Chapter 2, Kowloon and Tsing Yi

In recent years, Liang Xin has been studying and learning to read, focusing specifically on myths and legends. He knows that between the beautiful mountains and clear waters of the Central Plains, there are countless sects dedicated to the cultivation of the heavens, which include both enlightened masters and bloodthirsty demons. However, he has never heard of the term "Killing Domain's Evil Roots" and cannot help but lean closer to the breeze, asking: "What does this mean?"

The arduous task of digging up the roots of evil, which is a matter of life and death, naturally falls upon the heads of the criminals. However, most adult criminals are currently burdened with corvée labor, whether it be river dredging, mining, or defending the borders in harsh and cold regions, making it difficult to mobilize them at this time. Thus, the emperor issued a decree to conscript children aged twelve and above from the criminal households.

It was then that the soldiers realized that the small stone was rooted, buried beneath the soil, with only a small corner protruding at an angle above the ground

Liang Xin and countless condemned children were being escorted by soldiers towards the west, unaware of their destination or the purpose of their journey

The Nine Dragons Office serves as the regent of the Great Flood Dynasty, overseeing the conduct of officials above and scrutinizing the sentiments of the populace below. It possesses its own prisons and establishes its own offices, wielding the authority to act independently and make unilateral decisions. The Nine Dragons Office operates solely under the emperor's command, and its power is indeed formidable

This team of over a thousand members of the Nine Dragons in green attire is led by a pale-faced young man. He is slender and handsome, and besides the long knife he carries, he also has a dark longbow slung across his back. However, his demeanor and actions reveal a certain illness, making him appear weak, as if he could fall off his horse at any moment

Under the inquiries of the well-meaning, it was finally clarified that this group, while on their journey, happened to encounter two factions of cultivators engaged in a battle of spells. When immortals fight, mortals suffer; originally a group of nearly 1,000 people, only a little over 100 survived in the end. The others were affected by the powerful flying swords, magical treasures, and supernatural spells, leaving them with no place to be buried.

The local commander instructed the soldiers to excavate carefully, and the roots of the small stones gradually became visible, extending obliquely into the mountains. During the excavation process, dozens of soldiers inadvertently came into contact with the roots of the stones, and without exception, they were all drained to mere skeletons

Liang Xin chuckled softly and comforted, "It's nothing, just digging in the soil. As long as we don't touch that cursed stone, it should be fine"

Liang Xin became more spirited and gently sat up: "What is the matter?"

The strange occurrences at Kunai Mountain have long been the subject of widespread discussion among both the court and the public, though the common people remain unaware of them

Liang Xin did not expect that the people from the Kowloon Division would also arrive, but upon further reflection, he understood. The Kowloon Division bears the heavy responsibility of overseeing the state, and with such a significant incident occurring in Kunshan, it was only natural for them to take action

Before long, the thunderous sound of hooves echoed from the direction of Kunai Mountain, as a formidable cavalry unit galloped towards them. The criminals, lacking in discernment, could only wonder why these cavalrymen were not wearing armor but instead donned dark long robes

Thus, during the day, Liang Xin walked with the team, while at night, the gentle breeze would quietly come to visit the camp, always bringing some food.

As soon as the Qingyi arrived, the commanding officer of the soldiers escorting the convicted criminals immediately approached, smiling and speaking softly to the esteemed Qianhu.

That place happened to be a crucial border defense area, and the stationed commander did not dare to be negligent. He immediately dispatched troops to carefully search the mountains. In the end, however, they discovered that the source of the trouble was not some monster, but rather a small stone that tripped the soldiers: whether it was a human or an animal, as long as it was lightly touched, it would instantly be drained of blood and flesh, turning into a withered corpse

Liang Xin was startled awake, and then filled with overwhelming joy, as Feng Xi finally arrived.

However, for these young individuals, after the initial panic and fear, what replaced it was an infinite sense of novelty and curiosity. It was the first time in their lives that they stepped out of the confines of the street of crime and experienced the vastness of the world.

Feng Xixi let out a sigh and continued, "I have already inquired along the way and learned that a strange incident occurred not long ago, and your corvée labor is related to this matter."

The gentle breeze replied, "It is the bitter mountain!"

Dozens of people died all at once, and even if the commander wanted to cover it up, it would be impossible. This matter was reported up the chain of command and eventually reached the court.

The vast expanse of the Great Flood region was immense. Liang Xin set out from home and walked for more than forty days. The terrain gradually began to rise at an incline. According to the calculations of the team leader, in another two or three days, they would reach their destination

The gentle breeze carries a bitter smile and a shake of the head: "This is a new term invented by the National Master"

After a short while, Kowloon Tsing Yi had completed the organization of the team. Only then did the thousand households address the offenders in a calm tone: "Seven Killings: Killing for spreading falsehoods and misleading the public, killing for neglecting work and fleeing, killing for fighting and brawling, killing for wandering at night and dreaming away, killing for stealing food and hoarding, killing for being timid and crying, killing for pretending to be deaf and mute"

Liang Xin let out a sigh from the bottom of his heart

Only wood can isolate the ferocity of stone

In the end, a total of 20,000 Lauding was gathered to venture to Kunai Mountain to "break the curse"

The gentle breeze rustled as I cautiously squatted beside Liang Xin, lowering my voice to a whisper: "As soon as I heard something had happened, I rushed over. I finally found you! Your mother is fine, so you can rest assured."

At this point, Feng Xixi's expression suddenly turned dejected, as there were skilled cultivators stationed at Kunai Mountain, leaving the little ghost with no opportunity to stay by Liang Xin's side

In the charming spring season, the world is adorned with hues of red and green, with gentle winds and clear clouds, everywhere presenting a beautiful landscape

Liang Xin listened with deep emotion; whether it be the celestial beings or the demons and monsters, all possessed great powers and formidable abilities. In their eyes, mortals were merely ants, and in their conflicts, there was never any consideration for them

The mountain-opening project has been prolonged for a considerable time. At the beginning, even if a million people rushed in at once, it would have been of no use. Initially, twenty thousand were dispatched, which was sufficient for the first few years.

Moreover, this small stone is incredibly hard; even the "Great Flood Thunder" used by the outpost cannot chip away even a tiny bit of the stone, but it has instead created a large pit in the surrounding soil

Liang Xin couldn't help but gasp in surprise. After pondering for a moment, he continued to ask: "Why aren't those cultivators who uphold righteousness in the world taking action against the manifestation of the malevolent roots in the human realm?"

The remaining individuals still believed that there were monsters causing harm, and hurriedly reported to the outpost

Since the second generation of emperors from the Great Flood Dynasty, each successive ruler has held a deep belief in divine arts, supporting countless practitioners of celestial cultivation within the court. This has led to a trickle-down effect, fostering a widespread trend of celestial cultivation among the populace. Across the central lands, various sects of monks, Daoists, and lay practitioners have emerged, with numerous schools of thought and practices flourishing in the realm of celestial cultivation.

On the road, they continuously merged with other groups of criminals, and the number of people increased... However, later, when a group of criminals arrived to join them, their numbers were very few, and almost everyone was injured

The wind gently sways as it shakes its head: "This time it is a malevolent force manifesting in the world, not some heavenly treasure. The cultivators certainly will not concern themselves with it. Ha ha, do not speak of the foolish notion that cultivators uphold the laws of the mortal realm. I remember that in the past, Lord Liang often angrily rebuked the cultivators for not respecting the laws of the mortal world, deeming them a true calamity."

It was difficult to distinguish whether it was the fourteenth or fifteenth day. That night, Liang Xin was sleeping when suddenly a very soft whisper reached his ear: "Xin'er, wake up and meet me! I have arrived."

In conclusion, Qianhu made a gesture of helplessness: "Do whatever you wish, but anything else you do will undoubtedly lead to your demise"

In Kowloon, apart from being skilled in archery and horsemanship, the commanders generally possess some unique abilities. However, these abilities are not related to the path of cultivation, but rather are divine powers bestowed upon mortals.

At the beginning of this year, a group of soldiers was patrolling along the foot of the mountain. One of them accidentally tripped over a small stone underfoot. Just as his companions were about to mock him, the fallen soldier suddenly let out a loud, mournful wail, and his skin, bones, and flesh visibly withered away.

His voice was also weak and feeble, sounding much like the hissing of a venomous snake. Although it was light and airy, every word was so clear

Feng Xixi let out a sigh, saying nothing more, and took out two cold meat buns from her pocket, placing them into Liang Xin's hands

At this time, the group of convicts to which Liang Xin belonged had already gathered over ten thousand people. After dinner that day, the escorting officials and soldiers mixed the more than ten thousand convicts together, and then divided them into teams of one thousand each.

The meaning of the National Master is that deep within the Kunan Mountain lies a cruel root, which has been growing relentlessly for millions of years, ultimately transforming into this stone vein capable of draining human vitality. If the stone vein is allowed to grow and the malevolent root takes shape, the world will inevitably face great calamity. The only course of action now is to excavate along the stone vein, locate the malevolent root, and destroy it.

The elite soldiers under his command were immediately divided into ten teams, led by the captains of one hundred, and infiltrated the ranks of the criminals, with each team of one hundred Qingyi soldiers responsible for one thousand criminals

Since ancient times, quarrying has been an exceedingly arduous and perilous task. Moreover, this time there is a terrifying vein of stone that can drain one's essence and blood with just a touch. Liang Xin and his nephew are well aware of the dangers of this journey, yet they can only follow countless other criminals, marching grandly towards Kunai Mountain.

After a moment, the pale-faced captain raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the disheveled criminals divided into groups of one thousand each in front of him, and weakly gestured to his subordinates behind him

Only Liang Xin was quietly taken aback. Over the years, he had read and learned a great deal about the Great Hong Dynasty. This cavalry unit, dressed in squid robes and carrying embroidered spring knives, was precisely the elite troops under the jurisdiction of the Nine Dragons, commonly known as the Nine Dragons in Blue.

Mount Kunal, located on the western edge of Middle-earth, stretches for thousands of miles. It is the legendary ancestor of all mountains, firmly separating Middle-earth from the wilderness. The eastern side of the great mountain boasts fertile lands and boundless fields, representing the divine land of Middle-earth; whereas the western side is characterized by desolate terrain, treacherous mountains, and perilous waters

Liang Xin mingled among the criminals, moving forward. Over the past four years, he had good meals and practiced martial arts. Fortunately, he was still a youth, and his body had not yet fully developed. Underneath his tattered clothes, he did not appear too conspicuous.

Other soldiers hurried forward to provide aid, but unexpectedly, everyone who came into contact with the wounded fell to the ground with cries of agony. In no time at all, they all turned into a pile of dry bones

Now, Kunai Mountain has become the focus of attention for people all over the world. In addition to the continuous influx of forced laborers from various states, to prevent any evil spirits or demons from taking advantage of the situation, the two national masters have also invited a well-respected cultivation sect: the nineteen experts from the Zhu Li Daoist Temple, to form a formation and guard the entrance to Kunai Mountain.

For the emperor, the death of dozens of soldiers is not a significant matter. However, the two national masters of the court treated it as a grave threat and personally rushed to Kunai Mountain. Shortly thereafter, they reported to the sovereign that the stone veins capable of taking lives are the seeds of the malevolent roots of the Death Domain