Chapter 1939

Weng Xing laughed heartily: "Mr. Fang, you didn't serve long in the military, did you?"

Fang Canran replied truthfully: "Sixteen or seventeen years ago, I served in the Mou Kingdom army for three or four months—indeed not long."

"I've also heard of Mou Kingdom and always wanted to go." Weng Xing expressed his longing first, then continued: "In the Mou army, is the fighting particularly fierce?"

Fang Canran thought, How did it turn into you probing for information? But he still answered: "It happened in late autumn, during a troop inspection and joint drill, when two units started fighting, resulting in over a hundred casualties—truly irreconcilable. This even alarmed the Emperor, who punished both army commanders."

"The Mou Kingdom army is indeed lively." Weng Xing laughed, "Large-scale brawls like this, I heard, also occurred when we first united the armies, though they were quickly suppressed. The Great Emperor does not allow private fighting in the military; if there are grudges, settle them on the martial arts platform—kill or maim, no consequences, no punishment."

"Oh, the martial arts platform." Fang Canran nodded, "Yangshan Archipelago also has one."

"Besides, they're all surrendered troops—how could their arrogance be so great?" Weng Xing hehehed, "This is Dragon God's domain! From now on, they dare not say 'ah,' at least for now, they must tuck their tails and behave."

Causing trouble in the Dragon God army—truly courting death?

Fang Canran understood: "So that's it, He Brother always has his ways in managing troops."

Just as his words fell, the nearby camp erupted in a commotion.

"We're fighting, we're fighting!" Several soldiers, hearing the shout, ran forward toward Fang Canran's tent.

Having just said there was no fighting in the army, the troublemakers arrived. Weng Xing's face showed some embarrassment: "Mr. Fang, please wait a moment—I'll go and come back right away."

Without waiting for Fang Canran's reply, he raised his hand, leapt over the military fence, and vanished from sight.

"……" The troops under He Xiaoyong, from officers to soldiers, were full of spirit.

After about a quarter of an hour, Weng Xing came running back, still leaping over the fence, his face refreshed: "Settled."

He swung his fist, shaking off a few drops of blood.

"All raw recruits, not a bit of eyesight among them."

Fang Canran gazed at the perfectly standard fence three zhang away, momentarily speechless.

"Please take me to see the Nine Abysses Great Emperor."

"Good, good, this way—just crouch low and you'll be there quickly!"

As it turned out, that crouch carried him several li.

This legendary leader does not hold court in the city, but resides in the Purple Mansion Meeting in the suburbs. This manor is an empty shell previously taken over by the Yangshan Merchants' Guild, dedicated to purchasing ores, and He Lingchuan last received the Imperial Flow Elixir here.

As Fang Canran approached the manor, he noticed a thin black smoke drifting outside. Upon closer look, he realized it wasn't smoke, but countless ghostly shadows flying and dancing in midair, their faces extremely blurred, features and expressions indiscernible, yet Fang Canran could sense their anger and ferocity.

"Is this a barrier?" Aside from ghost immortals, what kind of ghostly entity could appear in broad daylight?

"Perhaps." Weng Xing explained, "The Great Emperor said this is the Wall of Karmic Obstacles. Spies and agents trying to enter—well, it's not that easy."

Karmic obstacle power? As a cultivator, Fang Canran certainly knew the terror of karmic obstacles, but this was his first time seeing their manifestation.

Who could gather so much karmic cause and effect? Fang Canran scratched his head—no wonder he's the Nine Abysses Great Emperor.

To outsiders, this manor appears gloomy and sinister, like the Springs of the Netherworld—who would dare approach?

Weng Xing handed him a green leaf: "Hold this, and you can enter."

The leaf was ordinary, seemingly commonplace in Duocheng. Fang Canran gripped the leaf as he entered the Wall of Karmic Obstacles, unable to suppress a shiver.

It felt as if something ill-intentioned wanted to attach itself to him, but was repelled by the leaf in his hand.

If not for this leaf……

"Please follow me." Weng Xing led the way ahead.

Upon entering the manor, he became quite serious.

Fang Canran asked him: "Have you ever seen the true face of the Nine Abysses Great Emperor?"

On the way, he had heard that the Nine Abysses Great Emperor's public appearances usually involve black armor and a mask, never revealing his true face.

"Yes, twice before, both within this manor." Weng Xing stepped on the ground, "Once he steps out of the barrier, he becomes the Nine Abysses Great Emperor."

He remembered his first encounter with the Great Emperor's true face—he was shocked on the spot.

So young!

But since he is the Dragon God's reincarnation, any appearance makes sense.

Ancient immortals, it is said, also possessed techniques to preserve youth and achieve immortality.

Fang Canran looked around and discovered the manor above was also enveloped by the karmic obstacle barrier, preventing outside birds and beasts from spying on the Purple Mansion Meeting's interior.

And to outsiders and the army, this layer of black-smoke barrier adds a more mysterious, more awe-inspiring hue to the Nine Abysses Great Emperor.

Not a single word, a single thread, a single shot, a single inner, a single containment, a single existence, a single one, a single look!

The Purple Mansion Meeting serves as a mineral warehouse and material transfer station, so everywhere are flatlands and granaries; Fang Canran even saw large water tanks standing on the open ground, the tallest reaching over one zhang in height.

"Is this for receiving the Imperial Flow Elixir?" The arrangement of the water tanks seemed to subtly align with some formation.

"It was said to have been used during the last outbreak of the Imperial Flow Elixir." Weng Xing explained rigorously, "At that time I wasn't here, so I didn't witness it firsthand."

He escorted Fang Canran to the most magnificent building in the manor, where someone strode forward to greet him: "Fang Brother, you've finally come."

A civil-military sleeve robe, black armor and red robe, crimson jade binding his hair, dignified and handsome.

The clamor of the wind blowing before him fell into sudden stillness.

Could it not be He Lingchuan?

Weng Xing brought the person over and immediately took his leave.

Fang Canran noticed that this burly man, when facing He Lingchuan, straightened his spine. He bowed his head and retreated three large steps before turning and leaving.

"You have long legs—you caught up just in time for lunch." He Lingchuan made a "please" gesture with his hand, "Please take a seat ahead."

Fang Canran didn't stand on ceremony with him, following him to the rear of the house.

On the open ground were several piles of uncleared timber, plus several large wild osmanthus trees, flowers half-open, half-closed, as if sealed yet not, but their fragrance could not be contained—when the wind blew, it was just right in density.

The original owner of the Purple Mansion Meeting finally had a bit of charm, having built a small pavilion beside the wild osmanthus with solid materials but no ornamentation, named the "Unknowing Pavilion."

One corner of the pavilion was stained yellow, dotted with osmanthus blossoms, autumn spreading.

Fang Canran looked at these few characters and felt they matched his current state of mind quite well.

Having known each other for so long, at this moment, looking again at He Lingchuan, he suddenly felt quite unfamiliar.

Not knowing a single character, you speak so well.

"This poor place, there's really nothing good to eat." He Lingchuan personally brought a food basket, pulling out two bamboo tubes, one with vegetables, one with soup, "These are all foraged from the mountains and waters, Brother Fang, make do with them?"

Right beside Ding City is the mine, the land has not two chi of flat ground, the soil isn't fertile either, nothing good can be grown, but there are vast bamboo groves.

The bamboo tube rice He Lingchuan brought out was made by stuffing dried mushrooms, green onions, dried small fish, and raw rice into the bamboo tubes, then steaming them together.

Upon lifting the lid, it's all the fresh aroma of mountain produce.

(There's still an update coming)