Sword Sect Outer Sect

Chapter 297 Theft
……

The main battlefield is Yuelong Bay.

Wu Yun simultaneously wielded three magical artifacts, launching a relentless attack on an enemy general in the early stages of Foundation Establishment who was trapped by magic.

With a formidable foe looming and his spiritual energy exhausted, the enemy general quickly lost his fighting spirit and will to fight. Wu Yun found an opening and struck him, severely injuring him.

Wu Yun stopped at this moment.

With Wei Zhi assisting, seeing that the time was right, Wu Caidie quickly made a series of hand gestures, unleashing a purple blade that struck out fiercely, beheading the enemy general.

The head flew high into the air, and before it hit the ground, it transformed into ten streams of scarlet spiritual energy along with the corpse, which slowly flowed into Wu Caidie's ancient talisman.

"..."

Wu Yun paused briefly to adjust his breathing and then retrieved his magical artifact.

"Sister, it's been half a year. If we keep going like this, when will it ever end..."

Half a year is not a long time for a Foundation Establishment cultivator; it can easily pass in a short period of seclusion.

But they were in a secret place.

As originally planned, at most a month would pass, and regardless of whether there were any gains or losses, I would be able to leave this place and return to the State of Zhao.

Not to mention, so far they have not seen any rare treasures or fortuitous encounters.

Apart from this ancient talisman whose purpose was unknown, they could not find anything useful.

For cultivators, lifespan is arguably the most precious thing.

Many Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators fail to break through and die because of insufficient lifespan.

Wasting time here is indeed unbearable.

In addition, Wu Yun is naturally an impatient person, so it's understandable that he's complaining now.

This time, even Wei Zhi didn't criticize him.

"This war will never end, when are we supposed to stop?"

Wu Caidie also fell silent, looking at the ancient talisman in her hand.

I had no idea what to expect.

hum-

Suddenly, everyone sensed something and looked up to see a black and white sword light flying through the clouds.

The three people below could sense his presence, and he could naturally sense them as well.

However, the sword light showed no sign of stopping and continued to fly into the distance.

“Song Yesheng…”

Wu Yun frowned: "Sister, what is it about him that makes you so wary?"

Wu Caidie did not answer his question, but simply said softly, "Let's go back first."

Wei Zhi looked at her thoughtfully and replied, "Okay."

in the cloud.

Song Yan glanced briefly in the direction of the three people before flying past them in the air.

He didn't care about these three people.

It has been almost half a year since the Qin army and the Yan army started fighting.

Although these outsiders were few in number, they were mostly Foundation Establishment cultivators, and their combat strength was considerable.

So they were formed into a separate squad, a surprise force, and Song Yansheng was promoted to lieutenant general to lead the squad.

In truth, it wasn't until the real war began that Song Yan truly saw the horror of the Immortal Dynasty's war.

Based on Luo Zheng's words, it can be inferred that perhaps most ancient immortal dynasties each had their own stable methods for cultivating martial artists at the Core Formation Realm, also known as the Golden Core Realm.

This is actually quite normal; many large sects in the Central Region with a history of tens of thousands of years should also have this method.

However, the great war between the immortal dynasties caused many Golden Core cultivators to perish.

In the outside world, after several years of invasion by the Demon Ruins, it seems that no Golden Core cultivators have perished since the Dragon Pool Mountain Gathering.

But in just half a year, two or three people that Song Yan had seen or heard of had already died.

Fortunately, these people generally did not participate in the main battles.

Most of the time, it's small-scale skirmishes, like raiding enemy supply lines.

On the battlefield, he would follow orders exactly as instructed, treating anything he didn't understand as some kind of military strategy, since he didn't really know anything about warfare anyway.

Song Yan only wanted to avoid the combat power of those who were at the Golden Core or Pseudo Core stage, kill more enemy generals at the Foundation Establishment stage, and honestly collect the thousand merit points.

After entering the ruins, I didn't see any natural treasures or ancient battlefield artifacts.

Having finally found the sword in the courtyard of Du Youting, Song Yan was determined to get it.

They showed no mercy when killing enemy generals of the Yan state.

About a month ago, I heard that the Sui Kingdom had also participated in this great battle.

So far, Song Yan has not met any outside cultivators other than these people.

Gou Sheng, Yang Wenxuan, Zhou Mengdie, Qin Zhan.

There has been absolutely no news of them; I have never seen them.

Although Song Yan was working very hard to kill the enemy, the blood-red spiritual energy in the golden-red ancient talisman was still accumulating very slowly.

So far, with the 120-odd fake pills used as a buffer, only 375 pills remain.

A thousand miles away seems an insurmountable distance.

In fact, Song Yan knew that perhaps the fastest way was to wait until the battle was about to end and then seize the ancient talismans from the others.

However, he still couldn't determine whether this counted as his achievement.

With a major battle looming, Song Yan dared not directly attack his colleagues.

If you can find an enemy cultivator, you can try to capture one first.

Song Yan had no good feelings towards Wu Caidie and Li Yan.

He watched from the sidelines as Chen Li attacked him, probably hoping to get a share of the spoils, but he never expected Chen Li to die so quickly.

That said, why didn't General Bai, as a military commander, go into battle?

It seems that none of the soldiers from the other two countries possess combat power exceeding the Golden Core realm.

Although it's puzzling, it's also a good thing. Otherwise, with gods fighting, Song Yan might not be able to survive peacefully.

The mission here is basically over, and Song Yan is about to return to the army as the leader of the surprise attack squad to report back.

They quickly returned to their own camp.

After having their waist badges checked, they entered the military tent.

A dozen or so lieutenants, clad in black armor or cloth robes, stood solemnly on either side. In front of the sand table, Vice General Luo Zheng and another Vice General at the Golden Core Realm discussed the war, with a scholar-like figure beside them, who was none other than the strategist.

Song Yan stepped into the tent and, seeing the situation, said nothing more, standing temporarily among the lieutenants.

"The Yan army has dispatched another force to the left flank." The other deputy general slammed his fist on the edge of the sand table: "Damn it, they're underestimating us."

"No, I'll lead my troops tonight and wipe them out!"

"Don't rush." ​​After listening to the two's argument, the strategist slowly shook his head: "A direct assault would result in too many casualties, and it would put pressure on the front lines."

"But don't forget, the Sui Kingdom has not yet revealed much of its military strength in this intervention on the battlefield."

"Generals, please look, the real key lies here."

On the sand table, there is a steep pass flanked by two mountains.

"Daming Pass is the junction point where the Yan army's branch forces and main force converge. If it is under my control, without support, how can it contend with my Great Qin?"

The people inside the tent looked at each other in bewilderment.

Daming Pass is a strategically important and dangerous place. It is said that even birds have difficulty crossing it, not to mention that there is a great formation on the pass that prevents air movement and wind from breaking through, making it difficult to enter.

The three of them started discussing tactics, one after another.

But Song Yan wasn't listening at all.

He wasn't interested in their rambling about military strategy and such, and he didn't understand it at all.

Simply calm your mind and focus your energy to nurture your sword energy.

In short, just follow orders and do whatever you're told.

"With the Sui Kingdom watching us like a tiger, if we fight the Yan army to the death on the main battlefield, even if we defeat the Yan Kingdom, we will only end up with a defeat."

"Therefore, we must act quickly to capture Daming Pass."

Song Yan raised an eyebrow, the more she listened, the more something seemed amiss.

It sounds like this job is going to fall on my shoulders.

"Transfer the elite troops from the outer camps of headquarters." After hearing this, Luo Zheng turned his head and said, "Lieutenant General Song!" Sure enough.

"exist."

……

Sui army, outer camp.

"The Yan army leader guarding Daming Pass is just a subordinate general named He Yiming, who is at the late stage of Foundation Establishment."

"The other two are his adopted daughter He Ying and adopted son He Shan, both of whom are at the early stage of Foundation Establishment."

Five or six people were gathered together, discussing something.

"If this is all the defensive strength they have, then the few of us are enough."

"General Yang said that the Yan Kingdom is currently engaged in a fierce battle with the Qin Kingdom, and the main battlefield is at a stalemate, so they simply cannot spare any martial artists at the Core Formation Realm."

"If we can take this place, we only need to hold out for an hour before soldiers from the army come to take over."

Sheng Nian sat far away from them, holding an ancient talisman in his hand.

However, the ancient talisman was bright red, and it seemed to have not yet been affected by the scarlet spiritual energy.

After speaking, the person suddenly glanced sideways at Sheng Nian in the corner.

Then he gave the red-robed monk next to him a wink.

The man immediately understood and walked to Sheng Nian's side.

“Fellow Daoist Sheng,” the red-robed cultivator said gently, “In this operation, we must work together to have a chance to break the deadlock.”

He paused for a moment, then said, “I observe that your aura is steady and your spiritual power is pure, so your strength must also be remarkable.”

"Why not try our skills and be the first to go? If we can find a way to break the wind and thunder restriction and capture Daming Pass, it will be a great achievement."

"We will stay behind to cover your retreat and hold back the garrison inside the pass, ensuring your safety. What do you say?"

These words sound grand and righteous, using incentives and emotional appeals to entice people.

“Yes, Brother Sheng!” A skinny, monkey-like cultivator immediately chimed in.

“You haven’t lifted a finger or exerted any effort before.”

"Seeing that you have such cultivation at such a young age, you must be a chosen one of heaven. There is no need to hide your talents!"

The crowd chattered amongst themselves, seemingly making the young man quite carried away.

Sheng Nian raised his head, his tone slightly immature, even a little shy.

"You flatter me, seniors. I am a novice and do not yet know my own limitations, but this is a crucial opportunity to seize the pass, and with you all providing support and cover from behind... I am willing to give it a try."

His words were full of sincerity and responsibility; he was truly a foolish young man blinded by passion.

"it is good!"

The red-robed cultivator clapped his hands and laughed, "Fellow Daoist Sheng, rest assured, just go ahead and do it. We five brothers will protect you and ensure your safety!"

"Thank you, Brother Sheng!"

The others also put on "enthusiastic" smiles and echoed the sentiment.

Young people are so naive and easily fooled.

Sheng Nian immediately stood up and walked out of the camp, exuding an air of self-confidence.

"I'll go and assess the situation first. You seniors can take your time."

"Alright, we'll await good news!"

In his prime, he strode briskly toward the outside of the camp, only slowing his pace once he was out of sight of the five men.

The smile on his face slowly disappeared.

"Ant tricks, clumsy and boring."

A voice rose softly from the depths of my heart.

"These people are really interesting. I haven't even received a single merit, yet they're still keeping an eye on me."

Sheng Nian scoffed, his eyes cold.

"They don't even know what the purpose of this ancient talisman is, yet they've set their sights on me."

"Human greed is insatiable; it's like a snake trying to swallow an elephant."

"Fine, let's kill them sooner rather than later."

"Ah."

Outside the tent, the corpse puppet A Yuan appeared from the shadows at some point, his straw hat pulled low, and quickly followed behind Sheng Nian.

The two walked slowly and disappeared outside the Sui army camp.

……

The next morning, the sky was overcast.

Yang Wenxuan led his group to the entrance of Fenglei Road outside Daming Pass.

Qin Zhan and Zhou Mengdie were also prominently listed.

"Stop anyone who comes."

Guarding the area were several Yan soldiers dressed in standard black armor. The leader had a rugged demeanor and a sharp glint in his eyes, clearly a veteran with late-stage Qi Refining cultivation.

Yang Wenxuan remained calm and unhurriedly took something out of his sleeve.

It was a palm-sized token, neither gold nor jade, entirely black, and slightly heavy in the hand. A ferocious dragon coiled around it was engraved on the front.

The character "燕" is engraved on it.

"Yang Wenxuan from the outer camp, come to Daming Pass with orders to assist in the defense."

The lead guard took the token, examined it carefully, and said to the guards behind him, "Correct."

He then looked at Yang Wenxuan and said, "Please wait a moment, Your Excellency."

"Ah."

Only then did everyone have a moment to carefully examine the Daming Pass.

Majestic and precipitous, ancient and solemn.

The entire pass was shrouded in a large formation.

On the wall, countless array symbols appeared and disappeared, seemingly without any order, yet they were interconnected.

The gale howled incessantly, interspersed with fragments of golden lightning.

This formation is no ordinary formation; it is a mid-grade second-tier formation, the Void-Suppressing and Wind-Rending Formation.

With its integrated offense and defense capabilities, it can withstand an attack from hundreds of Foundation Establishment level warriors for at least four or five days.

The gatekeeper who set up this formation had considerable knowledge of formations.

He took advantage of the characteristic of the Daming Pass area, where clouds and thunder accumulate year-round, and made slight adjustments to the formation.

With the help of the heavens, the wind and thunder from all directions converge to form a great wind and thunder formation, further enhancing its offensive and defensive capabilities.

If an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator or a flying magic weapon were to forcibly enter, they would be swept away by gale-force winds and heavenly lightning in an instant.

The guard leader pulled out a circular array plate with intricate patterns engraved on it from his robes. With a flash of light from his fingertips, he swiftly tapped and drew on the array plate, his movements practiced and skillful.

But then the array plate slowly lit up, and a thin beam of light shot towards Guanzhong.

In an instant, everyone saw the scene behind the Wind and Thunder Path slowly change. The chaotic gale dissipated, and the dense arcs of lightning rose upwards.

"Please enter the pass, sir!"

Yang Wenxuan nodded slightly, put the token back into his sleeve, and took the lead in walking towards Guanzhong.

Before long, the view suddenly opened up before me.

However, before they could take a closer look, a group of people hurriedly approached from the direction of the training ground in the mountains.

The leader was a burly man dressed in Yan army armor.

He wore a protective mirror on his chest and a long, simple, and thick-bladed sword hanging at his waist.

His aura was restrained, yet he exuded an indomitable sense of oppression.

It was He Yiming.

Two people followed behind him, a man and a woman, both slightly younger and dressed in Yan army uniforms.

He Yiming bowed, his movements clean and efficient.

"My entourage, Mr. Yang, has been working hard and busy with customs duties, so I was unable to come all the way to greet you. I am deeply grateful to all of you for coming from afar to provide assistance."

"Let's go inside the office and rest for a while before we discuss the defense plan in detail."

(End of this chapter)