156: Break the Army! Break the Army!

Seven hundred miles east of Jiuqu Prefecture, the terrain rises abruptly, where a majestic and continuous range of black mountains lies like a giant dragon, cutting across the Gobi Desert.

This is the "Black Iron Mountain Range." The mountain body is not made of ordinary earth and stone, but a strange rock of extremely high density and a dark, iron-like color. It is incredibly hard, and ordinary swords cannot damage it in the slightest.

And Army Breaker Manor is situated right here.

It was not built against the mountain, but rather, the entire main peak, "Iron Spine Mountain," was hollowed out from the inside!

Gazing from afar, Iron Spine Mountain still maintains its natural mountain silhouette, magnificent and steep, piercing straight into the grayish-yellow sky.

Only upon approaching the foot of the mountain can one see the giant portal, ten zhang high and over five zhang wide.

The portal is made neither of wood nor stone, but cast from hundred-refined steel mixed with Black Iron mountain rock. It is a dark and solemn profound black, with ferocious carvings of coiling dragons on its surface. Large, fist-sized deep blue gemstones are embedded in the dragons' eyes, incessantly emitting a cold light day and night, serving as both illumination and a warning. Above the lintel, two huge, dark-gold characters—written with strokes as sharp as spears and axes—read:

Pojun.

An Aura of iron-blooded slaughter and invincibility rushes towards one's face.

Outside the portal, it is not the serene squares or jade steps common to many Sects, but a vast natural grassland.

The soil of the grassland is fertile, nourished by several underground rivers diverted from deep within the mountains. The green grass is lush, stretching for dozens of miles, forming a sharp contrast with the surrounding Gobi.

At this moment, upon the grassland, the sound of hooves is like thunder, and the earth trembles!

Tens of thousands of fine horses are galloping.

These horses are half a head taller than ordinary warhorses, their muscular lines as smooth as cast steel and iron. Their coats are glossy, shimmering with dark red, deep green, or pure black luster under the dim sky.

Most peculiar are their four hooves; as they gallop, faint gray cyclones actually form beneath them, making their speed as fast as the wind and their landing silent, leaving only shallow marks on the grass!

Shadowless Horses!

Rumored to be a rare and exotic species mixed with the Bloodline of the ancient beast "Wind-Chasing Ni," they possess astonishing endurance and peerless speed. They leave no tracks on the sand and can travel three thousand miles in a day with energy to spare.

A single such precious horse would be worth a fortune in the outside world, yet here, there are a full hundred thousand of them, like a moving dark ocean sweeping through the waves of grass, their momentum as grand as thousands of troops charging!

On the periphery and at key nodes of the Shadowless Horse herd, over three hundred riders stand silently.

The riders on horseback are all dressed in standard profound black light armor. The lines of the armor are cold and hard, covering all vital parts of the body. The pauldrons are shaped like ferocious wolf heads, and dark red cloaks flutter loudly in the wind behind them.

Each person wears a saber at their waist, carries a longbow on their back, and holds a twelve-foot-long Ink-Iron Steel-Tipped Spear in their hand, the cold light at the tip remaining concentrated.

They are as silent as statues cast from iron and stone, with only their eyes occasionally scanning the herd, sharp as hawks, carrying a cold Evil Qi tempered by years of slaughter.

As their Auras spread and connect with one another, an invisible iron-blooded cloud of Evil Qi forms above the troop, with the faint echoes of clashing weapons and galloping horses.

At the very least, they are in the Jiaojin Realm!

These are the Pojun Guards, the basic combat soldiers of Army Breaker Manor.

They are not the core true Disciples of the Manor, but the best among the outer gate or Named Disciples, selected through layers of screening and rigorous training to specialize in protection, patrol, and warfare.

The Aura emitted by just these three hundred-odd riders is enough to make ordinary small Sects collapse at the first sign of them.

Passing beyond the galloping horses and the solemn cavalry, one's gaze turns inside the giant steel portal.

Upon first entering the portal, there is an incredibly wide, upward-sloping corridor, both over ten zhang in height and width. The rock walls on both sides have been polished as smooth as mirrors and are embedded with countless "Fluorescent Glowstones" that emit a steady white light, illuminating the passage as bright as day.

The corridor can accommodate ten riders abreast. The ground is paved with heavy bluish-black stone slabs, covered with deep marks from years of horse hooves and footsteps.

After traveling several miles, the view suddenly opens up.

Hidden within the mountain's belly is actually a city!

The scale of this mountain-core city is staggering, roughly estimated to be several miles in both length and width. The top is not completely enclosed; through some ingenious craftsmanship, dozens of giant "skylights" have been carved out and fitted with some kind of transparent glass or crystal, bringing in natural light from the outside. Although not as bright as the outdoors, it is sufficient for visibility, and the light is soft, lending a sense of solemnity.

The city layout is square, with wide streets crisscrossing, centered around a thirty-zhang-high black metal tower that radiates outward. This giant tower is the "Pojun Tower," the center of power and the site of the Legacy for Army Breaker Manor.

Along the streets, there are not only halls, alchemy rooms, and equipment pavilions needed for Cultivation, but more often residences, shops, workshops, schools, and clinics... it is like a fully functional small society. The houses are mostly of stone and wood construction, with a rugged and sturdy style; though not luxurious, they are neat and orderly.

Pedestrians come and go on the streets, including men, women, young, and old. Their clothes are simple but clean, and most of their expressions carry a tenacity characteristic of border people, as well as the tranquility of being under the protection of Army Breaker Manor.

The vast majority of these people are the relatives and families of Army Breaker Manor Disciples.

Established here, the Disciples of Army Breaker Manor fight year-round against wind and sand, Yao Beasts, barbarian tribes, and various dangerous environments, making casualties inevitable.

To put the Disciples' minds at ease and gather their ultimate loyalty, the first Manor Lord established a rule: anyone officially recruited by Army Breaker Manor, whether from the inner or outer gate, can have their direct relatives move into the mountain-core city to live under the Manor's protection, free from the suffering of war and displacement in the outside world.

Within the Manor, there are schools to teach children basic literacy and martial arts, and workshops and shops to provide livelihoods, forming an internal cycle.

Over hundreds of years, this mountain-core city has grown to a population of over a million, becoming the most solid human Foundation and spiritual bond of Army Breaker Manor.

Many children grow up here from a young age, and through what they see and hear, they develop a strong sense of belonging to Army Breaker Manor. Most choose to join the Manor upon reaching adulthood, passing it down through generations.

Throughout the city, small Training Grounds can be seen where youths shout while practicing their punches; there are smelting workshops where the furnace fire glows red and the clanging never stops; there are medicinal fields utilizing specific areas of the mountain belly to Cultivate shade-tolerant herbs; and there are even livestock pens for small animals suitable for indoor rearing.

The entire mountain-core city is like a giant beehive, operating in an orderly and vibrant manner under the protection of steel and rock, supporting that Pojun iron cavalry outside with its soaring Evil Qi... At this time, in the western district of the city, within a relatively independent complex of bluestone halls.

This is where the Outer Hall of Deacons is located, responsible for handling a large number of peripheral affairs for Army Breaker Manor.

Inside one of the meeting halls, the furnace fire is burning brightly, dispelling a hint of cold from the depths of the mountain.

Seated at the head is an old man wearing a dark purple robe embroidered with silver sword patterns. His face is ruddy, but his hair and beard are already silvery-white. His eyes flash with a sharp light as they open and close, commanding respect without needing to be angry.

He is one of the nine Elders of the outer gate, Thunder Shakes the Mountain, specializing in intelligence and fugitive apprehension for several neighboring prefectures.

He is currently holding a Jade Slip as thin as a cicada's wing against his forehead, his Divine Sense scanning the information within.

The Jade Slip was just sent from Jiuqu Prefecture through a specific transmission formation, coming from the deputy commander stationed there, Ling Feng.

A moment later, Thunder Shakes the Mountain put down the Jade Slip and snorted coldly, his voice rolling through the hall like muffled thunder.

"White Lotus Sect... those lingering bedbugs! They have the audacity to create a bloodbath at the Martial Examination ceremony and almost harmed a talent that my Army Breaker Manor had our eyes on!"

Cold light shot from his eyes, scanning the two black-clad deacons standing respectfully below like cold electricity.

"Ling Feng reports that Jiuqu Prefecture has already defeated the rioters on the spot, but some remnants are still at large, suspected to be fleeing toward the northwest wilderness, possibly connecting with certain hidden outposts in our northern border. This matter involves provoking the imperial laws, harming new blood of the martial Dao, and may even endanger the stability of the northern border. My Army Breaker Manor cannot sit idly by."

Thunder Shakes the Mountain's tone suddenly became sharp as he issued the order:

"Pass the order: Have Yan Shuo, captain of the third squad of the 'Iron Wolf Cavalry,' assemble forty elite riders and set out immediately! Using the clues provided by Jiuqu Prefecture as a lead, search for me! Track down the remnants of the White Lotus Sect, paying particular attention to the Gobi, barren mountains, and abandoned ancient cities bordering our territory. Once discovered, there is no need to report—kill them on the spot! If there is resistance or suspected outposts, the use of 'Qi-Breaking Crossbows' is permitted! You must thoroughly crush the arrogance of these bedbugs for me!"

"Yes! We respectfully obey the Elder's decree!" The two deacons cupped their fists solemnly and quickly turned to go out and pass the order.

In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the giant steel portal of the mountain-core city swung open once again.

Forty riders of the black-armored Pojun Guard surged out like a black torrent. The captain at the head, Yan Shuo, had a face as cold and sharp as if carved by a knife, and his Aura had already reached the Late Stage of the Jiaojin Realm.

He pointed his long spear forward and shouted in a low voice:

"Iron Wolf Third Squad, follow me to trample the wilderness and slay the Prodigies!"

"Yes!" the forty men responded in unison, their voices shaking the mountains and fields.

The Shadowless Horses beneath them neighed together, cyclones surging under their hooves. In the next moment, the entire troop turned into a blurred black shadow, sweeping across the grassland and charging into the depths of the dim and vast Gobi in the distance, leaving only rolling dust and a lingering Aura of slaughter.

Inside the mountain belly, Elder Thunder Shakes the Mountain stood on the high steps of the Hall of Deacons, his gaze seemingly piercing through layers of rock walls toward the northwest, his tone icy:

"A few bedbugs from the gutters dare to make waves? They're looking for death."