Chapter 84: The old fogey lies low— surely he's up to mischief

The wailing sounds on the mountain had not yet dissipated, and the second and third rounds of artillery fire were continuously loaded and fired.

All the Heaven-Shaking Cannons spat out flames again, and the smoke and dust spreading over Red River Mountain billowed once more.

Vaguely, a black-clad figure could be seen swiftly roaming Red River Mountain, swatting away the incoming cannonballs.

It was a Grandmaster of the Peng Clan who made a move.

Cao Shen narrowed his eyes, locking his gaze onto that Grandmaster.

"Finally made a move? Peng Fei, right? I'll meet you later."

He then turned his gaze toward the mountain peak.

"You're really calm— the Peng Clan people have all been blasted into the air, yet you still won't come out?"

Just as Cao Shen was pondering, the Heaven-Shaking Cannons ceased fire.

Cao Shen, somewhat dissatisfied, turned his head to look at the artillerymen who had fired.

"What's going on? Why did the cannons stop? Who ordered you to stop?"

The artilleryman hurriedly replied: "Reporting, General, it was the Pacification Commissioner who ordered the stop."

Cao Shen staggered for a moment, turned his head toward the direction where Shen Qing was, saw Shen Qing also looking at him, and hurried over.

"Pacification Commissioner, why did you order us to stop? Our Heaven-Shaking Cannons still have plenty of ammunition— enough to plow this Red River Mountain..."

Shen Qing raised a hand to interrupt Cao Shen's speech.

"You'd better stay and return to Jia Shui Jun to fight the Japanese pirates."

"The fighting in Jia Shui Jun must be fierce, right? A Great Wu army has an establishment of six thousand, while the Mighty Martial Army, after half a year of rest, now numbers only thirty-nine hundred."

"When they retreated, they probably had only one or two thousand left."

Upon mentioning this, Cao Shen lowered his head a bit, clearly thinking of something sorrowful.

Shen Qing continued speaking.

"Moreover, you came to participate in my operation without authorization; even if the ammunition runs out, the superiors won't resupply you."

"After the battle, take some money and valuables and leave; consider it my sponsorship of you."

Cao Shen staggered, lifted his head to look at Shen Qing, and the expression in his eyes was already off.

"If before it was reverence for the Third Young Master of the Shen Clan, now it has already taken on a strange flavor."

"After all, he too is a Third-Rank General; his rank certainly cannot be considered low, but there are still many senior to him."

"He is often called upon to help, but those bigwigs, without exception, just want to squeeze him dry and then pat his butt and leave."

"Someone like Shen Qing is truly the first of his kind."

A thought arose in Cao Shen's mind.

"Damn, having to follow a superior like Shen Qing— what kind of birds are we actually following?"

Cao Shen bowed deeply, performed a great salute: "Cao Shen, on behalf of the Mighty Martial Army's soldiers, thanks Pacification Commissioner Shen Qing!"

Shen Qing glanced back at Cao Shen, somewhat speechless.

"Damn, just how terrible is the environment of the Jia Shui Jun army? I merely showed a little concern, and Cao Shen almost swore allegiance?"

"Cao Shen does the work for him, and Shen Qing pays him— isn't that a perfectly normal procedure?"

"Could it be that Cao Shen used to just work and the superiors didn't pay him?"

Shen Qing waved his hand, drew the Crimson Sky from his waist, Overbearing True Qi surged, and red light suddenly appeared.

Several people stepped out of the crowd to stand behind Shen Qing, five Grandmasters lining up neatly behind him.

Shen Qing lifted the Crimson Sky, pointing it at Red River Mountain.

"The Red River Mountain defenses have been torn apart; all forces, advance! Within half a double hour, take Red River Mountain!"

"Kill!"

As the words fell, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Golden Warrior Guard, and Mighty Martial Army surged toward Red River Mountain like a tide.

Naturally, at the very front of the crowd were Shen Qing and the five Grandmasters.

Shen Qing gripped the Crimson Sky; as he ran, crimson light flowed, faint lightning flickered, and thunder rumbled without cease.

Cao Shen held the Gold-Threaded Spear; his whole body flashed with golden light, and the spear dragged a trail of sparks on the ground.

Qin Chuan grasped the Heavenly Star Hammer; a purple light lingered in the air.

Lu Tong wrapped the Mixed-Iron Chain around his hand, flashing a dim gray glow.

Following closely behind were Huo Zheng and Jiang Ruohai.

On the mountainside, Peng Clan Grandmaster Peng Fei had just rescued a Peng Clan disciple when he heard the earth-shaking battle cries; he looked down at Red River Mountain.

The six Grandmasters raced toward Red River Mountain; at the very front, Shen Qing's aura was overwhelming, making him feel his liver and gall about to burst.

"What on earth has the Peng Clan offended to deserve this!"

"However, there wasn't much time for him to think when a earth-shaking fierce shout rang out."

"Wind and Thunder Fall!"

Lightning flashed suddenly, and the gate of Red River Mountain was split into flying ash by a single stroke of Shen Qing's blade.

The six Grandmasters charged toward the mountain peak at a terrifying speed and vanished.

In the blink of an eye, the Grandmaster Realm cultivators had already reached Peng Fei's front.

However, the three running ahead— Shen Qing, Qin Chuan, and Cao Shen— paid him no heed, simply sweeping past his side.

Peng Fei instantly felt insulted; after all, he too is a Grandmaster, yet they just ignored him.

"This is outrageous! Isn't it going too far?"

"But before he could even strike, the Mixed-Iron Chain lashed his face, twisting his mouth out of shape."

"Hey! Look— your opponent is right here."

Lu Tong snorted, retracted the Mixed-Iron Chain, Peng Fei rose to his feet, turned, and looked at Lu Tong, Huo Zheng, and Jiang Ruohai.

Shen Qing trampling this Peng Fei to death is no different from trampling an ant to death, but the point of this battle is that one on the mountain.

There is a saying that goes well.

The old thing is quiet; it must be up to mischief.

Peng Guang, this old thing, is a bit too quiet; Shen Qing reasonably suspects this old thing is plotting something big.

Then Shen Qing naturally cannot go along with its wish.

On the mountain summit.

Peng Guang's closed-door cultivation site.

Wails constantly echo here; Peng Guang extends his hand, a bloody true qi reaches out and grabs an eighteen- or nineteen-year-old youth.

The youth, tears and snot streaming, cries: "Ancestor! I'm Xiao Jin, your beloved little Xiao Jin! Don't kill me—I still want to live."

Peng Guang's face expressionless, he raised his hand and slit the youth's throat with a blade, then casually threw him into the blood pool before him.

Looking at the youth's unwilling face in the blood pool, Peng Guang spoke flatly, his eyes devoid of emotion.

"Xiao Jin, I certainly remember you."

"However, you should still serve as nourishment for my breakthrough."

Peng Guang wants to use the essence blood of his direct descendants to boost his lifespan.

He fell from the Grand Master Realm merely because he was too old and his qi and blood were insufficient; if his lifespan increased and his qi and blood recovered, he could return to the Grand Master Realm.

Meanwhile, the blood pool before him is already filled with corpses; this Xiao Jin is his last descendant and the most talented among his juniors.

At just nineteen years old, he already possesses sixth-level Innate Realm cultivation.

Peng Guang lifted his foot, stepped into the blood pool; as true qi seeped out, the entire blood pool began to boil, continuously surging toward Peng Guang, and

The withered qi and blood on Peng Guang's body also gradually became active, and even his yellowish eyes showed a hint of vitality.

He raised his eyes, looking toward the center of the blood pool, where there lay a yellow flower pear wood treasure box, inside which lay a pure white lotus flower.

That is the Ground Origin Lotus, a precious medicine that can extend lifespan, enough to add thirty years to a master's lifespan, which he bought at great cost.

A glimmer of joy appeared in Peng Guang's eyes; as long as he consumes the Ground Origin Lotus, he can extend his lifespan, restore his qi and blood, and return to the Grand Master Realm.

Just give him the time to burn an incense stick.

But just then, the hall's door was kicked open.

Shen Qing's teasing voice rang out.

"Look, I told you—this old thing is up to mischief."