97: Going into the mountains
Li Chenguang stood in the air, looking down at the crowd below from his high vantage point.
He wore the purple robe of the Ziyang Immortal Sect, with golden sun wheel patterns embroidered on the hem. His wide sleeves billowed slightly in the mountain wind.
His face was expressionless, his gaze sweeping over the crowd as if looking at a group of walking tools.
The Disciple beside him held a wooden box filled with dark green jade plaques.
"One for each person."
Li Chenguang spoke, "Drip blood to claim ownership."
With a wave of his sleeve, hundreds of jade plaques swarmed out of the wooden box and landed in front of everyone.
The Demon Suppression Envoys grabbed the jade plaques quickly; no one dared to linger.
Jiang Xun took the thumb-sized jade plaque. Its surface was carved with fine patterns and felt slightly bumpy to the touch.
Once everyone had received theirs, Li Chenguang continued:
"The jade plaques will record your position and status. Those who leave the mountain or abandon their plaques will be charged with treason."
A suppressed commotion rose from the crowd.
treason was one of the heaviest crimes in the Great Tang Law, involving the execution of one's entire clan.
Someone couldn't help but speak up: "Elder, what should we do if we really encounter that demonic cultivator?"
The question came from a young Demon Suppression Envoy.
The Disciple next to Li Chenguang replied:
"That demonic cultivator has been heavily wounded by my Revered Master and is now nothing more than a cornered beast."
"If any of you find a trace, you only need to hold them off for a few breaths, and my Revered Master will arrive instantly."
"A few breaths?"
Someone in the crowd lost their voice, "That's a Golden Core! Even if they're heavily injured, they're still a Golden Core. We're only at Qi Refining; in a single encounter, we'd..."
He didn't finish, but everyone present understood.
The gap between Golden Core and Qi Refining was more than just a little bit.
Never mind being heavily injured; even if they only had one breath left, crushing a few Qi Refining cultivators would be like crushing ants.
Li Chenguang's eyes sharpened.
An invisible pressure was released.
The three hundred-plus Demon Suppression Envoys present groaned in unison. Their chests felt as if they had been struck by a heavy hammer, breathing became difficult, and cold sweat instantly soaked their backs.
A few with weaker cultivation almost collapsed to their knees.
The Spiritual Pressure of a Golden Core Cultivator, even when deliberately restrained, was still suffocating.
Jiang Xun stood at the edge of the crowd, showing no reaction.
The ice phoenix bone inside him turned slightly cool, neutralizing the pressure.
But he still pretended to be like the others.
Not only did his legs go weak, but he also gasped for breath.
"As Demon Suppression Envoys,"
Li Chenguang spoke slowly, his voice carrying undisguised indifference.
"It is your duty to eliminate demons and defend the Dao. The imperial court has supported you all these years; now that it's time to be useful, you've started making a racket?"
His questioning voice rang in everyone's ears.
But the crowd was still indignant.
Eliminating demons and defending the Dao had to be a fair match! What kind of Qi Refining minor cultivator goes to fight a Golden Core boss?
This wasn't some minor demon or ghost.
Something that could be swarmed by sheer numbers.
But no one dared to respond.
The crowd, which had been quite noisy just a moment ago, suddenly went silent.
It was as if a mute button had been pressed.
Ultimately, in front of a Golden Core Cultivator, no one dared to act out.
Even if they had grievances, they had to bottle them up.
Another Disciple beside Li Chenguang spoke at the right moment:
"Drip blood into the plaque. Once activated, rest on your own. Tomorrow at the Mao hour, enter the mountain according to the designated areas."
Everyone did as they were told in silence.
Jiang Xun squeezed a drop of blood from his fingertip onto the surface of the jade plaque.
The moment the blood touched the jade plaque, it was quickly absorbed.
Immediately after, the jade plaque emitted a faint green glow that lasted for two breaths before fading completely.
Around him, similar green lights flickered frequently.
Like fireflies rising from the grass on a summer night, flickering in and out.
A few breaths later, all the lights dimmed.
Li Chenguang glanced over, and after confirming everything was correct, he didn't stay.
His figure flickered as he transformed into a purple light, soaring into the sky and disappearing into the twilight.
Leaving behind four Ziyang Immortal Sect Disciples, who scattered to the four corners of the clearing, sat cross-legged, and closed their eyes to rest.
Jiang Xun left the crowd and walked deeper into the woods.
Zhao Xu followed.
The two of them, one after the other, passed through a patch of shrubs.
Jiang Xun found an old pine tree with thick branches. About two zhang off the ground, there was a horizontal branch wide enough for someone to lie on.
He leaped up, lay down, and closed his eyes.
Zhao Xu stood under the tree for a moment, then chose a nearby tree to jump onto, lying down just as he had.
The branches shook a few times, and leaves rustled down.
"Daoist Friend Jiang," Zhao Xu turned his head, "When we enter the mountain tomorrow, let's team up so we can look out for each other."
Jiang Xun didn't open his eyes. "Why aren't you looking for Lord Wei?"
Zhao Xu gave a self-deprecating laugh:
"Lord Wei already found his people, all of whom have similar cultivation and are close to him. Someone like me isn't worth his notice."
"You've worked together for so long; your relationship shouldn't be shallow, right?" Jiang Xun said.
"He won't even give you that much care?"
"The relationship for eating and drinking is indeed good."
Zhao Xu waved his hand, his voice dropping lower, "Who can look out for whom now? If they don't stab you in the back, it's considered honorable."
Jiang Xun was silent for a moment.
"Let's get this straight," he said in a flat voice. "If we really encounter that demonic cultivator, I won't save you. It's every man for himself."
Zhao Xu smiled. "If I'm really that unlucky, I can't blame anyone."
After nightfall, dozens of bonfires were lit in the clearing in the woods.
The flames flickered, reflecting uneasy faces.
The Demon Suppression Envoys gathered in small groups, whispering to discuss their strategies.
How to hide, how to send signals, how to stay alive.
But no one mentioned running away.
The deterrent of treason was too great.
If you fled, not only would you die, but your entire family would be buried with you.
In comparison, although searching the mountain was dangerous, there was at least a chance of survival.
What if the demonic cultivator didn't bump into them? What if someone else found him first?
Ultimately, it was down to luck.
Jiang Xun lay on the tree, listening to the faint conversations below, his eyes looking at the gaps in the canopy above.
In the night sky, the moon was obscured by dark clouds, occasionally casting a patch of dismal cold light.
Zhao Xu tossed and turned on the nearby tree, the branches creaking.
"Can't sleep?" Jiang Xun asked.
"It'd be a miracle if I could," Zhao Xu smiled bitterly. "Brother Jiang, aren't you afraid at all?"
Jiang Xun didn't answer... By the Mao hour the next day, the sky was already bright.
Everyone entered the mountain in batches according to the area divisions shown on their jade plaques.
There was no stirring mobilization, only silent dispersal.
Figures operated various low-grade flying Magical Artifacts.
paper cranes, wooden kites, flying shuttles, and small boats like Wei Tuo's flew sparsely toward the depths of Musong Mountain.
Like a flock of chickens and ducks being driven into a cage.
Li Chenguang stood inside a Flying Boat suspended above the clouds.
An unfolded scroll hung before him.
It was a topographical map of Musong Mountain, with hundreds of green light spots densely distributed across it, moving slowly.
Most of the light spots were heading deep into the mountain forest, moving quickly as if trying to find a hiding place as soon as possible.
Only a few light spots moved sluggishly, or even barely moved at all.
Li Chenguang's gaze lingered on a certain stationary light spot before looking at the others...