Patrol Captain

A thousand miles north of Tianxiong Pass lies Guiku Mountain, the very camp of the 100,000 iron cavalry of the Northern Liang.

But now it looks completely different.

The night was as dark as ink, and for miles around, an impenetrable gray mist shrouded everything, turning the rocks and trees into ghostly shadows. A cold wind howled and surged within, sounding like wailing and roaring, exuding an eeriness and chill.

The entire mountain was silent, with no birds singing or uttering a sound. Any ordinary creature that inhaled the mist would turn into pus in no time. All the birds and beasts in the nearby forests had died, and even the trees were slowly withering away in this poisonous mist, exuding a sense of deathly stillness and ferocity!

In the heart of Ghost Cry Mountain, in the Rift Wind Valley, beneath the dense, sun-obscuring fog, flames flickered across the camp. However, beneath the fog, a chilling, pale light emanated from the scene, and figures moved about, accompanied by rustling whispers.

The Northern Liang troops were still stationed here, but Ghost Cry Mountain had truly transformed into a ghostly realm, thickly concealing the camp and troops within it.

Amidst the shadowy camp, an old-fashioned courtyard house stood out abruptly. Within a hundred feet around it, there were no tents or lights, only pitch-black fog and darkness.

The gray bricks and tiles were bathed in an intense, impenetrable ink-black, and the upturned eaves exuded an indescribable sinister aura. The courtyard walls were covered with withered vines, their branches twisted like claws. Two large red lanterns hung on either side of the vermilion gate, their wicks burning dimly, their red light as dark as congealed blood, casting flickering shadows on the mottled doorway.

Two Beiliang soldiers stood guard at the gate, holding torches. However, their expressions revealed an indescribable tension. They gripped their torches tightly and occasionally looked around suspiciously.

It seemed as if something was watching them from the pitch-black darkness around them, about to burst out.

This place was terrifying; a chill that seeped into the bones made the guards shiver uncontrollably, their breath turning into frost in the firelight.

I just hope time will pass quickly so the next shift of brothers can take over.

As for the mansion behind, they dared not even glance at it. They had heard that a great deity lived there, someone even the prince had to respect, and who had been invited to oversee the army. This was the one who set up the Mist Mountain Formation of Ghost Cry Mountain, unfathomable and never showing his face.

Just as the two armored soldiers were getting nervous, heavy footsteps came from the darkness ahead.

The soldier tensed up and placed his hand on his waist.

However, soon, two figures of light dispelled the darkness ahead and strode over.

One man had a yellow face and a bushy beard, his armor was dark yellow, and a golden bell hung at his waist. Another man had a ruddy face and wore crimson armor that seemed to flicker like flames. He walked over, bringing with him a wave of scorching heat that dispelled most of the chill in the darkness.

"General Lu!"

"General Sun!"

Judging from their appearance and attire, they were none other than the two remaining Dragon and Tiger Generals among the four generals of the Northern Liang Royal Palace. Xiao Zhongtian had arranged for the two of them to lead the troops towards Tianxiong Pass to attract everyone's attention and deceive everyone.

Now that the plan has succeeded, the troops here have not withdrawn.

Upon seeing the two figures, the two guards immediately knelt on one knee and bowed their heads.

"You two go down first!" the maroon-colored general said expressionlessly.

"Yes." The two armored soldiers were overjoyed and quickly left this strange place.

After everyone left, the two generals arrived at the blood-red gate of the old mansion. Their eyes narrowed slightly, and a faint glow of incense smoke rose from their bodies as they bowed in greeting.

"We, Lu and his companion, have something to ask of Elder Gui. We hope you will grant us this favor."

As soon as those words were spoken, the air fell silent for a moment, then two.
Three breaths later, with a "click-clack-clack," the old, peeling paint door opened as if it were rusty, making a jarring, sluggish sound.

"Hehe, come in!" A hoarse laugh, like that of an owl, came from inside.

As the door opened, a pitch-black corridor stretched out before them, adorned with various tattered red lanterns casting faint glows. It stretched on and on, with no end in sight, only a darkness that seemed to swallow one whole.

Although the two Dragon and Tiger Gods had been here before, as practitioners of the incense-burning divine path, they had a natural aversion to this cold and gloomy aura, which made them feel uncomfortable all over.

Without much hesitation, the two stepped inside, passing through two long corridors. Hanging in the corridors were long scrolls depicting scenes of hell: mountains of knives and seas of fire, bronze pillars of hell. The demons on the scrolls, illuminated by the dim light of the lanterns hanging above, seemed to have red eyes, as if they had come to life, watching the two pass by, their eyes following their movements.

During this process, even the two divine generals, Lu and Sun, couldn't help but feel uneasy. They wondered if the powerful ghosts inside had actually been to the Nine Netherworlds or descended to the Yellow Springs.

As the two walked through the dark corridor, in just a dozen breaths, the scene suddenly changed, and they appeared in a hall covered with white silk. In the center of the hall was an extremely simple, white and withered wooden coffin.

But this unassuming coffin contained a hidden world within, brimming with vital energy and teeming with life.

The coffin was then erected, revealing an old man in black lying inside. His eyes were open, and his pupils gleamed with a chilling light. He then stepped out of the coffin.

The man was emaciated, his black robe hanging on him like a garment on a hanger. His exposed hands had prominent knuckles and bluish-gray fingernails. His face was like withered wood, its wrinkles deep and etched, layer upon layer, pressing together. His eye sockets were sunken, concealing two grayish pupils that seemed veiled by a thin mist, yet exuded a chilling aura that pierced to the bone. His nose was sharply hooked, and a few wisps of grayish-yellow beard clung to the corners of his downturned mouth. His hair was disheveled, half white and half black, draped over his shoulders.

This person could be considered an "acquaintance" of Chen Yuan; he was the old ghost who served by the side of Jiuzhu from Cheng Shengdi.

As his name suggests, this man is a genuine, thousand-year-old rogue cultivator. Due to the special nature of the ghost path, he has lived longer than others and has mastered many unpredictable abilities. The sacred ground was created by him and Jiu Zhu and others as part of his crazy experiments in order to cultivate the ghost path.

This room is arranged according to the ancestral hall where he was buried shortly after his death, and the coffin in the middle was made from a piece of wood with a strong spiritual root that he obtained by chance in his early years.

"I've met the old ghost."

Lu and Sun, two generals from Beiliang, greeted the old man in black with clasped hands.

Although they had only known each other for a short time and their personalities clashed, making him feel very uncomfortable, it was thanks to this person's help that the prince's plan was able to proceed smoothly.

"It seems Your Highness has made some progress in the east. I've noticed the incense scent emanating from you two has intensified. Congratulations! I'm quite envious of your good fortune. Back then, I started as a wandering ghost and cultivated to where I am today, nearly losing my soul to heavenly tribulations countless times." The old ghost's gleaming gray eyes swept over the two Dragon-Tiger Generals, and he chuckled, a somewhat eerie sound, but his words were not untrue.

Indeed, I envy them. These two are also "ghost cultivators," but they follow the path of incense and deities, receiving imperial decrees and enjoying incense offerings. Their existence is intertwined with the fate of Northern Liang. Now that Northern Liang's army is expanding eastward, its fortune is rising, and the cultivation of these two dragon and tiger generals has also surged.

In contrast, he has lived for thousands of years, dying countless times as a wandering ghost, before finally reaching this day.

He doesn't mind talking about his background.

As the other party had said, the two Dragon Tiger Generals, Lu and Sun, experienced a rapid increase in strength as the Northern Liang cavalry advanced eastward. However, they did not become complacent in front of this old ghost.

"Your Excellency is a Holy One, and we two dare not compare ourselves. There has indeed been some progress on the Prince's side, but there is more important news coming in right now."

The general with the ruddy face and crimson armor spoke in a low voice. His surname was Lu, and he spoke with a serious expression.

"Oh?" Upon hearing this, Old Ghost immediately realized something, and his eyes turned gloomy, but he couldn't hide his vigilance. "Has that Chen guy from Cloud Peak made a move?"

The news that Ninth Mountain took over Yunding Mountain a few days ago has been widely circulated, with rumors circulating that the Martial Saint surnamed Chen has regained control of Jinguan and quickly stabilized the people's hearts.

The only person they're wary of right now is this guy surnamed Chen!

The spies from Northern Liang in Shu were keeping a close eye on the movements of this Martial Saint General, and they sent back news as soon as they had any.

A few days ago, when the news that Ninth Mountain had taken over Yunding Mountain reached this camp, he took note and remained vigilant.

Another general surnamed Sun took over and said solemnly, "Our spies in Chengdu have sent word that the Grand Preceptor Helian Shan is indeed no longer stationed at Yunding Mountain, but has gone to their front line in the Western Demon Kingdom. The spies reported that the Grand Preceptor has killed a demon king there and quelled the demon tide."

What is your opinion on this matter?

Old Ghost frowned, his pale, thorn-like brows furrowing. His gray eyes darted around, revealing a sinister glint. "These two have actually joined forces?"

He shared his guess.

"Didn't your intelligence say that these two are at odds and have a very tense relationship? That this Mr. Chen even attacked the Grand Preceptor of the Great Qian Dynasty in public when he resigned from his post?" The old ghost stared at the two with his gray eyes, and his voice turned sinister.

The general surnamed Lu nodded and said in a deep voice, "The intelligence we obtained has been verified by multiple sources and cannot be wrong. These two great Buddhas do indeed have a grudge. Back then, Helian Shan was ordered by the emperor to befriend the celestial beings in the lower realm, which threatened the interests of that Chen. That man fought a great battle with the two celestial beings, thus creating a grudge. Later, the Grand Preceptor of the Great Qian Dynasty could not withstand the pressure from multiple sides and summoned the people of the Ninth Mountain in the main hall to invite that person to come out of seclusion. However, he was refused by that person's subordinates, and Helian Shan was furious about it. Most importantly, not long ago, we received a secret letter from a spy that General Chen had sent people to secretly detain all the officials sent by the court. Someone saw it."

This divine general clearly sorted out the grudges between the two martial saints in Shu.

The divine general surnamed Sun frowned, looking at the powerful ghost cultivator from the sacred land. After a moment's thought, he seemed somewhat skeptical. "You say these two have resolved their differences? They've secretly joined forces?"

Old Ghost snorted coldly, "In my opinion, it's probably true. I originally thought that the man surnamed Chen seized power in the chaos, and that the Grand Preceptor Helian might have also fallen victim to his schemes. After all, that man surnamed Chen can't tolerate anyone else."

"Looking back now, we were happy for nothing. Otherwise, if the Ninth Mountain had seized power and forcibly taken over Cloud Peak Mountain, that Grand Master of the Great Qian Dynasty would definitely have stepped in and wouldn't have been able to quell the demonic tide on the western front in peace. These two must have secretly reached some kind of cooperation. I really don't know how they got together. Was it all an act before? But that doesn't make sense, nothing happened back then."

Old Ghost's voice was sinister, tinged with an inexplicable anger.

Lu and Sun, the two great generals of Beiliang, upon hearing this powerful figure's analysis, found it aligned with their own hidden worries. They exchanged a glance, recognizing a sense of wariness in it.
"If these two Martial Saints join forces, we need to be careful."

"If their demonic tide on the western front is quelled, they will have a buffer period. If they then move north and attack our army..."

When General Lu spoke, he paused, a hint of fear in his voice. He recalled how, a month or so ago, the Martial Saint General had single-handedly challenged the overwhelming ferocity of the entire Northern Liang Royal Palace. Even though they carried the burden of the Northern Liang war on their shoulders, they still couldn't help but feel the urge to retreat.

Then Sun's divine general added a sentence.
"Remember what the spy from Tianxiong Pass said half a month ago? There is a secret teleportation array in the inner city of Tianxiong Pass. It is suspected that the holy weapon in the hands of the person from the Ninth Mountain suddenly descended from the sky from this teleportation array one day to guard the inner city."

"I still remember that day, when Lord Ghost heard the news, he immediately set up this Ghost Shadow Illusion Formation to prevent the enemy from bringing troops to attack."

The two divine generals spoke one after the other, their expressions showing shock, before they both looked at the old ghost with expectant eyes.

"Since Your Excellency has set up such a grand formation, demonstrating your great abilities, you must have made preparations. Do you have any ways to deal with this possibility? Our 100,000 troops will certainly cooperate fully. If that doesn't work, we may need to consider retreating and make a new plan, which is the worst possible course of action. We two bear the weight of the Prince's great cause and dare not be careless in the slightest. We urge Your Excellency to provide guidance as soon as possible."

Old Ghost felt a tightness in his eerie old face as the two men stared at him, and his face began to flush slightly.

The two men's meaning was simple and direct: could you handle the person from the Ninth Mountain? If you could, we would listen to you; if you couldn't, then you should quickly consider resigning and seeking peace.

This infuriated the old ghost who had cultivated for a thousand years, leaving him feeling somewhat embarrassed.

Did he have to admit that he was no match for Chen Yuan and was afraid of him? Thinking back to how he was defeated by Chen Yuan in the White Bone City of that Arhat Anilou, losing face and being trapped inside the city, he couldn't help but feel a surge of anger.

The key point is that if he just ran away after hearing the name without even fighting, then his reputation as a worshipper would be exposed and he would be ridiculed by the world.

He used to be indifferent to such trivial matters, but now that he stands in the Northern Liang army, he is also plotting their "great cause" of becoming a holy land, to gain merit by supporting the emperor, to cleanse his name and ascend to a higher position, and to be blessed with good fortune.
"I have my own plan. Go down." He said this almost through gritted teeth, his gray and gloomy eyes coldly looking at the two Northern Liang generals. He sneered inwardly and secretly made a mental note.

Whether the other party meant it or not, this feeling made him uncomfortable.

"Then we two will have to rely on you. Thank you for your trouble."

"Farewell!" Generals Lu and Sun exchanged a glance, composed themselves, after all, things were still uncertain, and they held 100,000 elite troops in their hands, while the troops in Shu were scattered and difficult to sustain.

As he spoke, he reached out to help him up with the handrail, preparing to leave.

Old Ghost watched coldly, but suddenly, his expression changed drastically as he sensed a familiar aura.

Then, a sharp whistle pierced the night sky! (End of Chapter)