Chapter 170: Three Generals Gather, Mountain Search Begins!

What medicine is this old coot selling from his gourd?

Qin Shuo gazed in the direction Nie Jin Feng had left, his mind full of doubts.

It was obvious that Nie Jin Feng knew of the existence of the Boundary Guard Divine Weapons.

Moreover, he seemed to have concluded that I was seeking the Boundary Guard Divine Weapons, so he secretly sent a voice transmission, urging me to accept the Life-and-Death Ring challenge.

But I and Wind Thunder Valley are clearly opposites; why would this old coot still help me?

While pondering Nie Jin Feng's voice transmission intent, Qin Shuo didn't even notice Fu Lingyuan's arrival.

Until...

Sect Master!

Sect Master!

……

The Demon Suppression Office colonels all paid their respects, even Pang Tong did so with utmost reverence, his face full of admiration and fervor.

Old Qin, what are you spacing out for? Hurry up and salute!

Seeing Qin Shuo still standing ramrod straight, as if he hadn't noticed Fu Lingyuan approaching, he quickly spoke up to remind him.

No need!

Fu Lingyuan strode forward, holding the Phoenix Wing Bronze Halberd, his gaze falling on Qin Shuo:

Not bad! Able to punch back that old coot Yuwen Tai, it seems your strength exceeds my expectations.

Sect Master, you flatter me! Qin Shuo humbly clasped his hands.

Sect Master, we were ordered to seal the mountain gate, but were blocked by Wind Thunder Valley's three hundred heavy-armored elites; it was Colonel Qin who opened a path with his blade and shattered their heavy-armor formation.

Seeing Fu Lingyuan approach, Pang Tong hurriedly spoke up to claim credit for Qin Shuo.

Did you make this?

Fu Lingyuan glanced toward the Yellow Mud Plaza, where a huge gully nearly stretched to the mountain gate; a flicker of surprise crossed his phoenix eyes.

Then, as if recalling something, his surprise turned to shock: "You've mastered the Blade Nurturing Art?"

Just a few days?

I managed to cultivate it by luck!

Qin Shuo's face was calm, neither arrogant nor impatient.

Good, very good!

Fu Lingyuan's phoenix eyes shifted, a strange light flashing in them, making the Demon Suppression Office colonels behind Qin Shuo feel a numbness in body and mind.

This Demon Suppression Office Sect Master, though petite, was of national beauty; though she wore no makeup, she remained radiant and striking.

At her smile, it was as if ice melted and spring flowers bloomed, lighting up the entire plaza.

General Pang, how are your injuries?

After exchanging pleasantries with Qin Shuo, Fu Lingyuan then turned to the pallid Pang Tong.

It's nothing, just some internal injuries.

Pang Tong shook his head and said in a low voice:

It's just that Wind Thunder Valley occupies a vast area; with only these brothers in the city, a full search would be beyond our strength.

Better to first seal all the valley's exits, then wait for the Generals Who Move Mountains and Who Tread the Sea to return before conducting a thorough sweep.

No need, they've already arrived!

Fu Lingyuan's gaze fell on the official road outside Yunzhou City.

There, a unit of Mysterious Armor Elite Cavalry came galloping.

Only then did everyone hear the thunderous hooves like distant thunder, initially seeming far away on the horizon, but by the time the sound landed, they had already reached the outskirts of Yunzhou City, just across the river from Yellow Mud Plaza.

heeheehee~

Not long after, two mighty generals clad in Mysterious Armor and red robes arrived at Yellow Mud Plaza with over a thousand Demon Suppression Office colonels.

Sect Master!

Sect Master!

General Who Moves Mountains Chen Ao and General Who Treads the Sea dismounted and paid their respects.

Upon seeing the huge gully hundreds of meters long on the plaza, the eight-foot-tall General Who Moves Mountains Chen Ao, wielding a massive black iron spear, said coldly:

Could Wind Thunder Valley have swallowed a bear's heart and leopard's gall? They dare to act against the Sect Master!

Having received Fu Lingyuan's voice transmission, he had rushed back to Yunzhou City nonstop, unaware that this Sect Master Fu had just arrived.

No wonder the Sect Master ordered us to gather our available troops and return; it turns out there's a tough battle ahead!

General Who Treads the Sea Qi Shengzhao likewise had an ugly expression, a vicious light flashing in his eyes; his gaze swept over the still-present onlookers, frightening many into retreating.

The three great Demon Suppression Generals have gathered; it looks like the Demon Suppression Office is really serious this time!

Many felt a chill in their hearts.

To ordinary folks, the Demon Suppression Office's presence might be low, even remote villages and towns unaware of its existence.

But to the aristocratic clans of Yunzhou or those from prestigious sects in the martial world, the Demon Suppression Office is like a nightmare—once they come, nothing good follows.

After all, the sect that once provoked the three great Demon Suppression Generals to sortie now has weeds three meters deep at its mountain gate.

Generals, you've worked hard on the way!

Fu Lingyuan stepped forward to greet the two Demon Suppression Generals, then issued the order:

Wind Thunder Valley disciples have colluded with demons; the Demon Suppression Office, acting on orders, will investigate thoroughly—all idle persons, clear out!

As the words fell, his Phoenix Wing Bronze Halberd tapped lightly on the ground, and the entire Yellow Mud Plaza trembled.

Move it, move it, we're starting to clear people out!

Stop looking, stop looking, keep looking and I'll drag you in too!

……

As Fu Lingyuan's words spread, the Yellow Mud Plaza instantly erupted into chaos.

Even Baili Jingtao and Lu Dingzhou helplessly curled their lips, followed the crowd in retreat, not daring to provoke this crazy woman's bad luck at this time.

The martial artists scattered in all directions; only then did Fu Lingyuan command the demon‑subjugating colonels to search the mountain.

Originally, Qin Shuo's mission was to seal the Wind Thunder Valley Mountain Gate, prohibiting all Wind Thunder Valley disciples from entering or leaving during the search.

But after the two generals Banshan and Daohai arrived, manpower was sufficient, and his duty changed from guarding the gate to searching the mountain.

After all, his strength speaks for itself; leading the search team would deter those Wind Thunder Valley disciples who resisted the inspection.

……

Divine Arrow Peak, among the three halls, one peak, and one workshop of Wind Thunder Valley, is the lineage with the most special and transcendent status.

For a thousand years, every past lord of Wind Thunder Valley had been a disciple of Divine Arrow Peak; even the current valley lord, Nie Jinfeng, is no exception.

Even among the disciples of Wind Thunder Valley, a saying has long been circulated: only those with extraordinary talent in the Arrow Dao are qualified to succeed as the lord of Wind Thunder Valley.

Although this saying exists, the high‑level of Wind Thunder Valley has never given an explicit response.

But looking at Wind Thunder Valley's over‑thousand‑year inheritance, almost every valley lord has been a standout in the Arrow Dao.

Initially acclaimed as the Dual Absolute of Elixir and Arrow, Xue Chengkong garnered countless followers within Wind Thunder Valley,

and many Wind Thunder Valley disciples regarded him as a candidate for the next valley lord; a major reason was his unparalleled talent in the Arrow Dao.

This shows that Wind Thunder Valley's emphasis on its Arrow Dao inheritance even surpasses its foundational alchemy tradition.

At this moment, on Divine Arrow Peak.

Nie Jinfeng stood with his hands behind his back in a pavilion built on a cliff overlooking the mountain gate, watching the demon‑subjugation office colonels continually streaming in.

By his side was a short, sturdy old man dressed in coarse hemp clothing.

At a glance, this old man looked like a mountain woodcutter, his skin dark yellow, his sleeves rolled up high, puffing on dry tobacco in his mouth,

contrasting sharply with Nie Jinfeng's flowing wide sleeves, like an exiled immortal of the mountains.

"Is the sect master really planning to hand over the boundary‑pacifying divine weapons to someone?"

The little old man opened his mouth and blew out a smoke ring, his gaze falling on a unit of Demon-Suppression Office officers marching straight toward Divine Arrow Peak; his tone was flat, giving no hint of joy or anger.