Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

"Alright!" Shen Mo nodded, then looked at Shi Tie. "Hall Master Shi, you will be in full command of this operation. Elder Su Xiao's 'Shadow Guards' will provide you with precise intelligence support. I want you to wipe out the main bandit groups and remaining enemies in this territory within half a month!"

"Don't worry, Senior Brother Sect Leader! If I, Old Shi, mess this up, I'll bring you my head!" Shi Tie pounded his chest loudly, his eyes flashing with fierce light.

"The Shadow Guards have initially identified thirteen targets. Here is the detailed intelligence and action plan. Senior Brother Shi, please take a look." Su Xiao stepped forward and handed a jade slip to Shi Tie, speaking softly.

"Among them, the most powerful bandit group is 'Poison Dragon Gorge,' whose leader, 'Poison Dragon Master,' has the cultivation level of the early Foundation Establishment stage. He has over a hundred desperate followers under his command, and they occupy a dangerous location that is easy to defend and difficult to attack. Moreover, they are suspected of having ties with foreign forces, so they need to be dealt with as a priority."

Shi Tie took the jade slip, scanned it with his divine sense, and grinned maliciously: "Poison Dragon Ravine? Perfect for using it as a sacrifice! Junior Sister Xiao, keep a close eye on it, I'm going to pull out this venomous fang right now!"

The operation began immediately. The disciples of the Battle Hall, like swords drawn from their sheaths, split into several teams and, guided by the "Shadow Guards," silently blended into the vast forests and newly built network of towns.

The purge was not a smooth and overwhelming victory. Just as Shen Mo had worried, the problem of the integration between the new and old disciples soon became apparent.

In a valley called "Ghost Cry Forest" three hundred miles north of Black Stone Village, a small team led by veteran disciple Zhao Long, mixed with several newly promoted late-stage Qi Refining disciples, is besieging a small bandit gang that has been ruling the mountain and repeatedly robbing miners.

The gang was small in number, but they were familiar with the terrain and extremely cunning.

"Form the Lesser Three Elements Formation! Encircle from both sides, don't let a single one escape!" Zhao Long, experienced and decisive, commanded with composure. The three core disciples instantly occupied the three positions of Heaven, Earth, and Man, their sword light forming a continuous line, advancing forward like a winch.

However, the two new disciples responsible for flanking the enemy were a little slow due to nervousness and lack of experience, resulting in a slight gap in their coordination.

Upon seeing this, a bandit leader with a face full of scars flashed a fierce light in his eyes and suddenly threw a poisoned dart, aiming straight for the throat of the slightly inexperienced new disciple on the left!

"Watch out!" Zhao Long's eyes widened in horror, but it was too late to save him.

At the critical moment, a taciturn, scarred old disciple suddenly turned to the side, using his back to block the poisoned dart! With a "thud," the poisoned dart pierced his flesh, the old disciple groaned, and his face instantly turned pale.

"Senior Brother Wang!" the new disciple exclaimed, both surprised and ashamed.

"Don't get distracted! Hold the formation!" Senior Brother Wang gritted his teeth and roared, his long sword still as steady as a rock. Together with the other two senior disciples, they instantly killed the bandit leader who had exposed a weakness due to the sneak attack.

The battle ended quickly, and the bandits were completely wiped out. However, one member of the Zhan Tang faction was poisoned, and several others sustained minor injuries.

While arranging for people to treat Senior Brother Wang's poison and injuries, Zhao Long, with a livid face, summoned the two new disciples and gave them a severe dressing-down:

"You two! How were you taught in your usual drills? Are formations and footwork child's play? If it weren't for Senior Brother Wang sacrificing himself, we would have lost men today! In battle, even the slightest mistake can mean the difference between life and death! Do you understand?!"

The two new disciples were pale-faced, heads bowed, fists clenched so tightly their nails almost dug into their flesh. Shame, lingering fear, and a hint of grievance lingered in their expressions.

"Zhao, that's enough." Senior Brother Wang took the antidote, his complexion improved, and he weakly waved his hand. "Newbies always have to go through a process. The first time I saw blood, my calves cramped up. Just be more careful next time."

Zhao Long sighed, his tone softening slightly: "It's not that I'm being harsh on you. Senior Brother Sect Leader said that the Battle Hall is the sect's blade; if the blade is not sharp, how can it protect the path?"

"Today it was Senior Brother Wang who was injured. If next time it were you yourselves, or if you caused the mission to fail and harm your fellow disciples, then you would be unforgivable even by death! All of you, get your spirits up! There are still many battles to come!"

This experience was like a bucket of cold water being poured over their heads, causing all the new disciples to put away their arrogance and truly realize the cruelty of the battlefield and the importance of teamwork.

In the subsequent small-scale raids, the cooperation between the new and old disciples became visibly more skillful, and the initial awkwardness was gradually replaced by tacit understanding.

The real test comes from "Poison Dragon Gorge".

Poison Dragon Ravine is located on the southeastern edge of the newly defined territory, situated in a treacherous spot between two mountains. A turbid, rushing river, exuding a foul stench, flows through the ravine. The ravine is filled with poisonous miasma, jagged rocks, and numerous caves.

The bandit leader, "Poison Dragon Master," was rumored to have been a former disciple of a minor sect. He was at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, skilled in poison techniques, and ruthless. He commanded over a hundred bandits, most of whom were desperate criminals. Taking advantage of the terrain, he repeatedly repelled encirclements and suppressions, effectively becoming a local tyrant.

Shi Tie personally led fifty of the most elite warriors from the Battle Hall, stealthily making their way to the outside of Poison Dragon Ravine. Su Xiao's most capable Shadow Guard, "Shadow Nine," was already there to meet them.

"Elder Shi," Ying Jiu, a thin, ordinary-looking young man, said in a deep voice, "we've investigated thoroughly. There are twelve sentry posts, both visible and hidden, at the entrance to Poison Dragon Ravine, all of which have been marked. The main cave inside the ravine is located halfway up the mountain and is protected by an array, but it's not of high rank, probably around second-tier."

"Master Poison Dragon usually resides in the main cave, while his three leaders, who are at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining, are stationed in other caves. The river in the ravine is their main passage for entering, exiting, and fetching water, but it is equipped with poisonous stingers and traps underwater."

"Is there a shortcut?" Shi Tie squinted, surveying the terrain.

"Yes. There is a hidden crevice in the back mountain that leads to the side and rear of the main cave, but it is narrow and difficult to pass through, and is infested with poisonous insects. I have cleared a path and set up a simple concealment formation," Shadow Nine replied.

"Good!" Shi Tie grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth. "A feint attack from the front, followed by a surprise attack with elite troops! Zhao Long!"

"exist!"

"Take twenty men and launch a frontal assault on the entrance. Make a big commotion to lure out all the weaklings! Remember, focus on close combat and conserve your strength!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Sun Hu! Li Mang!" Shi Tie looked at the other two early Foundation Establishment disciples.

"exist!"

"You two, each take ten skilled men and follow me through the crack in the back mountain! We'll strike at the heart of the matter and kill that venomous snake!"

"yes!"

The operation began. Zhao Long led the feint attack team, charging towards the ravine entrance with great fanfare. Swords flashed and talismans flew everywhere. In an instant, they engaged in fierce combat with the bandits guarding the gate, and the shouts of battle shook the heavens and the earth.

Meanwhile, Shi Tie's raiding squad, led by Ying Jiu, circled around to the back mountain like ghosts and slipped into the dark crevice that could only accommodate one person at a time.

The crevice was damp, foul-smelling, and teeming with poisonous insects, but everyone held their breath, moved swiftly and lightly.

Soon, faint sounds of commotion and the clash of spiritual energy could be heard from ahead, indicating that the main battle had reached a fever pitch.

"Speed ​​up!" Shi Tie roared, his figure moving like lightning as he burst out of the crevice. Suddenly, a secluded platform opened up before them, located to the side and rear of the main cave.

The faint sounds of cursing and maniacal laughter could be heard from inside the cave, as the Poison Dragon Master seemed to disregard the direct attack.

"Form ranks! Flowing Clouds and Dragon Formation!" Shi Tie gave the order without hesitation!

The twenty-five elite disciples sprang into action instantly! Their figures crisscrossed, their movements were profound, and their spiritual energy flowed like a hundred rivers converging into the sea, rapidly connecting into one!

A powerful aura surged into the sky, faintly transforming into a swirling vortex of flowing clouds. At the center of the vortex, the sword energy was chilling, as if a giant dragon was lurking!

This is the new battle formation that Zhan Tang has been practicing for a long time, combining the artistic conception of flowing clouds with the battle formation of killing – the Flowing Cloud Dragon Formation!