vicinity.

With a clean and crisp gesture from the leader, Leng You, all the cavalrymen simultaneously tightened their reins, their warhorses rearing up and neighing before coming to a steady stop, their movements as synchronized as if they were one person.

"Shh-!"

Led by Leng You, the cavalrymen dismounted and knelt on one knee before Liang Jin, who remained standing still.

"Greetings, Lord Marquis!!!"

This unified shout, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, shook the entire mine and plunged the mine owners and thugs who were paralyzed on the ground into an abyss of despair.

Only then did Liang Jin seem to snap out of his reverie, as if he had been confined to the distant border battlefield.

He slowly turned around, his gaze calmly sweeping over the kneeling cavalrymen before finally settling on Leng You. Without a word, he pointed to the three members of A Luo's family, who were huddled together in a nearby shack, pale with fear at the sight before them, and instructed Leng You:

“Take the family of three back to Hanzhou City, settle them properly, and take good care of them.”

“Remember, these two children know things that shouldn’t be told. I don’t want anyone to get any information out of them.”

His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable determination.

After A Luo's family goes to Hanzhou City, they may lose some of their personal freedom and be in a state of semi-house arrest.

But Liang Jin could assure them that their living conditions would be a thousand times better than in this dirty, dangerous, and miserable mine, enough to ensure they would have enough to eat and wear for the rest of their lives and live out their days in peace.

This is an immense blessing for them.

Leng You immediately understood and solemnly replied:
"My subordinate understands!"

With a wave of her hand, several fierce cavalrymen immediately stepped forward. Although their movements were not gentle, they were extremely efficient in bringing the panicked and fearful A-Luo family out of their shack and quickly settling them in.

Liang Jin then turned his gaze to Leng You and asked the question that had been bothering him earlier:
"This morning, I saw a large group of people converging on Yumen Mountain from the mountain ridge. Who are they?"

Leng You answered immediately, her voice clear:
"Reporting to the Marquis, according to my investigation, most of those people are leading figures and elite disciples of various martial arts sects and gangs within a radius of several hundred miles."

"It seems that someone spread the news in advance, claiming that Your Excellency would definitely come to Yumen Mountain today. These people rushed over as soon as they heard the news, hoping to have a chance to pay their respects to Your Excellency, become acquainted with you, or seek your protection."

"At this moment, most of them are gathered at the mine of the Yutian mine owner, eagerly waiting for you, Lord Marquis, to take the time to meet with them."

Upon hearing this, a look of understanding flashed in Liang Jin's eyes.

Just as he had guessed.

Someone deliberately spread the news, attracting many unrelated martial arts forces and completely muddying up the waters of Yumen Mountain.

With so many people, it becomes a mixed bag, and their identities and backgrounds are difficult to verify. This allows the truly lurking, deadly assassins from the Yinxi Society to easily hide among them, waiting for the perfect moment to deliver a fatal blow.

"You stay here and give some talisman water to the miners."

Liang Jin took out some healing talisman water and handed it to a cavalryman.

Then, he mounted a warhorse that Leng You had personally led over.

"Go back to camp."

Liang Jin said no more and gave a concise order.

He flicked the reins and spurred his horse toward the larger main mine in Khotan.

"promise!"

Leng You led his elite cavalry in a unified response, and they mounted their horses to form a tight guard formation. Their iron hooves thundered as they followed closely behind Liang Jin, raising clouds of dust as they returned the way they had come.

The mines here were not far from Khotan's mines, and the group returned safely in no time.

really.

The mines of Khotan were even more bustling than before.

A large number of weary, armed warriors had gathered in the open space.

It was the same group of people that Liang Jin had seen on the mountain ridge that morning.

When these warriors saw Liang Jin return surrounded by a group of elite cavalry, they immediately stirred and rushed forward, their faces plastered with respectful and even fawning smiles, trying to get close to pay their respects, say words of admiration, or present their calling cards and gifts.

"My lord! I am the leader of the Golden Saber Sect, and I have come to pay my respects!"

"Your Excellency is mighty! On behalf of all the brothers of the Fierce Tiger Gang, I extend my greetings to Your Excellency!"

……

Liang Jin was preoccupied with the border war and the lurking assassins; he had no time or inclination to pay attention to these sycophantic江湖客 (jianghu people).

Upon seeing this, Leng You immediately understood.

With a wave of her hand, a large number of soldiers who had been waiting immediately stepped forward and formed a solid human wall on both sides of the road. Their swords were half-drawn, and their cold eyes blocked the martial artists who tried to approach, ensuring that Liang Jin could return to the largest tent in the center without any hindrance.

Ignoring the surrounding noise, Liang Jin went straight back to his tent. His first action was to check on Hua Nongying, who was being held in strict confinement.

Deep inside the tent, Hua Nongying was still impaled on her collarbone by those heavy iron hooks, and the cold iron chains firmly locked her to a thick wooden stake.

The camp was heavily guarded, making escape virtually impossible.

Liang Jin originally thought that the Yinxi assassins who came to meet Hua Nongying would take advantage of the "gap" when he and Leng You, the two great masters, were not in the main camp to risk coming to rescue her.

This is even a situation that Liang Jin is happy to see.

With the incredible ability to track down Hua Nongying across vast distances, he can easily locate her no matter where she is rescued.

At that time, not only can Hua Nongying be captured again, but the clues can also be used to expose the whereabouts of the assassins who have been hiding in the shadows, thus wiping them out in one fell swoop.

But now it seems that the assassins either haven't found an opportunity yet, or they are unaware that Hua Nongying has been exposed and captured.

No rescue operation took place.

"Very well, since the fish aren't taking the bait, let's proceed as planned."

He turned his gaze to Hua Nongying, who was slumped on the ground looking haggard, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

How is she?

Liang Jin asked Leng You, who was following closely behind.

Hua Nongying was still locked up, but her condition seemed to be somewhat different from before.

She occasionally let out unconscious, painful groans, and her body trembled slightly.

What caught Liang Jin's attention most was her eyes—they no longer held the emptiness and bewilderment that followed her being bewitched, but were instead filled with chaos, pain, and... a profound sense of bewilderment as if she couldn't remember anything at all.

A hint of helplessness and guilt appeared on Leng You's face as she replied in a low voice:

"My lord, it was my fault... for failing in my duties."

"After you left, my lord, I dared not slacken my efforts and continued to use my bewitching magic on her in an attempt to uncover deeper secrets. At first, she did indeed reveal a lot of information about the peripheral members of the Yinxi Society and some secondary plans."

"However...this person has obviously undergone extremely rigorous anti-interrogation training specifically designed to counter mental intrusion, and seems to have some kind of peculiar secret technique planted in his body to protect the core of his mind."

Leng You's tone turned serious:
"When her subordinates' bewitching techniques began to touch upon the true core secrets of the Yinxi Society, the identities of its high-ranking members, and their ultimate goal... the secret technique within her was triggered!"

"It was an extremely domineering, even cruel, countermeasure. It wasn't resistance, but rather a brutal, almost self-destructive way of forcibly disrupting, tearing apart, and even completely erasing the part of her memory related to that memory!"

"Now... her brain has been severely damaged as a result, she has completely lost her memory, and her mind is in a daze, sometimes lucid and sometimes confused, she can't even remember who she is."

"Your subordinate... Your subordinate dares not force her to use the mind control spell again. If we continue now, I'm afraid not only will we fail to obtain any valuable information, but we will also completely destroy the last bit of her sanity, turning her into a real, worthless idiot."

"We can only... let her rest for a couple of days and see if she can recover some of her memories on her own. Once her condition has stabilized a bit, I will try a gentler approach to see if I can elicit some fragmented memories."

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Liang Jin's eyes.

He never imagined that the world would have such powerful and decisive countermeasures against mental manipulation techniques like bewitching and mind control.

But upon further reflection, he felt relieved.

Everything in this world is inherently interconnected and mutually restraining. Where there is a spear, there must be a shield.

Given the existence of such a mysterious and difficult-to-defend technique as bewitching magic, it is only natural that, after thousands of years of development, some specialized defensive and even countermeasure techniques have emerged.

The world is never short of brilliant and intelligent people who are dedicated to studying the way to "break the law".

This also served as a reminder to Liang Jin: in the future, when facing those well-organized and deeply rooted ancient forces, he must be more cautious and thorough.

He looked at Leng You, who was filled with remorse and bowed her head in repentance, reached out and gently patted her tense shoulder, and said in a softened tone:

"It's alright. This wasn't your fault, so don't blame yourself too much. You've already done very well."

When Leng You heard that Liang Jin not only did not blame her but also comforted her, the deep guilt on her beautiful face faded slightly, and a warm feeling and gratitude welled up in her heart.

Liang Jin withdrew his hand, his expression turning cold again, and continued:
"Just half an hour ago, the Black Dragon Dynasty's army began a large-scale invasion of our western border."

Upon hearing this, Leng You abruptly raised her head, her face filled with astonishment.

As Liang Jin's confidante, she was in charge of a large amount of intelligence and some military affairs in the Western Desert, yet she did not receive any relevant urgent reports!

Under normal circumstances, it would take at least several days to deliver such urgent military intelligence from the border to Hanzhou City!
How did the Marquis know the news from a thousand miles away so definitively within just half an hour after the incident?
The next moment, a flash of inspiration struck Leng You, and she suddenly remembered those mysterious and elusive subordinates that Liang Jin had secretly arranged to go out.

The order she received to go to Duango Town was relayed by those people.

She originally thought that those people were just delivering messages a little faster than through ordinary channels, but she never expected that their speed would be so incredible, almost miraculous!

She forcibly suppressed her shock, composed herself, and hurriedly said:
"In that case, the situation is urgent! I request to return to Hanzhou City immediately to oversee the overall situation and make appropriate military arrangements and preparations for war!"

Liang Jin waved his hand, signaling her to calm down:
"There's no need to rush. I have already issued preliminary combat orders to the front lines through special channels."

His gaze returned to Hua Nongying, who was slumped on the ground, delirious. His eyes sharpened like knives, and his voice carried a chilling killing intent.
"And now, we must drag out those Yinxi Society assassins lurking in the shadows, one by one!"

"Take her with you, let's go fishing."

(End of this chapter)