49: Chapter 49 Yin Sha Sect

Having made these arrangements, Liang Qiming passed through the portal and returned to Green Mist Valley.

In the Manor, a new batch of conventional supplies purchased from the other world had just arrived. Liang Chengping, who was in charge of receiving them, was organizing personnel to inventory and store them.

This shipment consisted mainly of munitions.

The Empire was currently in the period of the Great Crusade; military production was at full throttle, and equipment was frequently being updated. Some obsolete or soon-to-be-phased-out standard-issue weapons would flow into the market through specific channels.

The Liang Family seized the opportunity to purchase a batch of standard-issue landmines and grenades used by the Imperial Army through the secret network established by Tiangong Merchant Bank.

The models weren't the latest, and their power was far inferior to expensive energy weapons or missiles, but they excelled in simple structure, high reliability, and ease of concealment and use. For the Liang Family, which lacked heavy firepower and experience in trench warfare, they were an excellent supplement.

The purchase was made using throne coins. This batch of munitions consumed a significant amount from the Liang Family's account. After all, it was weaponry—something that money couldn't always buy.

If Fulgrim hadn't previously paid a massive sum for the "frost greatsword," it would have been nearly impossible to purchase munitions on a large scale relying solely on the profits from exporting frost nectar grape raw materials from Blue Winter Star.

The profit from agricultural raw materials was limited, and Blue Winter Star was merely a source of raw materials. The truly high-value-added stages—such as brewing high-end ice wine for sale—saw most of the profits taken by downstream processors and distributors.

Once finished, Liang Qiming returned to Green Mist Valley through the teleportation portal.

The atmosphere in the Manor was peaceful. The initial state of high alert had lasted for a while without any sign of the enemy, so everyone had relaxed slightly. Daily patrols and training continued as usual, but they were no longer as constantly tense as at the beginning.

Liang Qiming summoned his father Liang Chengye, his second grand-Uncle Liang Shouye, and his Uncle Liang Chengping.

Using Storage Pouchs, the group made multiple trips in batches to quietly transport the newly arrived landmines and grenades back to the vicinity of the Manor.

They chose to carefully plant anti-personnel mines along the various paths leading to the Manor, mountain passes, and hidden approach routes that could be exploited.

They set up booby traps and tripwires. Grenades were distributed and stored at several preset defensive nodes.

Upon completion, Liang Chengye gathered all the clansmen and solemnly announced: From this day forward, everyone must strictly follow designated routes when entering or leaving the Manor; entering unmarked areas without authorization is strictly prohibited.

Only a few core members of the family knew the locations of the mines. While this wouldn't completely block the spiritual sense probes of cultivators, the goal was to cause unexpected casualties in the chaos and disrupt the enemy's formations.

With the arrangements in place, Liang Qiming returned to his quiet room to meditate and regulate his breathing for two days, recovering the mental energy spent traveling between the two worlds.

On the morning of the third day, just as he was preparing to open the portal to Blue Winter Star again, a piercing alarm suddenly rang out over the Manor!

The radar installed on the heights of the back mountain had detected abnormal energy signals and life signs rapidly approaching the valley!

"Maximum alert! Everyone to your positions!"

Shouts instantly shattered the silence. Inside the Manor, cultivators quickly grabbed their weapons, the able-bodied mortals ran to their preset firing positions, and the women and children were guided to reinforced bunkers.

Liang Chengye grabbed [Nether Shadow] and rushed toward the Manor's main gate with Liang Shouye, Liang Qizhi, and the others.

Through the faint spiritual light of the defensive array, several figures could be seen fleeing in a panic at the edge of the distant mountain forest.

Behind them, six figures with significantly stronger auras and fierce, baleful energy were in hot pursuit, the distance between them closing steadily.

The two fugitives seemed to have spotted the Manor and were charging toward it with all their might.

The six pursuers also noticed the Manor, but their speed didn't falter, their eyes flashing with murderous intent.

Liang Chengye's gaze narrowed, and he raised his hand to signal.

Alone, he stepped out of the Manor's gate, holding the sword embryo, and stood in the middle of the road, blocking the path between the fugitives and the pursuers.

The two fleeing people were startled to see someone blocking them, but upon realizing it was only one person with a weak aura, despair appeared on their faces.

But they had no way to retreat; they stumbled to a stop not far in front of Liang Chengye and collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.

The six pursuers also came to a sudden halt about thirty zhang from the Manor's gate, fanning out as their cold gazes swept over Liang Chengye.

As the distance closed, Liang Chengye finally got a clear look at the two being hunted.

The man was about thirty years old, his face deathly pale, his aura chaotic, and blood trickling from the corner of his mouth; his cultivation was around the Qi Refining Sixth Layer.

The woman was slightly younger, with a pretty face now filled with terror. Her clothes were torn in several places, revealing blood-stained inner garments. Her cultivation was at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer.

Both wore dark green clothing with insect and snake patterns, which was the rumored attire of the Five Poisons Sect.

The six pursuers were completely shrouded in oversized black robes, their faces hidden, revealing only pairs of cold or mocking eyes.

They stood scattered, faintly forming an encirclement. They emitted fluctuations mixed with yin energy and Corpse Qi, clearly not being righteous cultivators.

The man and woman from the Five Poisons Sect, collapsed on the ground, saw Liang Chengye standing alone in front of them and caught a glimpse of the Manor's faint outline and defensive light behind him, as if grabbing onto a lifeline.

The man struggled to speak, his voice hoarse: "Fellow Daoist... help! Behind us are the devils of the Yin Sha Sect! They kill people to refine corpses and commit all sorts of evils! If you help us, my Five Poisons Sect... will surely reward you handsomely!"

The woman also urged, "Fellow Daoist, please help us!"

Yin Sha Sect? Liang Chengye's heart stirred. He remembered it was a demonic sect with an equally poor reputation, specializing in controlling corpses and ghosts, making them peers of the Five Poisons Sect. The current situation looked like a case of dog-eat-dog, or perhaps one party being in trouble and the other taking advantage of the situation.

Before he could reply, one of the black-robed men across from him sneered, his voice shrill: "Where did this rogue cultivator come from, daring to meddle in the affairs of my Yin Sha Sect? If you know what's good for you, crawl back into your turtle shell; otherwise, I'll refine you along with them!"

Another Black-robed Person said sinisterly to the two from the Five Poisons Sect: "Hand over the 'The True Explanation of a Hundred Poisons' and the 'Secret Record of Insect Control.' Perhaps the Ancestor will show some mercy and leave you your dog lives to be kept as corpse slaves, which is better than having your souls scattered."

Hearing this, the color drained from the faces of the Five Poisons Sect pair, their eyes filled with deeper fear, yet they became even more resolute. The man gritted his teeth and said, "In your dreams! The sect's inheritance—I'd rather die than give it to you!"

The woman tightly gripped an insect flute that flickered with a ghostly green light, her body trembling slightly, yet she forced herself not to back down.