Cultivation: I Have Studied Abroad in the Modern World
Chapter 290 - 176: Thunder Light Shines on the Mountains and Rivers

Chapter 290: Chapter 176: Thunder Light Shines on the Mountains and Rivers

Soon, the team Zheng Shan was in merged with the main force led by Master Yuan.

The migrating crowd, already tens of thousands strong, suddenly swelled to around three hundred thousand.

The Sect Leader Grandfather was quite kind to her, but with his constant worried frown, she didn’t dare to get too close.

"Senior brother, how is the situation?"

Sending the disciples to maintain order, Master Pang quietly approached Master Yuan and asked.

"Not very good." Master Yuan shook his head, "Great Freedom Demon Sect means serious business this time. I’ve been cautious all the way, leading them to avoid encounters with people, and still ended up bumping into seven or eight Demonic Nascent Souls..."

Master Pang’s expression also turned grave upon hearing this.

Nowadays, everyone knew that Divinity Transformation beings seemed to be constrained and rarely appeared.

But Nascent Souls were still rare and powerful beings.

"What about the Hundred Immortals Alliance?"

Master Yuan’s face showed a hint of admiration: "Master Tongming took drastic measures, ordering all sects in the Hundred Immortals Alliance to evacuate, seemingly to consolidate the Alliance, to prevent others from taking advantage of the situation, and to assist each other in defense."

Master Pang pondered for a moment and understood Master Tongming’s thoughts—

Despite previously not caring much about the Alliance’s discord.

But now, as the situation turned dire, he would not allow the same incident that happened to the Spirit Manipulation Sect to happen again.

As if the Divinity Transformation Venerables were without temper.

However... he wasn’t optimistic about Master Tongming.

He looked up at his senior brother, seeing a pensive look on his face, clearly thinking the same thing:

The Hundred Immortals Alliance has only one Divinity Transformation being, but the Great Freedom Demon Sect has the Demon Ancestor behind them—the gap is obvious—a single Blood River Ancestor would be enough trouble for Master Tongming.

"Master Tongming has extensive connections, maybe he will find some help," Master Yuan shook his head, "But we need to go back, and we might get busy."

Master Pang nodded, looking back at the ordinary commoners numbering over three hundred thousand behind them, he felt somewhat helpless.

Though they were Nascent Souls, leading so many people was never an easy task.

These were Jiushan Sect’s own people on one hand.

On the other hand, they followed the Sect out of fear upon hearing about the emergence of the Great Freedom Demon Sect.

But leaving their homelands also meant an uncertain future for them.

The traveling crowd was noisy yet silent, faintly emanating unease.

"Zheng Fa said that the Sun and Moon Clock can now be moved. If we continue to move forward, he will come and meet us," Master Yuan actually had some good news, "We should be able to converge in four to five days."

"That will be much easier."

Master Pang’s face lit up with a smile and with a thought, he looked up at the sky.

Junior Master Huang flew in from a distance, holding a yellow leather bag.

Junior Master Huang handed the bag to Master Pang, who threw it on the ground, revealing a doorway two people tall. The doorway was bright, revealing a warehouse inside. The grain in the storage was piled four to five people tall and seemed endless.

"Disciples, come and get the grain and distribute it."

Master Pang spoke out loud.

The anxious mood among those migrating with them dissipated quite a bit upon seeing the granaries filled to the brim.

...

While the crowd joyfully distributed the rations, Master Pang noticed the gravity on the face of Junior Mistress... Sister Huang.

"What’s wrong?"

He exchanged a glance with the Sect Leader and asked through a private transmission.

"The price of the grain has increased tremendously," Junior Master Huang began, "I heard that Great Freedom Demon Sect has taken over many cities, and now all grain trades must go through their permission."

Master Pang immediately understood: "Price is not the issue, we are not short of gold and silver... but if Great Freedom Demon Sect controls the grain trade, sustaining so many people..."

He looked towards the endless crowds spread across the hills.

"When I was returning, I even ran into disciples of the Great Freedom Demon Sect... They seemed to be heading this way."

Junior Master Huang added.

Master Yuan frowned, looking in the northwest direction. In the far distance, several dark figures appeared in the sky, like vultures searching for opportunities, coldly observing everyone.

"Nascent of the Great Freedom Demon Sect..."

Master Pang spoke.

"No worries, they fear us, Jiushan Sect, as well..." Watching those people hesitantly not daring to come close, Master Yuan thought for a moment and spoke, "Blood River Ancestor suffered a major loss, these people probably lack confidence in their hearts."

Master Pang activated his Void Spirit Eye to look far, nodding: "Senior brother is right, this group seems to be just scouting."

The Sect Leader considered and said: "No rush, don’t hurry on the road—once Zheng Fa arrives, we’ll be safe."

Master Pang instantly grasped his senior brother’s idea to maintain calm, agreeing it was a good plan.

Panic might give those people a chance to grasp their weakness.

Yet, more and more people from the Great Freedom Demon Sect surrounded them.

Nascent ones did not dare to come close, but they were not stingy with the lives of their lower-ranked disciples—gradually, the Great Freedom Demon Sect sent waves after waves of Foundation Establishment disciples to harass them.

The three from the Jiushan Sect were certainly not afraid of these people.

But the commoners they led were just mortals, and they weren’t so at ease.

"Shan’er?"

Zheng Shan stood on her tiptoes, gazing into the sky.

In the sky, black clouds mingled with blood clouds, a stench lurking in the wind, and by their ears, it seemed like countless resentful spirits were whispering, howling.

The night wind was particularly chilling.

She couldn’t even sleep.

Zheng Shan turned around, looking at her mother who was calling her.

Mrs. Zheng’s face was filled with worry as she spoke: "They say we’re surrounded by those from the Demon Sect?"

Zheng Shan nodded, they hadn’t moved for a day, it was obvious to everyone—it was because of the Demon Sect disciples looming on all sides.

"And there are rumors that food is running out..."

Mrs. Zheng continued.

Huang Yu stood alongside his father, Steward Huang, both of them looking grave upon hearing this conversation.

Steward Huang thought for a moment and said, "Even the real experts dare not leave on their own; they probably can’t buy any food. For now, it seems like we aren’t short on provisions... but I don’t know how long they will last."

"Come here to me."

Zheng Shan was about to speak when she suddenly heard Junior Master Huang’s telepathic message. She stared, glanced at her mother, and from her mother’s expression, realized she had heard the message too.

They went to the center of the camp.

At that moment, Master Huang had lost her smile upon seeing them.

She admonished them, "From now on, follow me and don’t wander off, understand?"

Zheng Shan nodded obediently, stayed silent for a while, and then bravely asked, "Master, can we not leave?"

Master Huang looked at her and said, "They can’t leave, but I can still take you all with me."

Zheng Shan didn’t quite understand the remark.

But Huang Yu and his father were taken aback—their hearts trembled slightly at this statement, which had two implications.

First, the three real experts were prepared for the worst.

On the other hand, it also showed the importance the Jiushan Sect placed on the Zheng Family.

In their hearts, they were unsure whether to feel joy or sorrow...

...

Later that day, the Demon Sect cultivators around them grew bolder, drawing closer and increasing the harassment.

Zheng Shan often saw the Sect Leader grandfather suddenly vanish before her eyes, followed by streaks of golden Thunder Light cutting across the sky, chasing away a ring of dark clouds.

However, after the Thunder Light, the dark clouds drew three parts closer again.

By noon, Zheng Shan looked up at the sky, eyes wide open, searching for the sun—but could see nothing but dark, red clouds overhead, and the world around was gloomy.

Zheng Shan couldn’t help but grip Junior Master Huang’s sleeve tightly.

"Don’t be afraid, stick with me," said Junior Master Huang, patting her and speaking in a soft voice.

"I’ll take you out in a bit."

"Master..." Zheng Shan seemed to have understood as she looked at the others, "What about them?"

The silence from Junior Master Huang made young Zheng Shan suddenly feel a weight she had never known before.

As if she knew what Zheng Shan was thinking, Junior Master Huang stroked her head and didn’t speak for a long time.

Eventually, she said softly, "If we don’t leave, we will actually harm these ordinary people..."

It seemed like she was explaining to Zheng Shan.

"The people from the Great Freedom Demon Sect are getting bolder. If a real fight breaks out, we won’t be able to protect these people."

Zheng Shan nodded dumbfoundedly.

"What will happen to them?"

Junior Master Huang paused, as if she wanted to tell a lie, but looking into Zheng Shan’s clear eyes, she couldn’t find the words and simply admitted, "I don’t know..."

"..."

"This is the mystery... the fate of ordinary people is never in their own hands."

Zheng Shan stood dumbfounded, feeling that this statement was more frightening than the persistent nonsense from the night before.

She looked at the densely packed tents around her, at the people with dazed expressions, thinking of their unknown fates.

At that moment, she actually felt the math problems that had troubled her for two years were somehow comforting...

"Join the Five Dragons Heavenly Palace!"

In the evening, Master Pang said to Zheng Shan and the Jiushan Sect disciples.

The crowd began to stir, seemingly aware of something.

Zheng Shan was held tightly by Mrs. Zheng, who turned back, looking into the distance.

More and more golden Heavenly Thunder appeared, getting increasingly frenetic, yet it could no longer stop the dark clouds from drawing near.

The night sky was so dark it brought about despair.

Cries began to spread from the crowd.

At first, it was soft whimpering.

Then came panic-stricken wails.

Finally, desperate howls ensued.

Amidst the vast cries, Zheng Shan buried her head in her mother’s neck, somehow starting to cry as well.

Suddenly.

A bell chimed from afar.

"Zheng Fa is here!"

Master Pang exclaimed with both shock and joy.

Zheng Shan abruptly looked up and saw a scene she would never forget in her life.

A golden bell appeared high in the sky.

With every bell sound, it was like a hundred bolts of lightning.

After a hundred bell tolls, the dark clouds that had obscured the heavens and earth scattered frantically, leaving only that golden bell above and the bright moon on the horizon.

The night became so serene it was comforting, as if the tension of the last few days was but a dream.

Then she heard a familiar voice next to her ear.

"Don’t be afraid."

The golden bell descended and transformed into an archway emitting light on the ground. Inside the gate was the figure she had longed for day and night.

"Brother!"

Zheng Shan jumped down from her mother, tears un-wiped, and ran towards Zheng Fa.

Zheng Fa scooped her up into his arms, weighed her a little, nodded, seemingly pleased with her weight.

Standing nearby, Zhang, Yuan, and Little Golden Crow... one person and two birds, watched Zheng Fa’s smiling face, then at Zheng Shan, expressions filled with contemplation.