Starting with the titmouse, seventy-two transformations

Chapter 309 Assignment, Sharing the Sweet Dew of Willow Branches

The camp was located in the mountainside, inside a wooden cabin.

When I returned here, it was already late at night.

But none of them felt sleepy at all; their gazes toward Liu Sheng were filled with fervor, disbelief, and reverence.

Whether it was Old He and his grandson, Zhao Lei, or the three Zhang brothers who had fully joined the group, they all remained silent at this moment, their eyes darting around, revealing their inner turmoil.

He Yue'e, who has been staying at the residence, is still in a daze, looking silly and quite adorable.

The commotion of troop movements was impossible to conceal, especially given the considerable noise coming from the East and West Peaks. Any normal person, even without knowing the details, could guess that something big was about to happen tonight.

Fortunately, she was well-regarded and kept the people calmed down, and the Five Snakes patrolled back and forth to keep everyone in line, so no trouble was caused.

The entire base is brightly lit, but a strong sense of unease and anxiety still permeates the air.

But judging from Grandpa and Brother Lei's expressions, it seems... the matters of West Peak and East Peak have been settled?
"In three to five days, the imperial Crimson Scale Guard will enter the mountains to encircle and annihilate them."

Liu Sheng sat at the head of the table, looking down at everyone with a calm expression, showing no sign of tension.

It's as if they're talking about something very ordinary.

But when the news reached everyone's ears, it was like a thunderclap, leaving them stunned and bewildered.

The Crimson Scale Guards are unlike the imperial guards, archers, and yamen runners of the past; they are truly elite troops.

Moreover, their numbers were numerous, numbering as many as 50,000. Since they traveled from north to south and entered Jinzhou, they had fought nearly a hundred battles, large and small, without a single defeat. It would not be an exaggeration to say that they were "invincible."

Especially the Zhang brothers, who initially defected from the mines and amassed tens of thousands of followers like a snowball, thinking they could dominate the region, but in the end...

Three centurions of the Crimson Scale Guards routed tens of thousands of them, causing countless deaths and injuries. They then pursued them relentlessly, leaving them with nowhere to run or hide.

If He Yue'e hadn't taken them in, the three brothers and their more than two thousand men would probably have been beheaded and used as military merits.

And that was just a small squad of the Crimson Scale Guards!
Now that a fully-organized army of 50,000 is pressing in, can Wohu Village withstand it?

"can."

Liu Sheng uttered a single word succinctly, full of confidence.

Nonsense, the leader of the Crimson Scale Guard is my clone, he knows everything about the troop deployments and strategic plans.

I'm just playing around with my left and right hands, how could I not be confident?
The three Zhang brothers opened their mouths, wanting to say something, but seeing that Liu Sheng showed no sign of explaining, they wisely shut their mouths.

This one is not as easy to talk to as the Green Serpent Saintess; she likes to keep her word and also likes to... chop off people's heads.

Who dares to object?

Those who opposed it had their heads chopped off.

"The Western Peak has been secured. You three brothers will lead the men there..."

Liu Sheng assigned tasks to the three of them, ordering them to assist Xue Biao in clearing out Xifeng, integrating the remaining thousand White Lotus Army remnants, and the remaining eight or nine thousand people.

The key point was to bring over all the old and antique items.

After the three left, only acquaintances remained in the room.

He Yue'e could no longer hold back and whispered:
"Brother Sheng, the remnants of the White Lotus Army have recently surrendered, and the Zhang brothers were also forced by you..."

Sending them to consolidate control of the Western Peak would only strengthen their power; wouldn't that tempt them to rebel?

"will not."

Liu Sheng shook his head and said casually:

"After they go to Xifeng, they should be completely devoted to us. If you don't believe me, ask your grandfather."

"Grandpa?"

Upon hearing this, He Yue'e wrinkled her nose and looked suspiciously at Old He, who had returned looking dazed and silent.

"Is what Brother Sheng said true?"

Old He opened his mouth, the horrific image from before flashing through his mind, and the nausea he had just suppressed surged back into his throat:
"vomit!"

Even though I had already vomited to the point of exhaustion, I still felt nauseous and wanted to throw up.

The scene was truly terrifying—

With a single strike, blood splattered, the ground cracked, rocks crumbled, and men and horses were shattered. The figure continued onward, wielding his blade, cutting down everything in his path.

Anyone who refused to kneel and surrender would be killed on the spot with a single stroke of the sword.

Whether it was the heavily armed White Lotus Army soldiers, or the later local ruffians, the ruthless gangsters, the once wealthy but now fallen powerful families, or the bandit groups that caused trouble...

with no exceptions.

Some ruthless individuals even kidnap women, children, the elderly, and the infirm, attempting to morally blackmail them, only to be brutally murdered in the process.

Together with the hostages they had kidnapped, they were killed on the spot, their flesh and blood intertwined.

No reasoning, no threats, regardless of age or gender, disobedience means death.

It was cold and ruthless, like a killing machine, and in less than an hour, it had hacked through West Peak.

One person killed 10,000!
That scene was ten or even a hundred times more gruesome than a slaughterhouse!
Even though Lao He was experienced and had seen a lot of cruelty in this cutthroat world over the years, he was still afraid.

"It's...it's...really!"

Old He's forehead was covered in cold sweat, and he nodded hurriedly, his face growing even paler.

"It seems that Ah Biao's murderous nature has really frightened Lao He."

Liu Sheng muttered to himself, but didn't take it to heart.

In fact, even he himself was startled by Ah Biao's bloodlust.

Although the original and the incarnation are of the same origin, their styles of doing things are completely different.

However, the nature of each incarnation is actually a reflection and manifestation of the true nature of the original deity.

The fact that Blood Frog is so bloodthirsty signifies...

"A dark side of my personality?"

Liu Sheng licked his lips, unconcerned, and then proceeded to arrange the aftermath.

Overnight, the power dynamics within the village shifted dramatically.

Originally at the bottom, He Yue'e and her group staged a remarkable "snake swallowing an elephant" performance, swallowing up both the remnants of the White Lotus Army and the Zhang brothers' forces.

As long as it's digested well...

They are definitely no match for Young Master Ling of Dongfeng and his group!

Although I only caught a glimpse of them during the previous standoff, the strength of those thousand elite cavalrymen was still below that of ordinary Crimson Scale Guards.

It must be the private army of some powerful clan or aristocratic family.

This is why Liu Sheng changed his mind on the spot and spared their lives.

These are all assets under his control.

If handled properly, this could even be used as a breakthrough to drain the resources of the forces behind Young Master Ling.

Just like borrowing the blood of the Cai family of Hedong from the Red Scale Guard, it is a case of "borrowing a hen to lay eggs".

After the previous standoff and exchange of blows, Young Master Ling and his companions are certainly unwilling to give up, but they will not make any rash moves in the short term.

In this way, we can use the mango branch dew on Grandma and Yu Niang to strengthen their limbs, restore their appearance, prolong their lifespan, and incidentally improve their physical constitution.

He could take this opportunity to deduce and ascend to an incarnation as a trump card.

Before long, Zhao Lei personally brought over a vat of mountain spring water. Liu Sheng dismissed his attendants, took out a gold-patterned jade bottle, and dripped in a drop of willow branch nectar.

In addition to easily gaining over 10,000 spiritual energy points, they also obtained a vat of spiritual spring water.

The water is pure and clear, brimming with vitality, and its surface is shrouded in a misty, jade-like aura—it's clearly not an ordinary thing.

Grandma, Yu Niang, and Er Ya are just ordinary people who cannot withstand the terrifying vitality contained in the mango syrup; it needs to be diluted.

A moment later, under Liu Sheng's watchful eye, Grandma, Yu Niang, Er Ya, Old He and his grandson, and Zhao Lei's family all drank the diluted version of mango pomelo sago.

Each of them has undergone significant changes.

(End of this chapter)