Chapter 505: Clenching the Pass

Li Xijun listened from the side for a while, then he heard Kong Heng say:

"Many years ago, the Mingyang Daoist lineage joined our Buddhist cultivation, giving rise to this 'Shengming Jinming Wang' (King of Complete Renown), whose mount was the unicorn beast 'Shengming' (Renown). He attained various divine powers such as enchanting others' minds, abundant offspring and blessings, and the fragrance of Buddhist teachings..."

"At that time, when the State of Wei fell, Shengming Jinming Wang assisted King Liang. King Liang drowned in the river, and Shengming Jinming Wang was killed. Since then, this lineage has never recovered and is now completely unheard of."

Li Xijun lowered his head. Kong Heng said:

"I also don't know much, but I have one thing to remind you of."

"Please enlighten me!" Li Xijun quickly cupped his hands. Kong Heng replied:

"When Shengming Jinming Wang was a lay disciple, he married... he successively married four wives, all of whom died suddenly. He could only find joy with his concubines, until he met Jueyin, with whom he finally married and did not die suddenly."

"So that's how it was..." Li Xijun frowned slightly, lost in thought. Li Zhouwei was actually nearing the age of engagement, and he had been unsure how to arrange it.

"If, as Kong Heng said, marrying a legitimate daughter would harm her..."

This was a troublesome matter, but now was not the time to dwell on it; it would have to be postponed. Li Xijun asked:

"In that case, how much harm can the Shan Yue witchcraft inflict upon the Heir?"

Kong Heng smiled slightly and replied:

"With just this branch of Shan Yue around Wangyue Lake, how could they possibly harm the Heir? Even if a Northern Buddhist master were to intervene, they would likely face difficulties."

"Good." Having past lessons to draw upon, if witchcraft could harm Li Zhouwei, Li Xijun would absolutely not have allowed him to go, even if this trip would greatly benefit him in the future.

Now reassured, Li Xijun stepped down and saw a grey wind fly out from a corner, transforming into a human figure at the foot of the stairs. A deep voice said:

"Wushao greets young master."

This person was Li Wushao, the hook-snake guardian who had been waiting closely. Li Xijun nodded slightly in return and said softly:

"Then let Minghuang scout first, with the master watching over him. We will hide in the air and wait for the Shan Yue Foundation Establishment cultivator to appear."

Li Ximing, standing nearby, softly assented. He had remained silent since entering the hall, staring blankly at Li Zhouwei. Only now, belatedly, did he quietly follow Li Xijun out.

"Greetings, King Ming." Kong Heng clasped his hands and slowly walked behind Li Zhouwei. The young man, having just seen the two off, was stroking his chin, deep in thought. His eyes had returned to their dark brown color, and he quietly gazed straight ahead.

Li Zhouwei pondered for a moment, then called someone forward and said:

"Relay my order to all generals."

The person quickly departed, and the great hall returned to its empty tranquility. The lamplight flickered slightly. Li Zhouwei picked up a map from the desk and examined it carefully until Chen Yang, Di Liyoujie, and others arrived.

There were not many cultivators among the Northern Shan Yue, primarily because their cultivation methods were exceedingly poor. Barely one in ten could reach the Qi Refining stage, and even then, their Qi was impure. As soon as they broke through, they would be ordered to go to Wushan as servants.

After all, although Juezhongzi disliked blood Qi, he was still Shan Yue, and he wouldn't refuse free servants. Therefore, even the lord of the Northern Shan Yue was merely at the Fetal Breath stage, posing no significant threat.

'Just need to be careful.'

When the others arrived, Li Zhouwei stood with his back to them, gazing at the map. A hundred *li* north was Chan Pass, a Northern Shan Yue stronghold. This pass was nestled between two mountains and fortified with formations, making it an undeniable natural barrier for mortals. However, with many cultivators present, Chan Pass actually seemed somewhat vulnerable.

Chen Yang and the others had never taken the Northern Shan Yue seriously, and there was a good reason for this: with the Li family's strength, even if Li Wushao transformed into his true form and merely squatted in front of the pass, the defenders would immediately abandon it and flee. What was there to be careful about?

Now, having heard the elders' intentions, Li Zhouwei quickly formulated a plan, looking down at the words "Chan Pass" on the map:

'Mu Miali, the Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Northern Shan Yue, is hiding in Wushan. He already knows how powerful my family is. If we attack the city with our Qingdu forces, we will naturally be unstoppable. But why would Mu Miali dare to emerge from the mountains so carelessly? Whether he's prepared or not, he can't defeat my family. My concern is that he might abandon the Northern Shan Yue and flee, causing endless trouble!'

Li Zhouwei was not of a docile or gentle nature. Li Xijun wanted to lure the snake out of its hole and had entrusted all matters below the mountain to him, clearly not just for him to follow orders rigidly. He immediately began to consider how to coordinate and asked:

"Di Liyoujie, if we draw out troops tonight, how many divisions can we muster?"

Di Liyoujie gritted his teeth and replied:

"We just slaughtered several families, and our lingering power is still present. We can command two thousand regular troops, three thousand irregulars, and two thousand slaves... but, they are not yet organized, and morale is low. I fear they cannot withstand a major battle."

'Is Li Zhouwei going to attack the Northern Shan Yue tonight?' Chen Yang was also stunned and reminded him:

"Heir! The city has just been suppressed. If three thousand clan soldiers are deployed, there might be unforeseen complications!"

Chen Yang was still puzzled when he saw Li Zhouwei whisper:

"We just purged the Great Jue Court; the news hasn't leaked yet... Muster three hundred clan soldiers and lead Di Li's forces; depart immediately! Only the elite troops are needed; irregulars and slaves will only get in the way."

'How many?! Three hundred clan soldiers?' His mind was filled with doubts, but Li Zhouwei had already put on his armor, taken his halberd, and said softly:

"Fly the banner of the Di Li family..."

Chen Yang quickly retreated with Di Liyoujie. Li Zhouwei, fully armored, strode swiftly away. Kong Heng silently followed behind him, his aura dim, like an ordinary young monk.

Outside the great hall, the night was deep. A gust of grey wind stirred at Kong Heng's feet, and Li Wushao appeared like a phantom behind him, hissing like a snake:

"Master, long time no see!"

Kong Heng squinted and smiled, yet he felt this demonic creature was exceptionally pure and clear, with pure demonic energy. His figure was like wind and rain, and the Fushuidao (River Flow Dao) foundation of Chaohan Yu surprisingly possessed some authentic immortal dao mystique. He couldn't help but exclaim in surprise:

"Wushao, your power has truly advanced greatly."

Li Wushao remained silent. As a small hook-snake, his significant increase in power over the years was certainly not due to his own cultivation alone.

Ever since he agreed to stay with the Li family, Li Xijun had used the "Six Weirs Life-Matching Special Method" to extract his essence. It was well known that the Six Weirs Life-Matching Special Method was not an easy immortal technique to succeed with; its effectiveness depended entirely on the quality of the life-matching spiritual object.

Li Wushao had initially been prepared to risk his life, but who knew that the spiritual objects Li Xijun used were of terrifyingly high quality, causing his strength to skyrocket and moving him so deeply that he was speechless.

'The spiritual objects consumed by that life-matching ritual... probably three of me, Li Wushao, combined wouldn't be enough to repay them! All just to ensure a single success and not harm my life!'

As a hook-snake who had drifted in the East Sea, receiving spiritual objects and taking precious elixirs repeatedly, what more could he say? He could only accept it silently, not daring to say much to Kong Heng, merely nodding.

In the nighttime, every household in Da Jue City was shut. The nobles had been purged earlier, and the bloodstains had not yet been washed away, leaving the city as quiet as a dead town.

In the darkness, elite troops from the clan soldiers and Imperial Guard were secretly withdrawn, dressed in Shan Yue attire, and quickly assembled. By the time Di Liyoujie's forces left the city, the three hundred troops were already standing before the formation like ghosts.

In the night, Li Zhouwei stood in iron armor, with a crimson cloud bead quietly glowing at his waist. His halberd was planted in the ground, and the spiritual horse, Zhongsa, at the peak of Fetal Breath stage, had bright, intelligent eyes, gazing intently into the distance.

As a group of Shan Yue slowly came to a halt before him, Li Zhouwei's halberd began to glow with a faint red light.

"'Sixty-Cycle Soul Refining Halberd Art'"

This halberd art was brought back by Li Xuanfeng from the East Sea. It was written by an ancient general from the State of Liang, whose name has long been lost. It was a rather ancient halberd art, a technique rather than a skill.

This halberd art focused on refining the soul. Each time an army was overthrown or a sect's formation broken, it grew stronger. If one mastered it, a dark aura would stain the halberd. When refined to its peak, fierce soul shadows would follow, wielding immense power.

As for its rank, like other ancient methods previously acquired, it was impossible to determine. It seemed subtly outside the Zi Mansion Golden Core Dao system, making it even harder to estimate. However, as a halberd art reborn from the crucible of battle, it naturally excelled in military leadership.

The red light burned quietly in the night, causing the Shan Yue to look up in terror. As more and more eyes turned to him, the red light on Li Zhouwei's halberd intensified. He said in a deep voice:

"Di Liyoujie! I order you to advance slowly with your troops. Make no disturbances. Wait silently before Chan Pass. At dawn, await my command."

Di Liyoujie knelt steadily. Li Zhouwei spurred his horse forward, and the clan soldiers swiftly departed like the wind. The Shan Yue man stood up and heard his subordinates below whisper:

"Gani Xi..."

Di Liyoujie was greatly startled and dared not let them spread rumors. He hissed:

"What nonsense are you shouting! That is..."

But Li Zhouwei had given orders, and Di Liyoujie dared not say it was the Li family heir. He could only say:

"We follow the King into the pass. Once we break through and head north, a king's title will be conferred. When we conquer the Northern Shan Yue royal court, you and I will be noble kin!"

As Di Liyoujie finished speaking of his ambition, all the Shan Yue subordinates stared with wide eyes.

North.

Li Zhouwei rode forward like a shooting star, with Kong Heng steadily following behind him. The young man tilted his head and asked:

"Master, I wonder how many people still know the title 'Shengming Jinming' today?"

Kong Heng shook his head slightly and replied:

"This name has been translated multiple times from the Di language and has long been unknown to people. Even if someone knows of King Ming... they wouldn't know how many times the title has been changed. It's just what we in Liaohe call him."

"Good." Li Zhouwei acknowledged, understanding. He mused:

"It seems Mingyang has been lost for many years, with all descriptions vanishing... That's a good thing."

As they spoke, Chan Pass quickly appeared in their sight. The bluestones were stained dark grey by the night, looking somber in the darkness. He raised his eyebrows, looked for a moment, then had someone step forward and whisper:

"Go knock on the gate."

A man beside Li Zhouwei reined in his horse. This man had thick eyebrows and large eyes, with disheveled hair; he was Di Liyoujie's younger brother, present as a guide for the Li family. He leaned in to listen as Li Zhouwei softly said:

"Just say that the Great Jue Court is slaughtering nobles, and we are remnants who escaped to seek refuge with the Northern Shan Yue. This contingent is composed of direct descendants, and if they let us in, we will offer all our clan's spiritual objects."

The man from the Di Li tribe nodded and quickly moved forward. Li Zhouwei simply stood quietly astride his horse, completely unconcerned. The power and information disparity between the two sides were not on the same level; employing schemes was merely a way to save time.

After all, from the perspective of the Northern Shan Yue, if it were truly the Li family, why would they bother with so much effort? A Foundation Establishment cultivator could simply push through. They naturally wouldn't suspect the Li family.

Li Wushao, behind him, evidently held the same thought. After a moment, he said sinisterly:

"Heir... why don't I just smash this pass and charge straight in?"

Li Zhouwei gently shook his head. Chen Yang, hunched over his horse in the night, seemed to have figured things out. He mused:

"It seems he wants a complete Chan Pass, and to feign an invasion from the Di Li tribe... afraid of startling the snake?"

As Chen Yang was thinking, a large basket was lowered from above. The young man from the Di Li tribe bowed and said:

"My lord, the commander says the troops should wait outside and the person in charge should come forward."

"Still somewhat cautious," Chen Yang grunted. Li Zhouwei chuckled softly:

"I don't think he's necessarily after those spiritual objects!"

Chen Yang chuckled softly, following his line of thought:

"He's most likely trying to curry favor with our Li family by presenting the heads of these 'remnants'!"

Li Zhouwei planted his halberd in the ground, tilted his head, and said:

"I'll trouble Senior Wushao. Leave that commander alive; I still have use for him."

Li Wushao slowly nodded, lightly dropped into the basket, and was shakily pulled up. The people above pulled with urgency, which seemed somewhat ironic.

When Li Wushao entered the formation, Chen Yang counted to seventeen. The great formation of the pass suddenly dissipated, and the gate swung wide open. A group of Shan Yue knelt inside. Li Zhouwei spurred his horse forward, and the cultivators on both sides retreated, revealing the ground covered in crimson blood.

Heads rolled on the ground. The trembling commander offered the bone sword in his hands, but Li Zhouwei did not take it. He walked step by step onto the pass. Di Li's forces were already visible in the distance.

Only then did Li Zhouwei glance at the terrified Shan Yue man on the ground. He was merely at the fourth level of Fetal Breath cultivation, but Li Wushao's methods had scared him into collapsing, and he repeatedly kowtowed, saying:

"Greetings, Great King! Greetings, Great King! Du Dou is willing to be your subject and gather troops for you!"

Li Zhouwei said nothing, making Du Dou break out in a sweat. When Di Liyoujie hurriedly ascended the pass and saw the young man wave his hand, he heard him say softly:

"Start the rebellion!"

Chen Yang nodded, the strategy in his mind already clear. He smiled and said:

"Pass down the order to draft a declaration, to be sent to all Northern Shan Yue tribes, stating that Du Dou received a secret command from Wushan to allow Di Liyoujie into the pass, and that they are raising an army at Chan Pass."

Di Liyoujie listened, sweating profusely. He was once again pushed to the forefront, but a glance at Li Wushao and Kong Heng beside him quickly eased his mind. Then he saw Chen Yang move forward, and Li Zhouwei chuckled:

"There also needs to be a title. Di Liyoujie is already one of our people, and the Northern Shan Yue will find out sooner or later, so it's still a bit inconvenient."

Di Liyoujie found it difficult to grasp Chen Yang's understanding of Li Zhouwei's thoughts, but he had his own way of flattering. He quickly performed a grand bow and respectfully said:

"Great King, your glory is like the sun! In the barbarian tongue, it is 'Da He Ming Fang.' I wish to bestow this name as your revered title!"

Seeing Li Zhouwei nod, Chen Yang quickly said:

"Then go down and make arrangements... deploy troops and swiftly advance north before the Northern Court can react!"

Li Zhouwei allowed him to make arrangements, casually gazing up at the sky, wondering where Li Xijun and the others were hidden. He just murmured:

"Let's see how the lord of the Northern Shan Yue reacts. Ideally, it will directly alert Wushan."