Chapter 130: Behead Them All and Bring Their Heads Here

"Gentlemen, please rest in the village today. Tomorrow, we will find some sturdy men to accompany you up the mountain!"

In a small village not far from the foot of Eagle Mountain, many villagers were gathered in the center. Song Mu and his companions set down their packs, and Xiao Xiong was busy speaking with the village elders.

"Master, are we hunting demons here tomorrow?"

Song Mu stood beside Tao Fengming. Tao, with his hands clasped behind his back, gazed at the people before him. Upon hearing Song Mu's question, his expression remained indifferent.

"Yes, we shall stay here for one day. This place is likely worth a try."

As Tao Fengming spoke, his gaze drifted into the distance. Beside him, Song Mu let out a soft sigh of relief. He had been so impulsive during his conversation with two woodcutters earlier that he had promised to exterminate the demons here, leading to their warm welcome into the village. Fortunately, there was nothing to worry about; Tao Fengming’s philosophy was simply to fight wherever they traveled.

Song Mu looked toward the distance as well. Amidst the crisscrossing fields, a gravel road barely wide enough for two carriages to pass side-by-side stretched out. During the early days of the Wen Dynasty, when the world was in turmoil, the founding emperor ordered the construction of roads, inspired by the First Emperor of Qin, to protect the newly unified realm and provide for the people. For hundreds of years, this work had continued. While the roads were not perfectly smooth, they effectively connected the north to the south and the east to the west.

On this sandy road, dozens of gaunt, weary travelers were heading north, carrying packs and trailing their families. Among them, men in black wielding blades—officials from Shaozhou Prefecture—were maintaining order, temporarily settling these refugees arriving from the south.

The southern frontier near the sea was in chaos; the demon and barbarian tribes were stirring up trouble. The southern frontier armies were accelerating their mobilization. Rumor had it that only Nancheng remained in human hands in the south, while Guilin and Xiang Prefectures had already fallen. A great war was imminent. Driven by this instability, people who had lived simple lives were forced to leave their homes. Even Shaozhou, bordering the Jiangnan West Circuit, felt unsafe, prompting them to push further north.

Song Mu sighed at the sight. Having lived in a prosperous era in his past life, he was accustomed to a peaceful and abundant existence. Seeing these displaced people left him with a heavy heart.

"Although there is a main road here, it is patrolled by prefectural guards, so demons shouldn't be gathering," Tao Fengming said calmly, pulling Song Mu back to reality. Song Mu turned to see Tao sitting down, occupied with his own meal. Song Mu glanced into the distance one last time before turning to help his fellow students pack.

They set up several tents in the center of the village to spend the night. Song Mu was surprised by the tents; everyone had been traveling light, and he himself was carrying the most baggage. Yet, as soon as Tao Fengming ordered them to camp, these tents appeared, easily assembled with wooden poles into spacious shelters. The large, ash-grey tents looked sturdy—likely military-grade. Song Mu recalled that Xiao Xiong had produced them from a small, arm-length box.

Intrigued, he turned to Xue Kaiwen, who was preparing to sleep, and asked, "Brother Ziyan, those tents were taken from a small box by Master Xiao. How could such large things possibly fit inside such a small container?"

Xue Kaiwen smiled knowingly and explained, "I hear it is a treasure crafted from the remnants of celestial stars. Many poems were inscribed inside using melted residue, creating a vast inner space that can easily hold cargo several yards wide and long. As for the name, it is called the 'Heaven-Swallowing Rule'."

Song Mu was stunned. He hadn't imagined such a magical item, akin to folding space, could exist.

Xue Kaiwen continued, "The Heaven-Swallowing Rule is too precious; our prefectural school only has two, and they are of the lowest quality. I’ve heard that if one becomes a Jinshi, the bestowed 'Literary Vein Tourmaline' might also possess such capabilities."

Song Mu blinked, incredulous. "Is that true, Brother Ziyan? Can a Literary Vein Tourmaline truly perform such a miraculous feat?"

Xue Kaiwen hesitated, his expression showing he had only heard it as a rumor.

"What Ziyan says is true," interjected Fu Zefeng, who was preparing to rest in his tent. "However, even so, Heaven-Swallowing Rules are rare. What we have is already quite good—a cubic yard in capacity. I’ve heard of versions ten yards wide, but those are priceless. Being able to take one out with us is a sign of the imperial court's favor toward the Jiangnan West Circuit Academy."

Song Mu nodded, though his gaze drifted to the tent occupied by Tao Fengming. If his master possessed a Literary Vein Tourmaline, why make him carry all their gear? Song Mu gave a bitter smile, deciding it was likely just another of Tao’s tests.

That night, Song Mu did not sleep soundly. After days of traveling, he was exhausted, but before he could drift off, the village was filled with the sound of gongs and clamorous shouting.

"Demons are in the fields! Everyone, hurry and save the crops!"

The sound was deafening. Song Mu sat up, and others had already stepped outside to investigate. Someone returned shortly after. "It seems demons have invaded the villagers' fields. The crops left out to dry are in danger."

Song Mu woke up, dressing quickly. Just then, an obscure wave of literary power surged outward. It rippled through the air, and moments later, the sounds of beastly roars and growls echoed from the mountains, tinged with terror. The sounds faded quickly, and soon, the villagers' gongs fell silent.

"The demons have retreated. It was the master's pulse of literary power," a fellow scholar explained. Song Mu looked out; Tao Fengming’s tent hadn't even been lit, yet he had resolved the crisis effortlessly. Everyone was struck with awe until a Juren student entered and told them to rest.

Song Mu couldn't sleep. Back at the prefecture, he had only seen a glimpse of Tao Fengming’s abilities, assuming his strength lay primarily in his cultivation of willpower. But after these past few days, he realized Tao was far more formidable. Beneath that indifferent exterior lay a terrifying, boundless strength. With this admiration, he finally drifted into sleep.

"Thank you, my lords, for your help! If not for you scaring off those demons that attacked from all sides yesterday, we wouldn't know how much grain we would have lost," the village chief said the next morning, bringing a feast to thank them. The scholars politely declined the gifts.

Tao Fengming emerged from his tent, looking as disheveled as ever, his eyes dull. He stretched and said, "We hunt demons on the mountain today. Each scholar is to hunt three low-level demon soldiers, and each Juren, five. Complete this before dark."

He took a sip from a tea pot he had produced from nowhere, then gestured for Song Mu to approach. As Song Mu brought the pack over, Tao chewed on some dried meat and added, "There should be one demon commander and three demon generals in the mountain. Bring them back as well."