314: Chu Liuxiang

The night in the Hanyue Valley Underground Palace always carried a bone-chilling cold. Jun Xiaoyao sat on the black iron chair, his fingertips lightly tapping the armrest, his gaze fixed on the suspended light screen before him.

On the Light Screen, the map of the Northern Region slowly rotated. Red dots representing The Net's strongholds already covered seven cities, but only the northernmost “Icebound City” was still marked with a gray dot—it was the last hiding place of the Blood Shadow Cult's remaining forces and one of the main production areas for lihun grass.

"Is there any news from Marshal of the Unruly?" Jun Xiaoyao's voice was calm and steady, as if asking about a trivial matter.

Zhao Gao stepped out of the shadows, bowed, and handed over a message talisman: "Reporting, Young Lord. Marshal of the Unruly sent a message saying that the remaining Blood Shadow forces in Icebound City have allied with the local 'Snow Wolf Gang' and are reinforcing their defenses, relying on the City Lord's Mansion's tacit approval. They seem to intend to use the seasonal mountain closure to turn that place into a new Main Altar."

Jun Xiaoyao tapped the Light Screen with his fingertip, and a three-dimensional image of Icebound City immediately appeared—the majestic city walls were covered in half a foot of snow, guards wearing wolfskin coats were faintly visible on the corner watchtowers, and in the city center square, the black banner of the Blood Shadow Cult was flapping in the cold wind.

"The City Lord's Mansion?" Jun Xiaoyao raised an eyebrow slightly. "Investigate the background of the Icebound City Lord."

"Yes." Zhao Gao quickly pulled up the data, and lines of text popped up on the Light Screen: [Icebound City Lord: Yelü Hong, Innate Realm, former Vice General of the Northern Region Army. He took over as City Lord after resigning three years ago and is a Sworn Brother of the Snow Wolf Gang Leader.]

"Innate Realm?" Jun Xiaoyao chuckled lightly. "No wonder he dares to harbor the remaining Blood Shadow forces. Zhao Gao, take this to Marshal of the Unruly." He flicked his finger, and a dark golden token flew towards Zhao Gao—the words "Beyond Heaven" were engraved on the token, and faint Spiritual Energy fluctuations flowed along its edges.

"Young Lord, this is..." Zhao Gao's pupils contracted slightly. He had only heard of this token in legends; it was said that its holder could mobilize all of Beyond Heaven's hidden power.

"Tell Marshal of the Unruly that, if necessary, he doesn't need to worry about the City Lord's Mansion." Jun Xiaoyao's voice grew colder. "The production area for lihun grass cannot fall into others' hands."

"Understood!" Zhao Gao gripped the token, turned, and stepped into the Teleportation Array. A flash of light, and he vanished from the spot.

Silence returned to the underground palace. Jun Xiaoyao's gaze shifted to the summoning array. After the battle against the Blood Shadow Cult, the Spiritual Energy in the Array Core had accumulated to 98%. The Light Screen displayed a new list of summonable figures, and the name at the very top sparked a flicker of interest in his eyes.

[Summonable Figure: West Gate Blows Snow]

[Source: World of legend of lu xiaofeng]

[Realm: Peak Heaven-Human Realm]

[Martial Skill: Flying Immortal from Beyond the Heavens (Perfection), Flowing Cloud Flying Sleeve (Major Achievement)]

[Loyalty: ???]

[Summoning Cost: Spiritual Energy 90%]

"Peak Heaven-Human Realm, huh..." Jun Xiaoyao's fingertip hovered over the name for a moment, but he finally withdrew his hand. A 90% Spiritual Energy consumption was too massive. With the Northern Region currently unstable, he needed to keep some reserves. He turned his attention to another name.

[Summonable Figure: Guo Jing]

[Source: World of the legend of the condor heroes]

[Realm: Late Grandmaster Realm]

[Martial Skill: Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms (Perfection), Nine Yin Manual (Major Achievement)]

[Loyalty: 90%]

[Summoning Cost: Spiritual Energy 50%]

"Guo Jing..." Jun Xiaoyao nodded slightly. The fierce strength of the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms perfectly compensated for The Net's lack of close combat ability, and with a Loyalty rating of 90%, he was a secure choice. He raised his hand and pressed it onto the center of the summoning array, and faint golden Spiritual Energy surged into the Array Core like a tide.

The Array Patterns lit up, and ancient Runes flowed across the ground, forming a massive Bagua pattern. As the Spiritual Energy was injected, a burly figure gradually emerged in the center of the Bagua—dressed in coarse cloth clothes, with an honest face. When he clasped his hands, dragon-shaped Qi Energy faintly swirled around him.

"This subordinate, Guo Jing, greets the Young Lord!" Guo Jing's voice was like a great bell, carrying a solemn Righteousness. The moment he knelt on one knee, the entire underground palace seemed to shake slightly.

[Character Panel Activated]

[Name: Guo Jing]

[Realm: Late Grandmaster Realm]

[Loyalty: 92%]

[Status: Stable]

[Expertise: Close Combat Assault, Military Array Command]

Jun Xiaoyao looked at the pure Masculine Qi emanating from him and nodded in satisfaction: "Great Hero Guo, there's no need for formalities. There is trouble in Northern Region's Icebound City. The Snow Wolf Gang is colluding with the remaining Blood Shadow forces. We need your help to assist Marshal of the Unruly."

When Guo Jing stood up, his gaze swept over the map of Icebound City on the Light Screen, and he frowned: "The Blood Shadow Cult harms the populace, and the Snow Wolf Gang aids the wicked. Guo Jing cannot stand idly by! However..." He paused, hesitating slightly, "This subordinate is not skilled in assassination, and I fear I may not be suited for The Net's tasks."

"It's fine." Jun Xiaoyao tapped his finger lightly, bringing up the Military Defense Map of Icebound City. "You only need to assist Marshal of the Unruly in breaking through the Snow Wolf Gang's Defensive Array. As for assassination, others will handle it." He looked at the shadow in the corner. "A'Qing, come out."

A green shadow flashed out like a ghost, a Bamboo Sword held diagonally towards the ground. It was A'Qing, the Yue Maiden Sword, summoned earlier.

[Character Panel: A'Qing]

[Source: World of Yue Maiden Sword]

[Realm: Mid-Stage Grandmaster Realm]

[Martial Skill: Yue Maiden Sword Technique (Perfection)]

[Loyalty: 88%]

"Young Lord." A'Qing's voice was clear and cold, like the striking of jade.

"You will go to Icebound City with Guo Jing," Jun Xiaoyao ordered. "Guo Jing will break the array, and you will be responsible for clearing the archers on the watchtowers."

"Yes." A'Qing bowed to accept the order, and her figure disappeared back into the shadows, leaving only a faint trace of bamboo fragrance.

Guo Jing watched the direction A'Qing disappeared in, a flash of surprise in his eyes, then clasped his hands: "This subordinate accepts the order! When do we depart?"

"Now." Jun Xiaoyao raised his hand and opened the Teleportation Array. "The coordinates are locked onto a dense forest thirty miles outside Icebound City. Marshal of the Unruly will meet you there."

The moment Guo Jing stepped into the Teleportation Array, he suddenly looked back: "Young Lord, if the City Lord's Mansion tries to stop us..."

"Kill." Jun Xiaoyao uttered only one word, the chill in his tone seemingly freezing the air slightly.

The Teleportation Array's light extinguished, and the underground palace fell silent again. Jun Xiaoyao looked back at the Light Screen. At this moment, Marshal of the Unruly's message talisman lit up again: [Icebound City Lord Yelü Hong has dispatched troops to take over the lihun grass Plantation, and the Snow Wolf Gang is relocating its Followers.]

"Relocating?" Jun Xiaoyao sneered. "Too late." He flicked his finger, and another message talisman flew toward the shadows. "Black Impermanence, take the 'Shadow' Group and infiltrate the plantation. Destroy all the lihun grass, and leave no survivors."

A low response came from the shadows, followed by silence.

Jun Xiaoyao leaned back in the black iron chair, closing his eyes to rest. On the Light Screen, two green dots gradually appeared next to the red dot of Icebound City—Guo Jing and A'Qing had arrived. He could clearly "see" Guo Jing leading Marshal of the Unruly's men to survey the Snow Wolf Gang's Defensive Array. The "Wolf Tooth Array" set up by the Snow Wolf Gang experts was instantly obvious to his eyes; meanwhile, A'Qing moved like a streak of green lightning, silently sweeping across the city walls. The archers on the watchtowers fell soundlessly before they could even react.

"Hmm?" Jun Xiaoyao suddenly opened his eyes. The yellow dot representing the City Lord's Mansion on the Light Screen was moving. Yelü Hong was personally leading three hundred Personal Guards to the plantation.

"He's more sensible than I thought." Jun Xiaoyao drew an arc on the Light Screen with his fingertip. "White Impermanence, take the 'Kill' Group and intercept Yelü Hong. Cripple his Cultivation, but spare his life."

"Yes, Young Lord." Another cold voice echoed from the shadows.

Half an hour later, three fireworks burst onto the Light Screen of Icebound City—red represented successful array breach, blue represented target elimination, and yellow represented mission completion. Jun Xiaoyao opened his eyes, watched the red dot completely disappear, and the gray dot transform into The Net's red dot. A faint smile finally curved his lips.

He raised his hand and waved, and the summoning array lit up again. This time, the Spiritual Energy consumption was low, only 10%. A figure dressed in white appeared in the array, holding a Folding Fan and wearing a cynical smile.

[Character Panel: Fragrant Bat]

[Source: World of the legend of chu liuxiang]

[Realm: Mid-Stage Grandmaster Realm]

[Martial Skill: Finger Flicking Divine Skill (Perfection), Movement Technique "Footsteps Without Trace" (Perfection)]

[Loyalty: 85%]

"Heh heh, looks like I arrived just in time." Fragrant Bat fanned himself with the Folding Fan, his gaze sweeping over Icebound City on the Light Screen. "How could Marshal Xiang miss such an exciting affair?"

Jun Xiaoyao looked at him: "The Salt Routes in South of the River are controlled by the 'River Crossing Dragon' Gang. They impounded three of our boats of salt."

Fragrant Bat closed his Folding Fan, his smile unchanged: "A trivial matter. However..." He took a few steps closer and lowered his voice, "I heard the Young Lord has good wine here?"

Jun Xiaoyao pointed to the Wine Rack in the corner of the underground palace: "Drink as you please. But remember, within three days, I want to see the River Crossing Dragon's Leader hanging on the gate of the Salt Gang's Main Headquarters."

"Leave it to me!" Fragrant Bat picked up a bottle of wine, and with a flash of his figure, he had vanished into the Teleportation Array, leaving only a sentence drifting in the air: "Excellent wine! Thank you, Young Lord!"

Silence returned to the underground palace. Jun Xiaoyao looked at the Salt Route Distribution Map of the South of the River region, his fingertip lightly tapping the armrest. The Net's tentacles had already stretched to North of the River; the next step was South of the River. With the addition of Guo Jing and Fragrant Bat, Beyond Heaven's power was becoming increasingly abundant, and those forces hiding in the dark should properly measure their strength.

He closed his eyes, sensing the remaining 38% Spiritual Energy in the summoning array. He already had new plans in mind. The summoning of a Land Immortal Realm expert would have to wait, but before then, it was enough to stir up the Jianghu even more.

The wind of Hanyue Valley passed through the cracks of the underground palace, carrying the Cold Qi of the Northern Region and a trace of the majesty belonging to Beyond Heaven, silently spreading across the entire continent.