Dream of the Red Chamber: Starting from Immortal Martial Arts

The twelfth day of the first month of the sixth year of Changwu.

Evening, outside Yangzhou city.

A golden beam of light flew from the northern sky, piercing through the dazzling, fiery clouds ahead, and flew straight into the city.

On the golden rainbow boat, Jia Tang led his four great generals, seventy tiger guards, personal soldiers, and warriors, traveling non-stop for three days, covering 70,000 li of mountains and rivers, from the capital to Shugang, northwest of Yangzhou.

Shugang is shaded by green trees and lush with flowers and plants. This area stretches for more than 800 li, bordering Yizheng and Liuhe counties to the west, reaching Zhuyu Bay to the northeast, and facing Yingtian Prefecture across the river.

At this moment, the entire Shugang Hill was completely silent, without any insect or bird sounds.

Jia Tang looked at Yangzhou City, which was so close at hand, and then looked down at the mountains and forests below. A cold smile appeared on his lips as he continued to urge the Golden Rainbow Boat forward.

Just as the golden rainbow boat flew over Shugang, two array flags were raised in front and behind it in an instant. Dense water and earth elemental energy began to condense, forming a light shield that trapped it.

"Oh? A Tier 1 High-Grade Dual-Attribute Trapping Array?"

A slightly surprised voice came from the golden rainbow boat. After circling twice and finding that it could not break through, the boat began to slowly descend into the dense forest.

Just then, from the dense forest outside the trapping formation, an old Taoist priest wearing a tattered robe, with his chest exposed and his body shrouded in turbid earth and metal energy, soared into the sky. The sounds from within his body were like waves crashing against reefs. Looking at the descending golden rainbow boat, he grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth, and laughed: "Hahaha, Yuan soldier flying boat, what an unexpected delight!"

The sound of laughter echoed between heaven and earth, stirring up the vital energy and spreading in all directions.

Jia Tang, inside the golden rainbow boat, narrowed his eyes, looking into the deep forest, and sneered, "You think you can outmaneuver me?"

"One is just a nobody, what about two? Or three? The brats of the Jia family."

As soon as he finished speaking, two middle-aged Taoist priests emerged from below. One was covered in golden and water divine energy, and the other was filled with fire and earth divine energy. Both were wearing Taoist robes, and water was surging within their bodies.

"Just three lowly minions from the evil realm of the Incense Burning Path."

Jia Tang remained unmoved, then changed the subject, asking with suspicion, "Why did your Fragrance Sect target the Lin family so fiercely, leading me here? Have you been so terrified of the Chongwu faction that you think my Jia family is easy to bully?"

The old Taoist first laughed heartily, then his expression changed, his face contorted with malice as he said in a vicious voice, "Because someone offered you a huge price to die, an astronomical price. Besides, this is the Divine Qi Realm of the Path to Godhood, not the evil energy you, you damned brat, are talking about."

As they spoke, the golden boat landed on the ground. The crowd disembarked in order and formed a battle formation. Jia Tang pulled out the Tiger Demon Flag, opened his mouth and inhaled, and the golden rainbow boat gradually shrank and flew into his belly.

Instantly, a series of sickeningly sharp, twanging sounds echoed from the dense forests on both the north and south sides, followed by an angry shout: "Release!"

From the north and south sides, eight thick, wide iron arrows flew rapidly, attacking from both sides. These were the military's deadly weapon—the improved triple-bow crossbow bolts, each comparable to a full-force strike from the mid-stage of a first-tier weapon.

Outside the dense forest, figures dressed in black robes and wearing hooded hats, wielding crossbows, gradually appeared on both sides. They relied on the trees to fire, and wave after wave of gray-glowing crossbow bolts rained down like a torrential downpour.

Then, from the woods within the formation, a large number of believers wielding steel knives and dressed in black robes emerged, shouting, "When the three calamities come, the sun and moon lose their light; our bodies become rafts, our souls ascend to the other shore; may the gods guide us, and we will be honored to ascend to the Heavenly Court."

Everyone shouted slogans, their eyes burning with madness, and charged forward fearlessly.

"kill!"

"The gods are guiding us; we have entered the Heavenly Court. Quickly slay the demons and ascend to immortality."

Jia Tang narrowed his eyes, flicked his wrist, and the flagpole turned. The White Tiger Flag appeared on top, wrapping around the flagpole and circling it. The tip of the flag immediately shot out thin golden rays, and the protective array immediately collapsed, turning into blue and yellow specks that dissipated.

Then the flagpole was reversed, and the mountain king surveyed the area. The flag surface was interwoven with golden light, and two dense white gold nets shot out, which blocked the giant crossbow arrows from the front and back. It was as if the sun had encountered an evil spirit. The place where the two made contact emitted a "hissing" sound. The iron arrows were polished by the golden nets and turned into drops of molten iron, which flowed to the ground and smashed into pits.

Seeing this, the old Taoist's eyes gleamed with greed. He licked his lips and said, "The Ning family's wealth—a Yuan-grade Tiger Fiend Demon-Slaying Banner of unknown rank—what a treasure!"

Not only outsiders were unaware of its rank, but even Jia Tang was clueless. He only knew that it was a Yuan weapon that matched a cultivation technique, and that it could be used once one reached the first rank and acquired Gang Qi. Its power increased with the individual's cultivation level.

Furthermore, this flag shone brightly in the hands of Jia Yan and Jia Daihua, and countless cultivators perished under its banner.

The next moment, the old Taoist priest's face turned sinister, and he shouted, "Make your move!"

The three Taoist priests exuded divine energy, and their divine swords and blades, carrying pungent incense, rushed towards Jia Tang.

"kill."

Upon hearing the sound, the four great generals of "Peace and Well-being" instantly flew out, their martial blood surging and their qi surging, the sound of metal striking each other within their bodies shaking the heavens and the earth.

The Qi circulated, and a massive tiger head of Qi, composed of two metals and two fires, materialized and flew into the dense forests in the southeast, northwest, and southwest. The tiger's mouth opened wide and suddenly sucked in many bandits. The metal Qi cleaved them apart, and the fire Qi scorched them. The bandits' flesh and blood vanished into thin air without leaving a trace.

Behind the four generals, seven junior commanders with faces shrouded in golden and fiery auras floated in the air. After blocking the remaining crossbow bolts one by one, they led the Tiger Guards and numerous personal guards and soldiers to slaughter the bandits from all sides.

The three men's expressions changed drastically, and they exclaimed in disbelief, "Four Outer罡 (Outer罡) illusionists?"

"Seven Inner Strengths?"

Without time to think, the three Taoists, one old and two middle, looked at the approaching Jia and the four generals, and exerted their full power to fight them.

Blades flew through the air, figures darted about, and below, trees fell and rocks cracked.

"Brother, this is our chance to strike it rich."

"Quickly surround and kill Jia's brat!"

Suddenly, a joyful cry shook the mountains and forests. Two figures flew out from the Zhuyu Bay on the west side, their bodies radiating blue light. With a series of wave of their hands, divine blades seven or eight feet long appeared and pounced towards Jia Tang.

Seeing this, Jia Tang stomped his foot on the ground, and disappeared from the spot while holding the Tiger Demon Extermination Banner. A dazzling golden light pierced through the air, like the sun on a tour, shattering the blue blade energy.

Above the Zhuyu Bay river, Jia Tang intercepted the two men from his elevated position. Instead of immediately attacking, he asked, "And where are you two from?"

"I will not change my name or surname, I am Luo Miao, the successor of the Wuwei Sect," the tall, burly, bearded man at the head of the group said proudly.

The other person, with a fanatical expression, loudly chanted: "Homeland of Emptiness, Parents Without Birth, I, Luo Ze, greet you, Layman."

Seeing this, Jia Tang remained expressionless: "Finished? Let's get going."

With a flick of his wrist, the Tiger Demon Flag pointed downwards, and slender golden rays descended from the sky like fine golden rain, making the entire sky dazzling and radiant.

When Jia Tang made his move, the two of them were stunned, staring blankly at the sky that seemed to be raining golden rain.

"Alas, young friend, your mind is heavy and your actions are ruthless. You should return to the mountains with me, eat vegetarian food, chant scriptures, and try to purify your violent tendencies."

"Old Master Yu, the rest is up to you."

A soft sigh suddenly echoed between heaven and earth, and a giant brown hand, twelve feet in size, pierced through the clouds and slowly pressed down.