The palace guards, having maintained their vigil under the city walls for months, were overjoyed to recruit two new members today. They eagerly escorted the pair toward the Danyang Military Camp, updating Ye Qin and the farmer-attired cultivator, Li Tiecheng, on the current war situation.
To seize control of the border regions, the Great Zhou mobilized the entire nation to wage war against Northern Qi. Danyang City had become the primary military stronghold for Great Zhou, with the Danyang Camp just outside its walls housing a heavy force of four to five hundred thousand infantry and cavalry.
However, this Danyang Camp was not solely populated by secular armies; it also contained numerous cultivators.
The success of military campaigns often hinged on the strategy and wisdom of the commanding generals, who were mostly mortal men. Even if these generals were peerless martial artists, they could not fend off assassination attempts by enemy cultivators. If a general fell, the army was almost certainly doomed.
Therefore, when Great Zhou launched its massive campaign against Northern Qi, a contingent of cultivators was certain to accompany the expedition. These cultivators, known as the "Nation-Protecting Immortal Masters," were primarily responsible for safeguarding the generals and carried the critical duty of assassinating enemy commanders. Additionally, they served other specialized functions, such as scouting enemy intelligence.
Within a short time, Ye Qin gleaned from the palace guard exactly what the Great Zhou's Nation-Protecting Immortal Masters were expected to do. He found it amusing: the Lü family of Northern Qi had sent him to Great Zhou to gather intelligence; what a scenario it would be if Great Zhou, in turn, tasked him with spying on Northern Qi?
Of course, he paid little heed to this family struggle between the Lü and Zhou clans. Regardless of which side won or lost, it offered him no benefit, and he saw no reason to risk his life for their vested interests.
He merely wanted to acquire spirit stones to continue his own cultivation.
As a rogue cultivator with no inherent factional backing, Ye Qin possessed a high degree of self-awareness. His sole focus needed to be on dedicating his time and energy to training and maximizing his own strength. Beyond that, if the heavens themselves collapsed, taller men would manage to hold them up.
The Danyang Camp was not far from Danyang City, and the trio soon arrived. The scale of the Danyang Camp, stretching for dozens of li, was magnificent. After the palace guard reported their arrival at the main gate, they waited outside the camp perimeter.
Nearly half an hour later, a clear, crisp cry echoed from the distance. A massive Red-Headed Crane gradually flew out from within the Danyang Camp.
Ye Qin slightly lifted his gaze, hands clasped behind his back, observing the crane in the sky.
This Red-Headed Crane was a second-tier exotic bird, a common type of valuable martial beast. Also known as the Lion-Headed Crane, it was usually docile, but when enraged, the red feathers on its head would stand erect, fluffing up like a lion’s mane, making it exceptionally fierce.
On the crane's back sat a young female cultivator, clad in red robes embroidered with the Zhou family crest.
Before arriving in Danyang, Ye Qin had perused texts he carried, which contained significant information about the Beast Spirit Sect. Every disciple of the Beast Spirit Sect trained at least one demonic beast or exotic bird.
Since most members of the Zhou family were disciples of the Beast Spirit Sect, they were naturally adept at controlling beasts and insects.
The Red-Headed Crane landed with solitary grace in an open area near the main gate. A young woman in a crimson gown lightly hopped off the crane and stood steady on the ground, looking toward Ye Qin and Li Tiecheng. She was a member of the Zhou family. Initially, upon hearing from the guards that cultivators had arrived to serve as Great Zhou’s Nation-Protecting Immortal Masters, she held no great expectations. Many cultivators who had sought refuge previously were low to mid-tier Qi Refining practitioners, offering little advantage.
When she clearly saw Ye Qin, she was suddenly taken aback. She hurried a step forward, bowed respectfully, and spoke in a clear, feminine voice, “Forgive this junior for keeping the esteemed senior waiting! This humble one is Zhou Lin, late in arrival. May I ask the senior’s name?”
“No need for ceremony. My surname is Qin,” Ye Qin replied with a brief nod. This young woman, Zhou Lin, possessed a pure and lovely appearance; her eyes were bright and spirited, like a girl next door, giving a sense of intimacy. She was certainly a beauty, and her cultivation was not low, already reaching the sixth layer of Qi Refining.
“So, it is Senior Qin. With Senior Qin here to offer powerful assistance, our Great Zhou’s chances of victory have increased significantly. Many cultivators have already gathered in the Danyang Camp, but those of high cultivation like Senior Qin are few and far between. This junior will take the senior to the camp immediately.”
Zhou Lin’s eyes shone brightly, and her words involuntarily betrayed a deep reverence toward Ye Qin.
This was not mere flattery on her part.
The status of a Qi Refining cultivator was far below that of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Within the Zhou family, all major clan matters were decided by the few Foundation Establishment cultivators; those in the Qi Refining stage could only obey unconditionally.
In front of Ye Qin, Zhou Lin instinctively seemed like a junior meeting an elder, automatically taking a subservient posture, with only admiration in her gaze.
Ye Qin inwardly smiled; this young girl’s words were indeed sweet, no wonder the Zhou family assigned her to greet guests.
Li Tiecheng, standing to the side, had remained silent, his eyes fixed intently on the beautiful Zhou Lin. “Ah, I am Li Tiecheng of White Storage Fortress,” he managed to say, his face instantly flushing crimson after just one sentence.
Zhou Lin glanced at Li Tiecheng but asked nothing about his background. She paid no mind to the large man dressed like a peasant; a cultivator at the second layer of Qi Refining was merely there to make up the numbers, easily wiped out by a Northern Qi cultivator. In any actual conflict between Great Zhou and Northern Qi cultivators, he was certain to become mere cannon fodder.
The palace guard, having received a small pouch of gold and silver as a reward, was sent back by Zhou Lin to Danyang City to continue recruiting Immortal Masters. Afterward, Zhou Lin and Li Tiecheng mounted the Red-Headed Crane, while Ye Qin flew on his sword deep into the Danyang Camp.
Ye Qin felt a slight puzzlement; Zhou Lin hadn't inquired about the details of his and Li Tiecheng’s origins, taking them straight to the camp.
Within the Danyang Camp, there was a smaller enclave specifically reserved for the Nation-Protecting Immortal Masters accompanying the army.
Zhou Lin paused above this small cluster of barracks, retrieved a wooden token from her waist, infused it with spiritual energy, and shot a streak of azure light toward the camp. The space above the barracks immediately rippled, revealing a light barrier.
The light barrier opened a gap, and the three of them flew inside.
Inside the enclave, a boisterous clamor could be heard. In the open grounds, a throng of men and women cultivators, dressed in eccentric attire, were gathered around more than ten haphazardly arranged wine tables, shouting loudly, playing drinking games, and gulping down strong spirits.
Several cultivators were also sparring, drawing cheers and applause from the onlookers.
Among these cultivators were members of minority groups wearing leopard pelts and earrings, some with bare, unsettling chests, others dressed elegantly like scholars, young masters, or young ladies, and some looking like beggars. There was a bald, shameless monk, and an old Daoist priest whose deep, profound demeanor suggested he was a true master of the immortal path.
Remarkably, such a widely disparate group of cultivators managed to carouse together.
Ye Qin retracted his flying sword and landed, staring at the chaotic encampment. These people looked less like cultivators and more like a collection of dissolute vagrants living off handouts. Were these the Immortal Masters of Great Zhou?
“Aiya, new Daoist friends have arrived!” shouted a disheveled man with a heavy beard, his eyes hazy with drink, calling out to Ye Qin and the others. “Come join us brothers for a few cups!”
“A Foundation Establishment cultivator—!”
From somewhere within the camp, someone suddenly cried out in alarm.
In an instant, the entire compound fell silent; you could hear a pin drop.
Almost every cultivator who had been drinking or reveling abruptly turned their heads, fixing their gazes upon Ye Qin and his companions, a trace of awe lingering deep within their eyes.
The drunken man jolted awake as if struck by lightning. Seeing the flying sword Ye Qin had just sheathed, a chill ran down his spine. He could no longer utter a single word, his previous recklessness having evaporated.
Seeing Ye Qin's stunned expression due to the messy state of the barracks, Zhou Lin felt a touch of embarrassment and whispered to him, “Senior Qin, these are all cultivators who have come to aid Great Zhou. About half are from various prefectures within Great Zhou, and some are rogue cultivators from other nations. They are usually rather casual and unrestrained; I apologize if they have caused offense, Senior.”
“It is of no consequence,” Ye Qin responded, shaking his head wordlessly.
The superficial appearance mattered little to him. What truly concerned him was that everyone here seemed to be a Qi Refining cultivator; there wasn't a single Foundation Establishment expert among them. If the Immortal Masters recruited by the Zhou family were all of this caliber, he held little hope for Great Zhou’s future.
To put it plainly, he alone could wipe out this entire contingent of self-proclaimed “Nation-Protecting Immortal Masters” with little effort.
Moreover, he had gleaned a valuable piece of intelligence from Zhou Lin's last remark.
These "Nation-Protecting Immortal Masters" came from two sources.
Many small cultivator families and rogue cultivators from within Great Zhou came, serving out of deference to the Zhou family. These cultivators had traceable identities and backgrounds.
The second source was Immortal Masters whose origins were unknown.
They came from other nations.
This naturally included rogue cultivators from the Chaotic Lands, the Heavenly Vault Plain cultivation world, and the Ten Thousand Moon Lake cultivation world. Their true origins were known only to themselves; unless they chose to reveal them, no one could trace their real history.
This piece of intelligence was highly useful, as Ye Qin could easily conceal his own identity without arousing suspicion.
In truth, these cultivators came to Great Zhou to serve as Nation-Protecting Immortal Masters for only one reason: to earn spirit stones.
In other words, they were simply a group of high-priced cultivator mercenaries; they served whoever paid them.
Just like Ye Qin himself, he was here only because the Great Zhou Nation-Protecting Immortal Master position offered at least a hundred spirit stones monthly. Otherwise, he would have gone elsewhere long ago.
To counter the Lü family, the Zhou family had offered extremely high remuneration, openly recruiting Nation-Protecting Immortal Masters. As long as one was a cultivator, they were largely accepted, regardless of background. If Great Zhou hadn't hired them, this group of cultivator mercenaries would have gone to Northern Qi to serve as their Nation-Protecting Immortal Masters.
“Senior Qin, please follow me this way! There are a few seniors I would like to introduce you to.”
Led by Zhou Lin, Ye Qin left the chaotic main area and arrived at a magnificent, opulent tent situated behind the barracks. He lifted the flap and stepped inside, causing Ye Qin to pause in surprise. Inside this large tent sat as many as seven Foundation Establishment cultivators in various attire, deeply engaged in discussion. Compared to the slovenly cultivators outside, these Foundation Establishment experts appeared far more proper. (To be continued. For what happens next, please log onto www**com, where more chapters are available to support the author and legitimate reading!)