112: Chapter 112 First Battle Deployment
As the sword light descended, the two General-level Demons staggered back.
Black mist surged from the severed arm of the first one, slowly undergoing Rebirth. On the second one's sliced-off half-face, rows of densely packed sharp teeth were exposed, making one's skin crawl.
They retreated a few steps, staring warily at the people arriving from the horizon.
Lu Mingyuan landed on the ground, gasping for air.
The Old Taoist who swept the floors at Longhu Mountain landed beside him, holding a longsword from which black blood was still dripping.
He looked at Lu Mingyuan and smiled.
"Kid, you doing okay?"
Lu Mingyuan nodded.
"I'm okay."
The Old Taoist looked at him covered in blood and shook his head.
"You call this okay?"
Lu Mingyuan also smiled.
"I won't die."
The Old Taoist nodded and turned toward the two General-level Demons.
"Leave these two things to us. You take a rest first."
He waved his hand.
Behind him, people began to land one after another.
There were Taoists from Longhu Mountain, warrior monks from Shaolin, scholars from Yuelu, swordsmen from Mount Qingcheng, and many Loose Cultivators he didn't recognize.
They were densely packed, at least five hundred people.
They landed on the ruins, on giant boulders, and among the wild grass, surrounding the two General-level Demons and the Demon Soldiers.
Zhang Lingyun was stunned when he saw the Old Taoist.
"Grand-Uncle Master?"
The Old Taoist looked back at him.
"What? Don't recognize me anymore?"
Zhang Lingyun opened his mouth.
"You... why are you here?"
The Old Taoist smiled.
"How could I not come when you're here?"
He looked at Zhang Lingyun's blood-stained body and the last talisman paper in his hand.
"You've worked hard."
Zhang Lingyun shook his head.
"It wasn't hard."
The Old Taoist nodded and said nothing more.
Fa Ming was helped up.
He was supported by several Shaolin warrior monks, one of whom he recognized—a Junior Brother who had swept the floors with him.
The Junior Brother's eyes reddened as he looked at Fa Ming's many wounds.
"Senior Brother..."
Fa Ming shook his head.
"It's nothing."
He looked behind the monks.
An old monk was standing there.
Jingchen.
Fa Ming was stunned.
"Junior Martial Uncle..."
Jingchen walked over and looked at him.
"You're badly injured."
Fa Ming nodded.
"Yes."
Jingchen asked:
"Was it worth it?"
Fa Ming thought for a long time.
Then, he nodded.
"It was worth it."
Jingchen looked at him for a very long time.
Then, he smiled.
"That's good."
He turned and looked at the two General-level Demons.
"Next, leave it to this old monk."
Li Haoran was helped to his feet.
He was supported by several young scholars, all of whom were students he had taught at Yuelu.
Their eyes reddened as they saw his pale face and the blood at the corners of his mouth.
"Teacher..."
Li Haoran looked at them.
"Why are you all here?"
One student said:
"Teacher has left, so how could we not come?"
Another student said:
"Teacher said that to know is to act. We know, so we have come."
Li Haoran's eyes grew hot as he looked at them.
He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out.
An Old Scholar with white hair and a white beard walked over.
It was the Old Scholar who swept the floors at Yuelu.
He still held that bamboo broom, but now, a faint light flowed upon it.
He looked at Li Haoran.
"You're badly injured."
Li Haoran nodded.
"Yes."
The Old Scholar asked:
"Can you still stand?"
Li Haoran gritted his teeth and stood straight.
"I can."
The Old Scholar nodded.
"Then stand firm. Next, let this old man teach these students what Noble Spirit truly is."
He turned to face the Demon Soldiers.
He slowly raised the bamboo broom.
Yue Wushuang leaned against a giant boulder, "shouxin" resting across his knees as he panted heavily.
Several swordsmen from Mount Qingcheng landed beside him.
One of them was the Senior Brother who had handed him sword manuals in the Sword Pavilion years ago.
The Senior Brother looked at him.
"Junior Brother."
Yue Wushuang nodded.
"Senior Brother."
The Senior Brother looked at the sword in his hand.
"The sword is still here."
Yue Wushuang nodded.
"It is."
The Senior Brother asked:
"Can it still be used?"
Yue Wushuang gripped the hilt tightly.
"It can."
The Senior Brother smiled.
"That's good."
He turned toward the two General-level Demons.
"Next, let those of us from Mount Qingcheng teach them the meaning of the Sword Dao."
Jiang Yichen stood alone on a rock, holding the broken sword.
Several Loose Cultivators walked over and looked at him.
One of them was a middle-aged man with a large saber on his back, his face weathered by the elements.
He looked at Jiang Yichen.
"Brother, is your sword broken?"
Jiang Yichen nodded.
The man pulled the large saber from his back and handed it to him.
"Use this."
Jiang Yichen shook his head.
"I use a sword."
The man laughed.
"Just because the sword is broken, it can't be used?"
He looked at Jiang Yichen.
"The sword is broken, but the Sword Intent remains. As long as the Sword Intent is there, anything can be used as a sword."
Jiang Yichen was stunned.
He looked at the man, the large saber, and the broken sword in his hand.
Then, he understood something.
He gripped the broken sword and stood up.
"Thank you."
The man nodded.
"No need for thanks. Next, let's kill the enemy together."
Lu Mingyuan stood there, looking at those people.
Taoists of Longhu Mountain, warrior monks of Shaolin, scholars of Yuelu, swordsmen of Qingcheng, and those unrecognized Loose Cultivators.
Over five hundred people.
Over five hundred people who were willing to come.
His eyes grew hot as he looked at them.
Bai Ze walked to his side.
"Do you see?"
Lu Mingyuan nodded.
Bai Ze said softly:
"This is the path you have forged."
Lu Mingyuan didn't speak.
He just watched those people, watched those lights.
That light was brighter than any light he had ever seen.
Zhang Qingyuan stood beside him, holding the heart lamp.
"Master, the lamp is still lit."
Lu Mingyuan looked down.
That heart lamp was indeed still lit.
The incense in the lamp was mostly burnt, but that wisp of blue smoke still rose straight up without any sign of scattering.
He looked at Zhang Qingyuan.
"You've been holding it this whole time?"
Zhang Qingyuan nodded.
"Always. While Master fought in front, I held the lamp to light the way from behind. If I light it brighter, Master can see more clearly."
Lu Mingyuan looked at him for a long, long time.
Then, he reached out and patted his head.
"Good disciple."
Zhang Qingyuan smiled.
The smile was weary, but there was light in his eyes.
The two General-level Demons watched the growing number of people, unease flashing in their eyes.
They glanced at each other and slowly began to retreat.
The Demon Soldiers also began to fall back.
The Old Taoist from Longhu Mountain laughed.
"Thinking of running?"
He raised his longsword.
"Everyone, form the array!"
Over five hundred people moved instantly.
The Taoists of Longhu Mountain landed at the very front and began drawing talismans to set up an array.
Shaolin warrior monks landed on the left and right flanks, forming the Arhat Array.
The scholars of Yuelu stood at the rear, their Noble Spirit merging into a single, massive curtain of light.
The swordsmen of Qingcheng were scattered about, sword light flickering as they prepared to strike at any moment.
The Loose Cultivators each found their positions, their sabers, spears, swords, and halberds ready for battle.
Watching all this, an indescribable feeling welled up in Lu Mingyuan's heart.
This was the Zhenyi Alliance.
Not seven people, but over five hundred.
Not a group of disorganized stragglers, but a real army.
He took a deep breath and walked to the Old Taoist's side.
"Senior, how should we fight this?"
The Old Taoist looked at him.
"What do you think?"
Lu Mingyuan thought for a moment.
"Trap them first, then strike. Contain the Demon Soldiers and concentrate our strength on slaying the General-levels."
The Old Taoist nodded.
"Just as I thought."
He looked at the two General-level Demons.
"These two things—one for me, one for you. How about it?"
Lu Mingyuan was momentarily stunned.
"Me?"
The Old Taoist looked at him.
"You held out alone for so long just now; do you still have strength left?"
Lu Mingyuan felt the Wanxiang True Qi within his body.
Most of it was consumed, but he could still fight.
He nodded.
"I do."
The Old Taoist smiled.
"Good. Then it's settled."
He turned to the crowd.
"Everyone, hear my command!"
Over five hundred people responded in unison:
"Yes!"
The Old Taoist raised his longsword.
"First array: Talisman Array, trap the enemy!"
Zhang Lingyun and the Longhu Mountain Taoists struck simultaneously.
Hundreds of talisman papers flew toward the Demon Soldiers, drawing countless streaks of golden light in the air. As the golden light fell, it formed a massive Talisman Array, trapping over two thousand Demon Soldiers in the center.
The Demon Soldiers struggled desperately, but the Talisman Array remained unshakable.
"Second array: Arhats, block the enemy!"
Fa Ming and the Shaolin warrior monks rushed to the edge of the Talisman Array. They formed the Arhat Array, firmly blocking the Demon Soldiers trying to break through.
With every punch that landed, a Demon Soldier was sent flying back. With every kick, a Demon Soldier dissolved into black smoke.
"Third array: Noble Spirit, protect the array!"
Li Haoran and the Yuelu scholars merged their Noble Spirit, forming a massive curtain of light that protected everyone. The resentment of the Demon Soldiers was blocked by the Noble Spirit, unable to corrode them.
"Fourth array: Sword Dao, slay the generals!"
The Old Taoist looked at Lu Mingyuan.
"Kid, follow me!"
He leaped into the air and charged at the first General-level Demon.
Lu Mingyuan took a deep breath, his Wanxiang True Qi circulating wildly as he followed.
Behind him, Yue Wushuang, Jiang Yichen, and the Qingcheng swordsmen also struck at the same time.
Sword light like rainbows slashed toward the two General-level Demons.
The first General-level Demon was struck in the chest by the Old Taoist's sword.
It let out a miserable shriek, black mist surging as it tried desperately to heal the wound.
But the Old Taoist's sword was too fast.
Strike after strike, every blow landed on the same spot.
The wound grew larger and deeper; the speed of healing could not keep up with the speed of the slashing.
It began to panic.
It turned to flee.
But the Old Taoist's sword was faster.
One strike severed its left arm.
One strike severed its right arm.
One strike pierced its chest.
It looked down at the sword mark, its eyes full of disbelief.
Then, its body exploded with a bang.
Dissolving into a sky full of black smoke.
Seeing its companion killed, the second General-level Demon became even more frenzied.
It opened its massive maw and lunged at Lu Mingyuan.
Lu Mingyuan dodged to the side and swung his sword back, slashing it across the face.
But that strike only left a shallow mark.
It turned its head and lunged again.
Unable to dodge in time, Lu Mingyuan had his left shoulder bitten.
Intense pain surged through him.
Gritting his teeth, he gripped his sword with his right hand and thrust it into its mouth.
The tip of the sword emerged from the back of its head.
It let out a shrill scream, released its grip, and stumbled back.
Lu Mingyuan landed on the ground, blood pouring from his left shoulder.
But he didn't stop.
He charged forward and struck again.
One strike, two strikes, three strikes.
Every strike landed on the same spot.
Finally, its body began to disintegrate.
It looked down at Lu Mingyuan, its eyes filled with malice.
Then, it exploded with a bang.
Both General-level Demons were dead.
The Demon Soldiers trapped in the Talisman Array lost their command and fell into chaos.
Some continued to struggle, some tore at each other, and some fled toward the depths of The Rift.
The Old Taoist landed on the ground, watching the scattering Demon Soldiers.
"Kill!"
Over five hundred people struck at once.
Half an hour later, the more than two thousand Demon Soldiers had all turned into black smoke.
Peace returned to the ruins.
Lu Mingyuan stood there, covered in blood, gasping for air.
The Old Taoist walked to his side.
"Kid, you doing okay?"
Lu Mingyuan nodded.
"I'm okay."
The Old Taoist looked at the bloody hole in his left shoulder and shook his head.
"You call this okay?"
Lu Mingyuan smiled.
"I won't die."
The Old Taoist also smiled.
"Good lad."
He turned to look at the cheering crowd.
"Today, we have won!"
The cheers shook the heavens.
Lu Mingyuan stood there, watching those people, watching those lights.
Then, he smiled.
The smile was faint, but there were tears in his eyes.
Bai Ze walked to his side.
"Are you crying?"
Lu Mingyuan shook his head.
"No."
Bai Ze smiled.
"Stubborn."
It looked at the cheering crowd.
"Today, we did indeed win."
Lu Mingyuan nodded.
"We won."
He looked at the core of resentment deep within The Rift.
It was still there.
Still pulsating.
Still waiting.
But today, they had won.
No matter what tomorrow brings, they won today.
That was enough.
He turned and walked toward the camp.
Zhang Qingyuan followed behind him, holding the heart lamp.
"Master, the lamp is still lit."
Lu Mingyuan nodded.
"I know."
He looked at the lamp, at that wisp of blue smoke rising straight up.
As long as the lamp is there, the people are there.
As long as the people are there, the watch continues.
As long as the watch continues, there will be a day of victory.