Advance the future and become a martial saint on earth!

Chapter 191 On my homeland, I hone my true skills. I have slain the evil god-king in three or five battles. How dare he trespass on my territory!

Jiangyin Prefecture, government office.

deep.

Inside a government hall sits a massive sand table depicting mountains, rivers, lakes, and the names of prefectures and counties.

Above this sand table, the three characters 'Jiangyin Prefecture' appear.

at this time.

Among them is the lower reaches of the Dongcanghai Sea, which stretches for eight thousand li.

A county town nestled against a mountain range, its terrain crisscrossed by ravines, suddenly appears on this sand table, its energy condensing into a faint, almost imperceptible portal in the void.

The entire sand table immediately trembled slightly and emitted a buzzing warning sound.

"This is."

"A 'gateway' is about to be born!?"

An official from the government office who was guarding the sand table heard the commotion and rushed over. Upon seeing this scene, his eyes narrowed in shock, and he quickly left to report to his superiors.

In no time.

Then two figures, one fat and one thin, arrived in a hurry.

"How many years has it been since this 'garrison map' depicting the various aspects of life in Jiangyin Prefecture was put into action?"

The first to arrive, a middle-aged, plump man dressed in a noble robe, with a wealthy and unpretentious air, frowned deeply upon seeing this scene, a hint of worry in his eyes:

"During my term of office, a 'gateway' has actually opened? And it's not just a fleeting mirage; it's slowly condensing and about to stabilize!"

"Anning County, Earth Dragon Cave"

"I never expected that a 'gateway' spiritual land would soon appear in this area under my jurisdiction."

"I just don't know which realm it's connected to, and whether war will break out suddenly, causing widespread suffering?"

Map of the garrison.

In the Great Xuan Territory, every prefecture and state has a spirit map set up in the official residence where the government is established.

It depicts the landscape of a prefecture and a county, resembling a dynamic and grand map.

The most fundamental purpose is to explore the 'Boundary Gate,' which was personally established by the early Great Mystic Venerable hundreds of years ago.

Meanwhile, the commanders and elite guards of the Northern Garrison, stationed in various places, roam around in order to investigate the presence of heretics, fill in any gaps, and strictly prevent the infiltration of heretics.

The person who spoke was Hu Mao, the Prefect of Jiangyin, who was in charge of all government affairs. He was one of the three leaders of the prefecture and held a high position of power.

The man standing beside him, Yan Song, the Jiangyin Garrison Commander, dressed in the armor of a prison eagle, with a sword at his waist and a cold, stern expression, immediately spoke after hearing his words:
"According to the rules, whenever a 'gateway' opens, the city's troops and everyone within the prefecture must be assembled to do everything in their power to annihilate the creatures that emerge from the gateway!"

"Otherwise, once those heretical beings cause an impact in the mortal world and expand the boundary gate..."

"This could lead to a county or region being completely swallowed up by other celestial realms and erased from the map of the Great Xuan!"

A boundary gate is essentially a passage connecting two different realms of the heavens.

However, since it is located within the Great Xuan Territory, any other beings from other realms who venture into it will be suppressed.

Similarly, even the most powerful figures in the Great Xuan realm, and even titled Martial Saints, will be subject to checks and balances when they enter other realms.

However, once it is greatly influenced by heretical beings, such as causing killings, kidnapping people, or plundering faith, etc.

Then this kind of 'checks and balances' will become increasingly ineffective within that small area, until it expands further and further, from a place to a county, then to a prefecture, and so on.
Before I heard of the Great Xuan, there was a time when one of the 'realm gates' was out of balance, and other heavens suppressed it with a large amount of resources, constantly increasing their troops, which gradually evolved to an uncontrollable degree.

Ultimately, this led to numerous titled martial saints and heretical masters fighting and killing each other here, which evolved into an ancient battlefield that affected several prefectures!
Originally, it was just a small doorway.

So from then on...

All matters concerning the 'Boundary Gate' are of paramount importance!

Even though some heretics may have impure motives and want to expand their influence, they will at least try to reason with you.

But some.
However, it is a fundamental conflict that is irreconcilable.

Once it is eroded, it will cause hundreds of thousands or even millions of lives to be lost, which is unacceptable and intolerable to any prefecture or county, and must be dealt with with utmost seriousness.

"I will then inform General Luo Daocheng and ask him to personally lead the troops and warships to Jiangyin. I will also instruct the officials of the prefecture to bring the talented individuals who aspire to take the prefectural examination to Jiangyin in person."

Yan Song, the head of the Zhenfu Division, spoke in a serious tone.

Hu Mao, however, looked grave.
"Since ancient times, whenever a 'gateway' has opened, after the situation has calmed down and reached a stalemate, there will inevitably be forces with 'titled martial arts' or 'pseudo-martial saints' who will turn their attention to it."

“In Cangzhou today, there are many noble families with titles and privileges, but the sects that are half-step into the True Sect have yet to find a good mountain gate. It just so happens that a ‘boundary gate’ has opened up near Anning County, which will surely attract people’s covetousness.”

“Every battle for the 'gateway' will ignite a fierce struggle.”

"I wonder what will happen this time."

"Jiangyin Prefecture, which has never seen a martial saint for many years, will finally welcome a retired emperor."

Yan Song shook his head:

"There's nothing we can do about it."

“Each ‘gateway’ is a great threat. If there is no titled or pseudo-Martial Saint level martial artist to guard it, the consequences would be unimaginable if someone from the upper three realms infiltrated it.”

"On the bright side, although there may be another local tyrant above us, at least we are much safer."

"It's foreseeable that in the future, Jiangyin Prefecture will be dominated by various island sects, the Six Great Mountains, and the Nine Elders of Jiangyin among the Thirty-Six Trades."

"These powerful forces are about to be reshuffled once again."

Anning County.

"what?"

"Master, you're not kidding, are you?"

"You're saying that in the Dragon Cave, which is five hundred miles away near my hometown, a 'gateway' is about to open, and it's unavoidable?"

The clamor of voices then dispersed.

The moon is bright and the stars are few; crows and magpies fly south; the Ji residence is brightly lit.

Ji Xiu brought over two small stools. After all the local tyrants and old friends had left, he was about to chat with Xu Longxiang beside him.

The moment the old man uttered a single sentence, he couldn't sit still any longer, his eyes widening in shock.

No, you're not kidding, are you?
But seeing Xu Longxiang's serious expression, which didn't seem like he was joking, he couldn't help but feel a 'sinking' in his heart.

Gate of Boundaries!

It should be noted that in the entire Jiangyin Prefecture over the past few decades, there has only been one such case, Dong Canghai, which even alarmed the powerful officials of Cangzhou, who were on high alert.

Even so, it was nothing more than a mirage. After his grandmaster Wang Xuanyang smashed the Hun Tian Water Margin, it vanished into thin air, a mere false alarm.

But you, old man, said that he once hunted in the mountains at the dragon's lair.
A genuine 'gateway' has actually formed, and it's about to stabilize and transmit the spiritual energy of heaven and earth?!

Ji Xiu had only ever seen such a spectacle in the records; this was the first time he had ever heard of it in real life.

"good."

"but"

"Isn't this also an 'opportunity' for you?"

Xu Longxiang nodded slightly, then added another sentence.

An opportunity? Ji Xiu was slightly taken aback.

Xu Longxiang, on the other hand, raised his spine and pumped out a large amount of blood energy, which for a moment resembled the 'Primordial Dragon Elephant' and displayed the spirit of 'Sixty Years of Demon Slaying'.

Both Ji Xiucai and Zhenwu Xuan Gong, who had only just begun to grasp the basics and possessed only a very faint understanding of the art, shared the same origin.

In an instant, Ji Xiu was greatly shocked, as if struck by a drum or a bell, and immediately understood the message the old man was trying to convey!

"Master, do you mean that the appearance of a 'boundary gate' within this five-hundred-mile-long earth dragon cave is actually a good opportunity for me to launch an attack on becoming a 'Qi Refining Master'?"

Ji Xiu's heart pounded uncontrollably.

Xu Longxiang slowly nodded:
"Correct."

"If you, kid, truly master the essence of the 'True Martial World-Suppressing Demon-Subduing Mysterious Art' and cultivate the Qi Sea Qi, you'll have to fight against those heretical immortal soldiers and divine armor, and demonic monsters."

“But the ‘gate’ that my Dragon Elephant True Sect has already set up many barriers. Even if someone is in the upper three realms, once they step in, they will be subjected to endless pressure and destroyed by me.”

"Therefore, for no reason, no more ignorant heretics will intrude."

"If I were to find a breakthrough opportunity for you, then I would have to risk taking you in to sneak into that world of demons and monsters. To be honest, there are still some risks involved."

"but"

“But it’s different here in your hometown.”

Xu Longxiang looked towards the direction of the Earth Dragon Cave, his tone resolute:
“A brand-new ‘gateway’ is often a strategic location that military strategists must fight over.”

"Even the Celestial Dao lineages such as the Immortals and Pure Lands, which have temporarily ceased hostilities with the Great Xuan Territory, will find that a boundary gate has appeared in their territory once they discover that such a place has been created."

"They will also try every means to annex the mountainous counties on this land beneath our feet, in order to fill the gaps in destiny and spiritual energy."

"Therefore, friction between the magic soldiers and the Taoist soldiers will be inevitable."

"If it is not the Pure Land of Immortals, but rather a great world of gods and immortals such as Zhonghuang, Yuanxu, or Tianren, which is chaotic and disorderly, or a world with a strict hierarchy, then it is a different story."

"Then war will inevitably break out!"

"Once a large number of armored deities, or demons, or enslaved by the celestials, break down the gates..."

"Isn't this precisely the resource you need to attain enlightenment?"

Upon hearing this, Ji Xiu seemed preoccupied:
"Master, doesn't the opening of a 'gateway' inevitably bring about catastrophe and devastation?"

"The entire Anning County couldn't even withstand the previous divine calamity; what if another 'gateway disaster' were to occur?"

Upon hearing this, the old man laughed heartily, stood up, and felt as if his internal organs, muscles, bones, and skin were on fire, like a furnace in the night sky, his hair and beard flying wildly in an instant.
"That's somewhere else."

"But with this old man here, even if there are beings of the 'Upper Three Realms,' even those above the Guardian Generals and Heavenly Lords in the Central Yellow Heaven, we can still hold our own."

"Anyone who dares to step in will not escape being killed or annihilated by me!"

"What am I afraid of?"

"What I fear is frightening those heretics and evil spirits; otherwise, how will you attain enlightenment?!"

These words stirred Ji Xiu's emotions, and his eyes shone brightly.

Sitting on the stool, he never imagined that his grand journey wouldn't require traversing three mountains and crossing numerous prefectures to reach the Dragon and Elephant, but rather...
Right in front of you!

Therefore, he directly pulled over Old Man Yao, whom he had previously promoted to be the manager of the mansion, and asked him in detail about some details of the 'Earth Dragon Cave'.

Old Yao, unaware of Xu Longxiang's identity, was initially beaming with joy at Ji Xiu's return. However, upon hearing that Ji Xiu intended to enter the Earth Dragon Cave, he immediately shook his head vigorously, like a rattle-drum.

"Master, in the past two days, white mist has been rising from the depths of that Earth Dragon Cave; things are not peaceful there."

"According to the foreman of the mountain town and hunting village below our shop, in that misty white fog, one can vaguely see the shadows of 'armored and sharp-armored' figures, moving frequently and slaying mountain beasts and monsters, which makes everyone hesitate and dare not go deeper."

"I've also heard that some mountain towns and villages have made contact with those armored men, received some benefits, and refrained from indiscriminate killing; they merely spread the names of those men."

What is your name?

Ji Xiu's eyes narrowed:
"The calamity of divine calamity is still fresh in our minds, how could we forget it so quickly?"

His tone was solemn.

Even a centipede with a hundred legs will not fall down when it dies; the human heart is always the easiest to be tempted, especially when it comes to interests!
In response, Old Man Yao hesitated for a moment, looking troubled, and his tone was somewhat hesitant:
“Master, there’s nothing we can do about it. Those mountain hunting villages rely on the mountains for their livelihood. Although our Ji family is the head, they still have to rely on the ‘Earth Dragon Cave’ to make a living.”

"Right now, the 'Earth Dragon Cave' is occupied by those armored individuals. If we don't get close to them, I've heard that those who aren't recognized will disappear as soon as they step into the white mist."

"Does the master still remember Liang Cheng of Hunter's Manor, who swore a blood oath with you before?"

"The warrior, relying on his strong constitution, ventured alone into the mountains, seeking to uncover the secrets of those 'armored men,' and never returned."

Old Yao looked worried, concerned for Ji Xiu.

Upon hearing this, Ji Xiu's brows furrowed even more, and the joy he had initially felt at returning home in wealth and honor gradually faded.

"Then do you know what those people call their 'names'?"

Old Yao scratched his head:

"Because our county has learned its lesson, those things that involve incitement and proselytizing are stopped by the big restaurants, businesses, and the officials in the county government as soon as they enter the county."

"However, some rumors have still leaked out."

"I heard he's called something like 'The God of Three-Five Slaying Evil'?"

God!

Ji Xiu felt a tremor in his heart, while Xu Longxiang beside him also gradually became serious.

Previously, when he came into contact with the 'Great General Who Summons Spirits and Manifests Saints' enshrined at the Great General Altar, he had come into contact with the cultivation system of Zhonghuangtian.

Those who attain divine titles and become guardian deities are equivalent to the 'Master of Qi Refining' level, but are much more powerful than ordinary martial artists.

And the next level
He was a feudal lord, a heavenly lord, or a divine lord!
These figures often possess supernatural powers, comparable to 'titled martial arts'!
Above that are the divine beings and emperors, but those are too far away and beyond our reach for the time being.

Even though Xu Longxiang had just given him a boost of confidence.

But a 'conferring of titles' was right in front of him.
This is definitely not to be underestimated!

"Looking outside the 'gate' connecting this earth dragon cave, there should be a 'divine ruler' guarding a region."

“Those who reach that level can bestow titles upon mountain gods, earth deities, and county gods, and infiltrate other realms.”

"If my prediction is correct."

“Those ‘mountain towns’ and ‘hunting villages’ outside your county have probably been replaced by some mountain spirits and ‘rural monsters’ who have been appointed by the gods, and have been taken in as puppets.”

"Moreover, these divine beings also have the ability to gather the spirits of the dead, add divine weapons and armor, and participate in military campaigns, which is quite extraordinary."

As Xu Longxiang recounted his story, Ji Xiu felt a chill run down his spine.

At the same time, when he thought of the remains of 'Ip Man Kong' buried in the Earth Dragon Cave, he suddenly had a bad feeling:

"Master, the body of Senior Ye, who perished sixty years ago, is still there."

“He dares.”

Xu Longxiang stood up from the stool.

At this moment, every inch of his bones and blood seemed to carry the heavy, chilling aura of late autumn. Even though his tone was calm, it possessed an aura capable of crushing mountains and destroying cities.
"If 'He' really dares..."

“I wouldn’t mind letting Him take a look.”

"How did a warrior slay a god?!"

(End of this chapter)