With the rise of my family, I can summon the Daoist Soldiers' Nest.

The two teams joined together and marched in a grand procession towards the capital of Qingyang Prefecture.

The army in Yun County numbered about two thousand men, and the ranks of miscellaneous servants were even longer. At a glance, the proportion of armored soldiers was significantly higher than that of the army in Xiang County.

After all, Yun County has a long history of development and a profound cultural heritage. Whether it is forging techniques or material reserves, it is incomparable to Xiang County, which is just starting out.

When the army passed through Jing County, it did not stop.

Jing County, Qing County (where the prefectural city is located), and Huachi County (near the city) all belong to the Wang family's territory.

Because of their contract with the second-rate nest of the Mountain-Splitting Ox, the Wang family was appointed by the imperial court as the rulers of three counties, making them the most powerful family in Qingyang Prefecture.

However, the lord and his lair are not here, but in the prefectural city of Qing County. The main army is also stationed in Qing County, while Jing County is only managed by some members of the royal family. Defense and administration are all remotely controlled by Qing County.

As they approached the prefectural city, a messenger on horseback arrived from afar to inform them and led Lin Ye and the others to a temporary camp.

The army set up camp here, and several armies from different territories had already gathered in the camp.

Judging by the flags, one can see the flags of the Wang family of Fucheng, the Su family of Anhua County, and the Gao family of Zhenning County fluttering in the wind.

Qingyang Prefecture has a total of ten counties under its jurisdiction, and currently has six lords. Only the Wei family of Yang County has not yet arrived.

The six lords divided the eight counties. The Wang family alone controlled three counties, including the prefectural city. The other families each controlled one county, and there were two counties that were currently unclaimed.

These two counties, along with Yang County, were originally the territory of the Wei family.

However, ten years ago, the third-generation contractor of the Wei family's second-rate nest died of old age, and the nest was destroyed along with it.

Fortunately, before their annihilation, they had contracted a third-rate stronghold that could suppress a county. They had no choice but to designate Yang County as their sole territory, leaving the other two counties as unclaimed lands, which were temporarily taken over by the imperial court.

This is why the biggest fear of lords in various regions is that their own lairs will be wiped out after three generations.

Families with even a little power would constantly send out spies deep into the desolate territories to find new nests, in order to continue the family line and the inheritance of their territory.

However, according to Chen Cheng, although the Wei family lost its second-rate stronghold, it had been operating in the three counties for nearly two hundred years, and its power was enormous, with many martial artists and supporters all over the place. Therefore, although the two counties were nominally under the jurisdiction of the imperial court, in reality, the Wei family still had the final say.

However, this control is slowly weakening. The number of demonic beasts is gradually increasing, and the population is constantly being lost. Although many people have moved to Yang County, Yang County has a limited area, and many people have gone to other places. The overall strength of the Wei family is being worn down little by little.

Yang County has always been prosperous and wealthy, which is why Qingyang Prefecture was named "Qingyang".

In the past, the Wei family and the Wang family had always been at odds, both of them longing to contract a first-class nest so as to dominate Qingyang Prefecture.

This is probably why the Wei family arrived so late this time.

Upon arriving at the camp, Lin Ye entrusted Lin Jing and the others with arranging the campsite and other matters, and then went to the banquet with Liu Zhenghua.

The banquet was held inside the camp, and the Su family had already sent people to make arrangements, showing great hospitality.

As soon as Lin Ye and Chen Cheng stepped into the Su family's military camp, they noticed some Taoist soldiers carrying halberds and shields among the patrolling ranks. These were the Su family's third-rate Taoist soldiers with shields and halberds.

They are not made of flesh and blood; their bodies are more robust than those of ordinary people, with broad shoulders and thick backs, standing upright like mountains, nearly nine feet tall, with well-proportioned figures yet exuding a powerful and oppressive aura.

The armor on its body was not ordinary iron armor, but rune armor. The armor plates were dark gray to black, and the surface was covered with fine golden spirit patterns, which shone with a deep luster under the firelight.

He wore a runic helmet with an ancient design and a spiral Dao pattern cast on the top. His eyes were not transparent, but rather two vertical slits of spiritual light that emitted a cold, dark blue light, and his gaze was icy and unwavering.

The cheek guards and neck armor are integrated into one piece, engraved with defensive runes that can deflect arrows and blades; the lower half of the faceplate faintly shows a mouth-shaped pattern formed by runes, seemingly roaring silently and exuding a sense of intimidation.

He held a long halberd in his right hand. The halberd was about nine feet long, with hooks on both sides shaped like claws for predation. Daoist patterns were engraved on the tip of the halberd and the hook blades, and its sharpness contained spiritual power.

He held a round shield in his left hand, which was more than three feet in diameter and had copper runes around the edges. The shield was engraved with a military emblem and the ancient seal script character "镇" (zhen, meaning "to suppress") in the center, surrounded by concentric circles of rotating spiritual runes that could deflect spells and heavy blows.

Faint golden driving runes are faintly visible at the joints of his body. The runes occasionally light up when he moves. His steps are steady and still, heavy but not sluggish, like a moving iron wall.

It looks quite imposing, but according to Chen Cheng, although its martial prowess is decent, it is a land-based Taoist soldier, and many martial artists can replace it, so its usefulness is not great.

It's far inferior to his Crocodile Armor Submersible Guards. After all, in the water, the Crocodile Armor Submersible Guards are far more effective, and martial artists cannot replace them.

Following the directions, the two arrived at the largest tent in the military camp, where they saw Su Yuan, the head of the Su family, and Gao Ming, the head of the Gao family, already waiting at the door.

Su Yuannian was about sixty years old, with a calm face and graying temples; Gao Ming was around forty, with sharp eyes and a composed demeanor.

Two wolf-shaped Dao soldiers followed Gao Ming. Chen Cheng had mentioned before that the Gao family's contracted lair was the "Fierce Claw Wolf King," and this should be it.

They are nearly twelve feet long, about six feet tall at the shoulder, with a well-proportioned and explosive body, distinct muscle lines, and covered with thick double-layered fur.

The outer coat is dark brown to almost black, with coarse and stiff fur that can protect against thorns and cold winds; the inner coat is thick and suitable for insulation in cold environments.

Slightly arch your back, tighten your waist and abdomen, and keep your center of gravity low and stable when running.

It has a long, narrow snout, a wide mouth, and thick, sharp canines and molars that are as sharp as blades, capable of easily tearing through leather armor and wooden shields.

The limbs are strong and powerful, with the forelimbs slightly longer than the hindlimbs. The claws are large, with the tips curved like sickles. The horn is hard and can be firmly embedded in the ground like a pile foundation. The hindlimb muscles are particularly well-developed, and the explosive power of pushing off the ground is amazing.

With a broad, straight back, thick muscles, and strong bones beneath its fur, it can charge independently or be ridden by warriors.

According to Chen Cheng, among the several Taoist families in the vicinity, the Fierce Claw Wolf King of the Gao family is considered one of the more powerful.

Because it was rideable, the Gao family used it to form a wolf cavalry, consisting of third-rate warriors and fierce-clawed wolf kings. Ordinary cavalrymen were no match for it.

The Gao family had been the lords for just over twenty years.

More than 20 years ago, Gao Ming's father was a second-rate martial artist. He went on a campaign against the Northern Xiongnu with the Northern Han court. By chance, he discovered and contracted the lair of the Fierce Claw Wolf, but was seriously injured.

He barely returned to his hometown and was then appointed lord. He held the position for two years before passing away, and was succeeded by his son, Gao Ming.

The four men entered the tent and drank and chatted happily.

Neither the Wang nor the Wei family were present at the banquet. Compared to these two behemoths, the four families were considered small clans, and there was a subtle sense of being looked down upon.

Therefore, there is a certain degree of alliance between the four parties.

This gathering was not only to strengthen ties, but also to discuss the next steps in regional division and combat support, so as to avoid being suppressed or isolated by the other two factions during recruitment and suppression.