Sword Sect Outer Sect

Chapter 296 Shu Feng
In the military camp.

Most soldiers in this fierce and ruthless army lived in tents with only a few men per tent.

However, these outsider cultivators were not well received to begin with, and were assigned to a separate, remote area.

Of course, this also has its advantages, namely that each of them can have their own tent.

A set of array beads around the perimeter, activating some simple protective arrays, could barely be considered a rudimentary "cave dwelling".

After the troops that had quelled the rebellion returned, Luo Zheng went to report back to General Bai. It was time for them to rest and recuperate.

Song Yan sat alone in his tent, his divine sense probing into Chen Li's Qiankun bag, picking and choosing.

He couldn't bear to watch it anymore.

That's the downside of fighting with demonic cultivators; this Qiankun bag is unbearable to look at.

They were all junk skeletons and corpses; even the soul banner was considered a legitimate item among these things.

After moving the spirit stones and taking a few things that he could use, he could basically pack the whole thing up and throw it to Gou Sheng.

Song Yan scanned the jade slips in the Qiankun Bag one by one.

He stopped when he glanced at a seemingly ordinary jade slip.

"The Illusory Heavenly Demon Art? This seems to be the secret technique that Wu Huaisheng mentioned."

Whether it was Gou Sheng or other cultivators from the Demonic Ruins, Song Yan had interacted with them over the years and had gained some understanding of the cultivation techniques they practiced.

Surprisingly, the so-called demonic energy cultivated by many cultivators in the Demon Ruins is actually quite similar to the sword energy of sword cultivators in many ways.

Therefore, many demonic cultivators can simultaneously manipulate spiritual power and demonic energy to cast spells and incantations, or to activate magical artifacts and spiritual weapons.

So, in his spare time, Song Yan would also browse through these demonic cultivation techniques.

On the one hand, knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory in every battle.

On the other hand, since the cultivation of demonic energy is similar to that of sword energy, perhaps some of the ingenious ideas of demonic cultivators have merit.

As long as you don't do anything that is immoral or harmful to your moral principles, that's fine.

Perhaps it can even inspire us.

The Demon Ruins have existed for countless millennia, and the techniques passed down through generations must have their own unique and exquisite aspects.

After carefully reading through the Illusory Heavenly Demon Art, Song Yan became even more certain of this.

This technique is very interesting.

By separating a wisp of one's own divine soul, or seizing the divine soul of another, one can refine a phantom celestial demon, which has endless uses.

However, Song Yan seemed to have discovered something. He read it over again from beginning to end and sighed softly.

In fact, once this illusory demon is created, it can be refined again and inherited if its master dies.

In other words, the person named Wu Huaisheng did not only have the option of dying, but could also be refined by Song Yan again.

In this way, although the chances are slim, he might still be able to see his wife, children, and relatives.

However, recalling what he said before he died, he made no mention of this.

It seems that he no longer wanted to be controlled by others, nor did he want to guide Song Yan to cultivate this demonic art.

After all, in his words, this "is not a good thing".

Song Yan shook his head, seemingly with a sigh.

But since the man was already dead, he quickly put those thoughts out of his mind.

Upon re-examining the Illusory Heavenly Demon Art, his approach to this secret technique differed somewhat from that of ordinary people.

In his view, this illusory demon is like a tool, and its use is quite flexible and varied.

It's a real shame that someone like Chen Li, who only engages in petty theft, is not deserving of recognition.

Song Yan's Great Bright Dharma Form is now quite powerful, but there is a major problem.

That is, although Song Yan does not need to control the actions of the Dharma Body, the process still requires mental effort.

And the consumption is not small.

If one cultivates this method and separates a wisp of one's own soul to merge into the Dharma body, it might greatly reduce the pressure on his spiritual consciousness.

For ordinary cultivators, damage to their soul and consciousness is no small matter.

Not only will one's cultivation level be affected, but a weakened soul will also affect a cultivator's spirit, reducing their resistance to illusionary spells.

It requires special rare and precious natural materials to slowly and gently repair itself.

However, Song Yan is different. He has the Five Stars Pulse-Grasping Technique and the Positive and Negative Bright Diagram for visualization. Even without the assistance of spiritual objects to nourish the soul, he can recover relatively quickly.

So he made up his mind to give it a try.

However, of course it won't be now.

After temporarily putting away the Illusory Heavenly Demon Art, Song Yan continued to sort through the Qiankun Bag, finding some decent odds and ends in a corner.

It's a jade pendant with some unique patterns; it's quite exquisite.

Some of the bottles and jars contained ordinary elixirs for refining spiritual energy.

There are also some jade slips, which don't record any demonic arts, but are legitimate cultivation methods.

However, there was nothing there to prove his identity, so Song Yan couldn't be sure if it belonged to Wu Huaisheng.

In short, I'll keep it for now and give it to his wife and children if I ever have the chance to meet them in the future.

A thought suddenly occurred to him, and he sensed movement outside the tent.

Song Yan then casually removed the formation and walked out of the tent.

Not far away, soldiers came and went, their expressions hurried.

With a slight glance to the side, other visiting cultivators also emerged from the tents surrounding Song Yan.

When Wu Caidie and Li Yan saw Song Yan, they nodded and greeted him.

The others looked at each other, none of them knowing what had happened.

Before long, Wang Shengguang, carrying his armor, came running over in a great hurry.

"Commander Song, Commander Song."

He strode up to the crowd: "Captain Song, Deputy General Luo requests your presence!"

Before anyone could figure out what they were going to do, Wang Shengguang made a startling statement: "It seems we're going to take you to General Bai's place."

General Bai?
Everyone was startled. They had already guessed what this General Bai, whom Luo Zheng had mentioned, was.

Vice General Luo is already at the Golden Core stage, so the legendary General Bai is obviously no less than the Golden Core stage, and may even be a Nascent Soul stage cultivator.

To meet a Nascent Soul cultivator?

Song Yan took a deep breath, unsure whether it was a good or bad thing.

However, it's impossible not to go; otherwise, just for disobeying military orders, he could be executed on the spot.

"it is good."

……

Luo Zheng wasn't wearing armor or leading a horse; he walked ahead casually.

Song Yan followed silently behind him.

Actually, I have many questions in my mind.

For example, the biggest question is why I had to leave the military camp to see General Bai. Could it be that General Bai was outside the military camp?

Anyway, he figured he might as well just follow along. This guy in front of him could crush him with a single finger, so he didn't want to say anything more.

"Young man, you've hit the jackpot."

At this moment, Luo Zheng was not at all as imposing and terrifying as when they first met in the army; on the contrary, he was quite approachable.

He casually said, "I sent a message to General Bai detailing the situation of suppressing the rebellion, and also reported your achievements in battle."

"I never expected the general would specifically ask to see you."

"Oh, by the way, where are you from, young man?"

Without hesitation, Song Yan replied, "I'm from Shiliang... um, from Yunyang County."

There was no need to hide anything from Luo Zheng.

"Yunyang County, oh dear, am I getting old? I don't think I've ever heard of this place before."

Of course you haven't heard of it; that's not Qin territory at all.

Song Yan chuckled and said, "It's normal not to know, it's a small place."

"Young man, you're not even thirty yet, are you?"

"Twenty-four or twenty-five."

"Wow!" Luo Zheng gave a thumbs up: "Young and promising!"

"When you meet General Bai later, be careful what you say. With your talent, if you can gain the general's favor, advancing to the Core Formation Realm in the future will be a piece of cake."

Song Yan nodded, but was deep in thought.

Core Formation Realm?
It should be the Golden Core realm, which seems to be the title used in the ancient Immortal Dynasty for Golden Core realm generals.

However, that's not the point. The point is that Luo Zheng said that advancing to the Core Formation Realm seemed to be a very simple thing.

In the State of Chu, a golden elixir was born, and the whole world knew of it.

Judging from what Deputy General Luo said, it seemed that he had gained the favor of this great general, and his advancement to the Golden Core stage was a sure thing.

Could it really be a Nascent Soul cultivator? Heaven have mercy, Little Song has lived for over twenty years and has never even seen a Nascent Soul True Monarch.

The mountain winds swept through the valleys, deviating from the main path and venturing deep into the heart of a mountain forest.

At the end of the winding mountain path, the view suddenly opens up.

An ancient building stands quietly in the mountain valley.

Song Yan pondered to himself.

At first glance, this building complex is clearly a typical example of the square layout common in official post stations.

But upon closer inspection, it reveals a unique and ingenious design.

The bluestone walls of the courtyard are arranged in a staggered pattern, and a few old vines climb the corners, adding a touch of desolate elegance to this post station.

It's more like a courtyard now.

As I walked to the door, I looked up.

Duyou Pavilion.

Song Yan was taken aback, his eyes flashing, and he became more certain of his guess.

There seemed to be no soldiers guarding the entire post station.

Luo Zheng led Song Yan straight to the central courtyard.

The courtyard gate was ajar. Luo Zheng did not knock, but stood respectfully outside the gate and announced in a deep voice, "This humble general Luo Zheng brings Lieutenant Song to see you."

"come in."

A gentle, clear voice came from inside the courtyard and reached the ears of the two people.

Luo Zheng pushed open the door and was about to step out when he hesitated for a moment and then stepped aside to let Song Yan go first.

The interior of the courtyard is even more exquisite than what can be seen from the outside.

The courtyard is not large, with a clear pond in the center, reflecting the shadows of bamboo.

Several unpainted, simple wooden tables were scattered around the pond.

The entire courtyard is simple and serene.

However, the moment Song Yan stepped into the courtyard, an incredibly clear surge of emotion welled up from the Endless Treasury.

"?"

Song Yan was startled and stopped in his tracks.

"What are you standing there for? Let's go," Luo Zheng reminded him.

Song Yan quickly stepped forward.

In the courtyard, a young man sat alone.

He was not particularly tall or muscular, and he was not wearing armor, but rather a loose-fitting, moon-white robe.

His long, jet-black hair was casually draped over his shoulders, and his brows revealed an undeniable air of heroism.

He didn't seem to have the imposing presence he displayed on the battlefield; instead, he exuded a calm and gentle scholarly air.

If Luo Zheng hadn't explained beforehand, no one would have imagined that this was the Immortal Qin General who commanded the Tiger and Wolf Army.

He was holding a small jade teapot, intently refilling the ceramic cup in front of him with tea, the steam rising gently.

A chessboard sat on the stone table, black and white pieces intertwined, but he was clearly the only one there.

Let's just amuse ourselves.

"This humble general, Luo Zheng, pays his respects to General Bai!"

Ultimately, Song Yan did not hold any military rank. The so-called position of Colonel was only a temporary appointment, so he was not qualified to refer to himself as a junior officer and simply followed suit with a bow.

His gaze, however, drifted to the courtyard, where he quietly glanced around.

Beside the pond, a simple, ancient-looking ring-pommel sword is stuck diagonally in the soil.

It's nothing special, nothing remarkable about it.

"Come and sit down, don't be so formal."

General Bai waved to them.

"Thank you, General."

Luo Zheng and Song Yan sat down at the wooden table next to them as instructed.

He put down the jade pot, his gaze lingering on Song Yan for a moment.

With just one glance, Song Yan felt as if he had been seen through by him.

He slowly said, "According to Luo Zheng's report, young friend Song played a significant role in suppressing this rebellion, and even killed a spy in the army..."

Song Yan was taken aback, then inwardly mocked himself.

I didn't put in any effort; I just took advantage of the chaos to pick up scraps.

Song Yan quickly bowed and said, "Reporting to the general, it was all due to the bravery of Deputy General Luo. I dare not claim credit for it."

"Haha, excessive modesty is just arrogance."

General Bai waved his hand: "Alas, it's just Xu Duan, what a pity."

Luo Zheng sighed softly when Xu Duan's name was mentioned.

"Back when I hadn't yet taken over the Tiger Wolf Army, he was incredibly spirited, charging into battle, slaying generals and capturing flags. Many soldiers in the army considered it an honor to be by his side."

“He was originally... a top-notch choice for general.”

General Bai seemed quite moved despite being just a rebel, suggesting that he did indeed have some feelings for these two.

Unfortunately, Song Yan could not empathize with him.

"However, he was too proud and ambitious, too concerned about gains and losses, and harbored narrow-minded thoughts."

General Bai's gaze was deep, his thoughts seemingly drifting back to a very, very long time ago.

"This narrow-mindedness, accumulated over time, made it difficult to restrain his sharp edge, and eventually backfired, ruining his future and life, and also dragging down a group of his generals and comrades, who also died on the battlefield with him."

"It's simply..."

He suddenly changed the subject: "Exactly the same as me."

Song Yan frowned slightly, somewhat puzzled, but remained silent.

Afterwards, Luo Zheng discussed the matter of sending troops with General Bai.

It was only then that Song Yan learned that General Bai planned to send troops to attack the Yan army.

With a slight narrowing of his eyes, he realized that this battlefield remnant of the Immortal Dynasty was sealed during the war between the Qin, Sui, and Yan dynasties.

However, he had no interest in leading troops into battle, and his gaze fell on the ring-pommel sword by the pond.

General Bai must have noticed this.

He stopped his discussion with Luo Zheng, looked at Song Yan, then at the sword in the courtyard, smiled gently, and suddenly pointed at the sword, saying to him.

"give you?"

Song Yan was initially taken aback.

When she realized what was happening, she wanted to refuse, but then she was a little reluctant to give up the opportunity, and her eyes unconsciously glanced at Luo Zheng.

Luo Zheng was afraid that the child would act recklessly, so he kept giving him meaningful glances and whispering to him.

The voice was very soft, but Song Yan still heard it clearly: "Are you looking for death?"

"Hahahaha..." General Bai suddenly burst into laughter.

He made a casual gesture.

To Song Yan's astonishment, the golden-red ancient talisman in the Qiankun bag flew out on its own and hovered in the air.

"Rewards and punishments are clearly defined in the military; rewards cannot be given arbitrarily."

"This sword also has some connection with me."

The general smiled and said, "Once you have collected a thousand merits on the battlefield, you can come here to find me."

"How about I bestow this sword upon you?"

Song Yan was slightly taken aback.

He thought to himself, "So General Bai can see this ancient talisman?"
"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and thank the general."

Luo Zheng mentioned it.

Song Yan suddenly realized and quickly thanked him.

"Just a general."

He then asked, "I have a question: among so many soldiers in the army, why did you specifically seek me out here..."

"Just because I assisted General Luo in killing the rebel leader?"

To be honest, Song Yan didn't think he had made much of a contribution.

The general chuckled and said, "There's no reason why."

"This is my freedom."

……

(End of this chapter)