Chapter 679: Chapter 519: Dayao Mountain on the Southern Border
The Land of Bashu was crisscrossed by steep mountains, and with Wuchang Yue clearing the way, Gu Changsheng’s party indeed found the terrain in the Land of Bashu unobstructed!
Thus, the evildoer disguised as a wet nurse could be said to have seen returns for his efforts!
The Central Military Tent now housed a six or seven-year-old girl, and the Dark Night Army could not help but cast side glances at her. But since their leader said nothing, neither did they ask anything!
Half a month and some had passed when Dayao Mountain was still far in the distance!
Past Dayao Mountain lay the Southern Borderlands!
At this time, Gu Changsheng and a few others were in the Central Military Tent, discussing their deployment.
“The Southern Border has many mountains and great swamps, each step a perilous one, and the Imperial City of the Southern Border is atop the Great Swamp Mountain! The Great Swamp Mountain is located deep within the Southern Border! Gu Changsheng, if you want to rescue your son, you must reach Great Swamp Mountain!” Wuchang Yue, still clad in a Small Witch Robe, spoke indifferently from the side.
Gu Changsheng looked at the Geomancy Map before him, his brows deeply furrowed.
In past years, during the internal strife of the Southern Border, Zhou Mu had visited. Even with an army of a million, they failed to penetrate deeply into the Southern Border!
This Geomancy Map ended abruptly at the outskirts of the Southern Border, Great Swamp Mountain unmarked!
“Even with thousands of difficulties and ten thousand obstacles, I will reach Great Swamp Mountain!” Gu Changsheng pointed at the Geomancy Map, and spoke in a deep voice, “Here, this land of thousands of fertile miles, is it the stronghold of the Huaheng Clan?”
Upon hearing this, Zhou Mu nodded, “That’s right, Red Sun Valley is surrounded by mountains with fertile plains in the middle. It is indeed the stronghold of the Huaheng Clan. Ten years ago, I utilized the chaos within the Huaheng to reach the Southern Border.”
Gu Changsheng stroked his chin, lost in thought as he studied the Geomancy Map, “This Red Sun Valley is truly a blessed location. With the advantages of timing and geographical benefits, along with fertile plains for supply, it’s no wonder the Huaheng Clan has managed to hold off the Xiangka Clan for so many years!”
Wuchang Yue, upon hearing this, lifted her small head and spoke with a date in mouth, “They not only have the advantage of timing and location but they are also the just army! The Huaheng Clan and Xiangka Clan were originally household servants of the Phoenix Clan. The Xiangka Clan resides on Great Swamp Mountain. Twenty years ago, they seized power. The Huaheng Clan, unwilling to submit, retreated to Red Sun Valley, using it as a base to uphold the reputation of restoring the Phoenix Clan, recruiting former members, which enables them to withstand the Xiangka Clan for so long without being annihilated.”
“Oh?” Gu Changsheng raised his eyebrow upon hearing this, “So, the Huaheng Clan is allied with our state?”
“Humph! Don’t be too pleased with yourself!” Wuchang Yue rolled her eyes, scoffing, “The Phoenix Clan has disappeared from the Southern Border for over twenty years. Whether the Huaheng Clan truly remains loyal, or if they’re merely using this righteous name, that’s still debatable!”
Upon hearing this, Gu Changsheng raised his eyebrow again.
Wuchang Yue had a point. With time and changed circumstances, although the Huaheng Clan was once a servant, now having their own authority, how much loyalty they retained was indeed uncertain.
“Since they’ve been using the Phoenix Clan’s name for over twenty years, regardless of how much loyalty remains, I need to reclaim some dues back!” Gu Changsheng murmured thoughtfully, supporting his chin.
Red Sun Valley lay on the inevitable route toward Great Swamp Mountain, and detouring was too difficult.
So, they would eventually encounter each other!
“What do you mean?” Zhou Mu asked, curling his lips.
“They’ve been wearing our hat and acting as the local tyrants for so many years. Now that the rightful owner is here, even if they don’t assist us, they wouldn’t dare to obstruct, right?” Gu Changsheng spoke nonchalantly, a shadow passing fleetingly through his eyes, “If they do not assist both sides, considering they’ve flown our banner and kept the Phoenix Clan’s name alive in the Southern Borderlands, I could leave their Red Sun Valley intact! But if they dare to side with the Xiangka Clan, then don’t blame me for not respecting the past lord-servant relationship and annihilate them too!”
As he said this, Gu Changsheng stood up from his seat, clapping his hands on the Geomancy Map, and addressed the commanders of the Dark Night Army standing below in a grave voice, “After passing Dayao Mountain lies the territory of the Southern Border. Gentlemen, are you ready to battle with me in the Southern Border?”
“We swear to follow our leader to the death!”
Yhan Ting, Diao Chan, and others knelt on one knee and solemnly replied.
Gu Changsheng nodded and traced a line with his slender finger past Dayan Mountain, his eyes flaring fiercely, “After advancing into the Southern Border, the Dark Night and I, will cross mountains as they come and rivers as they appear. For cities en route, if they offer no resistance, they will not be harmed. But if any dare to resist…
At this point, Gu Changsheng narrowed his phoenix eyes, his aura of murder intensifying, “If we encounter any resistance, the Dark Night is to follow orders: if there is resistance, show no mercy, wipe them clean! Participants in resistance, regardless of gender, spare none!”
“As ordered!” The men knelt and bowed their heads, responding in a heavy voice.
“Issue the command, the Dark Night will regroup here for three days, and after three days, march on Dayao Mountain!” Gu Changsheng waved his hand to the men, his voice resonant.
Three days later, in the Southern Borderlands, she, Gu Changsheng, arrived!
She had raised the Dark Night Army for a thousand days, and now, she would use the lands of the Southern Borderlands to sharpen this blade!
“Gu Changsheng, are you so confident?” Wuchang Yue frowned slightly as she looked at the arrogant woman before her, her eyes filled with disapproval. “You really underestimate the Southern Borderlands. Just like my Land of Bashu, it has been governed here for thousands of years. It’s not that easy to break through!”
Upon hearing this, Gu Changsheng leaned back into Zhou Mu’s arms, casually crossing her legs and lifting her hand to rub her forehead as she spoke with vigor, “Indeed, governed for thousands of years, but hasn’t it already been taken over by the Xiangka Clan? Yueyue, there’s nothing absolute in this world. Even the most stable regime can fall apart someday!”
“Their greatest achievement in this life is taking over the ruling power of the Phoenix Clan. Yueyue, do you know what their biggest blunder was?”
Wuchang Yue, upon hearing this, hesitantly shook her head.
Gu Changsheng, finding a comfortable position on Zhou Mu, grinned and said coldly, “Their biggest blunder was bringing me to the Southern Borderlands! I was living a comfortable and easy life in Liuzhou City, but they, not knowing whether they were dead or alive, bumped into me and even kidnapped my little bun!”
Gu Changsheng looked up at the tent ceiling and spoke as if clouds were parting on a calm day, “From the moment I, Gu Changsheng, stepped onto the path heading south, the Xiangka Clan was doomed to extinction! The lands of the Southern Borderlands were also destined, because of my arrival, never to return to their former tranquility!”
It was not that Gu Changsheng was heartless; it was that they had been unjust!
The path of self-destruction was chosen by them; she couldn’t be blamed!
For her son, she would do anything! Even if it meant that the people of the Southern Borderlands would suffer and the place would turn into Fiery Hell!
“Just with your 800 troops? Even if they are well-trained, they can hardly withstand the million-strong army of the Southern Borderlands! You won’t even let me mobilize people to join forces with you!” Wuchang Yue shook her head, her face full of disapproval.
Gu Changsheng heard her and smiled, her eyebrows slightly raised, and spoke with vigor, “Yueyue, in the face of absolute military power, no matter how many troops you have, they are all just cannon fodder! I’ll show you just what sort of astonishing and supernatural feats my Dark Night Army can achieve in this world!”
Half a month of marching, even Gu Changsheng could not conceal her fatigue. Now, with everything ready, as she lay in Zhou Mu’s arms, sleepiness swept over her.
As sleep was about to take her, Gu Changsheng slowly sighed. Her little bun, she wondered how he was? Was he suffering?
…
At the same time, deep in Great Swamp Mountain, where the Imperial City of the Southern Borderlands was located, the Witch Priest Ancestral Temple of the Great Witch was again opened. A small figure was thrown into the great hall!
“Slow down! Slow down! If you break me, your efforts will be wasted!” Little Bug Gu Ze got up from the ground, screaming defiantly.
But those who threw him in turned around and left, leaving him alone in the vast hall.
After getting up, Little Bug dusted off his clothes, and frowning, looked around. The hall was vast and everything was black. Although there were countless torches lit around, it still felt gloomy.
A small shiver went through his little body, and Little Bug yelled at the top of his lungs, “Is there anyone? Is there anyone? Can a living person come out?”
This place must be the territory of those who had kidnapped him.
It was pitch black all around, and terribly eerie!
“No living person, huh…” After shouting a few times and getting no response, Little Bug pouted his mouth and sniffed. “Hey! If you don’t come out, I’ll just run away! After all the trouble of kidnapping me, you could at least show yourself so I can see who you are! Otherwise, who should I seek revenge on later?”
“Haha…” A laughter, sounding as if it was grinding on a millstone, abruptly filled the great hall. Xiangka Tianji, clad entirely in black robes, appeared on the seat above, gazing down at Little Bug with a sinister look, and spoke coldly, “Arrogant child! To my Great Swamp Mountain, and still audaciously speaking of escaping! Of seeking revenge! Do you think my Xiangka Clan has no one left?”
“Tsch!” Hearing Xiangka Tianji’s voice, Little Bug promptly shivered, cuddling his chubby hands on his shoulders and turning to look, barely stopping himself from grimacing. “Heavens! What an unpleasant voice, what an ugly person! Hey! Why did you kidnap me? Let me go back quickly, or else my mother will be angry! I warn you, the consequences of my mother’s anger are severe!”
Thinking of how his mother would look when angry, Little Bug shivered again, as if to stress believability, and added, “Really, really severe! You better believe me!”
“Haha… Indeed, a descendant of the Phoenix Clan, this fearless demeanor really does resemble them!” Xiangka Tianji, hearing this, laughed loudly, her voice gruesomely sinister as she continued, “I’m not afraid of your mother coming; I’ve been waiting for her! Little guy, my subordinates have been too kind to you on the way here, letting you be so reckless. I’ll teach you a lesson, so you know where you are!”
With that, Xiangka Tianji waved her sleeve, and in an instant, countless little insects crawled out from her body, surging towards Little Bug down the steps…