Chapter 553: Flame Mountain — Training Ground

With the implementation of Nanxiang County's policy for cultivating practitioners to settle down, undercurrents of suppression and obstruction began to quietly descend upon various places.

While the major powers could not openly tear off masks of civility, they employed numerous dirty tricks behind the scenes.

On one hand, they created chaos at key transportation hubs and gathering spots for rogue cultivators, spreading rumors that "Nanxiang County has always been in turmoil," attempting to cut off the migration path of ordinary cultivators at its source.

On the other hand, they secretly funded desperate thugs to infiltrate Nanxiang County, creating friction and inciting riots within the city, hoping to use a series of disturbances, large or small, to demonstrate to the outside world Nanxiang County's "weakness beneath a strong exterior" and its unstable situation.

The demon races also joined in the destruction; their actions were even more violent and direct, frequently harassing the areas surrounding Nanxiang County in an attempt to create panic through bloody slaughter, forcing those cultivators and mortals who wished to migrate to stay away from this land.

Disturbances of all sizes arrived one after another; though they appeared to be scattered trivialities, they precisely disrupted the order of Nanxiang County, deliberately creating the illusion that the county's foundations were unstable and that the new administration was rife with chaos, all in an effort to dissuade subsequent cultivators and common people from settling there.

In response to this, Song Weimin's countermeasures were equally forceful.

Facing external slander and ambushes, the Zhu Que Army deployed directly, employing thunderous methods to eradicate several rebellious factions, using absolute strength to tell everyone of Nanxiang County's capability to maintain stability.

Facing the undercurrents within the city, the "collective punishment law" and the "heavy reward for reporting" system implemented by Song Weimin proved remarkably effective; those spies attempting to fan the flames were dragged to the government office by vigilant neighbors before they could cause any major disturbance.

Under the escort of these iron-fisted measures, the construction of Nanxiang County not only failed to stagnate but advanced with a speed that left all factions dumbfounded, progressing with vigorous momentum.

The originally modest county town was gradually expanding outward.

Along both sides of the previously empty streets within the city, brand new shops sprang up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain.

Although the major powers harbored apprehension regarding Nanxiang County's decrees, this did not hinder them from establishing a presence there.

Directly operated stores from the four holy lands of Pills, Artifacts, Talismans, and Formations, along with flagship shops from various sects, successively appeared in the bustling districts of Nanxiang County.

In no time, all kinds of supporting resources required for cultivator cultivation were available here, complete in every aspect.

Thus, amidst a situation woven with light and shadow, where conflict coexisted with rebirth, Nanxiang County took firm root under immense pressure, completing a comprehensive upgrade without anyone noticing.

While Song Weimin was busy with the internal construction of Nanxiang County, Hua Changxi was not idle either; she personally took action to purge various external obstacles.

Having confirmed that population density could dilute the sense of crisis in her heart, anyone obstructing Nanxiang County's efforts to absorb settling cultivators became an enemy she needed to eliminate.

She could understand why the major human factions harbored hostility toward Nanxiang County out of self-interest; yet why were the demon races also frequently engaging in sabotage behind the scenes?

This was a point she simply could not comprehend despite much thought.

However, if she could not figure it out, there was no need to overthink it; she would simply beat them into submission.

Her time was limited; she had no time to maneuver between human factions and the demon races, so she could only strike with a heavy fist.

Facing the covert obstruction by human cultivators, she ultimately could not directly resort to killing.

Instead, she crippled a batch of core disciples from various factions and captured a group of talented disciples to mine at Lihuo Cliff.

Under such thunderous measures, all factions suffered unimaginable losses and were forced to lie low, daring not to easily show their heads again.

As for the demon races, Hua Changxi's strikes were even heavier.

Any demon race that dared to attack cultivators during their migration faced only one outcome: total annihilation!

In just a short period, Hua Changxi struck such fear into the hearts of the demon races that they were forced to stop.

Completely uprooting all external obstacles was clearly unrealistic.

However, under Hua Changxi's overwhelming and thunderous strikes, those blatant interceptions and large-scale sabotages finally vanished, leaving only some shady rats still secretly making small moves in the shadows.

Facing these sporadic harassments, Hua Changxi no longer handled them personally; she directly issued purification missions at Lingguang Hall, entrusting this task entirely to the Zhu Que Army.

As for herself, she was now standing quietly outside the eighth blessed land of Nanxiangchengcheng—the Flame Mountain.

Previously, that ominous crisis looming over Nanxiang County like a shadow had intensified little by little as she occupied more blessed lands.

After noticing this strange correlation, she had instinctively resisted continuing to occupy more blessed lands.

Now that she had found a method to resolve the crisis, she naturally gained the confidence and mood to come here and claim this Flame Mountain.

Although the time required to secure a blessed land was unpredictable, Hua Changxi still entered the Flame Mountain through a spatial rift.

She was not reckless; precisely because of her personal actions and iron-fisted suppression during this period, the entire cultivation world now knew she was not within the Soul Realm but was truly stationed in Nanxiang County.

In the short term, deterred by her authority, the various factions should not dare to stir up any major waves.

The moment she passed through the spatial rift and entered the Flame Mountain, a scorching, sky-burning heat wave hit her face; the air twisted and churned, with surging crimson fire waves and floating streams of flame light visible everywhere.

The entire Flame Mountain was sealed by layers of fiery barriers and formations, isolating it from all external spying and disturbance.

Unafraid of the impact of the flames, Hua Changxi landed steadily on a patch of scorched red earth.

The Flame Mountain truly lived up to its name.

As far as the eye could see, the ground was cracked like a spiderweb; countless fissures surged with dark red magma, where occasional bubbles rose and burst, splashing up strings of sparks.

The sky was obscured by thick volcanic ash, hiding the sun and moon, with only the glow of the magma illuminating the entire world in a suffocating dark red hue.

The air was filled with the scent of sulfur; every breath felt like swallowing fire.

In the distance, several active volcanoes were spewing thick smoke; occasionally, pillars of fire shot into the sky accompanied by dull roars, causing the earth to tremble.

This was not a place mortals could tread; even low-ranking cultivators who rashly entered would have their spiritual meridians eroded by the scorching qi, resulting in either a regression of cultivation or, in severe cases, the incineration of their meridians.

In Hua Changxi's view, the Flame Mountain resembled a massive natural furnace.

At the core of this furnace, deep within the belly of the Flame Mountain, a towering volcano rose from the ground, standing proudly above all others.

At the peak of this mountain, where flames shot into the sky, stood a huge boulder glowing red from the burning fires, upon which three vigorous characters were carved: Training Ground!