"Young Lord."
Seeing Song Changsheng appear, the Redfire Old Ghost finally let out a breath of relief and hurriedly saluted.
"No need to be nervous. This is Redfire. He's already submitted to me. From now on, he'll be traveling with us. Redfire, go wait for me in the cabin."
"As you command, Young Lord."
After Redfire left, Song Changsheng looked at Song Qingxing and smiled. "He's a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. You drew your sword on him, weren't you afraid?"
"Death is just death," Song Qingxing sheathed his sword and replied flatly, showing not a trace of fear on his face.
"Alright, you two, head back and focus on your cultivation. The propulsion system of the flying vessel is damaged. We'll need to head to Xiangzhou and find an artisan master to repair it. After today, we'll likely be eating and sleeping out in the open."
After giving the two some instructions, Song Changsheng stepped into the cabin, ignoring Redfire who stood by the door. He went straight to a table and sat down.
Redfire, being quite tactful, laid out four storage pouches on the table in front of him.
Lifting his eyelids, Song Changsheng glanced at the pouches and said with a half-smile, "Why are there four?"
Redfire squeezed out a fawning smile and said, "Since this old servant has submitted to you, everything I own naturally belongs to you now.
Besides, I damaged your flying vessel earlier. Even though you didn't mention it, I can't shirk responsibility for the loss."
"Well, that's a pretty enlightened attitude. No wonder you were a deputy leader of a demon-hunting squad. Which one is yours?" Song Changsheng gave him a look of newfound respect. No wonder the man had once held a leadership role; his sense of duty was unusually high.
He accepted the storage pouch Redfire handed over and found that its seals had already been removed.
For a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator who once made a living as a highway bandit, he was expected to be quite wealthy. Song Changsheng couldn't help feeling a bit of anticipation.
When he opened the pouch, Song Changsheng raised an eyebrow and looked at the docile Redfire with some surprise. "Didn't expect you to be such a wealthy man."
Redfire chuckled awkwardly. "As Young Lord knows, this old servant's previous occupation… well, banditry does pay. And recently, we ambushed quite a few passing Foundation Establishment cultivators. Managed to stockpile a few things."
He sneaked a glance at Song Changsheng, but seeing that his face remained calm and he was examining the pouch with interest rather than reproach, he finally relaxed.
Truthfully, Song Changsheng wasn't too bothered. Although he disapproved of Redfire's former ways, such things were all too common in the cultivation world. He wasn't some righteous enforcer; he had neither the authority nor the inclination to meddle.
Redfire's stash was beyond his expectations.
Aside from a slightly damaged crimson banner, there were twenty thousand low-grade spirit stones, plus a small mountain's worth of artifact materials and spirit herbs.
But what surprised him most was a beast pelt tucked away in a corner. Judging by the lingering pressure on it, it must've come from a great demon.
"A hide from a Tier-3 Void Beast? Now this is a real treasure," Song Changsheng muttered, clearly pleased as he examined the hide, which was roughly a square zhang in size.
Redfire respectfully replied, "Reporting to Young Lord, this was something I stumbled upon in a ruined site. It's quite valuable, but I never found a good opportunity to sell it."
Song Changsheng nodded and unceremoniously slipped the hide into his storage pouch.
Void Beasts were nearly extinct in the Ziyu Realm. A hide of this size was already rare on the market and could easily fetch at least 100,000 spirit stones, assuming you found the right buyer.
But that would be a wasteful, short-sighted move.
Song Changsheng planned to bring it back for his grandfather, to have it refined into a magical artifact. That would easily double its value if not more.
Watching Song Changsheng's utterly natural movements, Redfire's face twitched slightly, his heart bleeding. That hide had been his secret treasure, reserved for forging his future Purple Mansion artifact. Now, it was someone else's windfall.
After sifting through the loot, Song Changsheng only took the materials he needed and the 20,000 spirit stones. He left the mid-grade spiritual artifact and the rest untouched, returning them to Redfire without a word.
He then picked up the storage pouch from the demon-hunting squad's leader's clone. To be honest, he wasn't expecting much, and he was right. Aside from a few thousand spirit stones, there was nothing of real value.
The only thing worth mentioning was the shattered low-grade spiritual artifact the man had used.
The other two Foundation Establishment cultivators' pouches held just over 10,000 spirit stones, a few Tier-2 magical tools, and some artifact materials.
By cultivator standards, their wealth was pitiful, which showed just how badly they'd been squeezed dry.
"Those two you saw earlier are my juniors," Song Changsheng said. "Try not to interact with them too much. Tomorrow, we head to Xiangzhou to find an artisan master to repair the flying vessel.
In the meantime, focus on recovering, and keep watch for danger. If we run into any enemies along the way, I'll leave them to you."
After sending Redfire off, Song Changsheng began reflecting on the battle.
The Mountain-Flipping Seal was undoubtedly powerful; it was currently his strongest offensive technique, second only to the Wuchang Slaughter Formation.
But its drawbacks were equally obvious. Song Changsheng was, after all, just a Foundation Establishment cultivator. He could only activate it using Primordial Qi. And while that energy could regenerate, the process was extremely slow; he'd only managed to gather a single cluster in ten years.
The consumption far outweighed the replenishment.
After a night of rest, the flying boat finally reached its limit. Song Changsheng had no choice but to put it away and travel by sword with the two juniors.
...
In Bianzhou, Luoxia City, on Tianyin Mountain.
Under the night sky, the increasingly frequent howls kept countless people awake.
In the pitch-black darkness, Zhan Tianxia, covered in blood, staggered onto Tianyin Mountain.
"Junior Brother?"
Mu Guibai's expression changed drastically as he rushed forward to support him and asked urgently, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Just superficial wounds." Zhan Tianxia waved it off casually, but his tone soon grew heavy. "Senior Brother, we might be in serious trouble this time."
"Is it that bad? What did you see?" Mu Guibai's face also turned grave. He knew Zhan Tianxia well; he never spoke without reason. If he said this, something must have gone far beyond their expectations.
A trace of recollection flashed through Zhan Tianxia's eyes. "After leaving Luoxia City, I snuck into the Ten Thousand Great Mountains. The outer regions were just as we had expected, huge numbers of spirit beasts migrating inward, and the greater beasts becoming restless."
"I went deeper into the mountains, all the way to the Blackwater Marsh. Right now, it's teeming with spirit beasts far more than during the last two beast tides. And more beasts are still gathering there."
"I suspect that the old flood dragon in the Blackwater Marsh might personally make a move. Even Thunderclap Mountain is showing signs of activity. Senior Brother, if we're not careful, Luoxia City could fall."
Mu Guibai frowned slightly. That old flood dragon was no ordinary foe. It was no exaggeration to say it was the greatest threat to the cultivation world of Great Qi within the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.
As a monster king that had lived for over a thousand years, it had launched over a hundred beast tides. Since Luoxia City was founded, most of its time had been spent fending off attacks from it.
The grudge between them could no longer be described with mere words.
"Sigh... internal strife, external threats, everything's happening at once."
The cultivation world of Great Qi was truly facing its most perilous moment. Two major sects were locked in a bitter war, with the entire north serving as their battlefield.
At the same time, blood demons were appearing frequently, plotting some unknown evil in the shadows.
And now, the old flood dragon of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains was stirring again.
These were events that might not happen even once in centuries, yet now they were happening all at once. No one would believe it was a mere coincidence.
"There's no use dwelling on it. We'll meet force with force, water with earth. Starting tomorrow, we prepare for war."
"For two thousand years, Luoxia City has stood tall in this world. Beast tides haven't brought us down before, and they won't now!"
The next day, Luoxia City officially went into lockdown, with no entry allowed, only exits. The city began stockpiling military supplies on a large scale.
Though no official announcement was made, the actions made one fact clear: war was coming.
Panic spread quickly throughout Luoxia City...
"Sigh, what a mess. That side's fight isn't even over, and now this starts."
In a general store, Song Xiantu sighed as he watched the chaos unfold in the city. Having lived in Luoxia City for over twenty years and endured two previous beast tides, he was shocked by the news, but not overly panicked.
After closing the shop, he called out to Song Qingluo. "Luo'er, didn't you keep saying you wanted to visit the clan? Pack up, you're going home. Take a message for me while you're at it."
Song Qingluo looked excited, but still asked cautiously, "Wouldn't it be faster to send the message using the altar? Isn't it a waste of time for me to deliver it?"
"It's nothing urgent, just a rabbit snared while sweeping the grass," Song Xiantu waved it off and pulled out a jade slip from his sleeve.
"Make sure to hand it directly to the young clan leader. I've already made arrangements. Tomorrow, a merchant caravan will leave the city and pass through Lingzhou. They'll take you part of the way."
"Tomorrow? That soon?" Song Qingluo asked, puzzled.
"Enough talk. Just do as you're told." Song Xiantu's face darkened, and with a wave of his sleeve, he turned and walked away.
"You think Luoxia City might not hold out?" Sun Chuanming, sitting behind the counter, didn't even lift his head as he examined a bronze cauldron.
Song Xiantu sighed, "Better safe than sorry. I've lived most of my life. I've been through beast tides before, but this time... Luoxia City's reaction is too extreme. If we old bones are lost, so be it, but he's still young. Maybe it's selfishness, but I don't want to take chances."
"Who doesn't have a bit of selfishness? I've never married or had children, but I understand what you're doing. Even if the clan leader were here, he wouldn't blame you."
Sun Chuanming kept his eyes on the cauldron, his tone calm and unaffected by the chaos outside.
"I just hope I'm overthinking things," Song Xiantu murmured, a deep sigh escaping him as the worry in his eyes lingered.
...
Outside Luoxia City, near the edge of the Ten Thousand Mountains, lay a hidden underground palace.
Seated upon a throne made of skulls and bones was a tall figure clad in a blood-red robe. She sat quietly, her enchanting gaze fixed on the person kneeling before her, and spoke in a sultry voice, "Xiao Bai, how is the task I entrusted to you progressing?"
Though her voice sounded like celestial music, the kneeling man felt as if he were hearing the whispers of a demon. Trembling slightly, he replied, "Reporting to Lady Blood Consort, I've already dispatched all members of our branch to search, but… we've found no trace of Hun Wugui."
He paused briefly, then pleaded, "Please grant me more time, my lady. I swear I will do everything in my power to dig him out!"
Hearing this, Blood Consort furrowed her brows slightly and shifted into a more seductive posture. "Then, how much more time do you need?"
Xiao Bai crawled forward a few paces on his knees, panic written all over his face. "A month, no, half a month. Just give me half a month, and I will complete the mission."
"Hun Wugui is elusive; even I haven't been able to track him. It's not unusual that you couldn't find him right away. Fine, I'll give you another half month," she said softly.
"Thank you, my lady! Thank you!" Xiao Bai was overjoyed.
Blood Consort leaned forward slightly, revealing a breathtaking glimpse of snow-white skin. "I can forgive you for not finding Hun Wugui… but what about the treasure of our sect? Any news?"
Xiao Bai didn't dare to lift his head. He kowtowed repeatedly, like pounding garlic, and stammered in terror, "Please forgive me, my lady… I beg your forgiveness…"
Blood Consort's brow furrowed deeply. Her voice turned cold. "I don't want your apologies. I want the treasure!"
"My lady, just give me a little more time! I swear I'll find it!"
"I would love to give you more time," she said, slowly rising from her throne as if speaking of something trivial, "but unfortunately, the Sect Master hasn't given me any. End your life. I'll let you die with your body intact."
"My lady…"
Xiao Bai was utterly crushed by despair.
No one knew better than he how terrifying this woman was.
Trembling, he pulled out a long sword. With a final, resolute clench of his jaw, he plunged it straight into his heart. Scarlet blood spurted out. Just like that, a Peak Foundation Establishment cultivator ended his own life.
Blood Consort didn't even glance at him. She waved her hand dismissively, and two blood-robed figures stepped out from the shadows and dragged Xiao Bai's corpse away.
"From this moment on," she declared, "whoever finds a trace of Hun Wugui will become my First Executor."
As soon as the words left her lips, countless eyes hidden in the darkness lit up with a fanatical gleam…
Meanwhile, not far from the Blood Demon's underground palace, a middle-aged man in black sat perched atop a tree branch. He held a gourd in his hand, drinking heavily, so intoxicated he looked like he might fall at any moment.
But his gaze, sharp and deep, lingered whether by chance or design on the direction of the underground palace. No one knew what he was thinking.
Above him, a crimson bat hung upside down, its blood-red eyes glowing with a vicious light…
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