Volume 10 Chapter 25: Border's Winter, Thorn
The fish market business was one that was full of fishy smell during the summer, and then when the weather grew cold, it instead became damp and cold. Even though it was the same riverside, East Port Town's fish market where there was water splashing everywhere was much colder than the other riverside areas in East Port Town.
Early in the morning, Xu Sheng who had just walked out from his family's shop, about to get on his fishing boat to see if he could find anything fresh and beneficial to his cultivation, heard that someone from a merchant company was waiting for him outside the fish market.
Ever since he unknowingly released a bit of a outstanding presence, others learning that he already became a cultivator, the amount of people who came to seek him out appeared in an endless stream.
In the world of cultivators, there seemed to be cultivators everywhere, but in this ordinary world, cultivators were like rare spiritual mountains hidden deep among the other mountains; everyone knew they existed, yet they were fleeting like smoke and clouds, existences very few could truly encounter.
Xu Sheng originally planned to continue just like before, have others help him refuse them, but the fish trader who reported to him said that this merchant company told him that as long as he heard a single sentence, he definitely won't refuse.
"What sentence?"
"I cannot remember clearly, something fish something dao."
That fish trader scratched his head in embarrassment because he forgot this sentence that was too awkward sounding, but right at that moment, on this wet fish market, Xu Sheng's figure completely froze, appearing within his eyes was a brilliance that normally didn't appear there.
After standing still for several breaths of time, he walked towards the street outside the fish market with large steps, not even hearing the greetings of those people he was familiar with around him.
The people of this fish market obviously noticed that this dark faced young master was different from normal. At East Port Town's first glimmers of dawn, they saw Xu Sheng whose body seemed to be flickering with some type of radiance walk towards the carriage that had arrived yesterday in the middle of the night. This carriage was parked just outside the fish market.
Xu Sheng only exchanged a few words with the finely dressed middle-aged man in front of that carriage and then he quickly returned to his own shop in the fish market. Soon afterwards, everyone in the fish market knew that Xu Sheng was going to leave.
Only some people who were closer heard that this finely dressed middle-aged man was a shopkeeper from Great Unity Company. They only heard that middle-aged man respectfully say an extremely cryptic line: "Thou has taught me how to fish, I have returned the dao." Then, Xu Sheng agreed to follow this individual from Great Unity Company.
These fish market people didn't know the meaning of this sentence, nor could they figure it out. Why did Xu Sheng not go to those famous merchant companies that were close to home, instead wishing to head out so far, accepting the invitation of this merchant company that wasn't all that famous?
Among everyone in East Port Town who received this news, the only one who could detect some of the true meaning was Second Grandpa Zhang and some of his brothers.
When Xu Sheng quickly bid his family members farewell, stepped on Great Unity Company's carriage and left, these river men rode boats on the river.
On the wide river surface, all of these river men raised a bowl of wine, raising them towards Xu Sheng, sending him off this way.
Xu Sheng didn't have wine, only releasing some hot tears. He gave these people a deep bow and then decisively turned around, entering the carriage.
...
In a small eastern town in Yunqin Empire, Xu Sheng accepted Great Unity Company's invitation and left. Under Lin Xi's invitation behind the scenes, goods were about to be transported around Jadefall City and all other parts of Yunqin and Thousand Sunset Mountain by Yunqin and Great Mang's borders also experienced their first snow.
Ever since news about the war against the south was announced, regardless of whether it was the Yunqin army stationed in Thousand Sunset Mountain or the Great Mang army stationed on the plains on Great Mang's border, the atmosphere was extremely tense. There was no way for them to calmly enjoy the arrival of the end of this year.
Even though Thousand Sunset Mountain stretched endlessly just like Dragon Snake mountains, extending across Yunqin's entire southern border, the terrain was extremely calm and vast, growing on this land were all types of broad-leaved trees. There were no issues in the transferring of military troops and large scale military equipment. That was why when Great Mang was still Nanmo Country, an army of three hundred thousand easily made their way through the plains between Thousand Sunset Mountain and Meteor Lake, in the end creating Green Luan Academy Principal Zhang's legend.
Since the terrain and the enemy were different from Dragon Snake Border Pass, that was why regardless of whether it was Yunqin's side or Great Mang's side, there were camps that stretched limitlessly one after the next.
Early this snowy morning, three men dressed in Great Mang's yellow high ranking officer clothing who carried an official military passage token of authority made their way through layers and layers of tents, approaching the most majestic central army large tent. When they saw the embroidered 'Wenren' characters on the fluttering military banner in front of this great tent, the three men's eyes flickered with cold radiance of extreme hatred.
When they were still close to seven hundred steps from the imposing central tent and confirmed that there was no one around them, the oldest red faced middle-aged men spoke with a voice only the three of them could hear, carrying out a final confirmation. "Junior Zou will ambush from the left, use the Demonic Dragon Bow to draw his attention, and then I will make my move as well, trapping his flying sword. Finally, Junior Lian will deliver the last blow. Do you all understand clearly?"
These words had already been repeated who knew how many times before they entered these camps, this brief coordinate attack also repeated who knew how many times. It was already clear to the point where it couldn't be any clearer. However, when they heard this, the extremely grave expressions of the other two youngsters didn't show the slightest bit of impatience, only silently nodding.
However, the red faed middle-aged man still couldn't relax. Perhaps it was to solidify his conviction to sacrifice his life, he added with a voice only the three of them could hear, "Wenren Cangyue's internal injuries and the poison he was inflicted with are both extremely serious. For the sake of obtaining the military token that allowed us to approach this tent, our people are also basically exposed, so we only have this single chance of assassination, we must succeed. This isn't only revenge for Brother Li Ku... Moreover, there has already been definite news yesterday that he is going to take the initiative to attack Yunqin's army soon! The purpose of doing this can only be to completely anger Yunqin Emperor and Yunqin's people, making it so that the war against the south has no chance of being changed. We cannot allow Great Mang to be dragged into the mud because of this person."
When they heard this red faced middle-aged man say this, the two wore extremely grave expressions, the skin on their faces like iron, these youngsters still didn't say anything, instead, the resolute expressions in their eyes became even stronger.
Since the authority token these three had were ordinary search tokens, nothing unexpected happened. The auras of these three individuals and their footsteps were all controlled to closely resemble a normal patrolling soldier level as they approached the central military tent.
Outside the majestic yellow cowhide central military tent, only two spear bearing soldiers stood guard. Under this snow fluttering dawn's tranquility that seemed almost unreal, dried cow excrement and charcoal burned inside a bronze stove, cooking a large pot of medicinal herbs, the strong smell of medicine completely overriding the unpleasant smell of cow excrement. Wenren Cangyue who was still dressed in a set of thin and crude plain cotton clothing, just finished a bowl of ink-black medicinal soup. Compared to when he cooperated with Purgatory Mountain's Patriarch Shentu in assassinating Li Ku, the faint blue color that bloomed like apricot flowers on his face already greatly declined. However, his complexion was still pale, making his brows appear even darker, but his lips that were originally red like blood became a bit pale.
Even though he successfully stopped Li Ku from escaping, in the end, Li Ku was still a cultivator even stronger than him. He knew that even that cultivator who was still a level higher than him, Purgatory Mountain's Patriarch Shentu who was as powerful as Vice Principal Xia, even he suffered serious damage under Li Ku's strike, so his aged self might have lost a good chunk of his remaining lifespan.
Before Gu Xinyin's cultivation was recovered, among all of the Sacred Experts in the world, he was indeed the only one who could impede Li Ku with a sword, which was why he was the only one who could successfully decide Great Mang's fate, so he was regarded as extremely important by all Great Mang powers. However, he was still only able to halt Li Ku after all. Even though those seventeen Purgatory Mountain Sacred Expert level powerful cultivators blocked in front of him under the orders of Purgatory Mountain Patriarch Shentu, Li Ku's power still left him with worse injuries than when he faced Sanskrit Temple's Zhen Pilu.
With some of Purgatory Mountain's precious medicines, a larger half of Blue Apricot's poison had already been eliminated, but his internal injuries were even worse than when he left Jadefall City.
The current Wenren Cangyue, was indeed extremely weak.
However... this was still relatively speaking.
Even though those three assassins who held a passage token of authority completely controlled their aura and power, changing them to that of a patrolling soldier, Wenren Cangyue who had just finished a bowl of medicinal soup still sensed that something was off. He sensed the ice-cold killing intent only someone like him who had experienced endless battles could sense.
When facing this type of killing intent, Wenren Cangyue only gave the person closest to the tent an indifferent look, lifting up the bowl of medicine over the flames and covering it with a heavy helmet.
The three outside the tent didn't know that Wenren Cangyue only made these calm movements out of fear of ruining these medicines when they fought.
They only knew that they had to kill Wenren Cangyue and that he was in this tent alone right now.
Without any hesitation, the youngest 'Junior Zou' was the first to erupt with power. Following a low roar, soul force surged crazily from the bottom of his feet. The sturdy leather military shoes directly exploded, his entire figure smashing in from the left.
The two spear holding soldiers were shocked, releasing cries of alarm, but before they could make any movements, that oldest red faced middle-aged man already made his way between them. A thin black and red blade flew out from behind the red faced man, cutting open the throats of the two spear wielding soldiers.
A large opening was directly made under the impact of that youngest cultivator.
This young cultivator who rushed into the tent first already sent all of his soul force into his hands. The air in the tent suddenly began to sweep about like a storm.
Because he knew that he would definitely instantly die, this young cultivator didn't treasure his own body in the slightest. When his hands gripped a pitch-black soul weapon, his skin already completely exploded.
However, even at this time, Wenren Cangyue still didn't move. A perfectly round arrow hole suddenly appeared from a tent to the side. A dark red long arrow carrying a streak of even more intense energy instantly smashed into this young cultivator's chest.
This young cultivator widened his eyes in disbelief, his body flying outwards.
He was in disbelief that there was actually this type of archer who could accurately strike his body through the tent, moreover with such astonishing speed and power.
Pu pu pu pu...
In the instant he was sent flying, not even one of the the countless black light like terrifying fine crossbow bolts that condensed all of this young cultivator's power was able to land on Wenren Cangyue, instead shooting towards the tent's roof.
This entire tent's roof didn't have countless holes opened, it was instead directly blasted into endless pieces by the crazy power, rushing out like a fountain.
The pupils of the red faced middle-aged man who charged in contracted. This arrow already messed up their coordination, but he still didn't show the slightest hesitation. With an explosive weng noise, his black and red thin flying sword released countless black and red sparks, turning into a straight line that shot fiercely towards Wenren Cangyue!