445: Lu Xuan, the Prince of Dingnan, who controlled northern Qingzhou, had a four-legged cauldron.

Chapter 437: Carving Up Northern Qingzhou, Dingnan King Lu Xuan, a Four-Way Stand-Off!

"You're courting death!"

Hu Weibang's humble smile instantly shattered into a grimace. He roared hoarsely, his body recoiling sharply.

The Mauser pistol he pulled out with his right hand immediately spat out a dazzling tongue of flame!

"Attack!"

"Bang—!!"

The gunshot was the signal! In an instant, gunshots erupted from the top of Wangjiang Tower!

The hundred-plus trusted guards Hu Weibang brought with him opened fire simultaneously, and a dense volley of bullets poured out like a sudden downpour, completely engulfing Lu Xuan and his more than fifty personal guards!

And before the scorching bullet screen, three even more sinister killing moves had already arrived, having been launched later.

A buzzing cloud of Gu insects burst forth from the Gu Master's ghostly claws, surging blackly towards Lu Xuan's mouth and nose.

A dark light shot from the Soul-Capturing Gourd, tearing through the air and heading straight for his glabella.

The piercing demonic sound erupting from Su Wan's fingers transformed into an invisible sharp blade, striking directly at his Divine Soul!

Sound attack, gunfire, Gu arts, Soul capture—a four-pronged deadly assault erupted completely at this moment, vowing to tear Lu Xuan to shreds!

However, facing this certain death situation, Lu Xuan remained seated, merely dipping his right index finger lightly into his wine cup, then flicking it seemingly casually forward.

"Buzz—"

A drop of crystal-clear wine splashed out, but after leaving his finger, it transformed into countless imperceptible faint golden Talismanic Incantation phantoms, rippling out like water waves, instantly enveloping the entire private room.

The Heaven and Earth Inversion Talisman!

The next moment, a scene that made Hu Weibang and the others' Souls Fly Away and Spirits Scattering occurred!

In their eyes, the figure of Lu Xuan, who was seated, and his guards behind him suddenly twisted and blurred. In their place, it was their own appearance!

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Intense gunshots already exploded, but the bullets fired flew in completely the wrong direction!

"Ah—! You've got it wrong! It's me! Stop quickly!"

"Bastard! Look clearly who I am! Ah—!"

"Don't come over! Ghost! There's a ghost! Shoot! Shoot quickly!"

Hu Weibang's personal guards completely lost their minds in extreme fear, roaring madly and killing each other under the influence of the illusion.

The scorching bullets all poured onto their comrades from moments ago.

The blood splattering from their bodies instantly stained the luxurious private room carpet crimson.

The three unorthodox Cultivators, at this moment, encountered a devastating disaster!

The deadly insect cloud released by the Gu Master, under the interference of the Heaven and Earth Inversion Talisman's strange power, abruptly changed direction in mid-air and covered the nearest Soul-Capturing Sect Cultivator!

"No—!" The Soul-Capturing Sect Cultivator's cry of alarm was cut short.

The dark mass of Gu insects instantly covered his head, face, and body, biting frantically.

He flailed his arms in vain, only allowing more poisonous insects to burrow into his sleeves.

And Su Wan, beside him, was even more tragic.

Under the influence of the illusion, she became the most hideous ghost in the eyes of those frenzied personal guards.

Countless bullets instantly poured down on her; she, along with the pipa in her arms, was instantly riddled with holes, perishing tragically.

Hu Weibang's eyes were bloodshot as he watched his subordinates kill each other and the three "masters" die instantly.

Yet, his arch-enemy, Lu Xuan, still sat there at his leisure, calmly sipping wine.

"Damn you! Stop playing tricks in front of me!" Hu Weibang had completely collapsed, losing all reason.

His face twisted, he still held the Mauser pistol, which had long run out of bullets, and frantically pulled the trigger in Lu Xuan's direction. The hammer struck the empty chamber in vain, making hollow "click, click" sounds.

Just then, a large number of Hu Weibang's subordinates, stationed downstairs, rushed up the stairs upon hearing the commotion.

He clutched at them like a drowning man, his eyes bursting with ecstatic light, and pointed hoarsely at the calmly seated figure: "Quick! Kill this monster! Shoot! Shoot for me!!!"

The loyal subordinates did not hesitate, raising their guns and firing. In an instant, a dense rain of bullets once again poured out!

However, under the Talismanic Incantation power of the "Heaven and Earth Inversion," the entire space was already in disarray.

All the whistling bullets, at the moment they left the muzzles, strangely deviated from their trajectories, all pouring onto their own people!

Screams, shouts, and the dull thud of bullets entering flesh mingled into a single cacophony.

When the furious gunshots finally ceased and the gunpowder smoke slowly dispersed, the top floor had already turned into a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.

More than two thousand elites brought by Hu Weibang were almost completely annihilated in this internecine slaughter.

Only Hu Weibang remained standing there, dumbfounded.

He looked around; everywhere his gaze fell, there were subordinates lying on the ground, their eyes wide in death.

The entire top floor of Wangjiang Tower fell into a deathly silence, with only Hu Weibang's heavy, desperate gasps remaining.

When Deputy Officer Mo and the Feng Shui Advisor led a thousand Dingnan Army elites up Wangjiang Tower, the tragic scene that greeted their eyes instantly froze them in place, dumbfounded.

The ground was covered with corpses, all elites under Hu Weibang; their entire army was annihilated.

"This... this is..." Deputy Officer Mo and the Master exchanged glances, both seeing immense shock in the other's eyes.

They knew that the Great General's Divine Ability was peerless, but they never expected that he could, in such an understated manner, make an entire enemy army of two thousand elites vanish in an instant.

In the deathly silence, Lu Xuan slowly rose: "You two handle things here. The Dingnan Army is yours to command. This Great General only wants Sanshui County!!!"

In the time that followed, Dingnan County and even the entire northern Qingzhou witnessed a thunderous expansion of power.

Lu Xuan unreservedly poured out the massive amount of gold, silver, and treasures obtained from Great General Weiyuan's Ancient Tomb, transforming it into a surging torrent that swept away everything.

Recruiting soldiers and buying horses, only talent was valued!

"Dingnan Army recruitment: double pay, meat at every meal!"

Eye-catching notices were posted throughout the four rural areas and eight towns.

The news spread like wildfire. Young men from all over, destitute refugees, and even the hungry defeated soldiers under neighboring warlords, surged in like a hundred rivers returning to the sea.

Outside the Dingnan Army camp, a winding Dragon line formed daily, bustling with activity and high morale.

At the same time, the Dingnan Army did not forget to purchase firearms, arming themselves to the teeth!

Through several secret channels, large batches of brand new German rifles, Maxim heavy machine guns, crates of ammunition, and even several mountain cannons were quickly transported to the Dingnan Army's main camp.

The Dingnan Army soldiers donned uniform, crisp new military uniforms, held excellent weapons, and their training sounds shook the heavens.

An unstoppable aura of a powerful army had already taken shape!

Seven days! Just seven days!

The Dingnan Army expanded rapidly at an unprecedented speed! Its troop strength brazenly broke through the 20,000 mark from its original five thousand-plus men, with banners flying and a strong, well-equipped force!

Its control also completely broke the old order, taking complete control of the wealthy Sanshui County, connecting it with the original Dingnan, Beiyu, and Cen Counties.

Four counties were now in its grasp, forming a strategic horn, and its Foundation was deeply rooted!

At this moment, Lu Xuan commanded an army of twenty thousand fierce warriors, backed by the immense wealth of the Ancient Tomb, and wielded supreme Talismanic Incantations that could confound ghosts and spirits.

He was no longer that small warlord confined to a corner, but a colossal entity standing tall in northern Qingzhou, one that all his opponents had to look up to, fear, and even dread!

"Mad Dog" Zhang Tianbiao and "Stone Buddha" Zhao Shouching, whose territories bordered Lu Xuan's, bore the brunt of this.

They were almost suffocated by the sudden emergence of the Dingnan Army's immense power.

Blackstone County, Zhang Tianbiao's command post.

"Slap!"

An urgent intelligence report was slammed by Zhang Tianbiao onto the hard wooden table, making the teacups rattle.

His temples throbbed, his face was ashen, and he growled at his subordinate officers: "Damn it! Twenty thousand men! All brand new guns and cannons! Did that little brat Lu Xuan really dig up a gold mine? How many days has it been?! Huh?"

The command post was silent, only Zhang Tianbiao's heavy breathing echoed.

He had originally been dreaming of annexing the Dingnan Army and the three counties, and seizing the Treasure Trove from the Ancient Tomb.

At this moment, Zhang Tianbiao was horrified to discover that the neighbor he once thought he could easily manipulate had, in just a few days, transformed into a colossal beast with bared fangs, making his heart pound with fear!

Pan'an County, Zhao Shouching's division headquarters.

Unlike Zhang Tianbiao's fury, Zhao Shouching was unusually silent.

He stood before a huge military map, his gaze fixed on the four counties that were now connected, his brow furrowed into a deep ' river' character.

After a long while, Zhao Shouching slowly exhaled a turbid breath, his voice slightly dry, and issued the most rational yet most helpless order.

"Order all units to strictly guard the passes. Without my command, no one is to provoke border conflicts, much less step a single pace into the Dingnan Army's territory."

He turned around and sighed softly to his confidant beside him: "The Evil Qi is soaring, its momentum has been established, and it cannot be stopped by human power... This Lu Xuan and the Dingnan Army have become formidable; we cannot contend with them alone."

A huge sense of crisis simultaneously wrapped around the necks of "Mad Dog" Zhang Tianbiao and "Stone Buddha" Zhao Shouching.

These two warlords, who usually had constant friction and mutual suspicion, had to temporarily set aside their prejudices under the pressure of survival.

Three days later, at a hidden mountain villa at the border of Blackstone County and Pan'an County.

Both sides' personal guards were dismissed a hundred paces away; only Zhang and Zhao remained in the hall.

"Brother Zhao, we can't wait any longer!" Zhang Tianbiao, with his violent temper, slammed his palm on the table, making the teacups clatter.

"Lu Xuan's momentum is too fierce; he's practically a damn Prodigy! Once he finishes digesting those four counties, the next target he'll devour will be either you or me! We must form an Alliance and strike first!"

Zhao Shouchang remained silent, only raising his eyes after a long moment, saying in a deep voice, "Commander Zhang is absolutely right. Not only does this boy possess a mountain of gold, but he himself has mastered some kind of mysterious, unpredictable arcane arts from who knows where."

"That Old fellow Hu Weibang lost inexplicably at Wangjiang Tower, and his elite troops slaughtered each other. Fighting him alone, neither of us is likely his match."

"Let's form an Alliance!"

"Good!" Zhang Tianbiao's eyes flashed with ferocity. "If we combine our forces, we'll have over twenty-five thousand troops, and our guns and cannons won't be fewer than Lu Xuan's Dingnan Army!"

"We'll strike while he hasn't stabilized his position, catch him off guard, and divide his territory and treasures!"

"Fine," Zhao Shouchang finally nodded slowly. "However, this matter requires careful planning. We must think before we act."

"Lu Xuan's Talismanic Incantation arts are formidable; ordinary guns and cannons might not be effective. We must find a way to counter them."

"To be honest with Commander Zhang, I know a highly skilled disciple from Hulong Mountain. His Daoist arts are profound, and he specializes in breaking evil and suppressing Evil Qi... We could hire him for a high price, specifically to deal with Lu Xuan's demonic arts!"

Less than a day later, at the border between Heishi County and Pan'an County, deep within the same secluded mountain villa.

Inside a secret chamber with tightly shut doors and windows, covered in Talismans, the candlelight flickered, and the atmosphere was tense.

A middle-aged Daoist wearing a tattered robe and possessing sinister eyes—Xuan Gouzi, a former disciple of Hulong Mountain—was setting up a ritual altar.

Zhang Tianbiao and Zhao Shouchang watched nervously.

On the altar were three black wine jars covered in blood-red Talismanic Incantations. The jars shook constantly, emitting a grating friction sound, as if something was about to break the Seal and emerge.

"Rest assured, Commanders," Xuan Gouzi said hoarsely, a hint of arrogance and cruelty on his face.

"These three ghosts were refined by me using painstaking effort. In life, they were all ferocious individuals, and after becoming malevolent ghosts, I nourished them with secret arts, making them incredibly fierce."

"Once I open the altar and lift the Seal, I can command them to fly straight to Dingnan County and take Lu Xuan's life invisibly!"

"No matter how divine his Talismanic Incantation arts are, he won't be able to withstand the sneak attack of these vicious ghosts!"

Hearing this, a look of joy flashed in the eyes of Zhang and Zhao.

Xuan Gouzi said no more, holding his peachwood sword, treading the ritual steps, and chanting incantations.

The candlelight on the altar suddenly turned an eerie green, and a cold wind rose abruptly, causing the Talismans to rattle loudly.

He rapidly tapped the tip of his sword, about to pierce the Talisman sealing the three wine jars.

It was at this moment!

A hundred miles away, Lu Xuan, who was sitting quietly in his villa in Dingnan County, seemed to sense something and suddenly opened his eyes!

His spiritual sense, belonging to the Heavenly Master Realm, instantly captured the malicious intent transmitted across space from the ethereal darkness.

Lu Xuan was momentarily stunned, then an extremely strange expression appeared on his face.

Someone was casting a Spell on him?

This could only be described as the biggest joke of the year in the spiritual world—someone was trying to curse the contemporary Heavenly Master.

Alas, if you think life is difficult, take a look at this poor unfortunate Soul... he actually tried to curse a Heavenly Master.

Lu Xuan let out a cold snort, not even needing to get up.

With a shift of his will, he followed the source of the malice, crossing thousands of mountains and rivers, and descended thunderously upon the secret chamber in that mountain villa!

Inside the secret chamber, just as Xuan Gouzi's peachwood sword was about to touch the wine jar...

"BOOM!!!"

An invisible tremendous sound exploded deep within the Souls of the three men: Xuan Gouzi, Zhang Tianbiao, and Zhao Shouchang!

The entire altar seemed to be struck violently by an invisible giant hand, instantly shattering into pieces!

The candlelight was extinguished instantly, and the Talismans spontaneously combusted into ash!

"Pfft—!" Xuan Gouzi bore the brunt of it. His Spell was violently interrupted, resulting in a terrifying backlash, and he spat out a mouthful of heart blood.

He flew backward like a kite with a broken string, slamming against the wall. His entire body's bones and tendons were shattered, and his eyes still held endless terror and disbelief, but he had already died on the spot!

Even more terrifying, the Seals on the three black wine jars were completely shattered by this single blow!

"Awooo—!!!"

Three shadows, thick as ink and radiating sky-high Evil Qi, burst violently from the wine jars, letting out deafening, mournful shrieks!

They were the three great malevolent ghosts! Having broken free, they instantly materialized, with green faces and savage fangs, radiating monstrous ferocity!

The three great malevolent ghosts sharply turned their heads, their crimson ghost eyes instantly locking onto the only living people in the room: Zhang Tianbiao and Zhao Shouchang!

"No... this has nothing to do with me!" Zhang Tianbiao was so scared his Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, and he immediately tried to run.

Zhao Shouchang's face was ashen. He pulled out his pistol and fired frantically at the ghostly figures, but the bullets passed right through them.

"Roar!"

The three great malevolent ghosts, carrying overwhelming resentment, lunged at the two men.

A mournful cold wind blew, accompanied by ghost wails and wolf howls. Zhang Tianbiao and Zhao Shouchang let out desperate, shrill screams, instantly submerged by the ghostly Qi. Their vital blood and Souls were completely devoured, leaving behind two shriveled corpses!

Having devoured the flesh, blood, and fear of the two warlords, the Evil Qi of the three great malevolent ghosts intensified. They roared up at the sky, their cries shaking the wilderness, clearly about to transform into even more vicious specters, bringing disaster to the region!

"Hmph, wicked creatures, I cannot let you live," Lu Xuan's will spoke again.

The next moment, a gigantic phantom Talisman, burning with crimson divine flames, condensed out of thin air. Carrying the supreme power to execute evil, break demons, and cleanse the universe, it fiercely suppressed the three malevolent ghosts roaring towards the sky!

"Boom—!!!"

Ten thousand rays of golden light shone, as if thunder erupted in the Void Realm. The ultimate Yang and rigid power swept through everything, purifying all defilement.

The three terrifyingly fierce malevolent ghosts, without even a chance to struggle, were struck by the crimson Talisman and shaken until their Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering amidst endless terror and wails, completely dissolving into nothingness!

The cold wind dissipated, the Evil Qi vanished, and everything returned to silence.

A thousand miles away, Lu Xuan slowly withdrew his will. He calmly ordered Deputy Officer Mo, who was standing by the door: "Zhang Tianbiao and Zhao Shouchang are dead. The Dragons have no leader."

"Pass down the order: the entire army will launch an attack and take over Heishi and Pan'an Counties."

"If there is any resistance, kill without mercy."

"Yes, Commander!"

Deputy Officer Mo outside the door excitedly accepted the command.

Thus, the Dingnan Army, without shedding a drop of blood, used thunderous means to sweep aside two powerful neighbors. Wherever their forces pointed...

...there was no one left to oppose them in Northern Qingzhou!

With the sudden rise of Lu Xuan's Dingnan Army, which now occupied six counties, the years of chaos in Northern Qingzhou were completely shattered.

The birth of a new hegemon disrupted the original balance of power, forming a new four-way standoff.

Chen Xiong, known as the "King of Qingzhou," controlled Hejiang City, the provincial capital, and the three most affluent surrounding counties, holding Qingzhou's administrative, port, and financial core.

His Qingzhou Army exceeded five hundred thousand troops, was the best equipped, and possessed artillery and a small air force with several old planes, representing the "official" power of Qingzhou.

It was said that he was also the son of the former dynasty's governor, the nominal "Military Governor of Qingzhou," holding the most legitimate status.

The Western Overlord, Great Warlord Luo Zhenshan, controlled the four mining counties in Western Qingzhou, rich in iron and copper ore, holding the heavy industry lifeline of the entire province.

He commanded nearly one hundred fifty-five thousand troops, occupying four western counties. His forces were tough, fearless of death, highly skilled in mountain warfare, and capable of producing their own military supplies.

It was rumored that his army contained "Mountain-Moving Daoists" whose Legacy was passed down through generations. They could use the Evil Qi of the earth veins to set up confusing arrays and even command "Stone Men" in battle.

The Witch Gu King of Nanling, "Witch Commander of Nanling" Miao Jiugu, controlled six counties in Southern Qingzhou.

The four southern counties were covered in dense forests, inhabited by a mix of Han and Yi people, and the terrain was treacherous and difficult to attack or defend.

She commanded about one hundred eight thousand troops. While the numbers didn't seem advantageous, they were extremely skilled in mountain and jungle warfare, and their movements were unpredictable.

It was rumored that she came from a mysterious Witch Gu family and represented the native forces of Southern Qingzhou.

Her army included many shamans proficient in Gu arts, corpse arts, and beast driving. They could not only use Gu to kill people invisibly but also command venomous insects and fierce beasts to form "Insect Tides" and "Beast Tides" to assault enemy formations.

Finally, there was Lu Xuan, naturally, who was called the "King of Dingnan" by the outside world!

The Dingnan Army now controlled Dingnan County, Beiyu County, Cen County, Sanshui County, Heishi County, and Pan'an County—a total of six counties—dominating Northern Qingzhou.

In just half a month, Lu Xuan commanded over three hundred thousand well-equipped, highly motivated troops, and his expansion speed was astonishing.

Host: Red Dust Immortal Lu Xuan (7th generation). Realm: Heavenly Master (Minor Achievement). Cultivation Technique: True Scripture of Yang Flame Talisman Fire (10/9). Points: 397802.

Destroying those three malevolent ghosts earned him 300,000 System Points.

Just then, there was an urgent knock on the door.

"Commander! Urgent report from Sanshui County!"

Deputy Officer Mo's voice carried a rare tension: "Within Sanshui County, Heishui Town and Linjiagang Town have been continuously attacked over the past three days! Hundreds are dead, all having bite marks on their necks and their blood completely dried up. Furthermore, that very night... their corpses reanimated and attacked the living!"

"Now, both places are virtually deserted, like a ghost domain! The county security regiment's efforts to suppress them failed, resulting in heavy casualties. It is suspected... that zombies are causing the disaster!"

Zombies?

A cold light flashed in Lu Xuan's eyes. "Immediately mobilize one thousand men from the Talisman Battalion. You will personally lead the team and depart for Sanshui County at once."

"Show no mercy!!!"

"Yes, Commander!" Hearing this, Deputy Officer Mo's spirit lifted, and he immediately turned and strode away.