Daoist Jinlian had always arranged for disciples to observe and gather information on the main headquarters of the Earth Sect from the outskirts.
The disciples did not need to take risks for this task. Simply paying attention to the living conditions of the residents in the surrounding areas could give a rough idea of the movements of the demon Daoists in the Earth Sect headquarters.
First of all, the Earth Sect demon Daoists still needed to eat, so they would definitely buy grain and supplies from the local people.
Secondly, since the Earth Sect Daoists had turned to depravity, they would need to vent their desires from time to time, this included physical desires, the urge to kill, and so on.
As for killing, the Earth Sect Daoists would not slaughter the people living nearby, after all they would not foul their own nests.
However, in terms of physical desires, these demon Daoists would often head down the mountain to kidnap and violate women.
They did not go to brothels or pleasure houses because the tolerance of the courtesans there could not satisfy their malice. What they enjoyed was violating decent women.
“I laid low near the headquarters for a few days without encountering any Daoists who came out to ‘hunt.’ I found it rather strange.”
Qiu Chanyi frowned and said,
“After asking the local residents, I learned that the Earth Sect demon Daoists had not caused any trouble for quite some time.”
Hearing this, Daoist Jinlian’s brows knit deeply.
“When was the last time those demon Daoists went out and did something?” he asked after some thought.
Qiu Chanyi looked up as if recalling, and said,
“Nearly a month ago.”
Daoist Jinlian pondered,
“Weaker ones need to vent their malice about every ten days. At fourth rank they can withstand being eaten away by it for half a month, but they definitely cannot endure it for a full month.”
What happened half a month ago?
Daoist Jinlian quickly figured out the truth, the jianzheng had been sealed half a month ago.
He said calmly,
“I already know where they are hiding, you need not worry.”
Daoist Bailian nodded slightly, glanced at the ginger cat, and said,
“In that case, we shall not disturb your cultivation any further, Senior Brother Jinlian.”
With that, she left with the Earth Sect’s most beautiful flower, Qiu Chanyi.
After the two beauties left the thatched cottage, Daoist Bailian turned her head to look at her disciple’s beautiful profile and smiled,
“Chanyi, the power of virtue in you has become much stronger.”
Qiu Chanyi’s pure, pretty face broke into a sweet smile.
“Senior Uncle Bailian, I can now let my Yin Spirit leave my body.”
Sixth rank Daoist, Yin Spirit!
It had to be said that troubled times were an excellent opportunity for Earth Sect cultivators to train, since there were many chances to accumulate virtue, but it was also the most dangerous time, since evil flourished among the people.
You might save someone today, but tomorrow they could start killing and pillaging, bringing catastrophe upon others.
A portion of this karma would be shifted onto the Earth Sect cultivator, and it would then be necessary to expend some virtue to dispel it.
Of course, there was some karma that could not be dispelled, such as a Daoist liking possessing ginger cats, leading astray the monarch and causing chaos in the court.
“By the way, why was there a cat in Jinlian’s room? Was he possessing the cat just now?”
Qiu Chanyi had not dared to ask a moment ago.
Daoist Bailian sighed,
“Ever since returning from the capital, Jinlian has developed a strange fondness for possessing ginger cats. He only likes ginger ones. Just pretend you don’t know, everyone has their own little quirks. Even those people you see as great figures, even heroes, have theirs.”
She considered a moment, then gave examples:
“No need to mention those too far away. Take those with whom you are familiar, Heaven Sect’s Holy Maiden, Li Miaozhen, for example: her quirk is upholding chivalry. The Holy Son, Li Lingsu, he falls for everyone he meets, likes to fool around with women’s bodies and feelings. He once angered women and ended up under house arrest for half a year.
“And then there is the much-admired Xu Qi’an, before he rose to power, he would frequent the goulan by day, the Jiaofangsi by night, and he never paid for their services.”
The temperaments and hobbies of the Heaven and Earth Society’s members were all things she had learned from Jinlian in idle conversation.
If one must say when this happened, it was back in Jianzhou, when she had searched high and low for Jinlian and finally found a ginger cat happily mixing with a group of cats in the flower garden, teaching his little ‘brothers’ with his signature turtle-fist.
That was still back in Jianzhou.
After hearing all that, Daoist Bailian did not feel that Jinlian’s penchant for possessing cats was much of a problem any more.
Qiu Chanyi commented in admiration,
“Silver Gong Xu is so youthful and romantic, no wonder people look up to him!”
Bailian’s mind was full of question marks.
By then, Qiu Chanyi had already skipped away, her movements light and graceful, her slim waist, long legs, and pert little bottom like the tender shoots of a willow tree in spring.
…
In a mountain stronghold.
Late at night, the Holy Son quietly put away the Earth Book fragment and hid it under his pillow. Then he shifted a long leg that had been resting across his stomach to the left, this belonged to Lanlan, who loved black dresses.
He then laid the head resting on his right shoulder onto a soft pillow. Next, he lifted the quilt, rolled over both Lanlan and Ding Hanxiu, and managed to get out of bed.
The Holy Son accurately found his own clothes among the scattered skirts, dudous, and undergarments on the floor, and dressed quickly.
As expected, ever since I started training as a martial artist, my physique is so much stronger than before.
He patted his waist, finding no trace of soreness, and sighed with emotion.
After being drained dry by Dongfang Wanrong and Dongfang Wanqing, Li Lingsu had come to his senses and began to study martial arts. Already a fourth-rank master, he progressed extremely quickly.
He abstained from women for half a month, toughening his body daily, then supported his efforts with qi-nourishing pills, breaking through to the eighth rank, Refining Qi, within a month.
The next rank was Refining Spirit. For Daoists, who specialise in cultivating the soul, this was no difficulty, but at present, the Holy Son was stuck at the Refining Qi stage.
From the initial stage to the peak of Refining Qi would take him another half a year, even with his level of cultivation.
After that came sixth rank, Bronze Skin and Iron Bones. From that point on, the difficulty increased sharply, as fifth rank Transforming Force depended on talent.
Of course, the Holy Son was a fourth rank Daoist, and so wasn’t pursuing the martial peak. He trained as a martial artist because martial artists could fuck until dawn.
Thus, he did not intend to break through to fourth rank as a martial artist, it was simply too hard.
Once he left the room, he headed a few hundred metres away towards the small courtyard where Yang Qianhuan and Chu Caiwei lived.
The senior and junior brother and sister had rooms east and west of the courtyard respectively.
Just as Li Lingsu entered, the door to the east room opened automatically, and Yang Qianhuan’s voice emerged:
“Brother Li, what brings you here so late?”
There was a faint note of vigilance in his tone.
Brothers they might be, but he could not have him eyeing up his junior sister.
Li Lingsu, unaware of Yang Qianhuan’s inner thoughts, crossed into the courtyard and entered the east room.
Candlelight flared, dispelling the darkness.
Yang Qianhuan sat cross-legged on his bed, back turned toward the door.
“Still cultivating, Brother Yang?”
Li Lingsu noted that he was fully dressed, evidently not asleep.
“Attempting a breakthrough to third rank,” Yang Qianhuan replied coolly.
“And?” Li Lingsu’s eyes lit up.
“The path to beyond-mortal is like mortals ascending to heaven. If you cross over, you are no longer a mere mortal. Throughout history, there have been countless fourth ranks, but those beyond-mortal are few and far between. Even a genius like me cannot ascend to third rank so easily in a short time.”
Yang Qianhuan sighed emotionally.
His tone seemed to say: Even a prodigy like me can only be invincible among mortals.
Since the jianzheng was sealed, Yang Qianhuan had applied himself to cultivation in earnest… Li Lingsu, long used to his way of speaking, said:
“I visit you at this late hour to ask a favour, something only you can handle.”
Yang Qianhuan liked dealing with Li Lingsu. He was talented and knew how to talk.
“Pray tell!”
“In a few days, I plan to hunt down a formidable enemy with several companions, and I hope Brother Yang can lend a hand.” Li Lingsu added,
“There’s no need for you to admit any risk directly, just assist with formations when necessary.”
Li Lingsu thought that although Luo Yuheng was second rank, Jinlian was no pushover either, and they had other beyond-mortal allies like Xu Pingfeng.
They were not enemies who could be slaughtered at will, so a versatile, foolproof spell that could be used both for escape and pursuit, Teleportation!
That was the guarantee of safety for Heaven and Earth Society’s members’ lives.
“No problem!”
Yang Qianhuan nodded and agreed, then asked,
“May I ask who the opponent is?”
“It’s one of the beyond-mortals who encircled the Jianzheng that day,” Li Lingsu replied.
“When do we act!” Yang Qianhuan’s aura changed instantly.
“No rush, the operation is still in preparation.” After soothing him, Li Lingsu spoke of his second reason for coming today.
He hesitated, then said with a pained expression,
“I have some bad news for you, Brother Yang, about Xu Qi’an. Well, you can choose whether to hear it or not.”
Yang Qianhuan’s ears twitched, but his tone was calm, even a little dismissive,
“Has that Xu Qi’an brat shown off again in public?”
Li Lingsu hesitated,
“Huaiqing has ascended the throne as emperor.”
Yang Qianhuan was stunned and said,
“She’s a woman, what’s she doing becoming emperor? Still, it’s rather interesting. In the six hundred years since the founding of the Great Feng, no woman has ever claimed the throne. Her Highness Huaiqing will truly go down in history.”
This made Yang Qianhuan somewhat envious.
“But what has this got to do with Xu Qi’an?” Yang Qianhuan thought to himself, if that bastard Xu dared to ascend the throne, I would lead troops to overthrow him.
That way, I would also go down in history, and so would he, a win-win!
Li Lingsu quietly said,
“It was that bastard Xu who supported her rise.”
After speaking, he saw Yang Qianhuan lean helplessly against the wall, as if he had heard some terrible news and fainted like a pitiful man torn by grief.
“Are you alright, Brother Yang?!”
Li Lingsu was taken aback by his reaction and was immediately satisfied in his heart.
After a long while, Yang Qianhuan murmured,
“Say, if I hadn’t been driven out by the Jianzheng, if I were still in the capital…”
He pictured himself in the capital, intimidating the officials and supporting a female emperor to ascend…
Yang Qianhuan banged his head against the wall, regretting it to his core, “That old thief, the Jianzheng, even sealed away, is still ruining me!!”
Seeing this, Li Lingsu knew it was time to leave. He cupped his hands and said,
“Brother Yang, I’ll go get some rest. You should rest earlier, too. Anger is bad for your health.”
He turned and left. As he closed the door, he heard Yang Qianhuan muttering,
“I can support Lin’an… Hmm, she’s involved with that bastard Xu. I don’t believe that Xu would suppress her…”
…
【NINE: I have something to inform everyone. I just received word from a disciple: the main base of the Earth Sect is empty, the demon daoists have already moved.】
The Heaven and Earth Society members who saw Daoist Jinlian’s message felt a sinking in their hearts.
【ONE: As expected. Xu Ningyan advanced too quickly, which has forced Heilian to join hands with Xu Pingfeng, enough to show his fear of him.】
So, it was not surprising they had relocated. Were they supposed to sit at home stupidly waiting for their enemies?
【NINE: This poor daoist thinks they should be in Qingzhou or Yunzhou.】
Xu Qi’an, the little master of deduction, gave a further conclusion:
【THREE: I believe they are in Qingzhou. The Earth Sect demon daoists are not weak and form a considerable force. Xu Pingfeng would not leave them idle at the main base in Yunzhou. And for demon daoists, regions filled with slaughter and chaos are their paradise.】
You’re very fast at writing messages… Chu Yuanzhen quietly erased his own deduction, which was the same as Xu Qi’an’s.
That’s right, they definitely wouldn’t be in Yunzhou… Li Miaozhen also deleted her “I’m familiar with Yunzhou” message, and changed it to:
【TWO: That’s troublesome. Qingzhou is so vast, it’ll be too hard to find them. Moreover, our strategy of attacking Wei to save Zhao will be useless.】
【ONE: No, this does not hinder our plan. It just means Xu Ningyan must take the risk.】
This woman… Li Miaozhen ground her teeth, hugging her Earth Book fragment, and waited in silence.
Daoist Jinlian asked: 【NINE: What do you mean?】
【ONE: I can find out the whereabouts of the Earth Sect demon daoists in a short time. It will not delay us much. Once we locate them, we can continue the operation. As for the beyond-mortal experts of Yunzhou, Xu Ningyan must go and actively pin them down.
【This will be extremely dangerous, as both Agaruka Bodhisattva and Baidi are first rank, and Xu Pingfeng has likely started refining Qingzhou’s fortune. Even if it’s not fully refined, he’ll still gain from the fortune. With those three working together, they’re almost invincible beneath the Beyond-rank. So, you’ll need helpers.】
【TWO: How can you guarantee that you can track down the hiding place of the demon daoists in such a short time?】
Daoist Jinlian and Chu Yuanzhen wanted to ask this as well.
【ONE: The hidden assets left behind by Duke Wei are under my control.】
Just this one sentence dispelled Daoist Jinlian’s final doubts.
【FOUR: I have another good plan. It’s too dangerous to go deep into enemy territory. Why not make use of the Yunzhou delegation to provoke the Yunzhou army into attacking Yongzhou, luring the snake out of its hole?】
Chu Yuanzhen began to elaborate on his own ideas, inviting Xu Qi’an and Huaiqing to offer corrections and suggestions.
…
The sun hung in the sky, neither too harsh nor too mild.
Qingzhou Provincial Administration, council hall.
Clad in military attire, Qi Guangbo strode into the hall, removed his helmet and placed it on the table, calmly surveying the seats on either side.
Ji Xuan, Ge Wenxuan, Zhuo Haoran, and nearly twenty high-ranking military officers had gathered.
“Accelerate the takeover and recruitment efforts throughout Qingzhou, and prepare to attack Yongzhou.”
Qi Guangbo’s first words stunned the group.
On Ji Xuan’s side, Yang Chuannan, second in rank, was first to respond:
“Did the peace talks fail?”
Qi Guangbo did not answer, but looked to Ge Wenxuan, who exhaled sharply and said in a grave voice,
“I have lost contact with Young Master Ji Yuan, for now, whether he is alive or dead is unknown.”
Qi Guangbo concluded decisively,
“I personally ordered the Vermillion Bird Army to infiltrate Yongzhou last night. We received a message passed from the capital: the negotiation has failed.”
Between Qingzhou and the capital lay Yongzhou.
It was not too far, but not close either; information could not travel that quickly. Treasures like sound-transmitting conch shells were extremely rare, and the Tianjigong’s spies could not possibly have them.
Thus, after the Vermillion Bird Army slipped into Yongzhou and contacted the Tianjigong spies stationed there, they waited just four hours before the message from the capital arrived, travelling day and night to reach Yongzhou in time.
Zhuo Haoran slammed the table and swore:
“Fuck, we give the Great Feng face and they don’t take it! Do they really think their small number of beyond-mortals can match the National Teacher or Agaruka Bodhisattva?
“Or the divine beast Baidi?”
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