Chapter 378: Striking Hard

First, someone impersonated the Zhu Que Army; now, the egregious incident of missing Zhu Que Army soldiers has occurred, leaving Hua Changxi in a terrible mood.

She could only temporarily shelve the plan to set up the 'Lingguang Hall—Yehuo Terrace' teleportation array.

Fortunately, the 'Lingguang Hall—Jiutian Fire Spring' teleportation array was already completed; Hua Changxi taught the incantation to activate the array to Duan Jishan, the manager of the Martial Arts Hall, instructing him to arrange for the Zhu Que Army to enter the Jiutian Fire Spring for cultivation in batches.

Afterward, she personally set out to investigate the missing Zhu Que Army soldiers.

Upon patrolling Nanxiang County again, Hua Changxi discovered that incidents of cultivator conflicts had increased once more.

Thinking about it, since various factions dared to impersonate the Zhu Que Army, they naturally would not obey the Zhu Que Army's decree prohibiting fighting within Nanxiang County.

As the site of the former Xiangcheng, Nanxiang County's greatest opportunities naturally lay in the reappearance of the original Xiangcheng ruins and the twelve heavenly caves and blessed lands, but beyond that, mountains, rivers, and other regions each held their own opportunities.

This resulted in top-tier powers vying for the City Master Token and the heavenly caves and blessed lands—these 'great opportunities'—while smaller factions and ordinary cultivators fought over other 'minor opportunities'.

For instance, a small peak dense with spiritual energy had attracted over ten cultivators into a frenzied scramble.

While cultivators competing for resources was understandable, these individuals paid no heed to the village at the foot of the mountain, where dozens of villagers lay dead in pools of blood, scattered haphazardly.

Looking at the village that had been nearly massacred, killing intent surged in Hua Changxi's eyes; she unleashed the Buddha Hand, striking down those ten-odd cultivators with a single palm.

In the subsequent patrols, any cultivator whose fighting caused casualties among commoners was killed outright by Hua Changxi's palm, without any mercy shown.

As for those cultivators who showed restraint and prevented their battles from affecting commoners, they were all captured and sent to Li Huo Cliff to mine.

After completing a full patrol of all areas in Nanxiang County, Hua Changxi had killed nearly a hundred cultivators, many of whom were at the Infant Transformation realm; the number of cultivators captured and sent to Li Huo Cliff to mine was even greater, reaching two or three hundred people.

However, regarding the missing Zhu Que Army soldiers, she found nothing.

Seeing that night had fallen, Hua Changxi returned to Lingguang Hall with furrowed brows, then sent messages to each Battalion Commander: from now on, when patrolling Nanxiang County, each Zhu Que Army squad must be increased to fifty people.

Next, she sent a message to the manager of the Mission Hall: seek clues regarding the missing Zhu Que Army soldiers; any trace, no matter how slight, must be reported.

Finally, Hua Changxi inquired about the recruitment of artifact refiners, and soon, a continuous list of names arrived via Yinitong.

There were nearly a hundred first and second-grade artifact refiners, about twenty third-grade artifact refiners, and only seven fourth-grade artifact refiners.

"Inform these artifact refiners that the Zhu Que Army's equipment requires their refinement; have them gather at the idle square opposite the Discipline Hall."

In less than half an hour, all the artifact refiners had arrived at the idle square.

Upon seeing them, Hua Changxi once again unleashed the divine ability Palm Buddha Realm, grabbing all these artifact refiners at once, then quickly departed Lingguang Hall, heading straight for Li Huo Cliff.

Meanwhile, due to Hua Changxi's decisive intervention, the cultivators within Nanxiang County were so frightened that none dared to act rashly.

"Who exactly is that female demon?"

Killing Infant Transformation cultivators like chickens, then burning their corpses to ash afterward—it was too terrifying!

"Who else could it be? Bathed in fire, with flames like flowing light; it can only be one person."

"Who?"

"The Hall Master of Lingguang Hall!"

"Last time someone impersonated the Zhu Que Army, the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall appeared."

In an instant, news of the Lingguang Hall Master appearing and massacring cultivators on a large scale became rampant, quickly spreading like boiling water throughout the cultivator circles.

In the Xuanyuan Prefecture, just as Wei Zhenjie finished discussing matters with the five Xuanyuan Generals, all six of them received news of the Lingguang Hall Master's appearance one after another.

After reading the message, Lu Zhenting remarked thoughtfully, "Last time, those cultivators who impersonated the Zhu Que Army were merely captured by the Lingguang Hall Master, but this time, the Hall Master has gone on a killing spree; something must have happened that we are unaware of."

Qin Feng picked up the conversation, "Indeed, that Lingguang Hall Master is extraordinarily lazy; Lingguang Hall has appeared in the world for several years now, yet they haven't even issued identity tokens for the Zhu Que Army, truly..."

"For someone so inactive to finally step forward, something significant must have occurred."

Huo Jinglei also shook his head with a sigh, "The Zhu Que Army, one of the four spirit armies of the Four Spirit Realm, actually being impersonated—this is truly the greatest joke under heaven."

Seeing that Wei Zhenjie remained silent, Lu Zhenting smiled and asked, "Has the Central Sacred Land really not managed to ascertain the identity of the Lingguang Hall Master?"

Wei Zhenjie shrugged and said nothing.

The five Xuanyuan Generals greatly disliked Wei Zhenjie's secretive demeanor, but none of them pressed the question further.

Lu Zhenting stated, "With the Zhu Que Army taking over Nanxiang County, confrontation with various factions was inevitable; the current chaos was something we could have anticipated long ago."

"A sharp sword emerges from grinding; any invincible army must undergo the tempering of hardships. Next, we shall see if the Zhu Que Army can withstand it."

Qin Feng snorted, "With such an inactive Hall Master, the Zhu Que Army... what suffering, what difficulty!"

Wei Zhenjie spoke up, "Everything has a process of development; the Lingguang Hall Master may not truly be incompetent. She... simply has experienced too little and cannot think too far ahead."

"But the Lingguang Hall Master's vision and magnanimity are convincing; consider that in just a few years, the Zhu Que Army has grown to tens of thousands, something no ordinary person could achieve."

Recalling the various difficulties they encountered when previously recruiting for the Xuanyuan Army, the five Xuanyuan Generals showed expressions of agreement with Wei Zhenjie's words.

Lu Zhenting added, "As soon as Lingguang Hall appeared, its Hall Master dared to openly recruit for the Zhu Que Army; this move was indeed bold and far-sighted."

Wei Zhenjie said, "Therefore, give the Lingguang Hall Master a little time, and everything will gradually improve."

Lu Zhenting looked at Wei Zhenjie with a smile, "It seems you hold high hopes for the Lingguang Hall Master."

Wei Zhenjie laughed heartily, "I hold high hopes for anyone who contributes to advancing the development of the Four Spirit Realm."

Qin Feng, however, spoiled the mood, "But the Lingguang Hall Master acts without any method; appearing this time, she killed nearly a hundred people at once—isn't that bloodlust too strong?"

"She also captured several hundred people; is she afraid Nanxiang County isn't chaotic enough?"

Speaking of this, Lu Zhenting also chimed in, "Come to think of it, the previous situation of chaotic cultivator fighting in Nanxiang County had already been suppressed by the Zhu Que Army; how did it become chaotic again later?"

Qin Feng, responsible for monitoring the southern region, knew more about the situation in Nanxiang County: "It was because noble descendants from the Yuan, Gu, Tang, Duan, and He families went missing without cause; these families searched everywhere, and thus, some people began to fish in troubled waters."

"That alone would have been enough, but then the Lingguang Hall Master captured over ten cultivators impersonating the Zhu Que Army, among whom were descendants of noble families, making the situation increasingly chaotic."

"Just wait and see; with the Lingguang Hall Master striking so heavily, it will surely provoke counterattacks from various factions."

Wei Zhenjie, however, said, "In chaotic times, harsh laws are necessary; there is no other way."

"Fortunately, the signal the Lingguang Hall Master has sent is very clear: cultivator conflicts need not result in death, provided they do not affect the common people; but once common people are affected and casualties occur, death is certain."

"This measure will ultimately make some people more cautious."