Chapter 633: Arriving at the Doorstep

Chapter 633: Chapter 113: Arriving at the Doorstep

「Mountain Peak Dojo.」

The dense gardens were unusually lively. Wang Ping stood beneath a massive Spirit Wood Tree, chatting and laughing with Yuan Zheng, Ruan Chunzi, and Miaoyu. Nearby, Liu Huai’en, Li Miaolin, Le Xin, and Hua Yun listened quietly to their conversation.

Ying Qing Taoist and Hou Jun leaned against another Spirit Wood Tree, watching Wang Ping’s group. To their left, in the shade of another tree, stood Lu Shan and his two companions. The trio periodically glanced toward Dongcan, who was positioned fifty or sixty feet away at the base of the Spirit Gathering Tower. Beside Dongcan stood Ke Yue, dressed in a vibrant red outfit. Ke Yue, in turn, kept looking over at Le Xin and Hua Yun, a fiery red glow flickering in her eyes.

These were all the Third Realm Cultivators Wang Ping could assemble. Including Yu Lian, Wu Fu from Zhonghui County Town, and Wang Ping himself, the total came to seventeen Third Realm Cultivators—an even more formidable force than the one he had led against True Yang Mountain.

“Everyone, I have good news from the front line. The Chu Country’s fleet has crushed the Seventh Prince’s main force. The plan is to besiege Anmu Island in three days!”

After finishing his casual chat, Wang Ping addressed the entire group. His voice wasn’t loud, yet it carried clearly to every person present. “Furthermore, we’ve received word from the Third Prince. They will attack Gutou Island to the east at the same time we make our move.”

“It’s going that smoothly?”

Li Miaolin asked with curiosity. He was known for treating the mortal realm as his playground, often orchestrating wars between nations. The conflicts he engineered typically lasted for several years, if not longer.

“True Man, you must have some special trick up your sleeve, right? Over the past few days, I’ve sensed some unusual Five Elements Energy fluctuations from the south. They felt like a Power Pill, only far, far more powerful!”

Ying Qing said with a chuckle. Cultivators from the Yuqing Sect were the most sensitive to fluctuations in the Heaven and Earth Energy.

Wang Ping didn’t answer. Instead, he gave an imperceptible glance to Yuan Zheng, who spoke in his place. “We have indeed developed a new type of Power Pill. Its destructive force is comparable to an attack from an Entering Cultivator!”

While the others were still in shock, Liu Huai’en spoke up with a smile. “Last month, word came from the Eastern Continent that Cultivators from the First Sect used Power Pills to wipe out a forest occupied by Outer Realm Demons. I was skeptical at first, but now I’m guessing they must have purchased these new Power Pills from you, Fellow Daoist?”

“Besides us, is there anyone else in the entire Cultivation Realm selling Power Pills?”

Yuan Zheng retorted with a chuckle.

Li Miaolin looked at Wang Ping, a smile playing on his lips as he cupped his hands. “In that case, I suppose the struggle for the Divine Artifact in Zhongzhou is about to be settled?”

His question caused many of those present to frown inwardly.

The moment Li Miaolin spoke, Yu Lian’s vertical pupils locked onto him, and she began to flick her forked tongue incessantly.

“The contest for the Divine Artifact has its own rules. I have no intention of breaking them,” Wang Ping replied, likewise cupping his hands.

Ruan Chunzi glanced back at Li Miaolin. “Let’s stick to the matter at hand,” she said. “The sooner we end this turmoil, the sooner we can restore peace to the common people.”

Liu Huai’en agreed. “Exactly! Let’s focus on the mission.”

Taking the opportunity, Wang Ping continued, “The assault on Anmu Island is crucial. Therefore, we must all be there to oversee it personally and prevent any surprises.”

He didn’t state it outright, but his meaning was perfectly clear: they would soon have to face the Seventh Prince’s Third Realm Cultivators.

In other words, a battle was very likely.

Yet, no one voiced any objection.

Ordinarily, with nearly twenty Third Realm Cultivators, they should have been organized into battle groups beforehand to maximize their effectiveness. However, most of them didn’t know each other well. They had gathered for Wang Ping, but their alliance was forged from mutual interest, not his personal charisma. For that reason, Wang Ping didn’t bother with the pointless exercise of forcing them into groups.

Still, they were all intelligent people. Even without Wang Ping forcing the issue, they naturally formed their own smaller groups with those they knew. Ke Yue and Dongcan, for instance, stuck together. Li Miaolin, Ying Qing, and Hou Jun formed one team. Lu Shan and his two companions became their own unit, while Le Xin and Hua Yun joined Liu Huai’en.

Wang Ping’s own group consisted of Ruan Chunzi, Miaoyu, and Yuan Zheng. As for Wu Fu, he remained behind to guard Zhonghui County Town.

「One day later.」

Without alerting anyone, Wang Ping and his group silently hovered in the air above a nameless islet five hundred kilometers south of Shang’an Prefecture.

The first thing Wang Ping did upon arrival was dispatch over two hundred puppets, sending them secretly into the sea. Their mission was to build Transfer Arrays in hidden shallows. This was a trap for Chengxi. The lack of such preparations last time had allowed Chengxi to come and go freely.

At the same time, Miaoyu immediately deployed a Barrier Formation she had prepared in advance. It enveloped the sky above them, masking their auras. The goal wasn’t to hide their location, but to conceal the specifics of their group—namely, their true numbers and strength.

Before long, Wang Ping did indeed find several pre-drawn Transfer Talismans on the seabed. Without a moment’s hesitation, he had his puppets destroy them. He wasn’t concerned about alerting Chengxi—in fact, he was deliberately trying to lure them over.

“How about we convert some of Anmu Island’s defenders? We could coordinate an attack from the inside out!” Li Miaolin suggested, his expression eager. He clutched a handful of strange plant seeds as he looked at Wang Ping. “Don’t worry, I guarantee no one will notice a thing.”

Yu Lian, who was draped over Wang Ping’s shoulder, spoke to him through their Spirit Sea connection. ‘He’s probably killed a lot of people using that method.’

Wang Ping looked at Li Miaolin and refused flatly. “No. It’s better if Third Realm powers don’t interfere in a conventional war like this. It would be troublesome if the True Monarchs were to investigate.”

“Your call!”

Li Miaolin chuckled, putting away the seeds in his hand.

「Two days later.」

Amid a thunderous roar, the Chu Country fleet launched a two-pronged assault on the shallows flanking Anmu Island.

The battle went much more smoothly than expected. After two hundred Power Pills, launched by crossbows, bombarded two of Anmu Island’s harbors, the landing troops encountered no further resistance. Not a single Qi Cultivator even showed themselves.

In less than two hours, the Anmu Island garrison surrendered, led by their Brigade Commander!

Having witnessed the power of the Power Pills firsthand, the group’s mood shifted. It was only now that they truly recalled the incredible feat Wang Ping had accomplished during the battle at True Yang Mountain.

The occupation of Anmu Island went smoothly.

「Early the next morning.」

Wang Ping, deep in meditation, suddenly opened his eyes. Yu Lian, who had been sleeping on his lap, opened her eyes as well.

“Someone’s coming…”

Ying Qing’s voice rang out. “But it’s only one person. A Third Realm Water Cultivator!”

As he finished speaking, a streak of cyan light shot across the distant horizon. Ruan Chunzi took a step forward through the empty air, positioning herself to protect Wang Ping, ready to act at a moment’s notice.

The visitor materialized about a thousand feet away. Seeing the crowd within the barrier, he hastily cupped his fist in a salute. “This humble Daoist, Hongze, greets you, Fellow Daoists!”

Ruan Chunzi asked coldly, “Why have you come?”

This was Hongze, the young Water Cultivator who had previously been with Yue Ziyu. His eyes darted around before quickly settling on Wang Ping. Cupping his fist again, he said, “This humble Daoist is here on behalf of my grand-teacher to make a deal with Changqing Zhenren.”

“And who is your grand-teacher?”

Wang Ping asked, stepping forward from the group.

Hongze half-turned and gestured respectfully in the direction from which he’d come. “The Seventh Prince of Lishui Prefecture!”

Hearing this, the expressions on the faces of the group varied, but a shared look of apprehension could be seen in their eyes.

“You’re certainly brave,” Wang Ping said, breaking the silence.

Hongze forced a nervous laugh and quickly continued, “My grand-teacher is willing to cede the remaining two islands under his control. In return, he only asks that you leave us with a Dao Field where we can live in peace.”

Wang Ping paused for a moment, and then the Seventh Prince’s plan dawned on him. ‘He wants to use our strength to fend off the Third Prince’s relentless pressure!’

“How very calculating,” he said, his gaze turning cold.

“Actually, my grand-teacher planned to do this long ago,” Hongze explained hastily. “But he suffered a minor injury during a duel with the Third Prince and has been in seclusion to recover. Before he secluded himself, he specifically entrusted this matter to me. However, the sect’s affairs were temporarily managed by one of my martial uncles. It was he who insisted on launching a war against the Chu Kingdom Court.”

“So you want this martial uncle of yours to take the fall?” Yu Lian’s tone was mocking. “He wouldn’t happen to be the Yue Ziyu, the Mr. Yue we’ve been looking for, would he?”