261: You go to guard Jinguan City, only you can (ask for monthly ticket)

Sichuan Pass.

The bright moon shone on the returning army.

A world-shaking battle had concluded. Outside the city, corpses lay strewn across the fields, mostly the remains of Devil, their aura tragic. The air was filled with a foul, nauseating smell. Among the piles of corpses, many armored soldiers were still carrying out follow-up cleanup work.

Some were searching for the bodies and severed limbs of their comrades and other Martial Dao Cultivators, wrapping them in white cloth. Others were specifically collecting the skin and bones of Devil, especially the flesh and blood of Heavenly Gate Devil.

In battles of this Rank, there were many Heavenly Gate Devil, which constituted a large amount of rare Cultivation resources difficult to find elsewhere. For Martial Dao Cultivators at and below the Heavenly Gate Realm, they were quite alluring.

More than three thousand Shu Land youths had arrived at Sichuan Pass in succession. Although many came with a burst of passion and the same purpose, their origins were complex, chaotic, and diverse, and everyone had selfish motives.

Initially, during the Devil slaughter, there was no order. “Spoils of war” belonged to whoever killed them. However, this situation created more chaos. In the instantaneous, ever-changing battle with Devil, there was often no time to collect the spoils. Afterward, for the corpse of a Heavenly Gate Devil, people would argue endlessly, each claiming they had killed it, leading to disputes and even bloodshed, making the situation even more chaotic.

Consequently, Commander Pei Yanhu, who was stationed there, forcefully intervened. To address this, he formulated a rough “military merit” system for these individuals to ensure their obedience to orders.

“Military merit” could be obtained by acquiring the essence of Devil or by completing corresponding missions.

After the battle, these Devil corpses were to be collected uniformly by the Fa Shan Army, and then people could exchange them based on their “military merit.”

Risk comes with Opportunity!

This way, even Martial Dao Cultivators with weaker Cultivation could acquire the flesh and blood of Heavenly Gate Devil through more means, stimulating everyone's enthusiasm and mitigating the shortcoming of many who had come merely on a whim.

It was killing two birds with one stone!

Thus, a new order, adapted to the situation, emerged in this battlefield composed of Devil, the Fa Shan Army, and scattered Martial Dao Cultivators!

At this moment, inside the pass, in a large council hall, there were two rows of seats, with four people seated on either side.

Pei Yanhu, Chen Yuan, Yi Cangtian of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect, and Divine Nun of the Su Nu Sword Sect.

Chen Yuan's troops and others were arranged to rest.

“Chen Yuan, let me introduce you. These two are highly respected Seniors of the Shu Land Jianghu!”

As soon as Pei Yanhu spoke, he introduced the identities of the two Human Race Martial Armory.

He gestured to his left, towards the middle-aged man with a white robe and a beautiful beard, “This is Sect Leader Yi of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect. His Sword Qi is unparalleled, and his benevolence and righteousness are admirable!”

Then he gestured to his right, looking at the palace-dressed woman whose face seemed veiled, “This is Senior Divine Nun, the previous Sect Leader of the Su Nu Sword Sect. She has been in seclusion for many years, and now, for the safety of our Shu Land, she has appeared here. My gratitude is endless.”

Chen Yuan's brows showed a hint of reverence. He raised his hands and clasped his fists, first exclaiming, “Both Seniors possess profound Cultivation and virtue. Along my journey, Chen has witnessed much of the world's coldness. For both Seniors to step forward at this time is truly admirable. Your disciples, Fellow Daoist Qing and Fellow Daoist An, have also been of great assistance to Chen. Thank you.”

The “Divine Nun” of the Su Nu Sword Sect, with a pair of eyes that had Tail, looked at Chen Yuan seriously, shaking her head. Her voice was soft but carried a husky tone,

“I don’t deserve your thanks!”

“Ninth Zhonglang, your name rings like thunder. You truly possess peerless grace. To have Breakthrough to Wu Zang at such a young age, with such great Divine Ability, I dare not accept the title of Senior.”

“Sect Leader Yi and I received news. It seems this world is truly about to change. Zhonglang Chen, in the future, when you encounter the winds and clouds, you shall transform into a Dragon. For my unaccomplished disciple to be able to assist Zhonglang Chen is also an Opportunity.”

“It's just…” This Divine Nun said, then looked at Pei Yanhu, “Commander Pei, if you call me Senior, just call me Senior. Just omit the 'old' word.”

At these words, Pei Yanhu raised his eyebrows slightly, but the atmosphere, just having gone through a bloody battle, lightened up a bit.

At this moment, Sect Leader Yi of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect spoke. The divine light in his eyes was like a sword. If someone with insufficient Cultivation met his gaze, their eyes would feel a stinging pain. This was a manifestation of Sword Dao Cultivation reaching a certain Realm.

This Sect Leader was very curious about Chen Yuan, and his voice carried a hint of surprise: “If this Sect Leader remembers correctly, the news at the time said that Zhonglang Chen's Dharma Idol was shattered, and Jianghu rumors claimed you had died. But looking at you now, Zhonglang Chen, you have just entered Wu Zang, and your Dharma Idol has reappeared, yet its power is extraordinarily great. In Shu Mountain, we have a saying about breaking and then establishing, but the difficulties involved are not for outsiders to know. It seems Zhonglang Chen possesses great Luck and great perseverance, turning misfortune into a blessing. I fear even Wu Zang powerhouses who have refined two temples would be no match for you!”

The Divine Nun next to him also slowly nodded. The three Wucang Great Demon, that Heavenly Dog had clearly refined one temple, which was that demonic dog, but they were all killed by Chen Yuan with a single strike. He was truly unbelievably strong.

In comparison, they themselves seemed to have grown old.

Chen Yuan looked at the expressions of the two Jianghu luminaries and nodded, “Chen's Dharma Idol was indeed shattered at that time, but I had prepared a retreat in advance and escaped by designing a Formation. Later, when I re-gathered my Dharma Idol, I also gained new insights.”

“However,” he said, shaking his head, “both of you still think too highly of Chen. You two have fought against Wucang Great Demon. Do you know that this is not the true strength of these beasts?”

As he spoke, his tone hardened.

Yi Cangtian and Divine Nun opposite him, and Pei Yanhu next to them, all changed their expressions.

Yi Cangtian's sharp, sword-like eyes flickered with Sword Qi, “What do you mean?”

Chen Yuan did not keep them in suspense, “Chen has fought against several Wucang Great Demon at Weiyuan Pass. Although I killed them all, I also gained information from it: these guys seem to still be affected by the Restriction and curse from a thousand years ago. Their strength will be greatly reduced when they are outside. These beasts will choose to unseal themselves at critical moments, causing their aura to surge, but their true strength will be affected to some extent.”

At these words, Yi Cangtian's brows slightly raised, and he recalled,

“When this Sect Leader and Divine Nun killed a Wucang Great Demon yesterday, this beast's strength surged at the end. We thought it was a secret technique it used to forcibly increase its strength. In the end, Fellow Daoist Divine Nun and I spent a great deal of effort to resolve it. It seems we were a bit too optimistic.”

As he spoke, he fell into contemplation.

“That's right, in the long run, when the Restrictions on these Great Demon are completely lifted, Shu Land will face a true disaster, and they will no longer have any scruples. Fortunately, this is only their first wave of probing. They are restricted and cannot act at will. Otherwise, how could the Ten Fiends, who could only be trapped by the great Divine Ability users setting up a heaven-shaking Formation back then, be like this? Therefore, there isn't much time left for everyone.”

As he spoke, Chen Yuan sneered,

“Both of you are far-sighted and righteous, and the heroes outside are also good lads, but some people are still waiting and waiting. What's the use of saying all this after everyone is dead?”

“This has never been a war between Devil and the Fa Shan Army. Chen holds his position and fulfills his duty, but he is not some kind-hearted person who acts indiscriminately. My comrades, iron-willed and brave, fight in bloody battles and finally die on the battlefield. How pitiful they are! They are not meant for some people to be in brothels, singing and dancing every night.”

As Chen Yuan uttered these words, the temperature in the air noticeably dropped. The few people clearly felt the chilling Killing Intent in Chen Yuan's words.

It seemed that this was his true self, and their hearts could not help but tremble!

What did he want to do?

“Chen Yuan.”

At this moment, Pei Yanhu spoke dully from the side.

Yi Cangtian and Divine Nun originally thought that this Commander would open his mouth and tell this Zhonglang Chen to restrain his Killing Intent.

Unexpectedly, this Commander raised one hand, then slapped it on the armrest of his chair, his throat hoarse, “Well said!”

“Temple incense never ceases, brothels are filled with depravity.

Lights brightly illuminate performances of music and dance.

Beneath the splendid flowers are all cowards.

The Yao Race breaks through the pass, the common people wail.

Still, passersby draw their swords, their blood boiling with rage.

Also, bandits raise their brows, provoking trouble.

My tens of thousands of soldiers shed blood on the battlefield,

What about them?

If we're going to die, let's all die together!”

“We can't let all my brothers die!”

Speaking of this, the Commander's pupils were filled with bloodshot eyes, and the Killing Intent in his eyes was not weak at all.

Chen Yuan nodded heavily, “That's right, we can't let our brothers die.”

The two looked at each other, seemingly both knowing what the other was thinking, and laughed heartily.

The two Human Race Martial Armory opposite them watched the two “mad” generals in silence. They could not empathize with the two generals who had experienced war, but they could sense a hint of anger and sorrow in their laughter.

After a few breaths, the laughter stopped.

Pei Yanhu, with a serious expression, looked at Chen Yuan, “Chen Yuan, you will set off back to Jinguan as soon as it's light tomorrow!”

“Right now, there, winds and clouds gather, and fish and Dragons are mixed. I'm afraid something will happen.”

Chen Yuan remained silent, his fingers quietly tapping on the armrest of the chair.

Pei Yanhu said somewhat dejectedly, “With my current Cultivation, I can't hold that place down anymore. The General has sent back several replies, saying that the western front has become increasingly dangerous due to the Ten Fiends' mischief, and he cannot break free. There's also no news from the court's dispatches. The General Command doesn't know when they will send troops.”

“And in Jinguan City, many people from the Central Plains have arrived now. Only you can keep those people in check!”

“It can only be you!”

Chen Yuan was silent for a long time, then spoke, “Wait a little longer. It's not peaceful here yet. After killing three Wucang Great Demon, it's hard to guarantee that the Devil won't jump over the wall in desperation, even though I destroyed their nearest teleportation point when I came…”

“That's enough! The Devil cannot make a comeback so quickly! Didn't you say they were restricted?” Pei Yanhu's tiger-like eyes gleamed, and then he stood up,

“I will draft a conscription order and send it to various places. This Commander knows your thoughts, and that's what I'm thinking too.”

“Later, I'll have to trouble you! Haha.”