Qin Mu laughed awkwardly. "A few more, maybe. Just nine, if you must know."
"Nine such figures?"
A chill ran through the State Preceptor of Yankang. Were all nine of them as silent as the mute?
If so, the background of this Heavenly Demon Cult Master was terrifying indeed!
"And nine more like me. My path is not lonely."
The State Preceptor of Yankang showed a relieved smile, murmuring, "I thought I was the only one who had reached this stage. Now my heart is suddenly at ease..."
Qin Mu looked at him curiously, suddenly wondering if he used his Qingxiao Heavenly Eye to look at the State Preceptor of Yankang at this moment, would he be beaten to death?
He was very curious to see if the State Preceptor of Yankang was the same kind of existence as the Village Chief.
Of course, the State Preceptor of Yankang was unfathomable to him. His cultivation level was unfathomable, his temperament was unfathomable. This person had many seemingly contradictory qualities.
Rashly using the Qingxiao Heavenly Eye to look at him might very well anger him.
"Preceptor, the Palace Master is speaking to you. Why don't you answer?"
Qin Mu looked toward the voice and saw the speaker walking down from the platform. He wore a bronze mask, unlike any other, with exaggerated features: long, wide ears, an eagle-beak nose, an exaggeratedly large mouth, two pillar-like eyes, thick eyebrows, and a hole in his forehead, as if prepared for an eye there.
Then Qin Mu saw that beneath the forehead of the mask, there truly was an eye!
This person had an eye growing in the center of his brow!
"What technique is this?" he was slightly stunned.
The State Preceptor of Yankang looked toward the bronze-masked man, then his gaze passed over him to rest on Qiu Dieyi, the Palace Master of the Palace of Parting Emotions. "Palace Master Qiu of the Palace of Parting Emotions. Technique: the Sword Art of Parting Sorrow. A sword technique said to be passed down by gods, embodying separation and sorrow."
His gaze fell on the next person. "Fortress Master Che Zhengli of Three Wonders Fortress, Fortress Master Yu Qingsheng, Fortress Master Li Fei. Fortress Master Che's technique is the Heavenly Demon Mysterious Seal, a demonic restriction method from the Daoist tradition. Fortress Master Yu's technique is the Five Gu Dragon Transformation, raising gu to become dragons. Fortress Master Li refines poison into her technique, though I'm not sure what it's called."
Fortress Master Li chuckled. "Even the Preceptor doesn't know all techniques? My technique is called the Poison Transformation Three Immortals Mysterious Art, skilled at converting poison into power."
The State Preceptor of Yankang's gaze shifted to another person. "Daoist Master Dao Quan has always healed the sick and saved the living. Why have you joined the rebellion? Over a decade ago, the Yong River flooded, plague ran rampant, and disease spread across the Jiangnan region. Daoist Master treated villagers and distributed medicine, earning praise throughout the land. I wanted to invite you to the Imperial Academy as an official, but you declined. In the end, I only granted you the title of Daoist Master."
Daoist Master Dao Quan said solemnly, "Our paths are different, and we cannot walk together. Preceptor, when I refused to become an official back then, you should have seen that I was not on the same path as you. You went too far, seeking to destroy all Daoist sects across the land. I had no choice but to come and stop you."
The State Preceptor of Yankang was silent for a moment, then said, "I destroy the Daoist sects of the world to heal more people. How do you think I've done these years?"
Daoist Master Dao Quan replied, "You've done well. There were few herbalists in the world before, but now they're as common as hairs on an ox. Even the towered boats are equipped with herbalists and medicine boys. Plague can hardly spread anymore. But all these years, the Imperial Academy has trained only mediocre doctors, not a single one worthy of being called a divine healer. On this point, you cannot escape blame."
"Seems our paths truly are different."
The State Preceptor of Yankang looked at another person. "Grand Secretariat Minister, Lord Ma Lianshan."
"I dare not."
Ma Lianshan said solemnly, "Preceptor, you promoted me to this office, but I also have my own sect. I originally came from the Zhongnan Mountain lineage, practicing the Southern Ming Five Departures Sword Scripture."
The State Preceptor of Yankang said, "I asked His Majesty to appoint you as Minister because you are upright and impartial, unselfish, and skilled at leading armies. I thought you would set aside sectarian differences. You've become a rebel, and I am deeply saddened. As Minister, you were a good official, and the people always spoke highly of you."
Ma Lianshan shook his head. "How many good officials have betrayed you? Preceptor, you should reflect on your own actions."
The State Preceptor of Yankang said flatly, "The old and rotting must be purged. The human heart is old and rotting—how to purge it? Only through revolution. If we don't take the lives of the rotting, the world cannot know peace. Though you are a good man, you stand in my path."
He looked at the others. "Sect Master Qi Dayou of the Beggars' Sect, the Hundred Poverty Mysterious Art. Sect Master Luo Xinghe of the Star-Dome Gate, the Star-Dome Mysterious Art. Zen Master Zhikong of the Great Hero Temple, the Four Dharma Seals of Existence, Abiding, Decay, and Emptiness. Abbess Hongfa of the Great Putuo Temple, the Bodhi Art of Benefiting Beings through Dharma. Abbess Huiyin of the South Sea Jiayin Temple, the Vajra Unconquerable Art. And the Suspended Dharma King, formerly ruler of the Suspended Kingdom. Southern Liang ruler Duan Yan. Western Fan ruler Nu Nu Hu Er. And these three seniors from the old era."
His gaze fell on the two old men and one old woman. "You three come from the old era, advanced in years. You must be seven or eight hundred years old now? Once you pass eight hundred, you reach the year of heavenly mandate. How many years of life do you have left?"
The short, thin, dark-skinned old man smiled. "I am a mountain hermit, known as Li Sanren, with sixteen years of life remaining. Though I'm not really a hermit—the small kingdom you destroyed, Chuyun Kingdom, was the kingdom I founded."
"I am Tian Zhenjun."
The old woman grinned. "I like raising bugs. You've probably seen them. Fortress Master Yu of Three Wonders Fortress is my son."
The plump old man said, "I don't have their grand backgrounds. I am the Poor Scholar. Don't be fooled by my size—I'm poor in food. Our school is called the Poor Reason Art, the poorer the more reasonable."
"Poor Scholar, you jest."
The State Preceptor of Yankang said seriously, "Through poverty, one achieves knowledge; through self-reflection, one practices truth; through investigating things, one exhausts principles. I understand these principles. As a scholar, why do you oppose me?"
The Poor Scholar shook his head. "When poor, one cares for oneself; when prosperous, one benefits the world. Preceptor, your power is too great, and it benefits no one. I oppose you not for personal gain like them, but for the State of Yankang. I see your power is overwhelming. If we remove you now, it's fine. If we wait a few years, you'll become the Emperor."
The State Preceptor of Yankang stood at the mountain's summit, his voice flat and calm, carrying in all directions: "Who else opposes me?"
From Daxiang City came voices rising one after another: "I do!"
"Liao Yinzhi of the Heavenly Immortal Sect dares to oppose the Preceptor!"
"Qiu Zhiming, Grand Master of Ceremonies, dares to oppose the Preceptor!"
"Shan Mu, Marquis of Wuling, dares to oppose the Preceptor!"
"Qing Mingyue, Chief Administrator of the Protectorate, dares to oppose the Preceptor!"
"Chen Yao, Magistrate of Wuyin County, dares to oppose the Preceptor!"
...
One voice after another rang out from Daxiang City. These were great experts at the Life-and-Death and Heaven-and-Human realms. As one voice fell, another rose, one after another, the voices growing mightier, more awe-inspiring, making one's blood boil.
The bronze-masked man was also filled with stirring emotion, his blood surging. He called out, "Preceptor, do you see? How unpopular you are! The people of the world all want to kill you. What face do you have to live in this world?" His voice was forceful and resonant.
The State Preceptor of Yankang remained expressionless, saying calmly, "The people of the world? This handful of hundreds of thousands in this city—do they qualify as the people of the world? A mere rabble, destroyed and forgotten. Only when you die will the world truly know peace."
"If that is the case, then only one side can remain."
The bronze-masked man said, "This mountain has been laid with the Heavenly Prison Seal, covering eight hundred mu. Here, we can fight without worrying about the shockwaves reaching outside and harming the soldiers. This time..."
He said coldly, "We will not follow the rules of the martial world!"
Qin Mu breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at Si Yunxiang. "Then I can rest easy."
Monk Yun Que's face was ashen. He stammered, "Rest easy? We're inside the seal—we'll be the first to be shaken to death! Do you still remember Tianbo City? This battle will be many times more terrifying than that!"
Yue Qinghong and the others were also pale. The battle at Tianbo City was only a portion of the All-Heavenly Demon God's power descending, fighting the Dragon Taming Sect Master and another leader-level powerhouse. But the destruction it caused was already unimaginable. Even someone as powerful as the dragon-kylin couldn't withstand such an impact.
If a great battle erupted here, the destruction would be several times greater!
Moreover, with eight hundred mu sealed, it meant that the shockwaves from these powerhouses would bounce back and forth within this space, churning and colliding!
When that time came, even the dragon-kylin might be shredded by the aftershocks of their battle!
Just then, suddenly outside the city, banners began to flutter—banner after banner, stretching east to west, dozens of li in length.
The bronze-masked man and the others stood on the heights, looking out, and their faces changed drastically. They saw the banners rising one by one, over ten zhang high, blocking the enemy camp on the opposite side. And beneath the banners, hidden from view, were countless soldiers!
The bronze-masked man was about to shout a warning when suddenly those banners rolled inward. Instantly, three hundred and sixty banners appeared within the city. Beneath each banner, a strange figure wearing a bamboo hat and carrying a long cloth bundle shook the banner violently. The tens of thousands of Yankang State troops outside the city suddenly appeared within Daxiang City!
And only then did the bronze-masked man's voice arrive: "Prepare—"
But it was already too late.
When the three hundred and sixty strange figures rolled up their banners, beneath them appeared fierce, murderous faces, gripping swords, spears, halberds and other weapons, their killing intent piercing the sky.
Beneath the banners, golden-armored giants appeared alongside cloud carts. At the rear of the great towered boat, the bronze beast had already begun to spew flames, and great birds were flapping their wings, stirring up gales.
When the banners were completely rolled up into small flags, the battle cries had already begun. The sound of swords leaving their scabbards rang out from sword cases, mixed with earth-shaking roars.
In that moment, time seemed to slow immeasurably, slow enough to see the expression of every person change—from murderous and fierce to twisted and vicious, from bewildered to terrified.
The blood spraying from flying swords cutting through human bodies seemed to burst forth in slow motion, splattering through the air. The moment a head flew from its neck seemed to possess a strange, tragic beauty.
"Elephant Transformation!"
A roar shattered the brief pause. A general of the infantry shouted angrily, and thousands of infantry soldiers roared, their bodies trembling as they transformed into elephant-headed giants, charging toward the rebel forces and scattering them.
Meanwhile, the cavalry had already soared into the sky, diving down, countless flying swords raining down like a storm.
"Fire Gourds!"
On the towered boat, a command flag was waved. The soldiers on the towered boat took down the half-man-tall red gourds from their backs, pulled out the stoppers, and immediately fierce true fire poured down from the boat, burning the defenders on the city walls, turning countless people into living torches!
Boom—
A team of golden-armored strongmen dragged cloud carts, crushing countless soldiers in their path, slamming violently into the city wall and knocking down several hundred zhang. Burning figures fell from the walls. Outside the city, the Champion General and the Huaihua General raised their spear and halberd, pointing toward Daxiang City, while behind them the endless Yankang State army surged forward with battle cries, flooding across the sky and the ground like a tide.