The night was like ink, and a full moon hung high in the sky.
Huanglong Market lay nestled at the confluence of the Wanxing Mountain Range, the Guanyin Mountain Range, and the Qianliu River.
It had once been nothing more than an ordinary post station along the official post road. Yet over hundreds and thousands of years, its geographical advantages had transformed the remote stop into an isolated, thriving wilderness market hub.
Countless merchant caravans and wandering warrior bands docked here. Row upon row of entertainment parlors and shops stretched end to end, weaving the settlement into a sleepless city without walls.
The vibrant, lantern-lit revelry and bustling din remained untouched by the night. Brothels, pleasure boats, and gambling dens flourished, drowning countless travelers and martial artists in indulgence.
Suddenly,
a convoy rolling through the market's eastern entrance captured the attention of passersby along the street.
The coiled black dragon carved into the fragrant sandalwood carriage looked remarkably lifelike. Several sect disciples astride monstrous steeds rode ahead of the carriage, swords in hand, resplendent in fine garments and mounted on spirited horses.
Had anyone in the street dared to probe the cultivation of these young elites with their intent-soul, they would have discovered that every single one of them was at or above the Fifth Rank.
The man and woman leading the convoy were even Third-rank Grandmasters. The young man wore plain, unadorned robes with his long hair cascading over his shoulders, while the woman was clad in patterned, form-fitting attire that accentuated her alluring curves.
The pair cast their gaze over the surrounding crowd, and wherever their eyes fell, the onlookers quickly averted their eyes.
Looking around as he rode at the front of the procession, the plain-robed young man chuckled softly.
"This Huanglong Market is as lively as ever, though it hasn't changed much."
Beside him, the woman replied in a lukewarm tone, "It has only been three months since we left for the Jingjiang prefectural capital. Naturally, there wouldn't be much change."
The plain-robed young man smiled. "True enough. Although it was a wasted trip, at least Xinyao's third brother is fine. What a pity we didn't get to meet him."
Hearing him mention Xinyao's third brother, the woman's eyes filled with deep disdain.
"A useless dandy who knows nothing but wining and dining—what is there to see?"
The plain-robed young man gave a hearty, easygoing laugh. "Those are just rumors. Judging a person's character based purely on rumors is too shallow. If I see him with my own eyes, I'll make my own judgment."
Saying this, he seemed to recall something and asked in a low voice, "Ziqing, I remember you spent some time in the Imperial Capital back then. Did you ever run into this third brother of Xinyao's?"
Zhou Ziqing shook her head slightly, her supple long hair swaying gently with the movement.
"There's nothing worth mentioning. I only caught a glimpse of him from afar. He was swaggering through the streets with that so-called 'Four Young Masters of the Imperial Capital' crowd, bullying men and seizing women. There is truly a world of difference between him and Xinyao."
"Ziqing... my third brother is a pitiable soul as well."
Suddenly, a gentle female voice drifted out from the black dragon-carved carriage behind them.
"..."
Hearing her speak, the two unconsciously slowed their mounts.
The curtain of the carriage was drawn back from the inside, revealing a young woman to their sight.
She wore an elegant, sky-blue dress faintly embroidered with peach blossoms. Slender and tall, her lustrous black hair was swept up into a high, graceful coiffure. Her collar lay slightly open, exposing a pale, slender neck of exquisite contour. The azure robes accentuated her snow-white skin, and a customary gentle smile played at the corners of her lips.
A single glance at her stirred a feeling as soothing as clear water, like a refreshing spring breeze caressing the heart.
Zhou Ziqing shook her head lightly and said nothing more, though she did not take back her evaluation of Xu Changtian.
Seeing this, the plain-robed young man grinned widely. "Caught between Xu Changge, Xu Chang'an, and Xinyao, never mind that Xu Changtian is just an ordinary mortal incapable of cultivation—even if it were me, I'd find myself pitiable."
Xu Xinyao's gaze dimmed slightly. "Zhonghua is right. But according to the people at the Jingjiang yamen, my third brother seems to have stumbled into some fortuitous opportunity and changed quite a bit."
Saying this, the young maiden curved her beautiful eyes, a peculiar light glimmering within them.
"This time, he even took the initiative to tell Eldest Brother that he wanted to travel outside for tempering."
Li Zhonghua chuckled and shook his head. "It's just a shame that on this trip down the mountain, I won't get to meet this third brother of yours, Xinyao."
Xu Xinyao's lovely eyes flickered. "Zhonghua, are you returning to Yaoyue Mountain?"
Li Zhonghua nodded with a smile. "Yes. The sect sent word a few days ago; it's time I head back."
Xu Xinyao went silent for a moment, her autumn-water eyes fixed on the man. "You've worked so hard all along the way, Zhonghua."
Li Zhonghua burst into laughter at her words, shaking his head. He reined his horse, his tone leisurely and direct. "I came down the mountain for tempering in the first place, never expecting to meet an extraordinary woman like you, Miss Xinyao. What a pity I can no longer accompany you across the realm."
Xu Xinyao blinked. "You flatter me, Zhonghua. What makes me an extraordinary woman?"
Li Zhonghua's tone took on a touch of solemnity. "Xinyao, I've spent most of my life within my sect's gates, dreaming of wielding a sword across the world to punish evil and aid the good. But after descending the mountain, I realized that I couldn't possibly eradicate all the wicked in this world, nor could I help every good soul. Slaying one demon might save ten people, but there are far too many demons in this world.
"Yet after meeting you, over the span of just one year, the number of people who have survived because of your aid exceeds a million. Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime. If an achievement like this doesn't warrant the title of extraordinary woman, who could possibly deserve it?"
"Tsk, that's nauseatingly mushy, Li Zhonghua."
Beside them, Zhou Ziqing glanced at Li Zhonghua, an amused glint in her eyes. "If you like our Xinyao so much, why not have your master go to the Chancellor's Manor to propose marriage?"
"I'd certainly love to..."
Li Zhonghua remained remarkably nonchalant, merely chuckling and shaking his head. "But I know I'm not worthy of Xinyao, so I won't make a fool of myself."
"It is Xinyao who is not worthy of Brother Zhonghua," Xu Xinyao said, shaking her head gently from within the carriage. "Without the protection of Zhonghua and Ziqing, I might have died countless times along the way."
Zhou Ziqing's eyes curved into a smile. "Since you're so grateful, treat us to dinner tonight, Xinyao. It can serve as a farewell for Li Zhonghua. Once we part ways this time, who knows when we'll meet again."
"Tsk." Li Zhonghua clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction, using his scabbard to poke toward the rump of Zhou Ziqing's horse. "Zhou Ziqing, why does it feel like you're rushing to kick me out? Even though the sect is urging me to return, I can at least finish this trip to Shengshan County."
Zhou Ziqing parried his scabbard with her sword and glared at him, ignoring his antics. Turning toward Xu Xinyao, she asked, "By the way, Xinyao, why are you so insistent on heading back to Shengshan County to check on things? The spring tide in the Wanxing Mountain Range has begun again, and demonic beasts are becoming increasingly common in this region."
Xu Xinyao fell silent for a brief moment before whispering, "Because of Third Brother's matter, I had to leave before the illusion array was fully completed. I need to go back and verify whether the formation is sound."
Zhou Ziqing was somewhat surprised. "Didn't we already activate the grand array before leaving to verify the power of the Illusory Mist Grand Array?"
Xu Xinyao lowered her eyes slightly and whispered, "That activation only verified its power. Many procedures at the core of the array were never thoroughly completed. It is best to go back and take a look."
Li Zhonghua's words remained simple and direct: "Are you worried that the Wanxiang Sect would tamper with it after you left?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"..."
Xu Xinyao fell silent for a moment, peering through the dark night toward the distant direction of Shengshan County.
"Things in Shengshan County went too smoothly.
"Although the Wanxiang Sect stood to gain plenty from constructing the array, they agreed far too readily. I can't shake the feeling that they are hiding something."
***
In Shengshan County,
outside the Illusory Mist Grand Array, drawn by the beast-attracting incense, an endless stream of demonic beasts converged from the pitch-black mountain forests toward Shengshan County.
Inside the array, the bloody slaughter continued.
The battle formation deployed by the Shengshan border army outside the city acted like a flesh-and-blood millstone. Wave after wave of hideous, snarling beasts surged out of the mist, only to be ground into mounds of shattered bone and gore by the formation.
Carcasses of various demonic beasts had already piled into small hills outside the city, but unfortunately, the number pouring from the mist's exit showed no signs of diminishing.
The Illusory Mist Grand Array Xu Xinyao had established was an entrapment formation.
It was a visibly formidable entrapment array capable of confining tens of thousands of invading demonic beasts within its boundaries.
Yet by the same token, it was merely an entrapment array.
The formation itself could not effectively kill demonic beasts; it could only divert them outward in controlled batches, ultimately leaving the dirty work to the Shengshan border army.
Three shichen had already passed since the border troops marched out of the city to deploy their formation and slaughter the beasts.
The Wanxiang Sect continued to feed beasts into the formation in an orderly, methodical manner, boiling the frog in warm water. Among the soldiers holding the battle line, men were already beginning to flag from exhaustion.
At this rate, the first casualty would appear very soon tonight—and once casualties began, it would only be the beginning.
Amidst the desolate silence,
Colonel Wang stared into the ink-black mist in the distance, his voice hushed:
"Young Master Zhou, if we break out, will the Wanxiang Sect spare the commoners trapped inside the array?"
Colonel Wang was swift to accept reality, and just as swift to adapt.
If the Shengshan border army broke out, it meant that should the Wanxiang Sect proceed with their massacre of the city, their deeds would become known to the outside world.
Xu Yuan pondered for a moment. He instinctively wanted to nod in agreement, but ultimately shook his head gently.
"They won't."
"Why?" Colonel Wang snapped his head up, staring intently at Xu Yuan.
Xu Yuan enunciated every word: "There is no evidence."
Yin energy sprouted after the deaths of humans and demonic beasts, but it would not immediately generate ghost mist.
It was a relatively drawn-out process.
As long as the Wanxiang Sect was not entirely foolish, they had most likely only tampered with the Illusory Mist Grand Array and the city defense array for now, without rushing to engrave other formations designed to contain the ghost mist.
Because once everyone was dead, they would have ample time and energy to carry out those tasks while the corpses gradually bred the ghost mist.
In other words,
at this very moment, even if everyone in Shengshan County perished, it would be attributed to a malfunction in the array.
As for breaking out and declaring their crimes to the world?
*Look here, our Wanxiang Sect contributed funds and effort to build a grand array for you, yet you cowards from the Shengshan border army fled instead of defending the city, and now you turn around to bite the hand that fed you?*
*You claim we're cultivating ghost mist? Then show us the proof.*
*Did we build any formations in Shengshan County to nourish yin energy?*
In the flickering firelight,
the knife-carved wrinkles on Colonel Wang's face seemed to grow even deeper, his voice raspy and low:
"But we know the truth."
He pointed toward the mist that blotted out the sky, his finger trembling faintly.
"The Wanxiang Sect built this Illusory Mist Grand Array, and it malfunctioned at a time like this. No matter how you look at it, they cannot escape blame!"
His voice echoed softly, leaving the ramparts quiet for a moment.
Xu Yuan shook his head, speaking in a low tone.
"Colonel Wang, it's useless.
"All along the way here, every peddler, merchant, and sect disciple I encountered believed that the architect of this Illusory Mist Grand Array was the Fourth Miss of the Chancellor's Manor, not the Wanxiang Sect. The Wanxiang Sect merely provided materials and funds."
At this point, Xu Yuan paused.
"Furthermore, you mentioned earlier that Xu Xinyao departed before the finishing touches were complete. But rumors in the outside world claim that she left only after inspecting and confirming the array was functional. That already cements the narrative that she was the one who built it."
Colonel Wang ground his teeth and muttered, "That activation of the grand array was to verify the efficacy of the illusion mist, not an official handover."
"Yet none of you denied it beforehand," Xu Yuan countered.
Colonel Wang's voice trembled slightly. "Miss Xu did so much for our Shengshan County. When she was praised for it, how could our Shengshan border army deny her that honor?"
"Then the outcome is the same," Xu Yuan said, gazing out at the Illusory Mist Grand Array. "There will be no way to investigate this matter after the fact."
Colonel Wang's voice crackled with suppressed rage: "You mean to say Miss Xu's identity ended up becoming a protective shield for those sons of bitches in the Wanxiang Sect?!"
Xu Yuan fell silent for a few moments, then nodded.
"As things stand, yes.
"Even if Xu Xinyao were willing to testify after the fact, the outside world would only see it as an attempt to protect her own reputation.
"Moreover...
"Her status as the Fourth Miss of the Chancellor's Manor would heavily sway the judgment of whoever the imperial court sends to investigate. After all, her adoptive father is the current Prime Minister.
"If the Wanxiang Sect prepared thoroughly enough, even if the Shengshan border army manages to break out, you will most likely be branded with the crime of deserting your posts before the enemy. By then, anything you say will be dismissed as lies concocted to clear your own names."
Colonel Wang's voice seemed to age decades in an instant. He pointed at the city and the fields beyond.
"Which means... these four hundred thousand commoners are doomed to die?"
Xu Yuan looked at Colonel Wang, drew a deep breath, and spoke in a low voice:
"There is one way, but the odds are slim."
"What way?" Colonel Wang asked immediately, a rare flicker of hope reigniting in his eyes.
"Current formation technology cannot support long-distance control," Xu Yuan said unhurriedly. "Which means that if the Wanxiang Sect wants to manipulate the Illusory Mist Grand Array, they must have established a control node somewhere near Shengshan County. Your men will form up to breach an opening for Senior Sister and me. We'll go out, track them down, kill them, and take over the formation from that node to manipulate the illusion array."
Colonel Wang hesitated slightly. "Could the Wanxiang Sect have powerful experts guarding that place?"
Xu Yuan nodded. "There will certainly be experts, but they won't be overwhelmingly strong—at most, Third-rank Grandmasters."
"Why?" Colonel Wang frowned.
Xu Yuan analyzed the situation swiftly and steadily. "The Wanxiang Sect possesses immense overall strength, but they aren't powerful enough to secretly cultivate Second-rank Origin Realm experts without anyone noticing. Their First-rank Transcendent Realm and Second-rank Origin Realm figures are all well-known names. If someone like that made a move and left any trace behind, it would be equivalent to confirming the Wanxiang Sect's intent to massacre a city. The Wanxiang Sect would never take that risk."
"..."
As his words fell, the air fell silent for a breath.
Without the slightest hesitation, the burly border soldier bent his knees and dropped straight to the ground.
"..."
Xu Yuan frowned and moved to help him up, but the man knelt with such resolute force that Xu Yuan's cultivation was not enough to budge him.
Colonel Wang cupped his fists and bowed deeply toward Xu Yuan.
"Shengshan County offers its profound thanks for Young Master Zhou's great benevolence."
Xu Yuan's brow furrowed, and he said in a low voice, "Colonel Wang, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to find that control node.
"Furthermore...
"This will not convict the Wanxiang Sect of their crimes."
Colonel Wang shook his head, a grin breaking across his worn face.
"Young Master Zhou, at the very least, these four hundred thousand commoners now have a chance to live."
Chapter 145