Starting as the young master of a medicine shop, he practiced swordsmanship for twenty years.

Chapter 437: Lu Xuan, the Prince of Dingnan, controls northern Qingzhou, forming a four-way power struggle!
"you wanna die!"

The humble smile on Hu Weibang's face was instantly torn apart by a ferocious expression. He roared and pulled back abruptly.

The pistol he drew with his right hand instantly spat out blinding flames!

"Do it!"

"boom--!!"

Gunfire was the signal! In an instant, gunfire erupted from the top of Wangjiang Tower!
Hu Weibang's hundreds of trusted guards opened fire simultaneously, and a dense barrage of bullets poured out like a sudden rain, completely covering Lu Xuan and his more than fifty personal guards!

Before the barrage of comments, three even more insidious killing moves had already struck first.

A buzzing mist of insects burst forth from between the Gu Master's ghostly claws, swarming straight towards Lu Xuan's mouth and nose.

The dark light emitted from the Soul-Capturing Gourd tore through the air, aiming straight for the space between the eyebrows.

The ear-piercing demonic sound that burst forth from Su Wan's fingers transformed into an invisible blade, piercing straight into the soul!
Sound attacks, gunshots, Gu techniques, and soul-capturing techniques—the four deadly attacks erupted completely at this moment, determined to tear Lu Xuan to shreds!

However, facing this inevitable death, Lu Xuan remained seated, only lightly dipping his right index finger into the wine glass and then seemingly casually flicking it forward.

"Om-"

A drop of crystal-clear wine splashed out, but after leaving the finger, it transformed into countless faint golden talisman phantoms, rippling out like water and instantly enveloping the entire private room.

The Reversal of Heaven and Earth Talisman!

The next moment, a scene that terrified Hu Weibang and the others unfolded!

In their eyes, the figures of Lu Xuan sitting upright and the guards behind him suddenly distorted and blurred, and in their place were their own images!

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Intense gunfire erupted, but the bullets flew in completely the wrong direction!

"Ah—! You've got the wrong person! It's me! Stop it!"

"You bastard! Look carefully who I am! Ah—!"

"Don't come any closer! A ghost! There's a ghost! Fire! Fire now!"

Hu Weibang's personal guards, driven to extreme fear, completely lost their minds and, under the control of the illusion, began to scream and kill each other in a frenzy.

The scorching bullets poured down on their comrades from moments before.

The blood splattered on their bodies instantly stained the luxurious carpet of the private room crimson.

Those three unorthodox practitioners are now facing utter annihilation!
The cloud of death insects released by the Gu sorcerer, under the interference of the strange power of the "Reversal of Heaven and Earth Talisman", suddenly changed direction in mid-air and descended upon the nearest Soul-Seizing Sect cultivator!
"No—!" The exclamation of the Soul-Seizing Sect cultivator came to an abrupt halt.

Swarms of venomous insects instantly crawled all over his head, face, and body, biting him frantically.

He waved his arms in vain, only to let more poisonous insects crawl into his sleeves.

Su Wan, standing to the side, was in an even more miserable state.

Under the influence of illusion, she became the most hideous monster in the eyes of her crazed guards.

Countless bullets rained down on her in an instant, riddling her with bullets along with the pipa in her arms, killing her instantly.

Hu Weibang's eyes widened in horror as he watched helplessly as his subordinates turned on each other, and the three "masters" died instantly.

Meanwhile, his arch-rival Lu Xuan remained seated, leisurely sipping his wine.

"Go to hell! Stop playing tricks on me!" Hu Weibang had completely broken down and lost all reason.

His face was contorted as he still held the Mauser pistol, which was already empty of bullets, and frantically pulled the trigger in Lu Xuan's direction. The hammer futilely struck the empty magazine, making a "click, click" sound.

Just then, a large number of Hu Weibang's subordinates stationed downstairs rushed upstairs upon hearing the noise.

He grasped at this lifeline, his eyes blazing with wild joy, and he screamed at the calmly seated figure: "Quick! Kill this monster! Shoot! Shoot him for me!!"

Without hesitation, the loyal subordinates raised their guns and fired, and in an instant, a dense hail of bullets poured out again!

However, under the influence of the "Reversal of Heaven and Earth" talisman, the entire space has become chaotic.

All the bullets that whistled out, the moment they left the muzzle, strangely deviated from their trajectory and poured into their own men!
Screams, gasps, and the muffled thuds of bullets entering flesh mingled together.

When the violent gunfire finally subsided and the smoke slowly dissipated, the top floor had been transformed into a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood.

The more than two thousand elite troops brought by Hu Weibang were almost entirely wiped out in this infighting.

Only Hu Weibang remained standing there, dumbfounded.

He looked around, and everywhere he looked, there were his subordinates lying on the ground, their eyes wide open in death.

The entire top floor of Wangjiang Tower fell into a deathly silence, with only Hu Weibang's heavy and desperate breathing remaining.

When Lieutenant Mo and the feng shui master led a thousand elite Dingnan soldiers to Wangjiang Tower, the horrific scene that greeted them froze them in place, speechless with astonishment.

The corpses scattered on the ground were all elite troops under Hu Weibang's command; their entire army had been wiped out.

"This...this is..." Lieutenant Mo and the clerk exchanged a glance, both seeing immense shock in each other's eyes.

They knew their commander was incredibly powerful, but they never expected that he could so effortlessly wipe out an entire enemy force of two thousand elite soldiers in an instant.

In the deathly silence, Lu Xuan slowly rose: "You two handle things here. The Dingnan Army is at your command. This commander only wants Sanshui County!!!"

In the following period, Dingnan County and even the entire northern part of Qingzhou witnessed a thunderous expansion of power.

Lu Xuan poured out the vast amount of gold, silver and treasures he had obtained from the tomb of General Wei Yuan without any hesitation, turning them into a raging torrent that swept everything away.

Recruit soldiers and horses, and only appoint the talented!
"The Dingnan Army is recruiting soldiers, with double the pay and meat at every meal!"

Eye-catching notices were posted all over the surrounding villages and towns.

The news spread like wildfire, and young men from all over the country, destitute refugees, and even starving defeated soldiers under the command of warlords from the surrounding areas surged forth like rivers flowing into the sea.

Outside the Dingnan military camp, a long, winding line of people forms every day, bustling with noise and high morale.

At the same time, the Dingnan Army did not forget to purchase weapons and arm themselves to the teeth!

After passing through several clandestine channels, a large number of brand-new German-made rifles, Maxim heavy machine guns, boxes of ammunition, and even several mountain guns were quickly transported to the Dingnan Army camp.

The soldiers of Dingnan changed into brand-new, uniform uniforms, held sophisticated weapons, and their drills were deafening.

An unstoppable force of military might has already taken shape!
Seven days! Just seven days!
The Dingnan Army expanded at an unprecedented speed! Its strength surged from just over 5,000 men to over 20,000, with banners waving and its troops strong and well-equipped!
Its control area completely broke the old pattern, taking complete control of the wealthy Sanshui County and connecting it with the original Dingnan, Beiyu, and Cen counties.

The four counties are all under our control, forming a mutually supportive network, and our foundation is already firmly established!
At this moment, Lu Xuan commands an army of 20,000 fierce warriors, possesses the immense wealth of the ancient tomb, and wields unparalleled and unpredictable talismanic techniques.

He was no longer a small warlord confined to a corner, but a colossal figure standing tall in northern Qingzhou, commanding the respect, fear, and even dread of all his adversaries!
Zhang Tianbiao, nicknamed "Mad Dog," and Zhao Shoucheng, nicknamed "Stone Buddha," whose territories bordered Lu Xuan's, were the first to be targeted.

They were overwhelmed by the sudden and immense force of the Dingnan Army, almost unable to breathe.

Zhang Tianbiao's command post in Heishi County.

"Snapped!"

Zhang Tianbiao slammed an urgent intelligence report onto the hard wooden table, making the teacups bounce around.

Veins bulged on his forehead, his face was ashen, and he growled at his officers, "Damn it! Twenty thousand men! All brand new guns and cannons! Has that brat Lu Xuan really struck gold? And it's only been a few days?! Huh?"

The command post was completely silent, with only Zhang Tianbiao's heavy breathing echoing through the room.

He originally dreamed of annexing Dingnan Army and the three counties, and seizing the treasures of the ancient tomb.

At this moment, Zhang Tianbiao was horrified to discover that his neighbor, who seemed so easy to manipulate, had transformed into a colossal beast with bared fangs that sent chills down his spine in just a few days!

Pan'an County, Zhao Shoucheng's Division Headquarters.

Unlike Zhang Tianbiao's fury, Zhao Shoucheng remained unusually silent.

He stood before the huge military map, his gaze fixed on the four counties that had now become one contiguous area, his brows furrowed into a deep "川" (river) shape.

After a long while, Zhao Shoucheng slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, his voice slightly hoarse, and issued the most rational yet most helpless order.

"Order all units to strictly guard the passes. Without my order, they must not start any border conflicts, and they must not set foot on the territory of the Dingnan Army."

He turned around and sighed in a low voice to his confidant beside him, "The murderous aura is soaring to the sky, and its momentum has been established. It cannot be stopped by human power... Lu Xuan and the Dingnan Army have become a force to be reckoned with. They are definitely not something we can confront alone."

A tremendous sense of crisis simultaneously gripped the necks of both "Mad Dog" Zhang Tianbiao and "Stone Buddha" Zhao Shoucheng.

These two warlords, who were constantly at odds and wary of each other, had to temporarily put aside their prejudices under the pressure of survival.

Three days later, at the border of Heishi County and Pan'an County, in a secluded mountain villa.

Both sides' guards were dismissed a hundred paces away, leaving only Zhang and Zhao in the hall.

"Brother Zhao, we can't wait any longer!" Zhang Tianbiao, with his fiery temper, slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups clink. "Lu Xuan's momentum is too strong, he's practically a monster! Once he's digested the four counties, the next one to devour will be either you or me! We must join forces and strike first!"

Zhao Shoucheng remained silent for a long while before raising his eyes and saying in a deep voice, "Commander Zhang is absolutely right. This young man not only possesses a mountain of gold, but he also has a set of strange and unpredictable skills that he learned from who-knows-where."

"That old codger Hu Weibang lost inexplicably at Wangjiang Tower. His elite troops are killing each other. In one-on-one combat, you and I are probably no match for him."

"Let's form an alliance!"

"Good!" Zhang Tianbiao's eyes flashed with a fierce light. "If we join forces, our strength will exceed 25,000, and our guns and cannons will be no less than Lu Xuan's Dingnan Army!"
Before he can establish a firm foothold, let's catch him off guard and seize his territory and treasures!

"Alright." Zhao Shoucheng finally nodded slowly. "However, this matter needs careful consideration and deliberation before taking action."
Lu Xuan's talismanic arts are formidable; ordinary guns and cannons will likely be ineffective. We must find a way to counter him.

"To be honest, Zhang Shuai, I know a highly skilled disciple from Tiger Dragon Mountain. He possesses profound Taoist magic and is particularly adept at exorcising evil spirits and suppressing malevolent forces... Perhaps we could hire him for a hefty sum to deal with Lu Xuan's sorcery!"

Less than a day later, at the border of Heishi County and Pan'an County, deep within this secluded mountain village.

In a secluded room with its doors and windows tightly shut and covered with talismans, the candlelight flickers, creating a tense atmosphere.

A middle-aged Taoist priest dressed in a tattered robe with a sinister look in his eyes—Xuan Yuzi, a former disciple of Tiger Dragon Mountain—is setting up an altar.

Zhang Tianbiao and Zhao Shoucheng watched nervously.

On the altar were three black wine jars covered with blood-red talismans. The jars vibrated constantly, making a teeth-grinding grinding sound, as if something was about to break free from its seal.

"Rest assured, both commanders," Xuan Yuzi said hoarsely, his face carrying a hint of arrogance and cruelty.

"These three ghosts were crafted by me with painstaking effort. In life, they were all ferocious creatures. After transforming into vengeful ghosts, they were nourished by me with secret methods, making them extremely fierce."

Once I perform the ritual and break the seal, I can command them to rush straight to Dingnan County and take Lu Xuan's life in an instant!
No matter how powerful his magic, he couldn't withstand the attack of this ferocious demon!

Upon hearing this, a hint of joy flashed in Zhang and Zhao's eyes.

Xuan Yuzi said no more, holding a peach wood sword, stepping in a ritualistic manner, and chanting incantations.

The candlelight on the altar suddenly turned a ghostly green, and a cold wind arose, making the talismans flutter loudly.

He flicked his sword tip repeatedly, about to pierce the sealing talismans on the three wine jars.

Right now!

A hundred miles away, Lu Xuan, who was sitting quietly in his villa in Dingnan County, seemed to sense something and suddenly opened his eyes!
His spiritual senses, honed at the Celestial Master level, instantly detected the malice that had traveled across space.

Lu Xuan was taken aback at first, then a very strange expression appeared on his face.

Is someone casting a spell on him?
This is practically the biggest joke of the year in the paranormal world—someone is trying to curse the current exorcist.

Sigh, if you think life is hard, you might want to take a look at this unlucky guy... He actually tried to cast a curse on a Taoist priest.

Lu Xuan snorted coldly, without even needing to get up.

With a thought, he followed the source of the malice, traversing mountains and rivers, and suddenly descended into the secret chamber of the mountain villa!

Inside the secret room, just as Xuan Yuzi's peach wood sword was about to touch the wine jar...

"Boom!!!"

An invisible roar exploded deep within the souls of Xuan Yuzi, Zhang Tianbiao, and Zhao Shoucheng!

The entire altar seemed to have been struck hard by an invisible hand, and it shattered into pieces!

The candle flame went out instantly, and the talisman spontaneously combusted and turned to ash!
"Pfft—!" Xuan Yuzi was the first to be hit. His spell was forcibly interrupted, and he suffered a terrifying backlash, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

He flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing into the wall. All his bones were shattered, and his eyes still held endless terror and disbelief. He died on the spot!
Even more terrifying, the seals on the three black wine jars were completely shattered by this attack!

“Ouch——!!!”

Three dark, ink-black figures, exuding a murderous aura, suddenly burst out of the wine jar, emitting a deafening shriek!

It was indeed those three evil spirits! They broke free of their restraints and instantly revealed themselves, with blue faces and fangs, exuding terrifying ferocity!
The three evil spirits suddenly turned their heads, and their scarlet ghost eyes instantly locked onto the only living people in the room, Zhang Tianbiao and Zhao Shoucheng!
"No...it's none of my business!" Zhang Tianbiao was so frightened that he tried to run away.

Zhao Shoucheng turned pale and pulled out his pistol, firing wildly at the ghostly figure, but the bullets passed right through it.

"Roar!"

The three evil spirits, filled with boundless resentment, pounced on the two.

A chilling wind howled, and ghosts wailed. Zhang Tianbiao and Zhao Shoucheng let out a shrill and desperate scream. In an instant, they were engulfed by the ghostly energy, their essence, blood, and souls were devoured, and they turned into two withered corpses!
Having devoured the flesh and fear of the two warlords, the three evil spirits grew even stronger, howling to the sky and shaking the surrounding area. They were about to transform into even more ferocious monsters and wreak havoc on the region!
"Hmph, you wretched creatures, you cannot be allowed to live," Lu Xuan's thoughts echoed once more.

The next moment, a huge talisman phantom burning with crimson divine flames materialized out of thin air, carrying the supreme power to slay evil and destroy demons and cleanse the universe, and fiercely suppressed the three evil ghosts that were roaring to the sky!

"boom--!!!"

Golden light shone in countless rays, like thunder rising from the void; the supremely yang and powerful energy swept across everything, purifying all impurities.

The three ferocious demons had no chance to struggle. Amidst endless terror and wails, they were shattered by the crimson talisman and their souls were scattered, turning into nothingness!

The eerie wind dissipated, the malevolent aura vanished, and all returned to silence.

Thousands of miles away, Lu Xuan slowly withdrew his thoughts and calmly ordered the adjutant Mo who was standing outside the door: "Zhang Tianbiao and Zhao Shoucheng are dead, and the group is leaderless."

"Pass down the order: the entire army will launch an attack and take over Heishi and Pan'an counties."

"If there is any resistance, kill them without mercy."

"Yes! Commander!"

The adjutant outside the door excitedly accepted the order.

Thus, the Dingnan Army swept away its two powerful neighbors without shedding a drop of blood, and its military might extended far and wide.

In northern Qingzhou, there are no more opponents!
With the sudden rise of Lu Xuan's Dingnan Army, which seized control of six counties, the long-standing chaos in northern Qingzhou was completely broken.

The emergence of a new hegemon disrupted the original balance of power, creating a new four-way power struggle.

Chen Xiong, known as the "King of Qingzhou," controlled the prefectural capital Hejiang City and the three most prosperous surrounding counties, holding the administrative, port, and financial core of Qingzhou in his hands.

The Qingzhou army under his command numbered over 500,000 men, was the best equipped, and possessed artillery and a small air force with several old-fashioned aircraft, representing the "regular" force of Qingzhou.

It is said that he was the son of the former governor-general and the nominal "Governor of Qingzhou," holding the most legitimate position.

Luo Zhenshan, the powerful warlord of the west, controls the four mining counties in western Qingzhou, which are rich in iron and copper mines and hold the lifeline of the entire prefecture's heavy industry in his hands.

With an army of nearly 155,000, occupying four counties in the west, the troops were tough, fearless, and highly skilled in mountain warfare, and possessed the ability to produce their own weapons.

It is said that there are "mountain-moving Taoists" in the army who have passed down their skills for generations. They can use the evil energy of the earth's veins to set up mazes and even drive "stone men" to fight.

Miao Jiugu, the witch king of Nanling, also known as the "Witch General of Nanling," controls six counties in southern Qingzhou.

The four counties in the south, with their dense forests and mixed Han and Yi populations, are strategically located, easy to defend and difficult to attack.

With a force of approximately 108,000 men, they appear outnumbered, but are extremely skilled in mountain and jungle warfare and are elusive in their movements.

It is said that he comes from a mysterious family of sorcerers and is a representative of the local forces in southern Qingzhou.

The army was infiltrated with a large number of sorcerers skilled in Gu poison, Gu magic, and beast control. They could not only kill people silently with Gu poison, but also command poisonous insects and ferocious beasts to form "insect tides" and "beast tides" to attack the enemy lines.

Finally, there is Lu Xuan, who is known to the outside world as the "Prince of Dingnan"!
The Dingnan Army now controls six counties: Dingnan, Beiyu, Cen, Sanshui, Heishi, and Pan'an, dominating northern Qingzhou.

In just half a month, Lu Xuan had already amassed an army of over 300,000 men, well-equipped, highly motivated, and expanding at an astonishing rate.

Host: Lu Xuan, the Immortal of the Mortal World (Seventh Incarnation)

Realm: Celestial Master (Minor Success)

Technique: Yangyan Talisman Fire True Scripture (10/9)

Score: 397802
Defeating those three evil spirits earned me 30 system points.

Just then, there was a rapid knocking on the door.

"General! Urgent report from Sanshui County!"

Lieutenant Mo's voice was unusually tense: "Within the territory of Sanshui County, the towns of Heishui and Linjiagang were attacked one after another within three days! Hundreds of people died, all with teeth holes in their necks and their blood dried up. Moreover, that night... the zombies turned into zombies and attacked the living!"
Now, both areas are almost deserted, resembling ghost towns! The county government's security forces have been unable to suppress the unrest, suffering heavy casualties, and it is suspected that... zombies are responsible!

Zombies?

A cold glint flashed in Lu Xuan's eyes. "Immediately muster the manpower of the 1,000 Talisman Battalion, and you will personally lead the team to Sanshui County."

"Kill without mercy!!!"

"Yes, Commander!" Upon hearing this, Lieutenant Mo's spirits lifted, and he immediately turned and strode away.

(End of this chapter)