Chapter 3: Not even chickens and dogs were spared

  Duan Yun Shan, Bai Du Ling

  Duan Yun mountain range is the largest mountain range in the southern part of the Great Qi Empire, and almost all mountains in the three southwestern states are its branches, including this Bai Du Ling.

  Bǎi Dú Lǐng was originally called Ràn Táo Shān, because the entire mountain was covered with wild peach trees, and every year a large number of wild peaches would fall on the ridge, accumulating and rotting over time, forming a toxic area. The surrounding mountains were shrouded in a layer of miasma, making it impossible for humans or animals to approach. Three hundred and fifty years ago, the sixth-rank cultivator Bǎi Dú Sàn Rén Gōng Yáng Wú Cháng took a liking to this place and began cultivating here, accepting disciples and passing on his teachings, thus establishing the Bǎi Dú Mén lineage. From then on, Ràn Táo Shān was renamed Bǎi Dú Lǐng.

  Because the disciples of the sect cultivated poisonous skills, their killing power was extremely strong. The disciples also worked together, so they developed very quickly. After more than 300 years of development, the Bai Du Men had become one of the top ten forces under the Ning Wang Fu in the three southwestern states. In Dianzhou, it was even more powerful, dominating the region. The Bai Du Ridge was no longer a desolate and barren mountain as it was over 300 years ago. Pavilions and buildings were scattered all over the ridge, with beautiful music drifting down from time to time, like celestial music. In previous years, whenever the sect opened its doors to new disciples, there would be an endless stream of people coming to pay their respects. However, in recent years, the development of the Bai Du Men had reached a stable period, and they had become more selective in choosing their disciples, no longer expanding wildly as before.

  This time, the Hundred Poisons Sect unexpectedly challenged the dignity of the Ning Wangfu in a row. First, it was the poisonous seal of Wuyin Valley, and this time, there was another assassination attempt on the 14th prince, which suddenly became the focus of the three states in the southwest.

  But now, the focus of these three southwestern states seems to be in a state of confusion.

  "Who gave him such great power and audacity to do something like this!!"

  In the main hall of the Bai Du sect, a man in Chinese clothing angrily rushed to the current head of the Bai Du sect, Gong Yangming, and roared, "Last time's matter at Wu Yin Gorge can be forgiven, but this time, you actually openly assassinated the 14th young master of the Wang Fu! Such a thing, and you didn't even inform the various elders beforehand, what are you trying to do?!"

  The master of the Bai Du Men, Gong Yang, glanced at the man in the fancy clothes with a hint of disdain, "Third Brother, what's the panic? This time I indeed acted a bit rashly, but it was for the development of the Bai Du Men. The Ning Wang Fu has ruled over the three states of Xīnán for too long, and its dominance has become so entrenched that no one dares to touch its whiskers - this is not a good thing!"

  "So you foolishly provoked the Ning Wang Fu and became a scapegoat!" The man in fine clothes shouted angrily, completely disregarding Gong Yangming's identity as the master of the door.

  "Third Brother, you're going too far. Indeed, our Hundred Poisons Sect is taking the lead, but this also comes at a cost. Last time we poisoned the Misty Valley, although we suffered great losses, we gained even more. Didn't you also gain a huge advantage from it? This time, although the assassination failed, our losses aren't great either. At most, we'll just have to deal with some lip service lawsuits with the Ning King's Manor and sacrifice a few scapegoats. However, the rewards we'll get will be even... hmm..." Just as Gong Yangming was getting into his speech, his expression suddenly changed, and a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes.

  The elders of the Hundred Poisons Sect in the Temple of a Thousand Poisons were not weak, with cultivations that were at least at the sixth layer of Qi Condensation or fifth or sixth rank of spellcasting, and they almost simultaneously felt something was amiss.

  No good!

  As if he had realized something, Gong Yang's expression changed and he didn't bother arguing with the man in fine clothes anymore, rushing out of the Wan Du Hall.

  BOOM!!

  As soon as he rushed out of the Wan Du Temple, he felt a huge pressure coming at him.

  "Drink!!" He let out a low growl, and a layer of pink aura burst forth from his body, protecting him, but his figure in mid-air landed heavily on the ground.

  A pink aura swirled around his body like fog, and the ram-faced man's face sank like water as he shouted, "Is it someone from the Ning Wang Fu who is here? Please come out and have a word!" His voice was like a bell, echoing for miles, but there was no response.

  At the same time, that intangible pressure was getting heavier and heavier. The ram lifted its head to gaze at the sky, and was shocked to find that the sky had become a dull gray, as if shrouded by an inexplicable mysterious power.

  "Master of the door, Master of the door, something's wrong, something's wrong......!"

  Just then, a disciple of the Hundred Poisons Sect stumbled over, "Mountain Gate, Mountain Gate..."!

  "What's wrong with the mountain gate?!" The public sheep grabbed the disciple's collar and lifted him up, asking fiercely.

  "The mountain gate, the mountain gate has been sealed off! All the fellow disciples near the mountain gate have been killed, all of them!!" The disciple was clearly stimulated by something and spoke incoherently.

  "Hmph, trash!" The ram's cold hum sounded, and he tossed the disciple aside, dashing straight for the mountain gate.

  Not yet arriving at the mountain gate, he already smelled the intense bloody smell at the mountain gate, his heart gradually sinking down.

  "Ning Wang Fu, it must be Ning Wang Fu. Could it be that Ning Wang Fu really wants to take action against my Bai Du Men? No way, absolutely not, Ning Wang Fu would never do such a thing. Are they really willing to fight me to the death for the sake of a bastard son?" Gong Yang Ming muttered to himself as he got closer and closer to the mountain gate.

  BOOM!!

  Just as he was about a hundred feet away from the mountain gate, he heard a loud rumbling sound, and smoke and dust rose up at the mountain gate.

  He was taken aback at first, then his face turned bright red as he felt an endless rage surging up to his head, and he silently roared in his heart, "This... bastard!!!"

  Not far in front of him, the mountain gate made of huge white jade had been destroyed, and after the smoke and dust dissipated, a group of black-clad cavalrymen appeared before his eyes.

  Black Cavalry, Black Troops, Black Armor, Black Guns

  Outside the gate of Bai Du Men, hundreds of black cavalrymen formed a neat array, sealing off the gate. Among them, two teams of nine riders each carried long iron hooks and chains, which they used to pull down the white jade gate and trample the signboard of Bai Du Men.

  Seeing Gong Yangming fly out, roaring repeatedly, the black cavalry didn't move a single thread, with pairs of icy eyes indifferently staring at Gong Yangming, as if looking at a dead object.

  The pink aura surrounding Gong Yangming's body suddenly accelerated, his rapidly advancing figure also came to an abrupt halt, and he even took a step back. Looking at the black knight who seemed as solid as a mountain, he took a deep breath, steadied himself, and asked in a hoarse voice, "Is that the Second Young Master?"

  Second son!!!!!

  In the center of the cavalry formation, a tall and robust black horse walked out slowly. The person on the horse slowly removed his helmet, revealing a clear and resolute face.

  "As expected, the Second Young Master of the Bai Du Men has arrived! Gongyang Ming slightly bowed his head and revealed a hint of anger in his expression, 'I don't know what you mean by this, Second Young Master!'"

  The second son glanced at him, didn't answer his words, and slowly raised his right hand. As his right hand gradually rose, the suffocating pressure emanating from the Black Knight Array grew, gradually condensing into a single entity above the array. The wind and clouds changed suddenly, and amidst the swirling air, it seemed to transform into a black ferocious beast connected to the entire mountain range's energy.

  Clap Clap Clap!!!

  The Gong Yang cultivator of the 8th layer of Qi Refining took three steps back, leaving behind three deep footprints on the bluestone ground. A thick pink aura burst forth, his clothes and hair fluttering wildly as if he was exerting great force to resist something.

  Just as he was struggling to resist, the second son's right hand suddenly fell, and he spat out four words, "Don't spare a single chicken or dog!!"

  BOOM!!!!!

  The black cavalry surged forward like a tidal wave, bursting into the mountain gate with immense momentum, triggering an explosion of energy that shook the entire mountain range. The face of Gong Yang changed drastically as he swiftly moved his hands, and two long swords materialized in his grasp, assuming a defensive stance as if to stop the black cavalry charging into the mountain gate. But how could he possibly stop them?

  As the two sides approached, the first cavalryman in line thrust his black spear forward. Gong Yangming wielded his twin swords to seal off the front of his body, firmly blocking the spear and sending it back. The cavalryman's attack was unsuccessful, and he didn't strike again, instead directly charging towards Gong Yangming's back and rushing forward. Just as Gong Yangming was about to turn around to block him, a second spear shot out, followed by a third, fourth, fifth...

  Hundreds of cavalrymen divided into two groups, charging into the mountain gate. Gong Yang blocked more than a dozen guns and felt that this wouldn't work out, so he stirred up his whole body's aura and jumped up, as if to make some move. It's worth noting that although these cavalrymen were all wrapped in black iron armor from head to toe, their cultivation was only at the initial stage of condensing energy, with a four-layered refinement of energy, which was tens of thousands of miles inferior to his eight-layered refinement of energy. In other words, if he went all out, he could wipe out these hundreds of black-armored cavalrymen.

  But in reality, it was not as simple as he had imagined. His body had leapt into the air, but with great difficulty. The surrounding sky and earth seemed to be bound by a mysterious force, which did not affect him when he was not using his powers. However, once he started using them, the stronger the power he gathered, the greater the counterforce from the heavens would be. This time, he had unleashed his full strength, but it didn't give him any chance to exert himself. A violent aura descended from the sky, forcibly sealing his body to the ground.

  "This is...!"

  This was his first clear sense of that violent aura, and also the last time.

  A black spear pierced through, with mechanical precision. This time, his aura did not gather again, and the double swords in his hand did not have time to block. One spear entered his chest, and he was lifted up by the long black spear.

  One shot, the black-clad cavalry didn't stop either. With a flick of his wrist, the body of Gong Yangming was flung off the gun, and then another long spear pierced in, one lift, one shake...

  In just a few short breaths, Gong Yang, this renowned martial artist who had cultivated the Eight Layers of Qi Refining, was no more. His body, pierced by the long spear, looked like tattered cloth. Only after the cavalry had completely charged into the mountain gate did his corpse fall to the ground, his round eyes filled with anger and regret.

  Before the gate of Lí Mǎ Mountain, the Second Son didn't even glance at Gōng Yáng Mìng's corpse, as if this master of the Hundred Poisons Sect who had cultivated his energy to the eighth level was just an insignificant minor character.

  Suddenly, a gust of wind came, whirling around his horse, and a figure gradually became clear from the wind. After the wind stopped, a slender middle-aged scholar appeared, holding a long silk handkerchief in his hand, which he presented to Ershizi.

  !，。