Dragon Canon

Riding a black steed far larger than any mundane horse, the ghost-faced rider slowly made his way to the center of Willow Ash Town. A few defiant cultivators tried to get in his way, but he crushed them all into cylindrical pulps. The gruesome deaths struck fear into even the most seasoned rogues, so they stood silently in the streets, not daring to move a muscle.

One by one, the riders began making their way toward the key locations of Willow Ash Town. Each rider exuded a profound aura and seemingly bottomless power, striking fear into the hearts of all who saw them.

Upon arriving at the town center, the ghost-faced rider gave the three large words spelling out “Lie Flat Inn” a glance, then shifted his gaze to the innkeeper standing at the entrance.

The innkeeper’s jowls quivered as he forced out a smile that looked worse than a grimace. He wished he could have slapped himself across the face—why on earth had he come out to gawk at the spectacle? Because of this, he’d been singled out by this malevolent specter who’d appeared out of seemingly nowhere.

Although the innkeeper had never heard of the Heaven Fighting Gang, he had long since recognized that this ghost-faced rider possessed unfathomable cultivation and nearly limitless Dao energy. Among those unlucky souls were some fierce warriors; otherwise, they wouldn’t have dared to step forward and challenge the riders.

Yet, everyone who tried to resist had been silently crushed into a bloody pulp, without even a chance to escape. His methods were so brutal that the innkeeper was terrified out of his wits as a matter of course. Now that the monstrous man was setting his sights on him, he could almost feel himself turning into a pile of flesh the very next moment. His legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed to the ground there and then.

It was only then the innkeeper realized his usual pride—his skill in navigating social situations and adapting his words to suit any audience—was utterly useless in this situation. Right here and now, his cultivation and Dao energy were the only things he could rely on.

The ghost-faced rider stared at him for a moment before saying, “Lee Zhi mentioned you to me.”

“Lee... Lee Zhi?” The innkeeper finally recalled the man. So, this was the patron that penniless wretch had hooked up with?! Why didn’t he say so sooner!

The ghost-faced rider continued, “You have one incense stick to pack all your valuables, gather all your staff, and come with us. Oh, Brother Lee also instructed you to bring all the novels.”

The innkeeper nodded repeatedly. He broke out in cold sweat when he realized that he wasn’t going to die after all.

The ghost-faced rider added, “One last thing. Don’t leave the inn for the time being.”

With that, he turned and headed southwest. In the next instant, the entire Willow Ash Town was transformed—the Pure Realm of Humanity had descended upon the world!

Countless wisps of dark green qi rose into the air, and many people instantly collapsed to the ground, screaming and writhing in agony. They were constantly emitting black smoke as if they had been doused with boiling oil, and green qi burst forth from their bodies every so often. The green qi eventually turned into white smoke amidst the screams.

The masked riders moved silently through Willow Ash Town, stabbing everyone who was lying on the ground and emitting green qi to death. Some of them tried to struggle in their final moments; their cloaks falling away and revealing their true forms: Shamans.

The screams were particularly numerous in the western district. Several Shamans boasting deep and potent auras rose into the air, roaring with pain and fury. They unleashed their terrifying late-stage Dao Foundation stage cultivation without reservation, demonstrating their might to the ghost-faced rider.

These Shaman elites, though few in number, were more than enough to rule Willow Ash Town with an iron fist. Their simultaneous appearance sent shockwaves through the town and struck fear into the hearts of countless residents. This was the true might of the Shamans of Willow Ash Town and the very foundation of their dominance!

However, the shadow of a pagoda flashed across the sky before they could act. At the same time, a thin, bright beam of light wrapped around the bodies of the Shaman elites before vanishing just as quickly.

The Shaman elites froze instantly. In that split second, the ghost-faced rider reached them while a green sprout emerged from the top of his head.

The ghost-faced rider pointed his spear skyward, and the few Shaman elites all screamed at the same time. The next moment, they were all crushed into cylindrical pulps before the eyes of the entire town!

The whole town fell deathly silent.

No one knew who was the first cultivator to drop their weapon, but more and more people started placing their weapons—even their mystic artifacts—on the ground, allowing the riders of the Heaven Fighting Gang to collect them.

Although a few cultivators with profound cultivation realized that the Shaman elites had actually died to the pagoda and the saber light, this only deepened their despair. The ghost-faced rider had already seemed invincible, and it turned out that there were two more like him.

Next, the Heaven Fighting Gang riders systematically slaughtered every Shaman in town. When all was said and done, the ghost-faced rider soared into the sky and declared in a deep voice, “Listen up, all of you! You all belong to me now! Those who do not wish to die have one ke to gather their belongings; we will be departing in one ke.”

After a brief voice, the ghost-faced rider raised his voice again, “Let me make this clear: you have all been sold to the upper immortals of the realm northwest from here! Once we arrive, what the upper immortals decide to do to you depends entirely on your actions! Right now, you only have two choices: you either go live in that realm, or die here!”

The townspeople exchanged glances with each other, feeling that something was amiss, yet couldn’t quite put a finger on it. He wants us to go to the rumored realm? Isn’t that a good thing for us?

With the exception of a handful of wealthy caravan orders and shopkeepers, a look of delight was gradually spreading across everyone’s faces.

The ghost-faced rider continued, “Even thieves have their code of honor. We of the Heaven Fighting Gang are only interested in taking you to the realm and collecting the fee for your heads. Your valuables and personal belongings remain yours; we will not take a single coin.”

At that, all wealthy residents abandoned all thoughts of resistance.

The Heaven Fighting Gang bandits dismounted and began piling firewood throughout the town, dousing it with flammable oil. They also scattered a strange black powder on rooftops and inside the buildings. Another group of bandits left to search the dwellings of the Shamans, seizing all their belongings and loading them onto carts.

One ke later, batches of humans, carrying bundles and driving carts, wagons, and carriages, began streaming out of Willow Ash Town one after another. Only a handful of them attempted to resist or flee.

But whether they were skilled at hiding or adept at fleeing, none could withstand even a single blow from the surrounding riders. Moreover, each rider’s techniques were unique; not a single one was the same. Some even wielded immortal swords, each possessing its own mystical properties. The riders also struck with extreme ruthlessness, leaving no survivors once they attacked. After dozens were killed in this manner, no one dared to resist anymore.

Throughout all this, the gates of Xu Clan’s residences remained tightly shut. Even the watchtower stood empty with not a single soul in sight.

Two hours later, the last group of humans left Willow Ash Town and set out on the road leading to the northwestern realm. Soon after, flames erupted throughout Willow Ash Town. The city that had once housed a hundred thousand people was engulfed in a sea of fire in the blink of an eye.

Out of all the buildings in Willow Ash Town, the best-preserved one was none other than Lie Flat Inn. Thus, it burned the most fiercely, with flames towering several zhang higher than the surrounding structures. Even from a distance, one could tell it was Lie Flat Inn that was ablaze.

Walking among the group, the innkeeper glanced back every few steps with reluctant eyes and quivering jowls. Fortunately, the inn’s valuables were being carried by his waiters and his cooks right now, and they were able to bring most of their possessions despite the stringent timeline. The innkeeper himself was carrying a massive, square backpack that looked incredibly heavy.

He refused to let anyone help him carry it, though. He wouldn’t even let them touch it. It was because the backpack was packed to the brim with the latest novels, weighing over a hundred catties!

The “Matchless Sword and Cauldron”, Lee Zhi, had specifically requested for these novels. The fact that the ghost-faced rider had come personally just to deliver this single message spoke volumes about Immortal Lee’s standing in his eyes.

The innkeeper’s gut told him that whether he could reopen the Lie Flat Inn within the realm might very well hinge on these novels.

Meanwhile, Wei Yuan was riding at the rear end of the procession. Looking at the group of eighty thousand-odd people marching toward the north, a deep sense of satisfaction filled his heart.

Suddenly, Bao Yun’s voice rang in his ears, “You’re really pulling out all the stops these days, Junior Brother!”

Wei Yuan turned his head and saw Bao Yun’s delicate face vaguely appearing in the space beside him, wearing an ambiguous smile. Not only that, she was less than a chi away from him! Such close proximity instantly put immense pressure on Wei Yuan.

Bao Yun’s stunningly beautiful face vanished along with her aura the next second. Try as he might, even he could not sense her presence. This made him feel even more pressured.

Wei Yuan tried calling out, “Senior Sister?”

“I’m not here.”

Wei Yuan scratched his head and asked cautiously, “Senior Sister... Are you angry?”

“Of course not!”

She’s definitely angry. Although Wei Yuan didn’t know why she was angry, he still said, “I was wrong. I will correct it next time.”

Bao Yun snorted and asked, “Is that so? Then tell me, what did you do wrong?”

“I don’t know yet, but I’m sure I made a mistake somewhere.”

“You’re such a smooth talker! I’m definitely not going to tell you!”

Wei Yuan replied, “Then I’ll ask you again when you’ve calmed down.”

“I’m not going to calm down!”

Wei Yuan breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this; the response meant that he had placated her for the most part. As for the remaining fraction, he would well save it for another time.

None of his responses had appeared in the history books; he had learned it all from the novels.

As the sages have said, “Read ten thousand volumes of books and travel ten thousand miles.” Since there were only a few hundred classical texts, the so-called “ten thousand volumes of books” must consist largely of miscellaneous works, including novels.

As expected, the sages do not deceive.[1]

Of course, Wei Yuan dared only entertain such thoughts in his head. If Zhang Sheng were to find out, he would surely face a severe reprimand. Wei Yuan had even anticipated the reason for the reprimand on Zhang Sheng’s behalf: “Misinterpreting the words of the sages.”

For some reason, ever since arriving in the western regions, Wei Yuan felt as if he was drawing ever closer to being purged. In his irritation, he began feeling the urge to pull out the branch currently planted in his Dao Foundation. At this moment, Wei Yuan did not yet know that all immortal objects possessed a spirit, and all things with a spirit had a temper.

Two days later, a detachment of Western Jin border troops halted outside Willow Ash Town.

The vanguard officer rode up to the central command carriage and reported, “Lord Yuan, something seems amiss up ahead.”

The carriage door opened, and out stepped a scholar with a refined, dignified countenance and a short beard. He appeared to be in his early thirties. He strode forward, covering several zhang with each step and reaching the outskirts of Willow Ash Town in the blink of an eye.

Looking at the once-thriving town before him—now reduced to a patch of scorched earth with only a few charred wooden pillars standing—Yuan Qingyan’s face turned ashen with anger. Hands trembling a little, he growled, “A town of one hundred thousand people, burned to the ground by a single blaze—quite the grand gesture to intimidate me!”

Only the few large estates in the north remained untouched by the flames. They stood out starkly against the ruins.

“Who resides there?” Yuan Qingyan asked.

“That is the residence of the Xu Clan of Ningxi, Your Lordship.”

Yuan Qingyan glanced at the ruins again before saying, “The houses are burned, yet there are few bodies. Embers still smolder in some places as well; this fire cannot be more than three days old. There is no way tens of thousands of people moving in tandem can cover much ground either. Dispatch scouts in all directions and extend the search to eight hundred li. I must know who is so bold as to dare plunder the people under my jurisdiction!”

The deputy general of the army then suggested, “Would you like to rest at the Xu residence tonight, Your Lordship?”

Yuan Qingyan responded, “No. Set up camp here. I will sleep in my carriage tonight.”

1. This idiom is actually, “The ancients do not deceive,” or something like that. ☜