Yamafu Military Affairs

Chapter 636 Mound
The Great Wilderness, the Central Plains.

As the sun rises in the east, its rays illuminate the vast mountains and fields in a golden glow. From afar, one can see the majestic Zhenling Broken Mountain, stretching like a city wall, with broken rocks and rubble scattered everywhere. The grassland is covered with huge cracks, crisscrossing like a spider web.

Further north, the neon lights shone brightly, and the clouds rolled and surged. A huge ravine stretched for more than 20 miles and spanned more than 1,000 feet, surrounded by steep cliffs. It was majestic and precipitous. In the misty clouds in the ravine, a mountain peak could be seen appearing and disappearing, with birds circling around it. It was the legendary Pimu Hill.

Gazing at the distant rainbow, Bo Mu, who had come south from the shores of the North Sea to the Central Plains with Emperor Tuoba, had a complex emotion in her eyes. She glanced at Wusima, who was speechless, and silently followed behind Emperor Hei Guangji and Qin Huai, gradually approaching this treacherous forbidden land where she had lived for decades.

Two hours ago, Emperor Tuoba, having gained nothing from the Chaos Ring, finally decided to heed the advice of Emperor Qing and come to Pimu Hill to check the situation first. After all, the records about Chaos in the Great Wilderness Classic were too few and too ancient, making it difficult to say whether the Chaos Ring was a container for sealing Chaos or a key to controlling the place where Chaos was sealed.

Qin Huai, who was well aware of the nature of the Chaos Ring and planned to use the information gap to buy time, would not invite trouble. He went with them to Pimu Hill to deal with the Tu tribe army lurking there.

Just as everyone was lost in their own thoughts, they suddenly heard cheers coming from below. Qin Huai looked down and saw the Zhenling River rushing by, with thousands of tents scattered across the woods and grasslands on both banks. Countless people stood densely in the morning light, waving and cheering. They were dressed in different clothes, including the Wood Clan army and scouts from the Gold and Fire Clans who had come to gather intelligence.

The group swooped down rapidly, stopping in front of the Wood Clan's main tent. A crowd surged around them, cheering.

"His Majesty the Qing Emperor! His Majesty the Qing Emperor!"

The sudden return of the Azure Emperor, who had disappeared for decades, delighted many wood-type spirits and demons. They even ignored Tianwu and Zhulong, who were their mortal enemies, and surrounded Ling Ganyang, chattering amongst themselves.

Qin Huai's eyes swept across the area and he saw a man in a tiger-skin coat, with an imposing air, rushing towards him. He laughed with delight, "Senior Taotie!"

It was Lu Hu Shen who led his army to the Central Plains to obtain the Breath of Earth.

Lu Hu rushed forward and, seeing the Black Emperor, Bo Mu, Wusima, and other aquatic heroes, was surprised, but still said, "His Majesty the White Emperor sent us to Yangxu City on Chaoge Mountain to retrieve the Breath Soil, but we heard from the elders that the Breath Soil had been taken away by the Yellow Emperor. That's why we rushed to Pimu Hill to meet with the Fire and Wood tribes, intending to discuss a way to reopen Pimu Hill. But I wonder why Senior Taotie has come?"

"After parting ways at Kunlun, I ventured deep into the Ghost Mountains of the Western Regions, passing through the Netherworld, hoping to retrieve the primordial spirits of the Dragon Queen and Emperor Tuoba. However, I unexpectedly rescued the half-human, half-ghost Green Emperor and Black Emperor, bringing them back to the Great Wilderness. At that time, this avatar of mine was already pursuing the Heaven-Turning Divine Seal, passing through Zhongshan and the Cold Wilderness, and finally reaching the Northern Pole Heavenly Cabinet Mountain."

After briefly recounting the events of the past few days, Lu Hushen, along with the other heroes from various tribes, marveled at Wusima's ruthless scheme and were terrified. They also cursed Huangdi Ji Shaodian, who usually seemed the weakest and most incompetent. The camp was quite lively for a time.

Just then, a loud "boom" was heard, and a beam of light shot into the sky from the distant Pimu Hill, radiating light and dyeing the world. Then, a deep, resonant voice laughed and said, "I never thought that so many distinguished guests would come uninvited to avenge my grudges. Their kindness is truly unworthy of my respect."

The crowd gasped and turned to look. They saw colorful clouds rolling and surging in the sky, with neon lights shimmering like water, gradually forming a huge mirage-like image.

In the high-altitude scene, a young man in a black robe and tall crown stood proudly, his face as pale as snow, his handsome features extraordinary. His gaze was intense as he looked down at the crowd, his smile arrogant and tinged with a frivolous air of self-admiration. He was none other than Gongsun Yinghou, the True God of Yang Yang.

But the next moment, he saw Bo Mu, Hei Di, and Zhu Long, who was dressed as a prisoner, in the crowd. His expression changed slightly, becoming somewhat uncertain.

"My son, the Water Saintess's conspiracy has been exposed by the gods, and my elder brother has returned to uphold justice for us. Why don't you quickly open the Pimu Hill and let us in?"

Having witnessed Qin Huai and the others' formidable strength firsthand, Bo Mu Zhi Xuan Qing knew that Wu Si Ma's fate was sealed, and directly advised Gongsun Ying Hou.

Perhaps because he truly sensed the terrifying aura of the five elements generating each other and far surpassing his own, Gongsun Yinghou dared not turn hostile. He raised his hand and gently waved it towards an empty place in front of him. Immediately, the earth shook and roared, and the entire earth suddenly collapsed downwards!

Earth and rocks exploded, red light danced, and flames shot up dozens of feet high from the crisscrossing fissures in the ground all around!
Caught off guard, the dozen or so wandering knights were instantly engulfed in flames, screaming and wildly slapping their bodies as they rolled on the ground. If Qin Huai hadn't intervened in time, summoning ice water to extinguish the fire, several lives would have been lost in the process.

When the dust settled, everyone could finally see the vast and magnificent ravine before them, stretching for more than twenty miles from east to west, with no end in sight, and more than a thousand feet wide from north to south. The cliffs on both sides were unfathomably deep, like a giant, menacing maw ready to devour anyone who might enter.

Below, cold air and heat waves surged and billowed, creating clouds and mist that transformed into countless shapes. In the deep ravine, a majestic and precipitous peak seemed to stand, its head and tail elusive. When the wind blew, the clouds scattered, and the strange peaks and rocks appeared and disappeared, like countless immortals and monsters hiding among the clouds and mist.

Suddenly, a shrill cry rang out, and a flock of colorful giant birds soared into the sky from the clouds below, whistling as they hurtled towards the group. At a distance of several dozen feet, sensing the extremely malevolent aura of the Taotie, they cried out in alarm and scattered, circling far away to avoid it.

"Gentlemen, please follow me."

Seeing that Bo Muzhi Xuanqing was sensible, Qin Huai nodded slightly and summoned a gust of wind to sweep everyone away into the deep ravine.

The wind howled, the clouds scattered, and the cliff on the left was sheer, smooth and steep; on the right was the mysterious "earth mound" rising from the depths of the ravine, its entirety still difficult to discern despite its hundreds of feet of depth. Occasionally, as the colorful clouds dispersed, the jagged boulders and verdant pines could be seen.

The roars of beasts and the cries of birds were deafening. Unseen monsters kept charging and crashing towards them, but before they could get close, they were intimidated by the ferocity of the Taotie and fled at top speed, tumbling and crawling.

However, swarms of poisonous insects and strange birds were quite troublesome, constantly buzzing and circling overhead, sometimes swooping down, sometimes hovering around. Fortunately, Hei Di Zhi Guang Ji had become a doctor through long illness and had already mastered the unparalleled Gu technique in the Great Wilderness. Before these poisonous insects could put up any resistance, they were driven back into the seedlings and stored in the Gu bag.

Strangely enough, the further down we flew, the brighter the light became, and the clouds gradually thinned. The continuous, winding cliffs, sharp and precipitous rocks, and countless exotic flowers and plants flashed past us. Looking up, the sky above was already covered by layers of colorful clouds, and not even a corner of blue sky could be seen.

Thinking that the Tu tribe's army led by the Yellow Emperor might be hiding somewhere underground, Qin Huai, though trusting Bo Mu to some extent, still kept a close watch and was constantly on guard, fearing that things might go wrong.

When the group reached a depth of a thousand feet, the wind howled and the heat wave surged from below, making it unbearably hot and humid. Before Qin Huai could release his cooling energy, a deafening roar suddenly rang out. The clouds ahead exploded, flames danced wildly, and a huge black monster charged towards them like a whirlwind! The raging wind was intense and scorching. Taotie, with his extremely rich experience in the battlefield, didn't hesitate. He unleashed his True Qi, which swirled around his arm, and suddenly extended the Seven Sins Spear to thrust angrily into the wind.

puff~
A burst of orange-yellow energy erupted and surged forth. A thunderous roar was heard, and Taotie's palms went numb, as if it had been pushed by a tremendous force. The Nine Heavens Gale that enveloped it instantly dissipated, and only the dazzling stream of flames from the turbine on its back managed to neutralize the impact before it crashed into the cliff.

Looking intently, one sees clouds like woven fabric, dazzling neon lights, and a huge black dog crouching in the air, head bowed, poised to pounce. It bared its fangs, growled in its throat, and stared intently with its red eyes like fireballs. A tuft of pale golden down on its jaw swayed gently, and saliva dripped from its mouth, making it look extremely ferocious.

【Huodou】: One of the ten most ferocious beasts in the Great Wilderness nine hundred years ago. It is hermaphroditic and extremely ferocious. A hundred years ago, the entire Huodou clan was besieged and wiped out by the Fire Clan army. Now, only this Huodou King, who escaped into Pimu Hill, has survived in the Great Wilderness. Because he has devoured too many fiery and poisonous beasts, his ferocity has greatly increased, and he harbors a strong hatred for all demons and humans.

"I searched high and low without finding it, but it came to me without any effort. I never expected that the last ferocious beast would be here!"

Instead of being alarmed, Taotie was delighted. It pushed off the rock wall with its toes and rushed directly towards Huodou. Its Qi energy exploded and danced, which was several times more ferocious than the fire wave just now!
puff~
As the spear pierced flesh, Huodou roared in pain, spinning wildly. A torrent of blue flames erupted from its throat, turning the Seven Sins Spear red-purple. The fiery tail swept out furiously, striking the Taotie's protective qi shield, instantly causing ripples and colorful light to scatter.

Suddenly inspired, he raised his hand and swung it like a knife, unleashing his true energy. In an instant, the emerald fire and golden light slashed down the monster hanging from the tip of the Seven Sins Spear, sending it sprawling.

Taotie withdrew its spear, unleashing its Qi again, piercing through the raging flames around it, which resembled a giant purplish-blue fireball. Flames and tongues of fire shot out dozens of feet, instantly burning the vegetation on the cliff and hillside to ashes.

Protected by their Qi, the group was fearless and could not break through the flames that danced all around them.

At that moment, the heat and cold below intensified, and layers of white mist and clouds surged and rolled upwards, creating a dazzling spectacle, accompanied by rumbling sounds. The cliffs and hills were instantly enveloped in the vast mist, and the crowd hovered in mid-air, their figures indistinct, until soon they could not see their own hands in front of their faces.

"My Lord, you have killed twenty powerful and ferocious beasts that wreaked havoc in the Great Wilderness. Progress (20/20)!"

"The Ice-Armored Horned Demon Dragon, the Frosty Wilderness Taotie, the Qiongqi, the Tiger-Dragon, and the Huodou, all ten of the Great Wilderness's most ferocious beasts, are dead. Progress (5/5)!"

Hearing Yanfu's prompting echo in his ears, Taotie swept his spear horizontally, instantly clearing away the misty haze and revealing the dark red crevice in the far distance below.

"Brother, the subterranean fire is about to erupt; we need to find a cave to hide in."

Before Bo Mu finished speaking, a loud "boom" was heard, the clouds exploded, the sky shook, and thousands of rays of light shot into the sky, turning the surroundings as red as blood.

Qin Huai frowned, and out of the corner of his eye, he could see rolling red light surging from the narrow ravine between the cliff and the hill, like a raging torrent. In just a moment, a wave of intense heat, hot enough to melt copper and iron, crashed down and engulfed everyone!
A deafening explosion reverberated, shaking the heavens and the earth. Crimson flames erupted from Pimu Hill and the cracks in the ground, shooting up dozens of feet into the air.

Suddenly, a brilliant burst of light broke through the surging flames and flew rapidly into the depths of the rugged, towering hill.

The cliff on the left stretches endlessly, intersecting with the hills and peaks on the right to form a long, winding ravine, where the shimmering water is faintly visible, seemingly leading straight to the deepest hell, unfathomable.

The lower they flew, the stronger the chill became, while the heatwave intensified, overlapping and surging, like flying over a volcano and then over a snow-capped peak, alternating between extreme heat and extreme cold. Fortunately, Qin Huai and his companions all possessed supernatural abilities, so the mere heat and cold had no effect on the overall situation.

After flying rapidly downwards for a while, they suddenly heard a loud rumbling sound. Turning their eyes, they saw flocks of birds take flight in fright, and billowing black smoke rising from the hills and steep peaks to their right.

Then, red light danced wildly, rocks flew and exploded, and a flame that was a hundred feet high suddenly shot out, and nearly half of the steep and strange peak collapsed in an instant.

Almost simultaneously, several nearby mountain peaks also trembled violently, spewing forth towering flames in a spectacular display of intensity. The surrounding lush greenery and flowers instantly transformed into a sea of ​​fire, raging and swirling.

Just then, a cold wind stirred up from the depths of the ravine, sweeping past everyone and quickly condensing into a white, misty fog in the sky. Then, it surged and tumbled, instantly transforming into magnificent dark purple and golden-red clouds, and then into rolling, pitch-black clouds.

Then, lightning flashed and thunder roared, and torrential rain poured down, mixed with hailstones the size of fists, which pounded densely against the mountain cliffs, sending ice shards flying and water splashing everywhere. The raging fire was quickly extinguished, leaving only white smoke rising from the mountainside and a strange fragrance lingering in the air.

In a short while, the clouds dispersed and the rain stopped, and a new layer of green quickly appeared on the scorched cliffs and peaks. Grass grew, trees sprouted, and flowers and fruits appeared. The originally messy and desolate scene was replaced by lush greenery and a vast sea of ​​flowers.

Having traversed the myriad phenomena of the five elements, Bo Mu spoke softly, reminding everyone, "We have arrived at the Yang Palace."

Qin Huai looked down and saw that Pi Mu Di Qiu had finally reached its bottom. Below, a deep ravine stretched for thousands of feet, where the water shimmered like a silver ribbon, its colors changing and becoming incredibly beautiful under the reflection of the clouds in the sky.

The river, hundreds of feet wide, encircles the hill, meandering gracefully. Its azure waters ripple and swirl with white mist, emanating a terrifying, ghostly chill. It is clearly another passage, similar to the Ghost Mountain in the Western Wilderness, that leads deep into the ghost realm.

In the river, one could vaguely see pale corpses floating in the water, some facing up, some facing down, swollen like water ghosts, stretching endlessly, numbering at least tens of thousands.

"Ghost Kingdom Corpse Soldiers!"

(End of this chapter)