Patrol Captain

At that time, the Langdang Mountain area was exceptionally peaceful under the afterglow of the setting sun.

Chen Yuan emerged from underground, dressed in a blue robe. His brows looked somewhat tired, but his eyes shone with an alarming brightness.

"Summon the cavalrymen back," he ordered his men who rushed forward to pay their respects, waving them away.

"Here!"

After his men left, Chen Yuan strolled leisurely on the grounds of the former royal residence, feeling the flow of energy beneath his feet. He sensed a sense of complete harmony with the earth.

The formation here can be considered complete.

A moment later, he heard the sound of wind in his ear, followed by the familiar smell of alcohol.

"Young Chen, you've emerged from seclusion?" Old Dong appeared, holding a bright orange wine gourd that had been polished until it was shiny and smooth, and asked with great interest.

"The timing is almost right. Next, I'll have my soldiers demonstrate their formation." Chen Yuan nodded, his expression unchanged. He stamped his foot on the ground, then turned to Dong Fu and said:
"You've worked so hard these past few days, Mr. Dong!"

Upon hearing this, Old Dong's face flushed slightly. He seemed to have done nothing but spend his days with fine wine, living a life better than that of an immortal.

That's what he said, but he still acted smugly, puffing out his chest.

"That's right, you've got good taste, kid."

However, he didn't forget the important matter he wanted to ask. His eyes darted around, and he said, "Hey, the news has spread. I heard that the troops we left in Yunding Mountain have already taken over Jinguan City. They're pretty quick. These past few days, your soldiers have been incredibly excited, all eager to get started, just waiting for you to come out of seclusion."

Dong Fu now uses terms like "our Ninth Mountain," indicating that he considers himself a part of it.

Chen Yuan neither confirmed nor denied, raising his eyelids slightly. "There's been a minor issue. I was planning to wait for good news from that Grand Preceptor Helian before making any plans, but the Emperor has become wary."

"Of course, Mr. Chen could not let him have his way."

Upon hearing this, Old Dong clapped his hands, gave Chen Yuan a thumbs-up, and drawled out a "Good!"

"it is good!"

"What does this emperor want? He doesn't do anything serious and just loves to cause trouble."

"That Grand Preceptor of the Great Qian Dynasty was also a scoundrel. He did something inhumane back then, ousting you, and then when he couldn't hold on any longer, he came begging to you again. Really."

He was about to speak when Chen Yuan interrupted his "spellcasting," shaking his head. "This old national advisor is a remarkable figure, not to be spoken of lightly. I just received news that he killed a demon king on the western front, crushed the demon tide, and boosted morale."

"My dispute with this person stems from our differing stances."

Upon hearing this news, Old Man Dong's brow furrowed, and he chuckled, "Then it is indeed my mistake."

"Impressive. He's someone who keeps his feet on the ground, unlike others who wish they could stay in the sky forever."

"It gave Sichuan some precious time."

"Now, it's up to you how you turn things around!"

Chen Yuan tilted his head slightly, looking at the magnificent building, and said, "Let's take this first step carefully first."

Then, he led Elder Dong, and with a sway of his body, they arrived at the sacred tree of Yinshan Mountain standing in the center of the former site of the Prince's Mansion.

The sacred trees of Yinshan, with their silvery leaves tinkling like bells, illuminated the entire palace, making it crystal clear and breathtakingly beautiful.

Before long, the three cavalrymen, Yun, Liu, and Lu, arrived after receiving orders.

"General!" The three men knelt on one knee in salute.

"How is the recent crackdown going?" Chen Yuan asked.

"Reporting to the general, nothing unexpected happened. My subordinates and dozens of local generals have been controlling the area inside and outside Qingshan County. As soon as the enemy shows up, they are detected and eliminated. They are basically dealt with in the mountains outside the county."

"However, they are just a few small fry, none of them are particularly formidable, but these people are always appearing and disappearing mysteriously in the surrounding mountains and forests, keeping our attention focused and preventing our subordinates from ever letting their guard down."

“Especially in the past few days, many people who fled here distracted us, and some of our brothers were injured as a result, which made our subordinates very angry.”

Liu Qing, who was in charge of guarding the mountain forest, bowed and reported, his words tinged with annoyance.

Those Northern Liang assassins were mainly fearless and persistent, and they were becoming increasingly clever. Just a few people were enough to tie up most of their energy. But the main reason was that this was Qingshan County, the general's hometown, and they couldn't afford any mistakes. They were forced into a passive position, which annoyed them.

After listening to the report, Chen Yuan's eyes flashed coldly, and he finally let out a snort of laughter.
"You're right. There's no way you can guard against thieves for a thousand days if you're a thief for a thousand days."

"Send the order to recall all the scattered troops."

"General, doesn't that mean Qingshan County is gone?" Liu Qing asked with some surprise.

"It's alright, we still have our Elder Dong here," Chen Yuan said without batting an eye.

Old Dong looked completely bewildered upon hearing this.
"No, you mean you want me to watch the house? Then what are you all going to do?"

Liu Qing and the other two looked at their general with puzzled expressions.

Chen Yuan's eyes curled into a cryptic smile. "My men are all burning with rage. As their general, how can I stand idly by? Now that my supernatural powers are complete, it's time to go and blast some fire."

This calm voice startled Liu Qing, Yun Tiansheng, and the others, who then showed signs of excitement.

"I'll go and gather the men right away!"

The three of them quickly got up and left in a hurry.

Soon after, sharp whistles and rough shouts echoed over the former site of the Prince's Mansion.

“xu”

"gather!"

"gather!"

Then, the sounds of rapid footsteps, the clanging of armor, and the neighing of horses filled the air.

The entire tranquil mansion erupted into a clamor at that moment.

Beside Chen Yuan, Old Man Dong of the Dragon-Raising Clan looked bewildered. He turned to face Chen Yuan, pointed to himself, and confirmed, "You're all planning to have a big fuss, leaving this old man here alone to watch the house for you?"

Chen Yuan nodded, "When I emerge from seclusion to fight, I must make a name for myself and let the world hear it, and also to verify the power of my newly cultivated supernatural abilities."

"The county can't do without people, so we can only ask Mr. Dong to make do for now."

"Doesn't Mr. Chen still need you to keep things under control?"

Let's flatter Old Man Dong first.

Dong Fu hesitated, though he wanted to say something. He wanted to hear the noise too, but the words caught in his throat. He flicked his sleeve, turned away, and said nonchalantly, "Never mind, I'm just a worrier."

"Hmph, perfect, I was just thinking about having some peace and quiet!"

He gave a forced, insincere hum through his red, bulbous nose.

Chen Yuan saw through the other party's insincerity but didn't expose him. Dong Fu was indeed needed here, so he smiled and said, "Then I'll have to trouble Elder Dong." "I also need to make some preparations!"

Then, he leaped into the air, moving like a whirlwind, and vanished into the dazzling silver light of the sacred tree of Yinshan.

As time passed and night fell, the sky gradually darkened, but the former site of the Prince's Palace, thanks to the presence of the sacred tree, shone as brightly as day, enveloped in a mystical aura.

In front of the sacred tree of Yinshan, soldiers and horses gradually gathered. The sound of hooves striking the ground and the clanging of armor clashing was dense and loud, like thunder rolling by, shaking the ground.

Thousands of armored warriors, clad in black armor and armed with weapons, stood shoulder to shoulder in a solemn array. The armor plates gleamed with a cold, hard light in the silver sheen. Beneath their helmets, pairs of eyes burned like fire, their chests straight, their spirits high.

Hearing that the general had left the pass to lead troops and summoned everyone, the pent-up energy that everyone had been holding in was about to burst forth.

After all, in the past month, they had been hearing one battle report after another from the outside world, each one urgent and pressing. They were imprisoned in this corner of the Northeast, and their hearts were burning with anxiety.

Those here are the elite of the Ninth Mountain, tempered by blood and fire. They are tough nut to crack, having rolled through mountains of corpses and seas of blood on the battlefield. They can’t stand this humiliation and have been waiting for the general’s orders.

Now, the general has come out of the pass and summoned all his soldiers; everyone's eyes are gleaming with an alarming light.

The warhorses pawed at each other, their breaths billowing white smoke, and their neighs pierced the sky, sometimes high-pitched and stirring, sometimes low and deep. The mountain-chopping banners fluttered in the wind, their dark surfaces adorned with bold golden patterns. There were no superfluous words, only the clatter of armor, the pounding of hooves, and the soft hum of weapons, all converging into a suffocating pressure, like the stillness before a storm.

We're just waiting for the order!
As all the troops that had entered Qingshan County arrived, the moon rose above the treetops outside.

"drive"

"drive"

“yu”

Yun Tiansheng, Liu Qing, and Lu Ming, the three cavalrymen, mustered their five thousand troops and rode their demonic mounts to the front of the formation, their voices booming as they announced the battle.

"Left flank vanguard battalion assembled!"

"Mid lane, all assembled!"

"Right flank."

As the troop roll concluded, silver leaves flew out from among the enormous sacred trees standing ahead, converging to form a tall figure. The silver leaves transformed into a silver cloak, and Chen Yuan, clad in the Five-Colored True Dragon Armor, stepped forward, his body radiating divine light, his golden eyes exuding majesty.

"See General!"

"See General!"

"See General!"

The soldiers dismounted, knelt on one knee, one hand on the ground and the other on the sword at their waist, and bowed in unison, their uniformity and imposing presence overwhelming.

The clanging sound of armor clashing against each other was like thunder rolling across the ground.

Looking down from his high vantage point, Chen Yuan gazed at the endless expanse of armored soldiers and vaguely recalled the time when he first became the General of the Ninth Mountain. At that time, the Ten Thousand Mountains were breaching the border. On the very night of the ceremony held at Yunding Mountain, he mustered his troops on the battlefield and led several thousand remnants of the Ninth Mountain southward overnight, beginning a campaign that would last for months.

Today, the remnants of the defeated army have grown strong and established themselves, with powerful troops and an indomitable spirit.

Now, these are all his own soldiers, and they don't listen to the imperial court's orders.

Chen Yuan's heart, which had been calm for so long, was suddenly filled with memories of the past. A burning sensation rose in his chest, and his throat bobbed, his voice booming like thunder.
“I know that you’ve been holding back a fire these days.”

“In the north, a rebel king has stationed his troops at the pass, while in the south, the Ten Thousand Mountains are beginning to stir again, and on the western front, the demon kingdom continues to encroach.”

"As for the Shu region, it was only by the lives of countless comrades of my Daofu Division who fought against the fierce fangs and claws of demons that it was preserved."

"No one can touch it!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Yuan raised his hand and waved it towards the Yinshan Sacred Tree behind him, causing a sudden gust of wind to rise.
"Get into formation!"

As soon as these words were spoken, a strong wind rose, rustling the branches and leaves of the sacred tree of Yinshan Mountain, and a clear, tinkling sound rang out.

Then, the sacred tree trembled, as if snowflakes were falling from the sky, and silver leaves detached from the branches, swept away by the wind. The moment the thousands of silver leaves broke free from the branches, it was like a shower of stardust. Some fluttered like butterfly wings, swirling past the upturned eaves of the palace; some flew like fireflies, tracing silvery arcs as they weaved between the pavilions; and others slid down the pillars of the waterside pavilion, falling into the clear pond and creating ripples of silver.

These silver leaves fell on every corner of the former Prince's Mansion, landing on the vermilion pavilions and railings, resting in the lacquered lamps hanging between the pillars, and even seeping into the patterns of the carved wooden windows, adorning every scene of the mansion with a silvery halo.

The moment the silver leaves fell, mysterious scenes appeared, as if some mechanism had been triggered. Streaks of light spread out like dragons and snakes, gradually forming intricate array patterns. These array patterns contained the principles of military strategy. Sometimes the lines flowed like living things, stretching long and winding, and sometimes they burst forth with terrifying killing intent.

As these array patterns rapidly took shape, a loud buzzing sound arose, followed by beams of milky white light erupting from the array patterns, shooting upwards like silver swords piercing the sky.

The beam of light was initially as thin as a vine, but in an instant it became as thick as a pillar. As the light intertwined, it seemed to support the sky above the palace.

The pavilions, terraces, and inner palaces are all connected by interwoven array patterns that appear to be scattered, transforming the entire palace into a vast and mysterious array.

The moment all the array patterns lit up, the void seemed to freeze. Only the clear sound of the silver leaves and the humming of the array patterns intertwined. A powerful force awakened, just like the scene when the great array lit up at the ceremony for the establishment of a new heir in Northern Liang.

The only change Chen Yuan made was to use the Yinshan Sacred Tree as the main array eye, providing the entire array with more powerful spiritual energy and reducing the difficulty of activating the array!
At this moment, on the sacred tree of Yinshan, Chen Yuan waved his other hand towards the sacred tree again, and just like before, a large number of silver leaves flew out, whistling through the air.

This time, however, these silver leaves were not going to activate the array, but instead flew towards each of the Ninth Mountain Armor Warriors in front of them.

"Following the guidance of the silver leaf, each of you will take charge of your respective array patterns!" he commanded.

"promise!"

Guided by the silver leaf, the armored soldiers quickly mounted their horses and then crisscrossed the ranks, galloping in all directions. Although they appeared to be crisscrossing, they were actually very orderly.

"drive"

"."

Thus, thousands of elite armored soldiers, following the array patterns and guided by the silver leaf, arranged themselves into battle formations.

At this moment, Chen Yuan soared into the sky, and then a dazzling divine light emanated from his body. With a shake, he transformed into a figure that could hold up the heavens and the earth, and his hands tore open the night sky, creating a spatial rift.

There was no spatial storm inside; instead, it was another "small world."

Bright moon and starry sky, mountains and rivers hanging in the sky.

Chen Yuan tore open his personal cave, and then his colossal body landed outside the palace. Like a giant of the heavens looking down at the "miniature palace", he sank down, his huge hands clenched into the ground, and roared like thunder from his nose and mouth.

"Rumble"

He moved the entire former site of the Prince's Mansion towards the heavenly world that had opened up in the sky.

The scene here is truly astonishing and magnificent!
But this only takes a dozen or so breaths.

Soon, the former site of the Prince's Palace and everyone disappeared. Before the crack in the sky closed, a silver beam of light shot into the sky.

It carried strong void fluctuations.

In the blink of an eye, the fluctuations disappeared.

The pillar of light disappeared, shooting into the sky and disappearing. (End of Chapter)