bookandnovel Chapter 101 Returning to the Northern Frontier, Making New Contributions
Chapter 101 Returning to the Northern Frontier, Making New Contributions
Chapter 101 Returning to the Northern Frontier, Making New Contributions
When Lu Yuan saw Zhou Xiong giving instructions, he went to the Lu family's carriage, found a spot, and began to doze off.
He's not planning to rest today.
We'll just wait and see if the Succubus Sect will appear.
If they don't come, that's good. But if they dare to come, we'll completely suppress them, and none of them will escape.
The hundred-refined sword in his arms exuded a cold aura, which made Lu Yuan feel at ease.
A moment later, the entire temporary encampment fell silent.
Aside from the crackling sounds coming from the campfire, the only other sounds were the footsteps of the patrolling guards.
Time passed, and no one knew how much time had gone by.
A rustling sound came from all around.
Lu Yuan opened his eyes instantly, but he did not get up or make any other movements.
As his cultivation level improved, his senses became increasingly sharp, and he could hear sounds from hundreds of meters away.
Therefore, we'll wait until the other person gets closer before making a decision.
About half an incense stick's time later, Lu Yuan sensed that these people were approaching.
Then Zhou Xiong's voice rang out.
"Who goes there!"
He drew his sword and roared angrily.
In an instant, everyone in the camp jumped up from the ground and assumed defensive positions.
The gleaming blade was quite dazzling in the firelight.
The succubus's eyes flashed with resentment: "These damned soldiers are really cunning, pretending to be asleep to deceive us. But they outnumber us, so let's finish this quickly!"
As he spoke, he waved his arm, and the elite Succubus Sect soldiers rushed towards the camp in an instant.
Zhou Xiong led a group of men to guard the area around the carriage.
Lu Yuan then took out his python tendon bow.
Behind him were more than a dozen jars of wolf-hair arrows.
Then, you can see him quickly pull his palm.
"Whoosh!"
He single-handedly created a rain of arrows in a short period of time.
Those Succubus Sect disciples who charged head-on were caught off guard and immediately hit by the arrows under such cover.
Lu Shi and An Niang hid in the carriage. Although they looked panicked, they did not make a sound, not wanting to distract Lu Yuan.
The arrows burst forth in a short time, and dozens of Succubus Sect disciples fell to the ground.
However, Lu Yuan couldn't possibly take care of everyone in every direction, and eventually some people rushed into the camp and got into a fight with his personal guards.
He had no choice but to abandon his bow and arrows, draw his long sword, and stand guard by the carriage.
Fighting against the disciples of the Succubus Sect.
Lu Yuan was tall and imposing, wearing heavy armor, and carrying a gold-backed, hundred-refined sword in his palm.
"Bang!"
Just as a Succubus Sect disciple approached, without even needing his sword, Lu Yuan kicked him away with a single kick. The disciple's chest caved in, and blood gushed from his mouth; it seemed there was no way to save him.
Just then, a black figure approached Lu Yuan at an extremely fast speed.
It was Hua Niang, carrying a soft sword in her hand.
Like a venomous snake, it darted behind Lu Yuan.
Just as success seemed imminent, in a flash, as if the other party had eyes in the back of their head, they quickly turned around and swung their long sword.
"when!"
The swords clashed, producing a crisp sound, and under the immense force, the soft sword was swung aside.
Hua Niang gritted her teeth, an expression of disbelief on her face.
No matter what, he was a True Essence Realm expert, and it was a sneak attack, yet Lu Yuan managed to block it.
Is this something that someone in the Refining Realm can do?
A bad feeling crept into her heart.
On the other hand, Lu Yuan, after neutralizing the sneak attack, did not hesitate at all.
He spun around like a top in mid-air, his battle sword gleaming with a sharp light, moving at incredible speed, leaving trails of afterimages.
At this moment, Lu Yuan's internal energy and blood had been mobilized to the extreme, and the spiritual essence of his five internal organs had greatly increased. As the primordial energy flowed, they seemed to become one.
Although he hadn't cultivated true essence, his immense strength was absolutely terrifying.
Hua Niang realized she was being targeted and dared not be negligent.
He held the longsword overhead, pouring his true energy into the blade as if it were free, straightening the soft sword in his hand.
They met Lu Yuan's terrifying longsword head-on.
"Bang!"
The collision of the two caused even Hua Niang, with her True Essence Realm cultivation, to experience a ringing in her eardrums.
My limbs went weak and I almost fell to the ground.
Incredulity flashed in her eyes, then she casually remarked, "Meridian Opening Realm."
But what followed was even more shocking, because even someone with the Meridian Opening ability couldn't possibly suppress him like this.
She possesses true essence, and she hasn't just entered this stage.
Rather, he had achieved minor success in cultivating true essence and had already stabilized his cultivation level.
But under Lu Yuan's strike, he felt as if his dantian was about to be shattered.
His face was pale.
Lu Yuan gave him no chance. He unleashed the Spring and Autumn Blade Technique, sending countless blade shadows flying and cutting countless white marks in the air before converging together and slashing down at Hua Niang once again.
There was no mercy shown.
On the battlefield, there are only enemies and oneself; no one will show mercy just because the opponent is a woman.
"Snap!"
The soft sword was cleaved in two, and the blade landed on the flower maiden's shoulder.
It sparked bursts of sparks.
"Refined Gold Soft Armor!" Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow. The Succubus Sect's equipment was quite good.
However, although the armor prevented the flower maiden from being split in two, the immense force still caused her to cough up blood from the corner of her mouth.
Lu Yuan reacted extremely quickly, before the other party had time to dodge.
He swung the long sword horizontally, slashing at the flower maiden's neck while it grazed her soft armor.
"laugh!"
He severed a head and held it in his hand.
Then he looked around.
The Succubus Sect does indeed have many experts. Although Lu Yuan killed many people at the beginning, among those who survived were quite a few experts at the Meridian Opening and Blood Moving Realms.
At this moment, he actually suppressed his personal guards.
Seeing this, Lu Yuan quickly stepped forward, leaped high into the air, and slashed his blade at a Demon Sect expert in the Meridian Opening Realm, who then killed one of his personal guards.
The moment Lu Yuan's tiger-like eyes flashed with murderous intent, the blade fell down upon him.
The Succubus Sect expert was prepared, but even so, he was still killed by Lu Yuan with a single strike.
Even experts of the same level are like children in his presence.
As for those at a lower level than him, there's even less to say.
Of these succubus sect members, only Hua Niang could withstand a few moves from him, but even that was limited.
Lu Yuan was like a tiger among sheep; he specifically chose the best to kill.
Within moments, several more Succubus Sect experts died under his blade.
The other disciples looked at Lu Yuan with horror in their eyes. He stood in the middle of the field, covered in blood, holding Hua Niang's head in one hand and wielding a knife to slash in the other, like a demon god.
Some of the disciples finally couldn't resist and fled to the rear.
After the first one started, the rest of them also fled for their lives.
In the night sky, after killing two more people, Lu Yuan did not order a pursuit.
After all, the purpose of this mission is to protect the mother.
Moreover, all the experts above the Refining Realm of the Succubus Sect have been killed, almost none of the higher-ups escaped, and even if the remaining disciples stayed, they wouldn't amount to much.
"Zhou Xiong, look at how many of us have been wounded. Take all the brothers who died in battle with you and give them a proper burial when we get back," Lu Yuan said in a hoarse voice.
"Yes, sir!"
After Zhou Xiong responded, he began to take inventory.
Only then did movement come from inside the carriage. Lu Yuan strode up and looked at Madam Lu, who had pushed open the curtain, saying, "Mother, the assassins have been driven away. You should rest well. Tomorrow we'll consider ourselves home."
Looking at the corpse on the ground and smelling the blood in her nostrils, Madam Lu's face turned pale, but she still forced herself to say, "Take care of yourself, Mother is fine."
Yunzhou has been peaceful for many years and is a land rich in resources. Lu Shi had never seen anything like this before, and what had just happened truly terrified her.
However, being able to be with my son makes the minor setbacks seem insignificant.
After leaning back into the carriage, he never came out again.
She was worried that she would affect Lu Yuan.
Just then, Zhou Xiong strode over and whispered in Lu Yuan's ear, "Sir, the count is out. Twenty-three of our men were killed in battle, two were lightly wounded, and none were seriously injured. These succubus sect members are extremely ruthless; they leave almost no survivors."
Anger was evident in his eyes as he spoke.
These days they had spent every day together, and his brothers had not died on the battlefield fighting the Northern Barbarians, but now they had fallen at the hands of these remnants of the sect. How could he not be furious?
Lu Yuan nodded: "We'll set off at dawn, bringing with us the bodies of all our fallen brothers. The Succubus Sect probably won't let this go, but I won't let them off either. One day, we'll wipe out this demonic sect."
No one doubted the authenticity of the murderous intent emanating from his voice.
Zhou Xiong quickly replied, "Yes, sir!"
Then they retreated and began cleaning up the battlefield.
The heads and identity badges of these Succubus Sect members were, of course, to be displayed, as this was a genuine military achievement, especially for Hua Niang, who was in charge of the Succubus Sect's northern frontier.
Now that Lu Yuan has cut off his head, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he has accomplished a great feat.
After watching his men get busy, Lu Yuan didn't go to sleep; he simply sat down by the campfire to rest.
Time quickly moved to the next day.
The heads of all the high-ranking members of the Succubus Sect were tied to warhorses.
The bodies of Lu Yuan's fallen guards were laid horizontally on his horse.
After eating something casually, the group headed towards the Icefield Fortress. Along the way, they encountered many caravans, whose gazes towards Lu Yuan and his companions were filled with a mixture of awe and distance.
The main problem was that there were too many heads on horseback.
A strong, pungent smell of blood filled the air as you approached.
However, some of the teams they encountered were observing Lu Yuan and his group with great interest.
One glance was enough to tell that these people were no ordinary people; they must have been elite troops dispatched to the northern frontier by the nobles.
Everyone was well-equipped.
However, it differs from the armor worn by the imperial court.
His upturned nose and arrogant manner are very unpleasant to look at.
Lu Yuan simply watched these people indifferently, his face expressionless, as they approached the Icefield Fortress.
I found that the city of Seville is much more lively now than it used to be.
Many caravans were entering and leaving the city gate, several times more than before.
Lu Yuan stopped a caravan and asked, "Why are there so many caravans in this Icefield Fortress?"
The caravan leader was a middle-aged man who had been doing business in the northern frontier for many years. He had seen Lu Yuan from afar before, and dared not be negligent, so he immediately said, "My lord, recently, many new forces have emerged beyond the Great Wall, and they are fighting every day."
Moreover, we purchase large quantities of grain and medicinal herbs. We merchants always go wherever there is business, so we came here.
But don't worry, we never bring prohibited items like salt or iron.
Lu Yuan nodded. Since the imperial court was not controlling the outflow of these things, it meant that they were waiting for the final outcome of the buffer zone.
He then asked in a deep voice, "Are there any formidable strongholds near Icefield Fortress?"
"Of course it's Tianwang Village. It's said that they've already gathered 100,000 troops, and even people from the capital are asking them for help," the caravan leader said hastily.
Lu Yuan breathed a sigh of relief, as long as Wu Han was alright.
As for whether there are 100,000 troops now, he doesn't care. After all, people outside don't know the situation, and it's normal for rumors to spread.
The second half of the sentence is even more unbelievable.
Given the character of those nobles in the capital, if they really came, the first thing they would probably do would be to recruit Wu Han, rather than ask him for help.
However, she still said, "Thank you."
Then they continued forward.
After they left.
The caravan leader said to the person next to him, "See this? This is our Icefield Fortress Captain. It is said that in just a few months, he has made it to where he is today in the Northern Frontier."
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he was incredibly famous, and he was only a teenager.
The voice rang out, filled with emotion.
Those around them looked at Lu Yuan and his group's backs with a hint of awe on their faces.
They had heard of the captains of the Icefield Fortress, but this was the first time they had seen them. In the past, they had been somewhat skeptical, but after seeing the human head on horseback today, they had no more doubts.
Lu Yuan and his group continued forward and finally returned to Icefield Fortress in the afternoon.
As they entered the city, the sergeant in charge of guarding the gate stood respectfully to the side with his men from a distance.
As Lu Yuan and his group approached, he immediately bowed and said, "Greetings, Captain."
Lu Yuan nodded and then entered the city.
Hearing the noise outside, Madam Lu couldn't help but peek out and say to An Niang beside her, "I originally thought this city was quite desolate, but I didn't expect it to be so prosperous."
"Madam, these fortified cities have existed since the founding of the dynasty, and their population has been growing every year. It is said that this Ice Plains Fortress has hundreds of thousands of people. Although it cannot compare with the large cities in the central part of the dynasty, it is not desolate either."
"
This world has accumulated a large population over the years because the Dayong Dynasty is relatively stable and there are many cultivators whose lifespans have been greatly increased.
This small border town alone has hundreds of thousands of people.
Some of the larger ones even have a population of one million.
Even so, it's because many people are not recorded. After all, many servants in large families are purchased and are not considered normal people.
If we include them, the population would likely be even greater, far exceeding the current number.
Madam Lu nodded, then looked at An Niang and said, "You seem to have been born in the North, right?"
"Yes, Madam. Although she wasn't in the border city, she was still in the northern frontier. She was sold to Yunzhou. If it weren't for you, we don't know if she would still be alive," Anniang said with emotion.
When she looked at the Lu family, her eyes were filled with gratitude.
Just as the two of them were talking.
The carriage stopped.
Lu Yuan's voice rang out: "Mother, Aunt An, we've arrived."
Both of them looked on with curiosity as they lifted the carriage curtain.
With Lu Yuan's help, he stepped down from the carriage.
Then, a figure caught Lu's attention, and she thought to herself, "What a big girl, and she's so pretty."
What she saw was naturally Zhou Hongling.
As a woman from the south, I appeared much smaller than usual when standing in front of her.
At the same time, Zhou Hongling was also looking at Lu Yuan's mother.
Upon learning that Lu Yuan had returned, she immediately dropped everything and rushed out.
They discovered that Mr. Lu seemed to be much younger than they had imagined.
Just then, Lu Yuan immediately pointed at Zhou Hongling and said, "Mother, this is my superior, the commander of the Three Passes Garrison in our Northern Frontier."
As he finished speaking, Madam Lu was somewhat surprised.
Zhou Hongling, however, was not shy at all. She smiled and looked at Madam Lu and said, "Auntie, you must be tired from your journey. I have already had hot water prepared at the residence. After you take a bath, we will have dinner together."
Madam Lu did not refuse, but said, "Alright, then thank you very much, General Zhou."
Since it was their first meeting, she was unaware of Zhou Hongling's relationship with her son, so she was naturally very polite.
The latter quickly replied, "Auntie, you are my elder, please don't call me General, just call me Hongling. From now on we are neighbors, so please feel free to ask me anything, don't be shy."
After hearing Zhou Hongling say this, Madam Lu had a better understanding of the situation.
His smile widened as he looked at Zhou Hongling and said, "Alright, then we'll listen to Hongling. Yuan'er has come to this northern frontier thanks to your care."
Zhou Hongling was clearly pleased that Lu Shi didn't stand on ceremony with her.
She quickly said, "Auntie, please come inside and rest. I have some things to discuss with A-Yuan."
After speaking, he gestured for the maid to take Madam Lu into the mansion.
"Alright, you all go about your business first. There will be plenty of opportunities to meet in the future, no rush." Madam Lu smiled and followed the maid into the General's Mansion.
After they left.
Zhou Hongling glanced at the severed head on the warhorse and asked, "Did you encounter members of the Succubus Sect on the road?"
"Yes, there was also a True Yuan Realm expert among them, but I've already killed him. None of their higher-ups escaped; their heads are all here," Lu Yuan said calmly.
Zhou Hongling's eyes lit up. She had originally thought that Lu Yuan would bring back the heads of ordinary Succubus Sect elites, since in her memory, Lu Yuan had only entered the Bloodthirsty Sect half a year ago.
Now that he has been able to defeat Zhenyuan, his cultivation level has naturally improved.
Moreover, and most importantly, according to the intelligence she obtained, the deacon of the Succubus Sect in the northern lands was a True Essence Realm expert.
Therefore, a look of joy appeared on his face as he asked, "You killed Hua Niang?"
"I don't know, but he's definitely a master of the True Essence Realm." As Lu Yuan spoke, he pointed to a head on the horse.
When Zhou Hongling looked at it, it was indeed exactly the same as the image of Hua Niang.
He couldn't help but say, "Tsk tsk, you've done another great service this time. I heard that yesterday the Marquis gave a lot of garrison generals and captains a good scolding and ordered them to arrest the high-ranking members of the Succubus Sect in the North within a specified time."
I never expected you to return today with Hua Niang's head.
If this were sent to Yanzhou City, you'd be guaranteed a third-class merit award, plus the fact that you were the first to destroy the Hundred Flowers Garden last time.
Another achievement is that once your cultivation reaches the Qi Refining Realm, you can advance to the next level.
Zhou Hongling couldn't help but marvel at Lu Yuan's prowess.
"Just lucky," Lu Yuan said with a smile.
He was quite happy to hear that he had made a contribution.
Then, Zhou Hongling said, "I will record your battle merits immediately and send these heads to Yanzhou City. I heard that the Marquis has not rested for several days because of the Succubus Sect incident."
After saying that, he turned to his subordinates and began to give instructions.
Lu Yuan also instructed Zhou Xiong to give his fallen brothers a proper burial and to withdraw silver from the inner treasury.
Everyone who followed him to Yunzhou received fifty taels of silver each, the wounded received eighty taels, and the families of those who died in battle received two hundred taels each.
Upon receiving the instructions, Zhou Xiong immediately replied, "Yes, sir!"
Then he withdrew.
After arranging everything, Lu Yuan accompanied Zhou Hongling as they walked into the General's Mansion.
At that very moment, in a rather unremarkable courtyard in the imperial city, Zhang Hong was sitting in the living room drinking tea.
He had been in the capital of Dayong for some time, and there were only a few days left until Zhang Zhe's wedding.
For this reason, he even bought a courtyard house within the imperial city.
I was heartbroken back then.
This simple courtyard house alone cost almost half of the Zhang family's cash.
However, according to the people of the imperial city, this place is full of spiritual energy and is a place where dragon veins converge, which is incomparable to the outside world.
They don't usually use silver for transactions; they only use silver because of Zhang Hong and his group's relationship with the Prince's Mansion.
After living there for a while, Zhang Hong did indeed feel the difference.
Originally, once he entered the Innate Realm, his cultivation progress became very slow, but now he is progressing very quickly.
All of this made him somewhat reluctant to leave.
I heard that the courtyard I bought is just the most ordinary one. Better courtyards are comparable to the blessed lands within sects outside. Some courtyards even have formations set up inside, allowing people to progress by leaps and bounds in their cultivation.
Just as he was reflecting on this, Zhang He walked in from outside: "Brother, the information we've gathered about Lu Yuan has arrived."
After he finished speaking, a complex expression appeared on his face.
Clearly, they had already seen these things beforehand.
Zhang Hong opened his eyes, which had been slightly closed, and said to Zhang He, "Bring it here so I can take a look."
After speaking, he took the item and quickly began to look through it.