Patrol Captain

Two hundred li east of Qingshan County, amidst towering mountains and deep valleys, lies a vast valley shrouded in mist and clouds, stretching for miles.

As the sun was about to set behind the western mountains, a sharp whooshing sound suddenly rang out over the valley, and two figures flashed out from the void.

It was Helian Shan and Yun Tiansheng!
Helian Shan lowered his eyes and looked down, his turbid and powerful eyes gleaming with a sharp light.

The terrain here is peculiar; several mountains seem to have been forcibly squeezed together, forming a huge sinkhole, as if someone had moved mountains and changed the terrain with great supernatural power.

Piercing through the clouds above the sinkhole, one could clearly see a massive mansion below, built in the style of a royal palace, with carved beams and painted rafters, five lacquered gates, stretching for miles, exuding an imposing aura. The plaque above the gate still bore the eye-catching gilded characters "Liang Wang Fu" (Liang King's Mansion).

Only the towering tree in the center of the mansion, as if cast in silver water, was exceptionally dazzling.

The Northern Liang Royal Palace, spanning tens of thousands of miles, is like a pearl lost in the ocean, nestled deep in these mountains. It must be the work of General Chen!

Helian Shan searched the old site of the Prince's Mansion but found no trace of Chen Yuan's aura. His pupils flickered slightly, and then he released his immense Martial Saint aura without reservation.

A fierce wind raged, causing thunder to rumble in the void, which blew away the clouds and mist below, and a powerful pressure swept down.

Immediately, soldiers below began to move, whistles sounded, and the sacred Yinshan tree in the middle trembled, its silver leaves fluttering out, jingling and spinning as they flew upwards, spreading out and transforming into a curtain of light that rapidly expanded.

"Who dares to trespass?" someone shouted in alarm, and they all rushed into the air.

A streak of light swiftly rose from the mansion, taking the lead. The old man with the bulbous nose in it waved his sleeve, parting the clouds in the sky, and then stopped in mid-air, his eyes filled with surprise and doubt.

He saw the towering Helian Mountain above him, and Yun Tiansheng standing beside him. The oppressive aura of the Martial Saint sobered up his flushed face, and he straightened his expression.

Wow, a very important figure from the imperial court has arrived!
The Grand Preceptor of the Great Qian Dynasty, Old Man Dong, had met him in that burial ground. At that time, he disguised himself as soldiers of the Ninth Mountain and followed them all the way without anyone noticing. It was truly a case of being completely undetected.

"So it's Grand Preceptor Helian in person. This old man is very polite." Old Dong cupped his hands in greeting and said with a smile.

On the Helian Mountain, a hundred feet above, Dong Fu was spotted. He seemed to recognize him; he had been known as Musashi before, and now he was known as Longhu. According to intelligence gathered by the court, this man came from the ancient clan Huanlong, which was not commonly seen.

However, he didn't see Chen Yuan, and he frowned. A dragon and tiger alone was not enough.

"General Chen, you have a lot of influence. I have come here in person, and you don't even come out to see me?"

He suppressed his anger and snorted, his voice like rolling thunder, which shook the Ninth Mountain Warriors who had rushed up to investigate the situation.

Old Dong, however, glanced around at the Imperial Advisor, a smile playing on his lips, conveying a sense of nonchalant ease.
"Yes, yes, Your Excellency, it is only right. However, young Chen is still in seclusion. Before he went into seclusion, he entrusted everything to this old man."

"I wonder if Grand Preceptor Helian would like a drink. This old man invites you to have a cup. Let's sit down and talk things over. I'll go and say something."

Yun Tiansheng, who was standing next to Helian Shan, turned to the side and clasped his hands in a fist salute towards Helian Shan, saying:

"Please do not take it to heart, Grand Preceptor. My general did indeed entrust all matters to Elder Dong before going into seclusion, and he did not neglect his duties."

Helian Shan glanced sideways, but he had no patience. He didn't have much time, so he went to find Chen Yuan. However, he was quite surprised that this member of the Huanlong Clan called Chen Yuan "boy," which showed that their relationship was not ordinary. He did not have any intention of taking his anger out on Chen Yuan.

"Alright, go find your general and see me immediately. I have important matters to discuss with you."

He took a deep breath, his voice a little hoarse.

Yun Tiansheng stopped and stood up, exchanging a glance with Old Dong below. Old Dong muttered to himself, recalling what Chen Yuan had told him before he went into seclusion, and it seemed he didn't want to pay any attention to this person.

He knew perfectly well that this Grand Preceptor, representing the court, had come here for no good reason. After all, even deep in the mountains, he was well aware of the current situation. Given the court's nature, they probably saw that things were tough and wanted to use the Ninth Mountain again to trick people into becoming laborers. The court had done this kind of thing many times before.

After reciting the words in his mind, Dong Fu's eyes darted around as he carefully considered the wording, looking somewhat troubled.

This guy is not easy to deal with!
Just then, a deep voice resounded in the void.

"Lord Helian has arrived in person, but I was performing my rituals and have failed to greet you properly!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the silver leaves of the sacred tree of Yinshan flew up into the sky like a shower of flowers, and then gathered together.

The intense silver light subsided, revealing Chen Yuan dressed in white, his pupils dark and calmly bright.

This is the Yang Spirit!

Helian Shan saw that only his primordial spirit had come out, and his eyes showed a slight doubt. Was he really in seclusion?

"It's really difficult to see General Chen. Could you please speak to me privately?" Helian Shan knew this wasn't the time to be angry, so he softened his tone.

Chen Yuan had incredibly sharp eyes, and he immediately noticed that the Grand Preceptor of the Great Qian Dynasty was clearly different from usual. His voice was hoarse, and his eyes were bloodshot.

During his half-month seclusion, it seems that the war situation has undergone new changes.

He didn't say anything, but with a flick of his sleeve, the scene in the void in front of the two of them suddenly changed.

Helian Shan sensed the spatial fluctuations, his eyelids twitched slightly, but he did not move, letting the space change as it did.

It really only takes the blink of an eye.

The next moment, their vision went dark, and they found themselves in a new space.

Below, the peaks rise like dark eyebrows, winding like dragons, covered in lush vegetation. Waterfalls cascade down, springs gurgle, and rivers meander like jade ribbons, their waters shimmering gently. Looking up, the starry sky unfolds like a painting, with countless stars twinkling within. Silver light pours down, dyeing the mountains, vegetation, waterfalls, and pools a pale silvery white. Countless stars adorn the dark blue sky, some bright as diamonds, others hazy as gauze, stretching along the Milky Way's path into the distance, seemingly connecting the ends of heaven and earth. A full moon hangs in the center of the Milky Way, its clear light pure and perfect.

In the center of this world, a figure with eyes closed sat cross-legged in mid-air, his internal organs emitting a faint light. Judging from his facial features, it was Chen Yuan's physical body.

And this world is naturally his paradise!

Helian Shan swept his gaze across the scene, taking in everything.

Within the space, the vitality of creation was abundant. The mountains, rivers, and vegetation below were merely vital energy, not yet solidified. Clearly, a grotto-heaven was being built here. Turning his gaze to Chen Yuan's primordial spirit, he couldn't help but say, "General Chen, it seems you've been busy building this grotto-heaven these days. Are you preparing to live in seclusion?"

Chen Yuan, with his hands behind his back and a half-smile on his face, said, "The cave I built before was used by Lord Helian as a residence for the celestial beings in the lower realm. It was destroyed in that great battle. There was nothing I could do but build a new one!"

Upon hearing this, even though Helian Shan was usually very composed, his expression flickered and he remained silent, his face darkening.

Seeing this, Chen Yuan chuckled, turned his face to the side, and laughed:

“If we don’t rebuild it, we can’t just leave the Northern Liang King’s Mansion outside. It would be a waste of its resources. The Northern Liang King’s Mansion is a place where the luck of the Northern Liang King’s Mansion gathers. It is a feng shui treasure land. It also contains a huge and intricate military formation diagram that can play a great role. I, Chen, plan to take it into my cave and use it for my own purposes. That way, it won’t be a disgrace to the reputation of the Northern Liang King’s Mansion.”

He Lianshan wondered what Xiao Zhongtian would think if he heard this. "Xiao Zhongtian has already led his troops into the pass. They found the dragon vein of the Dragon Ridge barrier, cast a spell to seal it, broke the teleportation barrier, and then used their forces that had already entered the pass to launch a rebellion. This coordinated attack from within and without was something no one expected," He Lianshan said, his voice heavy with unease.

Upon hearing this, Chen Yuan's eyes flashed with a hint of irritation, resolving one of his doubts: how Xiao Zhongtian had successfully crossed the Dragon Ridge and advanced eastward. He then continued, "I am not entirely clear about stabilizing the dragon vein, but surely the imperial court is aware that Xiao Zhongtian has planted people and raised private armies in the nearby Daoist temples?"

"When Chen first took office as a lieutenant general, he knew about these shady dealings. The other party had countless retainers who were engaged in this kind of business."

"Truly a wise king! Does the court also think so?" Chen Yuan sneered, whether mocking Xiao Zhongtian or criticizing the court's incompetence was unclear.

Helian Shan's eyes flashed, and thinking of the current situation, he also became angry. "The court naturally knows a little about this, but as I told you before, this matter is of great importance. Rashly tearing off the mask would not be good for anyone. General Chen must have seen the current situation as well."

This time, Chen Yuan turned his face to meet Helian Shan's fierce gaze, his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes piercing.

"Is Lord Helian blaming me?"

"That King of Liang has celestial beings from the lower realms backing him. Once they're ready, will the court dare to break off all pretense of civility? Or will they simply let me await my execution?"

Helian Shan and Chen Yuan locked eyes, their gazes clashing and sparks flying. The air seemed to freeze, and seven or eight breaths passed. The Grand Preceptor's expression shifted several times before he finally sighed.
"Enough. I didn't come here today to argue with you. If we're talking about something, it's all because of the karma I left behind."

All of this, in truth, began when he recruited those two celestial beings from the lower realms.

What followed was the story of Chen Yuan's great battle with the two celestial beings, which led to their enmity, and Chen Yuan himself developed a grudge against Chen Yuan from then on.

Upon hearing this, Chen Yuan raised his eyebrows in surprise. It was strange that the Grand Preceptor would admit his mistake to his face!
"I am not used to Lord Helian saying these things to me. I don't think that's what you're talking about today."

Helian Shan remained silent, pacing through the air as he gazed at the grotto below, his eyes filled with a sense of desolation.

"The Northern Liang army marched into the pass and its military might grew stronger, triggering a series of chain reactions in the Shu region."

"To the south, in the Ten Thousand Mountains, the demon race that had hidden deep within have reappeared."

"In the west, the Demon Kingdom has launched a demonic tide, wiping out the defenses in blood, and a demon king has been born."

"In just over ten days, tens of thousands of people fled Chengdu at the mere sight of the enemy."

"The Circuit Intendant's Office currently has no troops to deploy, and the imperial court's reach is limited."

"So you found me?" Chen Yuan didn't want to repeat the same old story, so he interrupted Helian Shan directly, his brows furrowed with impatience.

He had done everything he could for the court, and he knew better than anyone how the court had treated him.

He had no interest in listening to what Helian Shan was about to say.

Helian Shan turned around, seemingly anticipating his reaction, and slowly said:
"Please let me finish speaking, General Chen!"

"On the day the news of Beiliang's invasion of the interior arrived, Lord Qiong of the Martial Temple, who guards the Heavenly Cave in the Ten Thousand Mountains, said to me, 'Now, only you, General Chen, can save Shu.'"

"And speak with me!" Helian Shan paused, his eyes widening and lips clenching.

"I will transfer military power in Shu to you!"

"I agree!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Yuan's golden pupils flickered, his eyebrows twitched, and a playful glint appeared in his eyes.
"When Chen resigned from his post, Lord Helian said the same thing."

"These words have no effect on Mr. Chen."

"Heh, besides, it's no use for you to say this. It has to be our Emperor Wu who speaks up. Do you think Emperor Wu will agree?"

At this point, he let out a cold laugh.

"When I went to the capital, His Majesty did not intend to let me leave."

He understands it clearly.

Upon hearing this, Helian Shan fell silent, his eyelids drooping. After a long silence, he lifted his eyelids again, revealing clearly visible blood vessels in his eyes.
"That's right!"

"I sent a message to His Majesty, but he did not respond."

"But I still came looking for you."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yuan's eyes, which had been full of amusement, slowly narrowed.
"You really told Emperor Wu, and he didn't agree?"

He laughed!
When he heard that Emperor Wu did not agree, he was instead intrigued, and a sense of wanting to see a good show arose in his mind.

"If the Grand Preceptor continues to do so, wouldn't that be defying His Majesty?"

Helian Shan's face aged considerably, and his voice was low, "I will apologize to His Majesty when the time comes!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Yuan laughed, a somewhat manic laugh.
"Without the Emperor's decree, you handed over military power to me. What kind of thing is this? I've experienced the tactic of discarding a used tool after it's done its work."

"Aren't you afraid that after I take power, I will rebel as well? Helian Shan, can you bear the consequences?"

His voice pounded into Helian Shan's eardrums like a heavy hammer. The old national advisor's face twitched. His voice was clear and extremely bold.
"Given the current situation, I would rather General Chen establish his own power base than see Shu fall under my rule and be occupied by those disgusting demons!"

As he spoke, he pointed to his chest, his eyes bloodshot and his voice hoarse.

"I still have a lot of anger in my chest. People say that I am old and cowardly in military affairs, and that I have made a mess of governing Shu."

"Regardless of whether General Chen takes over or not, I will go to the western defense line today to let the world see if I am old or not, but if my courage and fighting spirit are still there."

"When he was fifteen or twenty, he seized enemy horses on foot. He shot and killed a white-browed tiger in the mountains. Who could compare to the yellow-bearded boy from Ye! He fought across three thousand miles, and his sword once faced a million soldiers!"

When he uttered these words, the elderly Grand Preceptor of the Great Qian Dynasty, a martial saint in his twilight years, had his hair flying wildly, his aura surging, and his eyes incredibly terrifying.

Chen Yuan's eyes brightened as he realized that he seemed to have a new understanding of the Grand Preceptor of the Great Qian Dynasty.

"Good!" he applauded. (End of Chapter)