62: Chapter 62 Night Raid on the Mountain Stronghold

Lin Muchen lay prone in the dense forest, his eyes fixed on the two hidden sentries at the entrance of the valley.

"System, continuous scan. Mark the layout of Black Wind Stockade clearly for me."

[Scanning...]

[Mountain stronghold layout analysis complete.]

[Core Building: Central two-story wooden building (Leader's residence).]

[Guard Distribution: Two hidden sentries at the valley entrance (Fifth and Sixth Layer of Qi Refining Stage), one hidden sentry on the inner cliff wall (Seventh Layer of Qi Refining Stage), and two patrol teams in the square (two people per group, Fifth to Seventh Layer of Qi Refining Stage).]

[Patrol Route: Fixed loop around the square, crossing at intervals of approximately half an incense stick.]

[Detected weak Formation fluctuations on the perimeter of the central wooden house; suspected simple warning Formation.]

[Optimal Infiltration Path Planned: Detour through the dense forest on the right to the cliff crack, climb to the mid-mountain platform, and approach the rear of the central wooden house from above.]

[Path Risk Assessment: Low (must avoid the line of sight of the inner cliff wall sentry).]

"Fine, let's go with that."

Lin Muchen glanced at the winding green line the System had marked in his mind.

He took a deep breath.

The five light clusters in his Dantian rotated, and energy from the Water and Wood elements surged out, wrapping around his entire body like a thin veil.

His aura instantly became so faint it was almost undetectable.

"Exchange for 'Terrain Scan' enhancement."

[Exchange successful.]

[points consumed: 500 points.]

[Current points balance: 4004 - 500 = 3504 points.]

['Terrain Scan' enhancement is now active. Scanning accuracy increased by 30%, and the real-time path correction function is enabled.]

The sky turned completely dark.

Lin Muchen moved.

Like a shadow, he slipped out from behind the rock where he was hiding and dove into the dense forest on the right.

The route provided by the System was very tricky, specifically choosing areas with dense trees and blind spots.

His feet stepped on the fallen leaves with a sound as light as a cat's.

Ahead was the open ground.

Two hundred meters.

Lin Muchen didn't stop; he rushed straight out.

The Water and Wood energy suppressed his footsteps and aura to the minimum as he moved quickly through the knee-high wild grass.

The hidden sentry on the left rock wall was looking up at the stars.

The one in the withered tree on the right was yawning.

"Now's the chance."

Lin Muchen picked up speed and dashed into the forest on the opposite side within a few breaths.

Safe.

He found the crack covered by vines and squeezed inside.

It was dark inside, but his eyes, enhanced by his Five Elements perception, could see clearly.

The crack extended upwards at a quite steep slope.

After climbing for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, there was light ahead.

He had reached the exit.

Lin Muchen slowed his movements and crawled bit by bit to the edge of the platform, looking down.

The mountain stronghold was right beneath his feet.

Several bonfires were lit in the square, where five or six Bandits were gathered, drinking and boasting.

"System, mark all visible targets and analyze their cultivation."

[Marking complete.]

[Six square Bandits: Three at the Fifth Layer of Qi Refining Stage, two at the Sixth Layer, and one at the Seventh Layer.]

[Two members of the patrol team: Currently rounding the back of the eastern wooden house, cultivation at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining Stage.]

[Inner cliff wall hidden sentry: Located in a cave about fifty zhang to the Host's front-right, Seventh Layer of Qi Refining Stage, looking toward the valley entrance.]

[Second floor of the central wooden building: Strong spiritual energy fluctuations, confirmed as Mid-Foundation Establishment Stage (Black Wind Sha). There are three people on the first floor, with cultivations at the Eighth Layer, Seventh Layer, and Seventh Layer of Qi Refining Stage.]

Lin Muchen memorized these positions.

He waited for the patrol team to pass, then flipped over and slid down silently from the edge of the platform.

His hands gripped the protruding stones of the cliff wall as he lowered himself bit by bit.

The Five Elements energy made his body as light as a leaf.

He landed on the ground, right at the base of the central wooden building's rear wall.

As soon as his feet touched the ground, a System prompt arrived.

[Warning: Detected weak Formation fluctuations three meters ahead.]

[Type: Simple touch-triggered warning formation.]

[Coverage Area: One meter around the outer wall of the wooden building.]

[Cracking Suggestion: Use the sharp power of the Gold element to locally pierce the Formation nodes. This will create a temporary gap lasting approximately ten breaths.]

"Gold element energy, come."

With a thought from Lin Muchen,

the silver-white light cluster in his Dantian separated a wisp of sharp energy, which traveled through his Meridians to his fingertips.

He squatted down and reached his finger forward.

Buzz.

His fingertip touched an invisible membrane.

The Gold element energy acted like a needle and gave it a gentle poke.

A fist-sized hole appeared in the membrane.

Lin Muchen immediately slipped inside, and the hole quickly closed behind him.

Ten breaths—enough.

He pressed himself against the rear wall of the wooden building and pricked up his ears.

People were talking inside.

"...Next time, we'll hit that batch of goods from Lius Trading Firm," a gravelly voice said. "At the end of the month, they're transporting a batch of cold iron ore from Black Rock City to Qingshi Town. There's plenty of profit in it."

"Boss, Lius Trading Firm has some ties to the City Lord's Manor. If we move against them, will it...?" another voice said hesitantly.

"What are you afraid of?!" the gravelly voice barked. "Those people from the City Lord's Manor have taken my kickbacks; they'll just turn a blind eye."

"Besides, after the robbery, we'll just hide in the mountains for a few days and come back out once the heat dies down."

"Yes, yes, yes. Boss is wise."

"Tell the brothers to get ready. We move in three days. Bring more people this time; we need to finish this quickly."

"Understood."

Lin Muchen heard everything clearly.

Lius Trading Firm, cold iron ore, three days from now.

The intelligence was in his hands.

Just as he was preparing to withdraw, the System suddenly sounded an alarm.

[Warning: There is a hidden spiritual energy line on the ground five meters to the Host's back-left. Suspected secondary alarm trigger.]

[The Host may have lightly brushed against it when landing earlier.]

Crap.

Lin Muchen cursed inwardly, but his body was already in motion.

He lunged backward while simultaneously gripping a Fireball Talisman.

Almost at the same time,

Wooo—!

A piercing shriek erupted from the spiritual energy line on the ground, instantly echoing throughout the entire mountain stronghold.

"Enemy attack!"

"Behind! There's someone behind the wooden building!"

All the Bandits in the square jumped to their feet.

The patrol team was also rushing toward him.

Lin Muchen didn't hesitate and smashed the Fireball Talisman onto the ground.

Boom!

Flames exploded, and thick smoke billowed out.

"System, mark the positions of all pursuers and plan the fastest evacuation route!"

[Marking complete.]

[Pursuers: Six from the square, two from the patrol team, and one hidden sentry from the inner cliff wall—nine in total.]

[The leader, Black Wind Sha, is jumping out of the second-floor window.]

[Optimal Evacuation Route: Return the way you came, climb the cliff wall to the mid-mountain platform, and exit the valley through the crack.]

[Note: The Host's speed is superior to all Qi Refining Stage pursuers, but Black Wind Sha's speed is unknown.]

"Run!"

Lin Muchen turned and dashed toward the cliff wall.

Footsteps and shouting broke out in a chaotic mess behind him.

"Stop him!"

"Don't let him get away!"

Lin Muchen reached the base of the cliff, kicked off a rock, and lunged upward.

He grabbed a protrusion, pulled himself up, and lunged higher again.

His Foundation Establishment Stage physical capabilities were showing now; his climbing speed was faster than a monkey's.

The Bandits who chased him to the base of the cliff could only stare blankly.

"Fire arrows! Fire!"

Several arrows whistled upward, but their aim was far off.

Lin Muchen reached the mid-mountain platform in a few moves and glanced back.

Black Wind Sha had already reached the base of the cliff.

He was a burly, bald man with a face full of scars, wearing a beast-skin vest and carrying a demon head blade.

"You little brat, you dare sneak into my home!" Black Wind Sha roared. He stomped his foot and actually began to climb up the cliff wall as well.

He wasn't slow!

"System, what's his speed?"

[Analyzing... Black Wind Sha's Physical Body strength is powerful. His climbing speed is approximately 80% of the Host's.]

[It is estimated that he will close the distance to within twenty meters before the Host reaches the entrance of the crack.]

Twenty meters—for someone at the Mid-Foundation Establishment Stage, one pounce would be enough.

Lin Muchen's mind raced.

He dashed into the crack, but instead of running straight out, he pulled the three sticks of Confusion Incense from his Storage Pouch.

"System, light them and throw them behind me!"

[Executing.]

The Confusion Incense was instantly lit, and Lin Muchen threw it back into the crack passage.

Black smoke began to billow out.

This stuff had a weak effect on those in the Foundation Establishment Stage, but it could block vision and make the pursuing Qi Refining lackeys dizzy for a while.

Lin Muchen took the opportunity to accelerate and rush out.

He burst out of the crack into the dense forest outside.

He changed direction; instead of running out of the valley, he dove into the forest deeper within.

"System, keep scanning. Find some complex terrain."

[Scanning... There is a boulder field three hundred meters ahead. The terrain is complex and suitable for shaking off pursuit.]

Lin Muchen rushed into the boulder field.

The rocks were of all sizes, like a maze.

He twisted and turned through them, while at the same time pushing the concealment effects of his Water and Wood elements to the maximum.

His aura completely vanished.

Behind him, Black Wind Sha burst out of the crack and stopped at the edge of the forest.

He sniffed the air, his expression turning ugly.

"The trail's gone."

Several of his Qi Refining subordinates caught up, panting for breath.

"Boss, we... we lost him..."

"Useless!" Black Wind Sha barked, delivering a slap. "Alert the entire village! Increase patrols! That kid definitely hasn't gone far. Search for him!"

"Yes!"

The Bandits scattered to search the mountain.

Black Wind Sha stood where he was, his eyes cold.

"To be able to sneak right under my nose... you've got some skill. Just don't let me catch you."

...

Deep within the boulder field, Lin Muchen found a crevice between the rocks and tucked himself inside.

The sounds of the search outside gradually faded into the distance.

He breathed a sigh of relief.

"System, how far are we from the mountain stronghold?"

[The straight-line distance is approximately twenty li.]

[The current location is safe; no pursuers have been detected nearby.]

"Good."

Lin Muchen crawled out of the crevice and found a more secluded cave to duck into.

Not daring to light a fire, he leaned against the cave wall and began to organize the intelligence he had just gathered.

"System, record this."

[Recording.]

"One: The leader of Black Wind Stockade, Black Wind Sha, is at the Mid-Foundation Establishment Stage. He Cultivates a technique that strengthens his Physical Body. He's not slow, but his flexibility might be average."

"Two: There are about ten core members in the stronghold and over twenty regular members. There are hidden sentries at the valley entrance and on the cliff walls, and the central wooden building has a simple warning Formation."

"Three: They plan to rob Lius Trading Firm's cold iron ore transport team in three days."

"Four: Black Wind Sha has likely bribed people from the City Lord's Manor, which is why the bandit suppression efforts have always been ineffective."

[Recording complete.]

[Intelligence has been integrated into the Black Wind Stockade Analysis Report (Updated Version).]

Lin Muchen licked his lips.

That's enough information.

Next, I need to devise a plan to wipe them all out in one go.

A head-on confrontation won't work; I'll have to use my wits.

"Three days... Lius Trading Firm..."

His eyes narrowed.

An idea slowly began to take shape in his mind.