Patrol Captain

On the summit of Yunding Peak, a large crowd gathered, watching a black torrent roar down the mountain, and exclaimed in alarm.

On a grassy viewing platform, Helian Shan, dressed in a black robe, looked down the mountain. The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes resembled the folds of an old tree. Behind him, several civil and military officials stationed there bowed their heads, not daring to utter a sound.

Among them was Eunuch Cao, who served the Grand Preceptor:
There was also the golden-armored commander of the Skywalking Army who had previously been guarding the mountain and had come to report.
"You mean the granddaughter of Grand Tutor Qin and the only daughter of Marquis Weiyuan just led a group to storm the Ninth Mountain?"

Helian Shan spoke at this moment, but his tone was unreadable.

Upon hearing this, the several civil and military officials who had bowed their heads turned their heads and their gazes fell on the golden-armored commander who was clasping his hands in a respectful gesture.

The golden-armored commander's mouth felt a little dry, and he said cautiously.
"Your Excellency, Miss Qin from the Grand Tutor's family possesses a token bestowed by General Chen!"

His voice trailed off towards the end.

"It seems something happened inside that prompted the Ninth Mountain troops to take action. Ha, quite a commotion!" Helian Shan chuckled, his hands behind his back, his clothes fluttering in the mountain wind.

As a result of his smile, fine beads of sweat appeared on the lowered face of the golden-armored commander.

"Your humble servant will...send someone to stop them!"

The Grand Preceptor is angry because, strictly speaking, the Jiannan Circuit is now under the control of this veteran official who has served three dynasties, and the troop movements of the Ninth Mountain were carried out without his orders, which is a serious taboo.

Moreover, there had been some unpleasantness between the two adults before!
That person resigned from his post in public and even gave the old Grand Preceptor a hard time. Now, the Ninth Mountain troops have been mobilized without permission...

Therefore, he naturally assumed that the Grand Preceptor was probably furious at this moment.

At this moment, Eunuch Cao of the Directorate of Ceremonial, who usually served by his side and relayed orders, lowered his body and spoke in a soft voice;

"Grand Preceptor, please calm down. This matter still needs to be investigated thoroughly. Why not summon the Ninth Mountain's troops to inquire, or ask those two young ladies for their opinions?"

His words were a way of smoothing things over, knowing that the current situation was complicated. If you went to stop the troops of the Ninth Mountain and delayed the affairs of the person behind you, it would be another problem.

Unexpectedly, Helian Shan flicked one sleeve, turned his face to the side, and wore a half-smile.
"Who said I'm angry?"

"I'm overjoyed."

These words only made the people behind him look even more frightened, and they lowered their heads even further in a panic.

In their minds, the old imperial advisor must have been so angry that he was speaking ironically.

Seeing their trembling silence, Helian Shan turned around, his gaze impatient, and let out a cold snort.
"You all look so useless. What, are you afraid that I will get angry and offend General Chen?"

"Go, have someone investigate what exactly happened at Ninth Mountain."

"We can't be completely ignorant."

"Also, send someone to Jiangyou Pass to investigate what happened there."

After he said that, everyone secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Yes, that’s the flavor!
However, why did the Grand Preceptor send someone to investigate Jiangyou Pass? Is there some connection?
Some people felt a pang of unease, but didn't ask any further questions.

"As ordered!"

They all hurriedly fled as if they were escaping.

Seeing this, Helian Shan ignored it, turned around, and his pair of cloudy and old eyes shone with a sharp light as he looked down at the black-armored torrent descending the mountain, the sound of horses neighing.

Actually, what he said just now was not a lie, and he wasn't angry at all.

After the commander of the Tianxing Army guarding the mountain reported to him, he used his supernatural powers to see in all directions and hear in all directions.

He witnessed the meeting between the Qin family women and the cavalrymen of the Ninth Mountain.

I heard some things from there. These people knew Chen Yuan before, encountered some trouble, some went missing, and came to seek help.

However, after they went to the Ninth Mountain Zhonglang Hall, his senses were blocked. There was a special force inside that prevented him from probing.

Then, the troops of the Ninth Mountain mobilized and summoned the Captain of the Heavenly Gate for a meeting.

This time he heard some news.

The captains received orders and were given a magical bell-shaped artifact to search for and subdue demons in the area spanning thousands of miles around Jiangyou Pass!
The general also issued an order that all beings, gods, demons, and ghosts in the areas he passed through must obey his commands, and those who disobeyed would be executed!

overbearing!

And who else could this general be but Chen Yuan!

It seems that during that period of sensory blankness, those people must have seen Chen Yuan.

Or rather, Ninth Mountain has always had ways to maintain contact with this general!
This was something Helian Shan had expected; he could tell from Qi Tian's attempt to become a Martial Saint more than half a month ago!
Although General Chen has left the Ninth Mountain, the slightest movement here must not escape his watchful eye!

Helian Shan understood this implicitly; now that the Ninth Mountain had stirred, he felt a sense of anticipation.

There's no other reason than that Chengdu is now rife with all sorts of monsters and demons, and he alone cannot hold up the city. The pressure on his shoulders is truly immense.

The movement of the Ninth Mountain's troops is enough to deter those restless individuals.

As long as the blade isn't pointed at the imperial court, they can do whatever they want.

This is his current state of mind!
I wonder what happened in Jiangyou, what kind of demon could have prompted the Ninth Mountain's elite forces to search for it? It's clear that our General Chen is furious.

Helian Shan's thoughts raced, his cloudy eyes watching the Ninth Mountain's elite troops descend the mountain and head straight north.

If he didn't have to stay here at all times, he would have to leave his body and travel thousands of miles to investigate what was going on in person.

At this moment, only a sliver of the setting sun shone on the western horizon, its light as fiery and blood-red as the evening drum had sounded. The daytime clamor had subsided, and most parts of Chengdu were closing their doors and windows, slowly becoming quiet.

Suddenly, some people saw streaks of silver light shooting out from the cloud-top mountain in the dark blue sky, tearing through the sky and heading straight north.

This scene was witnessed by many people in the city, who were somewhat surprised.

"So many Skyhawks have set out at once, all heading north. What's going on?"

Some people found it strange.

The Jiannan Circuit's Daofu Division has a large number of troops stationed there to support the suppression of the current turbulent front lines. It is not uncommon for large numbers of Skyhawks to be dispatched.

But they were all heading west or south!
To the west lies the Demon Kingdom, and to the south are the Ten Thousand Mountains.

This move northward has raised eyebrows.

While many people were still wondering, on the main street of the north city, many people felt the ground tremble slightly, followed by a faint rumbling sound.

"What is this sound?"

"The earth is shaking!"

"No, it's the sound of horses' hooves!"

"Rumble"

The vibration, like a tide, quickly became clearer and louder, as if a thousand troops were marching rapidly in this direction.

Exclamations gradually rose from both sides of the street, and the sounds of doors and windows being opened were incessant. Many eyes looked in the direction from which the tremor came, their pupils constricted.

"It's the Ninth Mountain's troops!"

On the twilight-shrouded street, a torrent of steel, gleaming coldly, roared and surged like a flood. Its menacing aura was like raging fire, its cold light illuminating the iron armor. On those large horses, heavily armored warriors resembled ferocious wild beasts, exuding a fierce and predatory aura.

One of them already possessed the imposing presence of a tiger or leopard, but his cold, gleaming iron armor, set against the backdrop of the setting sun, seemed to be coated with a blood-red sheen, his aura forming a unified whole, his murderous intent soaring to the heavens.

Behind them, the banners of the Ninth Mountain Raiding Campaign fluttered in the wind, like battle flags whistling, majestic and awe-inspiring, like tigers unleashed from their cages!

Such a sight and its grandeur made many people gasp for breath!
Even many powerful individuals hidden among the common people of Chengdu couldn't help but twitch at the sight.

Since the strange incident at Zushan last year, the troops of the Ninth Mountain have been lying dormant for a long time and have not come out of the mountain.

Once the Ninth Mountain army emerges from the mountains, bloodshed is inevitable; this is a consensus among many.

Because behind this Ninth Mountain, there is a madman, a martial saint!
Rumor has it that the will of the entire Ninth Mountain is the will of the other side, and even the imperial court has to step aside.

Now that the Ninth Mountain's elite forces have been mobilized and are heading north, what change has occurred?
“When the troops from the Ninth Mountain emerge, something big is bound to happen in the north!” someone asserted.

"Go quickly and send a message to see what's happening in the north!" Someone was quick-witted and didn't want to miss any news.

"Let's go, why not secretly follow them and take a look!" Some people closed their windows, unable to contain their curiosity, and whispered to each other.

"........."

In Chengdu, those with keen eyes and keen observation reacted in various ways to the mobilization of the Ninth Mountain.

Who could blame them? The one behind the Ninth Mountain was truly a master of manipulation, never making a move unless it was absolutely necessary.

After all, given the other party's status, every move he makes can involve both the imperial court and the martial arts world, so there must be a reason.

Meanwhile, to the west of the city, an ancient temple nestled among low hills and greenery was shrouded in pale blue smoke as dusk fell.

On a pagoda atop a low hill, the Western Regions monk, who had recently stayed at the temple and was dressed in a pale white robe, gazed at the main street of the northern city with a strange, radiant light in his eyes, which were like the stars and the moon.

"It is said that the General of the Ninth Mountain is incredibly powerful. He uses killing to stop killing, and has deterred the Hundred Thousand Mountains from attacking. People say that his merits are immeasurable. What do you all think?"

The monk spoke slowly.

"What supernatural powers and immeasurable merits? They are nothing but bloodthirsty scoundrels who commit indiscriminate killings. They are no match for the Venerable One. The Buddha's teachings are boundless, teaching all without discrimination, and saving all sentient beings."

Behind him, a golden boy with vertical eyes on his head clasped his hands together and spoke, his tone devout, but his eyebrows and eyes were strange.

Upon hearing this, the holy monk from the Western Land stopped spinning the prayer beads in his hand, his pupils widened slightly, his expression changed subtly, and he uttered a Buddhist chant.

“Amitabha Buddha, I have just calculated the cause and effect. This Ninth Mountain General has a karmic connection with Buddha. Which of you is willing to go and investigate?”

Upon hearing this, the four attendants behind him, who were actually demons in disguise, twitched slightly and then fell silent.

Even the boy from before shut his mouth.

"Asuro, go!"

The holy monk spoke calmly and assigned the boy with vertical eyes to the task.

Asura was the Buddhist name given to this boy by the holy monk, and this boy was actually an incarnation of an Asura.

Upon hearing this, Asura's vertical pupil twitched, and a hint of eccentricity flickered in his eyes, but he ultimately clasped his hands together and bowed his head.
"I humbly obey the Venerable One's decree!"

After speaking, his vertical pupils closed, and then he took a step, flying out of the pagoda and stepping into the void of the northern city. He disappeared into the void in a few steps and was nowhere to be seen.

Not long after, the people of the northern city watched as the black torrent roared out of the city and into the vast wilderness outside the city!

The setting sun sank behind the distant mountain ridge, splashing the last rays of blood across the world.

The banners of the Ninth Mountain army fluttered in the wind, the gilded patterns on their armor plates were bathed in the crimson sky, and their hooves trampled the blood-red afterglow, raising a trail of dust.

The distant mountains were already tinged with ink, first the peaks were dyed in deep black, then the twilight spread across the mountainside like ink spreading on rice paper. As the twilight spread over the soldiers and horses, the light of daylight on their black armor gradually faded away.

As the last rider disappeared into the distant wilderness, the distant mountains were completely immersed in darkness, with only the embers of the setting sun leaving dark red marks on the horizon.

After the Ninth Mountain troops disappeared into the darkening wilderness, many figures quietly slipped out of the city under the cover of night and disappeared into the darkness.

…………

On the other side, as night fell, in the desolate mountains and forests east of Qingshan County, the summer night forests were bathed in moonlight, the clear light streaming down through the gaps in the branches.

The woods were quiet, with only the chirping of insects following the moonlight, and the occasional night bird fluttering by.

The distant mountain shadows were shrouded in the night, like ink blots soaked in water, with only the peaks catching a glimpse of moonlight, bright and clear.

In a mountain forest several miles from the county seat, there was a sharp whistling sound like a blade cutting through the air.

"Swish swish"

Several streaks of silvery light flashed like lightning through the forest, and the next second, several large trees in the forest creaked and collapsed.

In the mountains and forests, a man in a black robe suddenly appeared in a flash of silver light, his feet touching the ground!
A pair of eyes gleamed in the darkness!
Unbeknownst to me, I had broken through to a higher level in swordsmanship!

After a few breaths, the sound of wind came from behind him, followed by a woman's cry.

"Brother!"

Why are you running so fast?

Qiong Le, dressed in a lake-blue dress, flew across the branches and landed gracefully beside Chu Yu, slightly out of breath, her tone reproachful.

"Junior sister, I've broken through!"

"I broke through!"

Chu Yu turned her head to look at her junior sister, her expression somewhat excited.

Qiong Le stared wide-eyed, somewhat dumbfounded. "Senior brother, didn't you say you came here to relax? How did you break through?"

Chu Yu was taken aback, it seemed to be true, then she thought of what had happened that afternoon and seemed to understand.

Could it be because he saw a higher view during the day?
This touched him deeply, and his state of mind changed without him even realizing it.

Is this what they call a "dimensional reduction attack"? A big shot can just casually show off his skills and be able to live off them for years.

"Junior sister, I think it's good for us to stay here. We can go back later. Junior brother's hometown is quite nice, the air is very fresh. Look at the beautiful moonlight tonight!"

Chu Yu interrupted with a smile.

Qiong Le rolled her eyes and looked at him with a scrutinizing expression. "Senior brother, I've noticed something's wrong with you. You just said you wanted to go back to the sect as soon as possible!"

"Did I? Junior sister, you must have misheard!"

Chu Yu laughed awkwardly, then suddenly looked up and exclaimed, "Oh my, a shooting star!"

Qiong Le looked up and saw nothing, then felt a gust of wind blow past her.

My senior brother has disappeared!

They were already dozens of feet away!
"Chu Yu!"

Qiong Le stamped her foot, wondering what had gotten into her senior brother. (End of Chapter)