Luck taken away? It doesn't matter, I quietly become a god

Chapter 478, Main City 4, Wuqu Pass

Rong Shu, along with the others from the academy, stood high in the sky, looking down at the earth.

The legendary Great Wall of Suppressing Nightmare resembles an ancient dragon that has slumbered since time immemorial. Its massive, rugged spine meanders, and its outstretched claws and scales transform into vegetation along the mountain ridges. The dragon's body stretches endlessly, rising and falling with the terrain, covered with the sighs and embers left behind by countless ages, lying prostrate on the vast territory.

Until the horizon, where it meets the hazy, misty skyline, heaven and earth merge, sharing the same color.

"Junior Sister Rong Shu, isn't this amazing?"

In my ears, I could hear the sound of a cascading river.

The amazement in Rong Shu's eyes had not faded. She nodded and commented, "A masterpiece of craftsmanship, a miracle of humankind."

"That's what I thought too when I first came here," Xuanhe said with a smile, hands on his hips.

“Junior Sister Rong Shu, do you know that in order to lock this forbidden zone of life, prevent its nightmare energy from leaking out, and monitor the sealing situation in real time, the three great dynasties mobilized the entire nation's resources and spent three thousand years to build the Great Wall of Nightmare Suppression, which stretches for eight million miles.”

"Besides Yanmen Pass, there are 108 passes, corresponding to 108 stars in the celestial sphere. With the passes as nodes and the Great Wall as the network, they together construct a magnificent array covering the entire Buzhou Domain—the Celestial Star Locking Spirit Array."

"This formation not only locks the Nightmare Qi within the domain from leaking out, but also continuously draws in the power of the stars to stabilize the seal."

Xuanhe shook his head and sighed: "It is said that in order to complete this great formation... eight hundred formation masters exhausted their lifeblood and passed away on the day the formation was completed."

"It was the painstaking efforts of eight hundred array masters, and the joint construction by countless cultivators from the three great dynasties, that created this eight-million-mile-long Great Wall of Nightmare Suppression..."

At this moment, Jiuxiao's clear and cold voice came from the front of the group: "Below is Wuqu Pass, one of the fourteen main cities, and also our stop for this journey."

"Please remember the following points: No fighting is allowed in the city without cause, and you must not interfere with the military affairs of the border troops. You must obey the military orders of the Zhenyan Division of the Wuqu Branch. If there is no fighting for the time being, you will be given half a day to rest."

One hundred and eight constellations correspond to one hundred and eight passes.

The fourteen main stars naturally correspond to the fourteen main cities—

Ziwei, Tianji, Taiyang, Wuqu, Tiantong, Lianzhen, Tianfu, Taiyin, Tanlang, Jumen, Tianxiang, Tianliang, Qisha, Pojun.

There are three great dynasties, four great academies, six great families, and one Jixia Academy, making a total of fourteen. Each faction guards a main city.

The remaining second, third, and fourth-tier forces were assigned to guard ordinary passes.

After learning that this was the allocation, Rong Shu felt somewhat disappointed.

With Di Chuchen's return to the Divine Wind Dynasty, it's no surprise that he's currently overseeing things at Ziwei Pass.

Zhanming Mountain belongs to Wenxin Academy, so Senior Brother Wuhua should be going to Tian.

Lin Jingyue, who returned to the Lin family, and Xiao Zian, the newly appointed head of the Xiao family, should be going to Tiantong Pass and Tianfu Pass to assist if they are representing their families.

The group from the academy descended, and Jiuxiao presented the academy's token, which was quickly accepted by the city guards.

In fact, the academy's group split into two halfway there. The academy's chief priest and the master went to Yanmen Pass to meet with the high-ranking officials of other forces in Zhongzhou to discuss important matters of joint defense.

These are high-ranking figures, whose cultivation levels are mostly at the Integration Stage or Mahayana Stage. As the top combat force of the human race, they naturally carry out assigned tasks that are different from those of the students who follow a set routine.

With the academy's instructor absent, Chief Jiu Xiao was in charge of the group, with Yun Shu and the other five members of the Dragon and Tiger Ranking assisting him.

After entering the city, Xuanheng took out the list of each assigned squad.

The allocation of members in these squads was not random, but rather the optimal allocation list calculated by Xuan Heng through divination and fortune-telling along the way.

"Suspended River, Dust in the Heart, Tranquility, Bluebird, Sunset..."

Upon hearing that he would be in the same team as someone he knew, Rong Shu's expression inevitably relaxed.

Xuanhe excitedly transmitted his voice: [Junior Sister Rong Shu, it seems we are very destined! Don't worry! When we get to the Land of Desolation, your senior brother will definitely protect you!]

Rong Shu couldn't help but smile. Just as he was about to say thank you, he heard the last person's name.

"...And Cloud, you six will form a team."

Xuan Heng's gaze lingered on Rong Shu for only a moment before turning to Yun Duan: "You are the strongest and most experienced, so you will lead the team."

Yun Duan nodded: "Okay."

Rong Shu looked in the direction of the sound and saw an unexpected woman's figure. Her eyes immediately became confused.

Is it the "cloud" she's thinking of?

Why isn't he a man? Fourth Senior Brother clearly said he was a man.

Could it be a case of homophones or the same name?

She couldn't help but tug at Xuanhe's sleeve and ask, "[Which cloud is 'cloud'? Which end?]"

Xuanhe crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow: [Junior Sister Rong Shu, did you go into seclusion as soon as you entered the academy? Haven't you even heard of our leader, Yun Duan?]

[Our leader's Taoist name is Yunduan, which is derived from the phrase "roaming the clouds."]

Even at the Jixia Academy, teeming with talent, those below the Refinement stage, aside from the few on the Dragon and Tiger Rankings who are somewhat troublesome, can't last more than a hundred rounds against our boss.

Undeterred, Rong Shu continued to ask: "[Just a Daoist title? Not your real name? Is there anyone in the academy whose real name is 'Yun Duan'? And is he a man?]"

Students at the Jixia Academy were accustomed to adopting Taoist names and addressing each other by these names, abandoning their worldly names and focusing solely on cultivating immortality and self-discipline.

Rong Shu was still a new student and had not yet had time to take a Daoist name.

"What are you two talking about telepathically?" a female voice interrupted, cutting off their clandestine conversation.

Rong Shu glanced around and saw that the other members of the academy had dispersed in twos and threes after they had formed their own teams.

After all, there is a half-day of rest time. If you want to see your family and friends, or go to the Alchemist Guild to purchase useful pills and rare herbs, you must make the most of the time.

When their eyes met, Rong Shu blinked nervously and quickly said in a well-behaved tone, "Uh, Hello, Senior Sister Yun Duan? Hello, fellow senior brothers and sisters!"

Chen Xin and his two other teammates seemed to know each other well, and they were standing next to Yun Duan at this moment.

Chen Xin still wore that aloof and cold expression.

Meanwhile, the other two, Bluebird and Sunset, stepped forward very enthusiastically.

"Junior Sister Rong, hello there~ When did you reach the Nascent Soul stage?" Taking advantage of being a fellow woman, Qingniao unceremoniously squeezed past Xuanhe and approached Rong Shu: "Could you secretly tell Senior Sister to satisfy her curiosity~"

Another senior student, Sunset, complained, "What do you mean 'secretly telling you'? I want to know too! I'm so curious!"

Surrounded by people on the left and right, Rong Shu hadn't figured out how to answer, so Qingniao and Luo Ri started guessing and betting back and forth.

Rong Shu couldn't get a word in edgewise.

Ok.

Confirmed eyes.

He's a chatterbox, just like Senior Brother Xuanhe.

Finally, Yun Duan spoke up to rescue Rong Shu: "Alright, you two, keep your composure. Go to the Alchemist Guild first, and we can talk on the way."

Rong Shu finally got some peace and quiet.

She was about to thank him when Yun Duan suddenly turned to look at her, and a bad feeling immediately arose in her heart.

Sure enough, the next second, Yun Duan said something that was sure to shock everyone: "Junior Sister Rong, let me introduce myself. My name is Yun Duan."

"My Taoist name at the academy is 'Cloud Top.' Years ago, when I traveled to the Central Plains and attended the Gathering of Heroes, I also used the alias 'Cloud Top.' Perhaps you've heard of me?"

"Rong Shu is the junior sister of Xiao Zi'an, the young master of the Xiao family."