Chapter 2 The Dawn of Departure
The next morning, I arrived at Xue Ji's tomb in the back mountain before dawn.
Although we had little interaction in life, we had known each other. I felt it was my duty to inform her of our impending attack on Nanhai City.
"Today we march to Dongyue Town, but we will soon detour to Nanhai City. Since it was once your home, if you have a spirit in heaven, please accompany us back."
After speaking, I scooped up some soil from her grave, placed it in an incense pouch, and tied it to my waist.
Turning around, I saw Lin'er and was stunned.
At that moment, Lin'er's eyes were filled with tears, deeply moved, not only for Xue Ji but also for the Ghost Clan.
He slowly turned away to wipe his tears, then turned back with a calm expression.
"Demon King, it's time to go."
I smiled slightly, not asking about his thoughts, and simply said,
"Let's go."
I followed him to the outside of Mingyue Palace, where a crowd was already waiting.
From left to right stood four elders, the Four Evils, Daolang, Feixiong, Yue Jiucai, and Liu Mei. The guards included Xiaojiu and Wudao. The maids were Lu'er and Xiaoyue. Everyone had different expressions, yet they were all tense, as if they had a thousand words to say.
"Let's go."
Without time for further words, Ye Changfeng urged me on.
"Let's go..."
A thousand words, yet only these two simple phrases.
I walked down the steps with them, my heart filled with mixed emotions.
Looking back at the entire Mingyue Palace, this feeling intensified.
Finally, I was certain that this journey to the four cities would be a one-way trip, and I would not return to Mingyue Palace. My heart was filled with countless emotions, which turned into mere whispers in my heart.
"Thank you, Heishan."
With a slight smile, I strode down the mountain.
Those who remained on the steps, whether worried and tearful or filled with ambition, were all united in their farewells. Some prayed silently, some waved goodbye, and they all shouted to those descending the mountain.
"Farewell!"
"We await your return!"
"Be safe!"
Everyone in front of or behind me was unusually silent at this moment.
The reluctant farewells sank into our hearts with each departing shout. Though reluctant, we walked down the mountain with their hopes, heading towards the future.
At the foot of the mountain, I saw a vast, endless sea of people stretching as far as the eye could see.
Daolang and Feixiong had also been waiting for a long time. Before the large contingent, four rows of spirited individuals on horseback stood tall; these were the twenty-four Mountain Lords.
Upon seeing me descend, they immediately dismounted and knelt, cupping their hands in unison.
"The twenty-four Mountain Lords pay their respects to the Demon King."
I hadn't expected them to come in person. It seemed they had long anticipated such a grand battle. If that was the case, I would lead them to achieve great things.
"Rise, all of you!"
I said loudly.
"Thank you, Demon King."
A few young generals brought several fine horses for us to ride.
Looking at everyone, I wasted no words and declared loudly,
"The four cities will be ours. March!"
A long horn blast pierced the sky.
"Woo~"
The entire army marched in unison, a mighty force heading towards Dongyue Town.
News of the army's departure quickly reached Liu Shinian, Xue Gucheng, and Yan Wushuang through various informants.
Liu Shinian excitedly whispered to his comrades,
"This crucial moment is about to arrive. Now, it all depends on our performance."
The others nodded excitedly.
They then stealthily ascended the city walls, eliminated the soldiers on duty, and took control of the gates by impersonating them.
Following that, three-person teams pretended to meet in the center of the main street before splitting up to head for the Nanhai City military camps.
Nanhai City had four military camps: the Northern Grand Barracks, the Western Guard Camp, the Southern Iron Blood Academy, and the Eastern Logistics Guard.
The group paid no mind to the number of soldiers in each camp, only knowing to infiltrate the camps and seize any opportunity to set fires and create chaos.
Before long, thick black smoke billowed into the sky throughout Nanhai City, and the streets were in disarray. Suddenly, someone shouted,
"There are rebels!"
"There are rebels!"
Soon, several people galloped out from Nanhai Palace, heading directly for the South Gate to seek help from Dongyue Town.
They were intercepted by our brothers ambushed outside the city, who then impersonated messengers and leisurely headed to Dongyue Town to report the news.
Liu Shinian and his companions, having completed their task, also hastily retreated from Nanhai City and lay in ambush in the forest outside the East Gate.
Meanwhile, our main force, galloping at full speed, reached ten miles outside Dongyue Town to await news.
Before long, a plume of smoke erupted from the nearest hilltop. I knew they had succeeded.
"Change course!"
I immediately ordered everyone.
With a command, the entire contingent rushed to the Gan River, which flowed downstream from Dongyue Town.
From the dense reed beds, more than a dozen transport ships, stolen from Nanhai City and Dongyue Town, suddenly emerged.
I must say, Shiniang did a remarkable job!
"Board the ships!"
With a command, everyone quickly boarded. These ships were different from ordinary ones. On the surface, they appeared to be just ordinary large vessels, but beneath the water, thousands of merfolk were present.
They formed groups of a hundred, tying pre-made towing ropes to themselves. With a loud shout,
"Depart!"
As if equipped with thousands of legs, they sped towards Nanhai City like the wind.
Not long after we departed, the people of Dongyue Town, who had been waiting in vain for the enemy, belatedly realized something was amiss.
They hastily dispatched various units back to their respective territories. As expected, the forces from Xiziguo and Nanhai City set sail back.
However, Shiniang and the merfolk, who had been waiting for them, intercepted them in a vast expanse of water after they left Dongyue Town. They quickly submerged from both sides of the reed beds, swam beneath the ships, and used tools to breach the hulls, causing them to leak.
Then, the merfolk threw grappling hooks onto the ships and forcefully capsized them.
At this moment, panicked shouts erupted from several large ships.
"Ambush! Ambush!"
Then came the sound of ships overturning and people falling into the water, accompanied by screams of terror.
"Ah!!!"
Afterward, small boats emerged from the vast reed beds, and then, as if fishing, large nets were cast into the air, capturing them all.
Before dusk, we arrived outside Nanhai City. The few city guards, seeing the countless large ships approaching, felt their legs turn to jelly, nearly unable to stand.
They rushed to the very top of the city wall and struck the large bell used for transmitting information.
Instantly, deafening bell tolls echoed throughout Nanhai City, unprecedented in their intensity.
The left gate guard, the general who had previously failed in his duty and allowed Wan Guiwang to escape, was still highly regarded by Nanhai City.
As the bells rang, signaling the imminent crisis, he ignored the raging fires in the military camps and quickly led several squadrons towards the South Gate.
The South Gate suddenly opened, and then the left gate contingent, brandishing their sabers and roaring, charged out.
However, they immediately saw the Heishan army waiting outside the city gate and, realizing the unfavorable situation, shouted,
"Retreat into the city! Close the city gates!"
At this moment, his subordinates, our internal spies, quickly stepped forward, bound him with ropes, and dragged him aside.
His eyes widened in disbelief, and he roared in anger,
"You want to betray us? Do you believe I won't report this to the City Lord and have your nine generations exterminated?"
However, no one paid him any mind.
Seeing that no one was paying him any attention, he turned to me and cursed,
"Wan Guiwang! You are ambitious and wicked, and you will die a terrible death! If you dare to set foot in my Nanhai City today! I will surely see your head severed and your body unburied!"
Hearing his curses, I burst into laughter, looking up at the sky.
"Hahaha, I admire you. However, my name is not Wan Guiwang. I am now Wan Yaowang. Enter the city!"
With a wave of my hand, tens of thousands of soldiers surged into Nanhai City like a tempestuous tide.
The streets within the city were deserted and eerily quiet, with only the elderly, weak, and disabled desperately fleeing.
Meanwhile, Liu Shinian and his companions, who had been ambushing outside the East Gate for nearly a day, did not see any forces from Dongyue Town arrive. They began to suspect they might have taken the waterway.
At this moment, a young soldier suddenly said,
"If the Demon King captured Nanhai City, he would surely head for the Nanhai Royal Palace. The palace gate is a bronze door tens of meters high, not easily opened by ordinary people."
Liu Shinian then remembered this fact. To assist Muye, he decisively suggested,
"I know a place where a thousand-year-old log is stored. Let's go get it."
"What about this place?"
Yan Wushuang asked.
"We've waited so long and no one has come. They either fled or took the water route. There's no need to guard it anymore. Once we close the city gates, even ten more teams won't be able to do anything to us."
"Good idea. Let's go quickly then." httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
"Alright, follow me!"
Liu Shinian led the way, guiding them back to Nanhai City and to the old wood shop on the west side of Shili Street.
In the large courtyard behind the old shop stood a thousand-year-old log.
Liu Shinian leaped onto the log and used his sword to pierce through the round wood at the top. Xue Gucheng, understanding, also pierced through the bottom.
Then, Xue Gucheng embraced the log with both hands and threw it forcefully into the sky. As the round wood left his hands, he stamped his foot on the ground.
With a powerful upward thrust of his hands, he propelled the round wood out of the courtyard and onto the main street.
The young general Canxue couldn't help but praise,
"As expected of a hero! Truly formidable."
Yan Wushuang smiled happily and said to him,
"If you have the chance in the future, you can ask your brother Xue to teach you a few moves."
"Then I would be truly honored."
"Let's go quickly."
Liu Shinian, from somewhere, found several wooden sticks and inserted them into the round wood. Seeing him busy, the others stepped forward to help.
Then, the group, carrying the giant log, hurried towards the royal palace.
After the main force entered Nanhai City, I led the army directly to the Nanhai Royal Palace.
The army arrived before the Nanhai Royal Palace, located north of the center. Its surrounding walls were high, and the buildings within were majestic and imposing, yet there were no guards at the gate.
Before this ten-meter-high bronze gate, entering became a major challenge. At this moment, a shout came from behind,
"Make way!"
Liu Shinian, Xue Gucheng, Yan Wushuang, and others were seen carrying a round log tree, about thirteen zhang long and twenty-eight chi wide, from behind.
I immediately shouted,
"Make way for them!"
A clear path was made. Liu Shinian and over a dozen others, carrying the log with all their might, ran forward and rammed it against the large bronze gate.
With a deafous "Dong!" the gate was knocked open, and the two bronze doors slammed against the surrounding walls, making a "clang, clang, clang" sound.
Seeing the palace gate wide open, I led everyone inside and ordered them to search everywhere, ensuring the capture of the Nanhai City Lord.
Then, I took a few people directly to the main palace hall, wanting to see if the Nanhai City Lord's residence could compare to my own Black Mountain's grand hall.
Stepping onto the three flights of stone steps, I entered the Royal City Hall, built with red wood and glazed tiles, located in the east and facing the palace gate.
The silent grand hall, devoid of its usual bustle, was filled with an endless quietude.
I looked carefully and saw a spacious hall capable of accommodating thousands of people. The hall was essentially free of any unnecessary items.
Only in the east was there a platform, neither too large nor too small, resembling the imperial court platform of ancient times.
On that platform sat a gleaming golden throne that looked like a turtle.
I walked forward and examined the throne closely.
The turtle's head faced upwards, its upper body forming the backrest, and its lower body the seat. Its four limbs served as armrests and chair legs.
Although I found it strange, I didn't think much of it and sat on the throne myself. It fit perfectly, exuding an imposing aura, and was indeed much more comfortable than the chair in Black Mountain.
At this moment, several people escorted a rough-looking man from outside into the Royal City Hall. As soon as he entered, I recognized the person being escorted as Zuo Men.
Given that he had let Wan Guiwang escape, a matter of such magnitude, and yet the four cities had not blamed him, it was evident that this person possessed extraordinary qualities.
Instead of imprisoning him, it would be better to persuade him to join us.
With this thought, I intentionally asked him,
"Your City Lord has fled. Why didn't you?"
He snorted, filled with resentment.
"How can I be such a cowardly wretch? If they want to run, let them run. I won't. Kill me."
I hadn't expected him to be so stubborn.
"Kill you?"
I found it somewhat amusing.
"Why kill you? Let him go."
Everyone looked confused, unsure if I was joking or speaking the truth. Zuo Men also looked bewildered.
I laughed heartily and then said,
"I respect you as a man of integrity and loyalty. I will let you go."
Everyone finally understood my intention and unbound him, allowing him to leave.
However, all of this happened too quickly. He hadn't recovered from the shock and stared at me in disbelief after a moment of stunned silence, questioning,
"You're truly letting me go?"
"If Nanhai City were filled with loyal martyrs like you, how could I have so easily obtained it?"
However, he was a stubborn old fool. He straightened his neck and began to act foolishly again.
"Now that Nanhai City has fallen, my duty is fulfilled. I will never be a cowardly deserter to be ridiculed. You either kill me, or you let me commit suicide."
Seeing his backbone, I was quite impressed and asked him,
"Are you willing to join our Black Mountain and become a capable general for me, Wan Yaowang?"
Upon hearing this, his eyes widened in anger, and he retorted furiously,
"Pah! You hypocritical, wicked demon who commits all sorts of evil! You want me to be your subordinate? Dream on!"
The people behind him heard his curses and were angered, delivering a solid punch to his back and reprimanding him sternly,
"Leader of the defeated army, how dare you insult our Demon King so loudly? I think you don't want to live anymore."
It seemed Zuo Men's misunderstanding of the Ghost Clan was still quite deep. It would take time to resolve his prejudice.
I calmly raised my hand and spoke to stop them.
"Enough. Take him away and lock him up."
"Yes."
After Zuo Men was taken away, I looked at Liu Shinian and the others standing in a group and said gratefully,
"For Black Mountain to capture Nanhai City this time, Shinian, Brother Xue, and Sister Yan have made invaluable contributions. The elders have already arranged accommodations for them. Go."
"Yes."
Ye Changfeng and the others had come with us in vain. They hadn't expected everything to be so well-arranged.
He sighed with some disappointment and said helplessly,
"Alas! We came for nothing. I didn't expect you to have everything arranged. We didn't even get to show off our skills."
I looked at him and smiled slightly.
"There will be opportunities. All of you go and capture the remaining forces within Nanhai City. I wish to be quiet for a while."
"Alright."
After everyone had left, I walked down from the throne and gazed at the vast royal hall, a smile appearing on my face.
I never expected that Black Mountain, once so battered, could today conquer Nanhai City. This would become the first stepping stone for Black Mountain's conquest of the four cities.