Ten thousand mountains are located in the Wuling Mountains of western Hunan.
There are hundreds of hills and mountains scattered across the area, stretching for thousands of miles. Ancient cypresses and green pines, wild flowers and magical herbs, wolves, dogs, tigers and leopards, waterfalls and streams, strange cliffs and bizarre stones fill the landscape.
The Yin Mountain sect is situated in the middle of the mountain range, towering thousands of feet high and extending over a hundred miles in breadth.
The Great Array of the Mountain is activated, enveloping an area of dozens of miles. Misty and faint, when sunlight shines through, it reveals a rainbow of divine auras. It is impossible to see what is happening inside.
Lianxin Peak, the heart of the sect, was named by Xie Wuyang, the ancient master of Yin Mountain.
At the summit, within a very serene pavilion, the scent of mulberry wood permeates and fills the air.
At this moment, the windows are open, and if someone stands on the rooftop and looks out, even without any great magical abilities, they can still see for dozens of miles. This is a high point.
Throughout the mountain, there are numerous concealed locations scattered about, bristling with both secret guards and open posts. At every corner, you'll find high-ranking practitioners of the Yin Mountain School.
Xie Wuyang is meditating on the pavilion, contemplating the Tao and sensing the harmony of heaven and earth.
At the same time, in front of the altar, a group of strange scents, resembling black marbles, are being burned.
A quick glance reveals that every location is guarded by at least a thousand divine soldiers and generals.
Xie Wuyang saw the sky filled with radiant, azure hues, and among the clouds, banners fluttered, armor shone like scales, swords and spears were as dense as a forest, and the black horses appeared like dragons.
The volume of the sound is so great that even the clouds in the lower sky are shaking continuously.
Even a mere breath of it can invigorate the senses and purify the mind.
Although Xie Wuyang has become an immortal, his thoughts are not too different from many ancient people. He holds the traditional views of valuing males over females, believing that sons are the ones who should inherit the family lineage, while daughters will eventually marry and leave the household.
It is only natural to treat them differently.
Altogether, there must be over ten thousand divine soldiers and generals.
Because it is one of the Yin Mountain School's most treasured objects, known as the "Soul-Attracting Bell."
Thinking of this, Xie Wuyang revealed a cruel smile, "Fortunately, I only let two people escape: Wu Ming and Ling Xiao. As for the disciples of the sect... they can still be collected in the future, as long as the children are safe, I can rest assured."
He furrows his brow slightly and asks, "What is that?"
Anybody who is proficient in cultivating the Yin spirit must understand what this is.
It's as if the bell's sound can break through the limitations of space, reaching deep into the underworld all at once.
Upon closer inspection, all were divine soldiers and generals.
He even planned to search for the finest celestial and terrestrial essence after the situation calmed down, allowing Xie Wuming to cultivate quickly to the level of sect master. Then he would bestow the precious wind god flag and annihilate Chen Po in one fell swoop, avenging the clan annihilation in Xinghuo Sea.
This incense is made using the magical root vine fragrance.
It was Xie Wuyang who spent decades collecting numerous rare materials from the underworld to make it.
These divine soldiers and generals didn't just appear suddenly, but their actions were particularly swift, instantly encircling the area.
Just thinking.
They closed in from eight directions.
After half an hour, Xie Wuyang slowly exhaled a mouthful of turbid air, concluding today's routine cultivation session.
He practiced his martial arts with a sigh, exhaling and inhaling, and around him, faintly shimmered fragments of star-like black light. Up and down, they swirled around his body, gradually condensing into a resplendent, dense black energy band.
That's right, once this bell tolls, its sound can indeed reach the underworld.
Dang! Dang-Dang! Dang-Dang-Dang!
Xie Wuyang and Gouteng Taoist formed an alliance of brothers, and the other party had his entire clan annihilated for helping the Yin Mountain School. Naturally, he would not let Chen Po off the hook.
Finally, the black light grew more and more numerous, surging like a tidal wave.
The smoke and dust emitted from burning these incenses take on a light green hue, as if the early morning mist is floating in the valley.
The sound of the bell was resounding and thunderous.
At the same time, on the ground and in the various lakes, all suddenly shone brilliant azure hues.
For those practicing the Yin spirit, Qingting incense is one of the best spiritual elixirs for cultivating the Yin spirit.
Furthermore, it can release divine light to conceal the figures of the ghost soldiers and generals hiding in the underworld, preventing the various earthly hells from discovering them and thus annihilating or enlisting them.
As for why Xie Wuyang only thought of collecting the earthly and celestial roots to help Xie Wuming improve his cultivation, without considering Xie Lingxiao, the daughter, it is quite normal.
Suddenly, Xie Wuyang noticed something amiss outside.
And he could transform his spiritual awareness into a tangible form, his cultivation truly awe-inspiring and earth-shattering.
The Soul-Attracting Bell has an internal passage that directly leads to the underworld, allowing the guardians in the underworld to instantly come to the mortal world.
Xie Wuyang's expression changed, and he immediately realized what was happening.
He did not immediately open his eyes but rather pondered silently: "Chen Pu, that little scoundrel, is now in power and has annihilated the entire Qingxu Sea clan. He surely won't easily let go of the Yin Mountain School. If I order all my disciples to flee, he might still harbor resentment and continue to hunt them down. By then, it would even harm Wu Ming and Ling Xiao."
These black lights are the actual manifestation of Xie Wuyang's Yin spirit consciousness.
Xie Wuyang, who has become an immortal, still needs to use Qingting incense to aid his cultivation. It can be imagined how incredible its effects must be.
Just as he was about to release his spiritual awareness to warn his disciples,
Suddenly, a series of urgent bell sounds could be heard from the rear mountain.
Common practitioners of the Yin spirit have formless and intangible spiritual awareness.
Why would Xie Wuyang create such a treasure?
The simple answer is that, with the wealth of Yin Mountain School, it would be impossible to maintain so many ghost soldiers and generals.
After all, each disciple of Yin Mountain School has at least hundreds of ghost soldiers and generals, and some can have up to a thousand or two.
If they were all left in the mortal world, how could it possibly be supported?
Ghost soldiers and generals need to be worshipped.
Otherwise, not only will their cultivation not improve, but if they lack the power of incense and offerings for too long, they may disperse.
It's different if they remain in the underworld.
Ghost soldiers and generals can continuously absorb yin qi to grow stronger.
Yin soldiers and generals with special ghost cultivation techniques can even absorb yin qi at a faster pace, which could one day lead them to ascend to the realm of ghost immortals.
In simpler terms, with this Soul-Attracting Bell, the Yin Mountain School can largely save on the cost of offerings for the ghost soldiers and generals.
Of course, while the Soul-Attracting Bell is incredible, it is not without its flaws.
The divine light released by the Soul-Attracting Bell can at most envelop around 20,000 ghost soldiers and generals.
Any more than that, it cannot conceal them anymore.
Therefore, except for the one thousand elite soldiers under Xie Wuyang's command, the other two million ghost soldiers and generals generally hide in the underworld to cultivate in seclusion.
As for the one thousand elite soldiers under Xie Wuyang's command, they are hidden in the side hall and altar.
Each one possesses the power of at least an upper-grade wizard.
Among them, there are about 150 who possess the power of high-level spellcasters.
In addition, there are four Yin generals at the level of sect masters.
This level of power is particularly terrifying.
Generally speaking, even medium-sized clans may not have a sect master sitting in their midst.
Yet, the Yin Mountain School has four Yin generals at the level of sect masters guarding it.
It is easy to imagine how powerful their strength must be.
To be honest, if it weren't for the safety of his disciples, Xie Wuyang even thought about sending his elite troops to the underworld as well.
It's too expensive.
But for the sake of his disciples, he had to spend this money.
These thoughts flashed through Xie Wuyang's mind in an instant.
Suddenly, Xie Wuyang heard the voice of his second disciple, Yin Wuhuan, "Master, something is wrong! Thousands of divine soldiers and generals have suddenly appeared and attacked our Yin Mountain School!"
Almost at the moment the words were spoken, a middle-aged man in a black robe appeared in a panic.
This person is precisely the second disciple whom Xie Wuyang took in, and after the death of Yin Wuqi, he became the top disciple of the sect.
Yin Wuhuan's strength used to be slightly inferior to Yin Wuqi's, but after more than twenty years, he has surpassed Yin Wuqi greatly. He has cultivated up to the late stage of upper-grade spellcasters and is only one step away from becoming a high-level spellcaster.
Xie Wuyang sat there without moving, "It's Chen Pu coming."
"What... what?" Yin Wuhuan was shocked. "Master, Chen Pu recently annihilated the entire Qingxu Sea clan in Kunlun. Our Yin Mountain School's strength is far inferior to that of the Qingxu Sea. Now this little scoundrel has come to attack us, what should we do?"
It is said that Chen Pu, with his own strength, defeated the four sect leaders of Kunlun Eight Schools, and then slayed two of the sect masters of Qingxu Sea who wielded treasured artifacts. He has already shaken up the cultivation world, causing countless people to hear his name and tremble in fear.
Now that Yin Wuhuan heard that Chen Pu was leading his divine soldiers and generals to attack Yin Mountain School, he felt extremely anxious and wanted to flee as soon as possible. However, his master Xie Wuyang had not given the order. If he fled in haste without permission, he would be considered a traitor to the sect, and he would definitely be severely punished at that time.
To flee is to die.
To stay and fight, it is also to die.
This put Yin Wuhuan in a dilemma, and he even started to think about whether he should surrender to Chen Pu in order to survive at all costs.
"The little scoundrel is very powerful, and I have become an immortal. I cannot personally intervene." Xie Wuyang had already anticipated this day for a long time, but he still pretended to be heartbroken on his face, trying to sway Yin Wuhuan by saying: "Therefore, whether we can defend the foundation of the Yin Mountain School or not depends entirely on you."
Yin Wuhuan's face turned green, "Master, I'm just at the late stage of an upper-grade spellcaster. Chen Pu can kill sect masters, how can I defend our sect's foundation?"
"Do not be in a hurry. Carry this talisman, and you can control the four comparable to sect masters in my Yin generals, as well as the thousands of my elite troops." Xie Wuyang took out a talisman made of an iron-like substance, "I'll wait here for your good news."
Yin Wuhuan had no choice but to take the talisman and say: "I will obey Master's command."
After saying that, Yin Wuhuan flew down in a hurry and quickly issued orders.
A series of orders were rapidly spread throughout the Yin Mountain School.
At that moment, the entire sect immediately sprang into action. It was as if an electric machine had been turned on, everything was orderly and efficient, faster than any imperial troops.
...
"I never expected there to be so many ghost soldiers and generals in the Yin Mountain School."
Chen Yun rode on the back of a tiger, suspended deep within the high-altitude cloud layers, watching as divine soldiers and generals surrounded the entire Yin Mountain School.
Jiao Dao Ren, Bao Dao Ren, Gong Ju Ji, Bao Xin, and other disciples gathered around.
While observing, Ji Xin had already led the most elite three hundred horsemen to swoop down.
At that moment, from every peak and all directions of the Yin Mountain School, a multitude of black qi-energy surging figures appeared.
As soon as these black shadows appeared, a fierce wind blew up, and one black qi after another shot directly into the sky, turning the entire sky black.
"Anyone who dares to attack the Yin Mountain School shall be killed on the spot!"
"Whoever dares to offend our Yin Mountain School shall be executed on the spot!"
"Whoever dares to offend our Yin Mountain School shall be killed on the spot!"
A series of shouts were heard from the peaks. A dense array of armored ghosts and generals charged towards Ji Xin and the three hundred cavalrymen.
These ghost soldiers and generals are those summoned from the underworld by the Soul-Attracting Bell. Their strengths vary; the stronger ones can match upper-grade spellcasters, while the weaker ones might not even be as powerful as a seventh-rank spellcaster.
The strength of the ghost soldiers and generals may not be impressive individually, but when gathered together in a mass of tens of thousands, they form a magnificent black wave.
"Ghosts and generals, surrender and you will not be killed!" Ji Xin shouted from the front of his horse. "Disciples of the Yin Mountain School, those who are killed will not be spared!"
As soon as the words were spoken, Cui Ming, who had been standing behind, made a sweeping gesture with his hand. Some divine soldiers, holding bows made of condensed divine power, immediately shouted in unison and drew their bows.
Shuahua!
A cloud of arrows flew past like locusts, instantly shooting down the first few dozen ghosts and generals to rush forward. Screams of agony began to fill the air immediately.
At the moment the arrowstorm erupted, Qin Liang led his 3,000 second elite divine soldiers and generals to roar simultaneously. They struck the shields with their swords in a uniform and coordinated manner.
"Kill!"
"Kill!"
"Kill!"
The 3,000 foot soldiers were imposing, and the screams of battle shook the heavens and earth.
All of these divine soldiers and generals were carefully forged by Chen Yun using great magical power, and they had fought alongside him in countless battles. They were not something that ordinary ghosts and generals could stand against.
"My God, these divine soldiers and generals are so fierce, let's run away quickly!"
"The enemy's strength is too great, we must temporarily avoid the attack!"
"Run quickly!"
After the 3,000 divine soldiers and generals entered the fray and, as if cutting through melon, scattered many of the remaining ghosts and generals, the rest of the disorganized crowd scattered like ants being crushed.
Just as Chen Yun's side still had 8,000 divine soldiers and generals under the command of Ghost King Wei Shu, these ghosts still had not yet been deployed. How could they possibly escape?
Wei Shu glanced at Chen Yun and saw him nod, then immediately ordered: "Capture all the ghost soldiers and generals, those who surrender will not be killed!"
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
The two ghosts, having transformed into generals, immediately led their troops and swarmed towards the fleeing ghosts and generals, capturing each one.
...
"I had underestimated his strength."
From the pavilion, Xie Wuyang had already seen from afar the massive army of divine soldiers and generals outside, which had completely encircled them.
At this moment, the entire Yin Mountain School was in chaos, with cries and pleas for mercy echoing throughout.
Those ghost soldiers and generals were too weak, and they were killed by Ji Xin and Qin Liang's elite divine soldiers and generals. Then, they were captured by the divine soldiers under Ghost King Wei Shu's command.
The ghost soldiers and generals were not that bad.
It was tragic for the hundred or so disciples of the Yin Mountain School.
Their cultivation was too weak, almost no match for the divine soldiers.
In the blink of an eye, they were dead or injured in half.
Xie Wuyang watched them for another glance, then sighed heavily, "Although there are still a thousand elite troops that can delay for a while, it's already too late to turn things around. Our Yin Mountain School will be destroyed today. Well, let these thousand elite troops delay a bit longer so that they can give Wu Ming and Ling Xiao more time to escape."
After sighing, Xie Wuyang's figure gradually dissipated.
It was clear that he did not intend to meet with Chen Yun and simply left.
At that moment when Xie Wuyang left.
A sudden loud bang echoed from the auxiliary hall, followed by a burst of dense, dark ghost qi that covered the entire Yin Mountain Range in an instant.
Among the four ghosts with strength comparable to that of sect masters, they instantly condensed their ghost qi, transforming into towering figures of over a thousand zhang high in an instant, preparing to withstand the offensive led by Ji Xin and Qin Liang.
Additionally, there were one hundred and fifty ghosts who were equivalent to high-level eldritch magicians, who in an instant released a massive amount of ghost qi to condense into black qi figures several hundred zhang high, towering over the sun and the moon, standing firm on the peak of the sect's mountain.
The remaining eight hundred and ninety-nine ghost soldiers, who were comparable to upper-level spellcasters, formed ranks and fought fiercely alongside the ghost generals.
"How come there are four ghosts at the level of sect masters?" Jiao Dao Ren looked excited. "Master, let me and Bao Dao friend join the battle?"
Chen Yun grunted, "Alright, go join the fight."
As soon as the words were spoken, Jiao Dao Ren revealed his true form, becoming a massive, towering dragon around ten miles long and terrifying. He roared towards the two ghost generals who were comparable to sect masters.
Bao Dao Ren, unyielding, unleashed endless waves of necrotic flames, surging towards the other two ghost generals at the level of sect masters.
Chen Yun rode on the tiger's back, never intending to join the battle from start to finish.
He simply maintained his calm demeanor, staring at the battle between both sides.
The quality of the divine soldiers and generals on his side was simply too high.
After a moment of battle, the radiant glazed light had overwhelmed the surging black qi, pressing it down from above.
Finally, after Bao Dao Ren's attack destroyed one of the ghost generals at the level of sect masters, the divine soldiers and generals gained an overwhelming advantage.
The radiant glazed light, as if bursting through a dam, surged towards the Yin Mountain School with unstoppable momentum, overwhelming everything in its path.
The black qi diminished, and the cries of agony grew increasingly faint.
After about an hour, the entire mountain peak was enveloped in radiant glazed light, devoid of any cries of agony.
The Yin Mountain School, which had been dominating the Xiangxi region for a century, like the StarSea, faced its downfall!
...
There are countless sects in the land of Han.
These cultivators, aside from eagerly preparing to participate in the War of Deification and dedicating themselves to their cultivation, can be said to pay little attention to any other matters in the world.
After all, the ultimate goal of cultivators is to attain immortality.
Certainly, cultivation is essential.
As for the War of Deification, it is also a method to indirectly gain longevity, so everyone has been keeping an eye on it.
Yes, aside from these two things, people have almost completely turned a deaf ear to worldly matters.
However, even though many people are indifferent to other events, a shocking news instantaneously spread across all sects in the Five Lakes and Three Mountains.
The news was so astonishing that upon hearing it, millions of cultivators were instantly overwhelmed!
(Chapter complete)
