In this world, cultivation was not everything, but it spoke volumes about a person's standing.
A Third-rank Grandmaster might not amount to much in a place like the Imperial Capital, but in a frontier town like this, they were more than worthy of being treated as an honored guest of the highest order.
It was precisely because of this that, thanks to Ran Qingmo, Xu Yuan easily secured an appointment to meet the highest military and civil authority in Shengshan County.
Under the cover of night, a young platoon commander in his twenties led the young man and woman toward the county yamen's inner hall with neither servility nor arrogance.
"Young Master Zhou, this way, please. General Wang is waiting for you inside."
Xu Yuan observed everything in the yamen as he walked.
Rather than an administrative office for government officials, this place resembled a military encampment. Everyone in the yamen wore the standard uniform of the Great Yan border army.
The only different attire to be seen belonged to a few men from the Tax Bureau.
Yet judging by the thick calluses on their hands, capable of striking sparks, they were clearly just border soldiers masquerading in the garb of tax officials.
All of Shengshan County was a frontier town entirely under the border army's control.
Even with total civil and military authority in their grasp, however, life for these border soldiers did not seem easy. Across the sprawling yamen, there was not a trace of an array, nor even the most basic bright-pattern lamps; they relied entirely on open flames for illumination.
To make a modern comparison, it was akin to a combined municipal government and military headquarters reduced to using kerosene lamps.
It could be called destitute to the extreme.
Yet food, clothing, shelter, and travel were secondary. What truly stood out was that the sabers at the hips of these border soldiers were ordinary iron weapons.
The Great Yan Dynasty possessed such formidable martial prowess because its armies were composed entirely of cultivators and martial apprentices.
Apart from clerical positions, the regular army had virtually no mortals.
The logic was simple. Against low-rank cultivators like Xu Yuan, an army of mortals might barely prevail through sheer numbers. But against a Grandmaster of Ran Qingmo's caliber, a single devastating sword strike was all it took; thereafter, one needed only to watch the mortals rout.
An army of cultivators was an entirely different matter.
Because cultivators could form battle formations.
According to the Saint's remnant soul, the most significant shift from an era dominated by sects to one ruled by dynasties—aside from the fluctuations of the world's Source Qi—was that military battle formations had been developed.
Xu Yuan had never witnessed a large-scale military formation, but according to internal briefs from the Chancellor's Manor, they were terrifyingly formidable.
Before a ten-thousand-man formation, a Third-rank Grandmaster would practically be obliterated in an instant.
Of course, no Third-rank expert would be foolish enough to charge head-on into such a formation.
The military establishment here in Shengshan County consisted of two battalions, forming a regiment that would number roughly ten thousand men at full strength. But given the county's current state, full strength was out of the question.
Xu Yuan did not know the exact head count, but walking along the path, he noticed that at least two-thirds of these border soldiers carried ordinary iron weapons.
Cultivators wielding mortal blades.
Ordinary iron could kill, but combat effectiveness would be cut by more than half.
Raw iron could not channel Source Qi.
The hulking figures in the Wuxuan Courtyard back at the Jingjiang Xu Manor used weapons alloyed with profound iron or refined iron to guarantee durability. It seemed the court was genuinely strapped for funds.
The young platoon commander leading the way appeared to notice Xu Yuan's gaze.
"Please don't laugh, Young Master Zhou. Most of the silver allocated to Shengshan County each year is spent by General Wang on repairing the walls and the city's array patterns. Against those beasts, raw iron weapons are barely enough."
As he spoke, the platoon commander tapped the saber at his hip.
Xu Yuan glanced at the blade and smiled faintly.
"Thick and heavy. Crude, but a viable solution nonetheless. Once the trade route through Shengshan County opens up, things should improve next year."
The young platoon commander grinned.
"General Wang says the same. If nothing goes wrong, our Shengshan army will be able to upgrade our gear next year. It's all thanks to Miss Xu's array..."
A flicker of yearning surfaced in the young commander's eyes as he mentioned Xu Xinyao, though he quickly masked it.
The group halted before the gate of a courtyard guarded by two soldiers of the Sixth-rank Body Integration realm. The young commander cupped his fists toward Xu Yuan.
"Young Master Zhou, General Wang is inside."
"..."
Xu Yuan studied the courtyard before him, catching a rare ripple of array fluctuations.
A soundproofing array and a soul-shielding array to prevent outside detection. This was likely the most critical area in the entire yamen.
"Open the doors," the young commander instructed the guards, who promptly pushed them open for the three of them.
Inside lay an open space that resembled a martial drill ground, illuminated by burning bonfires around its perimeter. A wide avenue extended straight inward to a grand hall at the far end of the courtyard, where a group of people sat in a circle, deep in discussion.
Xu Yuan could see that they were all clad in military attire, but unlike the common soldiers he had seen earlier, those in the hall were clearly officers.
The young platoon commander explained in a low voice, "General Wang should be discussing military and civil affairs with Mr. Liu and the others. Young Master Zhou, please wait in the side room for a moment."
Xu Yuan was in no hurry and nodded.
After escorting Xu Yuan and Ran Qingmo to the side room, the young commander departed to make the announcement.
Silence fell over the room once he was gone.
Xu Yuan glanced at Ran Qingmo, who had remained silent the entire time, and chuckled quietly. "Why do you seem uneasy?"
Ran Qingmo took off her veiled hat, laid it flat across her lap, and pondered for a moment before replying softly, "Once the array here activated, the Source Qi fluctuated heavily. Tianyan might trace the Source Qi to find us."
Xu Yuan smiled faintly. "We've been lost in the Wanxing Mountain Range for over a month and didn't even know our own destination. If she can track us all the way here, I'll accept my fate."
He paused, sighed, and glanced out at the mist veiling the sky.
"Besides, Tianyan isn't our primary concern right now. What matters is hoping that wasteful girl hasn't left a mess for me to clean up."
"Wasteful... girl?" Ran Qingmo tilted her head.
"Xu Xinyao," Xu Yuan said with a faint smile. "My dear, foolish younger sister seems to have been used by the Wanxiang Sect."
"Oh." Ran Qingmo seemed half-understanding. After a brief hesitation, she asked, "Xu Yuan, aren't we going to run?"
Xu Yuan sounded helpless. "If we could run, naturally we would. The problem is that without breaking this array, we can't get out."
Ran Qingmo looked at him, her tone earnest. "That teleporting sword technique of yours should be able to breach the array."
"If I get out, what about you?" Xu Yuan countered.
"..."
Ran Qingmo pressed her lips together and fell silent.
Amid the quiet, a firm knock sounded on the wooden door from outside.
*Knock, knock, knock—*
The knocks were steady and powerful.
Recognizing that the man they had come to see had arrived, Xu Yuan rose immediately. "Please enter."
*Creak—*
With a harsh creak of the wooden door, a burly middle-aged man in armor appeared at the threshold. His hawk-like gaze swept the room before he stepped inside and cupped his fists.
"Young Master Zhou Chen?"
"I am Zhou Chen. Greetings, Colonel Wang," Xu Yuan replied, returning the gesture.
"Given the urgent circumstances, forgive me for dispensing with pleasantries." The armored man was brisk and direct. After taking a seat, he went straight to the point without wasting words. "For what purpose does Young Master Zhou seek this old man?"
Xu Yuan was equally forthright. "My senior sister and I wish to request safe passage out through the array. Would Colonel Wang find that convenient?"
"Safe passage out through the array?" Colonel Wang's brow furrowed at once.
Xu Yuan asked quietly, "Is there a difficulty?"
Colonel Wang did not beat around the bush. "Young Master Zhou, I'm afraid that is not possible for the time being."
Xu Yuan studied the burly man and probed, "Colonel Wang, if you are concerned that demonic beasts might disrupt your preparations, my senior sister and I will eliminate any beasts along the way, and I will compensate Shengshan County with ten thousand taels in silver banknotes."
Colonel Wang shook his head, his voice deep. "That is not the issue."
Xu Yuan's heart sank slightly.
Arrays were not immutable. Opening a path through an illusion array was technically not difficult to achieve.
Weighing his words for a moment, Xu Yuan ultimately chose to ask directly, "Has something gone wrong with the grand illusion array?"
Colonel Wang's gaze sharpened, but he did not conceal it. "Yes."
"Is it beyond the control of your Shengshan border army?"
"..."
Colonel Wang frowned deeply, suspicion entering his eyes. He said in a low voice, "Young Master Zhou, this is an internal matter for our Shengshan border army. You are our guest."
Xu Yuan shook his head and drew a Wind Listening Tower token from his robes. "Has Colonel Wang heard of our Wind Listening Tower?"
"You are intelligence brokers?"
"..." Xu Yuan was momentarily speechless.
Colonel Wang's eyes flickered. He glanced at Ran Qingmo, his demeanor softening noticeably as he asked, "Pardon me, I speak rather bluntly. You are not people of the sects, Young Master Zhou?"
Xu Yuan smiled faintly. "Naturally not."
The border army of Great Yan had always harbored intense hostility toward sects, especially in disaster-prone areas like Shengshan County that suffered demonic beast attacks every year.
Pausing briefly, Xu Yuan asked, "General Wang, was my earlier assessment correct?"
Colonel Wang pondered for a moment before murmuring, "Our Shengshan army can handle the current situation for now."
Xu Yuan sighed and said in a low voice, "Colonel Wang, there is a piece of information regarding the Wanxiang Sect that I believe might interest you."
Colonel Wang raised an eyebrow, tapping his calloused index finger against the table. "Oh? Is Young Master Zhou planning to sell information to our Shengshan border army?"
"Not sell—give."
"Does your Wind Listening Tower do charity as well?"
"Perhaps."
Xu Yuan met his gaze calmly without elaborating.
Sometimes silence was more convincing than an explanation.
After a moment of quiet in the room, Colonel Wang narrowed his eyes and finally let out a sigh. "Then I am all ears."
"The Wanxiang Sect intends to create ghost mist in Shengshan County."
"..." General Wang froze.
Seeing the shock and bewilderment in Colonel Wang's eyes, Xu Yuan spoke in a steady voice. "It seems Colonel Wang is unaware that ghost mist can be cultivated?"
"..."
Colonel Wang remained silent, but his brow furrowed tightly.
Xu Yuan watched him for several breaths and understood the situation.
That ghost mist could be cultivated was common knowledge to him as the third son of the Chancellor's Manor, but to Colonel Wang, it was unheard-of, terrifying intelligence.
The array techniques required to raise demon-ghosts were essentially among the highest state secrets.
Xu Yuan leaned back against his chair. "The following information is also a free addition, but I ask Colonel Wang to keep it confidential.
"Array dao has advanced to the point where ghost mist can be controlled and contained. Many sects across the world secretly raise demon-ghosts. Great powers like the Tianyuan Sword Sect and the Tian'an Chamber of Commerce operate more than one ghost mist site. The soul pills circulating in the market are refined from these 'demon-ghost breeding grounds' run by sects and merchant guilds."
After listening intently, Colonel Wang took a deep breath. "I can believe Young Master Zhou's words regarding the rearing of demon-ghosts, but do you have proof that the Wanxiang Sect wishes to create ghost mist in our Shengshan County?"
"No proof," Xu Yuan replied candidly, shaking his head.
Hearing this, Colonel Wang seemed to breathe a long sigh of relief. "To be honest, Young Master Zhou, I have never had any goodwill toward people of the sects. But Shengshan County is currently home to four hundred thousand people. The Wanxiang Sect wouldn't dare."
"Why wouldn't they?"
"Four hundred thousand people. If even a few escape and the truth comes to light, the Wanxiang Sect will face universal condemnation. No one would be able to shield them."
"You are correct, Colonel Wang." Xu Yuan looked at the burly man, his tone gentle. "But what if no one escapes?"
"Four hundred thousand people... four hundred thousand pairs of eyes..."
"Yet right now, all four hundred thousand are trapped inside this grand illusion array. And outside... there may be tens of thousands of demonic beasts encircling the city."
"..." Colonel Wang fell speechless.
*Tap, tap.*
Xu Yuan lightly tapped the table and murmured, "Allow me to share another piece of information with you, Colonel Wang. Over the past five years, the number of frontier towns breached by demonic beasts along the Wanxing Mountain Range line exceeds what you could count on both hands. If Shengshan County falls, it will be the work of demonic beasts; the Wanxiang Sect merely happened to discover that this place was suitable for establishing ghost mist."
"Yet you still have no substantive proof." Colonel Wang seemed unwilling to believe such harrowing news.
Xu Yuan could understand Colonel Wang's mindset.
Four hundred thousand people.
If evidence of such an inhuman atrocity leaked out, the court would obliterate the sect without hesitation.
Even if not for the slaughtered commoners of Shengshan County, they would wipe out the Wanxiang Sect to make an example of them.
Conversely, if what he said was true, the Wanxiang Sect had undoubtedly made thorough, meticulous preparations to carry out this slaughter.
Caught completely off guard against such calculated malice, Shengshan County would hardly stand a chance.
No one could accept such news immediately when suddenly confronted with it.
Sighing, Xu Yuan looked at Colonel Wang and said quietly, "If you don't believe it, verification is actually quite simple. Colonel Wang, you only need to check a few things."
Colonel Wang clenched his fist slightly, staring at the handsome youth. "What things?"
Xu Yuan said in a low voice, "Control over the grand illusion array, and how the number of demonic beasts around Shengshan County compares to previous years. Beyond that, you can also inspect the other city-defense arrays along the walls."
At this point, Xu Yuan paused, then added quietly:
"And of course, the most critical point: Colonel Wang, you had best check right now whether the communication crystal in the yamen is still functioning.
"If it isn't... heh."
Chapter 143