Chapter 1381 - 697: Extra - for Little Worm’s Teeth and He Shi Bi (2)

So, the group proceeded northwest, heading towards the location of the Hidden Stream army.

Three years ago, Changtian returned to the Ba Snake Forest from Central Capital and immediately restructured, reverting Hidden Stream back to military organization. Thus, the forces of Hidden Stream were divided into seven armies, with regiments within the armies, brigades under the regiments, and squads under the brigades. The smallest unit in the army is the "fire," with each squad containing five fires, and each fire comprising ten soldiers.

The Black Blade Army was the one that battled fiercely with the Washing Sword Pavilion a year ago. Currently, the army is stationed nine hundred miles northeast of Taiwei Village.

During the journey on the Jade Boat, she received many answers from Hei Hao, only then did she understand why the battles between the Immortal Sects in recent years were not unlike those among mortals, involving sieges and territorial conquests, rather than the direct strikes at the Yellow Dragon she had imagined, riding flying shuttles.

The new artifact invention—the Mother and Child Mirror—was quickly widespread. Many medium and large Sects equipped this alarm-type magic artifact near their territory borders and city perimeters to monitor territorial safety. If a large-scale force of cultivators entered, it would be detected by the Child Mirror, causing the Mother Mirror placed inside the Sect to alarm and replay the captured images to help the owner assess the situation. Usually, Sects like Washing Sword Pavilion would also leave garrison forces within major cities, creating significant challenges for invaders.

Under such circumstances, launching a surprise attack became a very difficult task, and the swift, wind-like combat style quickly retreated from the historical stage. Changtian boastfully claimed in Central Capital that he would annihilate the Jiuxiao Sect because it was located in the East Sea, isolated on an island, almost completely sealing itself off from the outside world and unable to accept new creations like the Mother and Child Mirror. Furthermore, Changtian brought very few Hidden Stream Demons with him, relying mainly on the local Demon Sect forces in the East Sea to successfully carry out a surprise attack.

The Mother and Child Mirror had actually been invented long ago but only became widespread in these past two years. One could say that only after Hidden Stream flashed an assault on Jiuxiao Sect and various Southwest Immortal Sects did the multitude of Sects on the Nanshan Continent truly realize the importance of the Mother and Child Mirror.

That evening, the Jade Boat flew over Taiwei Village. Ning Xiaoxian suddenly said, "Let’s go down and take a look."

Hei Hao hesitated, saying, "Lord Ning..."

"Go down," her words were indisputable, and the Jade Boat obediently descended outside the city of Taiwei Village.

Nowadays, Taiwei Village is, of course, a dead city.

The Jade Boat landed on the city’s widest street. On what was once a flat street, there were now four or five large pits several meters deep, the edges of the pits showing radial cracks, revealing that they had been forcibly smashed with brute strength, leaving one to wonder what terrifying divine skills or devices had been used by both sides.

She stood on the main street, looking out over the desolation and ruin. Buildings that were once splendid are now nothing more than shattered tiles and ruins. Most of the buildings had been destroyed by the fires of war, reduced to piles of rubble, and only a tower still stood tall despite its base being blown away by half.

Anyone arriving here could only deduce the city’s former prosperity from the crisscrossing streets and alleys.

When Taiwei Village was at its most bustling, its permanent population exceeded four hundred thousand. Although it initially flourished due to the enormous spirit stone veins outside the city, after decades of prosperous development, it already had many specialties such as fragrant vinegar, yellow rice, and codonopsis, making it a very thriving city in this state, providing the Washing Sword Pavilion with a large amount of Immortal Silver every year.

Unfortunately, after the confrontation between Hidden Stream and Washing Sword Pavilion last month, Hidden Stream emerged victorious and purged the city, slaughtering all living beings. Now, besides wild dogs, ravens, and vultures coming for a feast, there’s no other living thing remaining in the city.

When Hidden Stream massacred the city, more than three hundred fifty thousand mortals were killed. Ning Xiaoxian walked along the main street, and everywhere were exposed corpses. The weather remains bitterly cold, with outdoor temperatures below minus ten degrees, so the bodies have not completely decayed, but a thick stench pervades the air. Monsters have a keen sense of smell, and even the Hidden Guards, including Hei Hao, wrinkled their noses. Only Ning Xiaoxian was unmoved, as if she smelled nothing odd.

She passed by a shop, half of its storefront collapsed, and the wooden signage had fallen to the ground, with words that could barely be made out, stating "Yu Xing Grain Store." Sounds of whimpering came from inside, and looking inside, she saw several corpses on the ground, their chests and abdomens cut open, with several wild dogs fighting over a large section of intestines. In the freezing cold, with ample supply of corpses in the city, these animals have grown picky. Compared to human flesh, organs are obviously more delicious and nutritious.

Seeing a living person, the wild dogs snarled and bared their teeth. Hei Hao and the others glared, terrifying these cowardly creatures into fleeing with a miserable cry, though not forgetting to snatch half a human leg before they went.

After Hidden Stream massacred the city, most of the corpses were gathered and burned, yet too many bodies were left scattered around, turning this place into a paradise for carrion animals.

She stopped in front of a slightly raised snow mound, crouched down, and swept away the accumulated snow to reveal what lay beneath—a girl only seven or eight years old, holding an infant less than half a year in her arms. Both children were already frozen solid, the girl’s face still bearing an expression of shock, her chest and abdomen pierced by a spear. The spear point, after passing through her body, had likewise pierced the infant’s heart, showing that they died instantly.

She quietly gazed at these two child corpses, not standing up for a long time, the tiger-striped cat by her side worriedly nuzzled her calf.

Hei Hao stepped forward a bit, whispering, "Lord Ning, we need to reach the army before dark."