Chapter 137: Chapter 136: Ten Outstanding Talents of the Demon Sect_1
Under the leadership of Qiu Shi Hai, this group of Sect Disciples, along with his hundred-man team, set off towards the Fire Country battlefield.
Currently, most of Fire Country was engulfed in the flames of war.
Apart from the three prefectures near Chiyu Mountain Manor, the prefectures in the eastern part of Fire Country had either been captured by Earth Country or had descended into the chaos of conflict.
The place Ling Chen and his group were heading to was called Shaochuan County. Although it was within the war zone, it was not where the fighting was most intense.
Bringing Ling Chen and this batch of Sect Disciples there was a carefully considered decision by the upper echelons of the Sect Alliance. After all, none of them had ever been on a battlefield. They would first be tempered in Shaochuan County. If they could withstand it, it would not be too late to send them to more brutal regions.
「Shaochuan County, Fire Country military camp.」
In the distance, rows of white tents came into view, arranged with meticulous order. After a journey of a day and a half, Ling Chen and his companions finally arrived.
Shouts, heavy with murderous intent, continuously echoed from the military camp.
Women were not permitted within the military camp, so Ling Chen and the others merely observed the conditions inside from the perimeter.
Their own encampment was a short distance away, a place specifically designated for Sect Disciples and individuals from the Martial World.
The military camp had its regulations, and the Martial World had its customs. Naturally, the two could not be intermingled.
Peering through the fence, Ling Chen saw soldiers clad in armor. They exuded an eagle’s sharpness and a tiger’s might, their movements agile as they practiced fundamental boxing and footwork.
Within the military camp, specialized martial arts instructors taught Martial Arts. Even if these soldiers couldn’t cultivate to a high realm, practicing some External Kung Fu could still enhance their combat capabilities.
「About the time it takes to finish a cup of tea, everyone arrived at another campsite.」
The atmosphere here was noticeably more relaxed. Martial World practitioners in various extravagant outfits mingled, their auras exuding different intensities of Qi.
Soon, a black-robed elder approached them.
Qiu Shi Hai personally escorted the group and then cupped his fists towards the black-robed elder, saying with a smile, "Elder Xu, I’ve brought the people to you. The rest is now in your hands."
"You’ve worked hard, General Qiu."
The black-robed elder also cupped his fists in return. The fluctuations of power emanating from him had already reached the Grand Master level. However, the other party was the Grand Marshal of Fire Country; in terms of status, the two were roughly equal.
"Elder Xu, there’s no need for such courtesy. We are all fighting for the people of Fire Country. In the future, we will need to cooperate fully."
Qiu Shi Hai’s expression was solemn. Among the Five Kingdoms, the major sects of the Martial World held the true power. Earth Country was, after all, merely a tool for the Demonic Sect’s ambition to unify the Five Kingdoms. To resist the formidable Demonic Sect, they had to rely on the major sects; the secular armies alone could not achieve this.
After saying this, Qiu Shi Hai, along with his retinue, turned and departed.
"Greetings, Elder Xu."
Once Qiu Shi Hai had left, Ling Chen and his group bowed to Elder Xu.
Elder Xu wore a Purple Robe adorned with a red feather emblem—the symbol of Chiyu Mountain Manor.
Elder Xu nodded, his expression then turning grave. "Since you have chosen to come here, I trust you are mentally prepared. I will not waste words."
"This place is the frontline in the war against the Demonic Sect. It is a place of Life and Death, not the sparring stages you are accustomed to for your competitions. The slightest carelessness will mean your death here, with no second chances."
The stern voice drifted through the air, causing many of the young disciples’ faces to tighten.
"Your opponents are the young experts of the Demonic Sect, and there is no shortage of geniuses among them. The most prominent are the Ten Outstanding Talents of the Demon Sect. If you encounter any one of these ten, it is best you run as far as possible—unless you believe you possess the strength of the top five on the Heavenly List."
Hearing this, Ling Chen was slightly startled. He had heard of the Ten Outstanding Talents of the Demon Sect before but had not expected their strength to be so terrifying. Only those with the power of the Heavenly List’s top five could contend with them? If he were to encounter them now, Ling Chen estimated his chances of escaping alive would be less than ten percent.
Those ranked highest among the Ten Outstanding Talents of the Demon Sect were said to be even more formidable. Only the Four Outstanding Talents, renowned throughout the Martial World, could rival them.
This was a level far beyond Ling Chen’s current reach.
"As for the older generation members of the Demonic Sect, according to Jianghu conventions, they should not attack you. However, it is not out of the question that they might disregard these conventions. Those old demons have done so in the past."
Generally, everyone abided by Jianghu conventions. But within the Demonic Sect, there were many who acted unscrupulously and without reason, treating Jianghu conventions as worthless, or even acting in direct opposition to them.
"Therefore, you must be exceptionally cautious. However, as long as you don’t provoke those demons, it’s unlikely they would go out of their way to bother with minor figures like yourselves."
Then, Elder Xu pointed to a nearby tent. "In that tent over there, there are missions of varying difficulty. You can accept missions according to your capabilities. However, all missions must be undertaken as a team, with someone holding a Command Waist Card acting as team leader and directing the squad’s actions."
"Upon mission completion, each team member will receive corresponding battle merits. During this process, any enemies you defeat on your own will count towards your individual merits. If you have any questions about the specific rules, you can come and ask me."
"Alright, that is all I have to say. Empty tents have been prepared for you. Rest well tonight, and you can start accepting missions tomorrow."
With these words, Elder Xu waved his hand. Several Deacon Disciples from Chiyu Mountain Manor stepped forward and began guiding the disciples from the various major sects to different tents.
Ling Chen’s tent was next to Xiao Muyu’s. After they parted ways, he entered his own tent, intending to tidy up, change, and rest.
Just then, the tent flap was lifted, and a graceful figure stepped inside.
Ling Chen was startled. He looked closely and saw it was none other than Xiao Muyu.
"Why are you here? It’s so late, aren’t you resting?" Ling Chen was somewhat surprised. Why would Xiao Muyu come to his tent at this hour?
"It’s too dark... I... I’m not used to sleeping like this," Xiao Muyu stammered.
"The conditions here are rather poor, but you’ll get used to them. Since you can’t sleep, have a seat. Perhaps you’ll feel tired after a while and be able to sleep." Ling Chen found it somewhat amusing. Women are women, after all. Their strength might increase, but their courage doesn’t necessarily keep pace.
"Ling Chen, can I... sleep here tonight?" Xiao Muyu’s face flushed slightly as she asked, a little embarrassed.
"Huh?"
Ling Chen was taken aback, then let out a dry chuckle. "That might not be appropriate."
Hearing this, Xiao Muyu glared at Ling Chen. "Ling Chen, are we friends or not? You won’t even help me with such a small thing?"
"It’s not that I can’t help, it’s just... Alright, you can sleep on the bed. I’ll stay up."
Ling Chen had initially been concerned about the propriety between men and women. However, since Xiao Muyu herself didn’t seem to mind, it made little sense for him, a man, to make a fuss.
For him, sleeping on a bed or not hardly mattered. He could rest just as well by cultivating in a meditative posture for the night.
"Alright then, thank you for taking me in." Xiao Muyu put down her bedding, then began to undress, leaving herself in only a thin layer of undergarments. Large expanses of her beautiful, snow-white skin were exposed to the air.
Xiao Muyu’s ample, perky bosom could not be fully contained by her undergarments, revealing a deep cleavage that seemed to invite one to lose themselves within.
Her snow-white skin, like suet jade, looked so delicate it seemed it would break at a touch. It made one want to pinch it, as if water could be squeezed out.
Glimpsing this, Ling Chen felt his face flush.
"Ling Chen, what’s wrong? Is the tent too stuffy for you?" Xiao Muyu asked with concern.
Dark lines appeared on Ling Chen’s forehead. He could only force out, "It’s nothing, just a small mishap during cultivation. I’ll be fine in a moment."
Ling Chen couldn’t help but grumble inwardly, Seriously? Dressed like that, how could I not feel hot?
"You should rest early. We have missions first thing tomorrow morning."
"Mm, you take it easy then. Don’t suffer a cultivation deviation." Xiao Muyu nodded, then pulled the covers over herself, concealing her exposed body, and drifted off to sleep.
Seeing Xiao Muyu asleep, Ling Chen managed to calm his amorous thoughts. He circulated his Lingtian True Qi and slowly began the Zhou Tian circulation...