Chapter 1223: For the Tigers

He Lingchuan stood up and said to Situ Yu, "Master Fu and I have something to discuss. General Situ, please go ahead with your work. We can talk later?"

Situ Yu had no objections. He instructed his attendants to entertain them well, then left with his son.

Gaining such a powerful ally was a great boon for the Situ family.

Afterward, He Lingchuan consulted Fu Liushan about methods for subduing ghosts and demons.

Fu Liushan looked at him, his eyes full of suspicion. "Asking for such detailed information, do you plan to confront Ghost King Xuanlu by yourself?"

"How could I?" He Lingchuan smiled. "Entering the forest alone would be suicide. Would I do something so foolish?"

Fu Liushan just chuckled.

When this young man fought the Rakshasa Armor, he didn't deploy a large army; he rescued Situ He in Ju City single-handedly.

Could he reasonably suspect that He Lingchuan was planning something regarding Xuanlu again?

"I almost believed you. But then I suddenly remembered, others might not be able to, but you can lure the snake out of its hole."

"Oh?" He Lingchuan's smile remained unchanged. "How so?"

"The Rakshasa Armor," Fu Liushan said, waving away nearby attendants and lowering his voice. "Xuanlu hates the Rakshasa Armor and those who wear it. Since it recognized you, it won't let you go. Heh heh, is that what you were thinking too?"

He Lingchuan smiled without speaking; Fu Liushan had hit the mark this time.

He had only recently severed one of Ghost King Xuanlu's avatars yesterday. By this reckoning, Ghost King Xuanlu had been thwarted by the Rakshasa Armor three times.

Given its nature, how could it not seek revenge against He Lingchuan and vent its frustration?

If He Lingchuan simply wore the Rakshasa Armor and took a stroll around the perimeter of Shrieking Forest, Ghost King Xuanlu would likely charge out upon sensing him. Why would any other bait be needed?

"I really don't understand," Dong Rui scratched his head. "If anyone else lost three times in a row, they'd probably realize the Rakshasa Armor is their bane and avoid it from then on. Why does this Ghost King Xuanlu constantly think about revenge?"

"It's a matter of character. Some people know when to retreat, while others, like this ghost, will relentlessly pester."

Fu Liushan also said, "When people turn into ghosts, they often become even more stubborn – after all, people become ghosts in the first place because their obsessions haven't faded."

This is called negative reinforcement.

He Lingchuan stroked his chin. "Ghost King Xuanlu seems to have a fondness for colluding with powerful armies. Other demons and ghosts, even when causing chaos among humans, rarely share this interest."

White Bear King, over 160 years ago, and the Great Demon Three-tailed, more recently, both caused severe conflicts in human territories. They also lived deep in the mountains, but had almost no direct interaction with humans themselves.

Xuanlu is different from them.

"That's why I say it's a root of disaster, causing far greater harm than other demons and ghosts," Fu Liushan shook his head. "Ghost King Xuanlu mastered the art of dealing with scoundrels long ago. It provides these armies with avatars and evil spirits as minions. In return for increased combat power, they must not only agree to its terms but also supply it with blood sacrifices."

Dong Rui, however, said, "That's a very clever approach. Otherwise, how much life force could Xuanlu gather on its own?"

"It's helping a tiger prey on its victims," Fu Liushan said. "It single-handedly adds so much turmoil and hatred to the surrounding areas."

He Lingchuan nodded repeatedly. "Exactly, that's a fair assessment!"

He had been pondering why Lingshan would send him to eliminate Ghost King Xuanlu.

To put it bluntly, Xuanlu was causing evil thousands of miles away. Why would Lingshan involve itself and interfere so broadly?

Fu Liushan's statement might have inadvertently touched upon the truth. Lingshan surely knew that the more chaotic the Blinking Gold Plain became, the more Nightmare Qi would be funneled to the Heavenly Net Star. Ghost King Xuanlu was one of the perpetrators causing chaos and hatred. While Lingshan might not be able to destroy the Yao Kingdom, defeating a ghost king might be within its power.

Moreover, He Lingchuan, upon arriving, found that the surrounding forces were about to unite to campaign against Bixia. Therefore, Lingshan eliminating the ghost king would be equivalent to weakening Bixia and, by extension, the Yao Kingdom's minions.

Ever since Fang Canran instigated the unrest in Ethereal City, Lingshan had officially positioned itself against the Heavenly Palace. It was willing to do anything that disadvantaged the Celestial Gods and Beijia, especially in secret.

The conflict between these two factions was all-encompassing and multi-dimensional. Therefore, He Lingchuan was quite willing to get involved in this matter.

Suddenly, a white-cheeked warbler flew through the air, flapped its wings, and landed on a branch outside the window.

He Lingchuan immediately clapped his hands, calling for it to fly inside.

This was a small bird demon hired by the Yangshan Merchant Guild around Rolling Stone Valley. Its fast flight speed made it suitable as a messenger for short-distance communications.

As soon as the white-cheeked warbler chirped, its voice was clear and sharp:

"Jiang Lishui's message: There's still someone secretly worshipping the Ghost King in the village, and this person has been observing the garrison and patrols!"

The three exchanged glances, and Dong Rui chuckled, "Is the Ghost King sending out a spy to scout us out?"

Situ Yu had recently stationed a garrison in Rolling Stone Valley, not far from the village entrance.

If the Ghost King had designs on Rolling Stone Valley and He Lingchuan, it couldn't bypass this garrison.

He Lingchuan asked a few more questions, then gave the warbler half a spirit pill as payment for its message. After that, he said, "Go back and tell Jiang Lishui to keep an eye on the person but not to apprehend them; let them observe freely."

The bird acknowledged, flapped its wings, and flew away.

"Revenge comes quickly," Dong Rui chuckled. "How long do you think it'll be before the Ghost King strikes at you?"

"It's not just targeting him," Fu Liushan shook his head. "Accumulated Stone Village, the Yangshan Merchant Guild, and even you and I – anyone associated with this He fellow will not be spared by Ghost King Xuanlu. That's just its nature."

Indeed, the Ghost King was that petty.

He Lingchuan, however, smiled. "Then it's easy to deal with."

The more distinct an opponent's temperament, the easier they are to outwit.

This fellow could still smile, showing remarkable composure. Fu Liushan humbly asked, "Oh, how so?"

"If it wants to take down so many targets all at once, it won't be a minor skirmish, and it can't do it alone. Don't forget, Situ's army is already stationed at the village entrance," He Lingchuan continued. "In that case, it will have to seek help from the Bixia people."

And the Bixia people had just suffered a defeat; even if they wanted to retaliate, they wouldn't choose Rolling Stone Valley, which lacked strategic value.

It seemed Xuanlu's connection with Bixia was closer than he had initially expected, and the Ghost King's eagerness for revenge surpassed his estimation.

No wonder Lingshan wanted to eliminate Ghost King Xuanlu; this creature could stir up unrest in the surroundings even after its death.

Since Ghost King Xuanlu might seek help from the Bixia people, He Lingchuan naturally also needed to seek support from Situ Yu.

Situ Yu was also a straightforward man. Upon hearing that the Bixia people might attack again, he immediately slapped the table and declared, "Excellent, excellent! Seeking defeat twice in one day, I'll surely satisfy them!"

Where else could he find such a good opportunity for enemies to rush into his territory seeking death?

Furthermore, He Lingchuan had shown kindness to his family, and repaying a kindness immediately was the best course of action.

"We need to plan this carefully," Situ Yu said, bringing out a sand table of the area near Rolling Stone Valley. "If only we knew when the Ghost King planned to attack, this battle would be much easier."

He Lingchuan tapped a finger on the sand table. "When it attacks, it's best if we decide."