https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-695-Uncertain-Future-The-Prodigy-s-Arrival/13113446/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-697-This-Strike-Named-Concealing-Skill-in-Clumsiness/13113458/
Chapter 696: Heaven and Earth Conspire, Gathering a Plot for Shen!
Chapter 696: Heaven and Earth Conspire, Gathering a Plot for Shen!
"Lady Fengxi has sent a message."
"She left Shengchao, captured a Fourth-grade Yaoxian, and also subdued a Lotus Teaching Lohan!"
The two hurried into the pavilion and bowed towards the dimly lit area, "Your guess was correct. The demon horde came from outside and is indeed connected to the Lotus Teaching."
In the shadows, Yang Mingli slowly turned around and took the folded letter from the two.
He carefully read the contents and gently placed the letter back on the table.
For Greater Nanzhou, the three Generals of the Dismantling Demon Bureau, stationed in Shengchao's territory, could only exert their greatest strength with the help of the Heavenly Emperor's Qi to repel enemies.
But the recent sudden surge in demon calamities has forced Lady Fengxi to go out and investigate, indicating the severity of the situation.
"These rogue monks!"
The two Named Generals couldn't help but curse, "Daring to bring back these old demons, they're not afraid of playing with fire and getting burned. Don't forget that their reputation for subduing demons with their mortal bodies is built upon the remains of these old demons."
"Hmph."
Yang Mingli gave a cold laugh.
For a powerful cultivator who had reached the Third Grade, nothing could be more important than their future prospects, not even the death of their parents. Even if it meant temporarily burying the hatchet.
He slightly lowered his gaze, looking at the tattered map on the table, his fingertip slowly tracing the paper.
Every place where demon calamities had occurred recently was marked with a small red cross, and by now, the entire map was covered in these crosses.
The returning old demons had almost gathered all the information they needed.
Throughout Greater Nanzhou, they had a good understanding of which areas were weakly guarded and which were more secure.
The Named General also stared at the map, watching as Yang Mingli's fingertip paused over the areas almost entirely covered in red crosses. Both of them suddenly grew solemn, "General Yang, will they break through at Songfeng Manor?"
"..."
Yang Mingli glanced at the letter, his fingertip continued moving, stopping at the blank space where the map was torn.
That was the nine provinces in the west that had been divided.
His voice was cold, "Since they're connected to the Lotus Teaching, they must know about the Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva and Old Man Yan, and that Wushan is also severely injured. With only two Named Generals guarding those nine provinces, they're full of holes. If you were them, where would you attack from?"
"Well..."
The two generals looked up, hesitating for a moment.
General Yang was meticulous, and he had already guessed the situation before Lady Fengxi's message arrived, preparing in advance.
It could be said that, aside from those nine provinces, the deployment of the remaining territories in Greater Nanzhou was all planned by a single person, and there hadn't been any issues so far.
Even his current speculations were well-founded.
"But we haven't received any requests for aid from those nine provinces."
If General Yang's guess was correct, and those nine provinces were indeed full of holes, they should have asked for help by now. Why was it so quiet?
"..."
Yang Mingli slowly walked out from behind the table, "The fire hasn't reached its peak yet, and there's still a chance to save it. Old Man Yan is putting on a show, and his subordinates won't want to lose face for him. Even if they're knocked down, they'll swallow their pride."
"But they never considered that this superficial face-saving might lead to a greater disaster, one that would cost the lives of countless civilians."
As he spoke, Yang Mingli had already reached the door.
The two Named Generals stood behind him in surprise, wondering if General Yang meant that something had happened in the nine provinces, but they were hiding the demon calamity and not reporting it.
They sensed something was amiss.
In his previous statement, the use of the word "subordinates" didn't seem to fit Wushan; it was likely referring to Nanyang and Yanlan.
Despite their past conflicts, General Yang's criticism was always directed at Old Man Yan, and he secretly admired Nanyang General, one of Yan's subordinates.
But now, he was clearly dissatisfied with him.
It was evident that Nanyang General's suspicious behavior during Wushan's incident had disappointed General Yang.
Indeed, even with two Generals of the Southern Capital stationed there, they were still overwhelmed. Old Man Yan was severely injured and in seclusion, yet the nine western provinces remained eerily quiet.
It didn't make sense.
Nanyang General was an excellent cultivator and a capable subordinate of Old Man Yan. He had even risked his life to save Wushan alone, showing great loyalty. But he was not a suitable officer for the Dismantling Demon Bureau.
Someone like him could indeed conceal a demon calamity to save Old Man Yan's face.
"Are you going somewhere?"
The two generals suddenly noticed General Yang walking out of the pavilion.
"To the west."
General Yang's expression was stern. He couldn't just ignore the nine provinces, no matter how upset he was.
They didn't know the situation in Shengchao, but at least in Greater Nanzhou, the storm was brewing, and the building was about to collapse. They were the last few pillars holding it up.
Despite their dislike for Old Man Yan, they had been colleagues for many years, and General Yang understood his personality. Even if he was stubborn, by now, he should have come to his senses.
Especially after discovering that his subordinates valued Old Man Yan's face more than the lives of Shengchao's citizens, if he continued to be stubborn, he didn't deserve to be a General of the Southern Capital.
General Yang didn't mind giving him a way out, but from now on, Old Man Yan and his subordinate, Nanyang General, must follow his orders diligently and not act recklessly again!
As his words faded, he summoned a vast cloud and headed towards Jianyang Manor.
...
Outside Shengchao, there was a mountain range resembling a sleeping Buddha.
On the thousand-mile-long arm of Foshan, the demonic red clouds had almost solidified, gathering in the sky.
Such a terrifying demon cloud could, according to reason, only be formed by thousands of powerful demons on that mountain.
However, at a glance, there were only forty to fifty figures.
Among them, the six leaders alone occupied the majority of the demon cloud.
The robustly built demon tiger, clad in golden armor, extended its thick right palm, lightly scooped the air, and brought it to its nose for a gentle sniff. It then exhaled a long, satisfied breath, "This mortal world's scent, it's something I've yearned for many years."
Living in seclusion between water and land, it was indeed leisurely, but it always felt like something was missing.
After a lifetime of arduous cultivation, having grown from a lowly spirit to a formidable being capable of summoning wind and rain, it had no place to exert its strength. The formidable reputation it once earned gradually faded as time passed, and it became increasingly distant from the mortal world.
Now, finally having the opportunity to return, it was all thanks to these cultivators.
With the collaboration of humans and immortals, there was no place in the world for demons to hide.
What a mess! What a mess!
The six Fourth-grade demons divided into two groups, clearly not belonging to the same leader. They were here as vanguard generals for their respective kings.
"How much longer do we have to wait for that monk?"
The tiger demon was getting impatient and looked up at the top of the Sleeping Buddha's head.
Their king had been in seclusion, uninvolved in worldly affairs for many years, and knew very little about the Shengchao. It had cost the lives of many soldiers and generals to gain a partial understanding.
Now, with the three forces joining hands, they aimed to tear open a breach in Shengchao.
However, they wondered why the demon clan's affairs required the involvement of the Lotus Teaching. If not for the king's orders, they would have torn that monk apart and used his Arhat Body to sacrifice their five viscera and six entrails.
"Don't be impatient, everyone."
The young, clean-shaven monk, clad in a plain robe, sat cross-legged on the top of the Sleeping Buddha's head, "There's still one more group that hasn't arrived. Let's wait until we're all gathered before discussing further."
"Discuss my ass!"
The tiger demon roughly spread out the map, "If it were up to me, I'd choose a location and attack them by surprise. What's there to pick and choose?"
As he spoke, two more Fourth-grade demons flew in from the horizon, but the number of soldiers and generals behind them was significantly fewer than the other two groups, appearing to have suffered heavy losses.
"Oh, the mighty Nan Huang's forces have ended up like this?"
The tiger demon coldly sneered, but the two newly arrived demons merely glanced at it indifferently, causing it to withdraw its gaze in disappointment, "We're already late, and you won't even let us speak. Fine, fine, quickly choose a location, and don't waste my time."
As it spoke, it casually pointed at a spot on the map, "In my opinion, let's attack from here; it's also close by."
The other Fourth-grade demons didn't raise any objections. Even with one less Fourth-grade demon from Nan Huang's forces, eight of them together, were more than enough to conquer a single province.
The two late-arriving Fourth-grade demons frowned and looked at the Western Province, which the tiger demon had pointed out, but they slowly shook their heads, "Choose another place."
"..." The tiger demon turned its head, narrowing its eyes.
The two demons strode forward and casually drew a line on the map, encompassing nine entire provinces, "Let's choose from outside these."
"Why?" The tiger demon seemed slightly displeased.
"We sent many of our subordinates to scout, but not a single one has returned. They disappeared without a trace, and the waters run deep."
The two demons' eyes revealed their apprehension. They knew that they hadn't sent their subordinates to breach Shengchao's defenses; instead, they had dispersed them to attack from all directions. Not only had they failed to capture a single survivor, but they also couldn't even send out any news.
This wasn't something that a few powerful cultivators could achieve. This place must have gathered a large number of Shengchao's elite, perhaps even prepared specifically to ambush them.
Upon hearing this, the tiger demon's face slightly changed, and its previous carefree attitude vanished.
It wasn't stupid, just impulsive, and it understood the implications of this situation.
"Then let's choose Songfeng Province."
Another Fourth-grade demon stepped forward to mediate, "We know the most about that place."
The two Fourth-grade demons from Nan Huang's forces no longer objected and silently returned to their positions.
The group of demon generals behind them also remained silent. However, one among them seemed to have a different demeanor from the others, lacking the same vitality and quietly lowering his head in a secluded corner.
"Since it's been decided, I wish you all victory."
On top of the Sleeping Buddha's head, the young monk slowly stood up and clasped his hands in greeting to the group of demons.
"Hmph!"
The crowd of demons scorned his gentle attitude.
Not a single one of them could be bothered to pay attention to the Lotus Teaching, clearly using them as pawns.
The reason they had come was merely to take advantage of this rare opportunity to gain some benefits in the Divine State.
Once the situation stabilized, whether Shengchao or the Three Teachings emerged victorious, they wouldn't tolerate a group of demons lingering here.
"Let's go!"
The tiger demon waved its huge hand, and the demon cloud in the sky rolled out, soon dissipating into nothingness.
With the combined might of three forces, eight Fourth-grade demons, some even from the Great Luo Immortal Gate, had gathered such formidable strength.
The scouting was over, and it was time for Shengchao to remember these old demons who had retreated to remote areas.
"..."
The young monk didn't get angry at the demons' attitude; instead, he smiled faintly as he watched them leave.
He took out a jade tablet and casually said, "They've gone to Songfeng Province, eight Fourth-grade demons, and they'll arrive in about ten days."
After speaking, the monk crushed the jade tablet.
Any Third-grade cultivator, whether a god, Buddha, or an arrogant demon, wouldn't easily intervene in such a calamity.
After all, they were the ones who divided the spoils, and once they entered the calamity, they would be risking their lives, which wasn't necessary.
Therefore, the three forces of demons gathering such a formidable force was already a significant investment for their return to the Divine State.
Unbeknownst to them, this was all orchestrated to benefit the Jade Pool Immortal Gate.
Lady Tiandong's descent into the mortal world required a battle to make her name known across the realm.
The young monk first devised a plan for the Great Demon, then helped the Jade Pool Immortal Gate set up the situation, aiding both sides to the utmost extent.
After this, it was inevitable that the three Great Demons would hold a grudge against the Sanzhen Sect. This was beyond the control of the Lotus Teaching, and it was only then that the time would come for the Lohans to rescue the situation.
The young monk shook his head and calmly left Foshan.
At the other end of the jade tablet, Hongjing temporarily took on the role of a carriage driver, quietly crushing the tablet while driving the immortal horse.
"Why did we suddenly change direction?" Lady Tiandong's confused voice echoed from within the carriage.
"I received news of an anomaly in the sky, and it seems there might be a problem in Songfeng Prefecture. It's better if we go and take a look first," Hongjing respectfully explained.
"It's not that I'm saying this, but the Celestial Court has been too lax recently, allowing these Demoniacs to have such thoughts again," Lady Tiandong sighed softly.
"We will heed your teachings, and we will surely improve," Hongjing replied.
Hongjing withdrew his gaze, a hint of sentiment passing through his eyes.
Some people work diligently but can only become carriage drivers, while others, after years of seclusion, have everything prepared for them upon their return.
How unfair it was...
Hongjing sighed softly but quickly regained his composure.
At least he could claim the credit for leading the way, taking a few more steps forward than the other disciples.
...
Ten days passed in the blink of an eye.
In the Shen residence of Jianyang Prefecture, a rare guest arrived.
As the yellow clouds filled the sky, Ye Lan and Wushan stood up straight and bowed respectfully, filled with curiosity.
This Mr. Yang had actually taken the initiative to enter the Nine Provinces.
When he divided his family, he had seemed to no longer care about the life and death of this place.
The middle-aged man, enveloped in a dark aura, landed gracefully and glanced at the two of them, "Don't blame me for not reminding you. It's best if you quickly go and wake up that Old Man Yan... and then come back to receive your punishment."
To hold someone accountable, he naturally wanted that stubborn old man to see with his own eyes what these fools under his command had done.
"Receive punishment?"
Ye Lan and Wushan were both stunned for a moment and looked at each other, "Mr. Yang, could you please clarify? I don't quite understand."
What was this matter that required the old man, who was in seclusion and recovering from his injuries, to be summoned?
"...
Mr. Yang's indifferent expression suddenly turned solemn. He hadn't expected that in such a short time, these two competent individuals would have become so incompetent under the influence of Yan Lanting.
Even when he personally came here, they dared to feign ignorance.
As he narrowed his eyes, a dangerous aura emanated from him, "Fine, fine, fine. Since that's the case, let's also summon that Nanyang General, and bring all the recent documents. I'll personally review them!"
How could a matter like the Demoncalamity be hidden from a Third-Grade Commander of the Southern Capital who was genuinely determined to investigate? It was like trying to force a confession from a dead duck.
"Nanyang... he's not here," Wushan said, sensing Mr. Yang's inexplicable anger, and raised his head, stuttering in response.
Upon hearing this, Mr. Yang's anger intensified, "Do you mean I can't even summon you now? No matter what he's doing, have him return immediately!"
"But he's truly not here."
Wushan was also getting anxious. Even a clay figure would get angry under these circumstances. Why should he endure this injustice?
He stood up straight, "Nanyang left some time ago to search for you in Songfeng Prefecture. How can we summon him back now?"
"Search for me?"
Mr. Yang's anger subsided slightly, and he was taken aback, "What does he want with me?"
"He received news that a group of demons were gathering and heading towards Songfeng Prefecture. He was concerned that you might not have made adequate preparations, and he didn't want any mishaps to occur, so he went there to report it," Ye Lan also retracted his hand.
"Nonsense!"
Mr. Yang had always been confident in his judgment, and he coldly laughed, "The Nine Provinces are already overwhelmed with Demoncalamities. Unless those demons have gone insane, why would they head towards Songfeng Prefecture..."
Before he could finish, the two interrupted him.
"Our apologies, Mr. Yang."
"It's true that the Demoncalamities in the western Nine Provinces are frequent."
Ye Lan looked at the middle-aged man earnestly and said, "But until now, not a single person has been injured... including ordinary civilians, there have been no casualties."
This absurd statement made Mr. Yang's ridicule more pronounced, but soon, his smile froze on his face.
Even the most slippery Wushan stood tall and proud. The large, sturdy man stood straight as a pole.
Without the need for the court, relying solely on the power of the Dismantling Demon Bureau... to be precise, relying solely on the power of Nanyang General, they achieved zero casualties.
"I must remind you, Mr. Yang, that what he says is usually quite accurate," Wushan raised his eyebrows.
Upon hearing this, Mr. Yang's face turned slightly pale, clearly believing seven to eight parts of it.
He clenched his fists tightly.
Damn it! My Songfeng Prefecture is in trouble!
(End of Chapter)
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