Chapter 78: Attack

A few days ago, Ah Huila crossed the mountains, riding with his tribesmen until they reached the Great Fish Stream, as it was called by the tribe. He summoned the tribal shaman to drive away the wild beasts from the mountains and had his people set up camp. It was then that an elder approached him, urging him to return.

“Chief, east of the Great Fish Stream is the territory of the Demonic Sect. It would be better to turn back!”

Ah Huila’s eyes widened. The animal teeth and jade stones on his body clinked together, making a jingling sound as he said angrily:

“Old man, if we turn back, will you go and fight that wolf, Gani Xi, to the death? Will you take your head into Li Mountain to die? Or can you use sorcery to fly across Moon-Gazing Lake and find a place for these nine hundred tribesmen to settle?”

The elder immediately fell silent. He sighed and returned to the tribe.

Ah Huila snorted coldly and took a sip of fruit wine. Then he saw several tribesmen enter the tent, bringing out a clean, pale-skinned, and neatly-haired stranger. They threw him before Ah Huila and said with a laugh:

“Chief, this stranger was peeking around the camp, so a few of us captured him!”

It turned out to be a clan soldier sent by the Li family to scout for information. His ability to hide and scout in the mountains was naturally no match for the Mountain Yue, who constantly traversed the forests. Thus, he was captured.

Ah Huila touched his face, revealing four patterns on his cheeks, which symbolized his fourth-level Fetal Breath cultivation. He lifted the man and said coldly:

“A stranger? It’s been a long time since I’ve seen one!”

Seeing the man’s eyes widen and him struggle in terror, Ah Huila sneered for a moment. He threw the man to the ground and shouted loudly:

“Guards!”

Immediately, a tribal shaman dragged the man away. Poisonous insects and bee stings were applied one by one. Horrific screams immediately echoed from outside the tent. Ah Huila happily finished his cup of fruit wine, and the man confessed everything.

“The Li Clan?”

Ah Huila frowned and shook his head. After listening to the shaman drone on for a while, he didn’t hear the terms “Qi Cultivation.” He immediately shouted loudly:

“To hell with it! Let’s plunder first and talk later! Everyone, get up and work!”

————

Chen Erniu had more white hair at his temples. These past few years had been prosperous for him. His youngest son, Chen Donghe, had entered the path of immortality, and he would boast about it to anyone he met.

Chen Donghe cried loudly when he was born. The more Chen Erniu looked at him, the more he liked him. He discarded the names he had thought of and invited Mr. Han Wenxu to name the child.

Han Wenxu was amused and exasperated when he saw Chen Erniu brave the winter snow, bringing good wine and dried meat to his door. Following Chen Erniu’s tradition of naming after rivers, he named the child Chen Donghe.

Chen Donghe was intelligent from a young age. Chen Erniu finally felt relieved seeing his other good-for-nothing sons. To his surprise, a few years ago, a spiritual aperture was discovered in him. This drove Chen Erniu wild with joy, and he sent him to train under Li Xiangping.

“Alas.”

Chen Erniu sighed. Wan Tiancang had died in Huaqian Mountain, and Líchuān Pass was now guarded by Wan Tianchou. This man was quite amiable and got along well with Chen Erniu. However, wild beasts kept rustling out from the western mountains. Chen Erniu hadn’t slept well these past few days, and his heart was constantly restless.

After lying in bed for a while, Chen Erniu was drowsily drifting off to sleep when he suddenly heard a series of shouts.

“Father! Father!”

Chen Sanshui burst into the room with a loud bang, startling Chen Erniu so much that he tumbled off the bed onto the floor, crying out in pain.

“You unfilial wretch! Your mother…”

Before Chen Erniu could even utter a curse, he saw Chen Sanshui stumble to the doorway, dragging him along, and pointed eastward for Chen Erniu to see.

“Damn it all…”

Chen Erniu stiffened, leaning on the doorframe. He stared blankly at the scattered points of fire on the eastern slope.

One by one, shirtless Mountain Yue tribesmen, with tattooed arms, emerged, laughing loudly and brandishing their long blades as they charged down the mountain. The procession, like a long dragon, had already reached the village. Faint sounds of crying and screaming drifted from it.

Behind him, Chen Sanshui was frantically rummaging through the house, packing valuables, and cried out tremblingly:

“Father, run, Father, while there’s still time…”

Chen Erniu’s heart tightened. He nearly blacked out from anger. He slapped Chen Sanshui on the head and roared:

“Get out and notify the main family!”

Seeing Chen Sanshui frozen, Chen Erniu kicked him in the backside. Watching him scurry away in fear, Chen Erniu felt the fiery light before him spin, as if the world was turning upside down, and a deep sense of powerlessness washed over him.

“What a useless fellow.”

Steadying his emotions, Chen Erniu entered the house and picked up his second son, Chen Qiushui, who was sleeping like a log. He said through gritted teeth:

“The clan head had noticed the anomalies in the east a few days ago. The clan soldiers are stationed behind the village. Now get your butt over there and see what’s happening.”

Seeing Chen Qiushui stumble around the room with sleepy eyes, Chen Erniu’s anger almost made him faint. He quickly closed his eyes and muttered to himself:

“No rush, no rush, Donghe is still at home.”

Only then did he draw his blade and put on his rattan armor. He gritted his teeth and rushed out of the courtyard, then stealthily moved along the narrow paths, lurking in the shadows.

————

“Clan Head!”

Li Xiangping slowly opened his eyes. He saw Li Yesheng enter the courtyard, covered in dust and looking disheveled, and said in a deep voice:

“The Mountain Yue from the west have attacked Líchuān Pass!”

Li Xiangping was startled. He immediately stood up, threw the armor from the wall over himself, lightly gripping his Azure Crow Bow. Beside him, Chen Donghe obediently tied on his quiver.

“What’s the situation? How many people? Are there any cultivators?”

“They say a quick glance reveals hundreds of them, and no one was seen flying through the air.”

Although Li Yesheng had never cultivated immortality, he knew something about cultivation levels. He had also seen cultivators slay demons in his daily life and understood that most ground-bound demons were not to be feared.

However, Li Xiangping and Li Tongya had instructed him that if he encountered anyone or anything floating in mid-air, he must immediately retreat and report back to the mountain. He knew that those who could fly were the truly formidable ones.

He slapped a sprint spell onto his leg. Li Xiangping whispered:

“Send someone to summon Li Qiuyang and Li Xuanxuan!”

Hesitating for a moment, Li Xiangping decided not to disturb Li Tongya, who was in secluded cultivation. He lightly stepped and ran down the mountain.

“Yesheng, then lead the village guards here as reinforcement!”

Li Yesheng shouted back. Seeing Li Xiangping disappear into the mountains, he quickly strode off to summon people.

After moving quickly along the path for a while, as he neared Líchuān Pass, Li Xiangping saw that the encampment of eight hundred clan soldiers was already filled with loud drumming. Several centurions, embedded there, were pacing with troubled expressions. And on the ground, a person sat sprawled, weeping into their hands.

He glanced down. Li Xiangping thought the person’s face somewhat resembled Chen Erniu. He lightly tossed the jade token in his hand and continued running westward.

The centurions had long recognized Li Xiangping. The command token for mobilization was merely a formality. They quickly led the clan soldiers behind them to follow, rustling through the forest, towards Líchuān Pass.

Only Chen Qiushui remained, sitting dumbfounded in the dust, bewildered by the sudden events. He stood up, dusted himself off, and looked around anxiously, unsure where to go.