381: shock!

“Halt!”

“This is a military camp, no passage without orders!”

At the bottom of a long flight of stairs leading to a large assembly hall in the Fa Shan Army's encampment, amidst the wind and snow, two armored soldiers, holding long halberds, blocked the rapidly approaching figure.

The newcomer was clad in armor, with graying eyebrows and a goatee, resembling an old This General. He moved swiftly, like the wind, grabbing a corner of his cloak and flinging it back, shaking off the snow.

“This old man is Gongsun Yang of the Ninth Mountain.”

“I need to see Commander Pei!”

The person was precisely the Storyteller, Gongsun Yang, who had been stationed at Chuanzhong Pass as Chen Yuan’s eyes and ears on the front line!

Normally, he lived a reclusive life within the Pass, not drawing attention, with only a few core figures guarding the Pass aware of his identity.

The armored soldiers outside the gate clearly did not recognize this “old This General,” and his armor was merely ordinary green armor. They frowned.

But upon hearing the name “Ninth Mountain,” they hesitated. “I’ll go report. Your Excellency, please wait here. The Commander is currently in a meeting with several This Generals.”

“Quickly, make way!”

But before he could finish speaking, a voice called out. A green-armored soldier quickly emerged from the great hall, a single hand on his waist-saber, and clattered down the stairs. He pushed aside the halberds, cupped his fists, and said, “Gongyang, the Commander requests you move to the side hall. Please follow me!”

“Thank you!” Gongsun Yang nodded, his tone serious.

The green-armored soldier turned and led the way towards the side hall, with Gongsun Yang following.

Soon, the two arrived at the side hall. The armored soldier stopped at the door, turned, and cupped his fists. “Mr. Gongsun, please enter. The Commander will be here shortly.”

Gongsun Yang thanked him, pushed the door open, and it was then closed behind him.

The hall seemed rather desolate. Gongsun Yang did not find a seat but instead furrowed his brows and paced back and forth, appearing somewhat preoccupied.

At this moment, in the adjacent great hall, a brazier crackled. Pei Yanhu had summoned five Zhonglang Generals for a meeting, and he sat at the head of the hall.

The Zhonglang General of the Sixth Mountain was currently reporting on military affairs, standing beside a chair with hands clasped before his chest.

“The scouts dispatched by our mountain sent back news last night. A few days ago, signs of large-scale Demon activity were discovered outside Zhennan Prefecture. Therefore, personnel were dispatched to infiltrate the prefecture to investigate the exact movements of the Demons. However, they have either lost contact or have not gathered any useful information. Commander, it seems we need to prepare early….”

At the head of the hall, Pei Yanhu’s expression was solemn. Just then, the green-armored soldier who had led the way earlier returned to the great hall, moving swiftly and quietly to stand beside Pei Yanhu’s seat, his lips moving slightly.

Pei Yanhu nodded, his gaze falling upon the Zhonglang Generals below, then he spoke,

“We will discuss this matter later. This General must first go see someone!”

“You all wait.”

With that, he rose and strode towards the back of the hall. The Zhonglang Generals exchanged glances, somewhat surprised and wondering who had arrived that the Commander held in such high regard.

Pei Yanhu’s steps were swift and powerful, and he quickly reached the side hall through a side door in the main hall’s rear courtyard, where he found Gongsun Yang pacing inside.

“Mr. Gongyang!”

“What happened?”

Upon seeing Gongsun Yang, Pei Yanhu also addressed him as “Mr.,” despite the latter’s cultivation being merely at the Tian Guan Dao Seed level.

Because Chen Yuan had specifically instructed him about the Storyteller’s background before he left. This person’s cultivation method was unique and very important to Chen Yuan, who had left him here as a strategic piece, capable of an unexpected role when necessary.

Very few people knew his identity, and Pei Yanhu had specifically concealed it. Any messages were conveyed through trusted individuals close to him, or he would personally go, never summoning the Storyteller to a place with many eyes and ears.

Like the assembly hall!

The fact that the other party had taken the initiative to seek him out at this moment clearly indicated that something had happened, and it was no small matter.

Pei Yanhu’s tiger eyes gleamed as he quickly strode forward from the back of the hall!

Upon seeing him, Gongsun Yang stopped, stepped forward, and cupped his fists, getting straight to the point: “Commander Pei, my Lord suddenly awakened his Clone just now and sent word to this old man, needing your help! He is currently in a different location.”

“Where is your This General?” Pei Yanhu raised an eyebrow, somewhat puzzled.

“The Ten Thousand Mountains, Luwu Mountain territory!”

Upon hearing this news, Pei Yanhu's tiger eyes widened. “What?”

He even suspected he had misheard!

Gongsun Yang also knew this news was startling, and quickly recounted the cause as told by his Lord.

Five days ago, he informed Chen Yuan about the Demon activity outside Chuanzhong Pass. Later, the This General mobilized troops to prepare for the Southeast front, and then a series of events occurred while passing through Qingshan County.

After listening to Gongsun Yang’s account, Pei Yanhu’s pupils constricted.

The Human-Demon who betrayed the Human Race sacrificed living souls to summon a Ten Fiends Great Demon, which Chen Yuan led his troops to slay and stop. This incident, however, involved a Dragon Tiger Great Demon, leading them into a teleportation passage, and ultimately landing them in the Ten Thousand Mountains.

“Tell me, what does your This General need This General to do?” Pei Yanhu’s tiger eyes gleamed, his voice tinged with urgency.

Chen Yuan could not afford to have anything happen to him. Since the Tianxiong Pass incident, he had been the backbone of many soldiers. “Lord needs Commander to send people outside the Pass to investigate the Demon movements and ascertain which Yao Race factions have opened teleportation arrays. Then Lord can find a way to use those teleportation arrays to exit the mountains.”

“Additionally,” Gongsun Yang clearly articulated the task his Lord had given him, “Lord inquires Commander if the Dao Fu Division possesses a regional distribution map of the Ten Thousand Mountains. Lord is currently trying to break free from the Demon Seal, and this map would be of great use. If you have it, please instruct me to transmit it to him!”

“A regional distribution map of the Ten Thousand Mountains?”

“Yes!” Pei Yanhu’s expression shifted. “The Fushi Weapon Repository holds a master copy, which has been passed down for many years. It is rumored to have been left by a great Divine Ability practitioner who sealed these Demons back then, and successive Fa Shan Army also participated in its refinement. It’s just that the Fa Shan Army has declined now, so it’s no longer used and is gathering dust in the Weapon Repository.”

“Excellent!” Gongsun Yang’s face brightened. Having resolved one matter, he felt a little relieved.

“I will immediately send a message back to Jingguan City.”

“What else did your This General say?” Pei Yanhu, concerned for Chen Yuan’s safety, continued to ask.

Gongsun Yang, having followed Chen Yuan all along, knew that Pei Yanhu had shown kindness and support to his Lord. His eyebrows shot up as he looked at Pei Yanhu:

“Lord asked this old man to inform Commander to be prepared. Lord’s action this time may lead to a bloody battle!”

“He wants us to sharpen our weapons and stand ready, awaiting the opportune moment!”

Pei Yanhu’s expression involuntarily shifted, and a few streaks of blood appeared in his eyes. “Good!”

He had always dreamed of fighting back, to avenge his fallen comrades and his son.

“This General will send people at all costs to investigate the movements of the Demons and the situation of the teleportation arrays.”

“You may go and attend to the matters your This General has entrusted to you.”

“Yes!” Gongsun Yang bowed and turned to leave the side hall. A short while after he left, a silver light flew up from a corner courtyard within the Fa Shan Army encampment.

Meanwhile, Pei Yanhu returned to the assembly hall and issued orders to the five Zhonglang Generals under his command:

“Other military affairs will be discussed later. Now, listen to my command.”

“Issue an order: at all costs, ascertain the latest movements of Demons in Zhennan Prefecture, Huxia Pass, and Jingyuan Prefecture. Additionally, send an urgent message, an eight-hundred-li expedited dispatch, to the prefectural army in the Southwest direction, to cooperate in investigating Demons in other directions. Ascertain which Yao Race factions are appearing in large numbers and where their teleportation arrays are located. As soon as there is news, immediately send a messenger!”

“Furthermore, post this mission as a bounty announcement within the city. For every confirmed Yao Race teleportation passage, the reward will be five hundred catties of Tian Guan Dao Seed Demon flesh and blood, and one drop of Wucang Great Demon’s essence blood!”

“For our Sichuan soldiers, double the reward!”

Pei Yanhu’s eyes emitted a sharp gleam that extended three feet, his voice resonant and impactful.

The five Zhonglang Generals seated below were startled upon hearing this.

The Dao Seed Demon flesh and blood were fine, but even the Wucang Great Demon’s essence blood was being offered as a bounty. This was a serious commitment.

However, the content of this mission was extremely dangerous: investigating the situation of the Yao Race’s teleportation passages used for troop deployment. Just thinking about it revealed the difficulty of the task. The Yao Race’s teleportation passages were bound to be heavily guarded, making it difficult even to approach, let alone gather clear information.

What had happened?

Could it be that the Commander intended to destroy the Yao Race’s teleportation arrays to hinder the progress of the Demon army?

However, as soldiers, they must obey orders.

“Understood! This General accepts the order!”

“Go!”

“Go!”

“Go!”

One after another, swift horses galloped out from the Fa Shan Army's encampment, their hooves clattering on the streets outside, heading directly towards the southern city gate!

At this moment, amidst the wind and snow, beneath the southern city gate, many people were gathered by a section of the city wall, mostly dressed as Jianghu individuals.

On the city wall, rows of bounty announcements were prominently displayed.

“Six hundred li outside the Pass, in Qingyuan County, a Tian Guan Dao Seed, a Huodou, is causing trouble. The killer will be rewarded with a hundred catties of Tian Guan flesh and blood, and two pieces of Gengjin.”

“Three hundred li to the Southwest, Fubo Mountain, there is a Heavenly Dog causing mischief. Recruiting Tian Guan experts to sweep it away with the army. Reward: one bottle of Tian Guan Dao Seed Demon essence blood!”

“…”

These bounties were all official bounty announcements issued by the Fa Shan Army within the Pass.

As the current front line of the Demon Battlefield, the resistance forces within Chuanzhong Pass were not limited to the Fa Shan Army. There were also various Jianghu individuals, who, in cooperation with the Demons outside, formed a new situation.

With Demons rampaging outside the Pass, the flesh and blood of Heavenly Gate Demons, or the hides and bones of lower-tier Demons, were all valuable Cultivation resources. The Fa Shan Army controlled most of the resource flow, and when manpower was insufficient, they would issue bounties, recruiting Jianghu experts to assist them in completing related military tasks, gradually forming a stable supply-demand relationship.

It was just that the missions issued by the Fa Shan Army were often quite difficult, generally requiring Tian Guan experts to complete them. However, because the rewards were generous, they often attracted many experts willing to take the risk.

Of course, whenever Cultivation resources were involved, there were naturally also civilian markets. With the large-scale appearance and influx of previously rare Demon Materials, many black markets, shops, and even regular small trade fairs emerged within the Pass. The Cultivation atmosphere in the city was much more intense than in other parts of Sichuan.

Because as the front line of the Demon Battlefield, it was full of slaughter, danger, and the unknown!

Soon, the clatter of hooves approached, growing clearer from afar. A contingent of twenty soldiers rapidly galloped to the city wall. Two columns of soldiers swiftly moved forward, isolating the crowd, while three other green-armored soldiers dismounted, pulled out a bounty from their sleeves, and posted it on a blank section of the city wall.

The various Jianghu heroes beneath the city wall immediately turned their heads, causing a stir, watching the actions of this military contingent.

The display for posting this bounty was quite grand, with three Fa Shan Army Captains appearing to post it.

For a moment, their gazes couldn't help but be curious, focusing intently on the posted bounty announcement, and then exclamations arose.

“What?”

“Great Demon essence blood?”

Exclamations rose and fell among the surrounding crowd. The reward in this mission bounty actually included a drop of Great Demon essence blood, immediately causing a stir and excitement among the crowd.

Great Demon essence blood, the Fa Shan Army was even willing to offer that as a bounty?

Pairs of eyes quickly scanned the three posted bounty notices. Upon seeing them, the excited hearts of many Jianghu heroes quickly cooled. The mission on the bounty notices was to infiltrate the fallen Fu Gates to investigate the Yao Race’s teleportation passages used for troop deployment.

This mission naturally required deep penetration into the Demon heartland, so its danger level could be imagined. As for the Yao Race’s troop teleportation passages, those who had stayed in Chuanzhong Pass for a long time had naturally heard of them. It was rumored that those Yao Race factions used their clan’s precious treasures, powered by sacrificing vast amounts of Qi and blood, to directly descend from the distant Ten Thousand Mountains to Sichuan, and all of these sacrificed Qi and blood came from the people of Sichuan.

And the three notices represented three different mission locations, which were the three nearest fallen Fu Gates outside Chuanzhong Pass.

For a time, the previously noisy and fervent atmosphere quickly cooled down. No one dared to step forward to accept the bounty!

And this news quickly spread.

Half an incense stick later, a black-clad youth with a sword-box on his back and a silent, cold face walked to the south city wall and took down one of the bounties.

Many people recognized him!

“Gongsun Wuji!”

A Legacy holder of the Sword Tomb who had once made quite a name for himself in the Sichuan Jianghu!

Not long after, another bounty was torn down.

It was a young man dressed in white, with a graceful demeanor!

This person had not been seen by the various Jianghu heroes before.

And this person was Zhao Quanzhen of Wudao Mountain. (End of Chapter)