Chapter 151: The Earth Network

On the north city wall, the city gate commander approached Wang Fucheng, bowing respectfully. "Palace Lord," he greeted.

"Where is the honored Godfiend who dealt with the demon race?" Wang Fucheng inquired.

"After freezing all the demons into ice sculptures, the honored Godfiend transformed into a bolt of lightning and headed north," the commander said, pointing towards the large mountain in the dark night outside the city.

"Understood."

Wang Fucheng nodded slightly, then leaped down from the city wall, transforming into a blurry streak of light that shot directly northward. Following the traces of the demon army, Wang Fucheng arrived at the desolate mountain. Upon seeing the distorted world entrance, roughly a hundred zhang long, he immediately looked around with a puzzled expression.

"Junior Brother Wang," Meng Chuan said, leaping down from a distant tree and landing on the ground.

Wang Fucheng smiled upon seeing Meng Chuan. He quickly walked over and chuckled, "I just finished dealing with matters inside the city and immediately rushed here to see Senior Brother Meng. We're truly fortunate you arrived this time, Senior Brother, otherwise, Cangshan City would have suffered countless casualties."

"It was merely a small effort," Meng Chuan replied. "What is the extent of Cangshan City's losses this time?"

"Only a few demon kings entered the city, affecting some people," Wang Fucheng stated. "I estimate a few hundred casualties."

Meng Chuan nodded slightly.

This was already very minimal! If the demon race had succeeded in their siege, the entire city would have been reduced to ruins, and hundreds of thousands of people would have perished. That would have been truly devastating!

Meng Chuan had witnessed the demon race annihilating a county town when he was six years old, so he never showed them mercy.

"Junior Brother Wang," Meng Chuan said, changing the topic from losses, "it's almost five years since you left Yuanchu Mountain."

"Yes,"

Wang Fucheng nodded, "After descending the mountain, I was first assigned to Anhai Pass for three years. It was relatively safe there because King Anhai was present. Senior Brother Meng, your strength far surpasses ours, so I presume you went directly to a medium-sized city pass?"

"Beihe Pass," Meng Chuan replied without concealment.

"Among our fellow disciples, most powerful Godfiends of the Great Sun realm go to medium-sized city passes," Wang Fucheng remarked with emotion.

Meng Chuan also nodded in agreement. Among the Great Sun realm Godfiends of Yuanchu Mountain, there were indeed varying levels of strength.

The top-tier ones, like Zhang Yunhu, had comprehended the 'Dao Realm,' just half a step away from becoming Marquis Godfiends. Mu Qing was also at the 'Soul Realm peak,' and Fan Cheng was likewise at the 'Soul Realm peak' with exceptional talent. Yu Chiyan, Shi Xiu, and Yang Xingwu had all achieved 'Soul Realm mastery,' but each possessed unique strengths: one was a Phantasm Body, another a Blood God Body, and the third was exceptionally strong in the domain aspect, making all of them extremely effective on the battlefield.

Meng Chuan and Liu Qiyue were even more extraordinary geniuses, both having achieved Soul Realm mastery and possessing perfect transcendent-grade Godfiend bodies. Their contributions on the battlefield were no less significant than Zhang Yunhu's! They were directly assigned to medium-sized city passes upon descending the mountain.

The majority of Yuanchu Mountain's top-tier Great Sun realm Godfiends were dispatched to medium-sized city passes, while a smaller portion joined the 'Earth Net.'

As for many Great Sun realm Godfiends who had just reached the 'Soul Realm,' they were generally sent to garrison small city passes.

"One must achieve Soul Realm mastery to be assigned to a medium-sized city pass," Wang Fucheng said, shaking his head. "I'm currently still at the peak of the Intent Realm, not even a Great Sun realm Godfiend yet."

"You've only been off the mountain for five years; it's quite common for Godfiends to reach the Great Sun realm only after ten or even twenty years," Meng Chuan said. "Alright, you should head back quickly. Cangshan Commandery still needs you to oversee it. When the Yuanchu Mountain Godfiends arrive later, you'll also need to receive them."

"Then I'll leave this to you, Senior Brother," Wang Fucheng said before departing.

Meng Chuan then moved to a nearby large tree, concealing his aura and waiting silently for the Godfiends to arrive for the handover.

***

Currently, Cangshan Commandery was bustling with noise.

The yamen had also issued multiple orders, ensuring that everyone throughout the commandery city knew... the demon race had been defeated, and they had won! It was now completely safe, and people could emerge from the underground tunnels.

"What, we won?"

Inside a Taoist academy's fortress, the academy's head, the instructors, the soldiers, many retired veterans who had rushed to support them, and a group of disciples who had reached the Marrow Cleansing realm were all somewhat bewildered.

"Normally, the city walls wouldn't hold back the demon race for very long, and they would rush into the city. People throughout the city would have to defend themselves," said an elderly instructor holding a long spear, his face full of joy. "I can't believe all our preparations were in vain; we didn't even have to fight desperately, and we've already won. The demon race has been utterly defeated!"

"Since the demon race dared to attack, they must have been confident in defeating our Cangshan Commandery's Godfiends," a middle-aged woman carrying two swords exclaimed in astonishment. "Yet, the city hasn't even fallen, and we've already won. There must be a special reason. Could it be that a powerful Godfiend happened to be residing in our Cangshan Commandery?"

"Powerful Godfiends patrol the world; they could appear in any city, so it's possible one was in Cangshan Commandery."

"Haha, this is a blessing for our Cangshan Commandery, a true blessing!"

Everyone smiled with immense joy.

Those who had served in the military, especially, understood how formidable the demon race was! When swarms of demons surged forth, humanity had to resist with their very lives.

The six great Taoist academies, four major Godfiend families, and the commandery yamen's arsenal, among other critical locations in Cangshan Commandery, each had forces stationed to guard them.

After all, the demon race had arrived too quickly. Many ordinary veterans in the city would have had to travel twenty to thirty li to reach the north city wall, by which time the wall would have long been breached. Therefore, based on generations of defensive experience, the soldiers and veterans near the city wall were responsible for support, while other areas leveraged the 'geographical advantage' within the city to engage in desperate battles against the demons, striving to delay them until Godfiend reinforcements arrived, which would ensure victory.

However, this time, all areas within the city had prepared for a desperate fight, yet they won without even seeing a shadow of the demon race.

"Let's go, let's head to the north city gate and see what happened.""How were the demons defeated?""Just how many demons attacked our Cangshan Commandery?"

Despite knowing of the victory, many people couldn't resist rushing directly to the north city gate.

The city gates remained closed, but people were permitted to ascend the city wall to look. When many veterans and masters reached the city wall and saw the dense multitude of demon ice sculptures, they were utterly stunned.

Thirty thousand demon ice sculptures before their eyes were truly awe-inspiring.

Even many veterans who had served in the military had never witnessed thirty thousand demon ice sculptures.

***

Half an hour after the demon invasion, Godfiends from Yuanchu Mountain arrived.

"Whoosh, whoosh."

Two figures arrived at Crescent Moon Lake. Wang Fucheng, who was waiting there, saw a lean man and an elder.

"Senior Brother Qu," Wang Fucheng immediately greeted. He only recognized the lean man; the elder's identity was unknown to him.

"Hmm," the lean man responded, looking at the corpses of the six demon kings before asking, "Who slew these demon kings?"

"Senior Brother Meng Chuan was passing by and saved everyone in the city," Wang Fucheng replied.

"Oh?" The lean man nodded slightly. "Where is Senior Brother Meng?"

"He's about five li north of the city, guarding the world entrance there," Wang Fucheng said.

"Old Brother Guo, you handle the demon king corpses here; I'll go guard the world entrance," the lean man stated. In terms of strength, he was somewhat stronger than the elder.

"Very well," the elder said with a smile.

The lean man's figure flickered instantly, and he sped directly northward.

***

On the desolate mountain.

The lean man and Meng Chuan met.

"Senior Brother Meng," the lean man said politely.

"Are you Senior Brother Qu?" Meng Chuan asked. He hadn't seen him in person before, as the other man had been off the mountain for over thirty years, but he had deliberately learned the appearance of every disciple from Yuanchu Mountain.

At Yuanchu Mountain, if two individuals had similar strength, referring to each other as 'Senior Brother' was a sign of mutual respect. However, it was different at Beihe Pass. At Beihe Pass, everyone was a companion in life and death; Meng Chuan and Liu Qiyue were newcomers, so they addressed everyone else as 'Senior Brother' or 'Senior Sister.'

"Many of us fellow disciples haven't returned to the mountain in a long time, but we've all heard your name, Senior Brother Meng," the lean man chuckled. "A perfect Thunder-Destroying Demonic Body, and you've cultivated the Black Iron Heavenly Book. You've only just descended the mountain, yet your strength surpasses ours, who have been off the mountain for decades."

"I've only just descended the mountain; I can't compare to all of you Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters who have fought on campaigns for decades and achieved remarkable merits," Meng Chuan responded.

"Haha," the lean man chuckled, then flipped his hand to reveal a purple token with the character 'Search' inscribed on it. "Senior Brother Meng, let's complete the official business first. From now on, this world entrance will be handled by our Earth Net."

"Understood," Meng Chuan nodded.

The Earth Net...

Approximately thirty percent of Yuanchu Mountain's Godfiends were part of the Earth Net, responsible for hunting down the demon race and the Heavenly Demon Gate across the world, and for locating all newly appearing world entrances.

The Earth Net also commanded the imperial court's intelligence network, with countless mortals serving its cause.

Speaking of the 'Patroller' position, it was also part of the Earth Net! However, Patrollers were rather special, usually held by Marquis Godfiends or King Godfiends. The Earth Net itself was very powerful, capable of easily dealing with many demons and even demon kings. But when they encountered demon kings or heavenly demons they couldn't handle, they would call for aid, and Patrollers would arrive to eliminate those powerful demon kings and heavenly demons.