kvmb Chapter 171 The Western Expeditionary Army Begins
Chapter 171 The Western Expeditionary Army Begins
The group appeared at the entrance of the Netherworld Valley.
The once lush grove of trees had been cleared away at some point, leaving the area where everyone was standing as a barren hillside.
Luo Sifan held Qingyao in his arms, while Lin Qianxiu stroked her younger brother. They exchanged a surprised glance.
From the forest about ten feet away, a commotion arose. Some people drew their bows, some drew their swords, and dozens of soldiers shouted and rushed out with their spears, immediately surrounding the crowd.
Luo Sifan recognized their clothes.
Uncle Qiao threw Ji Yuan to the ground and rushed out to meet him.
"How dare you! I am Lin Qianxiu, the deputy commander of the Western Expeditionary Army! I have drawn my bow, drawn my sword, and raised my spear. Do you still intend to rebel?!"
Upon hearing this, the soldiers, their blood boiling, looked at each other, their hands hesitating as they brandished their weapons.
An armored military officer flew up from the bushes, seemingly startled by Uncle Qiao's loud shout.
He began to berate his subordinates halfway through the journey:
"A bunch of useless trash! You don't even recognize Vice Commander Lin? Step back now! Put away your weapons!"
With a clang, after being scolded by their superior, the soldiers inside and outside the forest put away their weapons and scattered to one side.
After landing, the armored officer greeted Uncle Qiao, then knelt before Lin Qianxiu, cupping his hands in a respectful gesture:
"Under Commander Mu, Junior Colonel Luo Jingyun greets Vice Commander Lin."
Lin Qianxiu stepped forward calmly, hugged her younger brother, and stared at Luo Jingyun:
"Commander Luo, get up! Mu Yuansheng sent so many people here, presumably to look for me. Where is he now?"
Luo Jingyun smiled, stood up, and replied respectfully:
"What Vice Commander Lin said is correct. Commander Mu personally led a large army here precisely to find Lord Lin, who was trapped here! The commander's tent is not far from here, and it is stationed on Bamian Plain with 20,000 troops."
Lin Qianxiu frowned:
"But those homeless people have made a move again?"
Luo Jingyun nodded:
"It is true that nomadic tribes have been gathering and harassing us. However, our army is large and our defenses are tight, so there should be no major problems."
Lin Qianxiu finally felt relieved, turned around and glanced at everyone, and said politely:
"Sister Shu, Brother Wanfeng! Please come with me to the main tent of the Western Expeditionary Army."
His gaze swept past Luo Sifan, as if he didn't see her.
Qingyao saw this and whispered in Luo Sifan's ear, scolding him:
"Father, Mother doesn't want you anymore! Did you flirt with other men or do something that made Mother hate you?"
Although the voice was soft, there was no attempt to conceal it, and since everyone present was a Daoist cultivator, they naturally heard it clearly.
"Where?!"
Luo Sifan denied it out of guilt, but Qingyao, who was at the Nascent Soul stage, watched him without moving, a hint of pity in her eyes.
"Children should stay out of adults' business!"
Luo Sifan couldn't stand her expression and muttered in frustration. He really couldn't explain these things.
Lin Qianxiu glared coldly at Luo Sifan, but said nothing more. She led the awkward crowd, some riding swords, some walking on air, together with Luo Jingyun riding a flying beast, and they soared into the sky and headed south.
Urged on by Qingyao, Luo Sifan shamelessly rode his sword, leaving the others far behind.
Bamian was originally a plateau in the Zhulu Mountains, with a vast area. To the west was the valley of a tributary of the Tianhe River, and to the north, it stretched far into the peaks of the Zhulu Mountains.
The place is now filled with fluttering banners, rows of tents, and even numerous watchtowers and low walls.
As soon as Lin Qianxiu and her party appeared on the horizon, a troop of flying cavalry took off from the Eight-Sided Plain and lined up to greet them.
Of course, most of them recognized Lin Qianxiu. After exchanging a few pleasantries, everyone was overjoyed, thinking that the purpose of the army's deployment had been achieved and that the return of the army was promising.
Some fools dared to ask who Luo Sifan, who was hanging behind her, was. Lin Qianxiu narrowed her eyes, her murderous aura was terrifying, and immediately the officers under Mu Yuansheng were too scared to say another word.
Mu Yuansheng, dressed in plain clothes, was waiting outside the tent early in the morning. When he saw the little beast in Lin Qianxiu's arms, his eyelids twitched slightly, and he walked up with a smile:
"Junior sister! You're finally back! It's been almost a month, and I've been so worried about you that I haven't been able to eat or sleep. I've been constantly concerned about where my precious junior sister is!"
Although Lin Qianxiu had been estranged from him for a long time, she was deeply moved by his arduous journey to the remote mountains of Zhuolu, enduring wind and rain. Her eyes reddened, and her voice became somewhat hoarse.
"Thank you, senior brother! It was all my fault for being careless, which caused everyone to enter this dangerous place!"
Tens of thousands of soldiers, though they came under orders, had entrusted their lives to Lin Qianxiu as they ventured deep into the heart of Zhulu Mountain, which was controlled by vagrants.
Lin Qianxiu felt somewhat ashamed as she traveled.
Mu Yuansheng had never seen Lin Qianxiu so sentimental before. He was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter:
"When did my junior sister become so soft-hearted? When is it not a matter of life and death for her in the army? This is nothing! Come, come! Let's go into the tent and rest!"
Inviting everyone into the tent, Mu Yuansheng saw that most of them were familiar faces and paid no attention to Jiang Wanfeng.
Luo Sifan, however, carried Qingyao in his arms and slowly approached, making him stare at him for a long time.
He recognized Qingyao, but Luo Sifan… Mu Yuansheng felt a little dizzy.
"Brother Mu, it's been a long time!"
Luo Sifan approached slowly, and seeing Mu Yuansheng's hesitant expression, she smiled and greeted him first.
"Brother Lin! It's actually you!"
Mu Yuansheng's expression softened, and he seemed much more relaxed. Although Luo Sifan had become more masculine and vigorous, and dressed in magnificent clothes, his voice still retained its previous essence—a clear and pleasant Yuanzhou accent.
The path of cultivation is inherently unpredictable, so Mu Yuansheng wasn't too surprised after recognizing Luo Sifan, and he certainly didn't mention anything taboo.
If Qingyao hadn't been quietly watching Luo Sifan from his arms, Mu Yuansheng probably would have already taken two steps forward and given Luo Sifan a big bear hug.
Mu Yuansheng must win over and win over Luo Sifan.
"Brother Lin! You must have had a long journey following my junior sister! Please come in and rest in my tent!"
Mu Yuansheng was even more enthusiastic than before, and with a wave of his hand, he led the way.
"Brother Mu, how did you know that Lin Qianxiu and I were trapped in that valley?"
Since leaving the Netherworld Valley, Luo Sifan had not seen Niannu and Wulingsu, and became suspicious, so he asked Mu Yuansheng about it.
Mu Yuansheng didn't take it to heart and replied casually:
“My junior sister has not returned to the camp for a long time, so I led some of my men to investigate the area myself. Outside the Netherworld Valley, we happened to meet Niannu and a wandering woman. After asking them, we learned that this place was strange. We sent several teams in, but there was no reply.”
Luo Sifan was startled, realizing that this matter had escalated considerably, and offered some advice:
"Brother Mu! We must not send anyone in again. There is a powerful figure in the Netherworld Valley. The Western Expeditionary Army cannot afford to offend her. We will only be wasting our lives there."
Upon hearing this, Mu Yuansheng's smile vanished, and a look of surprise flashed across his eyes.
"However, this person is focused on cultivation. If we don't provoke her, she will naturally have no intention of interfering with the Western Expeditionary Army. Brother Mu, you don't need to worry too much."
Luo Sifan, observing Mu Yuansheng's expression, offered him a few words of comfort.
Mu Yuansheng nodded expressionlessly, though it was unclear whether he had taken it all in.
"Where are Niannu and that vagrant woman? Brother Mu, where are they now?"
Luo Sifan, worried about Niannu and Wu Lingsu's whereabouts, pressed for an answer.
"The two of them?"
Mu Yuansheng glanced at Luo Sifan:
"These two are of unknown origin and have ulterior motives, so they should be locked up until the truth comes out and you return safely."