Chapter 142 Night Raid on the City God

Chen Mu focused his attention and observed carefully, committing every marking to memory.

The map even marked several hidden paths for infiltration, as well as locations where warning Formations or traps might be set.

"I already spoke about the City God's true strength last time, so I won't repeat it. I will only remind you that he has a technique called Karmic Fire Red Lotus, which specializes in attacking the enemy's Divine Soul.

His weapon is a Yin and Yang steel whip, formed from his divine authority; it can sever Yin and Yang and bind souls, which is quite troublesome."

Jiang Xiong's tone was solemn.

"Brother Chen, what are your chances of success?"

Chen Mu lifted his gaze from the silk scroll and looked directly at Jiang Xiong.

"With this map, about sixty percent."

"Sixty percent."

Jiang Xiong repeated, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"It's not high, but given your current cultivation, daring to claim sixty percent is already rare."

"The intelligence and the container are both here. When to act and how to plan is entirely up to Brother Chen to resolve; I only want the result."

Chen Mu put away the silk map, stood up, and cupped his hands.

"Brother Jiang, please await the good news."

Leaving the Peony Pavilion, Chen Mu made a round of several pharmacies and blacksmith shops in the city, purchasing some Medicinal Pills for healing, as well as a bag of specially made Yin Phosphorus Powder.

This powder is ground from Yin-attribute Ore. Once sprinkled, it can briefly interfere with the perception of ghosts and strange entities. Although its effect is limited against existences like the City God, it might be of some minor use against ordinary ghost soldiers.

When he returned to the small courtyard, the sun was already setting to the west. Jiang Huoyu was holding the smoked rabbit he had brought back last night, chewing until her mouth was oily.

Seeing Chen Mu return, she asked vaguely.

"Is the plan ready? Do you need me to do anything?"

Chen Mu looked at her and shook his head faintly.

"Tonight at the Hour of the Rat, I am going out. You stay here, look after the courtyard, and look after yourself."

"If Qi Huan and I have not returned by the Hour of the Dragon tomorrow, leave Yunmeng immediately, go find Jiang Xiong, or hide yourself."

Jiang Huoyu opened her mouth, wanting to retort, but in the end, she just snorted and picked up the black cat at her feet, muttering.

"Who cares if you live or die... Be careful, don't actually die."

Chen Mu nodded slightly and returned to his room to check his belongings.

The soul-slaying blade, the ancient demon seal, the spirit-absorbing mysterious iron box, Medicinal Pills for healing, Yin Phosphorus Powder, and the silk scroll with the layout of the City God Temple.

Finally, he looked at the scroll of the "Hunyuan Wuji Calamity Body", pondered for a moment, and burned it with a fire.

Although he had only practiced two-thirds of this forbidden technique, the System had already read the Cultivation Technique, so there was no need to keep the scroll; it was better to burn it clean.

...

As night deepened, Chen Mu changed into a black martial arts outfit and headed straight for the Yuelai Inn where Qi Huan was staying.

The inn was a place where all sorts of people mixed, with chaotic auras, which actually served as good cover.

Chen Mu snuck into Qi Huan's room. Qi Huan was sitting cross-legged, regulating his breathing; his complexion was better than it had been in the morning.

Hearing someone, Qi Huan stopped his cultivation and opened his eyes.

"How is it?"

Chen Mu spread out the silk scroll and quickly explained the layout of the City God Temple and the distribution of the ghost soldiers, his fingertips lightly tapping positions on the map.

"The main hall, the side halls, the ghost soldiers' quarters, the patrol routes..."

Qi Huan looked at the cinnabar markings on the map, his brows locked tight.

"This place is practically an iron bucket."

"Even an iron bucket has gaps."

Chen Mu's voice was calm as his finger tapped on several inconspicuous markings on the map.

"Look here, outside the western courtyard wall, there is an old locust tree with branches extending into the wall. The guards here are marked as patrolling once every quarter of an hour.

"And here, the alley between the back hall and the storehouse is only the responsibility of a pair of ghost soldiers under the Night Patrol God, with a patrol interval of about half an incense stick."

He lifted his head, his gaze sharp.

"Around the Hour of the Rat, the City God will routinely inspect the temple. At that time, most of the ghost soldiers will follow to guard him, and the fixed guard posts might actually have short gaps."

Qi Huan pondered for a moment and nodded slowly.

"Makes sense. The divine System values rules the most. The City God's inspection is a set routine, and his subordinates, the ghost soldiers, would never dare to be negligent and will definitely draw elites to accompany him.

"At this time, the temple's guards seem strict, but because manpower is concentrated, some corners might actually reveal vulnerabilities."

Chen Mu tapped his fingers on the table.

"Exactly.

"We will infiltrate just before the Hour of the Rat, taking advantage of the moment when the inspection team assembles and the temple's order is adjusted, entering from the old locust tree on the west wall and heading straight for the main hall.

"If we can set an ambush before the City God returns from his inspection, we can seize the initiative."

A trace of worry flashed in Qi Huan's eyes.

"But what if the City God returns early, or the inspection route changes..."

"That is why we also need to prepare a retreat route."

Chen Mu pointed to another part of the map.

"The back window of the main hall faces this bamboo forest, and outside the bamboo forest is a residential alley. After we succeed, regardless of whether we do or not, we will immediately retreat from there.

"I have already prepared Yin Phosphorus Powder, which can interfere with the ghost soldiers' tracking."

Qi Huan nodded only then. The two of them spent another half an hour repeatedly deliberating the details, from infiltration paths to retreat plans, from potential unexpected situations to response strategies, sorting them out one by one.

Until the watchman struck the clapper for the first quarter of the Hour of the Pig.

"That's about it."

Chen Mu put away the silk scroll, stood up, and checked his belongings, confirming each one was correct.

Qi Huan stood up, took a deep breath, and suddenly spoke, his tone solemn.

"Chen Mu.

"If things become impossible, don't worry about me; take the things and go first. This life of mine was saved by you and Jiang Xiong, so even if I lose it here tonight, it won't be a loss."

Chen Mu looked at him, didn't speak, just patted his shoulder.

Meanwhile, in the shadows on the roof opposite the inn, a thin figure had been standing silently for a long time.

Nie Feng.

He had been observing in the dark for a day.

From Chen Mu returning to the small courtyard, to Qi Huan coming to meet him, and then to their secret talk in the room.

Although he couldn't hear the specific content, he vaguely judged that the two were planning something.

"Finally going to move..."

The corners of Nie Feng's mouth curled into an arc.

Lord Wen ordered him to stay with Xu Changze for the time being to ensure the matter of the offerings, but also to wait for an opportunity to eliminate Chen Mu. Tonight, Chen Mu and Qi Huan were meeting secretly late at night, their actions suspicious; this was the perfect opportunity to act.

And right now, Chen Mu seemed to intend to stir up trouble, fearing there might be some conflict, and this played right into his hands.

In the end, when the snipe and the clam fight, it is the fisherman who gets the good opportunity to cast the net. He only needed to watch quietly here, waiting for that cleanest and most decisive moment to strike.

...

As the Hour of the Rat approached, two black shadows leaped out from the back window of the Yuelai Inn, Chen Mu in the lead, Qi Huan following closely behind.

Both were wearing dark martial arts outfits, their faces covered with black cloth, revealing only their eyes.

Chen Mu's aura was restrained and heavy, and although Qi Huan's injuries had not fully healed, he was barely able to mobilize seventy percent of his power.

The two specifically chose to travel through small alleys and the shadows of eaves, avoiding the yamen runners patrolling the main street.

About a quarter of an hour later, the tall outline of the City God Temple appeared ahead.

Vermilion walls, flying eaves and bucket arches; at first glance, it looked solemn and respectful, but it also exuded an eerie air.

The two went around to the outside of the western courtyard wall, and just as the silk scroll recorded, there was a hundred-year-old locust tree with lush branches and leaves, one thick branch extending into the wall.

The two focused for a moment, confirming no one was inside the wall, then their figures leaped, climbing onto the tree trunk, using the force to jump, and one after another climbed onto the wall, lying in the shadows, overlooking the inside of the temple.

The main hall was brightly lit, and one could vaguely see many shadows. In the corridors of the side halls, there were sporadic ghost soldiers patrolling with weapons.

The two recalled how easy it was to infiltrate last time, seeing not a single person patrolling, and just assumed this place had no strict guards, but they didn't expect that everything was Xu Changze's design, and the two had fallen into his trap, and could not help but secretly hate it.

And at this time, this was the true defense of the City God Temple.

Chen Mu let out a low roar and leaped down.

"The timing is perfect, let's go."