Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 969 As if in a dream
Hou Sheng felt as if he had fallen into a dream again.

Otherwise, how can we explain this scene?
What a... exhilarating nightmare!
It's normal for there to be monsters in the Dream God Society.

But there are Shu Mountain swordsmen in the Mengshan Society? That's definitely not normal!

The righteous and the evil are like fire and water. The disciples of Shushan take it as their duty to subdue demons and defend the righteous path. How could they possibly live in the same "good society" as demons?
Not to mention that the swordsmen's sword aura was pure and awe-inspiring, and definitely not a disguise.

What's even more subtle is that, apart from the "Great Compassionate Dharma King" and himself, there wasn't a single other pure aura of White Lotus Sect magic power to be found in the entire venue!

This...could it be...?

A terrifying thought, like a venomous snake, burrowed into his mind, sending chills down his spine.

“Continue studying the magic array.” Xu Xuan’s cold voice interrupted his thoughts, devoid of any emotion. “I hope you can figure out how this thing works as soon as possible.”

These words were like an imperial edict, forcing Hou Sheng to suppress the turmoil and boundless fear in his heart. He moved his feet tremblingly and stood before the dark and eerie nine-tiered altar.

This altar was meticulously arranged by the Great Wisdom Dharma King before his departure. It is incredibly profound. Even with Hou Sheng's cultivation and knowledge, he could only understand one or two tenths of it, no matter how hard he tried. His progress would definitely be slow.

It's not that I'm making excuses, it's just...
He suddenly felt a figure silently appear behind him.

He was the first young sword cultivator to arrive here.

This is a supervisor, right? This is definitely a supervisor!
Otherwise, why would a tangible, icy sword intent have precisely struck his vital point in the back of his heart?

It was crystal clear, as if it would burst through your body at any moment!

Hou Sheng was both shocked and furious. He was about to turn around and try to reason with the younger man as a "colleague" to teach him some manners of respecting his seniors...

Swish!
The second, scorching sword intent, seemingly capable of incinerating everything, was added to the first sword intent without warning, causing cold sweat to instantly seep out from his back.

This……

Before he could react, a third sword intent, imbued with the power of the vast stars, quietly emerged, followed by a fourth innate gale sword intent that seemed to tear through the void, and then a fifth…

A series of sword intents, each with different attributes but equally sharp and incomparable, acted like invisible shackles, layering upon each other, firmly locking him in place, unable to move.

They have completely lost even the courage to look back.

Soon, a very peculiar scene unfolded on the scene.

Hou Sheng stood alone before the mysterious and complex nine-tiered altar, cold sweat streaming down his forehead like a stream.

Behind him, five Shu Mountain swordsmen—Li Yingqi, Yu Yingnan, Yan Renying, Qi Lingyun, and Qi Jinchan—had their eyes fixed on his back like swords.

Even Yu Ji, who had been sitting quietly to the side, seemed to understand something after silently observing Xu Xuan, Xiao Qing, and the five imposing swordsmen.

She quietly got up and silently walked to stand beside Li Yingqi.

Immediately integrate into the formation?

Li Yingqi thought this newcomer had some insight. He wondered about the newcomer's education level and thought it would be good to work together on a poem next time.

Well, now it has completely turned into an absurd situation of "one person working hard while six others supervise the work".

The workload and mental stress are off the charts!
This suffocating work atmosphere was so oppressive that Hou Sheng felt every minute and every second was unbearable.

Fortunately, just when things were about to collapse, Stone King, who had been relatively unknown, walked over with heavy steps and began to assist some of the rune nodes in the algorithm forum.

With the pressure eased slightly, Hou Sheng's shameless nature resurfaced.

He dared not provoke the menacing figures behind him, but he subconsciously muttered something under his breath about this stony-faced guy who had come to help, his tone tinged with resentment and impatience:

"Hey, is this rock... any good or not?"

Before he finished speaking——

A powerful and profound aura of a third-realm demon king erupted from the Stone King like an invisible mountain.

Although there was no malice, the sheer difference in power level caused Hou Sheng to stumble and almost fall to the ground.

Then, to his utter astonishment, the unique computing power of the silicon-based life form, Stone King, began to manifest.

Countless rune trajectories were deduced and analyzed with inhuman speed and precision, far exceeding the calculation efficiency of ordinary second-realm cultivators.

Looking at Shi Wang's outrageously efficient "work" and comparing it to his own, Hou Sheng was instantly filled with endless fear.

My own value... is so low!

Then he suddenly realized that if he hadn't been proficient in the secret methods of the White Lotus Sect and hadn't participated in the preparation of the Dazexiang ritual and been familiar with its intricacies, he would probably have been completely replaced by this incredibly efficient stone spirit long ago!

terrible!

This Dream Charity Society... it's like a dream!

On the other side, Xu Xuan and Xiao Qing stepped aside and chatted leisurely.

"Why did you suddenly come here?" Xu Xuan asked with a hint of teasing. "The Water Lord of Jiangnan has just ascended the throne, and you've already abandoned your post?"

Little Green King has become incredibly wicked these days, without batting an eye, and immediately starts waving the banner:

"The waterways of Jiangnan have been largely restored, and the spirits of Poyang Lake are not very fierce; Yu Bai is sufficient to guard them." "Furthermore, my trip north this time is to investigate the hydrology of Jiangbei, to conduct preliminary research for the future connection of the water systems of Jiangnan and Jiangbei, which will benefit all people!"

She defined this trip north as a legitimate "business trip," and the reason was just as high-sounding as Xu Xuan's "going north to participate in the imperial examination."

Xu Xuan: "..."

He remained silent for a moment, then could only shake his head with a wry smile: "...It's fine too."

This little monster is now a normal monster with a sound mind, skilled in deception and trickery... no, I mean, skilled in scheming and planning.

He started to have a clear understanding of what he was doing and began to show some semblance of righteousness.

So the two of them seriously discussed the situation of the two major lakes north of the Yangtze River—Hongze Lake and Chaohu Lake.

"Over at Chaohu, Gui Da has already infiltrated and begun to integrate into the local environment, and is currently gathering intelligence."

Xiaoqing reported, "It is said that there are many dragon-like monsters in the lake, as well as many remnants of local water gods appointed by previous dynasties. Their forces are complex and their relationships are intertwined."

She paused, her tone carrying a hint of confidence: "However, based on the current intelligence, without strong external assistance, the local forces of Chaohu alone should not be able to withstand the current onslaught of my Bao'an Hall."

Xu Xuan listened, but frowned slightly: "That's true, but the situation in the North is too complicated. The imperial court, the vassal kings, the righteous sects, the demonic sects, and all sorts of reclusive old monsters make the situation far more complex than in Jiangnan. It's impossible for everything to go smoothly; unexpected situations are probably the norm."

The Father even felt that the northern lands seemed to have collectively "gone mad".

You can stumble upon giant dungeons wherever you go; the emperors, generals, heroes, and powerful figures buried in the ground might suddenly jump out and show off at any moment.

We still need to be more careful.

As for the situation at Hongze Lake
The situation there was not complicated to begin with, and now it's even simpler than it gets.

Any spirit or monster in the lake with even a little bit of magical power would have been terrified and fled as soon as they sensed the awakening of that terrifying being deep in the Huai River.

Some fled directly into the East China Sea, while others escaped to other large lakes to avoid disaster. Only a few ran south, since there was the Azure Demon King in the south, who was said to have caused a bloodbath, so it wasn't necessarily much safer there.

The situation at Hongze Lake is becoming increasingly simple, yet it's proving even more difficult to manage.

The reason is simple: the "white-haired monkey" locked deep within the Huai River's eye remains an insurmountable mountain standing between Hongze Lake and the entire Huai-Si River system.

If you can't get over this mountain, you can forget about truly getting your hands on the power over this body of water.

If the five water lords could gather together, their power and fortune would be comparable to those of the ancient "Four Rivers" such as the Ji River and the Huai River.

If you want to wear a crown, you must bear its weight.

To attain such a high position, it is only natural to undergo the ultimate test.

The best opportunity will be to arrange a fight a year later on the Huai River.

Upon hearing this, Xiaoqing showed no fear whatsoever; instead, she wore an expression that said, "That's how it should be."

They didn't find it hard to understand what was so incomprehensible about fighting a powerful demon that could stir up trouble in ancient times and had a notorious reputation.

They didn't even show any surprise at the length of this "one-year agreement".

"A year...that's enough."

After all, in her opinion, a whole year was enough time for this perverted man surnamed Xu to evolve several more times.

Moreover, given this guy's endless tricks, unfathomable thoughts, and almost nonexistent moral bottom line, the "fight" a year from now will definitely not be a simple head-on confrontation.

What about "paying tribute to Yu the Great's sealing achievements," what about "respecting the wisdom of our ancestors," what about "warfare is based on deception," what about "those who follow the right path receive much help, while those who stray from it receive little help"...

These kinds of high-sounding tricks will definitely be used in countless creative ways.

At that time, who knows how many "righteous armies to exterminate the ancient demons" gathered together for various reasons will appear on the banks of the Huai River.

As for the enemy, it is the Huai River Calamity Lord, who transcends the realm of mortals and is a terrifying being capable of unleashing towering waves and submerging thousands of miles of fertile land with a mere thought...

"It is precisely because it is so terrifying and so powerful that it is all the more worthwhile to challenge!"

Instead of fear, Xiaoqing felt a surge of violent passion and fighting spirit.

She even felt a little annoyed, regretting that it wasn't her who stood by Xu Xuan's side and faced Wuzhiqi that day at the Yuwang Palace.

Otherwise, we must show that arrogant Huaihe River Water Lord what a Jiangnan Water Lord is like!

"You must take me with you a year from now!" Xiaoqing stared at Xu Xuan, her tone resolute and brooking no refusal.

Xu Xuan nodded solemnly: "Of course."

He never considered not taking Xiaoqing with him.

The relationship between the two had long been forged into a comradeship that transcended ordinary emotions through repeated life-and-death adventures and fighting side by side.

There is absolutely no tragic scenario of "the enemy is too strong, you go first, I'll cover the rear."

Only the most thrilling stories of "The enemy is too strong? Then let's all go together!"

(End of this chapter)