Chapter 857: Prelude to War

Inside the Bamboo House, two teacups were placed in front of Lingyun, as if he were waiting for someone to arrive.

Suddenly, a Gap tore open violently in the Void, and Yakumo Yukari poked her head out from within. Upon seeing the teacups in front of Lingyun, Yakumo Yukari sat down opposite him without the slightest reservation, picked up a teacup, and took a sip.

"As expected, only here at your place, Lingyun, can one taste such good tea!" Yakumo Yukari said with her eyes narrowed.

"If you want some, I still have plenty of tea leaves here. Your Yakumo Ran should also have exceptional tea-brewing skills, shouldn't she?" Lingyun said with a smile.

"No, no, no. If the person brewing the tea isn't you, this tea always feels like it's missing something," Yakumo Yukari said, waving her hand. "However, I have serious business coming to find you this time."

"The Lunar War is about to begin, isn't it?" Lingyun asked.

"That's right. The Youkai are already gathering, and tonight is when we attack the Moon!" Yakumo Yukari could not help but clench her hands. The plans she had been laying for years were finally about to take a crucial step tonight; even Yakumo Yukari could not help but feel a bit nervous in her heart.

"Rest assured, isn't everything going according to your plan?" Lingyun patted her on the shoulder and said.

"There is one more very important matter I would like to ask for your help with," Yakumo Yukari said.

"What matter could make you so solemn?"

"The maintenance of the Earth-Moon Channel—this is the problem that worries me! This time, the mass of Youkai attacking the Moon Capital from afar can actually be considered an extremely dangerous undertaking. The people of the Moon Capital being able to descend to the ground shows they possess the ability to control the Earth-Moon Channel. What I am worried about now is that if we cut off the Earth-Moon Channel while attacking the Moon Capital, that would be cutting off our own retreat. If such a situation occurs, we will all be trapped on the Lunar Surface, and the final result will only be total annihilation," Yakumo Yukari said with a serious expression.

"This point is indeed something worth noting," Lingyun nodded. At this moment, he thought of someone from the Moon Capital.

Watatsuki no Toyohime, one of the Princesses of the Moon Capital, is also a student of Yagokoro Eirin, and the older sister of Watatsuki no Yorihime, who came to take Kaguya back last time. Watatsuki no Yorihime has an innocent and lively personality, possesses the power to connect mountains and seas, can carry people to move at will, and even possesses the ability to cut into Yakumo Yukari's Gap. The Wind Fan in her hand possesses the ability to instantly turn a forest into elementary particles; it is a large-scale weapon of mass destruction with immense power. If she wanted to destroy the Earth-Moon Channel set up by Yakumo Yukari, it is not something she could not do.

Lingyun thought for a moment, reached his hand into the Void, and after fumbling for a while, pulled out a crystal and a bright pearl from the Void.

"After you finish setting up the Earth-Moon Channel, throw this crystal into the channel. It can form a sturdy Space Barrier Array; even if someone wants to destroy it, they will have to pay a massive amount of time and a huge price," Lingyun placed the two items in front of Yakumo Yukari.

Yakumo Yukari picked up the crystal and then peered at the pale cyan pearl in front of her. "What is this?"

"A Wind-Fixing Pearl, though it is a replica and can only be used for a period of time," Lingyun said.

"Uh, why are you giving me this thing?" As soon as Yakumo Yukari heard the name, she knew the purpose of this pearl, but she was still somewhat puzzled.

"This thing is just in case; who knows when it might come in handy," Lingyun smiled and did not explain further.

Seeing that Lingyun would not say, Yakumo Yukari did not press for an answer, but instead tucked the two items directly into her bosom. Lingyun would not say, and she would not ask. Even if this item did not end up being used in the Lunar War, it might be used in the future.

After Yakumo Yukari left, Lingyun subsequently opened a space gate and walked inside.

After passing through the space gate, Lingyun appeared in a world of ice and snow. In the center of the ice and snow stood an iceberg. In the heart of the iceberg, a golden-red light was faintly visible.

The moment Lingyun approached the iceberg, the golden-red light flared up violently, instantly piercing through the iceberg and leaving behind a passage that went straight from the center of the iceberg to the outside.

The light that rushed out of the iceberg transformed into Fujiwara no Mokou in mid-air, a pair of golden-red flame wings spreading out behind her. Looking at the passage that had pierced through the iceberg, a trace of joy could not help but appear on Fujiwara no Mokou's face. The passage was extremely smooth; although it had pierced through the iceberg, it had not left a single trace of water on the walls of the tunnel.

"It seems your control over your own flames has improved greatly," Lingyun appeared beside Fujiwara no Mokou.

"It is thanks to Teacher's guidance," Fujiwara no Mokou said happily upon seeing Lingyun appear.

"Mokou, I came here this time to tell you that the Lunar War is starting tonight," Lingyun said.

"Is it starting already?" Fujiwara no Mokou was somewhat eager to try. "Are we going to see Princess Kaguya again?"

"That's right," Lingyun nodded.

Lake Biwa is the largest freshwater lake in the land of Fusang. Tonight, countless Youkai spontaneously gathered toward this place, erupting with heaven-shaking momentum.

This place was where Yakumo Yukari had decided to open the Earth-Moon Channel. Its vast lake surface allowed the Earth-Moon Channel to have the most space when opened, which made it more convenient for both attacking and retreating.

In Heian-kyo, Kamo no Tadayuki led numerous Moon Yin-Yang Masters, standing by in full battle array. This gathering of Youkai was unprecedented; if these Youkai went mad and launched an attack on Heian-kyo, he would be able to lead the Yin-Yang Masters under his command to resist with all their might for a wave.

"Seeing this kind of momentum, I am truly a bit worried about whether we can withstand it if these Youkai take any action," Kamo no Tadayuki said with his eyes narrowed.

"Father, Mr. Lingyun is not in the Bamboo Forest," Kamo no Yasunori emerged from the crowd and said to Kamo no Tadayuki.

"He is not in the Bamboo Forest?" Kamo no Tadayuki muttered, not knowing what he was thinking.

By the side of Lake Biwa, Yakumo Yukari walked out from a Gap.

The moment Yakumo Yukari appeared, all the Youkai looked over. After all, this operation was organized by Yakumo Yukari, and at the same time, only Yakumo Yukari possessed the ability to open the Earth-Moon Channel.

Yakumo Yukari looked at the Youkai before her and nodded slightly. There were tens of thousands of Youkai gathered here. The number of several tens of thousands was already considered a quite large number in the land of Fusang, not to mention that these were not ordinary Pawns, but Youkai.

In Fusang, there has always been the saying of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons; as long as one hundred demons are gathered, it is enough for a night parade, not to mention these tens of thousands of Youkai. In front of this Army composed of Youkai, even if they were faced by well-equipped soldiers ten or twenty times their number, the only outcome would be total annihilation.

Most eye-catching were the existences among the Youkai crowd that radiated powerful auras. Those guys had all reached the level of Great Youkai, existences standing at the peak among Youkai. And there were hundreds of these Great Youkai. If these Great Youkai were to attack together, it would be completely enough to trample the current Heian-kyo.

Yakumo Yukari did not stay here for long, but instead walked toward the long pavilion by the lake.

The Youkai here were merely an Army; the true commanders were all waiting for her arrival over at the long pavilion.