As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 349 The difference between cloud and mud
"Woooooo~"

A biting wind howled as massive ships traversed the water, billowing steam into the sky and filling the air with smoke. The sound of the wind shattered my senses, and a few blurry figures were visible in the flickering lamplight.

"Lord Qi, can you go any faster?"

At the very front, a general in military uniform stood with a solemn expression, anxiously asking questions.

"General, this is already the fastest we can go!"

Opposite the general, an official from the Ministry of Works said with some helplessness, "It's currently winter, and the Liushui River is frozen. Taking this waterway is already a long detour. The wind direction has been off these past few days, and ordinary ships simply cannot set sail. Only our new steamships can sail at times like this."

"Lord Qi, please don't take offense. I was truly anxious. You know the current situation in Yueyang..."

"No, no, General! We're traveling by water; this is already the fastest we can go."

Now, Yueyang City is under attack and besieged by the Northern Fierce Divine Army, and His Majesty is still trapped inside. Naturally, people outside are anxious.

The general's attitude is understandable.

However, no matter how urgent things are, there has to be a method. The speed at which they assembled their team and planned their route was already the fastest they could go.

……

"General, our scouts report that bandits dressed in blood have set up an ambush to prevent our army from retreating."

The army sped northward.

The soldier rushed to his commander and reported urgently.

Upon hearing this, the general angrily flicked his sleeves and cursed inwardly, "You damned scoundrel! I held back from attacking his city. Now that I'm withdrawing to rescue the emperor, he's blocking my way."

"Pass down the order: form ranks and meet the enemy!"

"Yes!"

……

How much longer until we reach Yueyang?

"General, at our current marching speed, it will take at least two more days."

"Two days..."

"If it snows, the road ahead will be difficult, and it will be delayed for a while longer."

……

The same thing happened in the various armies near Yueyang City.

The Northern Fierce Army descended like a divine force, besieging Yueyang and disrupting everyone's strategic plans.

Several nearby generals adjusted their marching routes, attempting to rush to Yueyang's aid as soon as possible.

Right now, it's a race against time.

……

The snow had begun to fall, fine as salt, sprinkling onto the cold armor.

The sun rose as usual the next day, its rays shining through the thin clouds onto the snow, reflecting a dazzling light.

"kill!"

"kill!"

"kill!"

The battlefield was in ruins, and the warriors of Beilie once again launched a fearless charge towards Yueyang City.

Another day of fierce siege warfare.

The city gate was in imminent danger of being breached by siege equipment.

Soldiers continued to climb ladders and rush up the city walls. The defenders on the walls fought desperately, with arrows raining down and logs and stones constantly falling. Corpses lay everywhere below the walls, blood stained the snow, and the air was filled with the strong smell of blood and gunpowder.

The drums within the city beat faster and faster, like the tolling of a death knell striking the heartstrings of every soldier. Although the morale of the defenders had not collapsed, they were already showing signs of exhaustion. Every face was filled with the determination to fight to the death, yet they could not hide their utter exhaustion.

Everyone is working desperately, giving it their all, to buy every last bit of time.

The enemy is Tian Hong, a formidable opponent who leaves no room for error.

He left no weaknesses.

Even Mingchen had no way to deal with the enemy on the front lines, resorting to opportunistic tricks to exploit their weaknesses.

Now we have no choice but to fight it out.

Both sides tried their best not to expose their weaknesses, and it was a contest of willpower and endurance.

If they hold their ground, Qian Yuan will win.

The city fell, and the Northern Fierce Army won.

As the supreme leader, Xiao Xinyue remained on the city wall, sharing the blood and death with the soldiers who defended the city.

Clad in armor, her eyes blazing, she watched as the enemy troops surged forward like a tidal wave.

As a leader, she gave speeches in public on numerous occasions to boost morale and stood before the people to fight alongside the soldiers and civilians.

She has done all she could.

"kill!!!"

From this towering city wall, one can see a hill two miles away.

Mingchen witnessed the attack on Yueyang by a million people dressed in blood at that time, and that's where he saw it.

Today, however, the place exudes a strange atmosphere, with constant booming sounds, lightning, and thunder, as if some strange beings are fighting there.

"Where's Mingchen?!"

"Tell me! Where is Mingchen?!"

A roar echoed through the mountains and fields, snapping trees and kicking up dust. In the huge crater, a man dressed in tattered and disheveled clothes grabbed another man by the throat, questioning him relentlessly with eyes wide with rage.

Song Hu!

When he appeared before Tian Hong, he was dressed as a spirited and elegant Confucian scholar.

However, now he was dressed in tattered clothes, his hair was disheveled, and half of his body was charred black by lightning, making him look extremely wretched.

At this moment, he questioned, raising his strong arm and gripping Ji Wen's neck tightly.

His entire will had deteriorated to the point of madness.

Snowflakes drifted down, and behind him lay several enormous insect carcasses, their blood splattered everywhere, and several corpses lay lifeless in pools of blood.

Of all the brothers from the past, only a dirty, blind man remained, standing there blankly.

"Puch!"

The throwing knife flew from nowhere and pierced his neck with pinpoint accuracy.

On the other side, a cultivator clutched his severed arm and let out a soft breath.

His hands formed an unknown hand seal, and he chanted incantations: "Sever your ego, return!"

As he murmured, a streak of light flashed across the sky, and a crystal-clear dagger fell into his palm, piercing his throat, yet leaving not a trace of crimson.

"Big brother..."

The blind man stared at the crazed Song Hu, clutching his neck, opening his mouth but unable to utter a single word.

His cloudy eyes seemed to be filled with regret.

The six brothers each possessed unique abilities, and they felt they could carve out their own niche in this chaotic world.

Now it seems...

The world is too big, bigger than they can imagine.

"Forehead……"

The sixth brother, in the end, sadly fell to the ground, his life extinguished.

The stench permeated the swirling snowflakes, and the filthy blind man's figure transformed into a giant fly, lying motionless on the ground.

"what!!!!"

"Old Six!!!"

Song Hu's eyes were filled with tears of blood. He raised his head and roared furiously, his desperate howl echoing through the mountains and forests.

As snowflakes fell, his hair seemed to have turned snow-white, whether from the snow or not.

"Crack!"

With hands as firm as iron clamps, they snapped Ji Wen's neck.

He raised his head and roared, "Mingchen!!!"

"Mingchen!!!"

"If it's supposed to be a magical duel, why don't you show yourself?!"

The five brothers arrived as agreed.

Mingchen, the enemy who killed Tang Guang and whom the five brothers hated with a vengeance, did not come.

They were greeted by a diverse group of cultivators, employing all sorts of methods, including esoteric arts, witchcraft, poisons, and magical artifacts.

Both sides engaged in a life-or-death struggle, revealing their true colors.

The five brothers used their secret methods and supernatural abilities to kill several people, and even some cultivators were turned into a puddle of water, leaving no trace of blood or bones.

However, they are all shrewd cultivators, each with their own secret methods.

Once their secrets were exposed, they were quickly countered and restrained by their adversaries.

There are many enemies, and they have all sorts of skills, so we can always find a way to deal with them.

Soon, all the brothers were killed by the strange magic, revealing their true forms.

The third one was a grasshopper with sharp, dagger-like legs and could spit out a thick, brown sap that would melt anything it touched. Like the second one, it was burned to death.

The fourth one was a nine-segmented centipede, carrying a deadly poison, but it was killed by a cultivator who knew how to remove poison using a copper bell.

The fifth brother was a human cultivator who was skilled in invisibility techniques and golden light arrays that could dazzle people and lure them into an illusion. He was later killed by a blind man who broke the array.

The sixth one was the Thousand-Eyed Divine Fly, who was already injured and was killed today by a flying knife.

At this point, he was the only one left of his brothers.

Even if you kill everyone, even if you follow a wise ruler to ascend to the Great Way, and are etched in history, immortal and indestructible... what's the point?

His brother will never come back.

He looked up, his eyes bloodshot, tears of blood streaming down his face.

His gaze swept over the corpses of his brothers and then fell upon several enemy cultivators with wary eyes.

"Big brother, come on, let's spar!" "Big brother, I'm hungry!"

"Big brother!"

"Big brother, can we really make it?"

"Big brother..."

Suddenly, all sorts of sounds, and the familiar calls of his elder brother, seemed to echo in his ears.

Song Hu felt as if his heart was being torn apart, and his will was on the verge of collapse.

"Boom boom boom!"

Suddenly, thunderclouds surrounded the dome, and a series of thunderclaps exploded.

The "Ji Wen" whose neck he had snapped did not bleed at all, nor did he make a sound.

The next instant, Song Hu's pupils suddenly contracted.

The "Ji Wen" in his hand turned into a bolt of lightning, which shot up his arm and into his body.

Instantly, he was frozen in place, his whole body paralyzed and unable to move.

"Boom boom boom!"

Thunder rumbled in the sky, and a large thundercloud had gathered there sometime earlier. Lightning bolts ripped across the sky and suddenly struck down on his head.

"boom!"

Amidst lightning and thunder, smoke and dust filled the air.

Suddenly, a hand reached out, pressed down on Song Hu's head, and slammed him into the dust.

"boom!"

The excruciating pain was like steel needles piercing his soul, as if billions of thunderbolts were raging within him. His eyes bulged, his body convulsed, and a burnt smell escaped his mouth. Song Hu wanted to roar, but no sound came out; the thunder within him danced wildly like a raging dragon.

All that could be vaguely heard was a clear male voice: "You sinner demon, why don't you surrender?"

Ji Wen, whose neck he had snapped, was now standing perfectly fine behind him, bathed in thunder, his feet pressing on his back, his hands pressing on his head, burying him in the dust.

In the blink of an eye, the situation reversed.

The victors, who should have been the winners, were now being led to the ground like prisoners.

"Ugh... Ah!!!"

Song Hu's eyes were bloodshot as he struggled and roared.

His body crackled with lightning, like chains binding him, yet he couldn't muster any strength at all.

As the manager of the entire team of extraordinary cultivators in Qian Yuan, Ji Wen certainly has some skills.

Otherwise, how can we win people's hearts?
Seeing that the situation had reversed, Song Hu's eyes flashed, and he puffed out his cheeks, just about to do something.

Just then, as if sensing something, he suddenly raised his head and looked in one direction.

Amidst the swirling snowflakes, a figure seemed to slowly emerge from the wind and snow.

He wore a fur coat, his figure was tall and slender, and the wind and snow did not wet his clothes. He was naturally noble and dignified, just like a young nobleman.

This stands in stark contrast to the devastated battlefield.

"Master Ming!"

Ji Wen raised his head and saw the person who came. He quickly called out, but he did not dare to loosen his grip on Song Hu in the slightest.

The eldest of the six brothers of Kuxing was indeed quite skilled, possessing profound cultivation, which forced him to use his trump card in order to barely subdue him.

Lord Ming?
There is only one person in Qian Yuan who holds this title!

Mingchen!

Their brothers' current predicament is entirely due to this one person!
【Soul-Piercing Nail】

He raised his head without hesitation.

The remaining magical power suddenly erupted, spitting something out at Mingchen.

"Master Ming, be careful!!!"

Ji Wen's eyes narrowed instantly, and he exclaimed in surprise.

A flash of cold light pierced through the wind and snow, incredibly fast, heading straight for Mingchen's face. It was a silver needle as thin as a cow's hair.

Only at the very last moment did Song Hu use his deadly magic weapon.

The Soul-Piercing Nail kills instantly upon contact, annihilating both body and soul, preventing even travel to the underworld.

Everything happened so fast that Mingchen seemed to have no time to react.

However, the little fox in his arms suddenly sharpened its eyes.

The incredibly fast silver needle suddenly stopped in front of Mingchen, unable to advance an inch.

Song Hu's eyes widened as he desperately tried to activate the remaining magical power in his body, but the silver needle remained motionless as if blocked by an invisible barrier.

That was close! That was close! That was close!

The silver needles seemed so close, almost enough to take Mingchen's life, but in reality, that one point was a world of difference.

When people are in dire straits, they can unleash terrifying power.

Mingchen chose to appear at this time, which shows he had made preparations.

"Are you called Song Hu?"

"Say a few words to me."

Mingchen did not ridicule Song Hu, nor did he show the arrogance of a victor.

Mingchen simply looked down at him, his voice calm and natural, as if he were saying something utterly ordinary.

These six brothers went head-to-head with the cultivators of Qian Yuan, which is already quite impressive.

Song Hu saw that this was just an ordinary person with strong blood and energy, and that Ming Chen was not strong. He felt that he could kill the other party.

But now, I feel as if I am a million miles away from the other person, and I can't touch them.

His own brothers gave their all and sacrificed themselves, while he himself was severely wounded and buried in the mud.

All I got in return was a chance to meet this person and exchange a few words with him.

The other party did nothing.

Just like their current situation, Mingchen stood quietly to the side, looking down at him, while he knelt in the dust, gazing up at Mingchen.

This disparity infuriated Song Hu, yet he felt helpless.

He felt that his brothers and he were like the lowly soldiers on the front lines of a battle, destined to die.

Mingchen looked at him and asked softly, "You six brothers were originally living in seclusion in the mountains, enjoying a carefree life. Why did you have to join this chaotic world and wade into these muddy waters?"

These six people are quite capable.

However, Mingchen did not come here to see those supernatural powers and spells; he was only curious about these six people.

What are their backgrounds like?

Are they truly hermits?

Or is it something else entirely?

After all, he already knew from the information he possessed that the Northern Emperor was supported by a powerful and supernatural being.

The so-called destiny was woven so that Qin Lou could unify the world, end the chaos, and bask in glory and merit.

Whether openly or covertly, the other party will certainly provide assistance to the Northern Emperor.

Even Qin Lou himself didn't know this.

Mingchen was somewhat curious whether these six people had truly seen an opportunity in the changing world and were going to join the Northern Emperor.
Or is it a 'beast' under the command of some powerful being?

If he is a 'beast' under the command of some powerful being, then is there a chance to talk to the person in power behind him and reach some deal by sparing his life?

Song Hu had no idea why Ming Chen had asked such a question. Now that all was lost, and all means had been exhausted, he was resigned to death and knew he couldn't defeat him anyway. He glanced at the surrounding cultivators and asked Ming Chen in return, "Why? Doesn't Lord Ming know?"

"Does Lord Ming not know why these people have come to serve you?"

A regrettable answer.

With just one sentence, Mingchen already knew the answer he wanted.

When Song Hu said this, he seemed to see a hint of pity in Ming Chen's eyes.

Without any support or basis, they plunged into the torrent of fate, wavering in this great struggle, vying for that so-called opportunity to rise to the top in one step.

Perhaps some people can fight for a bright future, but most people drift with the tide and are crushed into dust, just like these six brothers.

Mingchen looked down at him and asked again, "Are you willing to join me and serve my Qian Yuan?"

That was just a formality.

Song Hu and Ming Chen have become mortal enemies. Even if Song Hu were to surrender, Ming Chen would not dare to use him.

After all, there had to be a reason for Ji Wen to bring down the butcher's knife.

Upon hearing this, Song Hu raised his head, his eyes filled with bloody tears, staring intently at Ming Chen: "Ming Chen, my hatred for you is like ten thousand years of frozen ice, an unyielding flame that will never melt, and will never be resolved. I only wish I could eat your flesh and sleep on your skin! My brothers are all dead, I will never share the same sky with you, how can you tell such jokes?"

"So what if we're sworn enemies? You and I, Mingchen, are sworn enemies, but you're not sworn enemies with Qianyuan. Seeking revenge against me and serving Qianyuan aren't mutually exclusive. On the contrary, Beilie is sending you brothers to your deaths. Why don't you come to Qianyuan and take your revenge?"

This man is a lunatic.

Talking to him made Song Hu feel like his brain was going a little crazy.

"The Northern Emperor has been loyal to my brothers, and I, Song, am willing to repay him with my life. Today, I am outmatched, and defeat is defeat; it is nothing more than death!"

Song Hu raised his head, grinning maliciously, his eyes filled with hatred and determination: "Words are useless, hurry up and do it, let me go find my brothers!"

Mingchen simply shook his head and remained silent.

"boom!"

Ji Wenling was very clever and understood Mingchen's meaning; thunder roared from his hand.

A giant thunder hammer materialized, carrying the power to tear through the void, and suddenly crashed down.

Amidst the earth's rumble and dust billowing, snow and blood rain mingled, and then all returned to calm.

The six brothers, who possessed extraordinary abilities and were more closely connected than siblings, were ultimately lost in the vast expanse of flying snow.

At the same time, Mingchen's Immortal Jade Record flashed.

However, this time no new chapter was opened, nor did any new names appear.

(End of this chapter)