Xu Zhenyan’s carriage slowly moved through Central Continent City.

Central Continent City’s streets were decorated with lanterns and colored banners, full of a festive feeling.

Yunqin and Great Mang’s peace negotiations were set. In the eyes of Central Continent City’s ordinary people, the massive Yunqin Empire finally obtained victory after years of continuous wars. From today forth, they were going to welcome peaceful times.

Xu Zhenyan knew that the true situation was instead completely flopped. That was why inside the dark carriage, a faint expression of mockery always hung from his face.

Purgatory Mountain’s highest level existence, for the sake of not giving Green Luan Academy time, directly cut off large amounts of land for Yunqin Emperor.

Yunqin Emperor would use the fastest speed to release some decrees, allowing the thirty thousand Great Mang soldiers to return to their homeland.

As these decrees were passed down layers upon layers, only then did most of Yunqin’s officials and ordinary commoners find out that during the past East Scenery, Harmony Splendor and Meteor City battles, Great Mang late emperor’s student who wandered about Yunqin, Zhantai Qiantang, brought fifty thousand ruined troops out from Meteor City. Twenty thousand of these fifty thousand ruined troops that were brought to the borders of Dragon Snake Border Pass died along the way, ultimately resulting in thirty thousand Great Mang soldiers that became roving bandits by Dragon Snake Border Pass.

In the eyes of ordinary officials and Yunqin people, the original fate of these thirty thousand Great Mang soldiers was precisely to be wiped out in Yunqin, forever unable to return home in this life. Now that the peace negotiations were done, Yunqin Emperor took the initiative to allow these thirty thousand Great Mang soldiers to return home, this was of course extremely normal, something that fully displayed Yunqin’s tolerance and magnanimous attitude.

Moreover, most Yunqin people would feel that during the war, these Great Mang soldiers were naturally enemies. However, after doing everything they could to defeat the enemy and kill them, now that the battle was already over, these Great Mang were also ordinary people with wives and daughters back home, so they should be allowed to go home. These Great Mang people will naturally feel benevolence, they most likely wouldn’t point their blades at Yunqin again in their lifetime.

Only, Xu Zhenyan and many true influential officials all knew that Yunqin Emperor’s decree and the previous order to directly send troops against Green Luan Academy weren’t any different.

For Purgatory Mountain, these thirty thousand Great Mang soldiers were merely a rebel army.

Even if Great Mang Dynasty gave the order promising their safe return home, what these thirty thousand Great Mang soldiers who truly received great amnesty by Yunqin would be met with wouldn’t be their wives, children and parents, but rather a world of eternal darkness, a life of imminent death as Purgatory Mountain slaves.

These thirty thousand Great Mang soldiers themselves should all understand this extremely clearly. Only, if they weren’t willing to return, Yunqin Empire would thus directly wipe them out.

South Tomb Province had already completed peace negotiations. Yunqin and Great Mang would no longer fight. Yunqin Emperor could easily transfer enough military force, perhaps even obtain the help of large amounts of Great Mang cultivators, able to easily annihilate this Great Many army that decided to just become bandits.

In this current world, perhaps not even Yunqin Emperor knew the true relationship between Lin Xi and Zhantai Qiantang. Only, judging from the series of assassinations that took place this spring in Great Mang, at the very least, they were certain that on this matter in dealing with Purgatory Mountain, Green Luan Academy and Zhantai Qiantang would fight side by side.

Letting the thirty thousand Great Mang soldiers return to Great Mang meant death.

Not letting the thirty thousand Great Mang soldiers return would similarly mean death.

Yunqin Emperor only used this simple line, a single decree, and then all of the spearheads would be aimed at Zhantai Qiantang and these thirty thousand Great Mang soldiers.

Right now, Xu Zhenyan couldn’t even guess what kind of choice Zhantai Qiantang would make. The wills of those great figures all seemed to be shrouded in a layer of smoke, even someone of his level couldn’t see through it all, unable to see through it all clearly.

The only thing they could be sure of was that there was going to be a great show to see. Armies exceeding one million tearing at each other and clashes at the highest level in the world of cultivators would officially serve as the formal unveiling.

One other thing that was certain was that many Yunqin cultivators would do everything they could to stop Purgatory Mountain’s invasion. However, currently, before the missing Lin Xi appeared again, Green Luan Academy’s side was still in a passive state, still at an absolute disadvantage.

Even the past Principal Zhang couldn’t drag Purgatory Mountain Patriarch down from that throne, so Xu Zhenyan didn’t believe Lin Xi and the already waning Yunqin cultivators could prevail against Purgatory Mountain Patriarch. Only, this entire time, he understood clearly that all of what was happening right now had nothing to do with him.

He only needed to continue living like a dog in the eyes of many people, and then slowly wait for his authority to become greater and greater.

Just like right now, he precisely adopted a lowly and favor currying attitude to attend a Rong Family banquet.

After Wen Xuanshu’s rebellion failed during the past Autumn Sacrifice, the one with the greatest authority in all of Central Continent City wasn’t the newly risen Leng Family, but rather Rong Family who had always remained low-profile, silently standing by the emperor’s side.

Even though in the eyes of Rong Family’s people, he might still be a lowly dog, he didn’t care at all. It was because even if it was like this, he could still obtain some meat and bones from Rong Family’s hands, he could still obtain some tangible benefits.

“When it really is time to die, a single bite is all it’ll take to kill… Lin Xi, if you die, I will hang a lamp for you.” Xu Zhenyan looked at the red lanterns on the streets outside the carriage window, suddenly wondering, if Lin Xi died, would he suddenly feel extremely lonely?

…

Between the white mountains black waters, on Turtle Edge Mountain, Zhantai Qiantang calmly crushed a secret scroll. In this instant, a gray strand of hair around his temples suddenly turned completely white.

He rubbed his temples and then turned around, just in time to see Gao Yanan walk over from not far away.

“Lin Xi previously told me that the entire world is like a great winding river. Regardless of what powerful existence it is, we are merely a single fish in this river. Regardless of whether this fish is large or small, no one can completely decide this great river’s trajectory. However, right now, Purgatory Mountain Patriarch, after waiting for a long time, has already become an existence who can completely decide the path of this great river. We spent a lot of time fortifying this place, but now it seems like it might not be of any use at all.” While looking at Gao Yanan who walked up to him, her beautiful black hair fluttering in the wind, Zhantai Qiantang shook his head, quietly saying, “I truly do not have much confidence towards the possibility of victory.”

Gao Yanan’s eyes gazed into the further Dragon Snake Mountain Range, not immediately speaking.

Zhantai Qiantang took a deep breath, and then said with a grave voice, “What kind of decision will Green Luan Academy make?”

Gao Yanan withdrew her gaze. She looked at him and said, “I will not tell you Green Luan Academy’s decision before I hear your decision. These are all your people, I do not want Green Luan Academy’s decision to affect your judgement.”

Zhantai Qiantang thought for a moment, and then quietly said, “I will bring these thirty thousand Great Mang soldiers to Thousand Sunset Mountain.”

Gao Yanan also became quiet. “I must remind you of one thing. There is still no news from Lin Xi, none of us can be certain that he will return in time. There is also even less of a chance that he will be able to bring back enough power.”

“I do not have any choice.” Zhantai Qiantang gave Gao Yanan a look and said, “If these thirty thousand Great Mang soldiers must die, then I would rather accompany them in death in Thousand Sunset Mountain. Right now, Yunqin Emperor does not know about the black market business on this side, nor do they know about our relationship with the Cave Barbarians. At the very least, this will keep these things a secret… Moreover, even though Purgatory Mountain Patriarch has displayed his intentions to formally appear, no one knows what kind of decision he might make afterwards. For us, only by piling up enough enticing candy, can we make his chances of appearing a bit higher.”

“If Lin Xi doesn’t return in time, if we are sure that we cannot pose a threat to Purgatory Mountain Patriarch, then some people can just wait. Some of these people can at least become a testing stone, allowing the people to clearly see just what kind of strength Purgatory Mountain Patriarch really has.”

“Our Green Luan Academy Ailao Rear Peak lecturers have analyzed much of the intelligence gathered from Purgatory Mountain. The conclusion they have reached is that this is the greatest opportunity for killing Purgatory Mountain Patriarch. Otherwise, if we wait until Purgatory Mountain Patriarch and Yunqin Emperor’s joint power truly faces Green Luan Academy, the chance will become even more fleeting.” Gao Yanan nodded. She looked at Zhantai Qiantang and said, “Since you have made your decision, it seems like your opinion is the same?”

“If we simply view Lin Xi’s power as one portion and view all of our power as another portion, even if it was me that was in Purgatory Mountain Patriarch’s shoes, I would believe that this is an excellent opportunity, because Lin Xi and our powers might be divided.” Zhantai Qiantang nodded. “Moreover, before Lin Xi has become a Sacred Expert, it will forever be the best chance to make a move. It is because the portion of power from his side, in the eyes of Purgatory Mountain Patriarch, will be in a vulnerable state. Even if he cannot kill Lin Xi, he will try to destroy our share of power first, wishing to take out one of the two.”

“Once we are at a disadvantage, from that day forth, we will likely become weaker and weaker. That is why if this time, he truly has appeared in Thousand Sunset Mountains, then this is precisely the best chance to kill him.”

Gao Yanan’s expression remained calm, but her knuckles were a bit pale from excessive force.

It was because if this battle truly broke out, then it would become a great battle, comparable to no other.

“I plan to leave for a period of time first, to complete some things before these Great Mang soldiers reach Thousand Sunset Mountain.” Zhantai Qiantang looked at her, saying this seriously.

Gao Yanan knew that many people were preparing. She also knew that Zhantai Qiantang’s cultivation was at a key bottleneck, that he needed an opportunity.

That was why she didn’t say anything, only seriously nodding her head.

…

Zhantai Qiantang decisively left Turtle Edge Mountain.

He was already a cultivator at the peak of State Master level, closer to the Sacred Expert level than anyone else. If he could break through into the sacred level before facing Purgatory Mountain Patriarch, then this would naturally add a share of threat to Purgatory Mountain. Only, what he needed to do wasn’t to search for a powerful type of pressure and break through into the Sacred Expert, this simple.

After leaving Turtle Edge Mountain under the cover of the night, he arrived at a frontier market where many black market merchants gathered.

He appeared in a tattered house, in front of a yellow clothed man whose face was covered in many scars.

He showed this man a bow of respect, and then said seriously, “General Hu, would you be willing to gamble your life with me?”