NABC Chapter 25: Desolation!
Chapter 25: Desolation!
Before Zhong Yuan could speak...
Dugu Xian, standing to the side, suddenly changed his expression and said to Zhong Yuan, "Kid, let's talk about this later!"
"Right now, let's focus on driving back those government troops first."
Zhong Yuan raised an eyebrow and said directly, "Senior."
"As long as the green hills remain, there's always firewood to burn!"
"The government troops were clearly well-prepared, and who knows how many more troops are hidden down the mountain."
"Even if Bangyuan Cave is strategically located and defends itself, how long can it hold out against the relentless attacks of the government troops?"
Dugu Xiandao said, "Could it be that you, young man, have a plan to repel the enemy?"
Zhong Yuan quickly walked to the spot not far away, picked up the White Rainbow Sword, and held it in his hand.
He addressed Dugu Xian, Huo Tianjiao who had gathered around, and Wang Yin and the others, saying, "Right now, holding out at Bangyuan Cave is no longer a viable option!"
"The government troops are powerful, although our Ming Cult has a considerable number of followers."
"But if we continue fighting like this, my team doesn't know how many more people we'll lose."
"It's truly a case of losing more than you gain!"
"Right now, preserving our strength is the top priority!"
"Anyway, those two traitors, Zuo Qiankun and Xuan Yin, are already dead!"
"The imperial envoy Ma Futu has already died here, but the government troops below are still coming in droves."
"This means that someone else is commanding the troops below!"
"The government troops seemed determined not to give up until they breached the main camp."
"If we continue to hold out to the death, who knows how many more brothers in the sect will lose their lives."
"Are there any other secret passages leading down the mountain from Bangyuan Cave?"
Dugu Xian said in a deep voice, "You mean to temporarily avoid the advance of the government troops?"
"Leave Bangyuan Cave?"
Beside him, Wang Yin and several other altar masters were all injured to varying degrees.
Holding the black and white token, Huo Tianjiao said with a clear expression, "I agree with Zhong Yuan's idea."
"Zuo Qiankun and Xuan Yin revealed the weak points of the cliff entrances of Bangyuan Cave to the government troops."
"If we continue to hold out now, the casualties will only increase."
"It's right to avoid their sharp edge first."
Dugu Xian nodded slightly.
"Alright, in that case, you take your men down from Five Dragon Cliff, and I'll go and inform the sect leader!"
"We'll meet up in Qingxi County!"
Huo Tianjiao looked at Wang Yin and the several altar masters beside him.
Those altar masters weren't fools either. Seeing Zhong Yuan's appearance and the attitudes of Dugu Xian and Huo Tianjiao towards him, they already understood Zhong Yuan's identity.
However, Wang Yin, who was standing to the side, still spoke up, "We will all listen to the young master!"
As soon as Wang Yin said this, the other altar masters beside him nodded in agreement.
"We will all listen to the young master."
Immediately.
Dugu Xian leaped into the air, like a falling leaf, and flew down the cliff.
Huo Tianjiao said to Wang Yin, who was standing to the side, "Master Wang, go and fire the signal flare."
"Have the brothers at each cliff pass bury their gunpowder and prepare to retreat from Bangyuan Cave."
Wang Yin nodded and quickly ran to the cliff over there.
With a whoosh.
A whistling arrow burst forth in the sky.
immediately.
The group then retreated towards the tunnel inside the cave.
Zhong Yuan waved to Fang Liu, who was behind the rocks, signaling him to follow.
Fang Liu did not hesitate and immediately followed behind Zhong Yuan.
The group of people wandered through the passageway, making several turns.
I don't know how long I walked.
The sound of rushing water could be heard ahead.
After walking a few more steps, the view suddenly opened up, and we had reached the lower reaches of the stream at the foot of the mountain.
The babbling water flows continuously down from the crevices of the mountain rocks.
The surrounding area is lush with greenery and ancient trees reaching for the sky.
Only the jumbled rocks on the mountaintop cliff could be vaguely seen.
The sounds of fighting from the mountain could no longer be heard at all.
but.
Suddenly, a series of loud rumbling sounds rang out from all around the mountain.
Then, a series of broken rocks slid down from the top of the mountain.
Zhong Yuan and the others walked out of the cave and followed the mountain stream downwards.
Once they were far away from the area of Bangyuan Cave.
Zhong Yuan stopped and looked into the distance. He could see that thick smoke was already rising from the main altar on the top of Bangyuan Cave Mountain.
A raging fire, looming over the mountaintop, appeared and disappeared in the distance.
Upon seeing this, Wang Yin and the others all looked somewhat gloomy.
The destruction of the headquarters was a significant blow to the Ming Cult members.
Huo Tianjiao remained calm, knowing full well why the Ming Cult had suffered this calamity.
It was entirely caused by those two traitors, Zuo Qiankun and Xuan Yin.
She's good at taking things in stride.
Seeing that Wang Yin and the others were in low spirits, Zhong Yuan immediately said to them, "If we lose land but save people, we can save both people and land."
"If you lose the people but retain the land, you will lose both!"
"Although we have temporarily left the Bangyuan Cave headquarters today, it is only a matter of time before the leader regroups, gathers his old followers, and rebuilds the headquarters."
Zhong Yuan's words injected hope and vitality into Wang Yin and the other forum leaders.
Fang Liu, standing to the side, chimed in, "Young Master is absolutely right!"
"Once our leader regroups, we will return sooner or later!"
Huo Tianjiao said, "Alright, let's head to Qingxi County first."
"The right thing to do is to reunite with the cult leader and the others as soon as possible!"
……
The moonlit night was cool.
Qingxi County.
Wang's Coffin Shop.
The candlelight flickered.
Zhong Yuan and the others sat together, surrounded by coffins.
Old Zhong, Dugu Xian, Huo Tianjiao, Wang Yin, and the remaining altar masters were all among them.
Fang Liu sat a little further away, but he was still inside the room.
Under the candlelight.
The atmosphere inside the room was somewhat somber.
Old Zhong's hair looked a little messy, and he looked somewhat forlorn.
He paused for a moment before addressing the crowd: "Gentlemen."
"Today is the greatest calamity that our Ming Cult has never encountered in the past hundred years."
"Even back then, after Wang Ze started his rebellion, when the imperial court suppressed my Ming Cult so much, my Ming Cult had never been in such a sorry state."
"All of this is undoubtedly caused by Zuo Qiankun and Xuan Yin, those two traitors."
"But it is indeed my fault for misjudging people and for failing to properly supervise them."
"I, Zhong Lieyang, have been the leader of the Ming Cult for more than twelve years, and now the Ming Cult has fallen to such a state."
"I am truly ashamed to continue sitting in this position of leader. I urge my brothers to choose someone more capable."
As Lao Zhong spoke, his expression revealed a deep sense of loneliness.
These words were spoken.
The expressions on everyone's faces changed.
Wang Yin immediately exclaimed, "Master, you mustn't!"
"Right now, the sect is in dire straits. The main altar has fallen, the Black-Robed Dharma King is imprisoned, and the whereabouts of the Green Mountain Dharma King and the White Dragon Dharma King are unknown!"
"If you, the leader, don't take overall command, how can the brothers regroup and return to the headquarters?"
The other branch leaders also looked anxious and echoed his sentiments.
"Yes, Master."
"Absolutely not!"
Huo Tianjiao looked at Lao Zhong, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes.
In her eyes, her godfather had always been fearless in the face of difficulties, but now he seemed to have lost his fighting spirit.
Dugu Xian snorted coldly.
"Since its founding, the Ming Cult of the Central Plains has never had the tradition of passing on the leadership to the next leader while the leader is still alive."
"Zhong Lieyang, if you're still a man, don't say such discouraging things."
"At present, although the Ming Cult headquarters has been destroyed, the branch altars in various places still have spare capacity."
"As the leader of the Ming Cult, you should lead your brothers to regroup and clean up the mess."
"Instead of thinking about stepping down as leader and running away."
Dugu Xian's words were very impolite.
Old Zhong looked blank and didn't say a word, clearly having suffered a great blow.
Zhong Yuan, who was standing to the side, could see clearly that Old Zhong's mental resilience was not very good, and his abilities were not outstanding either.
Otherwise, how could the Vice Leader and the Left Envoy of Light be allowed to collude with the imperial court's henchmen right under their noses?
At this time.
Suddenly, Zhong Yuan burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha~~~~~"