Maiden Of The Splitting Moon

After speaking, Shi Hou then walked out of the tent, leaving Kong Zhi with the other demons.  The three looked at each other before gazing at bandaged demon quietly. 

"We could end his life, couldn't we? My dear."

"We can, but now wouldn't be the right time, would it, Master Shiji." 

The pair of lovers talked quietly before looking at the old leader of the Shiji Sect. He sighed and looked back. 

"Yes, we've only just joined his army with our own forces. It would take time to convince them all to join us", he replied. 

"Hmph, once we take over, we can use them to revitalize our clans! They can pave the way for us to walk through. We just have to find the other clans, take them out of hiding. Use the army that Kong Zhi created to reclaim the continent!"

They all agreed on this notion before departing the tent. 

Unbeknownst to Shi Hou and the Kong Zhi, these clan leaders had goals of their own, plans to uproot them from their place and take over. They might be members of his army, but they were the leaders of their clans first and foremost. Once a weakness has been shown, the opportunity will surely be taken. 

After this battle, the North Fort was quickly rebuilt as supplies and soldiers kept coming through. With Du Xiu's report, even more cultivators entered the continent, wishing to test their strength and to grow stronger. 

A month passed before a declaration was made. 

There would be a campaign through the North, led by Du Xiu. They would march through the mountains and defeat the Mu Clan before moving further to the west. The end goal here was a single thing, Kong Zhi's head and that would signify the end of the war. 

That was his plan. 

But then with Ling Xue, he had countermeasures in place. 

"With the appearance of the Ao Clan, the Huo Clan, and the Shiji Clan, this means that the other clans are on the move" she warned him. 

And when he asked what she meant by this, the Yao Princess explained. 

"You've heard of that among the demons, there exist the top hundred bloodlines and each of them is of a clan. Like the Yao Clan or the Mu Clan, there are that many of us. And since, Kong Zhi has managed to recruit these other clans, there is no doubt that the rest will take notice. They may try to take advantage of the situation and reap the rewards." 

But what did this mean for the war? 

Was the end coming soon? Or would it evolve into something worse?

The appearance of these clans spelled for change. Surely, they had begun to move, each and every one of these hidden forces. All of which had persevered through the calamity, hiding away from the world. But why would they begin to move now?

Such questions had only begun to surface, not when the focus was on Kong Zhi.

And while the North had its own dealings, the South quickly recovered from the Idol of Chaos's attack. Unfortunately, they now had to worry about the Hundun Clan, who had lost their precious Idol. 

With that in mind, not a single soul there celebrated. Instead, they focused on completing the castle there as soon as possible. Even Ming Yue and the other cultivators joined to help. 

Everyone's faces were weary as they mustered whatever energy they had into construction. With the looming threat of attack hanging over their heads, they couldn't afford to relax. The same applied to the two commanders. 

Who knew when Zi Jing had last slept? He was busy in his workshop, trying to create a better defense against the Hundun Clan's Primordial Lightning.

And Yu Zhen? She worked with soldiers, going out to hunt for resources and even getting on mining trips to the Cerulean Serpent's Lake. They had to work quickly to bolster themselves for the next battle. 

As for Ming Yue, the clash with the Idol of Chaos proved a helpful one for she had succeeded in Return to Simplicity and began training in Realm of a Hundred Blades. Spending her days practicing by the lakeshore, her progress was coming along smoothly. And today was no different. 

With a branch in her hand, she swung it around with masterful control, cutting through the air with a sharp whistle.

But she wasn't alone.

"Ah damn!"

A sword spun through the air before landing on the ground. And the branch was thrust forward, barely scratching the neck of her opponent. 

He raised his hands up before saying a few words. 

"Thank you for teaching me."

Taking the branch away, she cupped her fists and bowed before looking at the others. 

"Next."

By the end of it, she sat in the canteen, eating with Xuan Yin and accompanied by their pets. They both ate quietly, enduring the glancing look of others. 

"Look! It's them! Those two fought with the Windy Saber against the Idol of Chaos!"

"Right? It's them?!"

Despite their attempts to whisper quietly, their own excitement was hard to contain. At some point, Xuan Yin couldn't help but chuckle as she shook her head, looking at them all. 

"Who would've thought that last fight would've attracted so many more people? I mean, certainly, it would have made us well known but... I wasn't expecting it so quickly, right?" 

Ming Yue took a quick glance before going back to her meal. She then looked out of the window, looking at the Cerulean Serpent's Lake. The surface was calm but every so often, it would ripple. Each time she saw it, she knew, Drifting Sky was there.

Having noticed her stare out, Xuan Yin looked out at the window.

"How long before you get your sword back?" she asked. 

Ming Yue turned away, poking at her meal before answering. 

"Just a few more months left, though it could come earlier or later. I was told that it would be a year but I'm not sure." 

She then looked at Xuan Yin. 

"Whenever it is, I probably won't have it for the Hundun Clan", she muttered. 

Hearing the mention of that, Xuan Yin's expression darkened. 

"Right... them. I thought that they had would have come by now but at this point, I'm just glad there's still time to prepare. What do you plan to do tomorrow? Sparring and construction?" she asked. 

"No, I'm heading out to gather medicinal herbs for the infirmary."

"Really now? I half expected you to do the same thing that you've been doing the past few days."

Ming Yue shook her head with a slight smile. 

"Now that the fortress is nearly done, they need someone to help stock up. They usually have teams for this, a few soldiers and a doctor. But since I know medicine and I can fight, they asked for me to go out and do it."

"Hm, right, you did know your way around that sort of stuff. Well, you wouldn't mind if I joined, would you?"

Xuan Yin looked at her with big eyes and a bright smile to which her friend merely shook her head. 

"That's fine. But we won't be heading into the marshes... or what's left of them. We're going north", Ming Yue revealed. 

"North? That's where the Primeval Forest is right?" 

"Yes, there."

"It's a massive place, bordering us and the lake. From what I hear, the lake's power had spread into the land, causing it to be bountiful with life. It's much different from the Boundless Beast Forest which was revived through blood and battle. The Primeval Forest is more colorful! You're going there?"

Ming Yue nodded and then spoke. 

"They told me it's full of life and contains plenty of herbs. The problem is obtaining them, it is dangerous.. Even more dangerous than the Boundless Beast Forest", she told her.