67: Chapter 67 Crimson Summoning, Demonic Tide Approaches

That line of dark red was not the glow of dawn.

It seeped out from beneath the sea surface, as if a furnace submerged in the deep sea had been uncovered.

The emergency bell rang, one toll after another.

Each toll was pressed extremely low; by the time it reached Blue Moon Island, it had been torn hoarse by the sea breeze, yet the sense of military command within it remained undiminished.

Lu Changyuan listened for only three tolls before closing the map of the array formation.

"Light the lanterns of the Lords Mansion."

The stone lanterns outside the Lords Mansion lit up one by one.

Leng Feng arrived first.

He still carried the dampness of his outer patrol, and the edges of his armor plates were coated with a thin layer of black ash, clearly having just returned from the sea.

Lu Hu followed close behind.

Then came Su Qingli, Shi Jian, and the stewards of the Talisman Room, Workshop, and Spirit Plant Garden.

After everyone entered, no one asked what had happened.

That streak of dark red still hung outside the window.

For the Zhenhai Army's emergency bell to travel hundreds of miles across the sea to reach Blue Moon Island, it could not be a simple case of sea beasts crossing the border.

Leng Feng placed a dripping wet communication talisman on the table.

"The outer patrol intercepted this thirty-seven miles to the southeast; the Zhenhai Army's outpost has been breached."

There was blood on the communication talisman.

Only half of the talisman runes remained, yet they could still barely display a few lines of text.

The outer defense line of Red Flame Island has fallen.

Three sea-sealing buoys have been corrupted.

A swarm of semi-demonic sea beasts is gathering towards the Zhenhai Fortress.

The garrison of each island must not leave their respective islands without authorization.

Await the Blood-Red Summoning Order.

As the last few words appeared, the talisman paper burned into ashes on its own.

The room fell silent for a moment.

Lu Hu bared his teeth, suppressing the ferocity in his eyes.

"It has finally come."

Su Qingli did not look at him, but only at Lu Changyuan.

"The island defense ledgers were only reconciled last night. The purification powder, spirit-suppressing sand, thunder-patterned talisman paper, and Evil-warding Talismans have already been distributed along the four lines of city defense, outer patrol, array formations, and the Workshop. The new citizens have only completed their initial registration and cannot immediately be sent to the front lines."

She spoke quickly.

Without any unnecessary emotion.

"The Spirit Plant Garden's Thunder Bamboo Garden is sealed and operating normally, and Ye Zhe remains inside. The devil-cleansing thunder bamboo can only be used for small-scale experiments; we cannot disturb the roots, nor can we deplete the samples."

Lu Changyuan nodded.

"Do not disturb them."

As these words fell, the shoulders of several stewards relaxed slightly.

What they feared was not the war.

They feared that the Lords Mansion, for the sake of the immediate war, would dig up the newly planted roots to burn them.

Leng Feng took out a second communication talisman.

This one came from Black Reef Island.

Patriarch Zhao's message was a step slower than the Zhenhai Army's, yet it sounded more like a merchant.

It contained only two matters.

First, the Xingyan Grand Market has already closed off three main streets; the prices for Evil-warding, purification, and spirit-suppressing supplies are changing three times a day, and the most critical items have skyrocketed in price.

Second, the several merchant firms that previously mocked Blue Moon Island for loading warehouse stock onto ships are now scrambling to find intermediaries to purchase them overnight.

At the end of the communication talisman, Patriarch Zhao did not state a specific number of Spirit Stones, leaving only one sentence.

"If the Fifth Young Master is willing to release a small batch of goods back to Xingyan, the Zhao family can collect the payments on your behalf and also shield you from the infamy."

After hearing this, Lu Hu laughed out loud on the spot.

"These people really dare to ask."

Shi Jian's face also turned a bit flushed.

He had personally moved those warehouse materials.

At the time, many Loose Cultivators stared at their ships, their eyes filled with the look of watching fools.

Now that the demon tide has arrived, the fools have become the ones with the advantage.

Lu Changyuan did not laugh.

"Reply to Patriarch Zhao: Blue Moon Island will not dump its main warehouse stock."

Su Qingli glanced at him.

Lu Changyuan continued: "Only release a small batch of old talisman paper, spirit-suppressing sand, and purification powder that will not affect the city's defense. The price shall be at the wartime market rate; no credit, no debt, and no trading for empty promises."

"Use half of the Spirit Stones obtained to buy grain, and the other half to buy arrowheads, armor plates, and array base consumables."

He raised his hand and tapped on the table.

"This is not the time to get rich."

"It is about exchanging things others are unprepared for into things that will keep Blue Moon Island alive."

The several stewards in the room lowered their heads in unison.

This sentence dispelled the last bit of restlessness in their hearts.

If they only heard about the rising prices, everyone would be blinded by greed.

But after being blinded, once the warehouse was emptied, if the demon tide truly reached the island, it would be their own people who died.

Before dawn the next day, the Blood-Red Summoning Order arrived.

It was not a transmission.

It was a military command arrow that flew out from the Zhenhai Fortress.

When the military command arrow pierced through the outer array mist of Blue Moon Island and hovered above the Lords Mansion, the blood-red patterns on the arrow shaft were still burning.

The Zhenhai General's Mansion Order:

Lu Changyuan of Blue Moon Island, who governs newly expanded lands in the Outer Sea, possesses the Sword Ray Cavalry, stores anti-demon supplies, and has repeatedly slain semi-demonic sea beasts in the past three months, has the merit of defending the land.

Now that the Red Flame outer line has been breached, the Zhenhai Fortress is activating wartime military registration effective immediately.

Summon Lu Changyuan to lead all combat-capable troops into the Zhenhai Fortress to await deployment at the front lines.

Failure to arrive within three days will be treated as a violation of military orders.

As the last word of the military command arrow fell, the smell of scorched blood could be smelled throughout the front of the Lords Mansion.

Lu Hu looked up at the arrow; there was no fear in his eyes, but rather the excitement of being called upon.

Leng Feng, however, frowned.

"They know about the Sword Ray Cavalry."

"They saw it over in Xingyan; it cannot be hidden," Lu Changyuan said.

Leng Feng's voice lowered.

"If you take them all, the Blue Moon Island outer patrol will be empty."

"It will not be completely empty."

Lu Changyuan had long been waiting for this moment.

He had Su Qingli unfold the island defense map.

The Blue Moon Island main city, Pier, Spirit Plant Garden, Workshop, outer reef, and three watchtowers lit up one by one.

"Su Qingli will remain behind to oversee the array affairs, Workshop, population settlement, and material ledgers."

"Senior Luo is recuperating on Qixia Peak and is not counted as a garrison general, but the thirty miles before Qixia Peak is the final bottom line. Without my orders, she must not be used as a daily deterrent."

"Leng Feng will remain on the island."

Leng Feng's brows twitched.

Lu Changyuan did not give him a chance to speak.

"You staying on the island is more important than going to the front lines with me."

"The new citizens are not yet stable, the outer patrol needs to be reorganized, the Workshop needs protection, the Thunder Bamboo Garden needs watching, and the Zhao family's trade route must be guarded against those who might take advantage of the chaos."

"What I want to take out is a troop capable of making a name for itself, not to hollow out the bones of Blue Moon Island."

Leng Feng was silent for a moment, then cupped his hands.

"This subordinate obeys."

Lu Hu stood up straight.

"Am I going?"

"You are going."

Lu Changyuan pointed to another military roster.

"Fifty Sword Ray Cavalry, under your command. Each person carries three days of rations, two Evil-warding Talismans, and one portion of purification powder. Do not remove the Cold Iron light armor; only attach the spirit-suppressing talisman stickers to the chest, abdomen, and the mount's neck armor; do not cover the whole body."

Lu Hu was taken aback.

"Why? Isn't it better the thicker it is now?"

"The thicker, the slower."

Lu Changyuan said: "We are going to the Zhenhai Fortress, not setting up an array to defend the island. The Sword Ray Cavalry must let people see speed, breakthrough capability, and obedience, not wrap themselves up like warehouses."

Lu Hu grinned.

"Understood."

Shi Jian stepped forward.

"Young Master, I will go too."

Lu Changyuan looked at him.

Shi Jian did not retreat.

He knew his cultivation base was not impressive, and he knew he shouldn't interrupt in such an occasion.

But he knew even more clearly that when the Lord was not on the island, the island needed someone who had crawled up from the bottom to keep the new citizens in check; when the Lord was at the front lines, he also needed someone to let the ordinary soldiers see the rules.

Lu Changyuan looked at him for only a moment.

"You take ten accounting soldiers with you, responsible for the three ledgers of military merit, supplies, and casualties."

Shi Jian cupped his hands heavily.

"Yes!"

Su Qingli spoke last.

"What if the Zhenhai Army forcibly requisitions the Blue Moon Island main warehouse?"

Lu Changyuan said: "The military order is to draft soldiers, not to raid the warehouse."

"What if they use the front-line military supplies to pressure you?"

"Let them come to me."

Su Qingli looked at him.

Lu Changyuan placed the Lord's seal in front of her and pushed a secondary seal over.

"When I am not on the island, you are the person in charge of the three lines of accounts, arrays, and warehouse for Blue Moon Island."

"Leng Feng manages the troops, Lu Hu follows me on the expedition, and Senior Luo is not included in daily scheduling."

"Whoever wants to bypass you to move warehouse stock, make them write out the military order, their name, the purpose, and the escort personnel in full."

"If they don't write it all out, do not give it to them."

Su Qingli's fingertips rested on the secondary seal.

She did not say anything like "I will definitely not fail the mission."

She simply put the secondary seal away.

"I will make them write every single word clearly."

On this day, Blue Moon Island did not beat the victory drums, nor was there any farewell wine.

Fifty Purple Lightning Seahorses lined up in two rows outside the Pier.

The Sword Ray Cavalry's armor plates were pressed very low, and their ray wings skimmed the surface of the sea, kicking up streaks of fine electric light.

Leng Feng personally handed the cavalry formation order to Lu Hu.

"Listen to the Young Master; do not be greedy for kills."

Lu Hu took the formation order, his smile fading completely.

"I know."

Leng Feng looked at the fifty cavalrymen again.

"When you go out, what others see is not you yourselves."

"It is Blue Moon Island."

"Whoever causes chaos, I will personally strip their armor when they return."

The fifty men responded in unison.

Lu Changyuan boarded the Purple Lightning Seahorse at the very front.

Behind him, Su Qingli stood on the stone steps of the Pier.

Further away, Qixia Peak was obscured by the morning mist, revealing only a faint frost-like glow.

Lu Changyuan did not look back for too long.

He raised his hand.

"Depart."

The Sword Ray Cavalry broke out of the sea.

Fifty ray shadows skimmed across the dark red sea surface towards the Zhenhai Fortress.

And behind them, the Blue Moon Island outer protective array opened halfway for the first time in broad daylight, like an eye that had finally opened.