“Report—!”
Inside the Governor’s Residence, the Imperial Preceptor raised his eyes faintly at the sound. The music beneath his fingertips had not stopped. As he continued plucking the strings, he said, “Come in.”
The messenger hurried inside, knelt, and saluted.
The Imperial Preceptor asked casually, “How are things outside?”
“Chonghua launched its second attack this morning. The northern corner tower has fallen, and the defenders have withdrawn to the North Market to reinforce the barrier.”
“Will they hold through tomorrow?”
Cold sweat beaded on the messenger’s forehead. He clasped his fists and lowered his head. “The commander of the city defenders said that he… he is incompetent and can only do his… his best…”
“Then he really is quite incompetent.”
The Imperial Preceptor said it as calmly as if discussing the weather. The music grew faster. Suddenly, he raised a finger and called out in a low voice, “Linling, come forth.”
A streak of light flashed.
Of the nine eyes embedded in the ancient qin, one opened completely at his command. The eye blinked, its pupil radiating a deep emerald glow. The light grew brighter and brighter until it became impossible to look directly at it.
When the radiance faded, a shimmering scale was already suspended above the ancient qin.
The Imperial Preceptor swept his wide sleeve, and the scale flew straight toward the messenger, hovering before his eyes.
“Take it. This is the Black Tortoise Heavy Armor.”
The messenger was utterly stunned.
Wasn’t the Black Tortoise Heavy Armor one of the divine relics left behind from the Primordial Age? It was said to be the most indestructible defensive artifact in the world! How could it possibly be hidden inside the Imperial Preceptor’s Nine-Eyed Qin?
Before he could finish being shocked, the Imperial Preceptor added, “One piece of it.”
The messenger: “…”
“Don’t underestimate this piece. It’s still enough to withstand the assault of a hundred thousand troops. Take it and let our useless city commander use it to hold the line. Remember, the city commander can die, but the Black Tortoise Armor cannot be lost. If this scale suffers any damage…”
He paused.
The qin string rang with a sharp twang, and the Imperial Preceptor smiled sweetly.
“I’ll have every last one of you buried with it.”
The messenger hurriedly acknowledged the order, holding the scale above his head with both hands as he retreated with trembling legs.
The eerie Governor’s Residence was once again left with only the Imperial Preceptor.
The qin music continued flowing softly like a secluded spring.
Before the Imperial Preceptor, the radiance known as “Jingchen” had already taken on a faint, indistinct shape. It looked like a completely white puppy, every strand of fur emitting a faint, ghostly glow.
But the puppy still had little consciousness of its own. It lay on the soft carpet of the Governor’s Residence, its paws covering its eyes, completely motionless. Under the soothing music of the qin, it appeared utterly peaceful.
The Imperial Preceptor raised his eyes. The glow emanating from the spirit beast reflected in his pupils as he said softly, “Jingchen, I’ve almost completely undone the seals they placed on you. In another day and a half, I’ll be able to take you away from here and return you to your homeland. You need to behave yourself and don’t cause me any more accidents. Hmm?”
The puppy’s ears twitched.
Its eyelids opened slightly, revealing a cold blue demonic light completely at odds with its small, adorable appearance.
At the same time.
The northern corner tower.
The Liao Kingdom had suffered a crushing defeat in this battle, and the Northern Border Army’s Tengshe banner now flew high amid the broken walls and rubble of the corner tower.
Mo Xi’s vanguard had established a foothold in this section of Daze City, while not far ahead of them, the jade-green defensive barrier constructed by the Liao cultivators was rising layer upon layer.
The scout returned and reported the situation to Commander Mo Xi, who was observing the Liao army’s defenses. Then he asked, “Marshal Mo, should we take advantage of the victory and attack again?”
Mo Xi’s sword brows drew together. He folded his arms and stared at the increasingly high defensive barrier, his expression solemn.
“Where did they get the Black Tortoise Heavy Armor…?”
The scout was startled and turned to look at the jade-green barrier.
“The Black Tortoise Heavy Armor?! But—but wasn’t that the divine artifact of Lord Junzihui?! And after Lord Junzihui passed away, the Black Tortoise Heavy Armor lost its contracted master and no one knew where it had scattered to. How did it end up in the Liao Kingdom’s hands?”
Mo Xi pressed his lips together, his eyes dark.
“The power of this barrier is far below the Black Tortoise Heavy Armor’s true strength. The heavy armor the Liao Kingdom possesses should be incomplete. They may only have one or two pieces.”
After a pause, he added, “But as long as it’s the Black Tortoise Heavy Armor, even half a piece is enough to cause us trouble.”
“Pass down the order. Slow the advance for now. Hold the northern part of the city and rest in place.”
“Yes!”
“Also, summon all the commanders to the main command tent. I want to discuss the plan for the third assault on the city with them.”
The third assault on the city was, strictly speaking, less an assault than a search operation.
The place where Chentang had sealed the Blood Demon Beast all those years ago was a lake located north of Daze City. The Chonghua army had already torn open one corner of Daze City. From this opening, cultivators with swift movement techniques could reach the lake and search for traces of it.
However, this involved a Chonghua military secret, so Mo Xi could not explain the matter openly. He only told a search team personally selected by Junshang about the mission to locate the Blood Demon Beast’s remnant soul. The other cultivators were given various other assignments to provide cover and support.
Gu Mang’s mission with the army was also arranged as part of this operation.
“That’s more or less the situation.”
After everyone had left the central command tent, Mo Xi explained the true circumstances to Gu Mang once more.
“I’ve ordered Murong Lian’s and Mengze’s two camps to attack the main city of Daze. But their purpose isn’t to take the city. It’s to draw away the Liao army’s forces. The truly important mission belongs to the team of ten elite scouts. While we’re engaged in a direct confrontation with the Liao Kingdom, they must successfully make their way to the lake in the north and capture the Blood Demon Beast’s remnant soul.”
As he spoke, he handed Gu Mang the soul-searching compass and Soul-Seeking Rope given to them by Junshang.
“As long as we bring the remnant soul back, it won’t be easy for the Liao Kingdom to awaken the Blood Demon Beast again. So in this battle, whether we can take Daze City isn’t the most important thing. The most important thing is that we cannot allow the Liao Kingdom to seize the Blood Demon Beast’s remnant soul first. Do you understand?”
Gu Mang fastened the glittering golden Soul-Seeking Rope around his waist and patted his side before taking the compass.
“Don’t worry. When has your Gu Mang-ge ever failed a mission?”
He had not yet put on his face covering. He wore only the sharp, upright uniform of the Northern Border Army, his hair tied into a neat braid.
A golden rope, bayonet, and mask hung at his waist, while a Thousand Mechanism Casket was strapped to his wrist. The high standing collar of his blue-black-edged crossed-collar uniform concealed the Slave Lock Ring completely beneath the restrained, austere robes.
At this moment, he looked just as spirited and imposing as he had when he went to war many years ago.
Mo Xi looked at him for a while.
Then, suddenly, he reached out and pulled him into his arms. Lowering his head, he gently kissed the top of Gu Mang’s hair.
“Yes. You’ve never failed before.”
After a pause, he added, “But this time, remember that your own safety is the most important thing, no matter what happens. If you find yourself unable to hold on, you must call for me.”
He raised a hand and, through the overlapping collars of Gu Mang’s military robes, rubbed the side of his neck—the place where, when they were young, the two of them had left lotus curse seals on each other in order to protect one another.
Mo Xi pressed his forehead against Gu Mang’s and said quietly, “As long as you call for me, I’ll come to your side immediately. Remember that?”
In the past, Gu Mang had been Mo Xi’s protector. He had only ever wanted to give Mo Xi the most complete protection possible and had never wanted to share his hardships with him.
So in the past, Gu Mang would only laugh things off, saying, “It’s fine,” or “Your Gu Mang-ge is the best.”
But now, Gu Mang blinked his warm blue eyes and raised his head.
“Okay,” he said. “I’ll remember all of it.”
There was no time to delay.
This round of rest had lasted less than two hours. When dusk descended and the setting sun turned red as blood, the order came down from the Northern Border Army—
Chonghua launched its third assault on the city.
This round came too quickly. Even though the Liao Kingdom had already been prepared, they were still somewhat thrown into disarray.
The fifty thousand cultivators led by Murong Lian served as the vanguard this time, engaging the Liao monarch’s forces head-on, while Mo Xi’s army collided with the defenders on the northern side of Daze City.
For a time, smoke obscured the sky, and the blood covering the ground burned more fiercely than the red clouds on the horizon.
Under the cover of this enormous assault, the ten elite scouts, including Gu Mang, set out from the north.
Taking different routes, they slipped like gusts of wind deep into Daze City, heading toward the lake where the remnant soul of the Blood Demon Beast was trapped.
Beside Daze Lake.
It was a vast, boundless lake, with mountains stretching endlessly along both shores, their ends nowhere in sight.
By now, the sky had grown extremely dark. A streak of setting sunlight stretched across the lake. Two or three wild geese were startled into flight from the evening sky, their harsh cries carrying toward the depths of the sunset clouds.
Gu Mang, dressed in black combat robes, flew to the top of a pavilion beside the lake.
He stood with his hands behind his back in the wind, looking down imperiously at the shimmering waters below.
He was about to descend toward the lakeshore when, without warning, his skull suddenly tightened.
Then a searing pain exploded from his heart and traveled continuously upward along his spine.
Gu Mang let out a low groan of pain and immediately clutched his throbbing temple.
Why did it have to happen now…?
He took several deep breaths.
After a while, the pain eased slightly, but the dizziness only grew worse.
At that moment, the sounds of battle erupted in the distance, shaking the heavens. The main force had formally begun its full-scale assault on the city.
Gu Mang knew he could not delay for long.
He blinked hard, trying to restore the clarity of his vision as quickly as possible.
But when he raised his head and looked once more toward the vast waters of Daze Lake, a blurry phantom suddenly appeared before his eyes.
Gu Mang was startled.
“Ch—Chentang…?”
In the hallucination, he seemed to see Chentang standing in the middle of the lake, with surging waters and enormous waves rising behind him.
Wind and thunder surged.
Chentang stepped upon the waves, his white robes billowing violently in the wind.
That man, who looked like an exiled immortal, had a solemn, murderous expression. He raised his hand and summoned a seven-stringed ancient qin, lifting his chin slightly.
“Huapodan, listen carefully. Your ambitions end here. Whether it’s the Nine Provinces Continent or Chonghua, neither will ever fall into your hands—you will never obtain what you want.”
Huapodan…
Huapodan.
Those three words exploded inside Gu Mang’s chaotic mind like the meaning contained within them—a昙花 bursting open in the depths of darkness.
Gu Mang suddenly felt that the name itself possessed some kind of power, causing a frenzied bloodlust to surge through his heart.
“You will forever be nothing more than that penniless disciple from the cultivation academy.”
Some voice seemed to be roaring furiously from the depths of Gu Mang’s heart:
You’re talking nonsense! You’re talking nonsense! I’ll tear you apart! Just wait until I kill you—what could I possibly lack?! What right do you have to decide my fate, you ridiculous man… you… you useless coward!
Chentang said, “It’s over.”
His fingertip fell.
The qin string rang sharply.
Gu Mang’s heart shook violently. He actually felt as though all the black demonic energy within his body were about to burst out of him at that very moment!
Seeing the situation about to spiral out of control, Gu Mang gritted his teeth and shouted in a low voice,
“Yongye, come forth!”
The demonic bayonet materialized in response.
Gu Mang caught it and, gritting his teeth, viciously stabbed the back of his own left hand—
Blood sprayed everywhere!
The intense pain dragged him out of the mire of the hallucination.
He gasped sharply and squeezed his eyes shut with force.
When he opened them again, the vast Daze Lake was desolate before him, its waters clear and shimmering.
Chentang’s phantom had disappeared.
“…”
Breathing heavily, Gu Mang dismissed Yongye and quickly treated the wound.
Still shaken, he glanced at the glittering lake.
He did not know why he could see remnants of a battle from hundreds of years ago, but this was not the first time Chentang had appeared in his mind.
Why was this happening?
A thousand tangled thoughts surged through his chest, but he had no time to think about them.
Gu Mang planned to tell Mo Xi about his strange condition after he returned. For now, his most urgent task was still to capture the fragment of the Blood Demon Beast’s remnant soul left within the lake.
With that thought, he adjusted the compass, infused it with spiritual power, and then stepped into the vast waters.
“Show me the way.”
The compass obeyed his command and began spinning wildly.
After roughly the time it took to drink half a cup of tea, the willow-branch-shaped needle gradually slowed.
Little by little, it finally came to a complete stop.
Gu Mang froze.
The guiding compass did not point toward the lake as Junshang had said it would.
Instead, it pointed directly toward the place where Gu Mang himself was standing!
Gu Mang was startled and turned around.
Behind him were countless buildings packed together like grains of millet.
The soul-seeking compass was pointing directly toward the heart of Daze City.
“…Is it broken?”
Gu Mang shifted his position and shook the compass again.
Sure enough, the needle trembled hesitantly, wavering as though it could not decide where to point.
“Where exactly is that fragment of the Blood Demon Beast’s soul in the lake?”
He asked the same question two or three more times.
Only then did the needle slowly begin to turn again.
Yet in the end, it still pointed toward a location within Daze City.
Gu Mang fell silent.
He put the compass away and rubbed his chin.
According to Junshang’s investigation, the Blood Demon Beast’s remnant soul had sunk deep within Daze Lake.
He did not know how the compasses of the other scouts would respond, but his had stubbornly continued pointing toward the interior of the city.
Surely that couldn’t be a coincidence.
Could it be…
His heart gave a sudden jolt.
Could it be that the Blood Demon Beast’s fragment of soul had already been successfully captured by the Liao Kingdom within these short few days, and was now being held somewhere inside the city?!