130: Build roads through mountains and bridge over cliffs

“Caw!”

“Caw!”

The night was thick, and the moon was obscured by dark clouds, revealing only a sliver of light.

Six hundred li northwest of Qingshan County, in a mountainous swamp, the land was desolate and treacherous. Twisted branches, like menacing ghosts, stretched their claws, and thick, Dragon-like vines covered the swamp, giving the ghostly tree branches a grotesque appearance.

Bubbles continuously swelled in the swamp, and when a bubble popped with a “pop,” wisps of mist drifted out. It was clearly visible that the entire mountain forest was enveloped in a eerie blue miasma.

At this moment, in the distance to the southeast, for reasons unknown, a large flock of birds took flight.

Each bird, in a frantic rush, plunged into this mountainous swamp. They hadn't flown far before they plummeted.

Now, the previously calm swamp was like a drop of water falling into boiling oil; it instantly erupted.

Long, slender black tongues, like sharp swords, whizzed through the air, dragging their prey into the water.

Lizard-like monsters also emerged.

About two meters long, with slender bodies covered in green scales, their eerie green eyes covered by a thin membrane, and sharp claws that easily tore apart any prey that ventured into the swamp.

They were excitedly slaughtering the intruding prey, staining the swamp with a hint of blood.

Just then, a rumbling sound of horses running through the mountains came from the distance.

From deep within the swamp, a sharp, drumming sound, like metal rubbing against metal, also emanated.

At this, the lizard monsters, who had been slaughtering their prey, seemed to receive some message. Two bulges appeared near their long, pointed heads, emitting a buzzing sound sharper than a frog's croak.

The next second, all the lizard monsters stopped their actions and sank into the swamp water.

The swamp quickly returned to calm, with a chilling killing intent hidden beneath the surface.

Not long after, the distant rumbling grew closer.

The neighing of horses and the metallic clanking of armor approached from afar, becoming clearer in the night.

Under the cover of darkness, three exotic horses led the way, forming a triangular formation, galloping through the mountain forest, roaring like the wind, as if on flat ground.

Above them, three Black Armored Soldiers, clad in cold iron armor, with sword-like gazes, galloped their horses, their three black-and-gold-edged flags fluttering behind them.

As they neared the swamp, the three Black Armored Soldiers saw the eerie mist not far away. Their eyes sharpened, but their horses did not stop, charging forward at full speed.

As they leaped on their horses, three whooshing sounds appeared simultaneously.

With a “swish,” the three flags behind the Black Armored Soldiers flew out at the same time, expanding against the wind to about ten feet in length, their golden edges beginning to shimmer.

The three Black Armored Soldiers almost simultaneously gripped their flagpoles and violently waved them towards the nearby swamp.

“Fire!”

The three flags immediately hummed, and scarlet flames rolled up on the banners, transforming into three fire Dragon-like whirlwinds, each about ten feet thick, roaring towards a specific spot in the swamp.

The three fire Dragons, carrying intense heat, roared away, instantly engulfing the eerie blue poisonous miasma and the twisted branches and vines, carving out a fiery path about ten zhang wide.

The horses did not stop for a moment, charging straight in.

Closely following, a torrent of chilling iron armor rushed into the path cleared by the great fire, quickly speeding away.

Left behind were the small, shattered, and charred lizard monsters around the fiery path in the swamp.

Shortly after, this army, riding their horses over the mountains, arrived at a broken cliff.

The three Black Armored Soldiers leading the charge each revealed another flag from behind them. With a violent wave of the flags, a fierce wind surged out, sweeping towards the opposite mountain.

After a few breaths, the strong wind actually condensed into a translucent wind bridge, over a hundred meters long, spanning between the hundreds of feet high cliffs, connecting the two mountains.

The iron-armored torrent crossed the wind bridge, rumbling to the other side of the cliff!

At this moment,

“Yu!”

A long sigh.

Immediately, a series of neighing sounds from horses rang out.

The army, which had been clearing paths through mountains and building bridges over cliffs, reined in their horses and stopped.

The foremost of the three Black Armored Soldiers who had been leading the way in clearing paths and building bridges immediately dismounted and quickly walked to the center of the army. He bowed respectfully to the figure on the white horse, his tone deferential.

“This General!”

On the horse, a pair of captivating, shattered golden pupils first surveyed the front, then slowly moved downwards.

“Where are we now?”

It was Chen Yuan, who had marched from Qingshan County, and his Ninth Mountain Army!

Hearing Chen Yuan's question, the subordinate officer quickly raised a hand, and something resembling a Bagua compass appeared in his hand.

As he activated his True Qi, the concentric circular plates on the compass rotated continuously, and a faint green light shot out from a small hole in the center. The green light then dispersed, revealing a map composed of green lines, suspended three feet above the compass.

It showed the terrain of mountains and rivers, and there were strings of white text markings.

This compass was called the Mountain and River Diagram, and it was essential for the Fa Shan Army's marches. It compiled the efforts of generations of Fa Shan Army, meticulously recording the topography, mountains, and rivers of the entire Bashu region.

The subordinate officer manually pulled the light-projected Mountain and River Diagram, enlarged it, and then pointed to a certain spot on the map.

“This General, we are currently in the Black Mountain territory!”

Chen Yuan nodded,

“How much further is it to Tianxiong Pass?”

The subordinate officer flicked several streams of True Qi onto the Mountain and River Diagram with his finger.

A pass marked with city walls, located amidst dangerous mountains, lit up.

Tianxiong Pass!

Then, a white light formed a straight line, connecting to their current red dot, clearly showing their current position and distance.

“Reporting to This General, we are approximately two thousand seven hundred li from Tianxiong Pass.”

“Because both sides are connected to areas outside the pass, there are no official roads. We can only clear paths through the mountains, which will take a considerable amount of time. Even if we march at full speed, we estimate another day and a half of travel!”

“However…” The officer hesitated, unsure whether he should speak, or rather, if he dared to.

These men had only just started working with the new Zhonglang General and did not understand Chen Yuan's temperament. During the battle with the Demonic Sect, they had witnessed the Zhonglang General's power and ferocity, and their reverence for him outweighed everything else.

“You mean that the troops are tired now, and it might take longer.” Chen Yuan raised an eyebrow.

The officer was startled and quickly bowed, “Forgive this subordinate for speaking plainly, but that is indeed the case. The soldiers departed from Baidi City in the early morning and have been on the road for a day and a night. Along this path, there are no official inns where we can change horses. Moreover, the troops personally selected by This General were not accustomed to such high-intensity marching, so…”

Chen Yuan raised his eyebrows, “In the future, speak more directly. There's no need to hold back with this This General; I see all of this. Although military orders are like mountains and the situation is urgent, I naturally cherish my own troops.”

So he directly ordered:

“Pass on my order: everyone dismount and rest!”

Just as Chen Yuan was leading the Ninth Mountain Army on their way to Tianxiong Pass, taking a rest,

In the Dao Fu Division, on Yunding Mountain, an urgent report from Tianxiong Pass was swiftly sent up the mountain.

It seemed that the situation at Tianxiong Pass had undergone new changes!

Only the roar of the Commander could be heard from inside the main hall!