168: Kill, kill, kill! Tens of thousands of men marched into the city (5200 monthly tickets requested)

Chapter 168: Kill! Kill! Kill! Tens of Thousands of Soldiers March Out (5200+ for Monthly Tickets)

“Dong”

“Dong”

“Dong”

The night was as dark as ink over Yunding Mountain.

As soon as midnight struck, a dull drumbeat suddenly resonated.

At this moment, at the foot of several mountains, troops were mustered on the drill ground, banners fluttered, and the atmosphere was silent yet Severe.

In the fiercely burning braziers, flames shot skyward, and in their flickering light, rows of chilling iron-clad figures stood tall on their horses, which exhaled plumes of white mist and pawed the ground.

The army was arrayed, gleaming with cold light, the entire mountain covered in the shine of armor!

As the war drums on Yunding Peak began to beat,

“Whinny!”

At the foot of Ninth Mountain, the three horses at the very front were the first to let out a long neigh, their hooves rearing high.

“Drums sound, troops assemble!”

A loud shout exploded in the night sky.

The three horses at the forefront charged out of the drill ground, transforming into afterimages as they rushed towards the main peak!

Immediately, with a thunderous roar, the earth shook, and a multitude of horses galloped like a surging river. Illuminated by the firelight, they resembled a dark golden torrent, sweeping forth with a roar.

At the same time, the entire Yunding Mountain seemed to ripple like an Earth Dragon, the sound of hooves shaking the mountain. From a bird’s-eye view in the night sky, torrents of iron-clad soldiers surged from each mountain, converging on the main peak.

The thunderous pounding of hooves, the clanging of colliding armor, tens of thousands of soldiers shaking the mountain—the Aura was magnificent and spectacular!

At this moment, at the foot of the mountain, the armies from various mountains converged, their astonishing Aura resembling an Earth-Shaking Wave.

On the mountain, streaks of dazzling light, like meteors streaking across the night sky, flew upwards from below, entering the viewing platforms around the Xuntian Great Hall square. Following closely, figures appeared one by one.

These were precisely the Disciple of various Sects and aristocratic families gathered in Jingguan City, numbering over a thousand. Among them, about thirty figures with either obscure or formidable Aura appeared.

Their attire varied, their appearances differed, yet each one glowed with precious light, their powerful Aura fully revealed, with a group of Disciples following behind them.

These individuals were all Fourth Heavenly Gate cultivators. Compared to the hundreds of Sects gathered here, the appearance of these Heavenly Gate experts at this critical moment was a clear declaration of their stance.

Among them were those from the Shu Mountain Sword Sect, hailed as the foremost Sword Cultivator Sect, located in the northwest;

There was also the Su Nu Sword Sect, full of earthly charm, with white-robed, sword-bearing women…

The Yao Race had broken through the Heavenly Gate from the Ten Thousand Mountains, causing widespread devastation. If everyone only looked out for themselves, Shu Land would quickly fall. Under a fallen nest, no egg remains whole; they understood this principle, but the news came too suddenly. Some initially intended to wait and see, to await further news before making plans. However, with the sudden early commencement of the Seal Bestowal Ceremony and the convergence of troops, something had clearly changed. A portion of the aristocratic families and Sects who were observing could no longer sit still and appeared one by one.

At this moment, these Sect Disciples stood on the mountain peak, looking down at the torrents of iron-clad soldiers converging at the foot of the mountain, their iron hooves pounding thunderously. Their spirits were involuntarily captivated by this Aura, and for a moment, their chests couldn't help but surge with emotion.

These Disciples usually pursued a life of: “With a boat full of bright moon, I depart from here, a solitary figure of the Jianghu.”

Or perhaps: “A flute, a sword, my life’s ambition, bearing fifteen years of wild renown.”

That kind of free-spirited, heroic Jianghu life!

Now, looking at the majestic army formation before them, like a vast river flowing, they felt an inexplicable fire burning in their chests.

Most of those armored soldiers were roughly the same age as them, now clad in gleaming armor, mustering on the drill ground.

Young men with courage, both brave and discerning, wielding swords they ventured out, to a besieged lone city.

Who does not know the hardship of the border, yet even in death, the scent of a hero's bones lingers.

Many Sect Disciples, unknowingly infected by this atmosphere, their eyes sparkled!

As time passed, the armies from several mountains converged at the main peak, a vast expanse of cold light, divided into four columns, with banners unfurled!

The Third Mountain, Seventh Mountain, Eighth Mountain, and Ninth Mountain—four routes of troops, totaling approximately forty thousand armored soldiers.

Among them, the armies of the three mountains were in the rear, while the two thousand soldiers of the Ninth Mountain were in the center, arrayed at the front!

Upon seeing this, a murmur of whispers arose among the Sect Disciples observing on the mountain.

“Why is the Ninth Mountain Army so small?”

“I heard from my Master’s Elder that this army was almost wiped out on the western front, and the previous Zhonglang General also died in battle, which is why a new Zhonglang General was appointed. These past two days, they’ve been recruiting soldiers, but it seems they haven’t recruited many.”

“That’s terrible. What exactly happened at the western pass? I asked my Master, but he was very secretive about it.”

“Unclear. This seems to be something only the higher-ups know.”

“…”

Just as Yunding Peak was abuzz with noise, a loud shout announced the start of the ceremony; it was three-quarters past midnight!

Suddenly, the square began to rumble, streams of light emerged, and the Restriction opened wide.

Then, around the vast square, twelve white marble pillars, each requiring a dozen people to encircle, rose with a rumble, from which shot forth columns of white light!

Following closely, the Fashan Flag, representing the twelve Fa Shan Army, flew into the air, suddenly growing to a massive size of twelve to thirteen zhang, flapping loudly in the wind.

At the same time, directly in front of the square, a platform about a hundred zhang long and wide slowly rose from the mountain, upon which sat a shili ( Bronze tripod) five to six zhang high, engraved with mountains, rivers, flowers, plants, and insects. As a green light flowed, it exuded an ancient and profound Aura.

Commanding Platform!

At this moment, teams of ceremonial guards, numbering several hundred, poured into the square.

High banners and canopies were in front, followed by rows of horn blowers who quickly lined up, holding bronze horns, blowing a deep, resonant sound.

“Woo…”

“The ceremony begins!”

As a vast and clear call ended, four of the twelve pillars began to rumble, moving to the center of the square, arrayed before the Commanding Platform.

That Fashan Flag, black with a golden border, was positioned at the very front, with the other three pillars arrayed behind it!

“Boom”

“Boom”

“Boom”

Three streaks of light, like falling meteors, crashed onto the three white marble pillars behind them.

Three figures with majestic Aura appeared one by one, clad in heavy armor, carrying large banners on their backs, glaring around with awe-inspiring might!

They were the Zhonglang General of the three mountains!

Similarly, on the Commanding Platform, a burly figure with yellow eyebrows and a curly beard materialized. As this person appeared, a Qi that made everyone present’s eyebrows jump surged out.

The Deputy Commander of the Fushi, Pei Yanhu!

Pei Yanhu appeared on the Commanding Platform, his tiger-like eyes scanning the viewing stands. His gaze fell upon the Fourth Heavenly Gate cultivators who had appeared, and his originally stern and sharp eyes softened slightly.

These Sect Elders either cupped their fists in a salute or nodded in greeting,

“Greetings, Commander Pei!”

They did not show any disrespect.

Pei Yanhu nodded, then faced forward and waved his hand. Immediately, a person dressed as a ceremonial official soared into the air, flying to the front of the Commanding Platform. With a pull of his hands, a large scroll shimmering with a faint green light was unfurled, and green characters flashed forth one by one.

He then recited the Manifesto in a loud voice:

“On the day of Bingmao, when Yinghuo shines brightly, the Yao Race breaks through the Heavenly Gate, and a general star falls, heaven and earth mourn together.”

“Now, one hundred thousand Yao Race members rampage through Southern Shu, drinking the blood of our comrades, devouring the flesh of our Human Race. Soldiers, what shall we do?”

“Kill! Kill! Kill!”

At the foot of the mountain, the shouts of killing shook the heavens and the universe.

“…Now, Ninth Zhonglang, from Qingshan County, destroyed the demon cult, pacified the three families, and achieved great military merits, receiving the Felling Mountain Tiger Talisman!”

“March the army into the Ten Thousand Mountains!”

After the ceremonial official finished reciting, his expression became stern, and he shouted loudly:

“Ninth Zhonglang!”

Below the mountain, the soldiers of Ninth Mountain simultaneously drew their sabers and roared in unison,

“Wind! Wind! Wind!”

Then, a golden stream of light landed on the white marble pillar of Ninth Mountain, revealing Chen Yuan’s figure.

There was no special entrance, nor did he display any surprising martial Dao Qi.

One by one, the Heavenly Gate experts from the Sects and aristocratic families used their methods to investigate, their gazes falling upon him. They scrutinized him carefully but found nothing out of the ordinary, their expressions unchanged.

As for the evaluation of this Ninth Zhonglang’s past achievements in the Manifesto, such as destroying the demon cult and pacifying the three families, because they had never heard of his background, they subconsciously assumed it was just a formality. After all, today’s Ninth Mountain Zhonglang General was the “protagonist” of the ceremony.

In truth, Chen Yuan had only truly appeared for too short a time, and Tianxiong Pass and Baidi City were thousands of miles apart, and everyone gathered from all corners of the land. They needed to let the dust settle first.

Only a few individuals, looking at Chen Yuan’s figure, had sparkling eyes, filled with solemnity and surprise.

However, many of the Disciples present showed curiosity. Their impression of this Ninth Zhonglang mostly came from the previous day’s separate courtyard, when Ji Wuming of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect failed to Breakthrough the Heavenly Gate. He ordered his armored soldiers to come and bestowed two drops of Heavenly Gate Devil essence blood to help him Breakthrough!

At least, a portion of the Disciples had a good first impression of this Ninth Zhonglang!

At this moment, the ceremony continued.

After reciting the Manifesto, the ceremonial official called out in a drawn-out tone.

“Bestow Armor!”

As he spoke, armored soldiers emerged from the Xuntian Hall in a continuous stream, either holding or carrying, in groups of several, trays.

Inside, a complete set of silver armor was presented: helmet, arm guards, waist guards, shoulder guards, breastplate…

One of the breastplates was very heavy, requiring four people to lift it.

“Please, Ninth Zhonglang, don your armor!”

The ceremonial official guided the process.

On the stone pillar, Chen Yuan saw the silver armor and, with a flick of his sleeve, summoned it.

Then, without moving his body, streaks of silver light flew towards him.

“Clang”

“Clang”

“Clang”

The entire set of armor, one piece after another, “crashed” onto Chen Yuan’s body, emitting a booming sound like a massive bell being struck.

Leg armor, arm armor, shoulder armor, skirt armor…

In a breath, a gleaming, majestic silver figure appeared.

After this process, it was time for the flag sacrifice.

Several ferocious and terrifying Devils were escorted from the Fushi’s Heavenly Prison onto the Commanding Platform, where they were uniformly beheaded by executioners. Their fresh blood poured into the shili in the center, and then several streaks of blood flew out from the shili, splashing a dazzling crimson onto the flags fluttering on the four mountain stone pillars.

Finally, Pei Yanhu walked forward with measured steps, holding a large jade seal, about a foot square, in his hand.

His gaze was like fire, and his voice like thunder.

“Chen Yuan!”

“This humble general is here!”

“Receive the seal!”

Saying this, the large seal in his hand flew out with a buzzing sound, soaring towards Chen Yuan.

Chen Yuan’s eyes flashed. He reached out and caught it. The jade seal landed in his hand, and he felt it sink, as if he were holding a mountain.

At this moment, Chen Yuan’s Niwan Palace buzzed and trembled violently, and his entire Aura suddenly changed.

Chen Yuan’s eyes burst with brilliant light, as if surging waves were within them, but after a few breaths, he forcibly suppressed them.

And at this moment,

A cry of “Ceremony complete” announced the simple and efficient conclusion of the seal-bestowing ceremony.

And the tens of thousands of Ninth Mountain Army at the foot of the mountain also became restless at this time.

Everyone understood what the end of the ceremony meant; the air was filled with a sense of Kill ( Kill).

At this moment, Pei Yanhu, with his fierce tiger-like eyes, looked at Chen Yuan and the other three, and simply uttered two low words,

“Depart!”

But this sound, like a thunderclap, completely ignited Yunding Mountain.

The war drums beat rapidly, like a silver vase shattering.

The horns blared, like chariots rumbling.

“Depart!”

“Depart!”

“……”

At the foot of the mountain, orderlies on swift horses galloped through the dense military formations, shouting commands.

Immediately after, horses neighed, and tens of thousands of Ninth Mountain Army gradually shifted formation, like a river breaking its dam, unstoppable, transforming into an iron-clad torrent, rushing out of Yunding Mountain.

On the mountaintop, Chen Yuan and the other three said no unnecessary words, transforming into streaks of light and rushing down the mountain.

That night, the entire Jinguancheng City was awake.

On the road leading to the South City Gate, at some unknown time, along both sides of the main street, figures holding lanterns stretched into the distance.

Among them were white-haired, hunched Elders, slender women eagerly looking towards Yunding Mountain, and children held or led by women.

As the distant rumbling, like an Earth-Shaking Wave, rapidly approached,

In the darkness, iron-clad figures appeared, roaring past.

Some found the people they were looking for, and shouts echoed along the street.

“My eldest son, return! Return!” An Elder saw a passing profile, their son, and called out with a hoarse voice.

“Brother, brother, I’m here, you must take care, come back and marry me!” A young woman, dressed in festive attire and adorned with silver ornaments, saw her brother, clad in armor, roaring past. Tears welled up in her eyes in her haste, and she put her hand to her mouth, calling out emotionally.

Amidst the surging Ninth Mountain Army on the street, a dark, resolute face turned back, looked around, and then shouted, but the sound was drowned out by the noise. Then the person turned their head and, with the Ninth Mountain Army, roared into the distance!

But the young woman saw the words spoken by her brother, and with tears and laughter, she waved her hand upwards, seemingly saying farewell.

High above, Chen Yuan witnessed this scene along the street, and his heart was choked by a certain emotion.

Whose sons, whose husbands, whose lovers were these departing Ninth Mountain Army!

And him, with a homeland he could never return to, fighting for survival in this world, perhaps there was no one left in this world who cared for him!

...

At this moment, on Yunding Mountain, the Ninth Mountain Army roared, carried by the wind into the distance.

On the main peak, in the Xuntian Hall, Pei Yanhu gathered with over thirty Sect Heavenly Gate experts.

Outside the hall, thousands of Sect and aristocratic family Disciples waited for orders.

Inside the hall, Pei Yanhu got straight to the point, his tiger-like eyes sweeping around as he said in a low voice:

“Your presence here shows that you all recognize the current situation. I am very happy, but I cannot smile right now.”

“Just a few hours ago, our Fa Shan Army suffered the tragic loss of two more Zhonglang Generals. The Ninth Mountain Army of two mountains were almost entirely wiped out, surrounded and killed by Devils. Among them was my eldest son.” Pei Yanhu revealed this news seemingly calmly.

“What?!”

On both sides of the hall, the Sect Heavenly Gate experts were shocked upon hearing this news.

The Commander’s eldest son had also died in battle.

“Therefore,” Pei Yanhu’s gaze became somewhat ferocious, “if you all do not act, more people will die, including you and me.”

With this statement, the atmosphere in the hall became silent.

After about ten breaths,

“My Su Nu Sword Sect is willing to fight. I have an old friend in the Seventh Mountain. I will lead my Disciples to support the Seventh Mountain.” In the middle seat on the left, a beautiful woman with a clear, cold face and a hint of age in her eyes, dressed in white, spoke.

This woman was Elder Qingxuan of the Su Nu Sword Sect, a Heavenly Gate Dao Seed Realm expert!

And once someone spoke, others quickly followed.

“My Golden Cicada Temple will follow the Third Mountain. Amitabha.”

“Seven Absolutes Sect is willing to send Disciples to support the Eighth Mountain…”

“The Lord of Dragon Roaring Mountain will personally lead the team…”

One after another, responses rang out.

But most chose the Third, Seventh, and Eighth Mountains. Only two Sects chose the Ninth Mountain.

Perhaps there were other reasons, or perhaps they felt that the Ninth Mountain Army was weaker compared to the other three mountains.

“My Shu Mountain Sword Sect is willing to lead Disciples to support the Ninth Mountain. I will personally lead the team.” At this moment, an old man with gray hair, dressed in gray, and wearing a wooden hairpin, spoke calmly.

When this person spoke, the other Sect Heavenly Gate experts looked at him in surprise.

After all, Shu Mountain had a great reputation among the Sects in the Shu region, and the Shu Mountain Sect Head was a Great Divine Power Practitioner of the Martial Treasury level.

And this person was the Peak Master of Canghai Peak, one of Shu Mountain’s Nine Peaks.

At this moment, another voice rang out. From the far right, the eldest branch of the Yun Family spoke:

“My Yun Family is also willing to lead all our family Disciples to support the Ninth Mountain!”

The others were even more surprised this time. Oh, my goodness.

The Yun Family, some of them had heard of it; among their Sect and aristocratic families, it was only considered second-rate. But this Yun Family, to have such righteousness, sending all their family Disciples to the battlefield?

They couldn't help but feel a bit strange!

And just then, outside the hall, footsteps were heard. A soldier entered the hall, knelt on one knee, and said, “Reporting to the Commander, several hundred people are trying to pass through the East Gate, but they have a sealed document from General Xiang of Baidi City, stating they want to join the Ninth Mountain Army.”

“What? They have already set out.”

“Where are they?”

“Right at the foot of the mountain.”

“Go and see!”

Pei Yanhu’s light yellow eyebrows twitched, and he flew out of the hall.

The other Sect Heavenly Gate experts, hearing the commotion, also followed to see.

At this moment, at the foot of Yunding Mountain, a group of several hundred people, dusty and weathered, with most of their clothes being simple hemp, stood there. Among them were both old and young, and most had low and uneven cultivation levels.

At this moment, these several hundred people looked at the group of burly and fierce armored soldiers who had escorted them, their bodies radiating an imposing Aura, and with envy, they tried their best to straighten their chests.

Just then, a powerful pressure descended, and a figure with light yellow eyebrows and tiger-like eyes landed in the Void Realm before them, his gaze filled with imposing power, and he immediately asked.

“Where are you from?”

“Nanshan County”

“Fengkang County”

“Wulimiao”

“……”

One by one, people reported their origins, causing Pei Yanhu to frown deeply.

At this moment, a one-armed Hunter from the crowd pulled his reins forward.

“Reporting to Commander, I am from Qingshan County. The Ninth Mountain Zhonglang General came from our Qingshan County. We heard the news from General Xiang in Baidi City, so we rushed here from outside the pass. General Xiang even lent us horses, and also your old friend entrusted us to bring a pot of wine to bid you farewell!”

“That’s right, I heard that Chen Yuan is going to kill Devils. My family was killed by human Devils anyway, and now I’m all alone. I’m repaying Chen Yuan’s kindness.”

“Killing one is breaking even, killing two is a profit!”

“…………”

Everyone chattered, completely unafraid of death.

Pei Yanhu looked at these people, his eyes gleaming. “Zhonglang Chen set out half an hour ago, heading south.”

“Then what are we waiting for?”

“Hurry, hurry!”

These several hundred people quickly shouted and turned to leave.

“Wait!”

Pei Yanhu called out to them.

Then he instructed his subordinates, “Change their horses, and give them armor!”

“Yes!”

Soon after, several hundred people rushed out of the city through the South Gate on horseback.

Pei Yanhu and the over thirty Heavenly Gate experts high above quietly watched these several hundred commoners leave the city!

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