Free Web NovelChapter 178: Chapter 178: Making a Move
"You wish to purchase a batch of Five Obstacles Pills, Brother?"
Bai Mo’s expression changed.
Qi Yang nodded and said frankly, "The day I saw you use those Five Obstacles Pills, the thought had already crossed my mind."
"I just haven’t had a good opportunity to bring it up."
Unlike Zhao Jingyu and Wan Shenxiu, this fellow disciple was purchasing the Five Obstacles Pills for his entire team.
The implications of that were far greater.
"May I ask what you plan to use the Five Obstacles Pills for, Brother Qi?"
’That sounds like more than just for self-defense...’
Bai Mo asked softly, sitting with him at the edge of the platform.
Qi Yang smiled.
"You probably don’t know, Brother, but this time next year, the sect is holding an assessment."
"Outer disciples will be sent into the Jade Plate Secret Realm. Killing and fighting will be permitted as they contend with heaven, earth, and their fellow man to prove their path."
As he spoke, a trace of yearning appeared in his eyes.
"It’s a chance for the sect elders to choose their Closed-door Disciples."
Bai Mo breathed a sigh of relief.
"So, you plan to use them then, Brother?"
"No." Qi Yang shook his head, then suddenly realized something.
"Wait! You’re not excited about the sect assessment? It’s a chance to reach the heavens in a single bound, a true shortcut on the path to the Dao!"
Bai Mo’s expression was placid.
"All the senior brothers are like wolves and tigers. I can only imagine how terrifying that grand event will be."
"I doubt I’d have much of a chance."
Disciples who had been cultivating in the sect for many years had accumulated immense power. They would even dare to challenge a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.
And that was not even mentioning people like Brother Mo.
An ordinary participant would probably be eliminated the moment they showed their face.
Qi Yang rubbed his nose.
"That’s true enough. That’s why we want to take on a few thorny, high-reward missions from outside the sect."
"And for that, we’ll need your Five Obstacles Pills to help us out. After all, Spirit-Breaking Smoke is too expensive."
He leaned halfway over the edge, looking down the mountain as a hot wind blew past.
"These missions are deadly. You have to walk on thin ice the whole time. It’s essential to have something to protect yourself..."
On Moyun Peak, life was a peaceful routine of cultivation, calm and untroubled.
But down below in the Fire Cave Dynasty, war raged like a wildfire.
Seven days later, the Old Duke abruptly addressed the imperial court, declaring his willingness to personally lead the army and crush the main rebel force.
The ministers all voiced their support. Some even signed military pledges, vowing to eliminate all remaining rebel stragglers within three months of pushing back the enemy.
Faced with such heartfelt sincerity from his generals, even the Emperor found it difficult to refuse.
And so, the war erupted in full.
Aside from a few contingents, the rebel army suffered one defeat after another.
The war eventually spread to the foot of Moyun Peak.
Before dawn, the group could hear the clash of steel.
Moving to the edge, they saw a disorganized band of rebels scattering below, fleeing for their lives.
In pursuit was the royal army, clad in black armor.
The leader’s face was indistinct, but he was a burly man, and his face seemed to be covered by a thick beard.
When he reached the base of Moyun Peak, he looked at the wailing, fleeing rebels, and a look of disdain flashed across his face.
The burly man raised a fist and pulled on his reins. The adjutant at his side immediately shouted out.
"Halt!"
Such was their discipline that the black-armored soldiers stopped in their tracks, coldly watching the exhausted deserters.
The burly commander raised his head, glanced toward the summit of Moyun Peak, and only then gave an order to his adjutant:
"Just a bunch of worthless rabble, not worth our time. Don’t defile this beautiful scenery."
"Withdraw!"
The hundred-odd men retreated as swiftly as they had come, vanishing in a matter of moments.
The deserters, though bewildered, had at least been spared.
Heedless of anything else, they collapsed to the ground, panting heavily.
One man took out a waterskin, but before he could even tip it to his lips, a companion snatched it away.
The second man frantically raised the waterskin, only to find not a single drop came out.
"They’re showing us that much respect?"
Zhao Jingyu asked in surprise.
"I thought we were going to have to go down and bury the bodies. Who knew if the royal army would even bother cleaning up the battlefield..."
Bai Mo turned to look at Mo Tianshu, who was slowly rising to his feet.
"Brother?"
Mo Tianshu took a soft breath. The aura around him surged for a moment before receding.
"It’s time to act."
Bai Mo thought for a moment.
"Where to? The rebels or the royal court?"
Mo Tianshu said coolly,
"The royal court."
"The royal generals will deal with the rebels. What the Douchen Sect and we want is the mandate of unified rule. Without that, the rebels are nothing."
Hearing this, the others roused themselves and prepared for action.
The situation was now clear. For the various powers that had revealed themselves, the only viable target was the royal court; there were no other options.
Thus, a difficult struggle awaited them.
The descent of several Cultivators with extraordinary bearing naturally startled the men below.
They stared at Bai Mo and his companions in terror, only breathing a sigh of relief when they saw the group paid them no mind.
Only after Bai Mo’s group had walked some distance away did they hear the deserters shouting from behind.
"Brothers, don’t slack off! We’ve escaped with our lives, which means it’s the perfect time to return to the front!"
"Several of our generals are already attacking near the royal court! We need to join them! The golden age where everyone can cultivate is at hand..."
The few rebel contingents backed by other powers still had the ability to counterattack.
If it weren’t for them, the rebels would have been completely routed long ago, and the entire south would have been lost.
Zhao Jingyu tilted his head and asked Bai Mo,
"Brother, you were a Loose Cultivator. What do you think of this lot of rebels?"
"They may be a sorry sight, but they still have a lot of popular support in the south."
Bai Mo gave a noncommittal answer:
"I used to make a living in Immortal Arrival City. It’s a resource-rich area near the Celestial Barrier Mountains."
"Even in a place like that, life is hard for a Loose Cultivator. In a resource-poor land like the Fire Cave Dynasty..."
He trailed off, but the others understood his meaning.
The Fire Cave Dynasty has Red Sand Lacquer-stone, which can be exchanged for cultivation resources, but it’s only enough to support a small number of Cultivators.
At best, it was on par with a large Immortal City.
So what if the rebels actually succeed? Cultivation resources are products of heaven and earth; they can’t be created from nothing.
"This was once a prosperous land. But ’a man’s heart is never satisfied, just like a snake trying to swallow an elephant.’ They were simply used by those with ulterior motives,"
Wan Shenxiu commented.
"If they truly had the heart to seek the Dao, they should have just left. The world outside is vast, so why was it necessary to turn everything upside down here?"
"They’re willing to risk their lives for this, but they don’t even have the courage to venture out into the world?"
"..."
As they neared the royal court, the number of hidden auras increased.
But Bai Mo’s group could sense them all, and their presence felt deliberate.
"They’re the local Foundation Establishment Cultivators,"
Mo Tianshu said, his expression placid.
"As long as we don’t go too far, they’ll leave us alone."
Zhao Jingyu’s eyes widened.
"We’re about to storm the royal palace and replace the Emperor, and they *won’t interfere*?"
Bai Mo coughed and quickly tugged on his sleeve.
Wan Shenxiu explained, "If they could justify it on righteous grounds, they probably would have attacked us already."
The group passed by wave after wave of soldiers, all of whom acted as if they didn’t see them.
Within a few days, a city filled with tall towers and grand pavilions appeared on the horizon.
In front of the city were encampments and soldiers, with defenses of chevaux de frise and heavy crossbows.
The Old Duke, clad in heavy armor, sat imposingly at the front.
The moment he saw Bai Mo, he took a couple of deep breaths, beads of sweat on his forehead, and called out in a loud, clear voice,
"Immortal Elder from the Upper Sect, have you come to save my Fire Cave Dynasty?"
Bai Mo only said softly, "How was the Pill I gave you, Your Grace?"
The Old Duke sighed.
"A treasured Pill indeed."
"Please, proceed."
The chevaux de frise and heavy crossbows were moved aside, allowing the group to proceed.
"The Fire Cave Dynasty still has its loyal subjects and righteous men."
"This is why Eldest Brother instructed me to handle these affairs with care, to ensure that this lineage continues,"
Mo Tianshu remarked.
