Padang Belantara Besar.
Malam turun, angin gurun sejuk disekai badai.
Kampanye berada di gerbang, panas terik saat siang dan sejuk di malam hari.
Yang Jishan, lahir dari Keluarga Yang di Pengadilan Tao, sedang membahas urusan tentara dengan rekannya yang se-beradat, Yang Jiyong, di bawah lilin minyak.
Sedekatan seratus tahun, Padang Belantara Selatan telah tidak stabil.
Beberapa klan terlibat dalam pemberontakan konstan, dengan perang yang tak berujung.
Di dalam batas provinsi besar Padang Belantara, berbagai Pemimpin Naga dan marquis menguasai wilayahnya dan terlibat dalam pertempuran tatap langak maupun tersembunyi.
Pengadilan Tao dapat hanya menekan dan mengamankan wilayah tersebut lewat bertahun-tahun.
Padang Belantara telah menjadi tempat dimana Pengadilan Tao secara kebesaran menempatkan pasukan paling banyak dalam seribu tahun terakhir.
Khususnya untuk Keluarga Yang, hampir setiap generasi muridnya akan mengalami latihan di Padang Belantara dan terlibat dalam perang darah dengan Suku Barbar yang memberontak.
Malam ini, Yang Jishan dan Yang Jiyong sedang mendiskusikan informasi militer, bertanya tentang gerakan Suku Barbar hari ini.
Saat berteduh, Yang Jishan mendadak menggulingkan alis, seakan ada sesuatu yang mengganggurnya.
Yang Jiyong bertanya, "Adik besar, apa yang salah?"
Yang Jishan memikirkan sejenak dan bertanya, "Apakah kamu pernah melihat sesuatu yang aneh di langit saat siang hari?"
"Aneh?"
Yang Jishan mengangguk, "Seperti api menyala-melantik di horison, menjadikan langit berwarna merah..."
Yang Jiyong menggoyangkan kepalanya, "Aku tidak melihat apa-apa yang aneh..."
Yang Jishan mengangguk kecil, "Mungkin aku kelewatan."
Mungkin baru-baru ini, ketegangan dari Kebakaran Langit telah menggoyahkan napas, gangguan Suku Barbar yang sering muncul telah mengabaikan, menyebabkan halo.
Yang Jishan berpikir sunyi.
Yang Jiyong menambahnya, "Adik besar, batas ini sangat kasar dan sejuk, sungguh menyeblokkan. Kita harus bertahan lagi sepuluh hingga dua puluh tahun lagi untuk memperoleh poin. Jangan sebengkelak.
Yang Jishan mengangguk, "Ayo kamu juga. Berjuanglah dan capai Inti Emas lebih awal."
Yang Jiyong tersenyum.
Keduanya mendiskusikan hingga tengah malam, merasa lelah, lalu mengambil segelas liquor hangat untuk menghangatkan tubuh, kemudian meletakkan buku militer dan peta, membungkuk di bawah selimut, dan tidur dengan pakaian di atas.
Yang Jiyong tidur dalam keadaan dalam dan suka mengadap.
Yang Jishan merasa tidak nyaman, pikirannya mengganggu, dan dengan menggabungkan bisukan mengadap yang ada di sebelinya, ia semakin tidak tidur.
Setengah sadar, sebuah dingin menyergap hatinya.
Pengalaman militer selama bertahun-tahun membuatnya segera mendapatkan perhatian, menghilangkan semua kelelahan.
Angin malam masih sangat sejuk.
Yang Jishan mengenakan armor dan berjalan perlahan di luar tenda, mengangkat kepalanya untuk melihat kegelapan menelan cahaya bulan.
Gunung Padang Belantara besar seperti badan hitam, menyebar tanpa henti, luas dan mematikan antara langit dan bumi.
Malam itu sangat tenang.
Yang Jishan menghembuskan napas lega.
Tapi sesaat kemudian, alisnya tiba-tiba membungkuk.
"Terlalu tenang..."
Biasanya pada waktu ini, gunung tiga ribu Padang Belantara memiliki serangga dan burung berbisik, hewan menjaja mengaum. Malam tidak akan begitu dalam.
Di mana ada keisannya, ada monster.
Tapi di sekelilingnya kosong, gelap, jelas tidak ada yang ada...
Yang Jishan berkepal-kelip kembali ke tenda, menyentuh lutut Yang Jiyong, berkata, "Ada yang salah, ikuti aku."
Yang Jiyong terbangun dari tidur yang dalam, menangis, melihat adik besar, menahan kemarahannya, lalu menepuk wajahnya, memulihkan klaritas, lalu mengikuti Yang Jishan di luar tenda, sambil bertanya membingungkan: "Adik besar, apa yang terjadi?"
Yang Jishan berbiak, "Ada yang salah, tapi susah untuk dijelaskan..."
Ekspresi Yang Jiyong berubah serius.
Keduanya berjalan menuhi menara kota gerbang, melirik ke luar untuk melihat adegan yang gelap di luar gerbang.
Di kegelapan, tidak ada yang terlihat.
Tapi tidak ada yang tidak waspada, mereka tidak pernah lelah mendengatkannya.
Tiba-tiba, angin malam kuat bertiup, mengangkat rumput dan pasir, sekaligus menggerakkan bayangan yang seperti mencolok di malam.
Adegan ini tiba-tiba jatuh ke dalam mata Yang Jishan dan Yang Jiyong.
"Monster Binatang?" Yang Jiyong tersentak, "Digabung dengan malam, seperti... Ghost Night Wolf?"
Pandangan Yang Jishan mengerutkan alis, "Tidak, bukan Werván Spektikel Malam itu..."
Pupil Yang Jiyong bergetar, "Prajurit Werván Spektikel Malam!"
Werván Spektikel Malam adalah salah satu dari banyak haiwan binatang liar di Padang Belantara, aktif di malam hari, bulu dan aura mereka menyamarkan diri di dalam kegelapan, tersembunyi dan mencuri, menebus seperti hantu.
Pengadilan Tao Kultivator dari Suku Barbar berburu Werván Spektikel Malam, memetik bulunya, membuat armor pertempuran untuk serangan malam.
Bermakna,
Great Wilderness.
Night falls, and the desert wind is bleak.
The camp is located at the passage, hot by day and bitterly cold by night.
Yang Jishan, born of the Yang Family from the Taoist soldiers Court, is discussing military affairs with his fellow clansman Yang Jiyong by candlelight in the tent.
For nearly a century, the Southern Wilderness has been quite unstable.
Some clans have been involved in constant rebellions, with endless battles.
Within the Great Province Boundary of the Great Wilderness, various Dragon Lords and marquises occupy their territories and engage in open and covert struggles constantly.
The Taoist Court can only suppress and stabilize the region over the years.
The Great Wilderness has been the place where the Taoist Court deploys the most soldiers in the past ten thousand years.
Especially for the Yang Family, almost every generation of disciples would experience training in the Great Wilderness and engage in bloody battles with the rebellious Barbarian Tribes.
This night, Yang Jishan and Yang Jiyong are discussing military information, talking about the movements of the Barbarian Tribes today.
As they chat, Yang Jishan suddenly furrows his brow, seeming to have something on his mind.
Yang Jiyong asks, "Big brother, what’s wrong?"
Yang Jishan ponders for a moment and asks, "Did you notice anything unusual in the sky during the day?"
"Unusual?"
Yang Jishan nods, "It seemed like firelight streaking across, the horizon turned red..."
Yang Jiyong shakes his head, "I didn’t see anything unusual..."
Yang Jishan nods slightly, "Perhaps I’m overthinking it."
Perhaps recently, the tension from Heaven Flame has frayed nerves, frequent Barbarian Tribe disturbances have been exhausting, causing hallucinations.
Yang Jishan silently thought to himself.
Yang Jiyong added, "Big brother, this border is harsh and bitter, it’s truly taxing. We’ll have to endure another ten to twenty years to gain some merit. You should rest more, don’t wear yourself out."
Yang Jishan nods, "You too. Work hard and achieve Core Formation early."
Yang Jiyong smiled.
The brothers discussed until midnight, feeling tired, so they took a sip of strong liquor to warm themselves up, then put aside the military books and map, wrapped themselves in blankets, and slept in their clothes.
Yang Jiyong sleeps deeply and likes to snore.
Yang Jishan felt uneasy, his mind unsettled, and combined with the incessant snoring beside him, he became even more restless.
Half-awake, a chill suddenly surged up his heart.
Years of life-and-death military experience made him instantly alert, dispelling all drowsiness.
The night wind was still very cool.
Yang Jishan donned his armor and walked slowly out of the tent, raising his head to see the deep darkness swallowing the moonlight.
The Great Wilderness’s mountains resembled dark beasts, stretching endlessly, vast and desolate between heaven and earth.
The night was very quiet.
Yang Jishan breathed a sigh of relief.
But moments later, his brow suddenly furrowed.
"Too quiet..."
Usually at this time, these Three Thousand Wilderness mountains have insects and birds whispering, and monster beasts roaring. The night wouldn’t be this deep.
Where there is abnormality, there must be monsters.
But around was empty, pitch black, clearly nothing there...
Yang Jishan hurriedly turned back to the tent, kicking Yang Jiyong on the thigh, saying, "Something’s wrong, follow me."
Yang Jiyong was sleeping soundly, awakened by a kick, his eyes widened, seeing it’s Yang Jishan, held back his anger, then patted his face, regained clarity, and followed Yang Jishan out of the tent, while asking in confusion:
"Big brother, what happened?"
Yang Jishan said solemnly, "Something’s wrong, but it’s hard to describe..."
Yang Jiyong’s expression turned serious.
The two walked to the city tower of the pass, looking out to see a pitch-black scene outside the pass.
In the darkness, nothing was visible.
But neither of them was careless, nor did they relax their vigilance.
Just then, a strong night wind blew, lifting the grass and sand, also stirring a shadow-like trace in the night.
This scene happened to fall into the eyes of Yang Jishan and Yang Jiyong.
"Monster Beast?" Yang Jiyong was startled, "Merged with the night, it looks like... Ghost Night Wolf?"
Yang Jishan’s gaze darkened, "Not Ghost Night Wolf, it’s..."
Yang Jiyong’s pupils trembled, "Ghost Night Wolf Soldiers!"
Ghost Night Wolf is a kind of Barbaric Wilderness monster beast, active at night, its fur and aura blend into the darkness, hidden and stealthy, hunting prey like specters.
The Great Wilderness Barbarian Clan cultivators hunt Ghost Night Wolves, peel off their fur, make battle armor for night raids.
Such are the Ghost Night Wolf Soldiers, spectral-like soldiers.
It used to be one of the most insidious and cunning "Barbarian Soldier" types of the Desolate Royal Family.
But with the fall of the Great Wilderness Imperial Court, its forces suppressed, such "wolf soldiers" were included in the Taoist Soldiers prohibition, no longer allowed for any force in the Great Wilderness to cultivate.
And now, guarding the Wilderness pass, there are wolf soldiers attacking at night...
Yang Jishan’s face darkened, commanding Yang Jiyong to have the Taoist Soldiers raise camp and form defensive lines.
Meanwhile, he took out a beast sinew horn bow, drawing the bow like a full moon, his gaze sharp as a hawk, searching for the spectral figures unseen in the darkness.
When a gust passed, shadows swayed.
Yang Jishan’s eyes gleamed, an arrow shot out, the arrow carrying immense force, whistled, pinning a Barbarian Soldier dead on the ground in the night.
In the darkness, blood flowed, the scent of blood wafted, inciting unseen commotion.
Yang Jishan shot a wolf soldier dead with one arrow, yet his face showed no joy.
He knew the enemy attack wasn’t simple.
"Ignite the Bright Fire Formation."
Yang Jishan pondered momentarily, then ordered.
The nights in the Great Wilderness do not allow bright fires.
The Great Wilderness lies in the far southern land of the Nine State, the night deeper, thicker like ink, also a playground for monster beasts.
Monster beasts love night but fear fire, easily attracted to firelight.
Especially the passes guarding the wilderness.
Once bright fires are lit at night, the surrounding monster beasts will go insane, attacking the passes.
But tonight, it was different; swift decision-making was necessary.
On the pass, light swirled, and a massive Bright Fire Formation formed a beam, soaring skyward.
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