Chapter 1104: Reversal

Li Zhouwei put away his golden halberd and smiled. "The Protector is quite pleased with himself, but I must see him."

He had a good impression of Liu Bai, but it was a shame that such a free-spirited sword cultivator had become entangled in such a grand scheme. Everyone saw him as a genuine cultivator, full of vigor and ambition, but to Li Zhouwei, he was actually frustrated and deeply troubled.

Liu Bai immediately sighed. He had a feud with the Situ clan and knew that the Li clan's relationship with the Situ clan was no better. He sheathed his sword and shook his head, saying, "Your Majesty, the King of Wei, your esteemed position outweighs that of all other generals. Having just slain Guangchan, your prestige is immense; it is fitting that you guard this mountain."

He first spoke of the greater good, then added, "I am a sword cultivator, after all, and I prefer to act freely. My encounter with him would only lead to conflict. This matter, I must trouble Your Majesty with."

Li Zhouwei clasped his hands and smiled. "No worries. I am here on orders to proceed to Tangdao. However, the Protector doesn't need to return to Baixiang. Yang Ruizao is already in Baixiang, wielding the Exiled Qi, awaiting orders, ready to depart at any moment."

Liu Bai, hearing this, seemed to understand that Li Zhouwei had further plans. He glanced at him and said, "Since that is the case, I will wait for Your Majesty outside the mountain."

Li Zhouwei immediately stepped into the mountain, enveloped in light. He saw dense, towering rocks; there was no natural light above, only thick, bottomless dark mist. A bronze nether-chariot stood in the sky, shining brilliantly.

A woman hovered in the air, riding the gale. She lowered her brows, showing a very humble posture, and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty, the King of Wei!"

Li Zhouwei nodded. "So it is King Nanjia. There's no need for such formality."

This woman was indeed Linggu Lanying. The Linggu family, thanks to the blessings of the old sword immortal from the Great Xiukui Temple, had barely managed to raise her, which allowed the Linggu family to be granted the title of King Nanjia. However, upon seeing Li Zhouwei, she felt quite ashamed and replied, "I am but a minor king within the dominion. I dare not claim such a title before Your Majesty. I ask Your Majesty to forgo my title and simply call me Yingjia."

Li Zhouwei merely walked leisurely up the mountain and smiled. "A minor king within the dominion... interesting. Whose saying is that?"

Back when Ning Wan came to Moonlight Lake for the enfeoffment, she mentioned that Moonlight Lake would be autonomous, with all matters, high and low, decided by Li Zhouwei. Later, it even became a land ungoverned by martial decree. In contrast, these so-called kings like Linggu Lanying were naturally "within the dominion."

His words made Linggu Lanying slightly nervous. She only replied, "It cannot be attributed to anyone specific... merely some common rumor..."

Li Zhouwei, however, had already arrived before the golden hall. He saw the main gate wide open, and an old man descended from above. He carried a golden-red saber on his back, held a long-handled spear, and his face, covered in scars, was full of smiles. "Greetings, Your Majesty, the King of Wei! Thank you for lifting the siege!"

Li Zhouwei fixed his gaze on him, then looked around, saying, "General Pinghuai, you possess great skill to have held out for so long with so few soldiers and generals."

Situ Huo, clearly an elder, showed no pretense whatsoever. He nodded and smiled, saying, "It was entirely due to this grand formation—this formation was personally laid out by the Grand General, called the Grand Ye Xuanzhe Spirit Array. It is truly one of a kind in the world, specifically designed to deal with Buddhist cultivators. Ordinary formations are mere decorative facades before a spirit array of this caliber!"

He raised an eyebrow, looking at the faint nether-chariot in the sky, and then turned to say, "Second... it is the Daoist within this nether-chariot... they should return to report now."

This treasure was submerged in silent darkness. The Exiled Qi had completely sealed off all information. Li Zhouwei secretly activated his Immortal Mirror and swept it over, indeed finding it empty.

Situ Huo, however, stared at his golden eyes. Waiting for Li Zhouwei to withdraw his gaze, he led him forward and they sat down in the main hall. Only then did he speak, "Your Majesty, you have utterly defeated the Zhao army, slain the evil cultivators, and stabilized the battlefield. However, higher orders have not yet arrived, and various cultivators around us are eyeing us covetously... May I ask what your plans are?"

Li Zhouwei glanced at him and replied, "I was just about to bring that up."

Situ Huo raised an eyebrow, watching Li Zhouwei stand up and take out a token from his sleeve. It had a black background with intricate golden patterns and golden characters inscribed on it. Li Zhouwei said, "I want the General to leave the mountain with me and head south. This place will be left under the protection of Protector Liu."

Situ Huo glanced at the token, lowered his brows, and asked, "Oh? What about Baixiang then?"

Li Zhouwei said indifferently, "If Baixiang can be held, then hold it. If not, return it to them."

Situ Huo's expression immediately darkened. He said flatly, "Does Your Majesty understand what you are saying? Baixiang and Xiaoshi serve as the flanks of Tangdao... We painstakingly blocked the northern route southward, and if Your Majesty releases it like this... the north will regain a passage to bypass Tangdao and head south..."

He paused slightly, remembering Li Zhouwei's words about heading south. He looked at Li Zhouwei, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Does Your Majesty intend to attack the Duxian Mountain Gate?"

Li Zhouwei nodded. "Precisely."

This made Situ Huo fall silent.

The three points—Xiaoshi, Tangdao, and Baixiang—formed a twisted, sprawling barrier, protecting the plains behind them. What was rare was that the spiritual veins of the land were not weak, and with the Purple Mansion Grand Array sealing them off, and the sensing of Exiled Qi, they could almost completely block the northern route of advance towards the Moonlight Lake wilderness.

However, this sturdy barrier had one weakness: the Baiye region located at its eastern flank. Even if the defenses were strong, the passage through Bianyan, Chengyun, and Duxian, backed by Xuanmiao and Shanji, would still allow a large number of northern cultivators to gather there and cut across unimpeded.

Li Zhouwei stared into his eyes and said, "Our forces are insufficient, and Baixiang's spiritual veins are poor. Without a spirit array like Tangdao's, not only can we not defend it, but it would also divert a large number of our personnel. What's more, with Baiye at our flank, we would be attacked from both front and rear, and Guangchan's special forces might return."

"But if we abandon Baixiang and seize Baiye, relying on the Duxian Mountain Gate, although we cannot keep the enemy out of Jianghuai, we will have great freedom. In retreat, we can use the Baijiang region as a pocket to fight, and in advance, we can attack Xuanmiao, cut off Shanji's retreat, and seize complete control of Jiangnan."

Situ Huo already understood his meaning. He remained silent for a long time without speaking, then sighed, "I well know that the Grand General most wishes to reclaim Shanji, but this matter is too significant; I cannot make such a decision."

Li Zhouwei sneered, pressing the token in his hand onto the desk, and said, "Cannot make a decision? Or unwilling to make a decision!"

Li Zhouwei, of course, knew what Situ Huo was thinking—nothing more than clinging to his authority as General Pinghuai and Commissioner of Tangdao!

The greater the power and higher the status of a Martial Cultivator, the greater the blessings received. For example, there was a vast difference between Li Jianglong, who held a very low title, and Li Jiangliang, a high-ranking official of the current dynasty, despite both being Xuan Cultivators.

'Now that the Zhao forces have retreated, the three points—Xiaoshi, Tangdao, and Baixiang—are intact. Holding this position would require almost half of the Great Song's entire strength. As the Commissioner of Tangdao, Situ Huo would command overall authority, naturally holding an extremely high status, possibly the most important minister!'

'If Baixiang is abandoned to seize Duxian, it would be equivalent to dividing the entire Jiangbei defense line into two sections. Whether it's Liu Bai or anyone else at Duxian, having someone of equal standing would naturally significantly diminish the martial prestige.'

But this was assuming the plan succeeded!

Situ Huo harbored even more suspicion in his heart.

He was General Pinghuai, with Tangdao as his fief... so he should let Liu Bai guard Tangdao Mountain for him? If there were unforeseen circumstances in Duxian Dao, and they failed to conquer it, suffering a major defeat instead, then the northern forces would counterattack, Liu Bai would abandon this mighty mountain and retreat south, and the Great Song's gains would be entirely lost. As Commissioner, if Situ Huo lost his own territory, what great play would there be for him to perform?

This suspicion was not difficult to understand. Li Zhouwei sneered inwardly: 'It's often said that the people of the North are disunited... but can the South truly be united? There's no place where everyone works together; it's only because they were previously struggling for breath that they had to put aside their interests and disputes!'

Facing his questioning, Situ Huo lowered his brows, appearing somewhat hesitant, and said, "Why does Your Majesty say that! I cannot abandon my post without authorization. I can only trouble Your Majesty and Protector Liu to go yourselves!"

From Situ Huo's perspective, this was naturally the best solution. Situ Huo was unwilling to participate himself, preferring to let Li Zhouwei and Liu Bai attack Duxian Dao and contend with Qi Lanyan. Wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone?

Why make him take a trip and foster mutual suspicion!

But the coldness on Li Zhouwei's face gradually receded, replaced by a deeper smile. He did not argue with him but replied, "General Pinghuai... you should think carefully."

As the token in his hand gradually lit up, the nether-chariot in the sky seemed to tremble slightly, causing Situ Huo's expression to slowly change.

It was not that Li Zhouwei hadn't considered this. If possible, he wouldn't want to waste time with this True Man of the Situ family; he could simply go with Liu Bai. However, Xuanmiao had many cultivators and was close to Duxian Dao. In Yang Ruiyi's and his plan, Duxian Dao was easy to attack but difficult to defend. If it came to that moment, Yang Ruiyi would even abandon Jianghuai to secure Shanji!

And the Great Song, was guarding against Situ Huo!

'If the tide of battle turns, and the order to abandon Jianghuai is given, Liu Bai would be guarding Tangdao. This Protector Liu would certainly abandon the mountain and retreat south... But what about Situ Huo?'

'This old fox does not have Liu Bai's integrity. He might very well hold out until the last moment, and then, when things go wrong and the situation changes drastically, he would "reluctantly" join the Buddhist Path, leveraging the shift in the overall situation to gain an extremely high position!'

This was, in itself, one of Situ Huo's schemes. This treacherous True Man, who played both sides, was always biding his time, waiting for the best offer! Even if his way to maximize profit was to first use True Qi to pass through the Zancai stage and then defect to the Buddhist path in a crucial decisive battle, Yang Ruiyi was no fool. Given the right opportunity, Situ Huo could very well defect to the North!

Earlier, when the various Buddhist sects besieged the mountain, who knew if Situ Huo had been biding his time for a better offer? Yang Ruiyi worried daily in the wilderness, and a large part of that worry was directed at Situ Huo himself!

Thus, Li Zhouwei's words, coupled with the subtle trembling of the nether-chariot above, instantly made Situ Huo understand. Meeting Li Zhouwei's gaze, those clear golden eyes pierced him like swords.

'That Yang family member, who came riding the nether-chariot, is not merely guarding this mountain and keeping the North guessing; there's also an element of deterrence aimed at you...'

And Li Zhouwei, arriving with the token to forcibly mobilize him, was also a warning from the Yang clan!

The old True Man's grim expression flickered for an instant. It was unclear what he was thinking deep down, but his face showed no agitation or discomfort, as if it were only natural, and he smiled, "Since Your Majesty has made a request, I shall naturally obey!"

No sooner had he spoken than Li Zhouwei's token suddenly tumbled down, transforming into a cascading waterfall of gray wind that enveloped both their figures in the Exiled Qi, making them drift unsteadily.

The shadow of the Great Void faintly emerged. Situ Huo stood with his hands clasped behind his back, while Li Zhouwei remained silent, his expression calm.

'Actually... there was one other candidate to guard Tangdao Mountain.'

That was Li Zhouwei himself!

Unfortunately, Situ Huo and Liu Bai had an extremely poor relationship. Situ Huo was a despicable and treacherous man, perfectly willing to humble himself, but Liu Bai found it difficult to get along with him. Yang Ruiyi feared it would ruin things... and thus refused to let Li Zhouwei guard the mountain.

And Li Zhouwei was pleased with this arrangement.'A sect destroyed by mountains, merged with my Dharma Body!'

Xuanmiao Monastery.

Lights flickered dimly, and mystical light shimmered. A youth with an ethereal aura stood among the mountains. His eyes, originally radiant and serene, were now filled with gloom.

Tao Jiexing returned to Xuanmiao Monastery, his expression now completely different, with a faint sense of loss in his eyes. He pushed open the door and entered, finding that the person at the head of the hall was also different.

The youth above was gloomy-faced, standing silently to one side.

Qi Lanyan was already proud; his background from Zhixuan and Guanxie, coupled with his encounter with the Heavenly Pure opportunity, had pushed his self-satisfaction to a peak. Now, the ease and confidence of having matters under control were gone, replaced by a deep, almost unbelievable gloom.

'Guangchan has fallen... This is trouble... Yang Ruiyi...'

Guangchan's death was a truly earth-shattering shock for Qi Lanyan. It wasn't just that Guangchan, with such cultivation, had perished in a single strike; what was more unsettling was the loss of control over the entire situation and the accompanying troubles!

Qi Lanyan felt gloom, anger, and urgency in his heart, but when he closed his eyes, he discovered a faint trace of fear lingering at the very bottom.

This made him even angrier.

The atmosphere in the hall was stifling to the extreme, yet Tao Jiexing could not remain silent. He took a step forward and gritted his teeth, saying, "Junior saw that the celestial phenomena in the north were amiss... I suspect my cousin... his Dharma Body was broken, but... but... I performed a divination, but it was obscured by Exiled Qi, so I couldn't see clearly. I specifically came to seek guidance from Senior..."

Qi Lanyan was momentarily speechless. He could only suppress his surging anger and reply, "Your cousin... he has fallen!"

Tao Jiexing and Li Jieyi were like kin, and there was even a bit of elder-like affection between them. He had already suspected this in his heart, and this one sentence confirmed it, immediately causing him to lower his head and weep, lamenting, "Cousin... you've lost your senses... I told you long ago... it was an unrighteous army, and sure enough, it caused his demise there! How painful!"

Tao Jiexing was oblivious to social niceties, and his words were nothing short of adding fuel to the fire. The Daoist-robed man prostrating nearby trembled upon hearing them: 'Only this person dares to speak like this... and no one would even say much if he did... this is truly ruthless!'

Indeed, these words stirred surges of anger within Qi Lanyan's heart, causing his temples to throb slightly.

However, the Tao family was no ordinary household. Though not as influential as his own Uncle Wei Xuanyin, they could still be considered descendants of a True Monarch. Many elders in the Tao family originated from Qiuzixie and were well-connected. He could only force himself to say, "Jiexing, what are you saying? This was a scheme by the Yang clan!"

Tao Jiexing's face was already covered in tears. He raised an eyebrow to look at Qi Lanyan, and with a single glance, he retorted Qi Lanyan's words. The youth gnashed his teeth, his humility and innocence shattered, and he cried, "Senior Qi! My cousin was not just a Maha of the Great Mu Dharma Realm; he was also a member of my Tao family, my cousin, Senior Brother of True Man Xuanwei, and a disciple of True Man Shaoxun! This matter is not just about the Great Mu Dharma Realm or Dayang Mountain!"

Qi Lanyan's expression immediately changed. He quickly stepped forward and replied, "This was a plot by Li Zhouwei and Yang Ruiyi!"

But then, the usually soft-spoken Tao Jiexing stood up, his brows filled with resolute determination. He said coldly, "I will certainly report my cousin's death to our family... Senior Qi, you had better think about how to provide an explanation!"