Chapter 735: Wanderer Without Boundaries

In Tu Fang State, at Mo Ye City, "Three-Headed Qiao Yi" led his army into the city. The siege wasn't difficult; it took less than half an hour from deploying troops outside the city to breaching the city gates.

Before this, Shan Chengjun had thoroughly purged Mo Ye City, but he didn't stay long. As a martial artist, he realized the Shang army was coming when he learned their granary had been destroyed and their vanguard unit annihilated. The Saint, though also knowledgeable in military strategy, still put on a pretense, demanding his subordinates defend the city. However, Shan Chengjun had no intention of holding out. He left, and most people followed him. A remaining few vehemently persuaded the Saint to play out the charade fully before escorting him away. Once the Saint retreated, only a few hundred Tu Fang people were left outside Mo Ye City. How could they resist the Shang army? They surrendered before the battle even began.

Most of the siege weapons carried by the Shang army weren't used. The main time consumer was ventilation. The toxins left by Teng Chuanchang hadn't completely dissipated. Qiao Yi sent several wind cultivators to blow strong winds for over an hour, then dispatched poison cultivators to test the toxicity. Only after confirming the toxins had largely cleared did he lead his army into the city.

In the center of Mo Ye City lay a spring, the city's sole water source and the foundation upon which it was built. "Three-Headed Qiao Yi," on horseback, approached the spring, drew a cup of water, and declared to his entire army: "Mo Ye City is Shang land! By the strength of our soldiers, we have reclaimed lost territory. This is the glory of the entire army and the splendor of Great Shang!" With that, "Three-Headed Qiao Yi" raised the cup and drank it down.

The entire army roared like thunder, their shouts echoing to the clouds. Hundreds of royal family members, clad in armor and wielding weapons, stood at the front of the ranks, shouting with the army. Though their cheers were loud, their hearts were filled with mixed emotions. Shang and Tu Fang had been at war for many years, with Shang rarely winning in recent times and losing countless territories. Now, Qiao Yi had proactively challenged Tu Fang. Many royal family members joined the campaign to witness Qiao Yi's predicament and seize the opportunity to strip him of his military authority. However, judging by the current situation, Qiao Yi had captured a city from Tu Fang State. This was immensely significant for Shang, and it would be difficult for anyone in Great Shang to challenge Qiao Yi's position in the future.

The army encamped in the city, and "Three-Headed Qiao Yi" took residence in the city lord's mansion. After others had left, "Three-Headed Qiao Yi" repeatedly thumped his chest. "That scared me to death! I thought we were going to fight a brutal battle. I'm not cut out for fighting. If it had truly come to that, I wouldn't have known where to stand!"

Nian Shangyou was somewhat annoyed. "Leaving the battle aside for a moment, I wrote you over a thousand words of inspiring speech beforehand, which you spent an entire day memorizing. Yet, you only said two short sentences in front of the army just now. Can't you even do this much properly?" Xi Zhaofu was also irritated. "With so much to say, remembering two sentences was already good enough! After today, I won't remember a single word!" "Then what's the point of keeping you?" "Whether you keep me or not is up to you, is it?" Seeing the two on the verge of an argument, Qiao Yi reprimanded them. "Stop squabbling pointlessly here. Rest for an hour, then prepare to set off."

Xi Zhaofu asked, "Where are we going? We just captured this city; are we leaving already?" Qiao Yi replied, "We're marching to Shaliu City." Nian Shangyou was also taken aback. "Still fighting?" Qiao Yi looked at Nian Shangyou. "You're from a martial background, yet you don't know the importance of speed in warfare? The momentum is strong now; we should press on while we have the advantage."

Nian Shangyou felt it was somewhat risky. "My Lord, we were able to capture Mo Ye City because Pro Luo Prefecture launched a surprise attack on Tu Fang State's granary and vanguard unit. The Tu Fang army couldn't react in time, and their provisions couldn't be supplied, which is why the battle went so smoothly. If we continue to advance, there might be danger." Qiao Yi smiled. "Shangyou, you don't have the talent to be a commander; abandoning martial arts for scholarly pursuits was a good choice for you. The Tu Fang people suffered such a heavy blow; if they couldn't react in one instance, they won't be able to react in successive instances. If their provisions are insufficient for one day, it will be hard for them to recover later. Now is a golden opportunity to conquer more cities and territories!"

Xi Zhaofu shook his head. "If you want to go, you go. I don't want to fight!" Qiao Yi reassured him, "My dear brother, don't be afraid. Our army's momentum is unstoppable; there will definitely be no difficult battles in the near future. You just need to memorize the inspiring speech and come along with the army." Xi Zhaofu looked at Qiao Yi. "You're saying I just need to move my legs and mouth? That sounds easy enough." Qiao Yi smiled. "It's that easy. Shangyou, in one hour, issue the order to march."

Qiao Yi wasn't wrong; the battle was indeed easy. When Li Banfeng arrived in Wubian City, Luo Shaojun presented him with the battle report. Li Banfeng read through it for a moment, unsure how to evaluate it. "Six victories in half a month? Is Tu Fang State really that useless?"

Luo Shaojun replied, "I heard Qiao Yi intends to keep fighting all the way to Tu Fang's capital. His prestige is incredibly high now; many in court even want him to become emperor." "How were these battles won? Is Qiao Yi's military strategy that brilliant?" Luo Shaojun couldn't explain the reasons, but Madam was an expert at warfare and should be able to discern the mysteries.

Madam and Hong Ying had gone to Jadeite Tower to visit Jiang Ling'er. When Li Banfeng arrived upstairs, the three women were playfully roughhousing, their clothes flying everywhere. Li Banfeng scolded them angrily, "In broad daylight, what is this indecency!" The three women toned it down a bit. Li Banfeng handed the battle report to Zhao Xiaowan. "Madam, please take a good look. Did Tu Fang State 'go easy'?"

Jiang Ling'er didn't understand. "'Go easy' what does that mean? Does it mean peeing? People from Tu Fang State definitely pee." Zhao Xiaowan chuckled. "Sister, 'go easy' is a term from other provinces; it means intentionally yielding. The Tu Fang people are brave and skilled fighters, so this battle record is indeed quite embarrassing."

After reviewing it for a moment, Madam spotted the crux of the matter. "My dear, the Tu Fang people didn't yield. The Shang people seized their critical weaknesses: their troops, horses, and provisions couldn't be supplied, which is why they continuously retreated. Ultimately, it's because the Peddler's strike was too ruthless. He annihilated the vanguard unit and destroyed the granary, directly cutting off Tu Fang State's lifeline."

Li Banfeng recalled, "According to Ayi, only three people went on that surprise attack. It seemed quite casual." Zhao Xiaowan shook her head. "My dear, this isn't about the number of people. The Peddler is exceptionally skilled at surprise attacks. With the individual combat power of Pro Luo Prefecture, a single raid can sway the tide of battle. Famous generals who have faced him have all suffered losses. This surprise attack certainly wasn't random. This campaign is in the fertile lands of the interior province, where the terrain changes constantly. Tonight they might be outside Mo Ye City, tomorrow perhaps a hundred miles away. The Peddler must have put in immense effort to locate the Tu Fang vanguard unit and granary. There was one battle years ago where the Peddler spent a year preparing a surprise attack. The imperial court suffered a devastating blow, and the war became almost irreversible. It was precisely because of that crushing defeat that the court released Hong Ying and me from death row."

Jiang Ling'er, while doing needlework, watched Zhao Xiaowan explain military strategy, as if watching her own younger sister, her eyes full of pride.

Hong Ying snatched the battle report and looked at it. "Qiao Yi's moves are quite precise. He attacked what needed attacking and besieged what needed besieging, never making a single miscalculation." Li Banfeng looked at Hong Ying and nodded profoundly, though he hadn't actually understood. Zhao Xiaowan quickly explained to Li Banfeng, "My dear, Yingying means Qiao Yi used his forces appropriately. Look at Shuiwa City here: the army advanced at dawn, breached the city in less than half a day. It doesn't mention the number of enemies killed or captives taken, which indicates Shuiwa City clearly had insufficient defenders. Qiao Yi decisively attacked, achieving a swift victory. Then look at Tongyu Town: also marched at dawn, victorious three days later, capturing over ten thousand prisoners. This shows Tongyu Town had a significant number of defenders, but probably not much food. Qiao Yi besieged it without attacking, waiting for the enemy army to collapse on its own."

While it sounded simple in theory, execution was another matter. Li Banfeng had a question immediately. "How did Qiao Yi know Shuiwa City had few defenders and Tongyu Town had many? Did he fight a battle to test them?" Hong Ying replied, "He couldn't just attack randomly. If he hit a well-defended spot, he'd lose troops and morale, making it impossible to continue fighting. He must have sent scouts, and these scouts gathered the intelligence." Zhao Xiaowan thought it wasn't just scouts. "Scouts only have one pair of eyes; they can't see everything clearly. I suspect Qiao Yi also planted many informants in Tu Fang State. He must have been planning this major war for a long time."

Li Banfeng reread the battle report. Dealing with someone like Qiao Yi truly felt challenging. Seeing how much Qiao Yi had gained in Tu Fang State, Li Banfeng felt he needed to profit from him as well, ideally enough to get the "Old Train" back. Thinking of the Old Train, Li Banfeng remembered the snot-stained paper.

"Madam, have you figured out that paper?" "My dear, I've tried many methods, but the paper is stuck too firmly. I can't tear it open." "Where did you put the paper?" "I usually carry it with me, but today I put it on our display shelf."

Li Banfeng returned to his residence, took the snot-stained paper from the shelf, wanting to examine it closely again. If all else failed, he would give it to Jiang Ling'er to see if she could pick it open with a needle. The folded, snot-stained paper unfolded itself. How did it unfold? Madam had studied it for half a month; hadn't she said it couldn't be torn open? Was she teasing him? Madam wasn't the type to do that. Perhaps she found it inconvenient to say while at Jiang Ling'er's place. Or perhaps Madam wasn't the one who opened it? But who else could have opened it besides her?

On the side stuck by mucus, many words were densely written. Just the first line filled Li Banfeng with excitement: "Cloud Technique for Wanderer Cultivators: Boundless Traveler." It was actually a Cloud Technique! Li Banfeng had been promoted to Wanderer Cultivator Cloud Four but hadn't learned a technique yet. He never expected to get such a valuable item from the Peddler. What kind of technique was "Boundless Traveler"? Would it be similar to "Unimpeded Travel"? From the second line onwards was the technique's description. The handwriting was somewhat blurry, and Li Banfeng took a long time to decipher it.

"Before using the technique, first find a watch or a clock; it must be precise." Was this written by the Old Train? What did this technique have to do with clocks and watches? Reading further: "To learn the technique of Boundless Traveler, one must be proficient in the techniques of 'Traveling Thousands of Mountains with Intent' and 'Acting on One's Own Will'." Li Banfeng blinked. He wasn't very proficient in either of these two techniques.

The text continued: "With the traveler's courage, flatten the dangers of a thousand mountains, boundless and limitless, fearless and dauntless. Amidst a thousand armies and horses, fear no blades or axes, no water or fire, no poison or filth, no evil spirits, no disturbances of thought, no wounds of love or hate." Fear nothing? Li Banfeng read it several times, finally understanding the purpose of Boundless Traveler. Within a certain timeframe, a Wanderer Cultivator using this technique would enter a state of ignoring all damage. Was this the legendary "invincibility technique"? Such a technique actually existed?

Li Banfeng read further. The following content was a section of crucial notes. "The duration of the technique depends on one's cultivation foundation. The Ancestor of Wanderer Cultivators could use it twice a day, twenty seconds each time. He miscalculated the time and was still caught in the chaotic battle at twenty-two seconds, thus dying in the fray. Remember not to be careless." Was this the reason for needing a clock or watch? So, the Ancestor of Wanderer Cultivators died this way?

Li Banfeng held the snot-stained paper and read it several times from beginning to end. Overcome with excitement, he read it aloud. However, Hong Lian, who was in the second annex, didn't hear a single word.

The Saint convened a meeting with his subordinates. Shang's continuous victories and Tu Fang's precarious situation meant the Saint's own position was also in danger. If Qiao Yi were to demand Tu Fang State immediately hand over the Saint, it was hard to say what decision the Demon Lord would make. "My esteemed ministers, do you have any good strategies to repel the enemy?" Shan Chengjun said, "Your Majesty, Tu Fang State is fighting a war; the methods to repel the enemy must surely be thought of by Tu Fang State itself. Even if we come up with a solution, Tu Fang State might not listen to us, so why waste our effort?"

With his words, even if others had ideas, they dared not speak easily. The Saint's face turned ashen. Just as he was about to reprimand Shan Chengjun, he heard a messenger announce that the Tu Fang State Ruler had sent an envoy to see him. The Saint quickly invited the envoy in. This envoy was a three-headed person of royal blood, indicating the importance of the matter. The Saint dared not be negligent and received him with the highest protocol. When asked the purpose of his visit, the envoy said little, only stating that he was there to request an audience with Shan Chengjun. Coming to the Saint's residence just to find Shan Chengjun—what did that make the Saint? Shan Chengjun, however, didn't think much of it and followed the envoy out. The Saint looked at his subordinates, remaining silent for a long time.

The Ruler of Tu Fang State sat on his throne, his three heads all looking at Shan Chengjun. The left head spoke first: "Marquis Shan, do you have any good strategies to repel the enemy?" It was the same question, and Shan Chengjun still had no intention of answering. He knew clearly that no matter what answer he gave, the result would be the same: the Demon Lord would order him to confront the Shang army. Shan Chengjun had experienced countless battles; he clearly understood the current military situation. Qiao Yi held the winning momentum firmly in his grasp. How easy would it be to turn the tide? "Your Majesty, I believe we should avoid the enemy's cutting edge for now, delay and maneuver with Qiao Yi, and wait for our army to regroup before engaging him in a decisive battle."

These words amounted to nothing. The Demon Lord also wanted to delay, but Qiao Yi offered no such opportunity. The middle head asked, "Are there any other strategies?" Shan Chengjun replied, "There is indeed a strategy, and it is the best of all strategies. If Your Majesty can abandon this current fierce battle and take Pro Luo Prefecture directly, you can still turn defeat into victory." All three heads simultaneously flashed cold gazes. The right head asked, "Marquis Shan, do you know that the Shang army has already invaded our Tu Fang State territory? You speak of abandoning the fierce battle—does that mean you would abandon our clan's lands as well?"

Shan Chengjun truly thought so. "A few cities seized by Shang are all barren desert lands. What does it matter if there are a few more or a few less? If we can capture Pro Luo Prefecture in one swift move, what does it matter if we yield all our current territory to Great Shang?"

The Demon Lord was silent for a while. The middle head then asked, "Marquis Shan, I have given you opportunities, and you have led people to Pro Luo Prefecture several times. Have you ever achieved even the slightest gain?" This was a jab at Shan Chengjun, implying his past attempts were futile. How could he possibly capture Pro Luo Prefecture? Shan Chengjun didn't feel ashamed. "If we continue as before, sending a few scattered individuals, Pro Luo Prefecture certainly cannot be taken. The current plan should be to gather a large army and sweep Pro Luo Prefecture in a single battle; that would be the best strategy."

"Sweep it in a single battle?" All three heads laughed together, their laughter full of derision. "Is this an idea from your lord?" Shan Chengjun shook his head. "This is my humble suggestion to Your Majesty. Pro Luo Prefecture has countless resources, waiting for Your Majesty to claim them. Why fight Shang in this barren land? I implore Your Majesty to reconsider." The Demon Lord sighed deeply, waved his hand at Shan Chengjun, and said, "You may withdraw."

After Shan Chengjun left, the Demon Lord summoned two ministers to discuss peace talks with Shang. The peace proposal was delivered to Qiao Yi, who glanced at it and casually handed it to Nian Shangyou. Nian Shangyou didn't understand Qiao Yi's intentions. "Please enlighten me, My Lord." Qiao Yi was engrossed in reviewing documents and seemed disinclined to bother with the matter. "After fighting to this extent, they want to negotiate peace with mere words? The Demon Lord is truly insincere. Just find any excuse and send their envoy away."

Nian Shangyou thought of a potential price. "If we ask the Demon Lord to hand over that 'false king,' he would probably agree." The "false king" referred to the Saint. Qiao Yi shook his head. "No need to bother with the false king; he's not worth that price." "Your subordinate is worried—" Qiao Yi motioned for Nian Shangyou to keep silent, wanting to carefully examine the document in his hand. After reading it and adding a directive, Qiao Yi told Nian Shangyou, "There's nothing to worry about. That false king is more anxious than we are. Haste leads to chaos, and chaos leads to change. Given his intellect, whatever clever scheme he comes up with will simply depend on his luck."

Since Qiao Yi disagreed with peace talks, the war had to continue. Nian Shangyou suggested, "Now, Marquis Shu should be recalled from Pro Luo Prefecture. He is an experienced veteran and will surely achieve more extraordinary feats." "No need," Qiao Yi shook his head. "Let him remain in Pro Luo Prefecture and guard those thirteen new territories well." There seemed to be some tension between Qiao Yi and Shu Wan Juan. Nian Shangyou realized he had spoken incorrectly and quickly changed the subject. "Speaking of those thirteen new territories, General Fenwu Liu Bufei sent a letter the day before yesterday, saying he has firmly established himself in Pro Luo Prefecture but finds the task of developing the land somewhat overwhelming."

Qiao Yi nodded. "He's certainly overwhelmed. I repeatedly instructed him to conceal his prowess when he arrived in Pro Luo Prefecture and even specifically had you convey a message not to rush into recruiting strange beasts. Now that he wants to undertake the land development, he probably doesn't even have strange beasts for assessment among his subordinates. Go contact Ma Chenxing and have him allocate a batch of strange beasts to Liu Bufei. As for manpower for development, I will arrange for someone else to help him procure it."

Nian Shangyou was surprised by Qiao Yi's attentiveness to the new territories and quickly reminded him, "My Lord, the Wen Yuan Pavilion has heightened its defenses, but all thirteen deeds have been stolen by thieves. In Pro Luo Prefecture, only Xiao Qianshou and He Jiaqing could possibly possess such skill." Qiao Yi shook his head. "No need to mention Xiao Qianshou again; he wouldn't take such a big risk for a dozen new territories. This must have been He Jiaqing's doing. That little thief is even greedier than his grandmaster!"

Nian Shangyou proactively offered, "Your subordinate will immediately arrange for men to retrieve the deeds from He Jiaqing's hands." "No need to bother with him," Qiao Yi said, opening another document. "Let him keep them." Nian Shangyou didn't understand why Qiao Yi wasn't at all concerned that He Jiaqing had stolen half of the thirteen deeds.

The Saint summoned six of his subordinates. Among them were two scholarly cultivators, two martial cultivators, one poison cultivator, and one demonic cultivator, all loyal adherents of their respective schools. He offered each subordinate a cup of wine. After reminiscing about old times, the Saint sighed, "You have followed me for many years. Even when I was down and out, you never abandoned me." The six men rose simultaneously. "This is our duty as your subjects." The Saint invited the six to sit. "Now, I have an important matter that requires your assistance. I hope you will not decline." The group, who had just sat down, stood up again, bowed in unison, and replied, "We are willing to serve Your Majesty like loyal dogs and horses."

The Saint invited Shan Chengjun to his residence. After the customary greetings, he inquired about the meeting with the Demon Lord. Shan Chengjun answered truthfully, "The Demon Lord asked me how to repel the enemy. I dared not speak too plainly, as it would make it our concern. I used some platitudes to prevaricate, but he wasn't easily fooled. He insisted I give him an idea, so I didn't hold back and gave it to him on the spot. I told the Demon Lord to stop fighting Shang and focus on Pro Luo Prefecture. Unfortunately, the Demon Lord isn't very clever and didn't listen to me."

The Saint sighed, "My dear Shan, you have truly worked hard." "It's not hard work, just a matter of seeing someone clearly," Shan Chengjun said with disappointment. "The Demon Lord is not someone who can accomplish great things. We cannot rely on him in the future." The two chatted for a few more moments, then Shan Chengjun rose to take his leave. The Saint escorted him to the door and instructed his subordinates to prepare to act.

They hadn't acted beforehand because they didn't know Shan Chengjun's whereabouts. They hadn't acted inside the residence because they didn't want to arouse the Demon Lord's suspicion. Now that Shan Chengjun had left the residence, it was the perfect opportunity. In the Saint's eyes, an unruly minister like this should rather disappear than be allowed to become a menace.

After waiting for over three hours, the Saint finally received the outcome of the matter. This result did not come from his subordinates, but from Shan Chengjun himself. Shan Chengjun entered the residence and found the Saint directly in the study. "I have served Your Majesty faithfully, but I was quite injured this time." The Saint was startled for less than a second. He hadn't expected Shan Chengjun to return alive.

After a second, the Saint displayed his usual amiable smile. "My dear Shan, I was just about to look for you. You have offered advice and strength for me, turning the tide when it seemed lost, propping up a collapsing empire. You have rendered a service akin to recreating me. Today, I intend to issue an imperial decree, naming you General of Chariots and Cavalry, and Prince of Safeguarding the State. What do you think, my dear?"

Shan Chengjun looked surprised. "Your Majesty wants to make me a prince? What virtue or ability do I possess to receive such favor from Your Majesty?" The Saint shook his head. "My dear, your tireless efforts and great achievements have long deserved such commendation!" "Thank you for Your Majesty's immense grace!" Shan Chengjun bowed again, then casually pulled a pouch from his sleeve, and from the pouch, he produced six human heads. The Saint recognized these six heads; they belonged to the very people he had sent to assassinate Shan Chengjun. Shan Chengjun looked at the Saint and smiled. "Your Majesty, have they thanked you for your grace? Should I kowtow to you on their behalf, or should I let them personally offer their respects?"

The Saint's pupils constricted. He unleashed the "Joyful Fire Immolation" technique at Shan Chengjun. He knew this move couldn't harm Shan Chengjun, but he was prepared to flee. Using the technique on Shan Chengjun was merely to buy himself a better chance to escape. The flames ignited, then quickly extinguished. Shan Chengjun's body didn't burn; only a wisp of smoke rose from his skin. The Saint looked at Shan Chengjun, his face filled with terror. Shan Chengjun stood up expressionlessly and said to the Saint, "Originally, I intended to leave your body intact. But now I've changed my mind. You contemptible wretch, you truly aren't worthy of pity."