Chapter 717

Chapter 717: True Dragon Secret Arts

Xiyou Prefecture.

As noon approached, the main gate of the prefectural office was thrown open. Swiftly, Black Leopard cavalrymen mounted on fast horses rode out, carrying banners and heading towards various military camps distributed around the area, conveying the orders of the prefectural governor.

Clang—

The loud chime of the golden gong reverberated through the streets as soldiers clad in black armor wielding long spears marched out, clearing the way for the civilians so that the subsequent forces could leave the city.

Inside the inn, Bu Moxin was still writing furiously, documenting the misdeeds of Tu Haoyang, his neglect of the people and deceit towards the emperor. Hearing the commotion outside, he paused and went to the window to observe.

Seeing the previously bustling streets now cleared, soldiers in dark yellow armor lined up, their sharp spears gleaming like fish scales under the sun, causing intense glare. The neat strides they maintained exuded a sense of solemnity and ferocity, making people feel apprehensive.

“This is…” Bu Moxin found this hard to believe. Could it be that Governor Tu Haoyang has agreed to send troops? How could that be possible?

Therefore, he stopped writing his report and hurriedly grabbed his belongings, descending the stairs. He needed to gather information about the current situation.

On the other side of the street, at a teahouse:

It was still the same two people from yesterday, looking down from the cracks in the shutters at the vast army marching below.

“What is Tu Haoyang thinking? He’s sending out all his most elite troops, including his personal guards who are fellow townspeople. Is he planning a rebellion?”

“Perhaps,” one of the retainers nearby couldn’t quite understand the specifics, after all, Governor Tu Haoyang had always been tight-lipped about matters at the border, the Western Mountains. They didn’t know what was happening, only guessing based on a few rumors.

“Could it be because of that envoy from Xuanhua Mansion yesterday? But Tu Haoyang is known for being unyielding, how could he submit so easily?”

“If he were easy to control, he wouldn’t have rejected King Dai’s offer.”

“Back then, in the south of Huaxu, he killed countless foreign invaders, intimidated local chieftains, and abolished local ancestral worship, converting them to the Five Virtues Phoenix. Not just anyone can handle such a person.”

“If he hadn’t been so remarkable, he wouldn’t have earned King Dai’s favor. Unfortunately, even though he has talent, if he lacks loyalty and vision, he’s just a tool.”

After saying this, the retainer’s tone turned sinister, leaving unclear whether it was jealousy or mockery.

“But now that he’s moving, everything will be fine. With such a large-scale mobilization, there will inevitably be many flaws and overstepping. Soon enough, impeachment and questioning petitions will pour in like birds, converging on the current ruler.”

“We’ll just watch him slide into the abyss.” After saying this, the two men closed the curtains and continued drinking tea, watching the scene with a sense of confidence and indifference.

After returning from the prefectural office, Lolan Hill found Bu Moxin and informed her of the situation, which surprised her greatly. As an inspector from Xuanhua Mansion, she naturally knew the records of each governor. Tu Haoyang’s character was described as cold and decisive, not easily swayed. It was surprising that he changed his mind so quickly under Jialan’s persuasion.

“How did you do it?” she couldn’t help but ask.

“A secret,” Lolan Hill playfully closed one eye and placed her finger to her lips.

She didn’t want to lie, but she also didn’t want to explain too much, as it would likely lead to more questions. For example, her background, specific talents, and past experiences.

“Alright,” Bu Moxin pouted.

“But as long as we achieve our goal, it’s good.” She felt relieved and thanked Lolan Hill.

“Not just this time, but also when you saved me in the wilderness. Thank you, Jialan.” That day, she had been dazed for a while before regaining her senses, and now thinking about it, she felt a chill. If not for Lolan Hill arriving that night, she might have ended up like those white-robed patrol guests, perishing in the wilderness.

“It’s nothing,” the young lady shook her head. To her, it was merely a minor effort, not something significant.

“We should set off soon.”

“Okay.” Afterward, they packed their things and followed the troops summoned by Tu Haoyang to the Western Mountains.

—

Western Mountains.

In recent days, over 300,000 people had gathered around the Yuxi Valley. This was almost all that remained of the Chi Clan.

It was hard to imagine that a thousand years ago, a country with nearly ten million people now had such a small population left. The changes could only be described as the transformation of the seas and fields.

Once lush mountains and rivers, a prosperous capital, had become desolate ruins and barren wilderness. Former elegant dances, fine garments, and palaces had gradually faded away over a millennium. All that remained were weak survivors in tattered black clothes, meager food, and a desperate struggle for survival.

But even this last hope was about to be extinguished by the cruel demons.

On the vast wilderness, mournful and bleak howls echoed.

Since the Chi Clan moved near the Yuxi Valley, the demons emerging from underground crevices, unable to find food and souls, gradually gathered here. Some wolf-like or dog-like beasts acted as vanguards, appearing outside the Yuxi Valley.

“Close the gates!” A man shouted from atop a makeshift wall made of gray-black rocks, and the crude wooden gates lowered with a creak.

Copper gongs and bells rang inside and outside the valley, calling together the remaining young and strong men to arm themselves and gather on the gray-black walls.

On the wilderness, packs of black and red evil dogs darted about. Their backs were adorned with protruding bone spines, their bodies entirely black with a few red tiger stripes, appearing extremely fierce.

These were the Dead Sequence 3·Bone-spined Black Dogs. Though their strength was average, they were the most numerous among the demons, often appearing in large groups. It was easy to be surrounded and defeated if encountered alone.

They ran swiftly on the ground, occasionally spewing black smoke from their mouths, creating a massive commotion with incessant barking.

Seeing these black evil dogs approaching the temporary walls, the Chi Clan hastily deployed their archers, drawing bows to prepare for defense.

Longbows made of cedar wood, as tall as a person, were strung with arrows fitted with sharp stones. The Chi Clan wizards temporarily imbued them with soul-breaking magic, launching the arrows like swarms of locusts into the dark sky.

In the Western Mountains, metal tools were scarce, and the impoverished Chi Clan couldn’t afford them. Only enchanted sharp stone arrows could be used safely without worrying about supplies running out.

Whoosh—

Arrows sliced through the air, producing sounds as they reached their peak and then fell, accelerating under gravity and striking the wilderness outside the camp.

Crack—

Most arrows snapped upon hitting hard rocks, sparks flying from their tips. Some hit the black evil dogs, drawing blood and embedding into their bodies.

If ordinary beasts were hit by such arrows, they would certainly die instantly from blood loss. But these were extraordinary dead sequence creatures with resilient life force; even with several arrows piercing their backs, they continued running toward the low walls.

Howl—

When they were only three to four meters from the walls, these black evil dogs leaped, using the gaps or protrusions in the rocks to climb up and attack the weakened Chi Clan.

Warriors waiting for orders for a long time wielded spears, thrusting the jumping black evil dogs back down. Some archers then advanced to shoot at the evil dogs at the base of the walls.

In such fierce combat, some evil dogs broke through the encirclement and entered the camp, running swiftly, eyes and noses seeking fresh prey. Many common people couldn’t keep up, forcing some black-clad ghost slayers to come out and chase and kill these evil dogs, leading to chaos.

“Trouble—” Just as the camp was clearing out the remaining black evil dogs, a commotion erupted on the wall.

Everyone’s attention shifted again to the distant wilderness.

Some small demonic figures were slowly approaching from the horizon, seemingly drawn by the scent of blood. There were numerous demonic creatures from Dead Sequence 3-4, along with several powerful entities from Dead Sequence 5-6. These creatures caused panic and fear when they appeared.

As residents of the Western Mountains, none understood the terror these creatures brought better than they did. Even a single demon could destroy a village or town, and now they were appearing in dozens, even hundreds, with no signs of slowing down.

“Silence! Everyone stay in position. As long as we hold out today, help will arrive,” a masked black-clad figure holding a saber reprimanded loudly. Behind him, a group of masked black-clad figures emerged to maintain order, shouting at the crowd to calm down.

Seeing the crowd gradually calm down, the masked figure relaxed slightly but looked anxiously at the approaching demonic creatures.

Though these creatures weren’t rushing forward, their movements were somewhat chaotic.

But even so, with their immense strength, such demons were beyond what the Chi Clan could withstand now. The only hope lay elsewhere.

After many thoughts, the ghost-slaying envoy, with a soldier’s demeanor, turned to look at the shrine at the end of the valley. Its architecture was elegant and grand, revealing a sense of tranquility in the twilight.

After the Chi Kingdom’s fall, although the royal family was extinct, some descendants of former officials survived, preserving records and stories of the past. He was a descendant of a Chi general, with several military books and ancestral notes in his home, detailing training and warfare.

This allowed him to act decisively and clearly, preventing the nearby populace from panicking and fleeing.

But as a descendant of a military family, he knew that such measures could only work once. Without strong reinforcements or major changes, defeat was inevitable.

“Hopefully, everything will go as Lord Ge Luo said.” Gripping the hilt of his saber, he walked to another part of the wall to begin patrolling.

—

Western Border.

Banners of dark yellow fluttered in the wind, below which stood rows of soldiers. They were fully armored and armed, ready to march.

After two days of rapid mobilization, Tu Haoyang gathered 30,000 soldiers here from Xiyou Prefecture. Almost all of these warriors from the House of Plantagenet were part of the War Sequence (Combat Hierarchy), practicing related sequences according to military secrets. While most were at Sequence 1-2, there were also elite members at Sequence 3-4. Beside Tu Haoyang stood over 30 senior officers of Sequence 5, ready to follow his command.

Lolan Hill, wearing a light black veil, stood alongside Bu Moxin, observing the army.

“Will Moxin use a spell to accelerate the march?”

Lolan Hill heard that during the early years of the dynasty, the Golden Chrysanthemum Xuanhua Mansion had been the personal guards of the emperor, with many capable individuals able to summon dragon veins, invoke weather, survey the earth, and monitor stars. When these high-ranking individuals retired, they passed down many of their skills.

“I’m not very good at that. I specialize in exploring dragon veins and tracking traces, which are more suitable for investigative and pursuit tasks. The ritual of invoking dragons and rain is the forte of other branches within the mansion,” Bu Moxin shook his head. Limited by energy and time, even with her noble upbringing, mastering one skill was already difficult, let alone others.

“Is that so? I know a little, but it’s not suitable to display. It would be too conspicuous,” Lolan Hill currently displayed herself as part of the Dead Sequence. Suddenly performing abilities from the Dragon Sequence might cause trouble.

“Would you like to try it? I can assist,” she suggested to Bu Moxin.

“This…”

The ritual of invoking dragons was a crucial branch of the Dragon Sequence, seemingly powerful yet exceptionally challenging to master. Bu Moxin had tried learning it before but failed. Now, hearing the young lady mention it again, she wavered.

After a while, she finally spoke.

“I don’t know how you can assist, but I’ll tell you the general process of the secret art…” She feared Lolan Hill might underestimate the difficulties involved and cause problems.

After listening, Lolan Hill blinked.

So that’s how it is. It doesn’t seem too difficult. Compared to what she saw in Yan Yao Continent, the steps and difficulty were on a different scale.

“Yes, I understand. You don’t need to worry too much about failure,” Lolan Hill took Bu Moxin’s wrist, guiding her to practice the secret art of the Dragon Sequence.

Bu Moxin felt her perception expand instantly, her vague understanding of dragon vein energy becoming crystal clear. She could clearly see the flow of dragon veins and dark energy within a fifty-kilometer radius.

“How did you…” she was about to call out in surprise but restrained herself, then looked incredulously at the younger girl beside her.

How did she do it? She wanted to ask but hesitated. Jialan seemed to have too many secrets and surprises.

Seeing the curiosity and tension in Bu Moxin’s eyes, Lolan Hill tilted her head in thought, deciding to reveal some truths to avoid unnecessary speculation.

“Moxin knows about Western witches and Eastern goddesses, right?”

Hearing Jialan’s words, Bu Moxin’s mind raced, immediately understanding many things. No wonder this girl was so special. If she could easily change the governor’s decision, everything made sense.

The Five Virtues Phoenix was once five goddesses born with extraordinary destinies, capable of easily altering the world. This was almost a myth recorded in history.

“Yes, I’ll keep it a secret,” Bu Moxin now understood why Lolan Hill wanted to remain low-key. The appearance of a witch/goddess was shocking, attracting scrutiny from all sides.

As a member of Xuanhua Mansion, she naturally understood the importance of intelligence gathering and secrecy. Sometimes, critical information could be the key to victory.

Learning Jialan’s true identity filled Bu Moxin with a mix of excitement and thrill. This was exactly the kind of life she yearned for—secretly monitoring officials, uncovering hidden currents behind major events, participating in guarding the dynasty’s secrets.

Seeing Bu Moxin’s renewed enthusiasm, Lolan Hill couldn’t help but shake her head, slightly annoyed. This girl wasn’t as mature as she appeared.

Pointing her finger at Bu Moxin’s forehead, she closed her eyes and murmured.

Soon, a faint green symbol formed on Bu Moxin’s forehead, keeping her perception expanded.

That should do it, Lolan Hill withdrew her finger and observed Bu Moxin’s condition.

Similar to Siniya making the Seal Book, Tides giving herself a phantom pendant, she could temporarily grant her own talents to certain beings. Though far from her original version, it was still a breakthrough compared to ordinary people.

“Shouldn’t you be able to perform it now?” the young lady asked softly.

“No problem, Princess Jialan,” the woman half-crouched, bowing respectfully.

This was a living phoenix, a newly reborn goddess, one of the future Five Virtues. How much respect could be too much? Moreover, her benevolent heart made her truly fortunate for the dynasty.

“Then let’s begin.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

This woman from the Golden Chrysanthemum Xuanhua Mansion walked step by step to the altar on the hill, taking out the lantern staff from her waist, starting the ritual to guide the dragon veins and atmosphere.

Soon, a gentle breeze swept down from the horizon, the airflow strengthening under the influence of the dragon veins and blowing northwest.

Thus, the soldiers felt as if someone was pushing them from behind, making their march effortless. Their speed increased, almost like running. The flags fluttered as the army moved like a wind, traversing the wilderness, advancing toward the Western Mountains.

Seeing this, Tu Haoyang sighed.

“True Dragon Secret Arts.”

(End of Chapter)