296: Chapter 295 Fiery Alliance

The hooves of the Thousand-Mile Camel trod upon the crimson soil, producing a dull thudding sound.

Jiang Hanzhou sat atop the camel's back, watching the land beneath him change bit by bit.

Three days ago, behind him was still the boundless yellow sands of the Western Desert, where wind-whipped grains of sand struck his face like tiny blades.

Now, the yellow sands had receded, replaced by a landscape of crimson red.

That red was not the lingering glow of the setting sun, but the color of the soil itself, looking as if it had been scorched by fierce flames or soaked in fresh blood.

The dry, sweltering aura in the air gradually dissipated, replaced by a searing heat carrying the scent of sulfur.

The smell was pungent and intense; with every breath, he could feel his nasal passages burning, his throat parched, and his lungs feeling as if they were blocked by something.

He activated the ice soul jade talisman, and a sliver of coolness welled out from the jade talisman, isolating that sulfurous smell from his body.

He had arrived at the Southern Border.

Volcanoes were numerous here, with large and small volcanoes dotting the entire region; some were still erupting, with thick smoke rolling and firelight piercing the sky, while others were dormant, their craters covered in heat-resistant shrubs and moss.

The crimson soil was mixed with black volcanic ash, feeling soft and scalding when stepped upon.

Vegetation was sparse, with only clusters of short shrubs and tenaciously growing weeds visible in places where volcanic ash had accumulated.

However, this place was rich in various fire-attribute medicinal herbs and Ores—Blazing Flame Grass, Fire Lingzhi, Lava Refined Iron, and Earth Fire Profound Stone—each one a treasure dreamed of by Alchemists and weapon forgers across the world.

On both sides of the official road, the figures of herb gatherers and miners could occasionally be seen.

Most wore heat-resistant leather armor with cloth veils covering their faces, carrying bamboo or Ore baskets as they moved through the volcanic rocks.

Seeing Jiang Hanzhou riding the camel, they cast wary glances and then quickly lowered their heads, quickening their pace to leave.

The situation in the Southern Border was unstable; lone travelers were often either hunters or prey, and no one was willing to take a second look.

On the afternoon of the third day, the sun hung high overhead, baking the crimson earth until it was scalding hot.

Jiang Hanzhou's camel began to grow restless; it lowered its head, snorting heavily, and its steps became hesitant.

He patted the camel's neck to soothe its emotions while spreading his Divine Sense outward, perceiving the auras within a hundred-zhang radius.

Ahead, at a bend in the official road, the faint sound of metal clashing and human screams drifted over. The sounds were intermittent, as if scattered by the wind or being deliberately suppressed. His brow furrowed slightly as he tied the camel to a rock by the roadside, then his figure flickered as he activated the Wave-Treading Step to its limit, silently moving toward the source of the noise.

At the bend in the official road, a shattered carriage lay across the center of the path. The carriage's cabin had been split in two, wood chips were scattered everywhere, the axle was broken, and two wheels had rolled into the ditch by the road. The horse pulling the carriage lay in a pool of blood with a bone-deep saber wound on its neck; blood was still gurgling out, staining the crimson soil a dark black.

Around the carriage, over a dozen corpses lay in various states. All were dressed in the same grey martial attire, with Yanhuo Valley tokens hanging at their waists and standard iron sabers in their hands. Some corpses had their chests pierced, some had their heads severed, and some had been burned to charcoal. Blood converged into streams on the crimson earth, evaporating under the fierce sun; the air was thick with the nauseating mixture of bloody and sulfurous scents.

Goods were scattered everywhere—medicinal herbs, Ores—and several overturned crates were empty, containing only scraps of cloth and straw. Clearly, the merchant caravan had been ambushed and the goods plundered.

But there were still survivors.

Three Cultivators wielding fire blades surrounded a youth of fifteen or sixteen. The youth wore the attire of a Yanhuo Valley Outer Sect Disciple; the left sleeve of his grey robe had been torn away, revealing a blood-drenched arm. His face was covered in blood and filth, and blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, but he held a brocade box tightly in his arms. The box was entirely crimson, its surface engraved with fine flame runes that shimmered slightly in the sunlight. His gaze was stubborn and resolute, like a small beast driven into a corner—knowing death was certain, yet refusing to bow his head.

The three Cultivators wore dark red robes with a pattern of crossed flames and sabers embroidered on the hems, the symbol of the Liehuo Alliance. The leading Cultivator was burly with a hideous face, a scar extending from his left forehead to his right cheek; he held an entirely crimson fire blade with a scorching light flowing over the edge. His cultivation was at the Early Stage of the Soul Condensation Realm, while the two subordinates behind him were at the Peak of the Blood Expansion Realm.

"Hand over the fire spirit crystal, and I'll spare your life," the leading Cultivator sneered, pointing the fire blade at the youth's throat. The heat waves from the blade scorched the youth's hair until it curled, emitting a burnt smell.

The youth clenched his teeth and held the brocade box even tighter, his voice raspy yet firm: "This is something the Young Valley Master wants. Even if I die, I won't give it to you."

"Then die."

An flash of impatience crossed the leading Cultivator's eyes as he swung his saber. The fire blade traced a crimson arc through the air, carrying a scorching saber wind aimed directly at the youth's head.

Jiang Hanzhou moved.

He had no time to hesitate, nor did he need to. The tiger soul saber unsheathed from his back, its dark-golden patterns erupting with a blinding light under the fierce sun. He activated the Metal Sharpness True Intent and struck out with a single slash; the saber light was dark-golden, accurately striking that fire blade.

*Crack.*

The fire blade snapped. The crimson blade body broke from the middle; the front half flew into the air, spinning before landing on the ground and piercing the crimson soil with a sizzling sound. The back half was still held by the Cultivator, the runes on the hilt flickering violently before dimming.

The Cultivator's body was sent flying by the massive impact, crashing heavily onto the ground a zhang away and spitting out a mouthful of blood. His eyes were filled with horror as he struggled to stand, but his chest felt as if it were pressed by a thousand-jin boulder, every breath accompanied by piercing pain.

The remaining two Cultivators' expressions changed drastically, and they turned to flee. Jiang Hanzhou gave a cold snort as the tiger soul saber swept out in a horizontal slash, a crescent-shaped golden sharp saber light flashing past. The two men's bodies froze in the light and then slowly collapsed, a fine line of blood appearing simultaneously on their necks. Blood surged from the lines, staining the crimson soil even deeper.

Within three breaths, three Liehuo Alliance Cultivators were left with two dead and one injured.

The Cultivator who had been sent flying struggled to crawl up, pulling a crimson jade talisman from his bosom to crush it for reinforcements. Jiang Hanzhou's figure flickered, his Wave-Treading Step leaving a trail of shallow footprints on the crimson soil as he instantly appeared before him. The tiger soul saber pressed against his throat, the tip piercing the skin as a trickle of blood ran down the blade.

"How many more people from the Liehuo Alliance are nearby?" Jiang Hanzhou's voice was calm, yet it contained an unquestionable killing intent.

The Cultivator's face was pale, his lips trembling: "Not... not many, just our squad. We were ordered by the Hall Master to ambush the Yanhuo Valley caravan. The Hall Master is waiting for our return at a stronghold thirty li away."

Jiang Hanzhou raised his left hand and delivered a chop to the side of the Cultivator's neck; the man's body went limp as he collapsed unconscious. He took a restraining ring from his sumeru pouch, fitted it onto the Cultivator's wrist, then stood up, sheathed his saber, and walked over to the youth.

The youth sat on the ground, clutching the brocade box and leaning against the wreckage of the carriage, his legs weak. His body was trembling, whether from fear or the relief of surviving a disaster. Tears were welling in his eyes, but he bit his lip hard to keep them from falling. Seeing Jiang Hanzhou approach, he hurriedly struggled to stand, but his knees buckled, and he nearly fell again.

"Thank you, Senior, for saving my life," the youth's voice was raspy and tearful. "Junior is Lin Xiaohuo, an Outer Sect Disciple of Yanhuo Valley. I was ordered by the Young Valley Master to go to Crimson Fire City to procure fire spirit crystals, but I didn't expect to encounter bandits from the Liehuo Alliance. If Senior hadn't stepped in, I'm afraid..."

He lowered his head, looking at the crimson brocade box in his arms, his fingertips trembling slightly. The flame runes on the box were still flowing, reflecting a warm light under the sun's radiance.

Jiang Hanzhou crouched down, took out a healing Medicinal Pill and a roll of gauze from his sumeru pouch, and handed them to Lin Xiaohuo: "Tend to your wounds first. The Liehuo Alliance won't have sent just this one squad; we must leave here as soon as possible."

Lin Xiaohuo took the pill and gauze, thanking him repeatedly. He tore away the blood-soaked sleeve, revealing the bone-deep saber wound on his left arm. The flesh at the wound was mangled and blood was still seeping out, with the white bone faintly visible beneath. He chewed the pill and applied it to the wound, then wrapped it layer by layer with the gauze. The pill's effects were rapid; the bleeding gradually stopped, and the pain lessened significantly.

He gritted his teeth and tied the gauze tight, then looked up at Jiang Hanzhou. Jiang Hanzhou noticed his gaze linger on the tiger soul saber for a moment, a flash of doubt in his eyes that was quickly replaced by gratitude.

"Is Senior also going to Yanhuo Valley?" Lin Xiaohuo asked, his voice still a bit weak. "Currently, the area outside the valley is crawling with Liehuo Alliance people; it's too dangerous for you to travel alone. The Young Valley Master sent a reinforcement team behind us; they should arrive by tonight. Why don't we wait for them and go together?"

Jiang Hanzhou thought for a moment and nodded. He happened to need a guide to understand the current situation of Yanhuo Valley, and as an Outer Sect Disciple, Lin Xiaohuo should know far more than an outsider. Moreover, since the Liehuo Alliance was hunting Yanhuo Valley people, it meant the conflict between the two had reached a fever pitch. He needed more information to locate the core of the teleportation formation after entering Yanhuo Valley.

"Fine. I'll wait for the reinforcement team with you." Jiang Hanzhou dragged the unconscious Liehuo Alliance Cultivator to the roadside, tied him to a tree trunk with a rope, and then found a relatively clean spot by the carriage wreckage to sit. The tiger soul saber lay across his knees, its dark-golden patterns shimmering slightly in the sunlight as if alert to any movement in the surroundings.

Lin Xiaohuo sat opposite him, placed the brocade box beside him, and took a water skin from his bosom to take two sips. His face was still somewhat pale, but his spirits were better than before. He stole glances at Jiang Hanzhou, his eyes lingering on the tiger soul saber for a long time before he finally couldn't help but speak.

"Senior, your saber... is so powerful. It broke the Liehuo Alliance's fire blade in one strike. That fire blade was a thousand-forged weapon; we Outer Sect Disciples of Yanhuo Valley can't even dream of touching one."

His eyes were full of envy and admiration.

Jiang Hanzhou didn't answer, only giving a faint smile: "Your cultivation is at the Late Stage of the Qi Accumulation Realm; it wasn't easy for you to hold out against those three Cultivators until I acted. Are all Yanhuo Valley Outer Sect Disciples as resilient as you?"

Lin Xiaohuo scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed: "It's not that I'm resilient, but the Young Valley Master instructed that the fire spirit crystals are related to a major matter in the valley and that I must protect them. My life was given to me by Yanhuo Valley; even if I have to risk it, I can't let the Liehuo Alliance take the items."

He paused, a flash of sadness in his eyes: "Unfortunately, the Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters who came out with me are all dead. They all died to protect me..."

He lowered his head, his hands clutching the hem of his clothes until his knuckles turned white from the force. Tears finally fell from his eyes, dripping onto the crimson soil and evaporating instantly.

Jiang Hanzhou was silent for a moment before speaking: "What is the background of the Liehuo Alliance? I heard of them in the Western Desert, but I don't know much."

Lin Xiaohuo wiped his tears and took a deep breath to steady his emotions. He looked up at Jiang Hanzhou, his eyes filled with hatred.

"The Liehuo Alliance is an evil Cultivator force that has risen in the Southern Border in recent years. Their leader is a man named Lie Wuyan, whose cultivation has reportedly reached the Peak of the Dragon-Elephant Intersection Realm; he is ruthless and kills without mercy. They specifically plunder resources from various sects in the Southern Border, capture Cultivators to practice evil arts, and covet our Yanhuo Valley's earth fire spiritual vein. In the past six months, they've attacked over a dozen of our caravans, killed dozens of Outer Sect Disciples, and even incited several deacons in the valley to defect. The Young Valley Master says the Liehuo Alliance is supported by a mysterious force behind them; otherwise, they couldn't have grown so large in just a few years."

Jiang Hanzhou's brow twitched slightly. Liehuo Alliance, evil Cultivator force, Peak of the Dragon-Elephant Intersection Realm, supported by a mysterious force. This information vaguely corresponded to what he had seen in Yi Qianfan's letter. The Valley Master of Yanhuo Valley, Li Tianxing, was a pawn of the Dragon Slaying True Person—was the Liehuo Alliance also one of the Dragon Slaying True Person's forces? Or was there some collusion between the Liehuo Alliance and Li Tianxing?

He did not voice his suspicions, only nodding and committing the information to memory.

At sunset, the western horizon was dyed orange-red by the evening clouds. The crimson earth became even deeper in the twilight, looking like congealed blood. The distant craters were still emitting thick smoke, which appeared dark red in the sunset, merging with the sky.

From the end of the official road came the sound of horse hooves. It wasn't just one horse, but the sound of over a dozen horses running simultaneously, their hooves striking the crimson soil with a dull, rhythmic thud.

Lin Xiaohuo stood up, standing on tiptoe to look toward the source of the sound, a smile of relief appearing on his face: "It's the reinforcement team! The Young Valley Master has come in person!"

Jiang Hanzhou stood up, his right hand resting on the hilt of the tiger soul saber, his gaze scanning the end of the official road. In the twilight, over a dozen fiery-red steeds galloped toward them, ridden by Yanhuo Valley Disciples in grey martial attire with iron sabers at their waists and longbows on their backs. Leading them was a young woman riding a pure white steed, its silver-white mane fluttering in the wind.