Western Jin, Ningzhou, Qianqiu City.
Qianqiu City had stood for three thousand years. A millennium ago, the Xu family rose to prominence, relocated here, and renamed it Qianqiu City. A thousand years later, it had grown into a metropolis of several hundred thousand people.
This was the seat of the Xu family's mortal clan, as well as the hub connecting the Xu family's immortal and mortal worlds.
In the western quarter of the city lay an area maintained with extraordinary cleanliness. The roads were paved with bluestone slabs of uniform size, spotless and free of dust, yet several servants were still repeatedly sweeping and sprinkling water over them.
Within this precinct stood three nearly identical halls. The occasional figures seen entering or leaving were always in a hurried rush. All three halls radiated a chilling killing intent, and now and then, faint, indistinct screams could be heard from within. This was the location of the main clan's three halls: Heavenly Mechanism, the Privy Council, and Nocturnal Vigil. It might not have held the highest nominal authority, but it was unquestionably the most feared place in the entire city.
Inside the Privy Hall, over a dozen figures sat in a circle, gazing at a sand table map in the center of the room. The map encompassed most of Ningzhou and Ningxi, rendered with exquisite detail.
The seats were positioned high above, conveying an aura of looking down upon the world. Yet most of the men in the hall had downturned corners to their eyes; a single glance revealed every one of them to be grim, somber, and terribly difficult to cross.
At this moment, someone spoke up: "I hear the Ningxi branch has run into considerable trouble. Has what the Immortal Ancestor wanted been snatched away by someone else?"
The person seated outermost among the crowd replied, "From what I understand, that immortal stone has already recognized a master, and they have preliminarily secured their footing. The General Affairs Hall even lost two elders over this matter."
A middle-aged man whose face was shrouded in black qi gave a heavy snort. "Though the General Affairs Hall is filled with worthless trash who have no hope of advancement and care only for mortal pleasures, they have still cultivated dharma idols. How could they simply perish just like that? Why didn't they submit a report and dispatch troops directly to flatten the place?"
The man on the outer edge replied, "There are reasons for that. It is said that inside the immortal stone's domain are the two most favored youths of the Bao and Xiao families' younger generation. The General Affairs Hall feared harming what they cherished, so they dared not make any overt moves. Instead, they sought to nudge the Shamans into acting from the shadows. Who could have foreseen that the Shamans would suffer consecutive crushing defeats, losing three Great Shamans in a row? Word has it those youngsters possess immortal means in their hands."
The elder seated in the center slowly opened his eyes and said mildly, "Immortal means? Isn't the Immortal Monarch of the Palace of Grand Beginning currently fighting our Immortal Ancestor outside the heavens? If our ancestor can take on an immortal himself, what can mere immortal means do? Those people in the General Affairs Hall grow more useless by the day. The triennial family assembly is right around the corner; it is about time to replace them."
The black-qi-shrouded middle-aged man asked, "What is the strength of that immortal stone domain?"
"The latest reports say the domain currently holds tens of thousands of mortals, roughly three thousand Body Casting cultivators, and around a hundred Dao Foundation cultivators."
"That little strength? Just mobilize troops and wipe them out!"
The elder in the center raised a hand slowly, and the hall fell silent.
He spoke in measured tones: "In recent years, the Palace of Grand Beginning has made significant pushes northward, and the King of Jin has long been deeply displeased. First, have our people in the royal court submit several memorials to enlist the court's strength. Next, we will enforce a full blockade on the border to ensure the Palace of Grand Beginning cannot easily supply the immortal stone domain. If we encounter their cargo caravans this time, do not merely detain them—strike directly. Ensure that out of every ten Palace of Grand Beginning supply ships, no more than one or two make it through. Communicate with the Shamans as well. Are they truly willing to let the deaths of three Great Shamans slide?"
"As for the immortal stone domain itself, there is no rush to destroy it. Since the immortal stone has already bound itself to a master, seizing it would require carving it apart, drastically diminishing its value. Better to let them hold on out there and force the Palace of Grand Beginning to exhaust their strength sending aid. To support the west, the Palace of Grand Beginning will have to pay four to five times what it costs them in the north. We will bleed the Palace of Grand Beginning dry first, and then..."
The elder pointed a finger. A region in northern Ningzhou on the sand table lit up, spanning several thousand li, currently bearing the mark of the Palace of Grand Beginning. Following the elder's motion, the Palace of Grand Beginning's mark was wiped clean and replaced by the Xu family's emblem.
The elder continued, "If the Palace of Grand Beginning wants that piece of land in the west, let them have it—provided they trade their northern territory for it."
The cultivator veiled in black qi said, "To bleed the Palace of Grand Beginning, we cannot let those brats at the immortal stone have an easy time. How about this: draw a thousand elites from our clan soldiers, supplement them with auxiliary troops to make five thousand, disguise them as bandits, and operate in the west? We will give those youngsters a good lesson and teach them that people die in the Western Regions."
The elder said, "Approved."
Someone asked, "What about the two children from the Bao and Xiao families?"
The elder replied, "They certainly carry life-saving talismans from their clans. Strike freely; they will not die. As for our clan soldiers, if they die, so be it. If those two children kill too many of our men, the Bao and Xiao families will lose face and will inevitably summon them back."
The man seated outermost said, "I will see to the arrangements immediately. However, there is one more matter."
The elder frowned slightly, a hint of displeasure showing.
The man appeared somewhat fearful, but spoke nonetheless: "There has been no word from the men we sent into the shattered grotto-heaven. Not a single person from the three teams of ninety has emerged. I suspect that thing may have awakened. Under normal circumstances, it shouldn't escape the grotto-heaven, but if it does..."
A middle-aged woman with a sullen expression asked in a shrill voice, "If it runs out, what cities are nearby?"
"The nearest large settlement is Quliu Town, which is also very close to the immortal stone domain."
The woman sneered. "Isn't that just perfect? It would be best if it slaughtered them all. It won't have a shred to do with us."
The elder said, "That concludes the matter of the west. Let us discuss the other regions."
***
Western Jin.
Before dawn had fully broken, civil and military officials filed into the great palace hall. King Xian of Jin had reigned for twenty years and was a model of diligent governance.
The King of Jin sat high upon his throne. Once the assembled officials had thrice wished him eternal longevity, he granted them permission to rise.
At this moment, an elder statesman stepped forward from the front ranks of the civil officials and submitted a memorial: "This humble minister has heard that the Shamans on the border of the Western Regions have retreated, relinquishing several thousand li of territory. That land was originally the soil of our Western Jin. This is a godsent opportunity, and it ought to be reclaimed. This humble minister requests that Your Majesty issue a decree to restore the four commanderies of Ningxi and once again appoint governors to guard them."
The elder statesman presented his memorial, which was exceptionally detailed, even including recommended candidates for the governors and commandery prefects.
The King of Jin looked over the list and understood its implications. He asked, "The commanderies of Ningxi were indeed part of our ancestral foundations. Now that the Shamans have retreated, it is only natural to take them back. However, does the treasury possess enough boundary stones?"
The Minister of Revenue stepped forward and reported, "The treasury currently has only two boundary stones left, both reserved for use in the north. At this moment, there are truly no spare boundary stones."
Another official stepped forward and declared, "Without boundary stones, how are we to establish our borders and defend the land? The Right Chancellor's list harbors sinister motives; most of the names upon it belong to men with whom he is ordinarily at odds. He wishes to borrow a knife to murder his foes and eliminate dissidents! I beg the Great King to see through this!"
The Right Chancellor sneered. "This old man recommends worthy men with a heart solely devoted to the state, yet you paint it in such vile colors! Censor Liu, you know only that the national treasury lacks boundary stones, but you do not know that someone in the west has already erected a boundary stone and opened a domain. The appointments this old man recommended are all splendid opportunities to render meritorious service and establish careers! Though those men have grievances with me, how could this old man ever compromise public duty for private grudges!"
Censor Liu clearly knew nothing of this, and was struck dumb, unable to reply.
The King of Jin grew intrigued and asked, "How could a single boundary stone suffice for four commanderies? Since Beloved Minister submitted this memorial, there must be a reason."
The Right Chancellor replied, "This humble minister's petty thoughts truly cannot escape the Great King! From what I understand, that boundary stone is of supreme quality—perhaps even of the divine grade! That single stone can cover more than two commanderies. Later, adding one or two more boundary stones will suffice to reclaim all four commanderies of Ningxi."
A fervent gleam flashed in the King of Jin's eyes. "A divine-grade boundary stone? Can this be true? Who brought this stone, and why was it erected there?"
The Right Chancellor reported, "That boundary stone was originally in Ningxi, an unknown ancient relic. A junior from a sect accidentally touched and activated it, thereby planting it on the spot."
The King of Jin was overjoyed and declared, "Since it is an ancient relic discovered on our Western Jin territory, this boundary stone naturally belongs to this king. The Right Chancellor's memorial is approved!"
The Right Chancellor immediately kowtowed in gratitude.
The King of Jin added, "However, there is one detail on Beloved Minister's list that I do not quite understand. The candidates for governors and commandery prefects are acceptable, but who is this Vice Prefect Sun Chao'en? Why this exceptional promotion?"
The Right Chancellor replied, "Sun Chao'en was previously the magistrate of Ping County in Bianning Commandery. Not long ago, he engaged in a fierce battle against Northern Liao for several months. Though heavily wounded, he never retreated an inch, slaying the young chieftain of the barbarian Agula tribe and instigating internal strife among them, earning immense merit. This man possesses both civil and military talent, a truly rare pillar of the realm. Now that the Western Regions are in dire need of rebuilding, a capable man of his caliber is precisely what is needed to hold the ground."
The King of Jin nodded. "Since Beloved Minister strongly recommends him, it is granted."
Around midday, the court session ended, and the officials filed out of the palace.
The Right Chancellor walked at an unhurried, measured pace through the palace gates. At that moment, another high-ranking court official walked up and asked, "May I borrow the Right Chancellor's carriage today?"
"You are most welcome."
A moment later, the carriage set off, the two court grandees seated opposite each other. The official asked, "That Sun Chao'en is merely a petty county magistrate. How did he catch your eye?"
The two had passed the imperial examinations in the same year and had always advanced and retreated together in court. The Right Chancellor did not hide anything: "The man rendered merit defending the land and received substantial rewards. Then he found a way to reach me and offered every bit of his rewards, hoping to secure a stepping stone for advancement. He does possess ability, but what is rarer still is this filial devotion."
The official remarked, "Sending him to the west for tempering is also a fine idea. A good hound must be raised in the wilderness; it might just turn into a wolf. But those other men—are we really letting them serve as commandery prefects? Isn't that letting them off a bit too cheaply?"
The Right Chancellor chuckled. "Is this old man so generous? You do not know the full picture: as great as the merit is out there, so too is the peril. The Xu family has already lost two dharma idols in succession; why else would they seek this old man out? I know the temperaments of those four men well; not a single one is easy to deal with. But placing temperaments like theirs in the Western Regions means disaster might strike them at any moment. Let us simply watch. Even if only one of them dies, it will be a gain."
"Farsighted indeed!" the official praised in admiration.
***
The Qingming domain.
A merchant caravan halted at the edge of the domain, watching over a dozen riders gallop toward them. The caravan leader looked exceedingly tense, exhaling in relief only after the riders finished inspecting the cargo and paid in immortal silver. Handing over three freight wagons to the riders, he quickly departed with his dozens of men.
In the Shattered Lands, the line separating a merchant caravan from bandits was razor-thin; one's identity depended entirely on the caravan leader's mood and the surrounding circumstances at any given moment.
The caravan leader had already realized that every single one of the dozen or so riders receiving the cargo was a Dao Foundation cultivator, scaring him out of his wits. Fortunately, the other party had shown no intention of turning his men into cargo as well, so he naturally dared not linger. The members of the caravan, however, were quite thrilled. For a domain as large as Qingming, conducting serious trade with it offered a splendid livelihood.
A moment later, the three freight wagons stopped before Wei Yuan. Behind Wei Yuan stood fifty horsemen, including all sixteen young masters and ladies seeking heavenly merits, while Feng Tingyu stood on the other side dragging her long saber. The remaining thirty-odd men were also handpicked elites, every one of them a Dao Foundation cultivator.
Wei Yuan opened one of the wagons; it was packed entirely with masks.
Wei Yuan called out, "Everyone, come pick one you like. The other two wagons hold clothes and cloaks; change into them shortly. From now on, the moment we put on these masks, we are the number one horse bandits of the Western Regions: the Heaven-Battling Gang! Oh, the name is open for discussion, but whatever we do, it has nothing to do with the Palace of Grand Beginning or the domain!"
Chapter 171