A Scroll of Infinite Glory

Chapter 249 Great Victory, The Visitors

With Chen Xizhen's death, the situation on the battlefield changed almost immediately.

Because people's hearts have changed, the imperial army's attitude towards taking action is no longer as resolute or confident, and the people of Liangshan will never miss such an opportunity.

Numerous figures in red, like jagged fangs, pierced deeply into the ranks of officers and soldiers, striving to completely tear apart their lines.

Guan Luoyang's attack was actually aimed at Chen Xizhen, so Wang Laozhi fought back fiercely but was almost unharmed.

However, his fighting spirit had almost disappeared. During the process of falling into the water, after stabilizing his internal magic power slightly, he transformed, and the surrounding wind and water suddenly mixed together and turned into a large cauldron.

The ancient walls of the cauldron are adorned with intricate patterns, including taotie beast designs and scenes of ancient people's sacrifices. These scenes are vividly and meticulously depicted on the cauldron, which was formed by flowing water.

The large cauldron had a lid, and Wang Laozhi hid inside, making it impossible for people to see him clearly.

Guan Luoyang's figure plummeted from the sky, shattering the large cauldron with a single stomp. From the cauldron shot out numerous golden pills the size of human heads, which shot towards the water, into the distant sky, and even towards the mountain cliffs, in various different directions.

Wang Laozhi's figure disappeared, as if his entire body had shrunk into a golden pill and vanished into thin air.

While he fled quickly, the lightning-streaked aura surrounding Guan Luoyang expanded even faster. Hundreds of bolts of lightning, like bright, swirling tentacles, instantly entangled all the golden pills, fiercely seizing and suppressing them.

Among the many pills, only one was able to resist after being locked by the electric light. It trembled violently, suddenly expanded, and dispersed the surrounding current.

The golden elixir revealed its true form: a loose, flowing Taoist robe. Wang Laozhi, wearing only the inner robe, leaped out from within and soared through the air.

The Taoist robe grew larger and larger, like a canopy stretching across Guan Luoyang's front.

Guan Luoyang reached out and grabbed it, like a whale sucking in water. The wide fabric rustled and shook, making a sound like overlapping waves. The rotating and collapsing force field violently gathered the Taoist robe into a small ball.

During this process, Guan Luoyang did not slow down at all, chasing after Wang Laozhi relentlessly, and threw the blue-purple sphere made of multiple folds of clothing at Wang Laozhi's back.

Boom!

A trail was blasted through the air, a trail that lingered for a long time.

The blue-purple sphere arrived behind Wang Laozhi, and suddenly his long hair flew wildly, the strands cutting repeatedly. The vital energy that Guan Luoyang had poured into that Taoist robe was pulverized by his hair.

These strands of hair grew longer and longer, dancing and tumbling, and even broke off from his scalp, like thousands of sword marks, winding and leaping, tearing through the sky, piercing and strangling towards Guan Luoyang behind him.

Guan Luoyang spun around like a blue dragon soaring through the sky, a violent shockwave accompanying him as he passed through the thousands of hair-like sword marks, shattering all the hairs that came near him into dust.

"The battle is not yet truly decided, yet you are relentlessly pursuing them. Aren't you afraid of causing more casualties among your men?"

After showing his full strength, Wang Laozhi would be no match for Guan Luoyang in a head-on confrontation. However, he was not a weakling like Liu Yongxi. When he was determined to escape, he used a variety of methods and was not so easy to take down.

Guan Luoyang, however, remained unmoved by his words and continued his pursuit without uttering a word.

Guan Luoyang's goal was not just to protect Liangshan; sooner or later, he would go to Bianliang.

The more troublesome Wang Laozhi became, the more determined Guan Luoyang was to kill him. Otherwise, if someone like him were to be watching him intently and helping him refine elixirs when he went to Bianliang to handle that important matter, it would truly ruin the overall situation and harm more innocent people in the world.

By this time, the two of them had already flown away from the battlefield and were about to fly out of Liangshan Marsh.

Feeling the approaching presence behind him, Wang Laozhi abandoned all hope and flicked his fingers, causing the fingernails on all ten fingers to detach from their tips and fly towards the shore.

The crystal-clear armor plates rapidly magnified in mid-air, even splitting into two, then four, then eight, and in an instant, they transformed into a full 640 thick armor plates, like 640 large shields with hidden inscriptions.

These armor plates rise from the shore and constantly shift and change positions in the air, resembling a city wall with ever-changing and wondrous shapes, and hiding the secrets of Qimen formations.

Wang Laozhi's figure burst in without hindrance, passing by in a flash.

When Guan Luoyang arrived here, he was immediately captured by the formation and fell into a strange maze. He felt that all around him, in the sky and under his feet, there were sloping surfaces, all made of lenses and crystals that could reflect facial features and beards.

The blue lightning bolts on his body struck out, hitting the mirrors and being refracted layer by layer, guiding them to the end of the tunnel somewhere unknown, and then reflecting back from other unexpected angles.

This Wang Laozhi claims that his martial arts technique is inherited from the famous Han Zhongli lineage. When he was young, he was hunting deer in Shanyin when he encountered a rainstorm. Part of the mountain collapsed, revealing an ancient cave. He risked climbing into it and obtained the secret formula left by an ancient immortal from the Han and Tang dynasties on a stone furnace.

Han Zhongli was one of the legendary Eight Immortals of Shangdong, and the magic he left behind in the human world was naturally extraordinary.

Wang Laozhi appears not to use magical weapons, but in reality, it's because his "Fire Dragon Stove Cauldron Great Method" resonates with the human body during the alchemy process, refining the most refined spiritual essence of countless precious materials into the physical body. It's as if he's treating every part of his body as an external elixir for alchemy.

Having been supported by the imperial court for so many years, Wang Laozhi's fingernails, hair, eyes, green heart and purple brain, and talismanic tendons and seal bones have all been infused with numerous precious materials, and each piece alone can be compared to the quality of an undamaged Nine Yang Divine Bell.

When actually used, it is infinitely versatile and far superior to the Nine Yang Divine Bell, which can only mobilize yang energy to set off fire.

Guan Luoyang took a deep breath, and within the maze of lenses, he brought his palms together. Between his palms, a deep blue, almost black, sphere of sword energy gradually formed. It seemed as if clouds were swirling between his palms, but in reality, every bit and every strand of it was a sword intent that seemed to want to ascend to the heavens.

As he opened his palms and offered up this sword intent, the cloud-like sword pellet grew at an alarming speed, filling every slope and tunnel around him.

The formation tried to release this power outwards by adjusting the refraction, but it was too late.

When any piece of armor came into contact with those clouds and mist, it was as if it had been struck by countless blades. As the saying goes, brute force can overcome any technique. The ingenious magic array was thus destroyed by Guan Luoyang.

Amidst the surging clouds, he leaped out of the sky, chasing for several miles before suddenly realizing something was wrong.

Wang Laozhi could no longer be seen from within sight.

Guan Luoyang hovered high in the sky, looked up at the moon, and his eyes burned with wisps of golden flames. Then he looked down and surveyed the mountains and rivers.

At the foot of the mountain, there is a small river with pebbles in the stream, wild grass on the hillside, and on the other side of the mountain, the wreckage of flying towers and chariots. Further away, there are long-abandoned villages and wild temples.

A barren field overgrown with vines and insects; fireflies slowly rising from the grass; a dozen or so shrewd merchants resting in a dilapidated house; and mules and horses parked outside.

Everything was vividly clear in his mind; even if someone were to travel underground, they would not escape Guan Luoyang's perception.

However, as he wandered through the night sky, looking around, he couldn't discern what Wang Laozhi was after.

Trees grow at an angle, extending from the bank into a section of the small river shaded by trees.

Wang Laozhi, now bald and wearing only an inner robe, sat hunched over in the mud. His hands, now bare of nails, gently caressed his lower abdomen. His deep breaths, once faint, now returned to normalcy, blending seamlessly with the surrounding mud and water.

Han Zhongli had a disciple who surpassed his master, Lü Dongbin. Lü Dongbin's "Taiyi Tiandun Sword Technique" can be described as following the way of heaven, escaping into all things, flowing through the mortal world, and the common people are unaware of it.

Although the Fire Dragon Stove Cauldron is not as good as the Taiyi Heavenly Escape, it is similar in principle and has a certain profound artistic conception of being carefree and oblivious to the world, and is extremely hidden.

He could sense that Guan Luoyang's gaze had already swept around several times, and he obviously hadn't noticed his presence.

Soon, Guan Luoyang should be searching in more distant places. At that time, Wang Laozhi will quietly choose another direction to escape, like a dragon returning to the sea or a tiger entering the mountains and forests, and will never be caught again.

He harbored this expectation, but showed it in no way.

The river water kept washing over Wang Laozhi's body. His Taoist robe was destroyed, and his inner robe was also loose and tattered from the previous battle. As the water washed over him, pages from his personal collection of books slipped out of his bosom and floated away with the current.

The formula for the Twenty-Four Elixirs of Taiqing, a supreme secret in alchemy, was about to be mixed with the silt in the river, formed from some unknown grass clippings and debris.

Old Wang could not bear it any longer and quickly reached out to grab the gold leaf.

"broken!!!!"

He suddenly awoke with a start, his mind reeling, realizing that the moment he reached out his hand, he had been exposed.

Rumbling--

A beam of azure lightning crashed down, cutting off the water flow and illuminating Wang Laozhi's face.

The battle resumed, and columns of fireworks shot straight into the sky.

In a short while, the entire river was squeezed and bent, the banks were all scorched earth, and the hillsides on both sides were cracked open with large gullies.

Two figures took flight from this spot and flew back towards Liangshan Marsh.

Guan Luoyang dragged the dying Wang Laozhi and slammed him down next to Fang La.

Fang La was in the midst of a fierce battle when he instinctively struck Wang Laozhi in the face with a palm strike. When he realized who it was, a mixture of sorrow and joy appeared in his eyes.

"Your enemies, you deal with them."

Guan Luoyang landed, crushing the already severely injured Feng Hui and the others. His figure vanished into thin air, and when he reappeared, he had taken away the Xuanhuang Hanging Ornament that Wang Tianba and the others were shaking with all their might.

Wang Tianba and his companions had already struggled immensely to fight against Lin Lingsu with this precious treasure. Suddenly, the flag vanished, and the immortal energy and white lightning above swept down with overwhelming force, causing a series of explosions and heavy casualties among the Taoist officials and sorcerers.

On a nearby multi-span ship, Lu Da and Guan Sheng were locked in fierce combat.

The crescent shovel and the Green Dragon Crescent Blade clashed together, both exerting force repeatedly, their blades intertwining and shifting up and down, making it difficult to determine who was superior.

A dark yellow banner descended from mid-air and struck Guan Sheng on the head.

Guan Sheng felt dizzy, his strength surged, and he stiffened his neck, about to shout angrily, when he saw the flag press down and knock him unconscious.

Fearing he might kill Guan Sheng before he could stop, Lu Da quickly pressed down on his crescent shovel, shoveling it into the deck. The momentum propelled him forward two steps, sending Guan Sheng flying.

"Hey! Big Boss, this guy's a real man too, I..."

"Knock them all out first."

Guan Luoyang's figure flashed in the air, his feet not touching the ground, and he was gone again.

He carried the Xuanhuang hanging ornament with great ease.

This treasure of pure Yin and utmost stillness is an unparalleled weapon for knocking someone unconscious when used to smash their head. No matter how fierce a border general is, if he fails to defend against it and is struck twice by Guan Luoyang's strength wielding this treasure, he will faint on the spot.

Lu Da realized that Guan Luoyang intended to capture these people alive. He rubbed his barren head, rolled his eyes, and then put his sharp crescent shovel behind his back. He ran over and grabbed Guan Sheng.

Huyan Zhuo was wielding two iron whips and was fiercely fighting with Li Ying.

Li Ying's five throwing knives twisted and turned in mid-air with ease, and he also had a steel spear in hand. Even with all these, they were not enough to withstand the attack.

Suddenly, Huyan Zhuo heard a heavy cough behind him. In the midst of his busy work, he glanced around and saw that it was not an enemy general, but Guan Sheng's easily recognizable jujube-shaped face. He abruptly stopped his iron whip, which he was about to use to change his move.

With a slap, Guan Sheng's head slammed into his face.

Lu Da, with Guan Sheng between his left and right arms, charged forward, his right hand poised to strike. With a single, horizontal swipe of his fist, as big as a vinegar jar, he knocked Hu Yanzhu unconscious.

With Li Ying's help, they captured Huyan Zhuo in no time.

Li Ying looked at Guan Sheng with admiration and gave Lu Da a thumbs up.

The battlefield was busy, and the two had no time to say much. They repeated the same method and took down Dong Ping, Suo Chao, and Zhang Qing.

Over there, Hu Sanniang was fighting Shi Xiu with her sword.

Li Ying and Lu Da exchanged a glance. Lu Da reluctantly put down Guan Sheng, whose forehead was already covered with several bumps, picked up his crescent shovel, and joined the battle.

After many generals were captured, some stubborn and loyal officers were also dealt with in Guanluoyang.

"Put down your weapons!!"

Guan Luoyang raised the Xuanhuang pendant, pointing it directly at the sky, and declared, "Those who surrender will not be killed!!!"

"Those who surrender will not be killed! Those who surrender will not be killed! Those who surrender will not be killed!"

The Liangshan soldiers joined in the shouts, their cries echoing across the marshland for a long time.

The imperial troops were forced to lay down their weapons, and as more and more people heard the sound of swords and spears falling to the ground, they also gave up resistance.

When Guan Luoyang began ordering the retrieval of the unconscious soldiers who had fallen into the water, all the officers and soldiers on the nineteen and a half large ships had already surrendered.

Looking at the densely packed crowd, Guan Luoyang felt a surge of joy and couldn't help but let out a long roar.

This is exactly what he wanted.

Not only should the losses of Liangshan's troops be minimized, but the losses of lower-ranking soldiers in the imperial court should also be reduced. Once these people are subdued, regardless of whether they are sincere or not, there is a way to turn them into Liangshan's strength.

These people are no longer subjects of the Song Dynasty, but they are still descendants of Yan and Huang, and will still be needed on this land.

Nestled among mountains and deserted villages.

The dozen or so burly men dressed as traveling merchants walked out of the dilapidated house.

The leader appeared to be in the prime of his life, dressed in gold and green, with thick black hair and a short beard. His eyes were slightly deep-set, suggesting he had endured the hardships of the north, and a short knife was at his waist.

He stroked the large Bodhisattva ornament carved on the scabbard, listened intently, and heard Guan Luoyang's whistle.

"A true hero, not content even after swallowing ten rhinoceroses, then roars like a dragon!"

The leader muttered to himself, a hint of certainty in his eyes.

He could already sense a greater ambition in that howling sound.

While Liangshan's victory surprised him, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Their ambition was great, their strength was formidable, and they were enemies of the Emperor of Destiny—that was good enough.

That would give them enough confidence to entice the leader of Liangshan to form an alliance with someone who was also an enemy of the Heavenly Mandate Emperor.

The leader instructed, "Pack up, count the gifts, and we'll go to Liangshan to pay our respects first thing tomorrow morning."

(End of this chapter)