At present, the clan's affairs were being managed by the Great Elder. Thus, Song Changsheng only made some arrangements for the future development of the marketplace before taking his flying boat and heading straight for Luoxia City.
This trip served two purposes: to retrieve the remains of his clansmen and teacher, and to personally assess the current situation in the border provinces so that he might seize any opportunity hidden within.
Although the clan's spies were stationed in the region, their cultivation and positions were limited, and so their usefulness was meager. To gain more reliable and important intelligence, Song Changsheng had to come himself.
Twelve days later, after traveling night and day, Song Changsheng finally arrived at the Luoxia Mountains. Staring at the desolate ruins before him, a wave of melancholy swept through him.
Just a few years ago, when he had first followed Song Luhuai here, he had been deeply awed by the mountain range, where magnificent clouds painted the skies with ten thousand hues.
But now, after battles between Golden Core cultivators, the range lay shattered, its radiant clouds dispersed. The once-celebrated Number One Wonder of the Great Qi cultivation world, the Ten Thousand Miles of Glorious Clouds, had vanished into history.
"Ai… in the blink of an eye, the seas turn into mulberry fields," Song Changsheng murmured. There was a sigh in his heart, but beneath it, a deeper concern for his clan's future.
If their strength was not great enough, the Song clan, too, would one day vanish like those clouds, nothing more than a fleeting memory.
Standing at the bow of his boat, his gaze passed over the shattered mountains, then the majestic city beyond, and finally fell upon the vast, undulating stretch of the Hundred-Thousand Mountains.
The demons' doom… could this not also be the Song clan's chance to rise?
Luoxia City, after the great battle, was in even worse condition than the mountains. The tall, once-imposing walls were full of gaps and streaked with blood, silent witnesses to the slaughter that had taken place there.
Xu Yunhe stood with his sword on the wall, the cold wind cutting into his face with a bone-deep chill.
The city's blockade had been lifted after the war, but Xu Yunhe chose not to leave. He intended to use this chance to fulfill the ambitions that had burned in his heart for years.
"Ten-Thousand Mountains," he whispered, "I'll be coming soon."
Just as he was about to turn and go, a swift flying boat cut across the sky. His eyes caught the figure standing at the bow, familiar, long-missed. A rare smile broke across his face. With a leap, he transformed into a streak of sword light and soared toward it.
From afar, Song Changsheng had already "sensed" Xu Yunhe's aura. Seeing that familiar sword light rushing toward him, a warm smile spread across his face. He cupped his fists from a distance and called out loudly:
"Brother Yunhe, it has been too long!"
"Hahaha! Changsheng, a single day apart feels like three years! I didn't expect you'd already reached the late Foundation Establishment stage. Truly, you make me ashamed!"
Envy flashed in Xu Yunhe's eyes. Back when they first met, Song Changsheng's cultivation had been the lowest among them. Who could have imagined that after just a few short years, he would overtake them all?
"Just good fortune," Song Changsheng said with a modest smile. His cultivation had indeed risen quickly, but how many could understand the hardships behind that progress?
"You've stayed here in the border provinces all this time?" he asked.
"That's right. These years, I've been tempering myself here."
"And what of Brother Zhu?" Song Changsheng's brows knit. Since their last parting, it had been years without any news of that round-faced youth. The silence always weighed on his heart.
Xu Yunhe shook his head. "No news. Zhuang and I have been asking around all this time, but it's as if he's vanished into thin air."
Seeing the worry in Song Changsheng's eyes, he added reassuringly, "But don't fret. No news is good news. That fellow treasures his life more than anyone; he'll be fine."
"Let's hope so. Come, let's enter the city."
The two stepped into the city together. Song Changsheng looked around at the desolate streets and piles of rubble yet to be cleared. He frowned.
"As I recall… the beasts never breached the walls, did they?"
"That's right," Xu Yunhe sighed. "The formation was broken several times, but the beasts never set foot inside the city.
The destruction you see was the Blood Demon Sect's doing. Somehow, by crooked means, they bypassed the city's protective array and infiltrated within.
Thankfully, the City Lord had laid down secret defenses, thwarting their scheme. But even so, the battle was too brutal. Nearly half the city was turned into ruins."
Even now, recalling that day left Xu Yunhe shaken. If not for the City Lord's foresight, if the Blood Demon Sect had succeeded… the demon horde of the Ten-Thousand Mountains would already be sweeping unchecked across the entire cultivation world of Great Qi.
Song Changsheng clenched his fists, fury burning in his chest. The Blood Demons again. Always, everywhere, these vermin lurk!
Taking a deep breath, he forced his anger down. "Brother Yunhe," he asked gravely, "what became of the fallen cultivators' bodies from that battle?"
Xu Yunhe noticed the change in his tone. After a moment of thought, he replied:
"I believe it was Brother Zhuang who oversaw the collection. To prevent their remains from being desecrated by heretics, most were cremated.
If kin were in the city, they could present proof and claim the ashes and belongings at the City Lord's residence. For those without relatives here, once the blockade was lifted, Luoxia City announced it publicly. Their families may come and collect them."
Song Changsheng's heart sank even further. Not even their bodies remain…
But he also understood Luoxia City's decision. With so many corpses, if they had been placed together, lingering souls and accumulated baleful qi could easily have led to corpse mutations.
There was also the risk of being exploited by malicious forces. Cremation was the only safe course.
"Brother Yunhe, to tell you the truth, I came here this time precisely to retrieve the remains of my clansmen and my teacher. Now that I finally have some news, my heart burns with impatience. Forgive me, but I must excuse myself for now."
Though he could see Song Changsheng's urgency, Xu Yunhe held him back and said, "Changsheng, lately, many people have been going to the City Lord's mansion for the same reason. The line stretches endlessly.
Why don't we first seek out Fellow Daoist Zhuang? After all, it was she who oversaw the collection of the remains. Perhaps she will know a way."
Song Changsheng paused. He realized he was indeed being rash. With so many people, who knew how long it would take to wait for his turn?
"Very well. Then I'll trouble Brother Xu to reach out to Fellow Daoist Zhuang on my behalf. Tonight, let us gather at the Celestial Immortal Pavilion."
"It's been years since the three of us last met. Once she hears you've arrived, Zhuang will surely be delighted. I'll go find her right away." Xu Yunhe smiled and hurried off.
By evening, Song Changsheng had reserved a private room at the Celestial Immortal Pavilion. He ordered a full table of dishes and sat waiting for the others to arrive.
About half an hour later, Xu Yunhe finally entered with Zhuang Yuechan, who wore a plain dress and the same thin veil that concealed her face. Her features were hidden, but her eyes revealed deep fatigue.
"Yuechan is a late Song Daoist; you must have been waiting."
"It's nothing. But tell me, why do you look so weary?" Song Changsheng quickly invited them to sit, his tone carrying concern.
"It's all because of the allied army," Xu Yunhe explained. "You must have heard the news that several Real Persons intend to march against the Hundred-Thousand Mountains. The border provinces naturally become the forward staging ground.
And Luoxia City has been designated the main base of operations. These days, cultivators from all over are arriving. Fellow Daoist Yinshang is in charge of receiving them, while Yuechan assists."
"That's right," Zhuang Yuechan added, rubbing her temples with slender fingers. "Our city is responsible for guarding the rear lines and transporting supplies for the coalition. I've been run ragged with endless tasks."
Song Changsheng's mind stirred. "Do you know when the Real Persons plan to officially begin their campaign?"
"In truth, it's already begun," Zhuang Yuechan explained patiently. "The cultivators of Golden Crow Sect and Heavenly Vein Sect are advancing even now toward Blackwater Marsh and Thundercry Mountain.
Once those strongholds are secured, the rest of the coalition forces will gradually enter the Hundred-Thousand Mountains, sweeping through the territory until the entire region is under control."
"But there are still four demon kings left within the mountains. Surely this won't be easy?"
After all, the last battle had taken place on human territory. Now the roles were reversed, stepping into the demons' domain would exact a terrible price.
Zhuang Yuechan nodded silently. No war was ever bloodless. Fortunately, Luoxia City would not be charging at the very front this time.
"Fellow Daoist Zhuang, I've come to ask a favor. Would you be able to spare the time?"
"You needn't be so formal," she said softly. "I already know why you've come. And I owe you an apology. If we had uncovered the Blood Demon Sect's plot sooner, perhaps it would never have come to this…"
Guilt flickered in her eyes. The deaths of Song Xiantu and the others weighed on her conscience; after all, she had been responsible for maintaining order within the city that day.
"No one wished for such a tragedy," Song Changsheng said firmly. "You mustn't blame yourself."
"The remains and belongings of your clansmen are preserved in the Ice Palace beneath Tianyin Mountain," Zhuang Yuechan continued. "You may go to claim them at any time."
Song Changsheng's eyes widened. He had not expected that she would take special care to place the remains of Song Xiantu and the others in Tianyin Mountain.
Gratitude surged through him. He rose to his feet, bowed deeply, and said solemnly, "Many thanks, Fellow Daoist Zhuang. I owe you a great debt."
"There's no need," she protested quickly, waving her hands. "It was only a small effort. With guilt weighing on my heart, how could I accept such courtesy?"
"Enough, enough," Xu Yunhe broke in with a grin, raising his wine cup. "No more solemn words. It's rare for us to gather again, let's drink to our reunion."
"Very well. Here, this is improved Monkey Wine. See if it tastes any different from before." Song Changsheng filled their cups, and the three of them drank deep, sharing cup after cup until the night passed without sleep.
At dawn, Song Changsheng accompanied Zhuang Yuechan to Tianyin Mountain. Together, they retrieved the remains of Song Xiantu, Sun Chuanming, and the others.
Looking down at their lifeless forms lying in the cold crystal coffins, Song Changsheng felt his chest tighten painfully.
"Clan Elder, Teacher… I came too late," he whispered in his heart. He longed to take them back to Cangmang Peak for burial at once, but he knew his true purpose in coming here.
For the sake of the clan, its interests must always come first.
After returning to the inn, Song Changsheng immediately used his authority to summon all of the clan's hidden agents in Falling Cloud City from the Wind Whisper Hall, listening carefully to the intelligence they had gathered.
Most of it he had already heard from Zhuang Yuechan and Xu Yunhe, but two particular points caught his attention.
The first was a recent report: a severely injured great demon had been sighted around the Griffon Mountains, drawing many cultivators eager to join the hunt.
The second was a rumor whispered along back channels that after the coalition vanguard breached Thundercry Mountain, someone had stumbled upon an ancient ruin. They were currently trying to break through its outer formation.
The first bit of news didn't surprise Song Changsheng. After all, in the recent great battle, many powerful demons had been slain, but just as many had escaped. That a few of them were gravely wounded and now in hiding was only natural.
But the second rumor was far more intriguing. Everyone knew that in the distant past, the Zi Yu Realm had belonged entirely to the demon race. The human race, crushed under their oppression, eventually rose in revolt and carved out a vast territory of their own.
The Great Qi cultivation world lay at the southernmost edge of human lands, bordering directly on the demon territories.
That meant the Hundred-Thousand Mountains had always been a demon domain. So how could there be an "ancient human ruin" within it?
Though rumors could hardly be trusted, Song Changsheng knew well that there was no smoke without fire.
Turning to the burly man before him, he ordered, "Go investigate this matter of the ancient ruin immediately. Be thorough. Leave nothing unchecked. If you learn anything, you can find me here."
"Yes, my lord!" The burly man bowed, then melted into a cloud of gray mist and disappeared into the shadows.
"...A great demon," Song Changsheng murmured once he was gone, tapping lightly on the armrest as he pondered.
The value of such a creature was beyond doubt. Never mind the rare materials one could harvest from its body; even its demon core alone was a treasure the Song clan could scarcely place a price on.
A peak-stage great demon he would never dare provoke. But one gravely injured, skulking in the wilds, that was another story. If the chance presented itself, Song Changsheng would not mind taking a share.
After all, he carried three Wutu Divine Thunders on his person more than enough to make even a wounded great demon choke.
Moments later, his mind was made up. He would join the hunt. And he called upon Xu Yunhe, who was lodging in the next room.
Xu Yunhe was still groggy from the heavy drinking of the night before, since he hadn't used spiritual power to dissolve the alcohol, his head still throbbed dully.
But the instant he heard what Song Changsheng was planning, he sobered up at once, eyes going wide.
"Song Daoist, you're not joking, are you?"
"Of course not," Song Changsheng replied gravely.
Xu Yunhe gave a bitter laugh. "Daoist Song, do I look like I'm enough to fill a demon's belly?"
"Relax. I already have a plan for dealing with the beast. I only want you with me as a safeguard. I'm going to profit, not to throw my life away." Song Changsheng cast him a sidelong glance.
Seeing his earnest expression, Xu Yunhe wrestled with himself for a long moment, then clenched his teeth and said, "Very well. Then let's try it. Should we invite Fellow Daoist Zhuang along?"
"Fellow Daoist Zhuang is swamped with affairs right now. Best not to trouble her further. Just the two of us will do. We leave at once."
"Fine. Give me a moment to prepare."
Half an hour later, the two left the city together, flying toward the Griffon Mountains…
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