Deep into the Liao Domain

On the first day after the Dao path was made public, all fifty thousand copies of the cultivation scripture for the *Myriad Tribulations Imperishable Dharma Body* were snapped up. The merchant caravans were by no means naive; they immediately caught the scent of opportunity, buying them by the thousands or tens of thousands to rush them to the rear at once. Selling them even a day earlier meant setting their own prices, whereas once the market was flooded, the books would barely fetch enough to cover the toil and travel costs. Three days later, an emergency reprint of three hundred thousand copies of the *Myriad Tribulations Imperishable Dharma Body* hit the shelves and was swept clean all the same. This thoroughly provoked Yu Zhizhuo; he had never seen anyone dare to challenge Qingming's manufacturing capacity like this. Thus, he immersed himself in preparations for four days, gearing up to deliver a massive blow. The scheduled release was delayed by another day, leaving the caravans waiting in utter anxiety, while those who had already secured copies strutted about proudly, calculating their extra profits while mocking the rest. At long last, noon of the fourth day arrived. Countless freight wagons rolled up to the Daoist Canon Bookstores across Qingming's various cities, unloading books cartload by cartload. The merchants watched, dumbfounded, until someone finally stepped forward trembling to ask how many copies had arrived in total. The caravan foreman snapped impatiently, "What's the rush? There's enough for everyone! We've brought five million copies this time. If that isn't enough, we can print more—as many as you could possibly want!" Five million! Several merchants who had bought huge batches of second-hand copies at inflated prices fainted on the spot. A vast tide of Dao scriptures for the *Myriad Tribulations Imperishable Dharma Body* followed the flow of caravans, steadily permeating every corner of Great Tang. Wei Yuan, meanwhile, sealed a letter and handed it to a subordinate to deliver to the Xu family. He then boarded a floating boat, taking a small contingent of troops and followers, and set off for the northern frontier, where pastures transferred by the Silver Moon Great Khan awaited handover. The western line of Western Jin's northern frontier bordered the territory of the Silver Moon Khanate. An armistice was already in effect; large contingents of the Liao army were retreating north, while the Western Jin forces lacked the strength to pursue them. As Wei Yuan's flying boat skimmed past the former frontline, several trenches stretching for a hundred li across the barren earth came into view. The Western Jin border troops had adopted some of Qingming's tactics, digging trenches across the battlefield. The trenches had proven distinctly effective; paired with horse-trapping pits, they prevented the Liao iron cavalry from thrusting deeply into Jin territory with impunity. The battlefield stretched roughly a thousand li in depth. Due to the collision of earth qi between the Liao domain and the human domain, it was entirely desolate desert, showing no sign of life. Although both sides wielded the power of Earth, their energies were incompatible, preventing even earth veins from forming below. Thus, this battleground was useless wasteland; only after one side secured complete control and allowed it to recuperate for decades or a century would vitality slowly return. Only after crossing this desert zone did one truly enter the Liao domain. The land took on a deep, dark verdure, with several winding rivers carving through the earth like sharpened blades, dividing the landscape into sections. Wherever they flowed, lush water and fertile grass flourished into sprawling pastures. In the distance, snow-capped mountains stood in silent grandeur, glinting with a cold silvery light; dark green emerged beneath their middles, blending seamlessly into the meadows. Gazing down from the sky, the pale-yellow expanse was dappled with patches of green, dotted with countless specks—herds of cattle and sheep wandering along the riverbanks where vegetation thrived. As light shifted in the heavens, shadows of passing clouds swept across the steppes; wherever they drifted, the verdure turned deep as ink one moment and bright as jade the next. Not long after entering the Liao domain, the flying boat suddenly shuddered violently, plummeting several hundred zhang. Without needing Wei Yuan to intervene, the Golden Core cultivators aboard exerted their power in unison and stabilized the vessel. They were now deep within the Liao domain, enveloped by its distinct heaven and earth. The flying boat's levitation formations faltered under this foreign domain, as though drawing in spiritual qi choked with heavy impurities. However, Qingming had long since developed countermeasures. Twenty template Dao Foundation cultivators promptly entered the lower-deck engine room to power the craft directly, freeing it from sole reliance on ambient spiritual qi. Before long, the vessel regained its altitude and sailed onward. Several hours later, a Liao city finally came into view ahead. Though called a city, its walls were low, and dedicated districts within were set aside specifically for pitching tents. At a glance, nearly half the city consisted of yurts and tents, with the rest built of earth and timber, the tallest structures reaching no more than five or six stories. A stir broke out among the nomads below as they spotted the flying boat. Over a dozen cultivators rose into the sky from the city, barring the vessel's way. The leading Liao man had a face etched with deep furrows and cloudy eyes, yet a sharp glint flickered deep within them. Raising a hand to restrain his tense subordinates, he pressed a hand to his chest in a Liao salute and said, "I am Great Chieftain Hutu of this tribe. May I ask if the one arriving is Realm Lord Wei Yuan of Qingming?" Wei Yuan stepped to the prow and nodded slightly. "Silver Moon should have given you instructions, correct? Are you in charge of all the tribes in this region?" Hutu replied, "This entire area belongs to the Three Rivers Khanate. It also includes the other side of the Great Snow Mountain, accessible via three mountain passes. The Three Rivers Khanate answers directly to the Silver Moon Great Khan. The Great Khan has already instructed that all pastures and steppes belonging to the Three Rivers Khanate shall henceforth belong to you. Please follow me; I have prepared the map, the khan banner, and a prized steed." Wei Yuan nodded and ordered the vessel down, landing directly in the center of the city. The city did not house many tribespeople—barely over a hundred thousand. By now, nearly half the population had gathered around the central square, gazing at the immense, unprecedented flying boat. The Qingming guards began disembarking. Clad head to toe in heavy armor like walking steel fortresses, their visors revealed only a narrow slit or a cluster of fine perforations for the eyes. Many onlookers grew uneasy. No matter how ignorant, anyone could tell how exceptionally equipped these warriors were. Even the habitually proud tribal archers subconsciously weighed whether their heavy arrows could pierce such plate. A short while later, Wei Yuan was seated in the lord's manor. Batu stood below with a retinue of tribal chieftains and presented a map of the entire region. Rendered on the hide of an exotic beast, it spanned several zhang when fully unfurled. The map was also a Scenery Command spiritual treasure, its mountains and waterways depicted with lifelike precision. Moreover, as Wei Yuan refined it, a mere shift of his divine sense changed the view, toggling to different layers at varying altitudes. The deepest layer reached over five hundred zhang underground, detailing several earth veins. The moment Wei Yuan touched an earth vein with his divine sense, he felt as though he were underground, traversing dark and narrow tunnels. Surrounding him, rock and mineral textures were vividly tangible—even the droplets dripping from above felt uncannily real. Even Qingming could not produce imagery so authentic. Sweeping his divine sense across it, Wei Yuan detected dense traces of souls. This map had actually been refined through living human sacrifices! The images Wei Yuan had just perceived were the very sights seen by Liao tribesmen sent deep into the subterranean passages. Once they finished surveying a tunnel, their souls were extracted and sacrificed into the map, yielding those immersive visions. Wei Yuan ran a fingertip across the map and soon discerned the number of tribespeople sacrificed to create it: three thousand seven hundred. Though the method was cruel, the map was undeniably a rare spiritual treasure. According to its records, the Three Rivers Khanate spanned over four thousand li from east to west and three thousand li from north to south. A total of fifteen million Liao lived across this region, most having dwelt here for generations. After presenting the map, a line of graceful Liao maidens filed in. The leading two girls were identical twins, carrying a khan banner between them. Over a dozen more maidens followed, leading in a prized steed black as night. Batu spoke with humble respect: "Bearing this khan banner allows one to open and close the city's grand formation; it is also the symbol of the khan's throne. Furthermore, this banner can empower warriors under your command, augmenting their battle strength." Wei Yuan fingered the banner and asked, "How many Scenery Command and how many Dharma Idol perfection cultivators currently serve under the khanate?" "There are two Scenery Command cultivators in all. Aside from this humble one, there is Great Chieftain Dunyan, who is stationed at the northern foothills of the Snow Mountain." "And where is he?" Wei Yuan asked. Batu looked a little uncomfortable. "The journey is long; he may have only just received word and couldn't make it in time." "My agreement with Silver Moon was struck months ago. For a Scenery Command cultivator, that is plenty of time to fly from the western edge of the Liao domain to the east. Are the northern foothills of the Snow Mountain really that far from here?" Wei Yuan's voice was calm, completely devoid of ripple. Yet the calmer he was, the more nervous Batu grew, until he was at a loss for words. Wei Yuan remarked indifferently, "Tell him to come see me in Qingming of his own accord within one month. If he still doesn't come, he won't ever need to come again." Batu's expression shifted slightly as he bowed his head. "Understood." Wei Yuan rose to his feet. "I intend to tour the territory. Accompany me." Seeing that Wei Yuan had no interest whatsoever in the Liao maidens, a flicker of disappointment crossed Batu's eyes. He hurriedly said, "Realm Lord, wait! The horse—there is still the horse!" Only then did Wei Yuan glance at the black steed. Noticing his gaze turn toward her, one of the maidens holding the reins grew visibly nervous, her ears flushing red. Instinctively, she rested a hand on the horse's flank and stroked it. A roar suddenly erupted in the tent: "Get your damn dirty hands off me!" The black steed whipped its head around, slamming into the maiden and sending her flying out of the tent. It stomped the ground heavily, sending a jolt of immense force that knocked away all the surrounding maidens. Only then did it shake its mane and grumble, "A handover is just a handover—why are you getting your paws on me?" Wei Yuan paused and looked at the black steed. Under his calm gaze, the irascible black horse gradually lowered its head, inch by inch, before looking away to the side. Batu was standing directly in the horse's line of sight, but the old man acted as though he were blind, utterly ignoring its pleading looks for help. The awkward silence was finally broken when Wei Yuan asked, "Is its spirituality innate, or was it enlightened?" The black steed blurted out instinctively, "Your grandfather was the one who was enli—" It clamped its mouth shut instantly, but it was already too late. The gathered Liao in the tent could practically see an enormous bead of sweat rolling down the black horse's forehead. Wei Yuan examined it more closely, noticing that its flanks had no air vents and its mouth held no tusks; it did not resemble a Liao horse, sharing more similarities with human warhorses, though its limb skeletal structure was distinct. "A human horse?" Wei Yuan asked again. The black horse immediately started, "Your mother is the—" This time the horse hit the brakes a little faster, but still not fast enough. Wei Yuan pondered briefly. From his shoulder, a beauty in red slowly emerged, loose hair veiling half of her pallid face. The moment she appeared, she fixed her gaze on the black steed, the corners of her mouth curling into a slight smile, her lips so red they looked as if dripping blood. At the sight of the woman in red, the black horse's mane bristled. It took two steps back at once, its hind legs shaking unsteadily. Sure enough, spiritual beings of the Liao Clan instinctively feared Dharma Gods. "What kind of creature is this?" Wei Yuan asked. Hong Mo said, "The Wuye clan—just a petty spirit beast from the boondocks. This one looks a little more presentable; its cultivation has reached perfection. Once it passes its heavenly tribulation, it'll be an immortal beast." Wei Yuan raised an eyebrow, slightly intrigued, but only faintly so. Sizing up the black horse from head to tail, he said, "I don't see what use it has. Does it have any divine abilities?" Hong Mo scoffed. "The few divine abilities they have might as well not exist. Even if it turns into an immortal beast, it's virtually useless. And this one has a foul mouth on top of it—completely unusable." Wei Yuan nodded and said to Batu, "Have the kitchen get ready and prepare it carefully. Once I return from inspecting the territory, we'll have horsemeat tonight." "This..." Before Batu could say another word, Wei Yuan pulled him out of the room and flew toward the flying boat. Behind Wei Yuan, the black horse's frantic bellows rang out continuously: "I'm bloody well... about to become an immortal beast! You can't do this to me! I am the Dark Night Tanggula! Where is your respect, your communication, your compassion? Don't you have a shred of fucking... You..." Finally, someone came to their senses and gagged the black horse's mouth. The flying boat slowly took off. Wei Yuan sat in the cabin with eyes half-closed, conversing with Hong Mo through divine sense: "Are all spiritual creatures from the Golden Feather Realm of this sort?" "Of course not! This one... probably grew up in a dysfunctional home," Hong Mo said. "Excuses," Wei Yuan countered dismissively.