Chapter 1433: Black Cloud
A month later, Li Qingshan arrived in the Department of Military Provisions again. Ge Xing personally received him, bringing him to the teleportation hall. He glanced at the basket on his back in surprise and asked politely, “Junior brother, what have you brought with you?”
“Treasure.” Li Qingshan smiled brightly.
Ge Xing became even more curious as a result. Just what could be referred to as “treasure” by him, yet could not be stored in a sumeru ring? However, he did not try to get to the root of the matter, showing him the respect of an equal. He raised his hand, and the teleportation formation lit up. A gate condensed from light slowly opened.
“May you achieve swift victories in battle and be ever-successful!”
Li Qingshan nodded and stepped through the gate of light.
Ge Xing stroked his chin. Now that he had headed over, it would probably be another fierce struggle. He suddenly shook his head. If it had been someone else that entered the dangerous battlefield of the Demon domain after antagonising the two of them, just staying alive would be almost impossible. It would not be a struggle at all.
However, he was unable to find even a hint of fear from him. Instead, there was only brimming interest as if he was about to join in a fascinating game, such that even now, he did not think he would end up at the whim of others.
When Li Qingshan emerged from the teleportation gate, he was already billions of kilometres away.
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The clouds in the sky were gloomy and sunken like they were within arm’s reach. Great flakes of snow drifted through the air. Gazing out, under the dark sky, the snow seemed black. The chilly air was filled with the faint smell of blood. With a deep breath, it was refreshing.
“Li Qingshan?” a guard with a metal halberd asked.
“Yes.”
“The army captain orders you to report to the Scorching Fire hall immediately!”
“Alright!”
“Come with me!” The guard turned around and walked off.
Li Qingshan furrowed his brows and followed behind him. Was that bastard Li Liehuo really so impatient that he wanted to deal with him immediately?
Gazing out, the mountains rose and fell while the river stretched off into the horizon.
Black Cloud city was built on the top of a mountain. Military barracks stretched on endlessly, and it was heavily guarded. The two sect masters of the Myriad sect had personally modified the terrain within several hundred kilometres of the place, establishing the Formation of Black Clouds and Roaring Thunder. That was where its name came from. It was a crucial stronghold for holding off the invading demonfolk, and it had never fallen since its establishment.
Two armies under the Myriad sect’s command were stationed here, the Scorching Fire army and the Xuanwu army. Their respective captains were the first senior brother Li Liehuo and the first senior sister Chao Tianjiao. There were also the eighty-six armies enlisted from the major countries within the vicinity of the Myriad sect, forming a grand stronghold of a million strong.
Just like White Deer country that Ruan Yaozhu originated from, all the countries had the shadows of direct disciples behind them, serving them to their benefit. The more people they sent into battle, the more contribution and bookmarks they could receive. If it were not for Ruan Yaozhu, a tiny country with an incompetent lord like White Deer country would have been annexed by its neighbours a long time ago.
This was not a clash between cultivators or sects, but a war between two worlds. No one could remain uninvolved.
The Demon domain basically used every single demonfolk as a soldier. A technique from a Human Sovereign could kill hundreds and thousands of them with ease, but perhaps it would reveal an opening to a Demon Sovereign, which would make the difference between life and death.
On top of that, they could convert quantity into quality. An army formation was enough to shake even the sturdiest of formations. The remains of deceased demonfolk would contaminate the earth, and their demon qi would shroud the skies. If it was not dealt with appropriately, it would corrupt the land and turn it into demonic soil.
That was how the Demon domain constantly expanded its territory through the use of demonfolk remains. Even Demon Emperors and Demon Sovereigns did not hold back with that. Perhaps it was better to say that Demon Emperors and Demon Sovereigns were the lucky ones that had been chosen through constant elimination in this brutal environment.
It was completely impossible for the Human realm to contend against them with just a group of cultivators, so they were forced to borrow the strength of mortals.
The million-strong army did not only recruit any able-bodied person either. Instead, it came with a strict selection criteria. They chose the elite among the elite from the billions of people available to them. Everyone possessed powerful martial arts and had gone through the strictest of training. If that was not the case, they stood no chance against demonfolk in battle.
Before Li Qingshan had set off, he had gathered all of the relative information, particularly regarding the two captains, Li Liehuo and Chao Tianjiao. Their authority in Black Cloud city was unbelievably great.
Military orders were paramount. It did not need reason, nor was it reasonable. It was whatever they said. Even if they were clearly sending him to his death, he had to go, or that would be defying military orders and he would be sent back to the Myriad sect immediately to be punished. He might even get executed on the spot. A situation like that was extremely disadvantageous to him.
The only thing that brought him relief was the two of them rarely remained in the city together. At the very least, one of them would be watching over the city while the other one would either be out attacking demonfolk or returning to the Myriad sect to rest. Otherwise, he would probably end up facing both of them at the same time.
Thinking up to there, Li Qingshan grinned. He had already arrived before the Scorching Fire hall, a hall of grey rock that was sharp like a sword.
“Captain, I have brought Li Qingshan here!” The soldier knelt down on one knee.
“Let him in!” Li Liehuo’s dignified voice rang out from inside.
Li Qingshan curled his lip and made his way in. Immediately, he felt over a dozen hostile gazes land on him.
Li Liehuo sat high above. A huge map hung behind him. Clouds constantly drifted through it, making it change, such that it constantly displayed the situation within a thousand kilometres. However, there was a great region of black above, like it had been hidden by something.
The generals stood to the left and right, either pressing down on their weapons or standing with their arms crossed. All of them radiated with murderousness. None of them could be trifled with
Li Qingshan stopped in the centre boldly. “I’m here.”
“How bold of you!” A large, bearded man in armour gripped his sword firmly. He widened his eyes and bellowed thunderously.
Li Qingshan bowed slightly. “Thank you for your praise.”
The bearded man took a step forward. Li Liehuo waved his hand and squinted his eyes, asking, “I heard you’ve taken the Xuanming dwelling already?”
“That’s correct.” Li Qingshan carefully observed Li Liehuo’s expression, and to his satisfaction, he found a smear of anger.
“Impressive!” Li Liehuo ground his teeth. When he received this news that day, he was in disbelief as well. A Yin Soul cultivator, an inner disciple, had actually achieved what he could not. He suspected Li Qingshan had established some kind of deal with Ao Xuan, but if that were the case, Ao Xuan would have never given him everything he possessed.
The reason for his success left him puzzled. As for the only possibility, he did not even bring himself to consider it, which was Li Qingshan completely subduing Ao Xuan through force.
“It’s nothing, it’s nothing. It’s just a pity that you’re not in the Myriad sect, senior brother. Senior brother Le is holding an auction for me. There might be arcane treasures you’re interested in!”
Li Qingshan smiled widely. Since they had already fallen out, there was no need to pose around. If he was willing to stand down submissively, perhaps he would have spared him, but compared to that, he was better off just defecting to the Demon domain and joining Demon God Qiongqi. Then he could return with an army of demonfolk to destroy Black Cloud city.
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Li Liehuo suddenly began laughing aloud. His voice reverberated through the room as waves of heat radiated from him, immediately purging the coldness.
“Very good! Impressive courage! Impressive ability! I have a mission for you right now. Are you bold enough to accept it?”
“Why wouldn’t I?” Li Qingshan said calmly. If it was a blessing, then it was not a curse. If it was a curse, then it would be unavoidable. Since he was bold enough to come, he should have been expecting this a long time ago.
“There is no jesting in war! Li Qingshan, prepare for your orders!” Li Liehuo’s eyes lit up like embers in coals. He pointed at the dark region on the map behind him and said, “I want you to project your Yin Soul and investigate the situation here!”
The order was extremely dangerous. The most critical part of projecting out a Yin Soul was to take care of the body properly. In this environment filled with hostility, which cultivator would just leave their body behind? If Li Qingshan refused, then that would be defying orders, and he would definitely be humiliated.
Neither accepting or denying the order would work out. Accepting the order would be a blow to his disposition, a direct setback to his constant valiant advance. His cultivation would definitely be severely affected. However, if he defied the order, it would lead to even more trouble. Talking back to a senior brother in the Myriad sect and making trouble in the army were two completely different matters.
Here, Li Liehuo represented the order and law of the army, as well as the entire Human realm’s efforts against the Demon domain. Before such a great cause, he had to stand down no matter how great he was. If he were to resist even in the slightest, he would be a traitor.
“Alright!”
Li Qingshan accepted the order without any hesitation. Even if he projected his Yin Soul, he would not be leaving behind an empty husk. No matter what was there, his Yin Soul would only be destroyed at most. He could still recover from that if he had a bit of time.
He was certain Li Liehuo would never make an attempt to destroy his body either. With this bastard’s personality and path of cultivation, even if he wanted to mess with him, he would do so openly. He would not use these underhanded tactics.
But of course, if it were not for this confidence, he would have never been able to accept this order either. That was the bottom line of all cultivators. It was a so-called counterplan.
Li Liehuo was very surprised. He had never expected him to agree so happily.
