Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 1070 is all about grudges and grievances.

After giving his instructions, Xu Xuan felt that his "work report" was almost finished recording, and carefully put away the recording bead.

The dragon energy here is restless, alarming countless ancient beings; this is definitely not a place to linger.

Get ready to run!

As for the Yellow Springs waters still raging in Mangshan... there's no need to worry too much.

Such a vast and mysterious place, with profound cultural heritage, must have some hidden tricks up its sleeve. Sooner or later, it will find a way to solve this problem.

Besides, even if it can't be solved, it's not a big deal.

Isn't Luoyang City right next door?
The majestic center of humanity, a place where the imperial dynasty's fortunes are at their peak, naturally possesses the dragon's aura and the nation's destiny to suppress all directions.

No matter how fierce or evil the waters of the underworld may be, they are essentially still things of the netherworld. Under the suppression of the glorious human destiny, they cannot escape the boundaries of Mangshan.

It's nothing more than... a little hardship for those ancient demons and thousand-year-old corpse kings who have made their home here.

Let them soak in this rare hellish delicacy for a while and experience the "warm" care from the Netherworld.

Consider it a way to add a touch of fun to their monotonous, dormant lives.

However, it's obviously too late to think about running away now.

The battle between Xu Xuan and Ya Yu, which nearly pierced the earth's veins and overturned the mausoleum, was so massive that it had already attracted the attention of all those lurking or spying both inside and outside Mangshan.

Everyone was an "eyewitness." Even with the murky air of the underworld obscuring the view, some people still clearly saw the pure white lotus blooming fiercely above the Gaoyuan Mausoleum. Then, right before everyone's eyes, the Gaoyuan Mausoleum, which symbolized the foundation of the Jin Dynasty, exploded.

Therefore, at this moment, within Mount Mang, there are already many extremely dangerous and furious auras rapidly converging and approaching his location.

Which of these beings wasn't peacefully resting in their own tombs when disaster struck? Either their lairs were flooded by the underworld, or they and their families were wiped out by the aftershocks of battle.

This blood feud, which resulted in the destruction of a family and the death of a person, is irreconcilable. It is purely a personal grudge and is completely understandable.

Looking down the mountain, one sees smoke billowing and dust flying everywhere.

Long dragons, formed from the combined blood and qi of elite soldiers, surged forth from Luoyang City and the surrounding military camps and passes, carrying an overwhelming aura of slaughter, heading straight for Mangshan Mountain.

It's obvious that the imperial dynasty has gone completely mad after its own founding emperor's tomb was blown to bits. They're willing to do anything to find the culprit and tear him to pieces.

This... is also a personal grudge, and it's even more understandable, and even justifiable.

Further up in the sky, several swift streaks of light were breaking through the air, exuding both Buddhist and Taoist auras. Their presence was both obscure and powerful, suggesting they were either highly respected figures from the royal court or extraordinary individuals from the common people who had come upon hearing the news.

Judging from their demeanor, they've probably come to "slay demons and eliminate evil," upholding the "righteous path" in the world.

In an instant, an invisible net formed above and below the sky, inside and outside the mountains, interwoven with anger, murderous intent, and "justice."

Xu Xuan, at the center of this vast net, truly felt a subtle sense of being surrounded by enemies and with nowhere to escape.

He took a deep breath of the northern air, which carried the scent of gunpowder and dragon energy, feeling the oppressive force from all directions—a force completely different from that of the south—and murmured to himself:

"Tsk, I can feel some of the power of the North... Indeed, it's quite energetic."

Just as the situation became critical with the enemy surrounded from all sides, a low, somewhat sinister voice suddenly came from behind a pile of rubble:

"Master, over here! Come quickly!"

Then, Qilicha's semi-transparent ghostly figure peeked out from the shadows and nervously waved towards them.

The appearance of this "Second Agent" of Baoan Hall was like a timely rain after a drought.

Before heading north, Xu Xuan made preparations by sending three of his most trusted confidants ahead to gather information at three key locations that he cared about most.

Gui Da was adept at self-preservation and was a meticulous and cautious demon. He went to the Chaohu area on his own and successfully avoided the storms of the north. It is said that he even started some underwater businesses there, thus perfectly avoiding the impact of the Huai River turmoil.

Bai Zhu, being a demon, is somewhat simple-minded and single-mindedly headed straight for the Illusionary Transformation Sect. While passing through Shangyu, she experienced a minor dungeon, and ultimately, with Xu Xuan's covert planning, she successfully infiltrated the sect and is currently steadily advancing her "undercover plan."

Qi Licha, with his quick wit and agility, was comparable to Gui Da in their brilliance, and he was also a formidable opponent in the competition for "special agents" within the Baoan Hall.

This time, in the treacherous Mangshan Mountains, it did an excellent job, not only successfully infiltrating the local "ghost circle" but also uncovering many secrets.

Today is the crucial moment for it to make its mark!
Before considering victory, one should consider defeat. Qi Licha, as one of only two ghost kings among those captured from hell by Master Xu to survive, is indeed quite capable.

Besides gathering intelligence, one of the most important tasks was to explore various hidden escape routes in case of emergency.

I never expected that I would actually need it today!

Led by Qi Licha, Xu Xuan, Shi Wang, and Zheng Zhuang Gong, who was still clinging tightly to Shi Wang's arm, quickly infiltrated a hidden rift in the earth.

The group swiftly traversed the intricate underground network, turning left and right, sometimes avoiding the surging tributaries of the Yellow Springs, and sometimes bypassing the ancient restrictions that had been disturbed.

After spending half a day circling underground, a faint light finally appeared ahead.

After carefully investigating and confirming that it was safe, Qilicha led the group out of an abandoned beast den.

They miraculously broke through all the barriers, both in the sky and on the ground!

After taking a huge detour, they finally arrived at an inconspicuous town near Dagu Pass, the southern gateway to Luoyang, where they settled down temporarily and avoided the first wave of this raging storm.

No wonder Qilicha is a genius!
Mangshan is located directly north of Luoyang, while Dagu Pass is south of Luoyang.

This geographical location, with its north and south sides, having taken such a large detour, naturally dispels any suspicion of wrongdoing.

Moreover, this place is located at a vital passage between Songshan Mountain and Longmen Mountain, serving as a transportation hub connecting Luoyang to Nanyang, Xuchang, and other places, and is known as the "Southern Gateway of Luoyang".

Every day, merchants and travelers flocked to the area, people and horses moved in an endless stream, a diverse mix of people, and information flowed extremely quickly.

In such a bustling place with a huge flow of people, a few humans, demons, and ghosts sneaking in are like water droplets flowing into a river—perfect for hiding. Qilicha had a deeper, more profound thought in mind.

It keenly sensed that there was a faint Buddhist aura near the Great Valley Pass. For it, which came from the Western Ghost Emperor's dojo, this aura brought a natural sense of security.

Xu Xuan was very satisfied with this choice.

As the saying goes, the greatest hermit lives in the city, the middle hermit lives in the mountains and forests, and the lesser hermit lives in the wilderness.

This Demon King's progress is quite obvious, enough to rival Turtle King.

Once they had settled down and caught their breath, Qilicha finally had a chance to point at the ghostly figure that had been following the Stone King and ask curiously, "Master, who is this...? He looks unfamiliar. Was he recently 'captured' from the Underworld? Is he a local ghost from the North?"

Although the question was somewhat far-fetched, considering the situation on the ground and past "records," it was somewhat correct.

The King of Stone showed a hint of embarrassment, while Duke Zhuang of Zheng, Wusheng, who was being pointed at, was speechless.

They were forcibly "carried" all the way, traversing the underworld and enduring hardship, without ever being given a proper introduction or a chance to speak.

In truth, he was incredibly excited to return to the mortal realm, as it was hard to leave his homeland. However, with these evil spirits by his side, he dared not show his emotions at all, for fear that he might be carelessly thrown back into the underworld.

These people are really no good.

Now that he had been singled out and targeted, Wusheng could only straighten his non-existent clothes, step forward, and solemnly perform an ancient salute to Qilicha, his posture dignified yet tinged with melancholy, and said in a deep voice:
"I... cough, I am Wusheng, and I was once enfeoffed in Zheng, where I was honored to be the ruler of a state."

"Who isn't a king?"

Qi Licha pursed his lips, his tone carrying a hint of wistful reflection from someone who had been through it all.

He couldn't help but recall his glorious days when he was known as the "King of Qilicha," and a touch of sadness welled up in his heart.

As a senior, it felt obligated to advise the newcomer to correct his attitude: "Brother, listen to my advice, let bygones be bygones, and don't bring your past glories here."

Xu Xuan looked at Duke Zhuang of Zheng with a scrutinizing and thoughtful gaze.

After a moment, he made up his mind: he should send this person away.

The reason is simple: this hegemon from the Spring and Autumn Period is not in the same "class" as him at all. The other party clearly has no intention of joining his "great cause," and judging from his words and deeds, he probably harbors considerable ambitions deep down.

In the underworld, during the pursuit of ghosts in the hell, countless demons gathered around the matter of Yayu's resurrection, and the situation was already set in stone.

He didn't choose to join at that time. Perhaps his belief in protecting humanity was involved, but it must have also been mixed with his ambition to wait for a better offer and start his own business.

Given this, forcing them to stay would be pointless and could even become a hidden danger.

So, in order to "encourage" his "actions" over the years, Xu Xuan decided to be a "good person" for once.

They plan to invite a high-ranking monk from the Pure Land School to organize a solemn and grand Dharma assembly for this former tyrant.

May he cleanse himself of worldly thoughts and be reincarnated, so that he may be reborn into a good family in his next life, where he can not only enjoy a peaceful and prosperous world, but also have a warm and loving family.

This can be seen as making up for the regret he had always longed for but could not have during his lifetime.

Duke Zhuang of Zheng: "..."

My feelings at this moment are so complicated that they are hard to describe.

He hadn't done anything wrong, yet he first sent all his subordinates to hell, then forced them to jump into the underworld. He barely managed to return to the human world, and before he could even catch his breath, he was already being "arranged" to reincarnate again?
Is this a stroke of luck or a stroke of bad luck?
Thinking about it carefully, perhaps... I'm still lucky.

Based on what I've seen and heard during this period, this world is truly too dangerous.

Rather than struggling in this world where demons and monsters run rampant and chaos erupts at any moment, it's better to try your luck in reincarnation for an unknown but potentially peaceful next life.

Xu Xuan's next task was to deal with the matter concerning Zheng Lian, the prefect of Xingyang.

Similarly, after only a brief moment of thought, a decision was made.

He raised his hand and took out the ancient, rough stone battle axe, imbued with the aura of antiquity and the power of the Yellow Springs, and handed it to the Stone King.

"We don't have the Iron Sea-Stabilizing Needle, but we do have the 'Yu the Great's Mountain-Splitting Axe'."

"Whether it is true or false, as long as enough people's willpower gathers around it and they worship it day and night, it might become true."

Whether it's true or false is not important; what matters is the power of faith and a reason that can bring peace of mind.

Besides, Zheng Lian wasn't stupid. He had tried to fool them with other auspicious omens, but the calamity of the Yellow Springs blocked his way.

Upon hearing this, King Qilicha, who was standing nearby, couldn't help but feel "admiration" for Zheng Lian, the prefect of Xingyang whom he had never met before.

In such turbulent times, to be involved in such a major event and still have the hope of escaping unscathed, and even possibly gaining a huge reward, one's official luck is truly remarkable.

Then, Qilicha accepted the order and, taking the already resigned Duke Zhuang of Zheng with him, transformed into a gust of wind and headed straight for Mount Lu.

Meanwhile, Stone King carefully picked up the seemingly unadorned stone axe and sank it into the earth's veins, heading towards Xingyang to carry out the "delivery to the door" mission.

As for his own safety... Xu Xuan had already made all the necessary arrangements.

They had already released butterflies to send a message inviting Lady White Snake to come and meet them.

He had a shrewd plan: he could take advantage of his current state of exhaustion, near death, and exceptional “vulnerability” due to his recent breakthrough to evoke the other person’s pity and maternal instincts.

And while you're at it, return that dragon sword that's been hacked to pieces like a dog chewed on it.

This person is quite something.

Xu Xuan made some arrangements in the town, feeling quite relaxed.

But above the Nine Provinces
(End of this chapter)