27 – Battle for Jinchuan part 1

“Can’t sleep?” an old soldier asks the younger one

“We aren’t supposed to sleep during the night watch.” The younger one tried to answer firmly. But the hand gripping his spear is shaking and wet with sweat

“And I'm early for the shift.” the older soldier laughed. Then he placed one hand on the younger one’s shoulder. “Let me tell you something, you get the coveted position of being the one standing still during night watch. Everyone, I know, always gets some shut eye during their early or almost the end of their shift.” The old soldier was reassured. Fortunately, he is better able to control himself due to his own experience. So his own hand is not shaking. Truthfully, he is here because he can’t sleep either. No one can when knowing that there will be a battle between immortals in their very own city soon.

“You think we have a chance?” The young one asks as soon as the older soldier removes his hand. Now standing beside him.

“Better not think about it too much. Such things are so out of our place to judge. If we live, we live. If we die, we die. Eh, you’ll get used to it when you are older like me. But… if there’s some reassurance, we have two immortal masters from two Major sects. One is from the Tianhe sect and another is from our own Immortal Emperor’s sect.”

“It wasn’t right.” The young soldier then spoke

“What was?”

“That immortal with the deer skull for head, he is the one that killed the general right?”

“Like I said, better not think too much. Things are always complicated when Immortals are present. Better not presume why he is here either. Is that understood?” The older soldier now reminds him more sternly. To which, the young soldier finally nods.

“Hmmm. Come to think of it, the sun should have risen already.” The older soldier noted and looked around. Some soldiers that were supposed to be rotated for the day are already running up. Thinking they are late.

But then both of them caught a greenish blue glow. From a seemingly unknown source. Then they see clearly. Tens, no. hundred of thousands of skeletons marching. The older soldier immediately pushes the younger soldier away from the sight.

“Quick! Sound the Dru—” But the older soldier’s word stopped. His head went flying. Then millions of buzzing sounds can be heard. Still stunned, the young soldier just stands as a massive insect, with a huge mandible appearing from the older soldier’s corpse. Only then, do he turn away and run towards the drum.

“Let the mortals have their useless struggle!” A cold voice came from above. “Makes it easier to differentiate powerful ones for puppets. Focus on the cultivators!”

Seven figures fly into the capital of Jin. Three intercept from the city. 

“This one is Wúyī (無依|Without Reliance)! The one who will kill you all!” He spread his arm wide. Then with Qi, his arm enlarges. Thousands of smaller holes dotting his entire forearms are bigger. Thousands of Shadow Devouring Gnats erupt from these holes. Tiny, pitch-black flying insects the size of sesame seeds. Silent, extremely fast, and carry a corrosive Yin poison that can melt spiritual energy and flesh alike.

From the inner palace, Qingling rises to the sky. She remains calm, her expression elegant and focused. Her Dao brush in her hand, its tip already glowing with spiritual ink. With a wave, a drop of ink unleashes from her brush. Semi-transparent form of floating azure spiritual ink that looks like rippling water above the capital. The Shadow Devouring Gnats slam into it and are momentarily slowed, many of them sticking to the ink as if trapped in glue. The corrosive poison begins to eat at the barrier, but it buys her time. 

Then she waves her Dao Brush in a graceful arc, channeling her Foundation Establishment qi through the brush. With one fluid stroke of the brush, she paints a massive, glowing azure character in mid-air: “斩” (Zhǎn – Sever / Behead). The character explodes into hundreds of sharp, ink-black sword qi blades that shoot forward like a rain of arrows. Each blade carries the sharp, cutting intent of a flying sword, clearing the tens of thousands of gnats in a single strike.

Wuyi performs a hand seal and releases Blood Nest Gu, three fist-sized, blood-red centipede-like Gu insects from each of his hands. The corrosive yin poison, boosted by his own Vital Qi (Lifespan) broke the thousands of ink Qi blades. The six Blood Nest centipedes fly straight towards her. But she simply paints a blooming lotus flower in the air. The lotus rapidly grows into a dozen coiling ink vines that lash out toward the ground. The vines are flexible yet incredibly strong, wrapping around the three erupting Blood Nest centipedes.

But from each of Wuyi’s side, two cultivators strike towards Qingling. One is Gūzhōu (孤舟|Lone Boat), a body tempering cultivator. A burly man with a bald head and scars covering his torso charges ahead like a raging bull. His entire body glows with a metallic silver sheen, the result of his “Silver Bone Forging Art”. At Foundation Establishment, his skin and bones have been tempered to the level of low-grade spiritual steel, granting him immense physical strength and defense. Another is Yīyè (一葉|One Leaf), a slender woman in dark purple robes with long flowing hair and pale skin moves like a specter. She raises both hands, and eerie green ghostly flames ignite around her fingers.

Guzhou clenches both fists and slams them downward in a double hammer strike. (Silver Avalanche Fist|银崩拳). Two massive silver fist projections, a hundred zhang wide, materialize above him and crash down with crushing force. The fist carries the weight of a small mountain, aiming to flatten Qingling and the entire part of the city below. (One Zhang is around 3.3 meter)

Yiye waves her sleeves, releasing dozens of translucent green flaming spirit threads that shoot forward like ghostly chains. (Nether Soul Binding Threads|幽魂缚丝). These threads carry a soul-chilling Yin energy meant to bind and drain the opponent’s life force. The green threads weave together mid-air into a large net that drifts silently toward her target, accompanied by faint wailing sounds of wronged souls. The threads can phase through ordinary spiritual qi barriers and attempt to latch onto the opponent’s soul, slowly siphoning their vitality and qi.

From Qingling’s own side two cultivators counterattacked. Monk Fumo rises, two golden palms clash directly with the silver fists. (Great Compassion Palm|大悲掌). Buddhist scripture chants echo in the air as the palm releases purifying golden light that tries to suppress and shatter the brute physical force. Sparks of silver and gold fly everywhere upon impact. Fumo expends more Qi to disperse the force of the clash to the side. Sparing the city below at the expense of his Qi.

A blink, then a mighty vertical slash, (River Severing Sword|断河剑), cleaves the Nether Soul Binding Threads apart in one strike while the residual sword Qi continues toward Yiye. Cutting her left hand and almost cleanly remove her face.

“Useless wretch!” Wuyi mocks Yiye for losing her hand

“Shut up!” She shouted back, using the green threads to sew her hand back in place

“I have no habit of killing beautiful women, so let me just chop off your face before I kill you eh?” Gujian taunt somewhat lazily

“There is still a chance to repent, turn back. Now!” Monk Fumo adds to the side, his voice shook the entire region

But Qingling doesn’t speak. Frowning as she calculates what to do. The three of them are from sects, so their power is clearly better than these loose cultivators. But loose cultivators almost always have too many tricks. Whether to stay alive or hidden attacks. She reckons the Gu cultivator and the women using the nether thread will be hard to kill without being beheaded or their core destroyed. Then, there’s two shrouded cultivators that are yet to join in. Floating and observing eerily above. Not to mention the two others slipping into the inner palace behind her. Aiming to strike Danxing. Finally, there’s another one from the Yougu sect that summons the legions of undead. They are outnumbered two to one.

“Haha! They still think they have a chance! Continue with the seventh sequence! Don’t get beheaded wretch!” Wuyi aims the last sentence to Yiye and the attack continues

—

“I’m up-I’m up!” I jumped up from my seat. Catching the book falling from my head and putting it back to my storage ring. The sound of drums and strikes and explosions repeating outside. I look at the bed and the princess of Jin is still unconscious. I push her maid to the side, moving out of the chamber.

“You stay with them!” I command the female bodyguard and run outside. Dropping my transformation. Not bothering to turn my hooves into feet and project shoes for now. Outside, the few guards left are visibly terrified.

“Where’s your king!?” I boomed in a hurry. One of the soldiers looked left and right then left before pointing in a panic. Ah, fuck it! I just grab the soldier, carrying him under my arm. “Point me to your king!” He does as ordered and I follow his direction.

Following a few corridors, I barged through a large ornate door. What looks like the king, visibly shaking. His shaky hands grabbing at what is supposed to be his crown and throw it down. I looked around, there's only him and one person in a plain red robe beside him. The huge throne room with its massive pillars are empty. I dropped the soldier, only then did the king notice my presence.

“You!” the king roared, voice hoarse from shouting commands all night. “Deer Skull Demon! This is all your doing! You have brought ruin upon my dynasty!”

“Calm yourself!” I said as I step closer

“Huaiyuan! He’s supposed to be the guardian of the kingdom! My future son-in-law!” He continued screaming. To no one else in particular as his eyes are manic and no longer looking at me or the person beside him.

“AAAH! My dynasty fall today! My dynasty fall today!” He continued his hysterics. The only person beside him shields the king from me. But I simply lift him up and put him on the side.

“Hey, listen to me!” I try to speak with the king

“The officials, the ministers! No one came! Curse them! Curse them for seven generations! May all of them die by the roadside like a dog!” He curses all the officials and ministers that are not here. Already at my patience's end, I raise my fist.

“Ah!” He shield his face

My fist shakes, then switches to an open palm. Then shift to trying to flick him. Before deciding not to. I don’t want to accidentally kill him. Besides, I can understand his current position.

“Ready to listen to me now?” I said after lowering my hand

“What do you even want? There’s nothing left here. Not even any gifts from immortals from generations past are left.” He said in utter defeat as his mind returns to the present

I sent my divine sense outwards. Qingling, Fumo, and Gujian are having the advantage right now. The mortal soldiers move to the walls as undead marches. Though many did desert.

“Lead your soldier on the wall. They deserve that much.” I offer him what to do

“But-but… I never held a sword in my hand.” He muttered. Confused that I even ask this and not for some profit. But I heard the sound of cannons.

“How about the cannons?”

“Well, I buy the cannons using my own money.” He said hesitantly

“Oh well, that’s it. Let’s go!” I went to his back and push him outside this drab throneroom

“But I don’t know how to use it!” He plants his feet straight to the ground and lean back, while I just push him with no effort

“Just point and shoot, it ain’t that hard.” His body in my hand is so rigid that I feel the tile as his feet skids past each tile

“That’s not how it works!”

“Sure buddy. Sure.” I dismiss his words

“Why are you doing this!?” He finally asks

“Well, if your kingdom is ending then perhaps it is better to find a better place to die. Leading your people one last time sounds so much better than here.” I looked around the drab throneroom. Where not even one brazier lit. “Here is just sad. At least, when your soul goes to whatever afterlife you go, you won’t be ashamed.” 

He looked up. Mouth opens slightly as he listens to my words. Then finally, he looks forward. His body slackens and he begins to take his own steps. The soldier I carry and the only person accompanying him moving beside him. And that makes his feet somewhat lighter. Knowing he’s not alone. That’s it! Let’s go! The little strength when seeing there are others beside him. I know the feeling very well. This will spread to his soldiers on the wall as soon as they know their king is beside them. And then, to his people when this debacle ends. I know the feeling of waiting to die all too well and it feels so miserable that dying is better. In a sense, I am sending him to die. But that is what he is already waiting for but this one should have more meaning. As at least it is in an effort to achieve something.

The soldier and the palace staff open the door. All of us paused. There’s a middle aged man. Standing, his arm behind him. In the empty inner courtyard where no souls can be seen. I know for certain that he is a peak ninth level of Foundation Establishment, he reveal it himself. Seven levels above mine.

I looked at the middle aged man. He looked plain and in the same plain brown robes. Assessing me quite intently. He can attack me right now but he didn’t for whatever reason. So he’s interested in something else.

“Would you let these mortals pass?” I started

“And where would they go?” He ask in return

“The king to his people.” I said confidently. Watching his emotional halo intently. But seeing it very calm and no changes. He listened to my words, raising one eyebrow. Thinking before finally deciding.

“Very well, they may pass. I will not harm them.” He gives his decision. I sense no lies in his words. So I push the king forward.

“Go on. Don’t worry. I will handle the rest.” He looked back once. Then look towards the middle aged man. Taking the first step before running forward. The soldier and the palace staff behind him. And he did let them go unharmed.

Now then…

How the fuck do I get out of this alive!?