Read Novel Full Chapter 1240: Chapter 1234: The Barbarians
Chapter 1240: Chapter 1234: The Barbarians
[Year 958]
[Your family escorted the remains of the Spear Saint back to the Imperial Capital.
The Imperial Dynasty held a magnificent funeral, extolling Gu Fenghua’s heroic deeds.
For his supreme sacrifice in protecting the nation and mutually perishing alongside the Wu Tribe’s mighty figure, the Nirvana Sage Elder, he was titled the Duke of National Defense.]
[The entire nation wept in mourning.]
“Animals!”
Inside the ancestral hall, Li Chang flew into a rare, unbridled rage.
Li Xinghuo stepped forward to console him. “Uncle Chang, please calm your anger. Senior Gu’s remains have been returned home, securing his eternal renown in both life and death, and…”
Yet, as the words left his lips, they tasted like ash; he found he could not continue.
Li Xinjue’s eyes narrowed, gleaming with a cold light.
“The Imperial Dynasty killed him. That bastard surnamed Min was acting on the orders of that demon empress, Wenren. Now that he is dead, she dares to bestow a title upon him.
When a man lays down his life for his own convictions, who cares for such trivial titles? Let alone one steeped in hypocrisy.
With this grand proclamation, who knows how many ignorant cultivators—yearning to become the proud and unyielding heroes of Gu Fenghua’s fabricated legend—will blindly march to serve that demon empress.”
“To exploit even the dead one final time… she is worse than pigs and dogs.”
Seeing Uncle Chang’s expression darken further, Li Xinghuo hastily intervened to silence the indignant Li Xinjue.
“Let us speak no more of this for now. The major factions of Clearpeak Prefecture are preparing to evacuate. Come with me to see them off.”
The two young men departed.
Left behind, Li Chang could not dispel the heavy gloom marring his features, ultimately releasing it in a long, weary sigh.
He gently stroked his dantian, where a formidable long spear was being nurtured. Its silver radiance pulsed with profound Dao rhythm, prompting him to exhale a heavy breath of stale air.
…
Elsewhere, at a grand banquet in Clearpeak Prefecture, the major factions of the Prefecture had gathered.
After a hollow round of pleasantries, they began to disperse. Of the thousands of factions that once flourished, only a sparse hundred-odd thousand individuals now remained.
The old comrades the family had made within the Department of Immortal Suppression back in the day were all present.
Zhangsun Buhuo gazed at the retreating backs of the evacuees, a trace of melancholy flashing across his face.
“It was so difficult to find a place to settle and rebuild, and we did not even get to enjoy a few fleeting days of peace…”
The expressions of everyone seated at the table turned visibly strained.
The Zhangsun Clan was cursed with truly abysmal luck.
Decades ago, when the Wu Tribe invaded Sunreach Prefecture, the Zhangsun Clan had been forced to uproot, wandering in destitution for nearly thirty years.
Eventually, they had found refuge in Clearpeak Prefecture. Over the past century, they had painstakingly forged marriage alliances, hoping that in a few more centuries, they could fully integrate into the hidden faction, the Xuanyuan Clan.
Yet now, the Blood Moon had completely consumed the Southern Frontier.
Rumor had it that the Old Ancestor of the Zhangsun Clan was currently driven half-mad, desperately scouring the world for a genuinely safe sanctuary.
Lately, no matter how deep their past friendship, anyone unfortunate enough to cross paths with the Zhangsun Clan’s Old Ancestor would be subjected to a bitter scolding, regardless of the topic…
“What are the Eternal Immortal Sect’s plans?” Zhangsun Buhuo asked, turning toward Duanmu Qi, whose expression was equally unsightly.
“What else can we do?” Duanmu Qi gritted his teeth. “Go ask the Li Clan.”
Instantly, pairs of anxious eyes fixated on Li Xinghuo and Li Xinjue, who had been drinking together in stoic silence.
Neither of these two Li Clan juniors was a simple character.
Li Xinghuo served as the Li Clan’s external affairs elder, managing the family’s worldly dealings.
In the outside world, he was infamously known as the Cold-Faced Asura.
Just days prior, assassins from the Peerless Hall had attempted his murder; in response, he had hunted them across three entire prefectures before finally letting the matter rest.
As for Li Xinjue… he was the head of the Shadow Division within the Li Clan’s Hall of Heavenly Principles. That title alone carried a terrifying, suffocating weight.
Nowadays, the major factions had gradually grown numb to the continuous, unnatural emergence of rising stars from the Li Clan.
It was such a common occurrence that Duanmu Qi had once gone to secretly study them, earnestly asking the old Li family how they managed to cultivate so many peerless geniuses.
No one had answered him. Later, Duanmu Qi had accidentally wandered into the cemetery at the rear mountain of the Li estate. After gazing upon those rows of blood-red epitaphs, he never asked again.
“Past Grandhaven Prefecture, then to Clearpeak Prefecture, and finally past Westfall Prefecture—crossing the towering mountains, lies our Azure Cloud Prefecture.”
Li Xinghuo picked up his wine cup, utterly ignoring their expectant gazes.
He took a fierce gulp, exhaling a breath thick with the stinging chill of winter and strong alcohol.
“The people of every land are different.
For the major factions of your Clearpeak Prefecture, upon hearing of the Blood Moon and its mighty figures, your first instinct is to relocate if you can.
Several decades to a century is more than enough time for you to pack up and escape the danger.”
“Between simply surviving or fighting desperately for your lives, surviving is undoubtedly the wiser choice. This is human instinct.”
His cold expression gradually softened into nostalgia, his thoughts drifting back to a distant past.
“I heard from my elders that in the past, outsiders used to call the people of our Azure Cloud Region ‘barbarians’.
Centuries have passed, and outsiders now politely call us the people of Azure Cloud. But deep in our bones, we are still barbarians.”
“Barbarians cannot enjoy wealth and fleeting glory; we simply aren’t used to it. The food from back home still tastes the best, and the beds back home are still the most comfortable.
When I returned from the slaughter in the Northern Frontier, having not slept for over a century, I slumbered for a whole month straight the moment my head hit the pillow.”
Everyone at the table frowned slightly. The people of Azure Cloud would not run; they would only fight to the bitter end.
This stubborn habit had started back in the Azure Cloud Region. These barbarians simply never relocated. Even if they ventured out to conquer the world, their roots had to remain firmly planted in Azure Cloud Prefecture.
Soon after, the crowd’s eyes shifted, fixing squarely on Duanmu Qi.
“Why are you all looking at me?” Duanmu Qi asked, his gaze darting evasively.
Jiang Tianjun’s expression turned exceedingly peculiar.
“I heard a rumor long ago that in your rear mountain, there is an ancient tree. A travel bundle hangs from its branches, and whenever the wind blows, it jingles with packed belongings.”
“Who?!!” Duanmu Qi’s weathered face flushed an indignant red. “Who is spreading such baseless rumors? There is no such thing!”
“I did.” Li Xinghuo’s expression was incredibly solemn. “I saw it with my own eyes; it is absolutely no lie.”
“Hahaha!”
The tension broke, and everyone at the banquet erupted into roaring laughter.
The disciples and elders of the Eternal Immortal Sect were known to be incredibly formidable, but right now, their representative had been reduced to a helpless laughingstock.
“I won’t argue with you, there is no such thing!” Duanmu Qi remained as stubborn as a mule. Seeing the crowd practically crying from laughter, he had no choice but to bury his embarrassment in his cup and keep drinking.
The conversation soon drifted back to ordinary matters: which family had produced a new genius, and which family’s genius had lost their life.
Through it all, Li Xinghuo did not mention a single word about offering the Li Clan’s help.
These major factions had far too many worldly entanglements. Just like the Zhangsun family, even Zhangsun Buhuo himself could not firmly decide whether they should flee or stay.
Yet, as the crowd smiled brightly and raised their cups in a toast, Li Xinghuo silently murmured a single vow to himself:
“When the Blood Moon finally descends, regardless of which family steps up to block it… on the very foremost mountain peak, I will be there.”
[Year 1000]
[Your descendants Li Tianming and Li Xinjue have broken through to the true Void Refinement realm!]
[Your family’s strength has surged significantly!]
The calamitous Blood Moon had finally spread its reach to Grandhaven Prefecture.
It was clearly daytime, yet oppressive dark clouds completely obscured the sun.
An eerie, crimson hue formed a harsh red line at the edge of Grandhaven Prefecture, gradually expanding as its bloody tint bled into the region’s borders.
A bone-chilling wind howled from the depths of the Blood Moon.
The outermost border town was left in complete disarray and utterly deserted, painting a bleak picture of years spent in frantic, desperate evacuation.
The eerie wind kicked up swirling dust that carried a bizarre, rust-red hue, casting a desolate and suffocating pall over the empty streets.
Atop a dilapidated tiled roof, several cultivators clad in standard blue Dharma robes gazed toward the encroaching blood-colored space, their expressions universally solemn.
Their leader appeared to be an exceedingly handsome young man. A milky-white spirit bead floated gently beside him, radiating a faint glow that marked him as the one in charge.
A cultivator beside him spoke in a heavy voice. “Lord Banshu, the Blood Moon is rapidly approaching. The commoners have already evacuated. What should we do?”
Banshu Qingping simply shook his head in silence, the grave knot of worry between his brows refusing to dissipate.
Nearly a century ago, the Azure Cloud Li Clan had sent a grave warning to the Banshu family: there is a Blood Moon in the West, there are ‘gods and immortals’ who dwell within it, and disaster is imminent.
Even though Banshu Ao had perished in Azure Cloud Prefecture—and the Li Clan had subsequently extorted a staggering sum of wealth from the Banshu family as a result—the Banshu family never truly believed the Li Clan was merely playing a joke on them.
Everything happening now had already confirmed the Li Clan’s words.
“What should we do? How would I know what we should do?”
Banshu Qingping sighed inwardly, his face turning an ashen gray. “We can only… flee to Clearpeak Prefecture.”
Over the past hundred years, Banshu Qingping had regretted it constantly.
When the Azure Cloud Li Clan sent that warning, they should have fled immediately.
But believing the Li Clan was one thing, and actually leaving was another. For an event of such massive scale, should they trust the Li Clan over the Imperial Dynasty?
There were three supreme factions in Grandhaven Prefecture.
The hidden faction, Jade Mist Valley, had passed down its inheritance for tens of thousands of years and ruled its own territory.
The Banshu family, relying on Banshu Ao and Banshu Weide—two unparalleled experts in the Void Refinement realm—along with other experts, only needed to produce a single Body Integration cultivator to rival any hidden faction.
He, Banshu Qingping, was even the Prefecture Lord.
The other faction was the Sage Master Martial Academy, which cultivated various arts and techniques and educated the Grandhaven Prefecture.
Back then, all three factions had received the news and placed absolute trust in the Imperial Dynasty.
The Imperial Dynasty had declared they would resolve it… Yet, nearly a century had passed, the Blood Moon continued to expand, and the Imperial Dynasty seemed as if it had perished.
“Had I known, we should have just trusted the Li Clan.”
Banshu Qingping clenched his fists tightly, secretly resentful that the three factions of Grandhaven Prefecture had harbored criticisms against the Li Clan.
He immediately waved to the six clansmen.
“Let’s go. The Blood Moon is expanding, and the Imperial Dynasty’s rescue is long overdue.
We have no other way out. Let us go back and urge the Patriarch and the rest of our family to retreat to Clearpeak Prefecture, contact the Azure Cloud Li Clan, and plan our next move.”
“Yes!”
The crowd turned around, just about to mount their flying swords.
Banshu Qingping froze for a moment.
On the cold, desolate street that looked like the end of the world, under a dilapidated old house, crouched a young man.
This young man wore a clean white robe.
Although he looked like he was shivering and cowering in a corner while gnawing on a steamed bun, no matter how you looked at him, he didn’t seem like a simpleton who had accidentally been left behind.
At this moment, this simpleton… this young man was looking up at him, revealing a shy and reserved smile, as if saying hello.
“This is abnormal. A conspiracy?”
Banshu Qingping’s thoughts spun rapidly. Just as he raised his hand to cast a probing technique to test this simpleton, his expression abruptly changed.
Numerous old houses in the city exploded with a deafening roar, sending stone debris flying everywhere.
Over a dozen white-robed figures had already surrounded the Banshu clansmen.
The leader revealed a Void Refinement aura, and every single one of these people wore a smiling mask!
“Who are you?!!” The bead to Banshu Qingping’s left spun rapidly. His face appeared calm, but his heart was pounding wildly.
This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened.
Over the years, a group of people had been omnipresent in Grandhaven Prefecture, carrying out assassinations. They called themselves cultivators of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion!
The leader among the smiling masked men had a burly build, and his voice was deep and resonant.
“Banshu Qingping, nineteenth-generation descendant of the Banshu family, Prefecture Lord of Grandhaven Prefecture.
Over the years, you have constantly been investigating our Heavenly Secrets Pavilion. Please go to your death, Lord Banshu, to return peace and clarity to the world!”
“How do you know my whereabouts?!!” Banshu Qingping shouted angrily.
But the other party clearly had no intention of answering. The leading masked man utilized his Void Refinement methods, intending to drag him into a Void Refinement space.
Banshu Qingping gritted his teeth, suppressing the doubts in his heart, and prepared to meet the battle, seeking a way to escape.
However, just as the Void Refinement rules began to take shape, both sides froze.
“Who are you?!!”
This time, it was the smiling masked man who cried out in alarm.
“Your Excellency?” Banshu Qingping was slightly startled.
It was the simpleton from just now who had silently arrived beside them.
Beside him floated a massive talisman covered in squiggly incantations, looking exactly like a Talisman Immortal Master.
“Who are you, Your Excellency? How dare you obstruct our Heavenly Secrets Pavilion’s operation?!!” the smiling masked man shouted angrily again.
This newcomer cowered and shivered, but he was undeniably extraordinary.
A peculiar talisman bearing a single red leaf slowly dissipated into ash right in front of him; it was the esoteric method of this very talisman that had allowed him to seamlessly slip between two Void Refinement experts without making a sound.
How many people in the world could reach the Void Refinement realm by mastering talismans? Who would dare underestimate him?
This Tier-4 Talisman Immortal Master, disguising himself with a weak and timid appearance, was still gnawing on a steamed bun.
He stretched out a trembling hand, struggling awkwardly to pull the bun away from his mouth. With a chunk still left inside, he chewed vigorously, visibly forcing himself to swallow.
Facing the bloody wind blowing from the Western Frontier, he seemed to be pondering the smiling masked man’s words.
Finally, he tried hard to put on an angry expression, pulled a smiling mask out of his spatial ring, and put it on his face.
“If you are the people from the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, then who am I?”
“I am protecting this man. Leave immediately, otherwise I won’t be able to save you.”
Banshu Qingping looked at the single smiling masked man, and then at the dozen or so smiling masked men, feeling utterly bewildered.
At this moment, compared to the life-and-death crisis, he wanted to know more about which side actually belonged to the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion.
—
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