All Heavens: A Role-Playing System Starting from Tianlong

Chapter 126 Target, Shaoshi Mountain

Before long, Duan Yanqing led the disciples of the nine divisions of Lingjiu Palace out of the mountain one after another.

Although these women wore various colored clothes, they moved in an orderly manner, quickly forming ranks under Duan Yanqing's command and joining the army below the mountain.

Despite their large numbers, they made no noise whatsoever; only the rustling of their clothes and the soft sound of their footsteps could be heard, indicating that they were well-trained.

While some of the heroes were martial arts forces encountered along the way from Tianshan to Henan, most were sects and gangs from all over the country, each with their own agenda.

Upon seeing this sect composed entirely of women, everyone marveled and began to whisper among themselves.

"Goodness, so many women—are they all martial arts practitioners?" "What schools or sects do these women belong to? Does anyone recognize them?"

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"Who cares? They're not on our side anyway."

Zhang Cheng ignored the idle gossip. After the Lingjiu Palace disciples and the army had reunited, he waved his hand and said, "Let's go."

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With the order given, the 50,000-strong army, its vanguard becoming the rearguard, slowly turned and set off. Armor clanged, footsteps thundered, and dust rose.

Zhang Cheng stayed behind to oversee the rear, traveling with the Ling Palace disciples; the vanguard was led by Li Qiushui, heading towards Shaoshi Mountain. The thousands of martial artists who had been surrounded in the open were simply left behind.

The assembled heroes looked at each other, momentarily speechless.

They had assumed that the imperial court was sending troops to target them, and they were already on edge, with some even secretly plotting their escape.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Cheng left with his men without giving a single word of explanation.

"This... they're leaving already?" a young man holding a long sword asked, stunned.

"Could it be that the imperial court isn't really after us?" a tall, thin man chimed in. "Then what do we do? Just stand here like this?"

A voice suddenly rang out from the crowd: "Since we're here, why don't we go and take a look? Otherwise, wouldn't we have made a wasted trip?"

Many people nodded in agreement upon hearing this.

Yes, we've come all this way; it wouldn't look good if we just slunk back like this. Besides, with so many people present, the law doesn't punish everyone; the court won't arrest everyone.

Furthermore, although the "demon-exorcising conference" has changed location and case, it sounds even more intriguing. What kind of old case could warrant such a grand mobilization?

So, the scattered martial arts practitioners began to move, following behind the main force, forming a long, winding dragon. They dared not get too close, only trailing far behind at the back of the line.

After traveling several miles, Zhang Cheng, with his exceptional hearing, faintly heard a commotion coming from the direction of the vanguard. The sound was initially faint, but then grew louder and louder, as if people were arguing, interspersed with the clanging of weapons being drawn.

Zhang Cheng frowned slightly, turned his head and instructed the commander of the Palace Guard beside him: "Stabilize the rear guard and do not move without permission." After saying that, he spurred his horse and galloped forward.

When the soldiers along the way saw him coming, they all reined in their horses and made way for him.

At the front of the army, two groups of people are facing each other.

On one side were the Imperial Guards of the Palace Guard, their armor neatly fitted, their ranks orderly, and their menacing aura overwhelming.

On the other side was a group of martial arts practitioners dressed in various styles and armed with all sorts of weapons, numbering about one or two thousand. Although their formation was loose, each of them had fierce eyes and an aggressive aura, confronting the Imperial Guards from several feet away.

At the front of the Imperial Guards' formation, a general was sternly demanding, "Who are you? How dare you charge into the army's ranks! Take another step forward, and you will be killed without mercy!"

The archers behind him also coordinated, drawing their bows and nocking arrows, their gleaming arrows aimed at the front.

Zhang Cheng immediately recognized that this group of people belonged to the Thirty-Six Caves and Seventy-Two Islands.

After removing the Life and Death Talisman from the Valley of the Deaf and Mute, these people were supposed to return to their respective sects. Unexpectedly, halfway there, they heard that the "demon" to be defeated at the Demon Extermination Assembly was actually at Drumming Mountain.

Grateful that Zhang Cheng had relieved them of the suffering caused by the Life-and-Death Talisman, and fearing that their benefactor might be in trouble, they all turned back to offer their assistance.

On the way, they happened to encounter disciples from the Haotian and Youtian branches of the Lingjiu Palace who were out gathering intelligence. The two sides joined forces and arrived together.

Although their numbers were smaller than the main army, they included sects like the Shennong Gang, who were skilled in using poison. If a fight broke out, they would pose a great threat to the ordinary soldiers in the army.

Therefore, they showed no fear in the face of the army blocking their way. Instead, they subtly formed a battle formation and confronted the Imperial Guard head-on.

Seeing that the two sides were about to fight, Zhang Cheng rode forward and shouted in a deep voice, "Stop!"

Both sides turned to look at the sound.

Upon recognizing Zhang Cheng as the man on horseback, the group of cave lords and island lords at the head of the group were overjoyed. They all knelt on one knee, clasped their hands in salute, and said in unison, "Young Master! We heard that someone was trying to make things difficult for you, so we came to help you."

The disciples behind them also knelt down one after another, forming a dense, dark mass of kneeling figures, creating a rather spectacular scene.

Zhang Cheng raised his hand to help them up, using his inner strength to lift them all up: "Get up, everyone. You've all been very kind."

These officers and soldiers are all our own people. Please make way for them and then go to the back of the column to meet up with the Lingjiu Palace disciples and await further instructions.

Upon hearing this, the cave masters and island lords immediately bowed and replied, "Yes!" They then turned around and ordered their disciples to make way.

Although the Imperial Guard general standing to the side was secretly puzzled by the title "Young Master," the imperial edict and the token were verified to be correct, and Zhang Cheng's identity was beyond doubt. So he swallowed his doubts, silently waved his hand, and signaled his soldiers to put away their weapons and form ranks.

The 50,000-strong army slowly began to move again, continuing their journey. The forces from the nine divisions of Lingjiu Palace and the thirty-six caves and seventy-two islands, numbering nearly three thousand, trailed at the rear of the column.

The martial arts practitioners who came to participate in the demon-slaying conference were scattered at the back, in small groups of three or five, following the main army at a distance.

The group marched in a grand procession towards Shaoshi Mountain, stretching for miles and creating a magnificent sight.

Zhang Cheng rode at the head of the procession. Li Qiushui, who had been stationed in the central command, rode up to his side.

She was dressed in full armor, with a plain white cloak over it, her black hair tied up. She looked at Zhang Cheng with a smile and transmitted her voice, "The sect leader certainly knows how to win people's hearts. These people heard that you were in trouble and came from afar to help you. It's clear that they are truly loyal to you."

Zhang Cheng shook his head and replied telepathically, "It's not that I'm good at winning people's hearts, it's just that these people were tormented too much by Sister Wu before. Now that the life-and-death talisman has been lifted, they naturally appreciate this kindness."

As the two were talking, a slight commotion suddenly came from the army formation behind them.

A red figure flashed out like the wind, leaping among the soldiers in a few bounds before arriving in front. The old woman used her lightness skill to land gracefully behind Li Qiushui, sharing a horse with her.

Upon seeing this, the soldiers of the Palace Guard behind them all drew their swords, ready to strike, but Zhang Cheng raised his hand to stop them: "It's alright, we're all on the same side."

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