Chapter 352: Ambush

"Wolf fiends? You mean from the Great Qian Empire?" Qiu Yuebai asked.

Luo Binghong nodded in confirmation before asking, "Should we join forces with the wolf fiends? Not only is Chu Qiguang currently a hundred-man commander of the Demon Vanquishing Department, he's also the head of the Cloud Sun Trade Association, so he's bound to have many powerful bodyguards."

Chu Qiguang had instructed Luo Binghong to make this proposal. He wanted the people from the Imperial Heavenly Dao to join forces with the wolf fiends so he could capture them all at once.

However, Luo Binghong was beginning to feel a little uneasy about Chu Qiguang's plan. The Imperial Heavenly Dao had such an incredibly formidable lineup, and they were clearly determined to kill him. Would he really be able to weather this storm?

"The Great Qian Empire is currently on the rise, and even the Heavenly Immortal Dao Master of the Immortal Dao has concluded through divination that the fiends are certain to triumph over the humans. Hence, forging an alliance with them is certainly not a bad idea," Qiu Yuebai mused with a thoughtful expression.

With Luo Binghong and Omniscient acting as intermediaries, a meeting was arranged between the two parties in a forest outside Azure Sun County Town the following day.

Yi Siman was rather disappointed that Omniscient, cautious as ever, had refused to take part in the operation, but he was very interested in joining forces with the Imperial Heavenly Dao.

Yi Siman arrived at the rendezvous point alone, while Qiu Yuebai was accompanied by Luo Binghong and two generals.

Qiu Yuebai was immediately captivated by Yi Siman's handsome appearance, and after learning that he was the son of the Ninghai Prince, she became even more interested in getting to know him.

Over the years, it had become abundantly clear to the Imperial Heavenly Dao that the Great Han Empire was in irreversible decline, while the Great Qian Empire was on the rise. Naturally, the Imperial Heavenly Dao was eager to be on the right side of history.

Qiu Yuebai was also certainly no slouch in the looks department herself, but in his current state, Yi Siman had interest in her beauty whatsoever.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Yi Siman cut straight to the point. "Once we abduct Chu Qiguang, the Cloud Sun Trade Association's stock price is sure to plummet, presenting us with the perfect opportunity to buy."

"The Cloud Sun Trade Association is undoubtedly aware of this, so they'll be sure to make Chu Qiguang's protection a top priority," Qiu Yuebai said.

"That's why we need to strike swiftly and catch them by surprise," Yi Siman concluded.

On this occasion, he had brought seven fifth-state martial artists with him, one of whom was an eagle fiend capable of taking to the skies to conduct reconnaissance from above.

"I'm sure we have enough people to get the job done," Qiu Yuebai said with a confident smile.

"Catching him off guard shouldn't be too difficult, either," Yi Siman said. "I heard that Chu Qiguang periodically leaves the county to inspect the cotton fields. The next time he makes such a trip will be a good opportunity for us to strike."

"I've heard that Chu Qiguang is an extremely formidable physical cultivator, even among fifth-state martial artists, so that's something we need to be wary of," Qiu Yuebai cautioned.

Yi Siman raised the black saber in his hand with a smile and said, "This Heavenslash blade was forged from the femur of a Dao Comprehension-state beast fiend. It'll be perfect for tearing through his physical defenses. I borrowed it from my father specifically for this task."

As the discussion continued, both sides grew increasingly confident in their chances of success.

"I almost feel a little sorry for Chu Qiguang," Qiu Yuebai chuckled.

In her mind, there was a good chance that Chu Qiguang would surrender on the spot once he realized what he was up against. ℴℴ𝘮

***

So that's their plan? It's a good thing I found out in advance. Otherwise, with so many powerful martial artists coming after me, I'd be forced to reveal my trump cards, and I'd have a lot of explaining to do afterward, Chu Qiguang thought while reading a note that Luo Binghong had secretly sent him through a cat fiend. That eagle fiend is going to be a bit of a problem. That means I won't be able to set up an ambush in advance. Instead, I'll have to find a way to keep them occupied until the reinforcements arrive.

***

That day, around noon, Chu Qiguang left the Heavenly Melody Manor City on horseback and set off for Azure Sun County.

Yi Siman was quickly alerted by the cat fiends.

He's leaving the manor city on his own in broad daylight? What a complacent fool!

Yi Siman immediately called upon Qiu Yuebai and sent the eagle fiend under his command to track Chu Qiguang.

The two parties met up on a hill along the route from Heavenly Melody Manor to Northern Mountain Manor.

Shortly afterward, the eagle fiend descended from the sky, and Yi Siman immediately asked, "How did it go? Is he really alone?"

The eagle fiend nodded. "He's on his own, and there's no ambush. I searched the entire area within a radius of several kilometers, and I didn't see any troops from the imperial court."

"Something must've come up, forcing him to leave in a hurry without having time to call upon anyone," Qiu Yuebai speculated. "Should we go after him?"

Yi Siman was not so convinced. Something about the situation felt strange to him, and he couldn't shake the persistent sense of unease in his heart.

"Are we going to do it or not?" Qiu Yuebai urged. "If we pass up this opportunity, who knows when we'll get another chance?"

"Let's wait a little longer," Yi Siman said before turning to the two wolf fiends beside him. "You two, go and double-check the area to make sure no one's lying in ambush."

The two wolf fiends immediately reverted to their canine forms and rushed off. Before long, they returned to report that the coast was indeed clear.

Is it just my imagination?

Yi Siman still felt rather uneasy, but he couldn't find any reason not to strike.

Thus, he quickly made up his mind, sending the eagle fiend back into the sky while setting off on foot with Qiu Yuebai and the others to confront Chu Qiguang.