91: Chapter 91 A Choice in the Fog

Shen Yueru leaned against the rock wall, looking at Lin Muchen.

"Make use of it? How?"

Lin Muchen sat up a bit straighter.

"Since Commander Zhao wants the Ledger so badly, we'll give it to him. But not for free."

"You want to use the Ledger to lure him out?" Shen Yueru frowned. "Isn't that too risky? There are only two of us, and Commander Zhao has many men."

"It's not a head-on confrontation," Lin Muchen said. "We can set a trap. Find a suitable place, put the Ledger there as bait, and set up a Formation around it."

"When they come to take it, we'll trap them, or at least stall them, and take the chance to slip away."

Shen Yueru thought for a moment.

"That is indeed a way."

"But we're in Misty Valley right now, unfamiliar with the area. Where are we going to find a suitable place to set up a Formation?"

"Besides, setting up a Formation takes time. Commander Zhao's people might catch up at any moment."

"So we have to finish the task first," Lin Muchen said. "We'll gather mist hiding grass while looking for a spot."

"The mist in this valley is so thick and the terrain is complex; it's naturally a good place for an ambush."

He paused.

"I have the Ledger, so they'll definitely keep chasing. Instead of being sitting ducks, it's better to dig a hole and wait for them to jump in."

Shen Yueru was silent for a few seconds, then nodded.

"Alright, I'll listen to you. But we have to be careful. Let's not fall into the hole ourselves before we've even finished digging it."

"That won't happen." Lin Muchen smiled. "I'm a professional at digging holes."

Shen Yueru rolled her eyes at him.

"What time do you think it is? You still have the heart to joke."

"Finding joy in hardship," Lin Muchen said. "Let's rest first and set off at dawn."

It was Shen Yueru's turn for the night watch during the second half of the night.

Lin Muchen leaned against the rock wall and closed his eyes, but he didn't actually sleep.

System, bring up the points panel.

[Current points: 3000.]

Three thousand points, I have to use them sparingly.

"Exchange for a simple illusion Formation Plate, the kind that can integrate with the terrain and amplify the effects of a natural maze," Lin Muchen said in his mind.

[Searching...]

[Matching item found: 'Basic Illusion Formation Plate (Terrain Adaptive Type)'.]

[Effect: Can rely on existing terrain to set up a simple illusion Formation, confusing perception. Effect lasts for about two hours. Requires Spirit Stones to activate.]

[Exchange points: 800.]

[Confirm exchange?]

"Confirm."

800 points were deducted, leaving 2,200.

A palm-sized gray Formation Plate appeared in the Storage Pouch, engraved with some winding patterns.

It's enough.

Just as dawn broke, the mist in the valley grew even thicker, a vast expanse of white where one couldn't see anyone more than three to five steps away.

Lin Muchen and Shen Yueru packed their things and left the shallow cave.

"Which way?" Shen Yueru asked.

"Deep into the valley first," Lin Muchen said.

"System, scan the surroundings, mark areas where mist hiding grass might grow, and search for terrain suitable for setting traps."

[Scanning...]

[About two li ahead, the Spiritual Qi concentration is high, matching the growth environment for mist hiding grass.]

[Three li to the front-left, there is a recessed area in the rock wall. The terrain is complex with several natural stone pillars, likely possessing a simple maze effect.]

[Route planned. It is recommended to go to the area with high Spiritual Qi concentration first to gather mist hiding grass.]

"Let's go."

The two of them, one following the other, slowly walked forward through the thick mist.

Lin Muchen led the way, with the System continuously projecting the outlines of the surrounding terrain into his mind—where there were rocks, where there were ditches, everything was crystal clear.

Shen Yueru followed behind, sword in hand, glancing back from time to time.

After walking about one li, the surroundings were eerily quiet, with only the sound of footsteps on the damp ground.

"This place is a bit too quiet," Shen Yueru said in a low voice.

"Yeah." Lin Muchen felt it too.

The System suddenly issued a warning.

[Detected a life form rapidly approaching thirty zhang to the front-right!]

[Target: Second-Order Demonic Beast 'Wuyin Beast'.]

[Characteristics: Good at using mist to hide its form, fast speed, sharp claws and teeth.]

"Something's coming!" Lin Muchen stopped immediately.

No sooner had he spoken than the thick mist to the right was suddenly torn open, and a gray shadow pounced out, heading straight for Lin Muchen's face.

Lin Muchen reacted extremely quickly, his Five Elements Body Protection Aura instantly activating while he leaned his body backward.

The gray shadow brushed past his chest, bringing a gust of fishy wind.

After landing, the creature revealed its form.

It looked like a leopard but was a size smaller. Its fur was grayish-white, similar to the mist, and its eyes were an eerie pale green.

Wuyin Beast.

It gave a low growl, twisted its body, and disappeared into the mist again.

"Careful, it can use the mist to turn invisible!" Lin Muchen shouted.

Shen Yueru immediately leaned against his back, and the two of them stood back-to-back.

The mist swirled, making it impossible to see where the beast was.

Lin Muchen closed his eyes and channeled his Water Element spiritual power.

As the Water Cloud Art operated, his perception spread out like ripples on water.

There it is.

Back-left!

He spun around abruptly and threw a punch.

Sharp Metal Element Qi condensed on his fist.

The Wuyin Beast happened to pounce from that direction. Not expecting to be anticipated, it took a solid punch and flew backward with a scream.

But it was thick-skinned and tough. It rolled on the ground once before climbing back up, baring its teeth and staring intently at Lin Muchen.

Shen Yueru saw an opportunity and thrust her sword toward its flank.

The Wuyin Beast leaped away nimbly, but the tip of Shen Yueru's sword still cut through its skin, drawing a string of blood droplets.

The injury made the Wuyin Beast even more irritable. It no longer hid and pounced directly at Lin Muchen, faster than before.

Lin Muchen didn't dodge. He formed a hand seal in front of his chest.

Water Element spiritual power surged out, forming a thin curtain of water in front of him.

The Wuyin Beast crashed into the water curtain, and its speed suddenly stalled.

In that moment of stalling, Lin Muchen kicked it in the stomach, sending it tumbling over.

Shen Yueru took the opportunity to step forward and thrust her sword at its throat.

The Wuyin Beast twisted away desperately. The sword tip missed its mark and stabbed into its shoulder.

It let out a shrill howl, broke free, turned around, and dove into the thick mist, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

"It ran away." Shen Yueru took a breath and flicked the blood off her sword.

"Yeah, it's badly hurt. It shouldn't dare to come back." Lin Muchen withdrew his spiritual power.

System tallying.

[Repelled a Second-Order Wuyin Beast, points +200.]

[Current points: 2400.]

"Let's keep going," Lin Muchen said.

After the two walked about another li, the System indicated they were nearing the target area.

In the surrounding mist, some half-person-high gray plants began to appear, with long, thin leaves and fine water droplets condensed on their surfaces.

mist hiding grass.

"Found them." Shen Yueru squatted down and began to gather them carefully.

Lin Muchen wasn't in a hurry to gather herbs; he had the System scan the surroundings.

[Scan complete.]

[About fifty zhang to the front-right, a Wuyin Beast nest was found. The nest is located within a natural Stone Forest, where the stone pillars are scattered haphazardly, forming a simple maze terrain.]

[This terrain is suitable for setting up an illusion Formation trap.]

"Come, let's go take a look," Lin Muchen said to Shen Yueru.

The two carefully approached the Stone Forest.

Sure enough, dozens of crooked stone pillars stood there, some as high as two or three zhang, others only reaching the knees. They were arranged without any pattern; once inside, one's vision was immediately obstructed.

The Wuyin Beast's nest was in a hollow beneath a stone pillar, lined with some dry grass, and was currently empty.

"This place is good." Lin Muchen looked around. "A natural maze, paired with an illusion Formation, will give them quite a hard time."

He took out the gray Formation Plate, found a spot in the center of the Stone Forest, and buried it in the soil, leaving only the part with the engraved patterns exposed.

Then he took out several Low-Grade Spirit Stones and placed them around the Formation Plate in specific positions.

"Is that it?" Shen Yueru asked.

"That's it. We just need to activate it when the time comes." Lin Muchen patted the dirt off his hands. "Now, let's set the bait."

He took out the Ledger, thought for a moment, and didn't just throw it on the ground.

That would be too fake.

He rummaged through his Storage Pouch for an old bundle cloth, wrapped the Ledger in it, making it look crumpled, and then stuffed it into a crevice beneath a stone pillar, leaving a corner exposed.

It looked like it had been hidden in a hurry and not very well.

"Done." Lin Muchen stood up. "Let's go, continue gathering herbs. When they find this place and see the Ledger, the moment they take it, the Formation will activate. That'll keep them busy for a while."

Shen Yueru looked at the bundle, a bit worried.

"Will they fall for it?"

"After chasing this far, with the item right before their eyes, anyone would find it hard to resist," Lin Muchen said. "Unless the leader is exceptionally calm."

"But those guys under Commander Zhao don't look like the type."

The two left the Stone Forest and returned to the area where the mist hiding grass grew, focusing on gathering.

The task required at least twenty stalks, but they gathered more than thirty before stopping.

"That's enough, let's head back." Shen Yueru carefully put the herbs away.

Lin Muchen nodded and glanced back in the direction of the Stone Forest.

The hole is dug, and the bait is set.

Just wait for the fish to bite.