Chapter 155: Hidden Currents Stir

Spirit Weapon Valley, Inner Island, Sect Grand Hall.

"Pssss~"

Lanterns ignited one by one, illuminating the hall as bright as daylight.

Feng Zhongyi stepped swiftly into the hall, his expression grave; all the Elders, Administrators, and Protectors stationed in the sect had already arrived.

Jing Shuhu sat at the upper seat on the left, clutching a letter-scroll, brows furrowed; the other Elders also wore grim, silent faces.

"Close the doors!"

Feng Zhongyi scanned the room, confirmed everyone was present, and ordered the grand hall doors shut.

"The San Yuan Weng army has mobilized, heading straight for Zhe Long Prefecture City—they'll be at the gates by early spring at the latest!"

Feng Zhongyi took his seat on the right, face solemn: "San Yuan Weng's move is very likely meant to pressure the Valley Lord and Elder Han into abandoning the annihilation of Qian Jun Cave."

The hall fell silent, save for his voice and the crackling of candle flames.

"What does the Valley Lord intend?"

One Elder spoke, breaking the heavy silence; all eyes turned to Feng Zhongyi.

The Valley Lord and the five Inner Sect Elders were absent; the highest-ranking among them was Feng Zhongyi, head of the eight Outer Sect Elders.

The Casting Valley was not part of the Inner or Outer Sects.

"The Valley Lord's intent."

Feng Zhongyi paused slightly, glancing at Jing Shuhu, who set down the letter-scroll and, after a brief pause, said:

"Qian Jun Cave is already seven or eight parts shattered; victory is imminent. The Valley Lord will not withdraw, and old… Elder Han will not return."

As soon as he spoke, the hall fell utterly silent; many Elders and Protectors paled.

"San Yuan Weng may not rival our Spirit Weapon Valley, but they still have many experts. With the Valley Lord and others gone, how do we resist?"

One Outer Sect Elder could no longer hold his tongue: "If San Yuan Weng moves, Lie Xue Mountain will certainly not stand idle."

"The Young Valley Lord and Elder Qiu will lead the Bing Company, a thousand men, back to reinforce us."

Feng Zhongyi glanced at Sun Zan, seated in the corner; the latter tensed and quickly nodded: "The Young Valley Lord has sent word—he's already departed and will return within a month at most."

"Fine if the Valley Lord doesn't return, but even Elder Han won't come back?"

The Elders and Protectors all grew restless.

Of the four major sects in Hui Prefecture, Spirit Weapon Valley was the strongest—but still lacked the strength to resist all three sects alone.

At this moment, many began muttering about Han Chui; compared to Qiu Zhengxiong, they now needed that demon more than ever.

"San Yuan Weng hasn't even arrived yet, and you're all worrying about this and that—what the hell are you afraid of?!"

Lei Jingchuan slammed his fist on the table: "If San Yuan Weng dares come, then fight! I don't believe they'll send their entire force!"

"Exactly!"

One Elder nodded in agreement:

"With Lie Xue Mountain watching from the side, San Yuan Weng won't dare commit their full strength. We only need to hold out for a while—once the Valley Lord crushes Qian Jun Cave, we'll turn and wipe out San Yuan Weng too!"

"Exactly!"

"Good!"

With Lei Jingchuan speaking, many voices rose in agreement; the sect had been in turmoil lately, and many had been holding back anger.

Someone spoke, and the grand hall erupted into chatter and speculation.

Feng Zhongyi's expression darkened; he cleared his throat several times to quiet the noise, then scanned the room, his gaze settling on Jing Shuhu and the only armored elder inside the hall.

The armored elder was tall and burly, with a full beard of bristling whiskers; now he held his helmet, eyes closed, calm and composed.

This man was none other than Duanmuxian, Grand Commander of the Yi Company of the Divine Guard.

"What does Grand Commander Duanmu think we should do?"

Feng Zhongyi asked.

The three thousand Divine Guards were the sect's elite; a Grand Commander leading a company held martial status equal to Feng Zhongyi and Jing Shuhu.

"Recruit, expand the army, offer rewards, consolidate our forces, draw the line at the Prefecture City, and wait for the Valley Lord's triumphant return."

Duanmuxian opened his eyes, voice low: "Sect wars have never been fought this way. What's there to discuss?"

The Divine Guard numbered only three thousand, the Bing Company only a thousand—but every soldier was an elite of the sect.

To expand the army, using these three thousand as the core, scaling to thirty thousand or even a hundred thousand was no problem at all.

Spirit Weapon Valley had no shortage of recruits, rations, or weapons.

"This…"

Feng Zhongyi frowned, then turned to Jing Shuhu:

"What do you think, Elder Jing?"

"Grand Commander Duanmu's words are spot-on. I agree completely."

Jing Shuhu had no objections—he knew far less about military matters than Duanmuxian, so he wouldn't speak rashly.

"If we expand, shouldn't we wait for the Valley Lord's orders?"

Feng Zhongyi hesitated.

"Decide when you must."

Duanmuxian rose to his full height, scanning the room; his voice remained low but carried weight:

"The Divine Guard has the authority to act independently during wartime. In this crisis, I must unify the sect's inner and outer forces—

All personnel, weapons, and rations must come under Divine Guard command."

"What do you all think?"

Silence.

The hall fell still; all Protectors and Elders frowned, clearly unsettled.

Sun Zan was the first to cheer: "I, Sun Zan, and all the guards of the Spirit Weapon Pavilion, place ourselves entirely under your command, Grand Commander!"

Old bastard!

The Elders cursed inwardly but offered no support, instead turning their eyes to Feng Zhongyi and Jing Shuhu.

"This…"

Feng Zhongyi frowned, silent.

"Once the Young Valley Lord and Elder Qiu return, I will defer entirely to their authority."

Duanmuxian added.

Of the three Divine Guard companies, each had one Commander and three Grand Commanders; only he remained, and there was a reason.

The Yi Company followed the Valley Lord's every order—they were absolute loyalists.

"Then so be it."

Feng Zhongyi had no objection; he rose and bowed: "Then we rely on you, Grand Commander Duanmu."

"Wait!"

Lei Jingchuan suddenly interrupted: "Duanmu, are you saying the Casting Valley must also come under your command?"

"Yes."

Duanmuxian's expression didn't change:

"I am not seizing power opportunistically—I seek to consolidate the sect's strength against San Yuan Weng and the other lurking villains."

"Fine, agreed!"

Lei Jingchuan frowned, about to speak further, when Jing Shuhu suddenly spoke, glancing at Duanmuxian and Sun Zan:

"But I warn you now—if anyone dares stir up chaos during this time, don't blame me for being merciless!"

Duanmuxian's eyebrows twitched slightly.

Sun Zan immediately lowered his head—he knew the old man was speaking of him.

"Enough!"

Feng Zhongyi spoke up in time, rising and bowing to all: "Fellow sect members, prepare for battle!"

Whoosh!

Jing Shuhu rose, followed by Lei Jingchuan; soon, all the Elders and Protectors in the hall stood.

…

…

Pssss!

Smoke and steam rose.

In the Red Melting Cave, Li Yuan smiled as he forged a name-grade heavy hammer.

【Qian Jun Heavy Hammer】

【Forged by the Master of Arms from the finest hundred metals, tempered in fierce fire, this hammer weighs eight hundred jin…】

【Control Requirements: Master of Arms bloodline, one hundred jun of strength】

【Control Effects: Fifth Rank: Hammering Talent,

Fourth Rank: Weight of a Thousand Jun, Momentum Like a Mountain】

Whoosh!

Li Yuan lifted the half-finished hammer from the cold spring water.

It was a short-handled heavy hammer, as large as a water vat, barely taking shape—but its weight and dimensions clearly surpassed what any ordinary martialist could handle.

Even Li Yuan himself felt its heft; an eight-hundred-jin hammer demanded ten thousand jin of strength to wield with ease.

But he didn't intend to use it—he sought to achieve his desired control effect through this extreme method.

Having multiple traits is certainly good, but for me, extremes aren't bad either—just this fifth-rank talent is worth it!

Li Yuan was deeply satisfied.

As he encountered and acquired more and more weapons, he developed a profound understanding of their control effects.

A fifth-rank control effect is equivalent to three fourth-rank ones—that's the advantage of extreme forging.

The downside, of course, is…

"What kind of hammer are you swinging?!"

Though belated, Master Jing Hu's reprimand came with a harsh tone: "Who but Eighty Thousand could wield such a heavy hammer?"

Lei Jingchuan frowned deeply.

Both men returning from the hall were in low spirits; Li Yuan noticed, so he stayed silent until Master Jing Hu finished his scolding, then asked.

"The Three Yuan Hollow army has mobilized?"

Though he'd suspected it, confirmation still sent a chill through Li Yuan's heart.

Three Yuan Hollow borders Lie Xue Mountain; if either of these two major sects moves, they've reached an agreement.

Clearly, the imminent destruction of Qian Jun Cave had stirred these two sects.

"Sect warfare isn't rare, and it has nothing to do with you—just focus on forging and training."

Seeing his grim expression, Lei Jingchuan clapped him on the shoulder: "You've only just completed Inner Strengthening—you're not even close to being called to battle."

"If I'm needed, I'll go."

Master Jing Hu frowned: "As a True Disciple, if you don't fight when the sect is in peril, you'll invite criticism—and it'll hurt your chances… cough, disadvantage."

"Chances at what?"

Li Yuan froze.

Lei Jingchuan realized it too, but hesitated: "Well, the logic holds, but his martial skill…?"

What were these two old men trying to say?

Li Yuan sharply sensed they were hiding something from him—chances at what?

What could a True Disciple possibly compete for?

The position of Young Master?

Li Yuan had a hunch, but seeing they didn't want to speak, he wisely pretended ignorance.

A sudden realization struck him—had these two old men been acting strangely lately because of this?

"Cough, cough~"

Master Jing Hu cleared his throat, his face stern: "When the sect is in peril, no one can stand aside—prepare yourself early…"

Lei Jingchuan interrupted him: "If you need anything—armor, elixirs, anything…"

Master Jing Hu was speechless.

In the past, Lei Jingchuan looked down on aristocratic youths who depended on their family's influence and carried vast treasures.

But now…

"Thank you, Elder Lei."

Li Yuan's eyes lit up, seizing the opportunity: "Do you have any top-grade weapons, Great Restoration Elixirs…?"

"Cough!"

Master Jing Hu nearly coughed up his lungs, his face darkening: "You're asking for the moon—why not ask for a divine weapon?"

"Do you have a divine weapon?"

Li Yuan had long suspected Divine Weapon Valley possessed divine weapons—no one has forged one in seven hundred years, but what about the seven hundred before that?

"No!"

Master Jing Hu glared at him, then swept his sleeve and left.

"No divine weapons, no top-grade weapons, no Great Restoration Elixirs."

Lei Jingchuan, now under warning, could only spread his hands.

"I wish to visit the Secret Tower and the Divine Weapon Pavilion."

Glancing at the direction Master Jing Hu had left, Li Yuan lowered his voice and finally revealed his true purpose.

The Secret Tower was one thing, but the Divine Weapon Pavilion—he'd long coveted it.

It was the repository of the finest weapons forged in Divine Weapon Valley's thousand-year history; its allure was immense.

"Hm?"

Lei Jingchuan hesitated—he could enter both places himself, but bringing someone else was clearly forbidden.

"Hmm… let me think…"

In the end, Lei Jingchuan gave no promise, only said he'd look into it.

"If a massive army is truly at our gates, ordinary rules won't hold."

Li Yuan picked up his forging hammer and resumed his work.

He planned to proceed methodically and forge a few more "Ten-Thousand-Pound Hammers"…

…

News of the Three Yuan Hollow army's mobilization spread rapidly through both inner and outer islands; Divine Weapon Valley began its mobilization.

Large quantities of elixirs and silver were distributed, and recruitment notices were posted throughout Fucheng, causing a sensation.

Some feared and fled, but for many martial artists eager to join Divine Weapon Valley, this was a once-in-a-millennium opportunity.

On the first day alone, over a thousand signed up—all at least Qi Refining, many with fully developed Inner Strengthening, even some who had transformed their forms.

Zhe Long Prefecture, with its hundreds of thousands of households, was Divine Weapon Valley's primary recruitment ground; outside the city, gathering points swarmed with applicants.

Countless individuals bid farewell to their families, armed with their own blades, heading for the Divine Guard Camps.

Suddenly, Fucheng reeked of impending storm—the bounty on Qian Jun Cave's assassination faded into obscurity.

Even the greediest assassins, preparing for war, quickly calmed down.

Li Yuan visited the Zhai Xing Tower outpost and found, beside the original stone tablet, a new one erected.

It listed bounties targeting Three Yuan Hollow.

From Sect Master down to ordinary disciples, prices were set extremely high—many made Li Yuan's heart stir.

"Intelligence gathering, assassination bounties—huh, so bluntly straightforward."

Li Yuan circled the area but encountered no other assassins—not even the snake-faced elder. Finally, he bought dozens of jin of Monkey Wine at the cave tavern.

The wine tasted excellent and boosted blood qi—he loved it, and always bought some whenever he came.

Before leaving, he circled back to the stone tablet and found Sun Zan's bounty—and detailed intelligence—hidden in a corner.

…

…

Whoosh~

The north wind howled; heaven and earth were blanketed in white.

Amidst this brutal landscape, men trudged through deep snow, braving knife-like cold winds.

A thousand riders, mostly clad in black, some in heavy armor, carrying longbows and greatswords, galloped through snow deep enough to cover their ankles—like a black dragon.

A thousand riders, a thousand horses, charging through snowstorm, snow heavy enough to turn armor, bows, and blades white—yet not a single sound disturbed the silence.

As dusk fell, the thousand riders halted, setting camp around a dense forest.

"Huff!"

Long Cheng pulled back the tent flap and felt warmth—the interior held a fire stove:

"After Three Yuan Hollow mobilized, Lie Xue Mountain wiped out all our spies—they'll strike soon!"

"If they hadn't coordinated with Lie Xue Mountain, how would Three Yuan Hollow dare mobilize such a force?"

Shi Hong, clad in heavy armor, now removed his helmet and leaned against the warm stove, reading secret messages—calm and relaxed:

"But their grand display proves they're bluffing."

"Bluffing?"

Long Cheng frowned slightly.

"Forget that."

Shi Hong waved his hand, handing the message scroll to Long Cheng, who glanced at it and was startled:

"Top-grade weapon? Could that kid really have such a forging talent?"