Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 955 Discussing the Dao and Destroying Gods
The news that one of the Seven Swordsmen had appeared in Mingyue Mountain was quickly reported through the Jiujiang branch.

It also included a rumor that a rabbit had suddenly appeared on Mingyue Mountain.

It's described as having a very detailed and accurate intelligence report.

However, this intelligence, which was enough to cause a great uproar, did not cause much of a stir when it reached the ears of Xiao Qing, who was sitting in Poyang Lake and busy finishing up the work of reorganizing the waterways.

"Seven Swordsmen again? Long Eyebrows is in a hurry."

Xiaoqing casually set the intelligence aside and continued to focus on the vast lake in front of her, mimicking someone's manner as she spoke:
"Yu Bai, please take note of this. I have made the following arrangements."

"Select the elite troops from the eight rivers of Dongting Lake and advance eastward along the Miluo River to meet up with them at Poyang Lake as soon as possible."

"As for the matter of the Seven Swords, we will ignore it."

It's important to understand that Baoan Hall today is no longer the small, insignificant organization that used to require its leader, Xu Xuan, and deputy leader, Xiao Qing, to personally go out and "beg" for resources.

After years of development, especially after integrating the vast water resources of the south, it has quietly grown into a dominant force in the Jiangnan region.

Zhou Qingyun has a very solid foundation, and she also has a wealth of resources poured into her from the hall.

The cultivation method they practice is the authentic Shushan Sect Master Technique, the "Nine Heavens Mysterious Scripture." They never lack various elixirs and medicines to aid their cultivation. They have experienced "former Shushan swordsmen" like Yan Chixia to answer their questions and impart knowledge. They are also well-equipped with protective magic treasures and offensive weapons.

Even without the external force of the Seven Swords of Cultivation to push him forward, following the proper path of cultivation would be enough to steadily open the gate to the Dao, it would just take a little more time and effort.

Speaking of this girl's fate, it can indeed be described as being blessed by destiny.

When she was traveling with her grandfather, she encountered bandits and narrowly escaped death. Due to her special destiny and aptitude, she was chosen by the Great Compassionate Dharma King of the White Lotus Sect.

Not only did he rescue him, but he also took him all the way to Qiantang, and even once intended to take him in as his personal disciple and teach him the "White Lotus Heart Sutra".

Later, due to a series of unforeseen circumstances, he escaped the control of the Great Compassionate Dharma King and naturally joined the Baoan Hall.

Because he was born with the destiny of "Three Heroes and Two Clouds", he indeed attracted the "special attention" of the Long-Browed Immortal, who would try every now and then to "send" him the Seven-Cultivation Sword Pill in an attempt to speed up his completion.

However, abundant blessings often also mean profound calamities.

As the last of the "Three Heroes and Two Clouds" to return to their rightful place, fate decreed that she must undergo a truly earth-shattering battle to fully unleash her potential and enjoy the long-lasting blessings that follow.

Changmei's actions at Mingyue Mountain made Xiaoqing keenly sense the impending pressure.

"Hmph, trying to force us into an early decisive battle? We won't let you have your way!"

Little Green King narrowed his phoenix eyes slightly, having already made up his mind.

No longer content with simply integrating Poyang Lake step by step, they immediately ordered an acceleration of the reorganization process, while also setting their sights on the broader Gan-Po River system.

Gan River, Xiu River, Fu River, Rao River, Xinjiang River!
These five rivers, like five arteries, run through Jiangxi and flow into Poyang Lake, and are key to controlling the water resources of the entire region.

She wanted to seize control of the Five Rivers Waterway with lightning speed before any accident occurred!
"Your Majesty, isn't this move... a bit too hasty?"

Seeing that King Xiaoqing had decided to accelerate the integration of Poyang Lake and even target the Five Rivers Waterway, the usually calm Yu Bai couldn't help but step forward and offer his advice with a worried expression.

It wasn't out of fear of battle, but rather because they knew that this vast lake, though seemingly calm, actually harbored turbulent undercurrents.

"Poyang Lake is located at the foot of Mount Lu. It is true that the ancestral temple of the Pure Land School and the White Deer Cave Academy, two giants of Buddhism and Confucianism, suppress its fortune, making it difficult for the lake to give birth to a peerless demon king who can rule a region like Yunmeng Marsh back then. But... Your Majesty, it is too big!"

Looking at the map hanging on the wall, Yu Bai hoped that the king would come to his senses.

If all else fails, why don't you consult Master Xu?
It should be noted that after Yunmengze disappeared from the world, Poyang Lake became the undisputed largest inland freshwater lake in the Nine Provinces.

The vast expanse of water stretches for over 60,000 hectares, more than twice the size of the 800-li Dongting Lake!
The lake is dotted with islands of all sizes, numbering no less than forty, and is also connected to five major rivers: Gan, Xiu, Fu, Rao, and Xin. The power of the water is boundless and immense, forming a world of its own.

The Buddha's light shone everywhere, and the literary atmosphere was cleansed, which naturally suppressed the birth of top-tier demons.

But this vast body of water has existed for tens of thousands of years, and countless kinds of water spirits, lake monsters, and ancient demons have been born within it, as well as strange species that have benefited from the legacy of ancient water veins. They are all intertwined and deeply rooted.

Although they lack a common ruler, each has its own territory and is by no means easy to deal with.

According to Yu Bai's original plan, the gains from the battle at Dongting Lake should be fully digested first.

The best strategy is to reorganize your naval forces and solidify your foundation before gradually taking over Poyang.

He was genuinely worried that such aggressive expansion would overwhelm his capabilities.

He objectively analyzed the difficulties they faced:
"Although my Baoan Hall is powerful now, the naval forces are already stretched thin due to the simultaneous reorganization of the two major lake areas."

"The Dongting Navy is not yet fully formed, and it is also necessary to divide its forces to intimidate Poyang and the Five Rivers. If unrest breaks out in various places at the same time, it may be difficult to suppress it quickly."

"If the war drags on and the losses are enormous, Your Majesty... will be under immense pressure."

However, King Xiaoqing merely glanced at him sideways, her phoenix eyes showing no hesitation but rather a pure confusion, and asked in return:

"Pressure? What pressure is there?" He tilted his head, his tone matter-of-fact: "Does it mean I'll face a life-or-death situation?"

"..." Yu Bai was speechless for a moment, unable to utter a word after being countered by this lighthearted rhetorical question.

Looking at the decisive and ambitious king before him, a complex sigh rose in his heart.

Your Majesty... In your understanding of the Dao, are there only two options: to forge ahead without hesitation or to perish and have your Dao vanish?
Is there absolutely no middle ground like "taking it slow" or "playing it safe"?
He seemed to see the shadow of another person in the king—equally obsessive, equally awe-inspiring, and equally a source of immense headaches for his subordinates.

Xiaoqing indeed did not feel the "pressure" that Yu Bai mentioned.

While an immediate large-scale invasion of Poyang Lake would certainly face numerous difficulties, such as the dispersal of the navy, resistance from monsters, and instability in the rear, a combination of challenges would be encountered.

But in her eyes, these were already commonplace occurrences.

Since following Xu Xuan into the world, apart from the first few minor skirmishes, every battle that followed was a life-or-death struggle, a dance on the edge of a knife.

Compared to those fierce battles that are often about survival and involve risking everything.

The current "difficulties" of Poyang Lake, which are merely caused by its vast size and chaos, are, in her view, almost a kind of "happy" trouble.

She clearly remembered Xu Xuan's words: "This era is no longer one of following the rules. The righteous are declining and the demons are rising; the world is undergoing drastic changes. We must spare no effort and use every means to surpass everyone in order to seize a sliver of hope!"

As for this "rapid progress," it was due to taking drugs to boost cultivation, spending money on resources, gathering others to cultivate and accumulate luck, and even resorting to demonic methods...

It doesn't matter.

The result is the only thing that matters.

“That’s the way things are, a mighty torrent; those who go with it prosper, and those who go against it perish.” Xiaoqing thought coldly, “We are just a little bit more radical and more resolute than our enemies.”

and so……

She ignored Yu Bai's worries, a glint of blue light flashed in her eyes, and she flicked her finger!
A jet-black token, wreathed in moisture and lightning, suddenly shot out and landed precisely in Yu Bai's hand.

The token felt heavy in my hand, and the four ancient seal characters "Jiujiang Imperial Edict" on it seemed to flow faintly, exuding a chilling sense of oppression.

"Send word to the gods of Mount Daji, Mount Xiaoji, General Yuan, and the lords of the remaining thirty-six islands of Poyang Lake," Xiaoqing's voice was clear and resolute, echoing in the water palace, "I invite them to a gathering at Songmen Mountain in three days—to discuss the Dao and destroy the gods!"

"If any fail to arrive..." Her tone suddenly turned cold, filled with murderous intent, "then don't blame me for mobilizing the entire navy of Dongting and Taihu Lakes to break down their mountain gates, destroy their temples, and exterminate them all!"

Excellent! The use of sophisticated terms like "discussing the Tao and destroying gods" and "breaking mountains and destroying temples" was incredibly cool.

Xiaoqing felt she was getting closer and closer to becoming a cultural monster.

And below.

Yu Bai felt the heavy weight of the token in his hand and the cold will it contained, knowing that this matter was beyond redemption.

He swallowed back all his words of advice, his expression turned solemn, and he bowed deeply, clasping his hands in a respectful gesture:

"I will obey Your Majesty's decree!"

Without saying another word, he turned around and gathered three hundred elite demon soldiers, riding the surging waves, heading straight for the most powerful mansion in Poyang Lake, the Great Jishan God's Mansion.

This first challenge will begin with the toughest nut to crack!

The Dajishan and Xiaojishan mountains stand majestically at the junction of the north and south lake areas of Poyang Lake, guarding the vital waterway and possessing a strategic geographical location.

Although these two peaks are not very high, they are majestic and imposing, like two natural gateways that control the flow of boats and waterways.

The two mountain peaks are now occupied by a rather special demon clan, who call themselves the "Great Isoyama God" and the "Small Isoyama God".

Normally, he was quite well-behaved and did not actively descend the mountain to wreak havoc on the village like ordinary demons. On the contrary, he would occasionally show some "efficacy" and collect some incense offerings from the surrounding people, behaving quite like a "righteous god".

Whether it's out of genuine goodness or fear of the overwhelming Buddhist light and cultural aura of Mount Lu to the west that suppresses them, it's hard to say.

He even cleverly fabricated and spread a "myth" of extraordinary origin for himself.

In ancient times, there were no vast lakes in Jiangxi. The water system was chaotic, and the region was prone to both drought and flood, causing great suffering to the people.

There was once a brave warrior from northern Jiangxi named Peng Li, who was determined to excavate a large lake to eradicate floods and benefit the people.

However, the construction was fraught with difficulties. Whenever Peng Li and the villagers dug deep ditches and channels day and night, they would be inexplicably filled in overnight.

It turns out that a thousand-year-old centipede spirit, lurking underground, was causing trouble and did not want the water veins to be changed, thus destroying its nest.

Peng Li's good deeds and perseverance eventually moved the heavens, and the Heavenly Star Official sent his two sons, a big rooster and a little rooster, down to earth to help him.

(End of this chapter)