Chapter 168: Towns Outside The Barrier
The Sect Affairs Pavilion immediately became busy, and Su Yan could no longer continue inquiring about other matters.
He frowned slightly, feeling a bit more vigilant in his heart: “I’m afraid it’s also caused by the rotation of guards. This task is not easy to handle.”
He strode out of the Sect Affairs Pavilion and headed toward the Martial Arts Pavilion.
As soon as he entered the door, Chang Feng on the second floor noticed him. His figure was like a wisp of smoke, arriving in front of Su Yan in an instant.
He sized Su Yan up and down, his face full of astonishment.
“Reverse Hundred Names, you really achieved it. Unheard of.”
“Luckily cultivated two Star Constellation Profound Beast True Intents.”
Chang Feng shook his head: “I misjudged you. Since you are from Martial Uncle Wang Xuanxing’s line, you must have a fallback. But you want to exchange for the Star Picking Hand?”
The Inner Sect Tiger Ranking names had changed, and Chang Feng naturally received the news first thing.
“Yes.”
“Go take it yourself. This martial skill has the might of Capturing Dragons and Controlling Cranes, Moving Mountains and Seizing Peaks, all relying on the Power of Star Constellations. It is a great ability. The stronger your condensed True Essence, the more Star Constellation Profound Beasts, the more powerful the Star Picking Hand becomes. With changes in the stars, the hand gestures also have various changes. Experience it carefully.”
“Thank you, Senior, for your guidance.”
Chang Feng formed a good karma and told him some cultivation matters.
Su Yan showed a slight trace of surprise, sensing something odd in his heart. This Martial Uncle Chang Feng seemed not simple either.
It was no problem for a Dan Qiao True Person to guard the Martial Arts Pavilion, but his knowledge of the classics in the Martial Arts Pavilion was extremely detailed. So many books could not be finished in one or two years.
Su Yan took the martial skill, thanked Chang Feng, and directly rode the Six-Winged Blood Centipede back to Xuan Shuang Mountain.
“What cultivation manual did you get?”
“Martial Uncle Grandmaster’s Star Picking Hand.”
Long Qiushui nodded: “This cultivation manual matches the Star Constellation Profound Beast Skill. After the Cold Shadow Peak matter is settled, go to the Artifact Refining Pavilion and find a second-order high-grade weapon that amplifies True Essence or control.”
For cultivation matters, Long Qiushui naturally had resources, but it was impossible for her to prepare everything.
That way of cultivation would only raise a group of wastes.
Except for foundation-setting and life-saving things, disciples needed to fight for other things themselves.
“Master, I heard news at the Sect Affairs Pavilion. Bai Shan Town under Cold Shadow Peak suffered a beast tide. I wonder if it is related to our rotation of guards this time?”
“Yes.”
Long Qiushui was resolute, a trace of anger appearing in her calm eyes: “Not just Bai Shan Town. Wang Peak’s Moonfall Town and the Qingwu Town under Sword Hanging Peak also suffered attacks.”
The beast disaster came too coincidentally, just as they were about to prepare for the rotation of guards, the beast disaster suddenly arrived.
Whether it was a natural disaster or man-made, the Beast King Sect would not let it go like this.
Long Qiushui said: “Under Cold Shadow Peak’s jurisdiction, there are only four towns outside the barrier: Bai Shan Town, Ma Wang Town, Liang Shui Town, Han Shan Town. This time, Bai Shan Town suffered countless casualties, losing our line’s secular disciples, twenty-seven outer disciples, six inner disciples… The last time something like this happened was ten years ago during the demon person chaos in Tianlong Town.”
The Hundred Peaks Barrier was the barrier separating Lingnan’s inland from the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.
But outside the barrier, there were Towns Outside the Barrier with gathered populations.
Although not as prosperous as inland county towns like Yun Cang Town, with slightly fewer people.
Fifty to sixty thousand, eighty to ninety thousand, all had them. Bai Shan Town was already one of the larger towns among them, with fierce folk customs, all possessing martial arts.
Those who controlled the towns outside the barrier were not yamen people, but martial artist families. The head of Bai Shan Town, also the person in charge of the Bai Shan Army, Bai Yunqi, was precisely a secular disciple who came from an outer disciple.
It could be said that Bai Shan Town was a pure-blooded affiliated force of the Beast King Sect.
As for the remaining three towns, they were respectively controlled by the Back-through Ape Ma Family, Ice-hiding Snake Lin Family, Cold Mountain Hou Zhou Family, three martial arts families, though said to be under Beast King Sect jurisdiction.
But what the exact situation was, that was uncertain.
Long Qiushui roughly explained the situation of the four towns under Cold Shadow Peak to Su Yan.
After he heard it, he had roughly sorted out a framework in his mind.
He asked: “How are the casualties in Bai Shan Town? Does the Bai Family still have anyone left? What is the reaction of the remaining three towns?”
“The beast tide affected the four towns, each with losses, but only Bai Shan Town had the greatest loss. Countless Bai Family disciples dead and injured, four-tenths of the townspeople lost, no less than thirty thousand, a hundred li of land already fallen, becoming feral beast territory.”
Long Qiushui said: “The three families reported the news and also pleaded guilty. See for yourself.”
She tossed a letter over. Su Yan caught it, opened it, and immediately showed a strange expression on his face.
“…The Ma, Lin, Zhou three families, due to beast tide siege, unable to rescue in time, causing Brother Bai to die in battle. We wish to plead guilty to the sect. The cost of rebuilding Bai Family Town, each family contributes two-tenths of profit… and there is intelligence… Before the beast tide, the Bai Family Town formation was already broken, due to internal betrayal…”
“Plead guilty, compensate, then push out scapegoats?”
Su Yan slightly raised his eyes and said: “The reaction is a bit too fast, isn’t it?”
“Hmph, in the Towns Outside the Barrier, they are like earth emperors. Although they regularly tribute profit to the sect, how much they hide, only they know. They can’t withstand investigation.”
Some things, not weighed have no four liang weight, weighed become a thousand jin that can’t be held.
Su Yan understood. Regardless of whether they had ghosts, they did not want the sect to investigate deeply, otherwise some things would require paying a price.
But things were not up to them.
“Go notify those three people. Tomorrow we set off for Cold Shadow Peak. The matter of the three towns, you go handle it. If any family’s Ma Family True Intent dares to make things difficult for you, I will handle it myself.”
“Yes.”
The Bai Shan Town incident advanced the original rotation of guards.
The next day early morning, Bai Yun, Du Yuan, Bai Chenyao three people received Su Yan’s message and were already waiting at the foot of Xuan Shuang Mountain.
Long Qiushui summoned the Mysterious Frost Sky Centipede, brought the four people together, and soared through clouds and mists straight to Cold Shadow Peak.
Not just Long Qiushui’s group, Qian Mulan, Shui Manyi, Lei Yuxi several true persons each called out their own mounts, bringing the selected disciples, heading straight to the five peaks.
Inside the Beast King Sect, the Sect Affairs Pavilion and Mountain Guard coordinated uniformly. Black Horned Giant Eagle, Green Horned Giant Eagle and other mounts all set out, heading together to the Hundred Peaks Barrier.
The beast tide raged. Although the calamity beasts had hidden, second-order feral beasts and first-order feral beasts were still scattered everywhere, not just in the wilderness.
Such a huge number, if not cleaned up thoroughly, the reclaimed mountainous areas and farmland would become wasteland, which would be a great loss.
On the Mysterious Frost Sky Centipede, Su Yan stood beside Long Qiushui, Bai Yun behind him, the three together at the centipede’s head position.
Clouds and mist constantly flowed past on both sides, mountain peaks like a canvas constantly drawn back, leaving green afterimages.
The Mysterious Frost Sky Centipede’s speed was much faster than the Green Horned Giant Eagle, and the biting gales were isolated by a layer of demonic essence protective layer, completely unaffected by the outside.
The closer to the Hundred Peaks Barrier, the more Su Yan gradually sensed something different.
Unlike before at Zhen Beast City, as they approached Cold Shadow Peak, frost and snow began to appear on the ground, covered in a layer of white.
The chill gradually became apparent. Finally, after another quarter of an hour, amid swirling clouds and mists, a snow mountain like a sword suddenly appeared before them.
There was a city on the mountain, pavilions layered, city walls built along the mountain. What a grand city of wind and snow.
“Respectfully welcoming Mysterious Frost True Person.”
Outside the city gate, the Commander of the Mountain Guard, Feng City steward and others were already waiting, respectfully cupping hands, bodies slightly bowed.
The Mysterious Frost Sky Centipede landed. Long Qiushui flew down, her gaze coldly sweeping: “Who is the commander of the Mountain Guard?”
“Azure Dragon Peak Hao Yi pays respects to True Person.”
“How is the situation in Bai Shan Town territory?”
“The Bai Family Army disciples protected part of the commoners and have settled in Feng City. The remaining Ma Wang Town, Liang Shui Town, Han Shan Town each settled refugees. About sixty thousand alive. Bai Shan Town city fallen, feral beasts entrenched. Third-order calamity beasts have hidden, but Yuan Zhenren has already blocked their retreat at Sword Hanging Peak and other passes. They definitely have not returned to the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains yet.”
Long Qiushui’s eyes remained calm: “Have the persons in charge of the Ma, Lin, Zhou three families come?”
“Reporting to True Person, the three family heads are all here.”
The three family heads were at that moment in the group, their bodies bowed even more, saluting after: “Reporting to True Person, the three families failed to rescue in time. It is our three families’ sin. Now the guards and elites of our homes have all been drawn out, awaiting True Person’s command.”
Su Yan glanced at the three, his eyes narrowing slightly: “At least True Intent Third Realm Condensing Momentum Stage.”
The family head might not be the strongest in the family, but definitely not weak.
These three family heads having such strength were already much stronger than Yun Cang Town.
“Within three days, take back Bai Shan Town.”
