Yamafu Military Affairs

Chapter 604 Mystery
"It's alright, I'm just asking about some things. It's not like it's going to eat me."

Qin Huai smiled slightly, not taking Yan Kuang's reminder too seriously. Since the Snow Horned Bear and the Frost Desolate Taotie were both totem sacred beasts worshipped by the barbarian tribes of the far north, their strength was probably similar to that of the original body. With his current strength, he was certainly not in any danger.

"Please be careful, Lord Totem. Follow me."

Yan Kuang nodded and immediately led Qin Huai through the three-zhang-long giant gate with the bronze rings of beast heads. Following the screen wall painted with the totems of the eight barbarian tribes—the Ice-Armored Horned Demon Dragon, the Cold Wilderness Taotie, the Frost Blood Bat, the Golden Horned Steel Rhinoceros, the Divine Luo Bird, the Ice Jade Spider Emperor, the Snow Horned Violent Bear, and the Six-Horned Plow Ox—they proceeded forward. In the courtyard, flowers and plants grew in abundance, and spirit bees danced about. In the distance, there were several large beehives, and a sweet and fragrant aroma filled the air, making one feel as if they were in a honey pot.

"Growing flowers and plants, raising bees and collecting honey—could it be that the current city lord is a barbarian surnamed Xiong?"

Looking around, Qin Huai didn't see a single guard, so he couldn't deduce any further details and could only casually ask Yan Kuang.

"Lord Totem has a good eye. The Lord of Batian City is indeed the current Elder Xiong. All the arrangements in the City Lord's Mansion are his work. He said that he can use the natural heat of Lieyang Mountain to enhance the power of the city's protective array."

Yan Kuang nodded and led the way. The spirit bees sensed his presence, paused briefly, and then moved away, giving way to the magnificent Cold Wasteland Palace behind the vibrant flowers.

Before the two even entered the main hall, Qin Huai passed through the rows of obsidian pillars inside and saw a giant bear-man sitting on a black iron throne.

His hair and beard were curly, his eyes were slightly closed, seemingly half-closed, and his robe was half-undone, revealing his hairy chest and the half-jar of thick honey he was holding in his arms. Although he was just lying there casually, the contours of his muscles, like those of a mountain, were clearly visible.

【Xiong Batian】: Lord of Juyan City, with 2,900 years of cultivation. His true form is a snow bear from the far north. He is born with the ability to summon wind and snow. He has profound magical power, is proficient in the art of formations, and possesses wisdom that does not match his appearance. He is a rare master of formations among the eight barbarian tribes.

"This humble general, Yan Kuang, carrying the Yan-surname totem Taotie, pays his respects to the Lord of Batian City."

Upon entering the main hall, Yan Kuang saw Xiong Batian taking a nap, immediately coughed lightly, bowed, and said loudly.

"A totem? Where did this totem come from?"

Xiong Batian opened his sleepy eyes and saw Qin Huai, who had transformed back into his original form.

When Xiong Batian saw a cold, desolate Taotie suddenly appear in front of his bed, he was startled. The towering obsidian pillars emitted intricate patterns of five colors, and it looked as if they were about to transform into a great formation and press down on Qin Huai.

"City Lord!"

Just then, Yan Kuang called out to calm the frightened Xiong Batian down.

"Hoo hoo hoo, General Yan, if any distinguished guests come to visit and see me resting, please inform them. Otherwise, with my frail health, I'm afraid I'll soon fall ill from fright."

Upon hearing Yan Kuang's reminder, Xiong Batian suddenly realized what was happening. He waved his hand to dispel the great formation in the hall and apologized to Qin Huai, saying, "I didn't know that a distinguished guest had arrived. I was a little nervous and subconscious. Please forgive me."

"It's alright, as long as the city lord recognizes my identity."

Qin Huai transformed back into human form and watched Yan Kuang take his leave before turning to Xiong Batian and asking directly, "I have long heard of the eight great barbarian tribes in the far north, among which the Xiong family is the most knowledgeable. It is said that their caravans frequently travel to the eastern wilderness, western regions, northern and southern borders, and have even been to Kunlun Hill in the Central Plains. I wonder if City Lord Batian could tell this mountain dweller, who has been confined to this corner of the world for many years, about the current state of affairs in the world?"

"What does our honored guest Taotie wish to hear? Since the death of the God Emperor, the Great Wilderness of the Mountains and Seas has been far from peaceful for the past few decades. The demonic aura has gradually risen, and the flames of war have spread. If it weren't for the fact that the eight barbarian tribes live in this harsh land beyond the Great Wall, far away from the vortex, they would probably have been drawn into the boundless calamity and been smashed to pieces."

As Xiong Batian spoke, he scooped up the jade club from the honey pot, stuffed it into his mouth, and mumbled something.

"I've heard rumors in the desolate lands that the death of the God Emperor was quite suspicious. I wonder if the Lord of Batian City knows any secrets that are unknown to ordinary people."

Qin Huai waved his hand, refusing Xiong Batian's offer, and pushed the honey-coated jade stick, still covered in saliva, back to him. He then asked about the death of the God Emperor, which was of most concern to him.

"I do know some other versions of the story about the God Emperor's death, but they are not exactly secrets. They are just rumors and hearsay. If you would like to hear them, I will tell you."

Qin Huai quickly said, "Please."

"The five tribes of the Great Wilderness all say that the God Emperor tasted all kinds of herbs, but was poisoned by a deadly mixed poison that could not be cured by any medicine. After searching for an antidote in vain, he died of the poison at the Peach Banquet. But I heard from the Great Shaman of the Water Tribe, Zhulong Zhuzhen, that the God Emperor did not die from the mixed poison, but was poisoned by the most powerful poison in the world, Gu, and was secretly murdered by the person who cast the spell. This is why he died young and caused the Great Wilderness to return to chaos."

"To be able to clearly know the God Emperor's situation and how to use Gu, the mastermind must be someone close to the God Emperor. Among all the races in the world, the Wood Spirits are the most skilled at cultivating Gu and preparing poison. If what Zhu Zhen Shen said is true, then the person who killed the God Emperor is probably the Goddess Mu Zi Su Mu Saintess, who is currently at the height of her power in Kunlun Hill."

At this point, Xiong Batian licked the honey stains from the corner of his mouth, still savoring the moment, and said, "I just can't understand how the God Emperor, who was the Great Wilderness Medicine God and proficient in all the unique skills of the five races, could have his life taken by a mere wood spirit's poisonous gu, without even leaving a single word. Hehe, esteemed guest, you should know that even with my thick skin, I could survive for ten days to half a month after being bitten by that poisonous gu, and only ascend to heaven after settling my affairs. The God Emperor's body is a hundred times more resilient than ours, so how could he die so easily? I can't understand it, I just can't understand it!"

"There are many doubts, and it's hard to tell what's true and what's false."

Qin Huai shook his head, not dwelling too much on the death of the God Emperor, but instead asked, "Lord Batian City, since you were able to learn this news from the Water Clan's Zhulong, the other races must have also learned of this speculation, right? And they haven't done anything about it?"

"No, no. It is said that the Yellow Emperor of the Earth Tribe once joined forces with the Holy Maiden of the Gold Tribe, the Queen Mother of the West, to invite the True God of the Water Tribe. In the presence of other emperors, holy maidens, and witches, they confronted the Queen Mother of the Goddess, Mu Zisu, about this matter. No one knows what happened in between, but it is known that the tribes parted on bad terms. A few days later, the water demons of Chaoyang Valley, led by the Water Lord Tianwu, launched a surprise attack on the main city of the Wood Tribe. The two tribes completely broke off relations and dragged the other tribes of the Great Wilderness into the mess."

Thinking of the situation in the Great Wilderness, Xiong Batian sighed and said, "In the Great Wilderness of the Mountains and Seas, apart from the five races, only a few forces such as the Undersea Dragon Clan, the Frosty Wilderness Barbarians, and the Sinners of Tang Valley can be considered powerful. Other races and tribes are of varying quality, and now that they are caught up in the war, the days ahead will only get worse."

"Lord Batian, I see that the far north is far from the Central Plains, and the people of Juyan City don't seem to be affected by the war. You just said that they were caught up in the war. Could it be that the eight barbarian tribes also have plans to go south and get involved?" Qin Huai asked casually, his eyes slightly narrowed.

"A single move can affect the whole situation. Although the desolate region is harsh and there are ferocious beasts to guard against, the living environment is much better than other regions that have been ravaged by war for years. In recent years, Juyan City has received many suffering people who have migrated here with their families. Even if we can cultivate tens of thousands of acres of fertile land to support them by relying on the heat of Lieyang Mountain, it is not a long-term solution."

Xiong Batian sighed and slowly said, "What I'm worried about now is that the Five Elements Clan has been fighting for years and has exhausted too much of their energy. They may not have cared about the barren resources and some wealth of the Cold Wilderness before, but times have changed. Now that the Five Clan is in this state, whether they will send troops to the far north to plunder resources to replenish themselves is something only heaven knows."

"One should not have the heart to harm others, but one should not be without the heart to guard against others. It is a great thing that Juyan has such a wise and far-sighted sage as the Lord of Batian City."

Seeing that Xiong Batian had voiced his concerns, Qin Huai flattered him a couple of times. Just as he was about to ask about the information on Shuibo Tianwu and Xuanshui Zhenshen Zhulong, Xiong Batian changed the subject and started talking about the fine snow falling outside.

"Our distinguished guest from Taowu has come all the way from Taoguo Mountain. The wind and snow were so fierce along the way that he didn't notice that this year's snow is different from the snow in previous years?"

"Snow? I hadn't noticed that. Could there be something strange about the snow in this desolate place?"

Qin Huai was taken aback when he heard Xiong Batian ask the question, but he didn't notice anything amiss.

"The barbarians of the far north all grow up in the bitterly cold and freezing land. No matter how cold it was or how heavy the snow was in previous years, Juyan City never activated the power of the great array to use the heat of Lieyang to melt the snow and turn it into smoke. As for the reason, it is naturally because there is something strange about this snow."

As Xiong Batian spoke, he took out a crystal plate from his pocket and tossed it to Qin Huai.

Qin Huai grabbed it and looked at the hexagonal snowflake in the crystal plate.

"Insect molt?"

Qin Huai's pupils involuntarily contracted. With his extraordinary eyesight, he could naturally see that what made up the snowflakes were not ice crystal nuclei, but countless transparent, slightly white spores.

【Fine Snow Corpse Gu】: One of the strange Gu in the Great Wilderness. It is so subtle that it cannot be detected. Once poisoned by this Gu, one's body becomes like a walking corpse, and one's consciousness will be controlled by the Gu worm. It will mutate and multiply to grow limbs, becoming a corpse slave that is neither human nor ghost.

This thing is indeed harmful, but Qin Huai possesses the Returning to True Qi, so this thing, let alone invading his body, would probably be burned away by the blazing and domineering Qi before it even got within three feet of him. Therefore, Qin Huai did not feel anything unusual from the beginning.

"Perhaps because the person who cast the Gu poison is too far from the extreme northern wilderness, the power of these corpse Gu is much weaker than normal. If it were an expert like you or me, the corpse Gu would be destroyed by the protective magic before it even entered the body, and would no longer be a threat. But the hundreds of thousands of people in Juyan City are different. If they are not careful, they will turn into ugly monsters like these with hideous faces that only know how to destroy."

Xiong Batian raised his right hand and slammed it on the throne beside him. A cage made of black iron mixed with gold immediately rose from the ground and appeared in Qin Huai's field of vision.

Qin Huai stared intently and saw a hideous monster, barely resembling a human, locked in the cage. Its stiff, cold face was stained with blood. Where its eyes and nose had been, new purplish-red tentacles had grown out. Its lips were torn open, its tongue dangling out, its teeth sharp and menacing. Foul-smelling green saliva dripped continuously from its gaping mouth. Its abdomen was ruptured, a bloody mess, with intestines ending in a ring of sharp teeth dragging out and biting the bars tightly. One of its arms was mangled and broken, with white bones scattered everywhere. The other was wrapped in bulging, purplish-black muscles, forming a huge hammer. It made a hoarse, low "hmph" sound, like a roar or a groan.

【Fine Snow Corpse Slave】: Originally a Jin Clan wandering knight, Silver Spotted Jackal, he inhaled an excessive amount of fine snow on his way to Juyan City. One day, his young Gu awakened, and the Gu poison entered his brain, turning him into a corpse slave who was neither human nor ghost.

'This art style is off, isn't it?'

Qin Huai mentally scoffed, but quickly realized something and looked up at Xiong Batian, asking, "City Lord, is this drizzle falling all over the Great Wilderness?"

“Your sense of smell is indeed keen. Indeed, according to the report from my clan’s caravan, this fine snow is not unique to the Cold Wilderness, but is falling throughout the entire Great Wilderness. It is precisely because I have realized the nature of this fine snow that I have a deep belief in the words of the True God of Candle, and I am even more convinced that the God Emperor was killed by the Wood Clan.”

Xiong Batian nodded, saying helplessly, "To set up a Gu array that covers the entire Great Wilderness, even the Wood Spirits would have to use the full strength of their clan. But if they succeed in their plan, and the fine snow covers the Great Wilderness, then all the races in the world, except for the Fire Clan who are naturally hot and not afraid of the fine snow, will probably become their slaves. Even if the God Emperor is resurrected, the situation will be beyond saving."

"Actually, there's another possibility: all of this, including the rumors and the Corpse Gu, was actually the work of the True God of Xuan Shui, Zhulong. I wonder if the City Lord of Batian is aware of the True God of Xuan Shui's character and strength?"

Qin Huai's eyes flickered, and he asked the question as he went along with it.

"The True God of Xuanshui, Zhulong, is indeed an ambitious and ruthless figure. If he truly wanted to rule the Great Wilderness, he wouldn't be incapable of doing such a thing. After all, the ruthlessness of Xuanshui Zhulong is known throughout the Great Wilderness."

Hearing Qin Huai's words, Xiong Batian sensed a conspiracy. After thinking for a moment, he spoke again: "Honorable guest, you may not know, but after the death of the God Emperor, the Black Emperor of the Water Clan went into seclusion. The God of Candle True took over the affairs of the clan and began to suppress dissent, expelling all those in the Elder Council who opposed him. The lords of more than sixty of the two hundred cities of the Water Clan were accused of treason and their entire families were executed. The remaining citizens either died, fled, or were exiled to the army, all becoming fuel for the Water Demons' ambitions."

"Zhulong is so ruthless to his own kind, isn't there anyone who stands up to stop him?"

Qin Huai frowned, somewhat puzzled.

"Who dares to stop him? Who can stop him? Xuan Shui Zhen Shen Zhu Long is the head of the Ten Gods of the Great Wilderness. His supernatural powers and martial arts are all-encompassing, surpassing even the Black Emperor of the Water Clan. As for the other three Water Clan Gods, Chao Yang Shui Bo Tian Wu is his loyal vanguard, and Bei Hai Zhen Shen Yu Jing Qiang is hiding in the far north abyss. Like the Old Ancestor of the West Sea, they are reclusive cultivators who do not concern themselves with worldly affairs. Why would they deliberately oppose Zhu Long?"

Xiong Batian shrugged and shook his head with a sigh.

"So, the water demon's background is indeed not clean, but the wood spirit is also quite suspicious. I wonder if the other three races have any bias?"

As Qin Huai pondered this information, he felt that things were not as simple as they seemed.

(End of this chapter)