64: Chapter 64 Setting a Trap

As soon as Zhao Yuanyi and Guo Zhengning entered the room, they saw Ye Yi lying on the bed.

"Master."

Ye Yi tried to struggle to his feet, but was quickly pressed back down by Guo Zhengning: "You're still injured, get some rest."

Now, due to the aggressive advance of the Red Lotus Cult, Zhao Yuanyi and Guo Zhengning had organized all the Martial Artists in the city to resist and defend, aided by intelligence from Ye Jing.

Pointing out that after the Red Lotus Cult occupied Yuanhe Town, their next target would be the towns and villages nestled along the Qinling Mountains, they spontaneously led the city's Martial Artists to help Ye Jing defend the village.

They couldn't just wait for the Red Lotus Cult to slaughter all the surrounding small towns and villages before laying siege to Yanggu County.

Basically, all the Martial Artists in the city had come out to help defend the village, but the Tang Family had shown no sign of participation.

It was said that the head of the Tang Family had been living in seclusion ever since his son's death.

Rumors were spreading outside that the Patriarch of the Tang Family was seriously ill and bedridden.

Those around them also knew about the discord between the Tang Family and the Ye Family, so they didn't pay much attention to it.

Ye Yi and Ye Xuan recounted everything that had happened that night.

Zhao Yuanyi and Guo Zhengning were very surprised, but surprise aside, the battle still had to be fought.

After some brief words of comfort, they each went to arrange the defenses.

At this time, the leader of the Blood Lotus Sect, Old Man Hongsha, sat high in the public hall, questioning a few shivering villagers below: "Are you all from the Qinling area?"

"Yes... yes, Lord, have mercy!" The villagers were shaking uncontrollably, kowtowing to the leader of the Red Lotus Cult in extreme fear.

They were all villagers who had fled from Liu Village. Because they were afraid and didn't dare follow Ye Jing in resisting the Red Lotus Cult, they had taken their families and fled the village for Yuanhe Town.

They hadn't expected that Yuanhe Town had long since been occupied by the Red Lotus Cult; it was truly like walking into a tiger's den.

However, hearing that they were nearby villagers, Old Man Hongsha did not kill them, but brought them to him for questioning.

Old Man Hongsha said disdainfully: "Since you're from the Qinling area, tell me, are there any wealthy families in your Qinling villages?"

Having just captured Yuanhe Town, he urgently needed to replenish money and grain to attack Yanggu County, making those remote mountain villages his best choice.

One of the villagers, seeing this, said tremulously: "Lord, the... the wealthiest family in our vicinity is naturally... the Ye Family!"

"The Ye Family? Tell me more!"

Old Man Hongsha became interested.

The villager swallowed hard, his voice trembling like a leaf in the autumn wind: "Lord, this Ye Family is no ordinary wealthy household. In the villages around Qinling, they are second to none. They have... hundreds of acres of fertile land, raise many chickens and ducks, and even the most famous golden spirit rice and crimson blood wine are from their family..."

"golden spirit rice?!" Old Man Hongsha sat up immediately, his withered branch-like body shaking, "The Ye Family!"

He cried out in utter disbelief.

This Ye Family had provided many blood foods to the outside world to replenish Blood Qi, especially that crimson blood wine, which had even allowed him to step into the ranks of Immortals. Everyone outside knew that these rare blood foods were all produced by the Ye Family Patriarch, Ye Jing.

He hadn't expected that the famous Ye Family was actually located in these wild mountains.

Greed filled Old Man Hongsha's eyes; he absolutely had to go to this Ye Family!

He stood up, his blood-colored robes fluttering in the wind as a sinister aura spread out: "Pass down the order: rest for half a day. In the afternoon, the entire army sets out. Target: the Ye Family in Liu Village!"

The villagers were too afraid to look up. When Old Man Hongsha's gaze fell upon him, the villager who had informed on the family asked cautiously: "Lord... I've told you everything I know, please spare my life!"

Old Man Hongsha looked coldly at the villagers who were so scared they had wet themselves, and simply waved his hand.

The villagers thought they had a way out and hurried to run outside, but before they had taken half a step, three Corpse People suddenly appeared and surrounded them.

"No, stay back..."

"Help!"

“Aaaaaah...!”

In the afternoon, the people of the Red Lotus Cult soon headed towards Liu Village in a grand procession. Crows circling in the sky saw that their target was indeed Liu Village and immediately flew toward the Ye residence.

Ye Jing, who was practicing sword techniques at home, suddenly heard the sound of birds chirping on the roof.

Ye Jing went outside, and the crows on the house flew down, cawing at him.

These crows had been ordered by Ye Jing to keep an eye on the Red Lotus Cult, and now they had all returned.

Ye Jing called Xiao Chi out to help translate the meaning of these crows.

Xiao Chi's intelligence was now extremely high, no different from a human's, and he well understood the meaning of these Essence Spirits. He used his claws to draw a pattern on the ground for Ye Jing.

It was a lotus flower, with an arrow pointing to a willow tree.

Ye Jing understood: "The people sent by the Red Lotus Cult are preparing to come to Liu Village?"

Xiao Chi nodded quickly.

A hint of killing intent appeared in Ye Jing's eyes. The people of this Red Lotus Cult acted in a bizarre manner. His previous agreement to help Li Kun guard Yuanhe Town was also to test their strength.

But he hadn't expected that Corpse Person to be so powerful. He touched the golden light bowl in his hand; this Magical Artifact was exceptionally effective at suppressing evil things, but he couldn't use it openly.

If the outside world knew he possessed an Immortal Artifact, it would likely invite the covetousness of others.

Furthermore, he wasn't sure if the golden light bowl's power could deal with a Corpse Person. It seemed that this time, he could only risk everything.

The gradual approach of the Red Lotus Cult also greatly increased the pressure on Ye Jing.

Listening to the descriptions from Ye Xuan and Ye Yi, the Corpse People controlled by the Red Lotus Cult leader were almost invulnerable, and their strength far exceeded that of a First-Stage Martial Artist.

Such a bizarre thing could not be defeated by ordinary means; it seemed there would be a fierce battle.

Ye Jing stood in the courtyard, his fingertips rubbing the cold body of the golden light bowl, the killing intent in his eyes surging yet incredibly calm.

The Red Lotus Cult was coming aggressively, their Corpse People invulnerable and possessing immense strength, unmatched even by a First-Stage Martial Artist. There was no chance of winning in a head-on confrontation.

Since the Red Lotus Cult had set its sights on Liu Village, he had to use the situation to break the deadlock and turn it into the Red Lotus Cult's burial ground!

He looked up at the continuous mountain ranges surrounding Liu Village, then down at the lotus pattern under Xiao Chi's claws, a plan already taking shape in his mind.

Ye Jing immediately gathered everyone in Liu Village and explained the news of the Red Lotus Cult coming to their village at the Village Chiefs Hall.

Because Ye Jing's predictions about the appearance of the Red Lotus Cult had been very accurate, when he said the Red Lotus Cult was coming, the villagers and Martial Artists naturally believed him.

The village erupted into chaos, and Zhao Yuanyi and Guo Zhengning also showed signs of nervousness.

Zhao Yuanyi quickly asked: "Does Patriarch Ye have a plan? Those Corpse People are fierce, and I'm afraid ordinary means won't stop them."

"If we can't stop them head-on, we can only lure them into a trap!" Ye Jing went straight to the point.

He said seriously: "When the Red Lotus Cult attacks, we will give them an easy bait."

He then pointed to the open valley outside the mountain pass to the west of the village: "Have all the elderly, weak, women, and children of the clan retreat to the caves in the back mountain, leaving only the young and strong Martial Artists.

Then, have people move the empty grain bags and empty wine jars from the Ye Family warehouse into the valley, making it look like they were left behind in a panicked rush to evacuate."

Zhao Yuanyi frowned: "This bait is sufficient, but those Corpse People don't fear blades or spears. Even if we lure them to the pass, what can we do?"

"Use fire." A cold light flashed in Ye Jing's eyes.

"The pass is narrow; they can only huddle together as they charge in. At that time, we will throw down all the fire oil and saltpeter. Even if the Corpse People are invulnerable to weapons, they won't be able to withstand being consumed by raging flames."

Guo Zhengning slapped his thigh: "Great idea! But there is still that Blood Lotus Sect Leader; his cultivation is profound, and I fear he won't be so easy to deal with."

Ye Jing did not explicitly say he had an Immortal Artifact, only saying in a deep voice: "Once the fire at the pass is lit, we must not give the Red Lotus Cult any chance to break out. Even if we have to perish together, we must trap them inside!"

His tone was decisive, carrying a resolve to survive by facing death, which made Zhao Yuanyi and Guo Zhengning's hearts tremble, not daring to question him in the slightest.

The villagers and Martial Artists immediately split up to act. Although the villagers were very terrified, they had also heard of some villages that had fled in fear, only to encounter the Red Lotus Cult and all die on the road, with no survivors.

Fleeing was useless. If they didn't wipe out these Blood Lotus Sect members, they would all become fish on the chopping block. There was no escape!