The abandoned cannon fodder girl's path to immortality

Chapter 306 Prevention of the Beast Tide!

“That’s not necessarily true,” said a middle-aged woman who looked quite shrewd.

"The Golden-Winged Roc and the Black Dragon are both ancient and exotic species. They may just be fighting over territory or some treasure, and may not be related to the beast tide."

"Easy for you to say!" the bearded man scoffed. "It'll be too late to regret it once something really happens!"

Fourth-tier demonic beasts are equivalent to Nascent Soul stage beings. Demonic beasts of this level usually cultivate in seclusion in deep mountains and forests or abysses and rarely appear in the world.

It is indeed unusual that they are fighting in the air and being witnessed by others.

"..." Chen Jinshu paid the spirit stones thoughtfully, bought several bundles of talisman paper, and turned to walk towards another stall.

Just then, a shrill voice rang out behind her:

"Fellow Daoist, wait! Wait!"

Chen Jinshu turned around and saw a middle-aged cultivator dressed in flashy clothes with a small mustache jogging over, holding a palm-sized bronze mirror in his hand, his face full of smiles.

"Fellow Daoist, you look unfamiliar! Is this your first time in Wild Camel Village?" The cultivator chuckled, his eyes scanning her up and down.

"I am Hu San. I've been in Qing Shi Ji for over a decade, and I have a pretty good eye. Fellow Daoist, you seem to be a capable person. Would you like to take a look at this 'Spirit-Seeing Mirror'? It can detect spiritual energy fluctuations within a ten-mile radius, making it a perfect treasure for exploring secret realms and avoiding danger!"

Chen Jinshu glanced at the bronze mirror. Under her golden core divine sense, the restrictions on it were basically worn out and of little value. She shook her head: "No need."

"Hey! Fellow Daoist, don't be in such a hurry to leave!" Hu San quickly blocked her way, his tone becoming more anxious.

"I see you're here looking for something, right? And let me tell you, Qing Shi Ji may not have much else, but it's the most well-informed! Whatever you want to know, as long as I can answer it, I guarantee I'll tell you everything I know!"

Chen Jinshu stopped, glanced at him, and said calmly, "If I want to know, is there any way around here that is familiar with the 'migration of demonic beasts'?"

Hu San was taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, before he laughed:

"So you've come for this matter, Fellow Daoist! Quite a few people have been coming to inquire about the movements of demonic beasts lately. What's wrong? Have you discovered anything?"

“Fellow Daoist Hu is overthinking it,” Chen Jinshu said calmly. “I’ve just heard that demonic beasts have been active recently, and I’m worried that it might interfere with my herb gathering. I was wondering if there’s any way to avoid them.”

Hu San chuckled and stroked his beard: "Fellow Daoist, you've come to the right person! To tell you the truth, I happened to be nearby the day the Golden-Winged Roc and the Ink Dragon fought on Crimson Flame Ridge."

However, I didn't dare get too close. I only saw from afar that the golden light and dark clouds in the sky churned together, fighting for several hours before dissipating. Later, I heard that some rogue cultivators, taking advantage of the intense battle, sneaked to the spot where they were fighting, picked up some fallen feathers and scales, and sold them for a considerable amount of spirit stones!

He clicked his tongue: "However, things have been quite turbulent these past few days. I heard that not only in 'Crimson Flame Ridge,' but also in 'Mist Hidden Mountain,' five hundred miles to the east, there are signs of a large number of demonic beasts migrating south."

Some say it's due to unusual activity in the earth's ley lines, forcing the demonic beasts to relocate; others say it's because powerful cultivators are fighting in the area, disturbing the beasts.

"The earth's veins are moving abnormally?" Chen Jinshu frowned slightly.

"Yes!"

“I have a friend who specializes in mining spiritual ore in the mountains. A few days ago he told me that the spiritual energy in the vein he was mining had been fluctuating wildly lately. Sometimes, while he was mining, the spiritual energy would suddenly stop, and then suddenly surge out again after a while. It was quite frightening.”

After listening, Chen Jinshu had already made some plans in his mind.

She took out a bottle of low-grade Qi Gathering Pills and handed it to Hu San: "Thank you for telling me, fellow Daoist. This is a token of my gratitude."

Hu San took the medicine bottle, beaming with joy: "Oh, fellow Daoist, you're too kind! If you ever need anything in the future, just come and find me, Hu San!"

Frequent activity of monsters on the southern border is not a good sign.

Just as I was pondering this, a commotion came from the entrance of the market.

"Make way! Make way! The City Lord's mansion's purchasing team is here!"

Chen Jinshu looked in the direction of the sound and saw several cultivators in blue armor carrying several large boxes, striding in from the entrance of the market.

The leader was a middle-aged cultivator at the early stage of the Golden Core realm, with a stern face and sharp eyes.

"The mayor of Qing Shi Town, Tie Mu, is at the early stage of the Golden Core realm." Someone whispered, "He came personally to purchase supplies. It seems he really needs to prepare for the beast tide."

Na Tiemu walked to the central square of the market, waved his hand, and a box was opened, filled with various spirit stones and materials.

"Fellow Daoists!" Tie Mu's deep voice echoed throughout the entire market. "Recently, the monsters on the southern border have been active frequently, and the City Lord's Mansion has decided to strengthen its defenses."

We are currently buying the following items: Tier 3 and above array flags, healing pills, poison-repelling talismans, and various defensive magical artifacts. Prices are 10% higher than market prices! If you have the goods, you can trade now!

As soon as these words were spoken, the market became lively, and many stall owners rushed forward.

"I have a batch of third-grade low-level healing pills!"

"I have ten mid-grade, second-tier poison-repelling talismans here!"

"I have a 'Mysterious Iron Shield' that can withstand a full-force attack from a mid-Foundation Establishment stage cultivator!"

Chen Jinshu stood at a distance, watching the lively scene, his brows furrowing slightly.

The fact that the city lord's mansion personally took the lead in purchasing defensive supplies is, according to the usual practice on the southern border, the clearest signal that a beast tide is approaching.

The news of the battle between the Golden-Winged Roc and the Ink Dragon that she had just heard made her feel an undercurrent of unease.

Just as she was about to leave, Tie Mu's gaze suddenly swept over her with the sharpness of a hawk, landing on her.

"Fellow Daoist in the gray cloak, please wait!"

Chen Jinshu paused, wary, but still stopped and turned around to look.

Tie Mu strode up to her, looked her up and down several times, his gaze scrutinizing her.

"Fellow Daoist, have we met somewhere before?" he asked in a deep voice, his tone carrying a hint of inquiry.

Chen Jinshu remained calm and said indifferently:

“Fellow Daoist, you have mistaken me for someone else. I have been gathering herbs in the Blackwater Marsh area for many years, and this is my first time in Qing Shi Ji.”

Tie Mu stared at her for a few moments, as if confirming something, and finally nodded: "Perhaps I remembered wrong. I apologize for the offense."

"It's alright." Chen Jinshu cupped his hands in greeting and turned to leave.

After leaving the market, she didn't delay. She immediately mounted the Azure Phoenix Chasing the Moon Shuttle, transforming into a streak of emerald light, and flew towards Azure Phoenix Valley.

……

It was already afternoon when we returned to Qingluan Valley.

The valley was quiet, with only the sound of the babbling brook and the occasional birdsong.

tide Yue sat on a blue stone by the pool, holding a jade scroll in her hands, and was carefully studying the basic chapter of "Taiyin Ning Shui Jue".

She wore the Soul-Suppressing Beads bracelet on her wrist, its moon-white light shimmering faintly, and her breathing became much more stable.

As Chen Jinshu landed in the valley, Qingheng immediately flew out from the jade hairpin and pounced in front of her: "Master is back! Was the market fun? What good things did you buy?" "I bought a few Crimson Flame Grasses and some materials for setting up formations." Chen Jinshu took out a wooden box from her storage bag and handed it to her. "Also, I heard some news."

"What news?" Qingheng curiously opened the wooden box, glanced at the crimson spirit herbs inside, and then looked up at Chen Jinshu.

“Some say that the Golden-Winged Roc and the Black Dragon are fighting on the edge of the Southern Frontier, which is probably a sign of the beast tide.” Chen Jinshu said with a solemn expression. “The City Lord’s Mansion has already begun to purchase defensive materials and strengthen its defenses.”

"A beast tide?" Qingheng's blue eyes widened. "Then...then will we be in danger here?"

"It's hard to say." Chen Jinshu shook his head. "Qingluan Valley is located in a remote area, with natural miasma and terrain for cover, making it difficult for ordinary monsters to find. But if it is a large-scale beast tide, the monsters will probably be affected as well."

As she spoke, she paced around the valley, her gaze sweeping over the surrounding mountain ridges and the contours of the bamboo forest.

"We need to reinforce the defenses in the valley."

"Strengthen the defenses?" Upon hearing this, tide Yue put down the jade slip and looked up.

"What does the master intend to do?"

"Qingluan Valley has a good location, surrounded by mountains on three sides, with a narrow entrance, making it a natural place that is easy to defend and difficult to attack. But the terrain alone is not enough; we also need to set up formations, supplemented by traps and restrictions." As Chen Jinshu spoke, he walked to the entrance of the valley, gesturing in the air with his finger to indicate the location.

"I plan to set up the 'Four Symbols Maze' at the valley entrance, supplemented with illusionary barriers, to disorient any invading enemies and make it difficult for them to find the true entrance. I will also set up several warning barriers in the valley to prevent any demonic beasts from launching a nighttime attack."

"The Four Symbols Maze Formation?" Qingheng blinked. "That's a fourth-order formation. Can you set it up by yourself, Master?"

"I have my own way." Chen Jinshu said, taking out a palm-sized array plate and several array flags from his storage bag.

"I have already acquired most of these materials in the market. The rest will need to be refined using the array flags in conjunction with Xiyue's Soft Water Silk."

"My Soft Silk?" tide Yue was somewhat surprised. "Master is going to use it to set up an array?"

“Soft silk is impervious to water and fire, and contains spiritual energy, making it an excellent carrier for all water-based formations.” Chen Jinshu nodded and looked at her.

"The silk you wove is of excellent quality. Using it as the surface of the array flags will greatly enhance the power of the array."

A glint of light flashed in tide Yue's eyes: "I understand! How much silk does Master need?"

"Weave three zhang first, enough to make twelve flags," Chen Jinshu said, taking out a bag of moonstones from his storage bag and handing it to her.

"Keep these moonstones for your cultivation; they can also be used as auxiliary materials for weaving silk."

tide Yue took the moonstone and nodded solemnly: "Master, rest assured, I will definitely finish weaving it within three days."

Chen Jinshu nodded slightly, then turned to Qingheng: "Qingheng, go to the forest and get some tough vines. I need them to reinforce the bamboo house and build some traps."

"Alright!" Qingheng responded, transforming into a streak of green light and flying into the bamboo forest.

……

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Early that morning, spiritual energy surged in Qingluan Valley, and array lights shone brightly.

Chen Jinshu stood at the entrance of the valley, her hands forming a mudra, her fingertips shimmering with a bluish-white spiritual light. One by one, array flags flew out from her hands and were precisely inserted into the pre-arranged positions.

The piece of soft silk that Xiyue had woven was cut into twelve triangular flags. Each flag was engraved with intricate runes using spiritual fire, emitting a pale blue glow.

After the twelve battle flags were planted, Chen Jinshu took a deep breath and clasped his hands together sharply.

"Four Symbols Maze Formation, activate!"

Om-!

A pale blue light curtain rose from the array flags and quickly spread in all directions, enveloping the entire Azure Phoenix Valley.

The scene at the valley entrance began to distort, as if rippling water. The bamboo forest and stone path that were originally clearly visible became blurred and eventually disappeared completely, replaced by a seemingly boundless gray-white mist.

Chen Jinshu added several more layers of illusionary restrictions to the fog, making it even more difficult to break through.

"It's done." She stopped and wiped the thin layer of sweat from her forehead.

"The Four Symbols Illusionary Formation has been set up. Cultivators and demonic beasts below the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm will be trapped for at least three hours."

"Amazing!" Qingheng jumped out from the side, clapping her hands and cheering. "Master, can I go in and try it too?"

"You?" Chen Jinshu glanced at her. "Although you are a spirit, your soul is connected to mine, so breaking this formation shouldn't be difficult for you. But if it were someone else, they would probably suffer quite a bit."

As she spoke, her gaze shifted to the open space outside the valley entrance: "Even if someone manages to break the Four Symbols Formation, there is still one last barrier."

"The last barrier?" tide Yue looked at her in confusion.

Chen Jinshu did not answer, but instead took out a small gray banner from his sleeve and shook it gently.

A ghostly figure flew out from the banner, circled in the air, and landed in front of Chen Jinshu.

"Greetings, Master!" Youxi bowed respectfully with his fists clasped, then looked towards the valley entrance.

"Did my master summon me here to turn it into a soldier?"

“Not bad.” Chen Jinshu nodded slightly. “I will use your military spirit banner to set up a military spirit array at the entrance of the valley. With the fierce aura of the border guards under your command, it will be enough to become the final barrier.”

"If a powerful enemy does manage to breach the valley entrance, lead your army's spirits to attack, using battle formations to trap the enemy and buy time. If you have supplies of healing medicine and spirit stones, there should be no major problems."

Upon hearing this, Youxi patted his chest confidently and said, "No problem! Master, rest assured, as long as I, Youxi, am here, I will never let a single enemy set foot in the valley!"

Chen Jinshu was not moved by its bold words, but simply said: "Remember, focus on delaying, do not engage in direct combat. If you encounter a strong enemy, send me a message immediately."

"Yes!" Youxi replied, her little face full of seriousness.

It flew to the mouth of the valley and planted the military spirit banner in its hand into the ground.

The banners fluttered without wind, and the black eagle on the banners seemed to come alive, exuding a strong aura of military might.

The rift opened its mouth and spewed out a breath of ghostly energy, which entered the banner and connected with the military spirit within it.

The ground trembled slightly, and gray-black phantoms rose from the ground, forming a battle formation and standing silently.

If you look closely, the shapes of those phantoms are all different. Some hold halberds, some hold shields, and some are archers. But without exception, their auras are all gathered together, forming an invisible barrier.

Chen Jinshu looked at these soldiers with a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.

While these military spirits may not be particularly formidable in individual combat, once they form a battle formation, their combined baleful aura and battlefield fighting spirit are enough to deal with ordinary early-stage Golden Core cultivators.

With the aid of the Four Symbols Maze Formation and the terrain advantages of Azure Phoenix Valley, ordinary demonic beasts and rogue cultivators who try to take advantage of this place will likely suffer a great loss.

She turned around, her gaze sweeping over the spirit fields, pools, bamboo houses, and the busy figures of two people, a demon, and a ghost in the valley, and said in a deep voice:

"Azure Phoenix Valley is our foundation in the Southern Frontier. If we manage this place well, it will be an impregnable fortress, allowing us to advance or retreat as needed." (End of Chapter)