My Wife Is The Leader Of A Demonic Cult-Chapter 301 -

Chapter 301 -301

The desert sands were as white as snow, Yan Mountain’s moon like a hook.

After crossing the desolate, lonely, and vast Pure Land, they reached the Northern Wilderness Road bordering Yan Country.

Here, the sandstorms gradually became lighter, but due to the slaughter by Houjin, the loss of Dongluo Pass, and Wang Shiyi’s retreat to Heavenly Gate Pass, with now the tens of thousands of Houjin troops pointing their blades this way, all these factors caused the people of the Northern Wilderness Road to migrate southward.

After all, with Houjin’s invasion southward, despite Wang Shiyi’s killing of nearly two hundred thousand Houjin troops, Houjin slaughtered tens of cities, and beneath these brilliant military achievements lay the bloody corpses of the common people.

On the official road leading to Yuan City, there were people fleeing to other lands, escaping the imminent chaos of war.

These folks, one by one, had sallow and emaciated faces, their thin bones protruding, and in the dim world, they were like wandering spirits on the official road.

Those noble families and powerful clans fled early when Wang Shiyi retreated to Heavenly Gate Pass, followed by the gradual departure of wealthy merchants and powerful gentry, and only then did the ordinary people begin to escape.

This is the natural law of survival in the world, an unchanging truth.

Before the coming of war and disaster, those at the very bottom are always the first to be abandoned.

They are the cornerstone of the world, the wild grass among the vast lands, yet they have no choice in their hands.

On the official road, there walked a monk and a young man in white.

Xi Hafu calmly said, “If Buddha were in this world, he would surely be able to restore peace to this chaotic world.”

His words carried a certainty, for he believed that when Buddha reappeared, it would be the start of an era of great peace.

Under the illumination of Buddha’s light, the whole world would be a Pure Land.

“Whose peace is it?”

An Jing looked at the people in front of him and said, “Is it Buddha’s peace, or theirs?”

“Amitabha.”

Xi Hafu pressed his palms together in front of his chest and replied, “The peace of Buddha is their peace.”

Why must Buddha’s peace be their peace, and not their peace be Buddha’s peace?

An Jing did not continue to question.

Xi Hafu was a man with utmost sincerity towards Buddha, but only towards Buddha.

The two continued on the official road, encountering people who had prepared their luggage for escape along the way.

Suddenly, there came a bustling noise from up ahead.

Looking towards the commotion, they saw several soldiers inspecting the passing civilians, shamelessly extorting the last bit of resources from these poor people.

These soldiers were not strong in physique, mere country bumpkins from the villages months ago, but now they had become weak-hearted with a veil of authority.

The ones who bully the poor the most viciously are not those high and mighty noble clans, but rather the humble underworld minions from the same lower echelons.

“My lord, these two taels of silver are all I have to save my life…”

“So these two taels of silver have saved your life.”

“Please have mercy, my lords, I beg you,” the civilian pleaded, kowtowing before the officers.

“Bang! Bang! Bang!”

The collision of the ground and a skull emitted a piercing sound.

One of the soldiers with a fierce glint in his eyes snatched away the silver and then delivered a brutal kick, followed by a shriek that echoed through the air.

“F**k your grandma, either give up your silver or die now,” he spat.

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Hearing the cries, many of the civilians on the scene couldn’t help but shudder.

They had seen far too many similar scenes before.

“Two taels of silver? That’s not even enough for Grandpa’s drink money,”

muttered the soldier as he weighed the blood-stained silver in his hand.

“Impudence–!”

Just then, a cold voice sounded.

A freezing aura rushed from afar, heading directly towards the soldiers.

This aura was extremely cold, containing immense inner strength. While it was nothing to a grandmaster, to these soldiers, it was like the sky collapsing.

“Boom!”

The soldiers smashed heavily into the trees in the distance, then collapsed on the ground, coughing up blood.

Following the sound, they saw a breathtakingly beautiful woman walk out. Her beauty was extraordinarily radiant, like a bright pearl against a rosy dawn or a lustrous piece of jade.

This person was Dai Ling.

Her icy gaze fell upon the soldiers sprawled on the ground, “The Marquis tasked you to inspect the Houjin spies, not to commit atrocities and exploit the people.”

People from the martial world!?

The soldiers exchanged glances, fear evident in their eyes.

They were not fools; it was clear that the stunning woman before them was a martial arts expert, and with their abilities, they stood no chance against her.

“People like them should die!”

As several men were retreating backward, another wave of icy aura swept over them.

If Dai Ling had shown any mercy, the person who took action was filled with an intimidating intent to kill.

“Bang, bang, bang!”

In the blink of an eye, the soldiers who had been strutting about turned into a fog of blood.

The surrounding commoners, witnessing the scene, fled in terror.

Even though they knew the newcomers might be here to avenge them, they couldn’t help but feel fear in their hearts.

Only An Jing and Xi Hafu stood calmly at a distance.

One was the unmatched Great Sword Immortal of the land, and the other was one of the rare Five Qi Grandmasters in the world; naturally, they had nothing to fear.

At this time, a handsome and scholarly middle-aged man walked out from the midst of the blood fog.

“Father!”

Dai Ling called out to the man.

Dai Danshu said indifferently, “Remember, if these people go back, they won’t rein themselves in. Instead, they’ll double their exploitation of the people’s hard-earned wealth. They are the root of the chaos, even crueller and more venomous than the Houjin barbarians. If you encounter them, kill them without hesitation.”

Dai Ling nodded, “Ling’er will remember.”

Dai Danshu looked around, his eyes settling on a familiar figure.

Ghost Swordsman!

Since the battle at Zhong Mountain, An Jing, having fought against the Sword Demon and old generation Sword Gods, became renowned as The World’s First Sword, causing a sensation across the land.

Some even claimed he was the foremost under the Five Qi in the present Jianghu, surpassing even the State Preceptor Xiao Qianqiu in strength, truly the number one figure in the Great Yan Martial World.

However, some still supported Xiao Qianqiu, believing that the State Preceptor, who had emerged stronger after the battle against Lou Xiangzhen, was the true number one of the Great Yan Martial World.

The Five Poison Sect had old grudges not only with the Demon Sect but also a personal vendetta with the Ghost Swordsman. For various reasons, past animosities were severed, yet meeting now was somewhat awkward.

An Jing also looked over, and their eyes met.

“Never expected to meet the World’s First Swordsman in this place today, it’s an honor,” Dai Danshu said with a deep breath, clasping his fists.

Dai Ling also looked over, her eyes filled with an extremely complex light.

The swordsman she once wanted to kill had now become one of the top experts in the world, standing at the pinnacle of all under heaven.

The flame of her desire for revenge for Zhang Zhixing was also gradually extinguishing, especially now when Great Yan was fraught with crisis and the situation under heaven was turbulent.

What did personal grievances and hatred really amount to in the face of the world’s grand scheme?

An Jing clasped his hands together and asked, “Is Sect Leader Dai headed to Yujing City?”

Dai Danshu nodded seriously, “With crisis lurking everywhere and undercurrents surging, both Houjin and Zhao Country are like hungry wolves, restless and ready to move. As a sect of Yan Country, we would have no place to stand if our nest fell, and naturally, we swear to protect Yan Country to our death.”

In Jianghu, aside from being a man of deep loyalty, Dai Danshu was also a deeply patriotic person. During the wars between Zhao Country and Yan Country when he was young, he bravely ventured into the borderlands alone to slay the soldiers of Zhao Country.

Actually, Wang Ningshui was not the most famous or the strongest expert in the Five Lakes and Four Seas Hall; Dai Danshu was.

However, Dai Danshu was not enthusiastic about expanding the Five Lakes and Four Seas Hall. He preferred to work quietly and focused more on managing the Five Poison Sect, while Wang Ningshui was active in expanding the Hall.

When Qi Shu took Zhao Xuening away, although the seven sects of the Great Yan Martial World responded, the real experts they sent were few. Dai Danshu not only dispatched all the spies of the Five Poison Sect but personally took action as well.

In the battle of the Northern Wilderness Dao, both the old master Feng Lingyue of the Five Poison Sect and Dai Danshu were present, and both of them slaughtered countless soldiers of Houjin.

“What Sect Leader Dai says is very true,” An Jing concurred.

“Houjin’s barbarians are ambitious, cruel, and evil, and Zhao Country also intends to move north. For decades, they have waged wars, and now with Houjin and Zhao Country joining hands, they will surely bring a disaster that sweeps across the world,” An Jing said.

Whether it was Zongzheng Huachun of Houjin or Qi Xuan Dao of the Black Ice Platform in Zhao Country, both were men who aspired to ‘swallow the land and rivers,’ and besides, they both had irreconcilable grudges with An Jing.

One had not only destroyed Dongluo Pass but also murdered Jun Qinglin, while the other had his only son killed by An Jing.

If Yan Country were to fall, it would be difficult for the Demon Sect and An Jing to remain safe under the shadow of these two behemoths.

And a battle between An Jing, Zongzheng Huachun, and the Black Ice Platform was inevitable eventually.

Dai Danshu looked at the young man before him, filled with emotion.

If back then during the suitor event at Poison Mountain, he could have become his son-in-law, things would be different now; how splendid would the Five Poison Sect be?

It’s just a pity that there are too many twists of fate in this world.

After exchanging courtesies again, An Jing suggested, “I’m also heading to Yujing City. How about we go together?”

After a moment of thought, Dai Danshu still refused, “Never mind, my daughter and I might need to visit an old friend.”

Even though previous grudges had been resolved, seeing An Jing made him feel somewhat uncomfortable.

“Very well.”

An Jing didn’t say anything more; his offer was just a polite gesture.

Xi Hafu was at his side, which made some things less convenient.

Afterward, Dai Danshu and Dai Ling continued toward the direction of Yujing City.

An Jing watched their departing figures in silence.

At this moment, Xi Hafu looked at the dead soldiers before him and said, “Such things would never happen in the Pure Land, where faith has more restraining power than law.”

An Jing was noncommittal, “Some people are born without faith, and besides, even if people can abandon their parents, spouses, and children, would there come a day when they abandon their own faith?”

“No one under heaven can abandon the illumination of the Buddha’s light,” Xi Hafu replied.

Boom! Boom!

An Jing was about to speak when he suddenly felt a thunderous rumbling beneath his feet, and a large cloud of gray dust arose in the distance.

Xi Hafu also turned to look in the direction of the north and said softly, “An army is coming.”

In no time, several elite cavalry clad in black armor, wielding sabers for slashing horses, came charging fiercely.

At a glance, one could tell they were elite soldiers.

And within that cloud of dust fluttered a large banner, upon which was inscribed a vigorous and forceful ‘Wang’ character.

In the Northern Wilderness Dao, the only one with such a majestic presence was none other.

Soon, the dense ranks of iron cavalry rushed over, among them an old general clad in armor. He was not particularly tall, even somewhat short, but his very small eyes gleamed with a faint light.

Marquis Wang Shiyi.

An Jing did not recognize the man before him, but he did recognize the strategist beside him, Li Qirong.

By now, Li Qirong no longer looked like a beggar from Yuan City; instead, he was dressed in a white robe, exuding a refined and amiable elegance.

In the battle of Beihuang Dao, several Yan cities were slaughtered, yet nearly two hundred thousand Houjin troops were annihilated, and although Dongluo Pass was eventually lost, the Great Yan army had penetrated into Houjin’s hinterland, plundering numerous resources and supplies. Had it not been for the lack of reserve forces, their blades might now be pointing towards the Houjin royal court.

Li Qirong’s strategies were exceedingly vicious and ruthless; his own men feared him, worried they might become his next sacrifice, while the enemy feared him even more, uncertain of the extent of his audacity and what he might do next.

Li Qirong also gazed at the white-clad youth; who would have thought that the Ghost Swordsman, who once stood beside Lou Xiangzhen in Yuan City, with a dark mask covering his face, would have such a young face, and now, even more, is the World’s First Swordsman?

The World’s First Swordsman—how weighty are these six words?

Wang Shiyi pulled tight on the reins and said from horseback, “Are you the Ghost Swordsman, An Jing?”

An Jing replied, “Indeed.”

Wang Shiyi took a deep breath and earnestly said, “Regarding the matter of Dongluo Pass, I have always felt some shame.”

Initially, Duanmu Xinghua and Li Fuzhou had both sent letters pleading for Wang Shiyi’s aid, promising he would support the Demon Sect at Dongluo Pass.

But in the end, Wang Shiyi changed his strategy at the last moment, seeking to seize the northern plains of Houjin, which ultimately led to the Demon Sect’s loss of Dongluo Pass and the death of Jun Qinglin at Sanfeng Pass.

Looking back now, perhaps his choice was mistaken.

If Dongluo Pass were still standing, it might hinder Houjin’s army from advancing south.

An Jing indifferently said, “That matter is in the past. I only hope that Lord Wang and Scholar Li can devote more energy to resisting Houjin, better protecting Yan Country.”

Li Qirong said solemnly, “Rest assured, this is our inescapable responsibility and obligation.”

“No, Scholar Li, you have not understood my meaning,” An Jing shook his head and said. “What I mean is to protect the people of Yan Country, the common folk, not those noble families, magnates, or the emperor, or even the high and mighty Great Yan Royal Family.”

Li Qirong’s pupils suddenly contracted.

The Confucian teachings he studied were meant to serve the emperor from birth.

Loyalty to the emperor and love for the country were inseparable; to love the country was to be loyal to the emperor.

The emperor was everything. If the emperor demanded death, a subject had to die; if a father willed his son’s end, the son dared not do otherwise.

After a long silence, Li Qirong said, “If the Great Yan Royal Family falls, then Yan Country suffers. If Yan Country suffers, then what should become of Yan’s people and commoners?”

An Jing glanced at Li Qirong, then turned his gaze to Xi Hafu and said coldly, “All those who speak such lofty and sanctimonious words are people who have never experienced the anguish of hell. All this talk of dynasties, emperors, responsibilities, beliefs, it’s all bullshit, all too far removed from the suffering commoners. To them, these are all nothing but dog fart, pure dog fart.”

“No matter what country they’re from or what they believe in, remember first and foremost that they must be human.”

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PS: I will strive to update diligently starting tomorrow, aiming to maintain updates of ten thousand words each day until the end of the month!!!