Journey to the head

In October, the Yunshan School adjusted the team sent to Ningzhou to support the battle.

The original combat team was led by two Jindan masters, Lin Le and Wu Yan, with Lin Le in the light and Wu Yan in the dark. Then, there were nine foundation-building masters as the backbone and team leaders, a total of 600 elite Qi-training masters.

After half a year of fighting, this team has been tempered by the flames of war, experienced blood, fire, wind and frost, and their temperament is very different from before, they have undergone a complete transformation.

But at the same time, they also suffered serious damage. After surprise attacks behind enemy lines, frontal battlefield attacks, and positional attack and defense battles, almost everyone is injured. Nearly 150 people have been seriously injured or killed, which is close to a quarter of the total number of people.

This is the pain that must be experienced in growth. If there is no bloodshed now, there will only be greater sacrifices in the future war.

But the Yunshan Sect sent them to Ningzhou to fight in order to train elite troops in actual combat, not to let them die. Now that the losses have reached this level, they are in urgent need of returning to rest.

Therefore, when Lin Le returned this time, he was asked to bring his disciples back with him. The Yunshan Sect once again sent 400 disciples to Ningzhou for the next round of actual combat exercises.

Most of the nine foundation-building masters also returned, and only Jiang Baitao, Xiao Tianci and Wang Ruoyu stayed.

After Li Da and his men arrived in Ningzhou, this new support combat team will be led by Yu Jiao as the Golden Elixir. Li Da will be in charge of all matters. Jiang Baitao, Xiao Tianci, Wang Ruoyu and five other new foundation-building masters will be the backbone, and together they will lead 400 elite Qi-training warriors.

Thus, the Four Heroes of Yunshan reunited on the battlefield of Ningzhou and started a new chapter.

Jade Dragon Immortal looked depressed for a long time because Lu Qian detained his drum and bugle corps and did not allow him to take it to the Ningzhou battlefield.

Yu Jiao Xiaoxian stubbornly believed that without background music, his fighting power would at least drop by 30%. Unfortunately, Lu Qian's fist was bigger, so he had to take office with a bump on his head.

In late October, more than 500 disciples who had gone to Ningzhou returned to Mianlong Mountain.

They were treated like heroes and were not allowed to do anything except rest for a month at Wen Ning Mountain, a sanatorium where hot springs and steam were flowing all over the mountain, which could soothe their bodies and minds.

The corresponding military exploits were counted into generous merit points, and a redemption list designed specifically for this battle had been issued. During the month of recuperation, members of the Mission Church would naturally provide them with spiritual counseling, and their heroic stories would also be compiled into new textbooks.

Unfortunately, more than eighty disciples lost their souls in a foreign land, leaving only their loyal bones to be buried in the Forest of Heroes’ Steles. Only their names and deeds are left for future generations to pay tribute to them.

Among the more than 500 disciples who returned, thirty or forty were physically disabled and their journey was blocked.

If they want to continue practicing, Yunshan Sect will certainly welcome them and will provide them with various conveniences and preferential treatments.

But if they are really discouraged, the Yunshan Sect will arrange them in the territory to serve as the mayor or security chief of a mortal county, where they will enjoy the worship of the people and live a life of luxury and wealth.

In November, Lu Qian convened a meeting of all the factions in the Chongming Alliance and informed them of confidential matters regarding the current confrontation with the Sikong family. It was agreed that each family would provide a golden elixir. First, to guard the triangular cluster of markets. At the same time, there must be one golden elixir in each of the three major markets, and another golden elixir as a mobile force to patrol and prevent the Sikong family from colluding with bandits to cause trouble. Second, to participate in the attack plans of the Lingshou Sect and the Qinglian True Sect.

What is particularly striking is that Qingyuan County's Wu Chongweng and Lianhua Zhenren have both joined the task of patrolling the market town, which is undoubtedly an announcement to the outside world that Qingyuan County has completely turned to the Chongming Alliance.

There are also rumors that Qingyuan County is being considered as an observer member of the Chongming Alliance.

The pressure on Li Yuanzong in Sanshan County was even greater. It was said that Zhenren Ye Guang went into seclusion.

The candidates who will join the Spirit Beast Sect and the Qinglian True Sect in the first surprise attack have also been determined: Wu Yan and Hong Zejun.

This surprise attack, or assassination or sabotage operation, was completely covert and could not be used against anyone by the Sikong family.

If they really get concrete evidence and report it to Miaomiao Xuanjun of Xuanwei Sect, the party caught in the act will definitely be in big trouble.

So it is the same for the Lingshou Sect, Qinglian Zhenzong, Yunshan Sect and the Sikong family. Both sides fight secretly. On the one hand, they want to weaken the other side's manpower and destroy the other side's cultivation resources. On the other hand, they must carefully hide their own identities while trying to reveal the other side's true identity.

To put it bluntly, I know who you are and you know who I am, but I need to prove who you are and you also need to prove who I am.

In this situation, you must ensure that you act decisively and leave no one alive.

In the first round, Yunshan Sect sent Hong Zejun, who had never been encountered by any sect in Cangzhou. He was not only powerful, but also had guaranteed concealment. Wu Yankong's spiritual root secret technique was also untraceable, which was just right for cooperation.

At the same time, Lu Qian also hoped that Wu Yan could take this opportunity to learn more secret techniques from "Taishang Xuanling Zhenhai Shengong" from Hong Zejun.

Wu Yan's cultivation speed was extremely fast, but she relied too much on her spiritual roots and had too few means of attack and defense. She only used the same three tricks over and over again, and was easily at a disadvantage.

Every profession has its specialties. Hong Zejun has not learned the secret techniques in the book "Xuan Gong" except for those unique to his spiritual roots. He has a deep understanding of all other aspects of the technique and can be just the right person to guide Wu Yan.

Hong Zejun was naturally very happy about this. On the one hand, it was a small reward for doing something for the Yunshan Sect. On the other hand, Wu Yan was the host of Yuanpinzhu and the descendant of Jichuan Xuanjun. Even if Yuanpinzhu was unwilling to return to the Ao family, it was still one of their own.

Therefore, he was very dedicated in guiding Wu Yan during this period.

In early December, the first raids began.

In the biting cold wind, two people from the Yunshan Sect, two people from the Qinglian Sect, one person and one beast from the Lingshou Sect, a total of six Jindan fighters, attacked a Jindan cave on an outer spiritual vein of the Sikong family.

The operation went smoothly without any accidents.

Even though this Sikong family Jindan had already reached Jindan perfection, he was no match for the siege of six Jindans.

Killing people, silencing them, and burning mountains.

Before the Sikong family could react, the monks from the three sects had already evacuated far away, leaving no evidence behind.

But on the way back, the cultivators from the Spirit Beast Sect didn’t look too good.

Because the target of this operation was selected by them and the intelligence was also provided by them.

According to the intelligence, the target Jindan should be in the late Jindan stage.

No matter how advanced his cultivation is, it will not affect the outcome of this battle.

But this incident meant that the Spirit Beast Sect’s intelligence was inaccurate, which was a big problem.

It’s not a big deal if it’s not accurate this time, but what about next time?

So when everyone returned to the Valley of Ten Thousand Beasts, Youde Lingjun summoned the Jindan who was in charge of the intelligence, and scolded him in front of the Jindan of Qinglian Zhenzong and Yunshan Sect.

The Jindan felt very aggrieved: "Master, I have the target's file recorded clearly here. He has three spiritual roots and only entered the late Jindan stage a hundred years ago. No matter what, it is impossible for him to reach the perfect Jindan today!"

Several people were stunned for a moment, and Youde Lingjun frowned: "You mean, the target got some kind of opportunity to achieve the Golden Core Perfection in a short period of time?"

Just at this moment, a disciple hurried in to report, and Lord Youde Ling looked up in surprise.

"The Sikong family went to Xuanwei Sect and sued the three of us." "Now Lord Miaomiao Xuan is furious and ordered us to go to Xiyi Mountain immediately."

Everyone present was stunned.

After receiving the news from Huanyin Baoluo, Lu Qian, who was far away on Mianlong Mountain, was also full of questions.

This is the first action!

The Jindan who participated in the operation had just returned to the Valley of Ten Thousand Beasts and had not yet returned to their respective mountain gates, but the Sikong family directly sued the three sects?
So fast?
"Have you exposed your whereabouts?"

"No." Wu Yan on the other side of Baoluo was also very depressed. This first raid failed inexplicably?

"What evidence did you leave behind?"

"Master, the entire dojo was plowed by the Earth Elemental Magic, and then burned with the Bing Ding Spiritual Fire. No traces are left."

Lu Qian frowned slightly. That was quite interesting.

Why did the Sikong family determine that we did it, and why did they file a complaint with the Xuanwei Sect?
No matter what, if Lord Miaomiao Xuan summons me, I can only go to Xiyi Mountain in person, and then I will understand everything.

So Lu Qian boarded the Stepping Clouds and Flowing Clouds Chariot and headed straight for Xiyi Mountain with a few attendants to build their foundations. On the way, he met up with the Spirit Beast Sect and the Qinglian True Sect successively to discuss countermeasures.

Several people were very solemn and had made various preparations. However, when they arrived at Xiyi Mountain, they paid their respects to Miaomiao Xuanjun and met the indignant Kaixuan Lingjun Sikong Sheng. When the two sides confronted each other, they realized that all their preparations were in vain.

The Sikong family has no evidence at all!

I put on all my protective gear and prepared to take the punch, but the other party just gave me the middle finger from a distance!
"What?!" Miaomiao Xuanjun stared at Sikong Sheng in disbelief, "You said this was all your speculation!"

Elder Miaomiao Xuanjun was already confused by the chaos in his sect. After listening to Sikong Sheng's complaint, he became furious and directly summoned the three sects to question them. However, in the end, Sikong Sheng spread his hands and could not produce any actual evidence. It was all his speculation.

"Lord Xuan, who else but them dared to attack and kill my sect's golden elixir and burn my sect's spiritual veins in my Cangzhou!" Sikong Sheng's face was full of indignation and his words were sure, but Lord Yuanxu Ling, Lord Lianyi Ling and Lu Qian were all stunned.

What happened? Did Sikong Sheng become obsessed with martial arts and finally turned his brain into muscles?

You know it was us, even Miaomiao Xuanjun knows it was us, but you have no evidence and you come here to complain, what are you kidding?

"Lord Xuan, they have been colluding with each other over the years to suppress our Sikong family in all aspects. You must know this with your sharp eyes. I didn't expect that they are so arrogant now and directly start to attack and kill our monks! They don't take your order to stop the war seriously at all!" Sikong Sheng continued to scold in the hall.

Lianyi Lingjun dragged out his voice: "Kaixuan Lingjun, you need evidence to speak. If you say so, then the riots in my sect's market, the disappearance of the golden elixir, and the destruction of the Lingshou Sect's Lingshou breeding farm a few days ago, were they done by the Sikong family?"

Lu Qian witnessed a ridiculous argument that was completely unprofessional and stupid, and suddenly felt a headache.

What's going on? Could it be that my inner demon tribulation has arrived early and I am now in a fantasy world?
The two groups had a verbal battle in front of Xuanjun, which finally made Miaomiao Xuanjun, who was already in a bad mood, furious. He punished each of them with fifty lashes of the stick, and then ordered both parties not to cause trouble again, and then left in anger.

After coming out of Xiyi Mountain, Lu Qian still had a strong sense of unreality.

After exchanging a glance with Yuanxu Lingjun and Lianyi Lingjun, the absurdity of this matter became even more obvious.

Is this what the Sikong family wants? A rule that will take effect in the short term at most, and then both sides can fight as they please, with no verbal restrictions on change?

Even if the Sikong family wanted to overturn the table directly, they should have waited until such a bloody attack lasted for a period of time and caused a huge response, and then started a full-scale war to cause Miaomiao Xuanjun to intervene forcibly.

Rather than just verbal constraints like now.

However, due to the unusual behavior of the Sikong family, the three factions decided to postpone the attack and wait and see how the situation develops.

Unexpectedly, in January of the 441st year of Jiashen, something even more surprising happened.

The Sikong family has retreated across the board and given up all external interests!
Just like what Qinglian Zhenzong did back then, they closed themselves off in the mountains and ignored external affairs!

But at that time, the Qinglian Sect had Lianyi Zhenren who was trying his best to overcome the calamity and then fight for power.

What is the Sikong family going to do now?
At that time, the Qinglian True Sect gave up its peripheral interests, but later with the support of the Yunshan Sect and the Lingshou Sect, it still got back most of it.

What about the Sikong family now? Once he gave it up, it would be divided up by the Spiritual Beast Sect, the Qinglian True Sect, and the Yunshan Sect. How could he take it back afterwards? !

"There must be something wrong with Sikong Sheng." In the Valley of Ten Thousand Beasts, the three heads of the sects gathered again. Lu Qian gently put down the teacup, "How long will it take for him to achieve Nascent Soul Perfection?"

Several Spirit Lords were shocked, and then shook their heads.

"Are you worried that he is in seclusion in the mountains in order to sprint to the Yuanshen?" Yuanxu Lingjun waved his hand, "Don't worry, although his cultivation is higher than mine, he still needs at least three hundred years of hard training to reach the perfection of the Yuanying."

"Besides, the tribulation of life and death is so difficult to overcome, otherwise there wouldn't be only one Yuanshen in each state, or even no Yuanshen at all. Can he succeed by secluding himself?"

Yuanxu Lingjun is now also in the late Nascent Soul stage. Although Kaixuan Lingjun Sikongsheng is one step ahead of him, he is not much ahead.

They know each other well, so their judgment on the time must be correct.

There is also the life and death refining of the body, which is a great calamity that everyone in the Nascent Soul stage fears, and it is truly the gates of hell.

It can be said that only one or two out of ten can succeed in the Golden Core Tribulation and the Heart Demon Tribulation, but the success rate of the Life and Death Body Refining is directly reduced several times, so that Yuanshen Xuanjun is the absolute lord of a state, and there are even some states on the mainland that don’t even have Yuanshen.

In other words, the idea of ​​shutting yourself in the mountains, attacking the primordial spirit, and then fighting for the world is absurd.

If this possibility really exists, the first person to be alert should be Miaomiao Xuanjun.

What on earth is the Sikong family thinking? What tricks are they trying to pull?
The ridiculous accusation before seemed to have an explanation, and it had gained the attention of Lord Miaomiao Xuan, all in preparation for the overall retreat at this time.

The Sikong family gave up their peripheral interests, which was a huge piece of cake, and then retreated completely and closed the mountain gate. The Lingshou Sect, Qinglian True Sect and Yunshan Sect can no longer continue to take action under the current environment.

That raid was the first and the last.

No matter how many doubts you have in your heart, you can't just be paranoid and leave the fat meat uneaten.

With suspicion and uneasiness, the Spirit Beast Sect, the Qinglian True Sect and the Yunshan Sect swallowed up the huge market vacated by the Sikong family, and their influence in Cangzhou directly overshadowed that of the Sikong family.

The Sikong family, which had originally been ranked third among the four families, seemed to have suddenly become an inconspicuous existence.

In late January, in the north of Mianlong Mountain, thunder roared and calamity clouds gathered. (End of this chapter)