Patrol Captain

The day after the Yundingshan Daofusi issued an invitation to attend the seal-granting ceremony.

Chengdu is experiencing a surge in new arrivals.

Upon receiving the news, heroes from all over Sichuan rushed here day and night, their horses galloping at breakneck speed.

However, this lively atmosphere was tinged with a sense of unease.

Many of the members of various factions who entered the city were covered in blood and had unfriendly expressions. Meanwhile, troops were patrolling the area 300 miles outside Chengdu, clearing out any dangerous elements outside the city according to wartime standards.

"I heard that the people from the Magpie Blade Sect were ambushed by demons on their way here, suffering heavy casualties, including the death of the deputy sect leader."

"What's so bad about that? I heard that the Hundred Swords Manor at Jianmen Pass was attacked on the way, and all the disciples they sent to observe the ceremony were wiped out. It was really tragic."

"That's not all. I heard that demonic chaos has broken out in various prefectures recently, and most of the people have been involved. It seems that the demons are trying to disrupt the ceremony and prevent our Martial Saint General from heading south to send troops."

"Hush, don't you understand now that demons attacked various caravans in the city center the other day?"

"This is outrageous! I wish I could kill those beasts."

"We must send troops. The more rampant the demons are, the more it shows that these beasts are afraid. We must support Chen Wusheng, send troops south, and have a great battle with the demons."

Count me in.

"Me too!"

"."

In the teahouses and taverns on the streets and alleys, people were talking about what they had seen and heard in the past two days. From the snippets of conversation, it could be heard that the demon race was lurking behind various prefectures and carrying out sabotage activities, stirring up chaos. Many disciples from various sects who came to attend the ceremony were attacked and killed by demons, causing a bloody storm.

That afternoon, in front of the gate of Yun Mansion in Fanyangfang.

Yun Chuxiong, the head of the Yun family, Yun Fangting, the eldest son of the family, and several other heads of the families stood at the door and came out to greet them.

At the entrance, a group of people appeared at the gate of the Yun residence.

This group split into two factions.

The group consisted entirely of women dressed in white, their robes fluttering in the wind, colorful ribbons tied around their waists dancing in the breeze. Each woman had a beautiful face and a graceful figure, their eyes and brows displaying either a charming, sharp, or lively expression. They carried three-foot-long swords on their backs. Leading them was a voluptuous woman with a cold and aloof demeanor.

One group consisted of disciples with flowing robes, wearing jade crowns, and black gauze robes with a small golden sword embroidered on their cuffs. The leader was a man with completely white hair, a withered face, and dressed in gray, but his eyes still faintly revealed the sharpness of his past. Standing next to him was a young disciple whose inner shirt collar was embroidered with gold thread.

"Brother Qingyang!"

Upon seeing the man with completely white hair, Yun Chuxiong exclaimed and quickly descended the steps to greet him, his face filled with emotion.

The man before him was none other than Qingyangzi of the Shushan Sword Sect, with whom he had fought side by side in the past. Once renowned as one of the "Seven Heroes of Weiyuan" throughout the entire Shu region, he now had completely white hair, his cultivation gone, and had become like this, causing Yun Chuxiong to sigh with regret.

Since the incident, this friend has been staying at home in Shushan, seemingly wanting to escape the world. I never expected him to come today.

He wanted to say something, but he didn't know what to say.

But when Qingyangzi smiled, his thick-lidded eyes...

"Brother Yun, does this mean you don't welcome me?" "Brother Qingyang, what are you saying? I just never expected you to come. If you had informed me in advance, that would have been so much better."

Yun Chuxiong spoke from the heart.

"Although I am now old and frail, I still care about the front lines. So I dragged my useless body here to meet you all."

"There are too many people in the villas on the mountain. I thought that your Yun family should have a place, so I brought people here."

Qingyangzi showed no signs of melancholy or sorrow, but rather a sense of enlightened detachment.

Ji Wuming, the chief disciple standing nearby, seemed to have some tears in his eyes and turned his face away.

Yun Chuxiong sighed inwardly, but smiled on his face.
"Haha, it's my honor, it's my honor! Please come in."

As he spoke, he turned his head to greet the voluptuous woman beside him and gestured for her to come in, "Sect Leader An, we're all old acquaintances, so let's not stand on ceremony, please come in."

They were indeed old acquaintances. The group next to them was from the Su Nu Sword Sect, and they were all familiar faces.

Master An nodded with a slight smile.

Thus, Yun Chuxiong welcomed the group from Shu Mountain and Su Nu Sword Sect into the Yun Mansion.

"Quickly find someone to make arrangements. These are all distinguished guests of the Yun family, and they must not be neglected."

About a cup of tea later.

In Yun Chuxiong's own study, Yun Chuxiong, Sect Leader An, and Qingyangzi had a small gathering.

"Did you encounter any trouble when you arrived?" Yun Chuxiong asked.

"No, we received a warning. Things have been unsettled lately; demons are attacking everywhere. Our two sects are close by, so we agreed to come together. We're being cautious and taking a relatively safe route," Sect Leader An said, then added with some concern.
"On our way here, we received news that two days ago, a large number of demons appeared in the city's bustling area and attacked convoys of donated supplies, causing considerable casualties. Patriarch Yun, we heard that the Yun family was the instigator. Is there any problem?"

Upon hearing this, Yun Chuxiong's expression turned somewhat gloomy, and he sighed.

"Thank you for your concern. Several members of my Yun family were indeed injured in this incident, but not seriously. In comparison, the casualties of each family are considerable. Most importantly, the supplies we raised and donated to the soldiers going to the front lines have suffered a lot of damage. These demons deliberately targeted these supplies, causing irreparable losses in a short period of time."

When Yun Chuxiong spoke of these things, he was filled with resentment and anger.

"I, Yun, am sorry for General Chen!"

"Although General Chen didn't say anything, I'm worried that this incident might lead him to order preparations for the investiture ceremony and send troops ahead of schedule. As far as I know, there's still a significant shortage of provisions and military equipment. I'm afraid..." He trailed off, then sighed deeply.

"At that time, I, Yun Chuxiong, will truly become a sinner for all eternity!" His face was filled with worry.

Seeing his state, the other two quickly tried to persuade him:
"This has nothing to do with Patriarch Yun. This is a scheme orchestrated by demons. It's obvious at a glance. With a major battle looming, both sides are making their final preparations. These demons are determined to stop us and weaken our strength."

Sect Leader An continued, his brow furrowing, "I wonder if there are any clues about the culprit behind this?"

Yun Chuxiong shook his head. "After the incident, my Yun family mobilized all our intelligence networks, and other families also conducted their own investigations, but we still couldn't find a clue. Moreover, General Chen of Yunding Mountain didn't make any moves either. It was only on the night this incident occurred that Yunding Mountain announced the news of the grand ceremony of bestowing the seal."

"I'm afraid the same thing will happen again at the grand ceremony tomorrow!" (End of Chapter)