Chapter 778: We Blow Him Up

Ayi repaired the road leading to Dingye City, which was located inside a cave.

Standing at the cave’s exit, Ayu told Ayi to move the exit ninety-six li north.

Ayi opened a stone door on the rock face. Inside was a control panel. Ayi pulled down two levers and opened a valve.

A cloud of mist erupted. Below the control panel, connecting rods rose and fell, and gears turned.

The entire cave shook for a moment and began to move north. Ayu frowned, "No, this is too loud!"

Ayi closed the valve two turns.

The noise decreased, but the exit’s movement speed also slowed significantly.

Ayu shook her head, "No, it's still too loud."

Ayi closed it another half turn. Still, Ayu felt it was not right: "Close the valve another half turn."

"Another half turn?" Ayi protested. "That's slower than walking. Ninety-six li, when will we ever get there?"

Zhao Xiaowan said to Ayu, "Sister, moving too slowly is also not good. We need to reach the camp within an hour; delays will be very disadvantageous to us."

Ayu trusted Zhao Xiaowan's judgment. "I also think an hour is appropriate."

Ayi cautiously operated the valve. "Everything Xiaowan says is appropriate. Why don't you become sworn sisters with her?"

Ayu frowned, "You simpleton! She's not my own child, how can I become sworn sisters with her?"

Ayi retorted indignantly, "My father isn't your own child either, so why did you become sworn siblings with him?"

Ayu said, "We're sworn sisters, and I'm sworn siblings with him. How can that be the same?"

Jiu'er asked, "Mother, did you give birth to us first, or did you become sworn siblings with us first?"

Ayu became even angrier. "She's foolish, are you foolish too? Of course, I had to give birth to you first before we could become sworn siblings!"

Jiu'er shook her head. "That's not what you said when we kowtowed. You said our destiny was set in a previous life."

Ayu thought for a moment and found it quite reasonable. "So, we became sworn siblings first."

Hong Ying whispered to Li Banfeng, "I think my destiny with Xiaowan was also set in a previous life. Do you think I was born from her?"

Li Banfeng looked at Hong Ying and said with a firm expression, "I'm not crazy. I've seen a doctor. No matter what you say, I'm not crazy."

Boom!

The cave shook again.

Ayu cursed at Ayi, "You scoundrel! I told you to be gentler, didn't you understand? Are you afraid Dingye City is sleeping too soundly?"

Qiao Yi lay tossing and turning on his couch, unable to sleep.

Cui Tik eventually landed. Because Qiao Yi never issued a clear order to intercept, the navy dared not act against the imperial envoy's ship and could only watch Cui Tik disembark at the port.

"It's bad enough the navy showed no responsibility, but the Ministry of Rites is the same!" Qiao Yi pressed his forehead, gritting his teeth in fury.

The Ministry of Rites came to welcome the imperial envoy according to protocol. Qiao Yi instructed the Ministry of Rites to try and stop Cui Tik.

To his surprise, Minister of Rites Hou Yunchang not only didn't stop him, but also specifically prepared a residence for Cui Tik and settled him in.

Qiao Yi furiously reprimanded the Minister of Rites. Hou Yunchang showed no shame.

Stop Cui Tik?

Why didn't *you* stop him?

He is an imperial envoy; stopping him is inherently a transgression.

He is a Master of Illness Cultivation; what would be the consequences if he just touched someone?

Even without touching him, Hou Yunchang trembled when he went home.

Qiao Yi, you get to be the good guy, so why should others take the blame?

Quickly settle him down and prevent him from running around. Hou Yunchang felt he had done nothing wrong.

But with Cui Tik sleeping in Chaoge, how could Qiao Yi sleep?

At 2 AM, Qiao Yi felt a little tired and dozed off for a moment. Suddenly, he heard Nian Shangyou report, "My Lord, something has happened!"

Qiao Yi opened his eyes, his face full of anger. "What is there to panic about?"

Nian Shangyou approached, about to report. Qiao Yi gestured for him not to come too close.

He had embraced Cui Tik earlier that day. Many people had witnessed it.

Nian Shangyou found a suitable distance and reported, "My Lord, Haocheng has been attacked, and the unfinished altar may be in danger."

Qiao Yi heard this and was furious. "I ordered the Ministry of War to set up strict defenses around Haocheng; did they treat it as a game?"

Nian Shangyou carefully examined the document. "The Ministry of War's deployment was indeed meticulous; currently, they haven't allowed enemy forces to enter Haocheng."

Qiao Yi said, "The city hasn't fallen, so the deployment is meticulous? If they had truly put in the effort, the enemy shouldn't have appeared outside the city in the first place!"

This statement was clearly excessive. With Neizhou's unique geography and vast ocean, completely preventing enemies from approaching Haocheng was too difficult.

Moreover, Haocheng's defenses were very well-placed. Ma Junyang and his men, relying on a sneak attack, seized two warships from Haocheng. But after that surprise attack, they had no further gains, nor any possibility of breaking into Haocheng. The soldiers responsible for defense had almost no flaws.

But Qiao Yi didn't care about that. The altar in Haocheng could not afford any more mishaps; that was the bottom line.

Furthermore, the attack on Haocheng and Cui Tik's visit were absolutely closely related.

He immediately ordered the Ministry of War to send reinforcements to Haozhou, and instructed Nian Shangyou to closely monitor Cui Tik's movements.

Nian Shangyou looked at Qiao Yi and said, "My Lord, I come from a martial background, I understand military strategy, and I can also go to Haocheng."

Qiao Yi did not agree. "There are many people who can fight, but few who can keep an eye on Cui Tik. Puluozhou is full of deception, and we don't know what tricks they are playing. Cui Tik must be guarded by someone trustworthy."

Nian Shangyou continued, "My Lord, the Minister of War is quite reliable; he should be able to keep an eye on Cui Tik."

Qiao Yi was about to lose his temper, when he suddenly realized Nian Shangyou's condition was abnormal.

Nian Shangyou stared fixedly at Qiao Yi, his gaze unwavering.

Ever since returning from welcoming Cui Tik, Nian Shangyou's condition hadn't been quite right. It seemed he couldn't be dealt with harshly now.

"Shangyou, I know you've worked hard. Alright, you take troops to Haocheng, and have the Minister of War come to see me."

Ma Wu, on the seized warship, was battling the defending forces near Haocheng.

Deng Pao exclaimed admiringly, "They say Young Master Wu is very knowledgeable, but I didn't expect him to be so proficient in naval warfare too."

Ma Wu shook his head. "Not proficient. I don't even know how to operate this ship."

Xiao Chuanzi was still studying the ship's mechanisms. Boluo delivered news: "Enemy reinforcements are arriving soon."

Ma Wu immediately ordered a retreat.

Xiao Chuanzi said, "What about this ship?"

"Leave it, retreat quickly!"

Ma Wu's decision was correct. If they took the ship, they would certainly not escape the navy's pursuit.

Xiao Chuanzi was reluctant. The ship was too intricately made, and he wanted to dismantle some parts. But it required many methods, and he couldn't dismantle them right away.

Ma Wu led everyone back to Tianyi City. You Tao asked, "Is the battle over?"

"Stay a bit longer," Ma Wu told Boluo. "My friend, let's circle Haocheng a few more times to buy some time."

Nian Shangyou stood on the deck, looking through a telescope for a while. "They've withdrawn already? Isn't that a bit too fast?"

The general sent by the Ministry of War was named Lu Tangsheng. His original form was a grass carp. He had once been a comrade of Nian Shangyou.

Lu Tangsheng said to Nian Shangyou, "Brother Nian, they showed themselves and then ran. I suspect this was a feint attack. Perhaps something major is happening elsewhere, and they are deliberately trying to tie us down?"

Nian Shangyou shook his head. "I don't think so. They might not be fleeing; they could be regrouping for a general assault."

"No way!" Lu Tangsheng expressed deep doubt. "To launch a general assault, they would need ships. I sent out six warships to scout earlier, and didn't see a single enemy vessel."

Nian Shangyou said, "I estimate they've moved to Dongcheng. Quickly order a pursuit."

Lu Tangsheng shook his head slightly. "Pursuing them to Dongcheng might be a bit risky."

Nian Shangyou looked at Lu Tangsheng and said, "Brother Lu, in your opinion, how should we proceed now?"

Lu Tangsheng was a cautious man. "Conduct more patrols, strengthen defenses, and if there are no abnormalities, it will be almost time to report back."

Nian Shangyou said, "After we return, what if you are asked to see the Imperial Envoy?"

Lu Tangsheng looked stunned and said, "Why would I see him?"

Nian Shangyou said, "Perhaps you'd be asked to talk to the Imperial Envoy. Do you think this enemy raid has anything to do with him?"

Talking to the Imperial Envoy…

Lu Tangsheng thought for a moment, then turned and shouted, "Order all ships to pursue the enemy at full speed! Not a single one must escape!"

Ma Wu was about to lead everyone in retreat. Suddenly, Boluo said, "The enemy is catching up."

Chu Er said, "Our feint attack was pretty obvious. Why is Neizhou still so worked up?"

Xiao Yeci was a little nervous. "They're going to fight us head-on."

He Yuxiu rolled up her sleeves. "Alright, I like a tough fight."

Qiao Yi paced back and forth in his residence. In less than half an hour, he issued three orders, demanding increased vigilance in Chaoge.

He felt Haocheng might not be the critical point. He worried someone might target Chaoge, and then Cui Tik might release a plague amidst the chaos, with unthinkable consequences.

More and more soldiers appeared on the streets. He Jiaqing walked from the First City to the Ninth City, finding it increasingly difficult.

Arriving on the island of the Ninth City, He Jiaqing heard a familiar voice: "You actually came."

He Jiaqing said, "The business we agreed upon earlier naturally cannot be reneged on."

Old Train exclaimed admiringly, "Good lad, you have more courage than Old Pliers. We agreed, since we're acting, we must take something substantial from the great furnace. Don't think scraping off two pieces of scrap copper will suffice."

"Don't worry, there'll be plenty!" He Jiaqing gritted his teeth. He followed Old Train and Faceless into the East Palace, walking towards the courtyard within the East Palace.

The great furnace was in the middle of the courtyard. He Jiaqing took out his ring, and Old Train took out his saw.

Faceless lowered his voice and said, "Don't rush when you start working; wait for me to sprinkle the oil first."

Ayi moved the exit ninety-six li to the north. The exit was now on a hillside.

The Anti-Bandit Camp was very well hidden. Ayi couldn't even see any light from fires. Ayu gazed for a moment and had already discerned the camp's layout.

She took out a piece of paper and, speaking as she drew, said, "The camp covers over five hundred mu. Barracks are in the southwest, the armory in the northwest, a training ground in the southeast, a granary in the northeast, an underground bunker, and two workshops."

Zhao Xiaowan asked, "How many people are on the training ground?"

Ayu's pupils dilated and contracted, and her eyes were slightly bloodshot. This time, she looked more closely. "There's no one on the training ground, the workshops aren't smoking, no one is entering or exiting the bunker. The soldiers should all be resting in the barracks."

Zhao Xiaowan smiled. "This is the best time for a sneak attack. We just need to focus the bombs on the barracks."

Everyone was about to depart. Suddenly, they heard Ayu say, "Wait a moment."

Ayi said impatiently, "What are we waiting for?"

"Two workshops." Ayu recalled the military habits of the Shang Kingdom. "The Shang people value craftsmanship highly; usually, one workshop is allocated for every ten thousand soldiers. Does this camp only have twenty thousand people? That shouldn't be right. There are almost ten thousand barracks here, and if each barracks houses ten people, there should be a hundred thousand people in the camp."

Zhao Xiaowan said, "The Anti-Bandit Camp houses members of the imperial family. It's unlikely ten people would stay in one barracks. Two people would be more reasonable."

Ayu recalled her past encounters with the Anti-Bandit Camp. She hadn't seen their barracks then, but she had seen the Anti-Bandit army's provisions. They ate the finest fats and most exquisite grains. The Anti-Bandit army's life was indeed much more luxurious than that of ordinary soldiers.

Li Banfeng said, "The Anti-Bandit Camp has more than just twenty thousand people. Last time, five thousand were sent in one batch. Including previous accumulations, there are at least seventy to eighty thousand people."

Ayu closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The faint smoke in the air had a subtle, almost imperceptible layered quality.

She quickly identified the source of the layered sensation. "Thirty-eight li to the north, there's another camp."

Ayi said, "So there are two camps. This complicates things."

Ayu took another breath, closed her eyes, and thought for a moment. There was another change in the layered sensation. "No, not two. Twenty-two li to the east, there's also a camp."

Ayi still said, "Three camps? We can't fight like this!"

Ayu looked at Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng's expression was solemn.

This was within his foresight. Qiao Yi would very likely disperse the Anti-Bandit army among several camps.

But even with foresight, there was no good way to solve it.

Li Banfeng took out two test tubes from his embrace. "These are Cui Tik's lesions. One lesion is highly infectious but not fatal. The other lesion is very deadly but not very infectious; it's estimated to only kill a few hundred people."

Ayi asked, "Do you mean to release the lesions on one of the camps?"

Li Banfeng nodded slightly.

Ayu asked, "Is there a lesion that is both highly infectious and fatal?"

Li Banfeng shook his head. "That kind of lesion requires Cui Tik to release it himself."

Zhao Xiaowan looked at Li Banfeng. "Husband, this method won't work."

Neither of these lesions had enough destructive power. Not only would they be ineffective, they would also alert the enemy.

Jiu'er looked at Zhao Xiaowan and said, "Let's go to the three camps one by one to plant the explosives. Once they are all set, we'll return to Gourd Village and detonate them together."

The idea sounded good. But Zhao Xiaowan shook her head repeatedly. "This is too risky. If we plant explosives in three camps, and even a single trace is discovered in one camp, we'll lose the chance to detonate them."

Ayi said to Jiu'er, "Sister, you said we could detonate them from Gourd Village, but that's not possible."

Ayu didn't really understand Ayi's explosives. "Do you have to stay on-site to detonate them? Can't you set a timer or something?"

Ayi shook her head. "Big Sister, have you been watching too many foreign-state explosives these past years? This is Neizhou; the activation probability for these explosives is even lower than in Puluozhou. Only I and Old Seven can detonate these explosives using Crazy Cultivation techniques. We both must be present when they are deployed."

Ayu had never considered letting Ayi detonate the explosives. She didn't even want Ayi to enter the Anti-Bandit Camp. "You have so many Crazy Cultivators in your village, wouldn't it be fine to let them do it?"

Ayi shook her head. "Mother, Gourd Village is not Fool's City. Their cultivation isn't high enough; they might not be able to detonate the explosives. And I would never let them go to the Anti-Bandit Camp to their deaths."

Mother and daughter glared at each other. Zhao Xiaowan carefully studied the map drawn by Ayu, calculating the next tactical steps.

Seeing this, Ayu joined Zhao Xiaowan in calculating. "Let's first choose a rally point, then split into three groups, send people one by one to plant the explosives. When I give the signal, the three groups will detonate their explosives. After detonation, the three groups will head to the rally point to meet, and then we'll be picked up together via Gourd Village."

This was the most reasonable method. The optimal rally point could indeed be calculated.

After a moment's consideration, Zhao Xiaowan rejected this idea.

"In other places, this method would indeed work. But in Dingye City, the indestructible rock between the grids is impregnable. After detonation, how would we leave the camp? And how would we reach the rally point? The difficulty is simply too great.

Furthermore, Dingye City's territory changes constantly. If the rally point changes, we might not find it, or be able to reach it. This could ultimately lead to everyone being trapped.

Moreover, the Anti-Bandit Camp covers a vast area. Splitting into three groups with insufficient manpower might result in insufficient explosive placement, or even failing to detonate a single camp.

Most critically, only Husband and Ayi can detonate the explosives. Even if we split into three groups, one group would have no one to detonate them."

Ayu asked Zhao Xiaowan, "General Zhao, what do you suggest?"

Zhao Xiaowan pointed on the map and said, "Split into two groups. My husband and I will take Jiang Ling'er to this camp in front of us. My husband is fast on his feet, Ling'er acts covertly, and I understand the techniques, so placing the explosives shouldn't be too difficult. While we are placing the explosives, Ayi will take Hong Ying and Jiu'er to the camp to the east. Jiu'er is skilled at concealment, Hong Ying at combat, and both are fast on their feet and can assist Ayi. Ayi is an expert, so the three of them should be faster at placing the explosives than us."

Ayu said, "What about me? Don't you trust me again?"

Zhao Xiaowan shook her head. "Precisely because I trust you, Sister, I want you to stay at the entrance. Once we've placed the explosives here, I will send you a message. I am a Sound Cultivator, and you are a Sight Cultivator. Even if the distance is a bit far, you will surely have a way to communicate. Once you receive the message, have Ayi detonate the explosives. After the detonation, take Ayi and immediately come to this camp to pick us up."

Ayu thought for a moment, a little worried. "After Ayi detonates the explosives, the enemy will undoubtedly heighten their defenses. Your situation will be dangerous while we're on our way."

Zhao Xiaowan said, "We trust you, Sister. At that point, it will be a race between the enemy and you."

Ayu nodded slightly; she thought it was feasible.

Li Banfeng asked, "How do we attack the third camp?"

Zhao Xiaowan said, "It depends on luck. After we return to the entrance, we'll go to the third camp together. If the enemy's defenses aren't ready in time, we'll try to take down the third camp."

Li Banfeng shook his head. "How could their defenses not be ready in time? Qiao Yi put so much effort into the Anti-Bandit Camp. If two camps are destroyed, would the enemy still not react?"

Zhao Xiaowan said, "Husband, if the third camp has set up its defenses, then we can't attack that one."

Li Banfeng said, "Then wouldn't the Anti-Bandit Camp not be completely wiped out?"

"Husband, it doesn't necessarily have to be completely wiped out. The Anti-Bandit Camp is entirely made up of imperial family members. Destroying two camps means eliminating forty to fifty thousand of them. That would be equivalent to breaking the Anti-Bandit Camp's backbone."

Ayu said, "Xiaowan is right. If two camps are destroyed, the Anti-Bandit Camp won't be able to operate for over a decade. Neizhou won't recover for over a decade either."

Everyone looked at Li Banfeng. The final decision still rested with him.

Li Banfeng looked back at Zhao Xiaowan and Jiang Ling'er and said, "Let's go."

Ayi distributed the explosives to Li Banfeng.

Ayu touched Zhao Xiaowan's arm and placed a hook on her hand. "Be extra careful. If the enemy numbers more than ten, try not to engage them in combat. Ten people can form a Thousand-Man Power Formation."

This hook was for communication. Ayu taught Zhao Xiaowan how to use it.

The three jumped out of the exit and vanished into the night.

Ayi exclaimed admiringly, "Although Xiaowan isn't a Traveler Cultivator, she can run just as fast as one."

Ayu urged, "Stop gawking and hurry to the eastern camp!"

Li Banfeng carried Zhao Xiaowan on his left shoulder and tucked Jiang Ling'er under his right arm. He hurried towards the camp. When they were still over three li away from the camp, Li Banfeng felt something was wrong.

The camp's location had changed.

From the mountain, the camp's position should have been to the northwest. As they walked, the camp kept shifting north, and now it was directly to the north.

"Don't be afraid, A-Qi!" the Portable Residence reminded him. "You won't take the wrong path!"

Two li from the camp, Li Banfeng encountered a patrol.

This patrol consisted of over thirty people. All of them had three heads. They carried various weapons in their hands, but they all wore armor of identical design.

Li Banfeng had seen this armor in Daijun before. It could fly, go underwater, and even be ridden like a horse.

He neither dodged nor attacked the patrol. Relying on his Residence Cultivation talent, he walked directly past the group. None of the more than thirty sentries could see Li Banfeng, nor the two women beside him.

Arriving outside the camp wall, Li Banfeng used his "Unimpeded Travel" technique to pass through the stone wall with the two women.

On the wall, a watermelon-sized eye suddenly opened, locking onto Li Banfeng.

The moment its gaze settled on Li Banfeng, Jiang Ling'er flung out a steel needle, piercing through the eye's pupil.

The eye, pierced by the steel needle, remained stubbornly open, staring at Li Banfeng.

Threads moved in and out with the steel needle, thoroughly destroying the eye.

A large mouth opened beside the eye, appearing as if it meant to devour someone.

If Li Banfeng didn't want to move away from the city wall, this mouth could indeed devour people. Once bitten, he would not only be injured but also poisoned.

If he moved away from the city wall, this mouth would immediately shout, sending a message to the camp.

Jiang Ling'er manipulated the needle and thread, stitching the mouth tightly shut in an instant.

A muffled sound still emanated from within the massive mouth. Zhao Xiaowan grabbed a thread, which vibrated violently. Sound waves with frequencies below the limit of hearing traveled along the thread, destroying the vocal cords within the enormous mouth, shattering its lips and teeth into fragments.

After dealing with the giant eye and mouth, Li Banfeng walked southwest; he was looking for the barracks.

But after only two steps, Li Banfeng couldn't tell directions anymore.

The camp's location had changed, and its layout had also changed. There was a significant deviation from the map Ayu had drawn.

"A-Qi, go left." The Portable Residence took out a fixed-position map. Before leaving the exit, it had already pinpointed the barracks' location.

Following the Portable Residence's guidance, Li Banfeng carried his wife and tucked Jiang Ling'er under his arm, walking left. There were many patrolling soldiers in the camp, but none noticed the three individuals.

Zhao Xiaowan occasionally reminded Jiang Ling'er, "Hold on tighter; the closer to Husband, the better."

Despite Li Banfeng's high cultivation, the range of his Residence Cultivation talent was very limited.

Passing through the training ground and workshops, Li Banfeng arrived at the barracks.

The barracks were densely packed with two-story buildings. Each building had about ten rooms.

Gauntlet spit out a bag of explosives. Zhao Xiaowan looked at the barracks' layout and chose the locations for burying the explosives.

Li Banfeng took out an iron shovel. In a flash, he dug a pit and buried the explosives.

Scythe was responsible for backfilling. Gauntlet was responsible for clearing away traces. After the explosives were buried, the ground looked as neat as before at a glance.

With over ten thousand barracks and more than a thousand buildings, one bag of explosives was definitely not enough.

Li Banfeng was about to move forward with Xiaowan and Ling'er. Suddenly, he heard Xiaowan say, "Husband, wait a moment."

She emitted a low hum, inaudible to ordinary people. Through the echoes, Zhao Xiaowan detected something. "Husband, there are mechanisms ahead."

"Where are the mechanisms?"

Zhao Xiaowan listened to the echoes again and shook her head. "There are too many; I can't distinguish them all at once."

Li Banfeng said, "Let's not go on the ground; I'll fly over."

Zhao Xiaowan shook her head. "Flying over would be too conspicuous. Who knows how many high-grade weapons are in this camp? Even with your Residence Cultivation talent, you could easily be detected. Besides, some mechanisms are already in the sky."

Helpless, Li Banfeng prepared to try his luck with Stride and Seeking Luck, Avoiding Calamity. But then he saw Jiang Ling'er release a large sheet of silk threads from her sleeve, slowly moving along the ground.

These threads seemed to clothe the ground like a garment. Using this garment, Jiang Ling'er was probing the conditions underground.

Clothes Cultivation Cloud-Top Technique: Iridescent Fungi Peeping Through Gaps.

This was a Clothes Cultivator's detection technique. If gold was buried underground, the Iridescent Fungi Peeping Through Gaps technique couldn't detect it.

But if mechanisms were buried underground, the threads could trigger the mechanisms' sensors as they passed. The gentle threads wouldn't trigger the mechanisms, but they could sense their locations.

The threads spread flat on the ground, converging into a silk rope. Jiang Ling'er looked at Li Qi and said, "Walk on the rope; it won't trigger the mechanisms."

Zhao Xiaowan praised softly, "Ling'er, what a skill!"

Li Banfeng carried his wife and tucked Ling'er under his arm, walking forward. A sentry patrolling near the barracks didn't see Li Qi, but he saw the silk rope on the ground.

The Anti-Bandit army was well-trained. Seeing something unusual, the sentry was about to raise the alarm when a silk thread leaped up and coiled around the sentry's three necks.

Clothes Cultivation Third-Tier Technique: Life Returns to Brocade.

The technique's tier wasn't high, but it was very effective. As Jiang Ling'er retracted her wrist, the threads tightened. The sentry's three heads fell to the ground simultaneously, without a sound.