Northern Mount Yue Royal Court.
Flames flickered quietly in stone basins within the palace. A thin man with unkempt hair sat on the throne of Northern Mount Yue, gently tracing the inscriptions on a stone tablet in his hands.
The King of Northern Mount Yue, Xian Du, did not appear particularly imposing. His name was also a common one among the people of Mount Yue. Yet, if he had maintained his grip on the throne amidst a sea of esteemed families, his methods were undoubtedly extraordinary. Yet, he merely sat in silence and examined the stone tablet in his hands.
The tablet depicted a grand and turbulent scene. It showed a figure adorned in feathers and beast bones standing upon a sacrificial altar. Above the altar, storm clouds churned and a demon loomed in the sky.
Beside him, a high priest clad in beast bones and feathers knelt on the ground. Xian Du stared blankly at the image for a long time before asking, "Still no word from Mount Wu?"
"My king, we have tried eight times, but there has been no response. There is no sign of communication whatsoever." The high priest shook his head silently. He showed little fear. If anything, there was actually a trace of relief as he replied, "My king, perhaps this is for the best... Once the children pass the shaman transition, they will no longer need to ascend the mountain. Year after year, has a single one who went up the mountain ever returned? They have likely all been taken by the masters."
"Now that Mount Wu is silent, perhaps Master Jiao Zhongzi and Master Mu Moli have gone to the Eastern Sea. Does this not make things easier for us?"
Xian Du’s gaunt face was filled with unease. He shook his head heavily and gently placed the stone tablet down. He said quietly, "You fail to see the real threat. If Master Jiao Zhongzi has encountered trouble, then the dog of Eastern Mount Yue’s Li Family, Li Jiman, is watching us closely. The Great Jueting is but a hundred and sixty kilometers from Chan Pass. Two passes and six cities are nothing before a Foundation Establishment cultivator. They can be erased with a flick of a finger."
The high priest nodded submissively, though he thought to himself, If Mount Wu has truly fallen... how many of us could possibly escape? It would be better to surrender to Li Jiman, at least we’d have a chance to survive...
Xian Du was still deep in thought when a Mount Yue warrior rushed into the hall, shouting, "My king! There’s trouble at Chan Pass!"
Jiao Zhongzi really has run into trouble!
Xian Du sprang from his seat as if he had been struck by lightning, gritting his teeth as he asked, "Is it Li Jiman himself? Or a force from the Li Family?"
The warrior hesitated for a moment before replying, "My king! The Li Family has stationed troops at Great Jueting. The surrounding tribes, finding no way to survive, then deceived their way into Chan Pass... The garrison commander, Du Dou, was captured and defected to their side. Now, their forces are advancing northward and have breached the pass!"
"So it’s a rebellion!" Xian Du let out a small breath of relief as he asked, "Which tribe is leading this? Who is their chief? How many troops and cultivators do they have?!"
The Mount Yue warrior bowed and reported, "The rebel king calls himself the Grand Concord of Radiance... Perhaps he belongs to the Grand Concord Tribe, but we do not know their exact numbers. Rumor has it that the Dili Tribe outside the pass is secretly supporting them."
"Grand Concord Tribe? Never heard of it! What nonsense is this?" said Xian Du.
As the ruler of Northern Mount Yue, Xian Du knew every major tribe in the region. He knew their strength, their numbers, and their lineage. He even remembered the names of many of the mid-sized and minor tribes. However, there was no record of a Grand Concord Tribe at all in his memories.
Xian Du immediately furrowed his brows. He wasn’t concerned about a force of a few thousand men. But it would be another matter entirely if the Dili Tribe, which was likely under the control of the Li Family, had received Li Jiman’s silent approval.
That wretch is scheming against me day after day! thought Xian Du.
Neither Xian Du nor Li Jiman were mere figureheads. Northern Mount Yue and Eastern Mount Yue had long been wrestling for power in the shadows. But as vassals, neither dared to openly start a war without explicit orders.
A significant weight had vanished from his heart once Xian Du realized that this was merely a rebellion. At the very least, it meant that nothing had gone wrong with Mount Wu. Otherwise, the invading force would have been the Li Family itself.
Reassured, he simply said, "What’s there to panic about? At most, he has three or four thousand troops and a handful of shamans. What threat could they pose?"
But the Mount Yue warrior before him was drenched in sweat and his voice dropped to a hushed whisper. "The so-called Grand Concord of Radiance claims to have Mount Wu’s command... He is spreading rumors that Your Majesty has lost contact with Mount Wu... Please, my king... please..."
A frisson of alarm ran through Xian Du. It was true that Mount Wu had not sent anyone down in a long time. When he saw the warrior’s hesitant demeanor, he immediately grasped the implication but chose to remain silent.
Mount Wu has been silent for too long... The esteemed families of the realm are growing restless. They are using this as an excuse to probe Mount Wu’s status! thought Xian Du.
Xian Du quickly recognized this as a veiled message from the esteemed families, but he forced himself to remain calm and replied in a deep voice, "It is but a mere insignificant rebellion. Why should we disturb Mount Wu over this? Do you think you or I could bear the consequences if they take offense? I shall quell the uprising myself!"
"I have misspoken, my king!" The Mount Yue warrior, cowed by Xian Du’s reprimand, broke out in a fresh sweat as he repeatedly kowtowed. He then responded, "It’s just that... it is said that this man resembles Jianixi. My king, you must be cautious!"
"I am well aware!" Xian Du already knew his enemy was no ordinary opponent once h heard that they had easily deceived their way into Chan Pass,. Turning to his map, he decided to abandon the towns beyond the pass. His gaze was fixed on Moonlight Valley as he murmured, "Mobilize the troops immediately. I shall personally lead the campaign. March to Moonlight Valley and trap him outside our heartland."
He kicked the warrior aside as he strode forward. The Mount Yue warrior scrambled back to his feet in terror. Xian Du was at the peak of the Embryonic Breathing Realm, and had long suppressed his breakthrough. He was particularly formidable among those of a similar level. That single kick left the warrior winded and trembling.
Donning his armor and grasping his spear, Xian Du swiftly departed from the royal court. His mind raced as he issued his orders in a steady voice, "Order Xian Zhunfu to lead five thousand troops down the eastern path along the lake. Check if we can enter the valley from its side. I shall personally lead seven thousand of my elite forces to Moonlight Valley. If we hold the pass, this threat will be of no consequence!"