Chapter 865: Cangyan Mountain Pass

The bright yellow glow corresponded to the rank of Captain.

This system allowed Bingzhou Guard officers of different ranks, upon meeting in the wilderness, to quickly ascertain each other's rank by displaying their respective Guard Orders. This facilitated rapid assembly and coordinated action during emergencies.

These Guard Orders had to be kept on one's person and could not be placed in a storage pouch. This was because many commands from the Bingzhou Guard were issued via these tokens, and storing them in a pouch would prevent communication.

The principle was similar to that of a voice transmission stone.

As Lu Ye was about to tuck the Guard Order into his robe, he suddenly sensed something and promptly focused his mind.

An additional message appeared within the Guard Order.

The message was simple: he was ordered to report to Cangyan Mountain Pass within three days.

Lu Ye couldn't help but frown. This order seemed somewhat unusual, as new recruits like him typically reported to one of the Twelve Great Passes before being assigned to a subordinate pass.

An order to bypass the Great Pass and report directly was, therefore, quite uncommon.

However, he didn't dwell on it. Having joined the Bingzhou Guard, his sole duty was to follow orders.

Since the order stipulated he must report to Cangyan Mountain within three days, he had to arrive by that deadline. Failing to do so would result in military punishment.

He consulted his Ten-Point Map, locating Cangyan Mountain Pass. It wasn't far from Haotian City; at his speed, he could reach it in less than a day.

The three-day deadline was generous, so he wasn't in a rush to set off.

As night had fallen, it was prudent to rest overnight before departing.

Haotian City offered numerous vacant rooms for the convenience of traveling cultivators to rest. These rooms were free of charge; any Bingzhou Guard cultivator could choose one at will simply by presenting their Guard Order.

Lu Ye found an empty room nearby, used his Guard Order to deactivate its restrictions, and leisurely entered.

The room was small and simply furnished, but perfectly adequate for one person.

After a night of rest, Lu Ye felt refreshed. He set off at dawn, following the Ten-Point Map's guidance directly towards Cangyan Mountain Pass.

His journey was uneventful; he merely encountered a few groups of patrolling cultivators. Upon showing his Guard Order, Lu Ye was allowed to pass unhindered.

As dusk approached, a continuous mountain range appeared in the distance, and the air around him felt somewhat dry and warm.

This was Cangyan Mountain, stretching for thousands of miles, with Cangyan Mountain Pass situated within its expanse.

Following the Ten-Point Map's guidance, Lu Ye quickly pinpointed the exact location of Cangyan Mountain Pass.

From a distance, the vast pass resembled a mountain city with towering walls. Many defensive fortifications were faintly visible atop the walls. While its defensive strength wasn't comparable to Haotian City, these fortifications would prove invaluable should the Ten Thousand Demon Ridge launch an attack from this direction.

What puzzled Lu Ye, however, was the complete absence of anyone on the city walls. Furthermore, there were no signs that this city-like pass was protected by a defensive formation.

Something felt amiss.

Lu Ye's heart sank. He instinctively feared that the Ten Thousand Demon Ridge might have secretly seized control of the pass; otherwise, how could such a large stronghold be completely deserted?

He swiftly activated his spiritual power to conceal himself, tucked Amber into his spirit beast pouch, and quietly advanced.

As he drew closer, what he observed only deepened his confusion. There were no signs of recent battle or any scent of blood. Moreover, the buildings appeared to be in a state of disrepair, showing signs of neglect over many years.

He entered the city and explored the buildings, discovering many areas thick with dust.

This undoubtedly indicated that the place had been uninhabited for a very long time.

Lu Ye was utterly bewildered: what was the situation at Cangyan Mountain Pass?

Surely he wasn't the only living soul here? Or perhaps other Bingzhou Guard members were on their way?

As he was consumed by suspicion, he suddenly felt a presence. Turning his head, he saw a figure standing silently on the roof of a nearby house. The full moon hung high behind them, its clear, cold light illuminating the person, making them appear ethereal, almost celestial.

Lu Ye's eyes narrowed.

A pair of beautiful eyes were staring directly at him, rendering his concealment completely ineffective.

Fine beads of sweat trickled from his forehead. His grip on the Panshan Blade tightened slightly, yet he dared not make a move.

He couldn't gauge the person's strength, but someone capable of detecting his presence so easily was likely a Grand Cultivator of the Divine Sea Realm.

Whether they were friend or foe remained unclear.

"What are you stealthily looking for?" the woman suddenly spoke, her voice as clear and cold as ice, much like the cool moonlight cascading from above.

"She must not be an enemy," Lu Ye thought silently. "If she were, she would have simply attacked me."

If not an enemy, then she must be a Bingzhou Guard officer stationed at this pass.

With that thought, Lu Ye dispelled his concealment and bowed with cupped fists. "New Bingzhou Guard, Lu Ye, reporting as ordered!"

"Hmm," the woman replied indifferently. With a flick of her hand, Lu Ye's Guard Order, which he had kept close to his body, flew directly into her grasp. He didn't know what she did, but a flash of light shimmered across the token before she tossed it back to him.

"That's done," she said softly. "From this moment, you are assigned to Cangyan Mountain Pass."

Lu Ye quickly checked his battlefield imprint and confirmed that some information within it had indeed changed.

The identity field, which previously only listed "Jade Blood Sect Disciple," now had an additional entry.

"Dayue Pass, Cangyan Mountain Pass, Stationed Captain."

Cangyan Mountain Pass was one of several dozen passes under Dayue Pass. "Captain" was Lu Ye's military rank, while "Stationed" likely referred to his military post.

What this military post entailed, Lu Ye could largely infer from the title itself.

The fact that she could alter his battlefield imprint with a mere gesture indicated she was an ally, and more specifically, the person in charge of Cangyan Mountain Pass.

"May I ask, Senior..."

"Among the Bingzhou Guard, there are no seniors or juniors, only superiors and subordinates. You may call me 'Your Excellency,' 'Pass Master,' or 'Commander,' as you wish, but never 'Senior.'"

"Pass Master" was clearly her official title, while "Commander" was her military rank.

Only then did Lu Ye fully grasp that the woman before him was none other than the Pass Master of Cangyan Mountain Pass.

"I know you're confused," she said. "There's no need to search; it's just the two of us here."

Lu Ye was utterly stunned. Although he didn't have a complete understanding of the Bingzhou Guard's frontline forces, he knew that the Bingzhou Guard oversaw numerous smaller passes, each heavily garrisoned by a large number of cultivators.

What kind of situation was this Cangyan Mountain Pass? Just him and the Pass Master? And he was new! In other words, before his arrival, she had been here alone.

"Just find somewhere to stay," the woman said. "There isn't much fighting, so you're free to do as you please. If anything comes up, you can contact me via your Guard Order, but try not to disturb me unnecessarily." With that, she gracefully glided away into the distance.

Lu Ye quickly called out, "May I ask your name, Your Excellency?"

From afar, the cold voice replied, "Nian Yuexian!"

Lu Ye silently committed the name to memory.

Even after Nian Yuexian had departed, Lu Ye remained somewhat dazed.

His current circumstances were far from what he had envisioned.

He had expected that joining the Bingzhou Guard and reaching the front lines would involve constant interaction with cultivators from various sects, followed by ongoing conflict with the Ten Thousand Demon Ridge.

Yet, at Cangyan Mountain Pass, apart from him, there was only Nian Yuexian, the Pass Master. No other Bingzhou Guard members were in sight.

Did the Bingzhou Guard have such unusual passes?

As a newcomer, overthinking would be fruitless. His priority was to find a place to settle.

Fortunately, the city was substantial and contained many houses. While many were dilapidated from years of neglect, some were still habitable.

Lu Ye casually picked one that seemed decent, tidied it up, and gradually settled in.

The night passed uneventfully.

The following day, Lu Ye ascended a nearby spiritual peak, gazing in all directions with a sense of bewilderment.

Although this was a frontline against a major opposing faction, for some reason, it imbued him with a peculiar sense of tranquility.

Throughout his time in the Spirit Stream Battlefield and subsequently the Cloud River Battlefield, he had always been engaged in intense struggle and wits with the Ten Thousand Demon Ridge, living with a constant sense of urgency. Now, suddenly finding himself in such a seemingly serene environment, he felt somewhat at a loss.

After some thought, Lu Ye decided to establish a proper dwelling.

While the city's existing buildings were habitable, living alone in such a vast, long-deserted place felt unsettling.

He decided it would be better to construct his own bamboo dwelling or similar structure on a nearby spiritual peak.

He immediately put his idea into action. Building a bamboo dwelling was not new to Lu Ye, so he worked with practiced ease.

In just half a day, a small three-story bamboo dwelling stood complete.

He then arranged numerous protective and warning formations around the bamboo dwelling, finally completing his work.

With a place to live, it was time to find something to do. Having joined the Bingzhou Guard, he naturally had to serve in its defense. Lu Ye tried to contact Nian Yuexian to see if she had any assignments for him.

However, she offered no response... He had no idea where she might be.

Then again, for a Grand Cultivator of the Divine Sea Realm like her, if she truly wished to conceal her presence, Lu Ye would be utterly incapable of finding her.

Recalling her previous demeanor, Lu Ye understood that the Pass Master likely preferred not to be bothered.

Given the circumstances, his only recourse was cultivation.

He was not far from reaching the True Lake Realm and possessed enough golden spirit talismans. Had it not been for the transfer order from Haotian City, he would likely have already broken through.

Ultimately, a cultivator's strength stemmed from their cultivation. The higher one's cultivation realm, the easier all tasks became.

On the third floor of the bamboo dwelling, Lu Ye sat cross-legged, with Yi Yi beside him.

Small spiritual gathering funnels materialized one after another. Lu Ye held a golden spirit talisman, and a rich spiritual power immediately surged forth, absorbed by him. This steadily enhanced the Cloud River Ninth Realm cultivator, who had only recently advanced.