Chapter 30: Feud with Luo Cheng

The Demon-Conquering Camp, backed by the Abyss of Suppressed Demons, sprawled across hundreds of miles with its dense, endless rows of tents. The dragon banners of the Great Sui Dynasty fluttered in the wind, exuding a majestic aura. Flags marking the Eastern and Western Demon-Hunting Camps flew high, allowing soldiers from various military colonies to easily spot their destinations from afar.

Though still under expansion, the sheer scale of the camp was awe-inspiring. Ling Xuan sighed in sincere admiration, "The handiwork of the Imperial Heavenly Craft Pavilion is truly extraordinary!"

"Young Master, shall we proceed to the main camp now, or somewhere else?" Hou Junji quickly asked.

A smirk tugged at the corner of Ling Xuan's mouth. "Naturally, we go straight to the Heavenly Craft Pavilion to select a weapon for my lady."

Stepping into the nine-story temporary structure housing the Imperial Heavenly Craft Pavilion, Ling Xuan was momentarily stunned. It was not for a lack of legendary weapons—on the contrary, the place was filled with an overwhelming array of sabers, swords, spears, staffs, bows, crossbows, and armor. Nor was it for a lack of rare minerals; red crystal profound iron, black gold cold copper, and even rare items like gloomy lightning-struck wood and purple electric lightning bamboo were displayed everywhere.

However, nothing here could be purchased with silver or gold. Everything required military merit to exchange. Most frustratingly, only merit earned in this specific Demon-Conquering campaign was valid; merit from elsewhere was useless. According to the Divine Emperor's decree, everyone—from generals to common foot soldiers—had to receive new identification tags upon entering the army to record their merit. It could be said that for this campaign, everyone was on equal footing when it came to exchanging for divine weapons or rare materials at the Heavenly Craft Pavilion.

What surprised Ling Xuan most was that legendary weapons like the Phoenix-Wing Gilded Tang, the Five-Hook Divine Silver Spear, the Prairie Fire Phoenix Spear, and the Drum-Beating Urn Gold Hammers were all on display, unclaimed and marked as one-of-a-kind. Staring at them for a long time, Ling Xuan confirmed they were indeed the legendary weapons from the myths. He was bewildered. "This is completely different from my memories. Has the course of history truly changed?"

Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Ye Ziyan’s gaze fixed on the Prairie Fire Phoenix Spear, her eyes glowing with a faint purple light, her fingertips trembling slightly. In his memory, the Prairie Fire Phoenix Spear had no master, while the Phoenix-Wing Gilded Tang and the Five-Hook Divine Silver Spear were wielded by famous figures. Sun Tianxin, however, seemed entirely uninterested in these weapons and did not even spare them a glance.

Hou Junji, meanwhile, looked troubled. "Young Master, I must return to the military colony to receive my identification tag and participate in training." As reserve forces, soldiers from the colonies had to excel during training to be selected for the Eastern or Western Camps. But after the incident with his "Little White Ape," he was now an outcast, with everyone in his colony despising him. Returning to those tents would surely lead to his demise.

"Why go back?" Ling Xuan asked with a casual shrug. "If you follow me, you follow me. What’s the use of worrying about such trifles? Remember, you owe me another favor."

"This counts as owing a favor?" Even Sun Tianxin was stunned. Having traveled with Ling Xuan, he knew the man’s character, but he hadn't expected him to be this stingy.

Ye Ziyan, accustomed to Ling Xuan’s ways, knew he was just being provocative. She said intentionally, "Remember, I need my identification tag as well."

"My lady, you intend to join the army too?" Ling Xuan teased.

Ye Ziyan could not be separated from him; without his blood, the Profound Ice Evil Curse would trigger, exposing her Purple Phoenix Shikigami. "With just your merit, will it be enough for those divine weapons?"

Ye Ziyan narrowed her eyes playfully. "Although they haven't specified the required merit, don't forget what cultivation realm you are at."

"My lady is so good to me," Ling Xuan chuckled. "How about I play you a tune to liven the mood?"

"Get lost!" Ye Ziyan didn't care about the setting and kicked out at him.

Ling Xuan used his Snake-Form Evasion to dodge and scurried away. "Let's head to the Imperial Medical Bureau’s courtyard first and secure a good spot."

By the Divine Emperor’s decree, the Imperial Medical Bureau had organized a team of nearly a hundred acupuncturists, pharmacists, and medical officers to assist the various camps. The Heavenly Craft Pavilion had been very selective about where to build this facility. The medical courtyard required quiet, so it was located in a small valley at some distance from the main camp.

At the entrance, the words "Medical Valley" were carved into a massive green boulder, guarded by a squad of soldiers. As they approached, a man in the uniform of a squad leader blocked them. "This is a restricted area of the Medical Valley! No unauthorized persons allowed!"

"The General has a severe eye ailment and needs three needles to clear his head," Ling Xuan said, pulling out a purple sandalwood medical token from the Bureau and grinning. "Do you see this clearly?"

The squad leader looked disdainful. "The Medical Valley in the Demon-Conquering Camp requires a specialized medical token! Anyone trespassing will be dealt with by military law!"

"A specialized token?" Ling Xuan was dumbfounded. Yang Xuangan hadn't mentioned this. If a special token was required, why send him and Sun Tianxin to scout ahead? Now, not only did Ye Ziyan and Hou Junji lack identification tags, but he and Sun Tianxin had no place to rest. He asked quickly, "Where do I get this specialized token?"

"You don't even know that? You're clearly impostors!" the squad leader roared. "Seize them and throw them out!"

With a shout, twenty soldiers moved in.

"Throw us out? Impostors?" Ling Xuan’s temper flared. It was his first time in the camp; was he not even allowed to ask about identification tags? Furthermore, they were from the Imperial Medical Bureau—this was completely different from Hou Junji’s situation. Even more ridiculous, the squad leader hadn't even bothered to verify the sandalwood token before declaring them impostors.

Sun Tianxin didn't bother explaining; he simply struck, his silver needles flashing. Hou Junji, small and agile like a white ape, used his "Ape Strike Technique" to trip several soldiers. Ye Ziyan stood guard, kicking out occasionally, her hand gripping her hidden Purple Phoenix Dual Spirit Blades.

Ling Xuan activated his Qi-Gazing Technique. All twenty soldiers were at the Great Heavenly Cycle realm, with three-star yellow-grade Shikigami. The squad leader had clearly opened his Qi Sea long ago, but his Shikigami was a blur of mist, impossible to discern. To Ling Xuan's surprise, Sun Tianxin’s aura erupted; he was also at the Qi Sea realm, trading blows evenly with the squad leader.

Using his Breath-Listening Technique, Ling Xuan heard murmurs and the faint cry of an eagle. He was suspicious. "Could this be the Yuwen clan?"

"Young Master, the token!" Hou Junji tossed him an iron plate he had snatched from a soldier. Glancing at it, Ling Xuan saw it was identical to the one held by the colony chief. He realized instantly that these people were Yuwen clan lackeys trying to make things difficult for them.

With a thought, he raised his Purple Sky Flute. "My lady, attack! Hit them hard!"

Ye Ziyan moved like a whirlwind, her kicks landing with precision. Cries of pain echoed instantly. Ling Xuan followed, his Snake-Form Evasion in full swing, his flute striking and needles flying. "Daring to act as lackeys for the wicked and trying to throw us out? Stay down!"

With Ye Ziyan clearing the path, Ling Xuan finished off the twenty soldiers, leaving them all sprawled at the valley entrance.

"Disturbing the camp and trespassing in the Medical Valley!" The squad leader, realizing he was outmatched, jumped back and ran, shouting, "Just you wait! When the General comes, you'll regret this!"

"I'm so scared," Ling Xuan laughed, feigning terror. "Don't forget to tell your General: one hundred military merit points each, no credit!"

Hou Junji was delighted and quickly began tying them up. "As expected of the Young Master, this earns merit faster than anything I can do!"

"Drag them in, let’s enter the Medical Valley," Ling Xuan said, walking ahead.

Sun Tianxin was concerned. "Are we really doing this? That squad leader didn't look like he belonged to the Yuwen clan."

"You can tell, Brother Sun?" Ling Xuan asked.

"Most Shikigami associated with the Yuwen clan are eagles or hounds, but that man’s Shikigami was a wolf," Sun Tianxin warned. "Wolf-type Shikigami come from either the Youzhou camp or the Mountain-Protecting King’s Western Demon-Hunting camp."

"The Mountain-Protecting King?" Ling Xuan remembered his grandfather had been summoned by him, and his fate was uncertain. A cold smirk appeared on his face. "Brother Sun, don't forget, the Prince of Yue and Lord Chao sent us to scout ahead."

"Scouting is for understanding the situation," Sun Tianxin explained, "to see what is missing and needs to be addressed."

"How can one know what is missing if one doesn't enter the Medical Valley?" Ling Xuan raised his flute and grinned. "Giving them a beating is part of the scouting. Whether it's the Yuwen clan or the Mountain-Protecting King, if they provoke this young lord, no one gets off easily. Besides, how else are we supposed to scrape together that military merit?"

The squad leader stumbled into the Youzhou military camp to report the details. Luo Cheng, the Prince of Beiping, smiled triumphantly. "As expected of a pampered heir chasing fame. A little prodding and he couldn't help but cause a scene. But then again, who told you to eye the Phoenix-Wing Gilded Tang that I have my heart set on?"