This place is fun

Chapter 194 Premonition
In the mountains and forests.

Elder Guan Canyang of the Haojie Sect stood atop a small hill, quietly gazing at Beizi Town in the distance.

The town is situated on a narrow plain nestled among hills. Upstream to the west, a small river flows from the north of the town and empties into Lake Beiming to the east.

The morning mist had dissipated, but the sky remained overcast. The sunlight seemed veiled by a thin layer, making it feel cold. A chilly wind swept through the forest, adding to the desolate atmosphere.

At this moment, Beizi Town appears tense and busy. Especially from yesterday to today, with the surrounding troops and sect warriors retreating into the town, the entire town has become an armed hedgehog.

As far as the eye could see, whether it was the guards stationed at the transit station, the martial artists from various sects, or the guards of passing caravans, they were all organized into small teams, either guarding the perimeter or patrolling along the streets.

Almost every half hour, one or two scout teams would ride out of the town to investigate the situation in all directions. Occasionally, assault teams composed of dozens of sect experts would also ride out of the town to clear out the surrounding Mad Puppets and bring back any Fire Army troops or sect teams that had escaped to the vicinity.

Although the whole town seemed somewhat chaotic, these actions showed that the organizers in the town were quite organized.

"Currently, the one chosen to take charge is Zhao Dingxin, the deputy commander of the Sixth Battalion of the Blazing Fire Army. This battalion is stationed in Liuxianghe Town to the north, and Zhao Dingxin was originally leading two battalions southward along the trade route to carry out a mopping-up operation. Yesterday, seeing the situation was unfavorable, he promptly led his troops to retreat to Beizi Town. He is an experienced, mature, and prudent man..."

Guan Canyang heard the voice of the steward Pang Jiming. He turned his head, nodded, and gestured for the other to continue.

Pang Jiming said, "...The other one is Wang Li, an inner elder of Hongzhao Palace. Hongzhao Palace is one of the three major sects in Xiazhou, and it is the natural leader among the sects gathered in Beizi Town. Wang Li has the strength of a fourth-rank cultivator. He is also kind and benevolent, making him the perfect person to command the sect's martial artists and assist Zhao Dingxin."

“Wang Li…” Guan Canyang, hands behind his back, chewed on the name, a hint of sallowness creeping across his expressionless face. “Besides him, how many other fourth-rank martial artists are there?”

“Two,” Pang Jiming said. “One is also from the Red Illumination Palace, named Liu Xiangyi. The other is named Qin Guihong, who just arrived today. He is the Demon Hunter Flag Leader of the Northern Regiment of the Blazing Fire Army.”

Pang Jiming flipped through a booklet in his hand: "Besides that, there are six more of the fifth rank."

"Hmm." Guan Canyang nodded, his eyes closed, seemingly lost in thought. After a moment, he opened his eyes, turned, and walked towards the other side of the hill.

Pang Jiming quickly followed behind him.

On the other side of the hill was a valley. Since then, it had been filled with roars, screams, and the clang of metal. Now, these sounds had gradually subsided, with only occasional muffled groans and neighing of horses remaining.

Reaching the edge of the cliff, I looked down and saw that the valley below was a river of blood. Hundreds of corpses lay scattered haphazardly across the narrow valley floor, weapons were strewn everywhere, and horses lay dead.

Human blood and horse blood flowed from beneath the corpses, pooling together to form a shocking red stream.

Pang Jiming looked on expressionlessly.

The dead came from two groups. One was a merchant caravan from Chongguang City, which included a dozen or so fellow warriors from the Lei Yun Sect and Qi Ling Sect. The other was a large remnant unit of a Bing-class battalion of the Lie Huo Army.

Two teams, attacked in different locations, were driven here. Like two flocks of lambs to the slaughterhouse... The demonic warriors who attacked were now covered in blood, still steaming. They were finishing off the victims while looting their belongings. Judging from their cursing and swearing, there wasn't much of value to be found.

At both ends of the valley were thousands of refugees and bandits.

These guys, who were just two days ago being chased around by the Blazing Fire Army and the righteous sects, are now dressed in rags, their faces filled with greed as they stare intently at the corpses in the valley. They look like a pack of hyenas waiting to snatch a piece of their prey from the jaws of a pride of lions.

Pang Jiming's gaze swept into the distance, landing on the group of people surrounded by the "hyenas." The Ten Thousand Demons Sect, the Blood Sea Gang, the Five Fiends Hall, the Yongle Society… all were local tyrants in the Northwest region. Six or seven out of ten of the refugee camps and bandit groups scattered across the wilderness and ruins here were inextricably linked to them.

Pang Jiming's gaze continued forward. On a small hill a hundred meters away, stood four masked people.

"Elder Guan, these few from the Criminal Investigation Bureau..." Pang Jiming frowned, about to say something, when he saw Guan Canyang close his eyes, cup his hands, left hand up and right hand down, making a hand seal for a martial arts technique.

Pang Jiming immediately shut his mouth, not daring to breathe.

The next second, Guan Canyang took a deep breath. His abdomen swelled up, and the air in the valley seemed to be sucked out instantly, creating a sudden gust of wind. Then, a visible crimson mist of blood rose up abruptly, as if being peeled from the bloodstream by an invisible force.

The blood mist grew denser and thicker, gathering around Guan Canyang and enveloping him completely.

"The Heaven-Devouring Creation Technique".

Inside and outside the valley, the demonic cultivators couldn't help but show expressions of envy and awe.

This technique was originally a secret art of a demonic sect called the Blood Nether Sect from the old era. It was famous for enhancing one's strength by absorbing the life force of animals or others.

Although the Blood Nether Sect was classified as a demonic sect back then, absorbing the blood and qi of animals or others was merely an auxiliary method, not the main path to cultivating their techniques. The true Devouring Heaven Creation Technique still required one to improve step by step on their own.

However, after the cataclysmic apocalypse, as many demonic cultivators defected to the Netherworld Clan, this demonic art was transformed into a true demonic art through the joint efforts of the demonic cultivators and the Netherworld Clan.

The more people you kill, the more blood energy you absorb, the faster your demonic skills improve, and the more domineering your techniques become!

A full quarter of an hour later, the condensed blood mist had been absorbed into Guan Canyang's body along with his hand seals. In an instant, his entire body appeared as if it were stained red with blood. His blood and qi surged throughout his body, and the intense blood stench and the scorching heat, like the blazing sun, forced Pang Jiming to retreat a full five meters away.

A few minutes later, the crimson on Guan Canyang's skin faded, leaving only two eerie red patches from his cheekbones to the corners of his eyes, as if he were drunk.

He finished his work with satisfaction, turned to look at Pang Jiming, glanced at the group of people on the distant hilltop, and then slowly said, "Don't worry about them... This isn't the first time something like this has happened. Since those guys from the Ten Thousand Demons Sect took their money, they naturally have to do their bidding. We don't need to be too harsh on them."

“I’m worried about affecting the plan…” Pang Jiming said, “After all, there are quite a few experts in Beizi Town, and this place is located in the heart of the territory controlled by the Blazing Fire Army…”

Guan Canyang patted Pang Jiming on the shoulder, and with a flick of his wrist, a blood-red bone whistle appeared in his palm.

Pang Jiming's pupils suddenly dilated.

"The sect has been preparing for so long, so how could they not have made preparations now that they've started?" Guan Canyang said calmly, toying with the bone whistle. "I want to see how many men they can fill here once the battles in Wen'an City and Kelenburg begin..."

******
Beizi Town.

Su Daoshan stood on the rooftop platform of the post station, his hands tucked into his sleeves, gazing at the mountains and forests outside the town.

The entire town was bustling with activity. Craftsmen were hammering and hammering away, using stones and logs to reinforce and raise the earthen walls that formed the outermost perimeter of the town. Some horse-drawn carts loaded with stones and mud were also lined up end to end behind them, forming a maze-like second line of defense along with the long-abandoned ruins.

As for the many houses on the hillside or outside the town, they had all been demolished. The timber and stone salvaged were then used by the officers to build fortifications to defend against and divide the mad puppets. Walls were built here, pits were dug there, traps were set here, and firewood was piled up there…

Disciples from all the major sects gathered in the town had been dispatched. Just now, Zhu Lanlan, Qi Haisheng, and others from Hongzhao Palace had passed by Su Daoshan with a patrol team.

Compared to the others, Su Daoshan seemed rather idle.

The task assigned to him and Song Xier by the elders of Hongzhao Palace was to stay obediently in the post station so that they could find them at any time—to put it bluntly, if there was any danger, they could be pulled away immediately.

Su Daoshan naturally had no objection to this. He wasn't some stubborn fool who insisted on being at the forefront, fighting to the death. His life motto was to slack off when he could, and to take it easy when he could.

Of course, as an upright bookworm, he had to argue his case. Although he ultimately failed to obtain permission from the elders of Hongzhao Palace, despite Song Xi'er's subtle disapproval, Su Daoshan gained more admiration from the eyes of Liu Hua and other disciples.

Junior Brother Su is indeed a chivalrous, upright, and selfless person.

However, although he was safe, for some reason, Su Daoshan felt a strange, inexplicable, yet almost instinctive, palpitation today. This feeling was something he hadn't experienced even when encountering the Mi family, the Netherworld Demon, or the demonic watchman Feng Chao. This kept Su Daoshan uneasy.

In fact, the news of Xiang Yuxi's death, followed by reports from scouts who went out to investigate, only deepened this sense of unease.

According to the scouts, many places in the surrounding area are littered with corpses.

The caravans and militia transport teams suffered the heaviest casualties. Because the situation began to deteriorate yesterday, these caravans, which had departed from Yishan City or Chongguang City earlier, simply didn't have time to turn back. Coupled with their slow speed, they became prey for the demonic cultivators.

Along the routes explored by the scouts, looted wagons were scattered everywhere, and bloodstains and mutilated limbs were everywhere on the roads, in the woods, and in the grass. The scene was horrific.

The Ten Thousand Demons Sect, the Eternal Joy Society, the Black Thorn Gang, the Blood Sea Gang, the Five Fiends Hall... all the demonic sects that used to dominate the Northwest, killing without hesitation and ruling the wilderness, have suddenly appeared.

Meanwhile, the number of mad puppets outside the town was also increasing. Although the town organized several groups of people to clear them out, the furthest they could reach was only seven or eight miles.

Those who went out and returned all said that they couldn't go any further. More and more mad puppets, bandits, and demonic cultivators, like seaweed at the bottom of a lake, had suddenly and densely entangled themselves around them.

If it weren't for everyone's caution, mutual support, and cooperation, several teams would have been trapped in the encirclement and wouldn't have been able to get back.

"What are you thinking about?" Song Xier's voice came from beside my ear.

Su Daoshan turned his head and saw that she had walked up to him at some point.

“Look at Beizi Town now, doesn’t it look like a cage?” Su Daoshan gazed at the undulating mountains in the distance. “We are the prey that has been driven into the cage.”

Song Xier followed his gaze and comforted him, "Don't worry too much. There are quite a few experts in our town. Besides the three senior uncles from Hongzhao Palace, there's Elder Liu from the Golden Bull Gang, Elder Zhang from the Jade Dragon Gate of Xijun, and Mr. Han the Second from the Han family of Xisai City..."

After listing several powerful figures in the town, Song Xi'er said, "Those demonic cultivators are just passing through. They might ravage the surrounding area, but if they target this place, they'll surely suffer heavy losses. Besides, this is the rear, and reinforcements from all sides can arrive very quickly. They might not be willing to attack here."

“I’ve thought about these things too,” Su Daoshan said, frowning. “But for some reason, I always have a bad feeling, like… it’s like I’m being watched by something.”

Song Xier was taken aback by his words, then turned her head with a serious expression: "When did this happen?"

Su Daoshan pondered for a moment and said, "It should have appeared about two hours ago after I heard that Xiang Yuxi had been attacked and killed, and the feeling has been getting stronger and stronger."

Song Xier stared at Su Daoshan, biting her lip, and remained silent for a long time.

"What's wrong?" Su Daoshan asked.

Song Xi'er hesitated for a while before speaking with a solemn expression: "You are a scholar, and since you have such a premonition, it is better to believe it than not. We should probably think of a way to make some preparations in advance."

If anyone else had said such things, Song Xier wouldn't have taken it to heart. But Su Daoshan was different.

Because Su Daoshan was a scholar-official. And among the three paths of this extraordinary profession, the core of the reading path is extraordinary insight.

This is the ability to see through details and understand the big picture from small things. It is also the ability to see through the fog and see the sun through the clouds. It is also a keen intuition and the ability to anticipate the enemy's moves.

The higher one's level of understanding, the stronger one's insight.

As far as Song Xier knew, once reading was taken to its extreme, the reader would not only have the ability to make predictions and reactions in the current battle, but their vision would even transcend time and space and see into the future.

That's the power of a prophet!

Rationally speaking, Song Xier knew that Su Daoshan was just a novice who had just stepped into the Spirit Realm. To talk about prophecy was truly absurd. But what she knew even more clearly was how terrifying this guy's literary spiritual root talent and literary cultivation were.

Song Xier had to take this person's intuition seriously.

"Prepare?" Su Daoshan felt increasingly agitated. That inexplicable sense of crisis was almost tangible, like needles pricking his brow. "How can I prepare?"

Su Daoshan had carefully calculated his own strength. With the physique of an extraordinary martial artist, coupled with the Cold Valley martial arts he had cultivated and the three dragon lanterns he had lit, he could contend with, and even defeat, a peak seventh-grade martial artist in a head-on fight, bare-handed.

Furthermore, if he were to combine the villain in his possession with the [Mist Dispersion], he would have at least a 60% success rate in killing an ordinary mid-level sixth-rank martial artist through a surprise attack.

In environments like nighttime, dust storms, or dense fog, the success rate increases significantly. Even if you can't win, you can still escape.

But that's basically the limit.

Beyond this level, let alone a fifth-grade expert, or even a powerful sixth-grade extraordinary expert like Feng Chao, even if it were just a sixth-grade extraordinary expert like Pan Gang or Wen Yilan, I wouldn't be a match for them.

Of course, he also had a puppet hook card among his trump cards. But Su Daoshan himself wasn't sure what role it would play.

Moreover, in a large-scale battle, individual strength is too insignificant. Forget about seventh or sixth rank masters, even a third-rank grandmaster could be overwhelmed by sheer numbers!
Song Xier frowned and thought for a moment, then looked around and quickly tore off the red ribbon and handed it to Su Daoshan: "Tie it on."

The girl stretched out her hand, her beauty changing from aloof to alluring, and her figure from tall to curvaceous and fiery.

Seeing Su Daoshan momentarily stunned, Song Xier simply walked behind him, stood on tiptoe, and while tying the hair into his bun, said, "Don't forget, I'm the enchantress of the Polar Star Sect. I can't save others, but we still have a chance to sneak out..."

Su Daoshan immediately realized what was happening, feeling both surprised and delighted. How could he have forgotten about this?

As she spoke, Song Xier had already tied the red ribbon to Su Daoshan's hair bun and then covered it with a headscarf.

Su Daoshan felt a slight dizziness in his brain, and then he sensed the intention from the red rope.

The red ribbon's influence is not strong, and it doesn't bring much mental pollution or negative emotions. It's worlds apart from the puppet-like cards, or even from the villains.

Su Daoshan did not experience any visual or auditory hallucinations, nor was any violence or madness stirred up in his heart.

But for some reason, he suddenly had a strong urge to perform.

"The identity bestowed upon you by the red ribbon is determined by it. It can turn you into whatever kind of person it wants you to be, and during the transformation process, it will continuously influence you, making your thoughts and mindset closer to the character you are playing..."

Beside him, Song Xier was explaining. Su Daoshan turned his head to look at her, feeling that her gaze was strange, as if she was somewhat confused, yet holding back something.

Su Daoshan looked down and found that his clothes had been transformed into a brocade jacket and long robe favored by local gentry. Below, he wore cotton trousers and cotton shoes with thick soles.

At the same time, I seem to have become shorter and heavier.

This was a platform on the roof of the post station, and there was a puddle of water not far away by the wall. Su Daoshan walked over and looked down.

Before me stood a chubby boy with a round face, a natural smile on his face, but a hint of frivolity and eccentricity in his eyes.

(End of this chapter)