Chapter Sixty-Eight: Countermeasures

Stepping out the door, the group made their way up the mountain. All the while, Xu Cheng felt as though he had forgotten something. Upon reflection, he realized the authorities were not composed solely of cultivators at the Divine Soul stage—there were others as well!

He spoke at once, “Chrysanthemum, go to the magistrate’s office and bring in whoever’s left!”

Chrysanthemum’s eyes lit up; even the smallest mosquito is still meat. In a flash, he activated the Ink Stroke Manifestation technique and melted into several ink spots, vanishing from sight.

He returned after the time it takes for incense to burn, but there were no prisoners trailing behind him. Face long and mournful, Chrysanthemum said, “Right Envoy, it seems we were too conspicuous earlier. They must have all fled!”

“They’ve run?” Xu Cheng frowned. They truly had taken flight at the first sign of trouble. As the saying goes, it is the dark of night and a fierce wind that makes for murder’s hour; this drizzling spring day was hardly the time.

Yan Mengdie’s enormous palm landed on Xu Cheng’s shoulder. “What do we do next?” she asked.

“We’ll wait near White Tiger Town and see what the night brings,” Xu Cheng replied, transforming into a shade, a streak of dark light racing along the predetermined path.

Before long, Xu Cheng arrived near a dilapidated thatched hut. Beside him, strands of azure light coalesced to form the sizable Yan Mengdie. Then a scroll appeared from thin air, from which Chrysanthemum stepped forth. Finally, a black crescent and a shadow of a black ox’s head manifested, taking human form—these were Cen Ningyue and Niu Dazhuang.

The hut seemed long deserted, filled only with straw and a thick layer of dust. Xu Cheng snapped his fingers, releasing a drop of water. With the help of the Lesser Five Elements Creation technique, the droplet transformed into a tiny water dragon, which swept through the hut, cleaning it thoroughly before sinking into the ground and turning into fertile earth.

From the earth sprang lush green vines, growing with astonishing speed and soon covering the whole hut. Where once rain leaked through, now only the sound of rain striking leaves could be heard. Inside, spring’s vitality abounded.

Gesturing to the transformed hut, Xu Cheng said, “Let’s rest here for a while.”

“How am I supposed to get inside?” Yan Mengdie exclaimed, gesturing to her massive frame with anxious humor, further accentuated by the bedsheet wrapped around her—a makeshift covering for lack of any suitable clothes in town.

Xu Cheng laughed, “No problem!” With a flick of his will, the vines lifted to form a round arched doorway. Even with Yan Mengdie’s nearly three-meter height and equally broad cylindrical body, she could now enter with ease.

Protected by their magical power, the group did not become drenched in the rain.

While time was still early, Yan Mengdie began her cultivation, entering the phase of the Jade Toad’s Nine Transformations Immortal Technique. Who knew how long she would linger there? The longer she remained in that state, the more beautiful her features would become in the end.

Seeing this, Xu Cheng whispered, “Chrysanthemum, let’s carefully gather information in town.”

Know yourself and your enemy, and you will never lose a hundred battles. Chrysanthemum, who had lived even longer, understood this well.

Disguised as two impoverished scholars, the pair entered White Tiger Town. There were tea houses here, and storytellers, though it was unclear if they were the same as Tang Gumeng and her companions.

Listening quietly to the storyteller’s tale, Xu Cheng took a moment to wave a large green millet grain before the man’s eyes. When the crowd dispersed, the storyteller pulled Xu Cheng aside. “I’m Tang Sanbao. Are you here for news, sir? Whoever can show me the token of the Millet Gate gets news for five taels of silver each! I charge the others ten!” He raised a finger as he spoke.

Xu Cheng had plenty of silver; acquiring more information would be no trouble. He nodded in assent. “How many Divine Soul stage experts of the Xia Dynasty are in White Tiger Town?”

“Five! One new arrival just yesterday!” Tang Sanbao replied, brows furrowed.

“And where do they congregate at night?” Xu Cheng pressed.

“At nightfall, all five head for the town’s largest pleasure house. They stay there until the hour of the pig, then return together to their private cultivation residence—they rarely separate!” Tang Sanbao added, “That residence is the largest mansion in town, and they usually cultivate in the main hall.”

“Thank you!” Xu Cheng rewarded Tang Sanbao with an extra five taels, then left the teahouse to scout the mansion.

The mansion of five Divine Soul cultivators was indeed grand, guarded by two stone lions and four burly soldiers. Two of the soldiers shouted at Xu Cheng and Chrysanthemum when they tried to observe the interior.

Fearing they might tip off their targets, the pair quickly withdrew. Five Divine Soul stage cultivators—Xu Cheng hurried back with Chrysanthemum to discuss their strategy.

“Right Envoy, unless we take them all down at once…” Chrysanthemum suggested.

The proposal struck Xu Cheng as exactly right. If they didn’t subdue the group in one decisive blow, chaos would surely ensue.

After a moment’s thought, Xu Cheng said, “When the time comes, I’ll unleash my full power and try to suppress three of them at once. The rest, you and Yan Mengdie support from the flanks. If we stay flexible, we can handle whatever comes.”

“Agreed!” Chrysanthemum nodded. His most potent spells were not quite perfected, so supporting from the sidelines was best.

With time to spare, Xu Cheng returned to the hut and informed Yan Mengdie, Cen Ningyue, and Niu Dazhuang of the plan.

The others all entered their cultivation states, preparing for tonight’s ambush.

The best window for such an attack would be the hour of the pig—what in his past life would have been around nine or ten at night.

For now, Xu Cheng followed the principle of alternating work and rest. He did not cultivate, but instead checked his resources.

He still had plenty of Mingtrue Pills, Forging Shade Pills, and Spirit Restoration Pills—enough to raise Cen Ningyue and Niu Dazhuang to the Divine Soul stage.

As he counted the pills, a crystal-clear drop of water fell to the ground, yet did not soak in.

Xu Cheng picked it up, remembering it was a tear left by Master Tiangui. With a thought, he retrieved the threadbare cloth doll and examined it closely.

He wondered who it was that Master Tiangui could not let go of in the end.

Within the tear, a faint image appeared.

Xu Cheng infused it with his Divine Soul power, and as a swirl of rainbow light flowed, suddenly he saw a scene: a little girl and a boy.

This must have been the young Master Tiangui and her childhood companion.

The two played by the fields and streams, innocent smiles blossoming on their faces.

The scene shifted—horses’ hooves thudded, and soldiers in bright black armor rode in. The two children were scattered by the flood of black-armored troops, separated unwillingly.

Master Tiangui, cast adrift, eventually joined the Xuantian Dao Sect, much like Xu Cheng’s own journey.

Gifted and quick to comprehend the Dao, she reached the Divine Soul stage before her twentieth year.

With her cultivation achieved, her master allowed her to descend the mountain and experience the mortal world.

Yet, Master Tiangui held a secret in her heart: she wanted to find the boy who had grown up with her, to rekindle their bond.

But the world was vast, and he could not be found.