Chapter 230. The End of the Great War of Good and Blood (1)

"Is that Wei Zhijie? The Plum Blossom Sword Captain?!"

Yun He exclaimed in delight after recognizing Wei Zhijie's face.

"It's... the Plum Blossom Swordsmen!"

The faces of the righteous faction cultivators lit up instantly.

If Mount Hua's greatest elite, the Plum Blossom Sword Captain, traveled to

Gangho

, the swordsmen under his command would surely follow.

Not just one or two, either. Usually, at least ten swordsmen would accompany their captain.

"Reinforcements! Our reinforcements are here!"

Cheers erupted from the Martial Alliance combatants as they spotted the group standing on the distant hilltop.

It wasn't just the Plum Blossom Swordsmen. More Martial Alliance flags soon appeared, signaling the arrival of additional warriors.

Among them were ordinary fighters, Taoist and Buddhist monks, and even the beggars of the Beggar Gang!

"Assist our allies and crush our enemies!"

Wei Zhijie roared out his command.

"

Whaaaaah

!"

Around a thousand martial artists roared in unison before charging down the hill to join the battle.

"Senior Brother! Are you alright?"

As the war raged on, Luo Xiaoyue hurried to Zhou Xuchuan's side, her voice full of concern.

"More or less. Just a bit tired," Zhou Xuchuan replied with a joking tone, happy to see a familiar face.

"I'm sorry for being so late. We should've joined the Sect Master as he departed the sect, but the word didn't reach us in time, and that delayed us a little."

"It couldn't be helped. You were in closed-door training."

Initially, You Riwen had intended to take Mount Hua's elite Plum Blossom Swordsmen with him as reinforcements, but the Sword Captain's permission was required. Unfortunately, Wei Zhijie and other Plum Blossom Swordsmen had been in closed-door training at the time, making it difficult to contact them.

After some thought, You Riwen left an explanation about the Great War of Good and Blood and headed to the battlefield.

Soon after that, Wei Zhijie somehow got wind of the news through an emergency channel, forcing him to lead the Plum Blossom Swordsmen and chase after the Sect Master in a hurry.

"Oh, and we ran into cultivators that were summoned by the Martial Alliance on the way. Here, Hefei asked us to give you this letter," Luo Xiaoyue said.

Zhuge Xiuluan took the letter and quickly read it. "I'm sending additional troops, just in case. Vice Strategist, Zhuge Xiang..."

As expected of you, Heavenly Strategist!

Zhou Xuchuan couldn't help but admire Zhuge Xiang's foresight. Not only had he ensured the Martial Alliance warriors would meet the Plum Blossom Swordsmen en route, but he also timed their arrival perfectly. His future reputation as a heaven-sent strategist was clearly well-deserved!

"In that case, Young Lady Zhuge, I'll leave the rest to you," Zhou Xuchuan said, his exhaustion becoming more evident. "I'd like to help more, but I'm completely spent..."

His eyelids had gotten so much heavier. He wanted to rest so badly right now.

"Don't worry. Leave everything to me."

Zhuge Xiuluan's calm demeanor put Zhou Xuchuan's heart at ease.

"I'm retracting the order to retreat," Zhuge Xiuluan said.

The reinforcements numbered around one thousand, bringing the Martial Alliance's total force to just over three thousand combatants.

While the Blood Cult still had around four thousand fighters, their situation was grim. Most of their members were madmen who had abandoned reason. Roughly forty percent of their ranks consisted of jiangshi with weak physical bodies and no ability to think.

"We'll counterattack!"

"That's what I've been waiting to hear!" Zhi Yiguang roared, his voice brimming with the desire for vengeance.

It was unfortunate that the Blood Demon was already dead, so he planned to take the lives of the Blood Cult believers in order to appease the souls of his disciple brothers and sisters.

"

Kuh-aaaahk

!"

"

Aaaahk

!"

The army of three thousand clashed with the opposing army of four thousand. Initially, the Blood Cult's savage ferocity gave them an advantage, but it didn't last long.

As the day wore on, the Blood Cult's numbers dwindled, and their numerical advantage was lost to the Martial Alliance.

The jiangshi had been revived by the Death Yin Staff at the cost of much lower durability, so they were the first to fall apart like leaves getting blown away by the storm winds.

Several sorcerers belatedly tried to control the jiangshi and mount a counterattack, but the sheer number of the undead made it nearly impossible. Besides, with their strength, controlling their own jiangshi already took a lot out of them. This was a stark reminder of just how monstrous the Blood Demon was.

Then again, the Blood Demon wasn't just a supreme cultivator who had reached the realm of manifesting his Path, but also the strongest sorcerer and a corpse master!

When over one thousand five hundred jiangshi had fallen, the remaining Blood Cultists began to panic.

"

Kuh-heok

?!

D-dammit

!"

"Go to Hell, Blood Claw Ghost!"

On this day, one of the One Hundred Experts Under Heaven and a famous head demon, Blood Claw Ghost, lost his life at the hands of Wudang's Second Absolute, Yun He.

"Go back to dirt! Where you belong!"

"

Kya-aaahk

!"

Most of the Demonic Mole Squadron were destroyed and many more Blood Cult believers had died. An army of four thousand had been reduced to fewer than two thousand.

"Retreat!"

"Dammit!"

The boiling blood coursing through the veins of the Blood Cult believers rapidly cooled down. In fact, their demonic nature seemed to retreat entirely as they realized how dire the situation had become!

Compared to the Blood Cult, the Martial Alliance's forces remained relatively intact. They hadn't come out unscathed, but the number of casualties was only around five hundred. That was shockingly low when considering that the Blood Cult had lost almost half of their combatants.

Eventually, the Blood Cult believers regained their senses and hurriedly retreated from the battlefield.

"It'll be better not to go after them."

"We should not pursue them."

Zhuge Xiao and Zhuge Xiuluan said the same thing in different locations on the battlefield.

"Why not?"

"Although everyone knows how accomplished the heroes of the righteous faction are, we must not forget that we are all exhausted. Pushing our luck now would be unwise. It's also close to sunset, and the desert's night temperatures are said to drop drastically. Many won't be able to withstand the cold."

"

Urgh

... There aren't that many enemies left, though. Couldn't the reinforcements handle them?"

Zhuge Xiuluan shook her head. "No. Even if the heat of the battle still lingers, we have to remember the reinforcements had to rush all the way here to Lanzhou. They must be more exhausted than we think. Also, the change in the environment plays a bigger role than most people believe."

Lanzhou was a city in the desert. While the sand didn't block the paths completely, the area was still a part of the massive desert, so the temperatures during the day were insanely high while the nights were mercilessly cold.

One must be on guard as such a harsh environment drained stamina more quickly than usual

In the end, the Martial Alliance fighters couldn't argue with the strategists. Though they were reluctant, they agreed to stay put, some clicking their tongues in frustration.

"Besides," Zhuge Xiuluan added, "if you're worried about the enemies escaping, you don't need to be. We've already prepared a countermeasure."

"Countermeasure, you say?"

"Yes... Fortunately, the winds are blowing in the northwesterly direction."

If the winds blew in that direction from Lanzhou, it'd be toward Yumen Pass. In other words, where the remnants of the Blood Cult had fled!

At first, her words puzzled the fighters, but her explanation soon had them slapping their knees in admiration.

"This is the Fragrance Spreading Draft crafted by the Tang Family. Its main purpose is to spread out a scent as far and wide as possible."

Zhuge Xiuluan opened the bottle containing the Fragrance Spreading Draft, mixed in a few drops of blood, and gently shook it. Then, she opened the bottle's lid and let the acrid smell of blood waft into the stiff desert winds.

"With this, the Blood Cult believers will return sooner or later. For now, let's treat our injured and regroup."

This strategy took advantage of the Blood Cult believers' well-known behavior of losing their mind at the mere smell of blood, not just the sight of it.

While a few drops might not have been enough, the blood-soaked battlefield would improve the effect, making the plan highly likely to succeed.

"Huh-uh, is that... true?"

On the other hand...

The executives of the Martial Alliance, having regrouped to hear the briefing on the war situation, were left stunned by what they heard. Wei Zhijie, the captain of Mount Hua's Plum Blossom Swordsmen, seemed the most deeply affected by the news.

"The Sect Master has...!"

The worst of his fears, the death of the Exalted Sword Immortal, You Riwen, had come to pass. Mount Hua's Sect Master hadn't ascended from the world of living after his natural life had come to an end, but rather, he died at the Blood Demon's hands. That news left him speechless.

If Wei Zhijie hadn't heard the news of the Blood Demon's demise first, the thought of revenge might have driven him mad.

"Then, what happened to Little Xuchuan?" Wei Zhijie asked.

"Although he's exhausted, I heard that he's alive and well. You don't have to worry."

Having contributed significantly to the Great War of Good and Blood, Zhou Xuchuan received preferential treatment. Three capable physicians from the group dispatched by the Benevolence Clinic treated his injuries.

Despite his condition, Zhou Xuchuan had woken during treatment and dismissed the physicians, insisting he was fine.

"The Plum Blossom Order Sword's achievement in this war deserves great praise." Yun He enthusiastically praised Zhou Xuchuan.

"Yes, I completely agree," Zhi Yiguang said.

"The special force members did well by putting their lives on the line and drawing the Blood Demon out, but without the Plum Blossom Order Sword, we would've never defeated him."

"Don't you think that's a bit of an exaggeration?" Mount Heng Sect's Shui Jing, who had been silent until then, spoke up with a dissatisfied tone. "Excuse my rudeness, but weren't the top experts of the righteous faction also involved in that battle? Even if Mount Hua's disciple had done nothing, our side could still have easily ended the Blood Demon's life. Not only that, but the Exalted Sword Immortal had already injured Blood Demon before the..."

"No, you're wrong," Yun He interrupted, frowning deeply. "You wouldn't have said that if you were also there with us. When we first saw the Blood Demon, we truly understood why he was ranked first among the Ten Empyrean Overlords."

When Zhuge Xiuluan arrived in a panic to ask for help, Yun He and the others rushed to help. But when they reached the Blood Demon, his sheer presence had left them paralyzed with fear.

Even though they were prepared to fight, Yun He doubted they could have defeated such a monster.

But then, Zhou Xuchuan miraculously returned from the brink of death and killed the Blood Demon, as if he was avenging his Sect Master.

Shui Jing's expression darkened. Yun He's words felt like a subtle jab at her.

However, she couldn't say anything in her defense and had to keep her mouth shut. Although she didn't like Zhou Xuchuan, that didn't mean she was going to deny all the contributions he made during the war.

"You've all fought hard," Wei Zhijie said. "Leave the night watch to us and get some well-deserved rest."

Though no one admitted it, they all looked dead-tired. Then again, considering they had been fighting all day, exhaustion was unavoidable. Not being tired would have been stranger.

The reinforcements, under Wei Zhijie's supervision, volunteered to guard the army as the night watch.

The truth was, there were still many unanswered questions. For instance, the details of the Blood Demon's fierce battle with the Exalted Sword Immortal, or how Zhou Xuchuan had seemingly come back from the dead after being pierced by countless blood spears and blades.

Other matters piqued the curiosity of the executives, but it was getting late. The temperature had also plummeted, causing stiff winds to blow. As a result, they had to postpone the rest of the briefing to the next day.

The following day...

Thanks to the Benevolence Clinic's capable physicians, many of the injured were treated successfully. Unfortunately, several people in critical condition still passed on despite the best efforts of the physicians.

However, before the piled-up corpses in Lanzhou could be dealt with, the Blood Cult believers raided the army, starting yet another intense battle.

By this time, the army had regrouped, and many of the injured had received medical attention. Even so, the battle was chaotic, as not many had been able to rest properly.

As it turned out, the Fragrance Spreading Draft's effects were much stronger than they had expected.

The Blood Cult believers attacked several times at night, too, forcing the Martial Alliance army to remain on high alert.

After three days and nights of hardship and battles, the Blood Cult's first and last invasion of the Central Plains came to an end.

Around one hundred of the surviving Blood Cult believers got captured, while the rest were crushed.

The Martial Alliance paid a heavy price for their victory, with seven hundred dead and three hundred injured.

"Is it finally over?"

Zhou Xuchuan relaxed while listening to the celebratory roars coming from outside his tent.

As for my body... it's more or less fine.

In truth, Zhou Xuchuan had fully recovered from his injuries and fatigue two days ago. His condition was now at its peak. Yet, he had refrained from participating in the battles.

I can't be sure if I've fully recovered, after all.

Countless spears and swords flew in and skewered him mercilessly. His injuries had been so grave that not even Hua Tao, the famed physician from the late Eastern Han dynasty, would have been able to heal them. Since that was the case, being more cautious seemed like a good idea.

More importantly, though, Zhou Xuchuan needed some time to organize all his new enlightenment acquired after reaching the Coruscant Realm. That was why he remained in this tent and spent his time focusing on qi breathing and circulation.

The Manifestation of One's Path... Regression.

It certainly was a new and novel power. Perhaps nothing suited Zhou Xuchuan more than such a power when trying to describe his life.

His previous life was what it was, but his current life couldn't have existed without regression. Getting older wouldn't have changed anything, either.

That was the main reason for Zhou Xuchuan successfully manifesting his Path. Regardless of how he lived his life, everything began with regression.

This power is to recover. To reverse time.

At a casual glance, it almost resembled the Bodily Reformation's third effect, the complete regeneration, but Zhou Xuchuan's power was completely different in reality. In fact, one could say it was even more absurd than that.

I can revert my body to the state it was in before I got injured.

In short, it was a type of regression, a power to revert his body's 'time' back.

To think he could go against the laws of nature purely through his will! Even he had to admit such a power was extremely absurd.

Having said that, it was still a human being's power, so it had severe restrictions and several side effects.

What I can regress are my flesh, blood, bones and injured internal organs. And I can only use this power on myself, no one else.

The Bodily Reformation's complete regeneration was closer to breaking down what existed and replacing it with something new. But regression was exactly what it was—reversing time. Zhou Xuchuan now had the power to return to the state before he got injured.

But I can't use this power infinitely. It's limited to once per day, and it drains an enormous amount of stamina and qi.

As proof, despite his best efforts to stay awake, Zhou Xuchuan couldn't overcome the intense fatigue and fell asleep right after his battle with the Blood Demon.

Even if people he trusted were nearby, he had still lost consciousness in the middle of a war zone. It was no laughing matter.

Also, although it's not tested yet, my power won't work if I'm killed instantly.

It'd be impossible to regress if he got beheaded, or if his brain or heart got destroyed. Even the power to go against laws of nature was still based on such laws. Even if his power allowed him to revert the state of his body, what was the point if his head was no longer attached to his neck?

Even if his head reverted to its original state, he would still die since the rest of his body was missing. Even if his body regressed, he'd still die without the head!

Also... Mm, I guess I can confirm this some other time.