187: Chapter 187 Guerrilla Maneuvering (Part 5)

Northwest, Rift Zone, late at night.

Lu Mingyuan leaned against the stone wall of the gully, eyes closed. The True Qi in his Dantian was slowly recovering, bit by bit, like spring rain seeping into parched earth. His breathing was light and steady, his heartbeat deep and slow. His Quasi-Saint body was repairing itself, requiring no deliberate effort or guidance of Spiritual Qi. His Light Body breathed, pulsed, and lived.

Bai Ze flew back and landed on his shoulder.

"Everything arranged?" Lu Mingyuan opened his eyes.

"All set. Five Cultivators from the Zhenyi Alliance are taking turns guarding the barrier at the river valley. The hunters are watching the barrier at the wind gap; they'll signal immediately if they find any of The Rift. I'm watching the barrier in the gully myself."

"Thank you for your hard work."

"You're the one working harder. Three barriers, True Qi exhausted—you almost finished yourself off."

"But the barriers are set. The Devilish Qi can't get through. Nine villages, a small town, a plain, an official road, and a hundred thousand civilians are safe for now."

"For now," Bai Ze emphasized. "A barrier isn't The Rift; it's not permanently sealed just because it's patched. Barriers need maintenance, True Qi, and people. People get tired and rest, True Qi empties and dissipates, and barriers weaken and break. You can set one, three, or thirty. But you can't guard them forever. You're only one person."

"That's why I need more people. Not to guard for me, but to guard with me. Not to throw their lives away for me, but to survive for themselves."

"What do you plan to do?"

"Cut off the supply lines."

Bai Ze paused. "Cut off the supply lines?"

"Devilish Qi doesn't come from nowhere. It pours out from The Rift, but the Devilish Qi inside isn't infinite. An needs to absorb hatred, resentment, and grudges to produce more Devilish Qi. Where do those come from? From the dead. When people die, there is hatred, resentment, and grudges. These are absorbed by An and turned into Devilish Qi. The Devilish Qi pours out of The Rift and kills more people. More people die, creating more hatred, resentment, and grudges. It's a vicious cycle."

"So you want to break this cycle?"

"Not break it, but interrupt it. Killing creates hatred, resentment, and grudges. If there's no killing, there's no new hatred. Without new hatred, An gets no replenishment. Without replenishment, Devilish Qi decreases. When Devilish Qi decreases, The Rift shrinks. When The Rift shrinks, the Demonic Soldiers and Demonic Generals weaken. Once they're weak, it's easier to guard, easier to patch, and easier to save."

"But the Demonic Soldiers and Demonic Generals will kill. If you don't kill them, they'll kill the civilians."

"That's why I'll block them. Not kill, but block. Barriers, traps, Formations, guerrilla tactics. Stall them, wear them down, keep them away from the people. If they can't kill anyone, they won't get new hatred. Without replenishment, they'll weaken. Once they're weak, they can be transcended. Once transcended, they can be purified. Once purified, they can be mended."

Bai Ze was silent for a long time. It looked at Lu Mingyuan, this man who had transformed from a warrior into a healer. He wasn't just saving people; he was starting to think about solving the problem at its source. Not treating the symptoms, but the cause. Not damming the flood, but cutting off the water source. Not killing the enemy, but cutting off the supply lines.

"You've changed," Bai Ze said.

"How so?"

"You used to be a warrior, thinking about how to win. Then you were a healer, thinking about how to save lives. Now you're a general, thinking about how to win the whole war."

Lu Mingyuan smiled. "I'm no general. I'm just a traveler. I take one step at a time. When I see a problem, I think of a way. When I think of a way, I try it out. If it works, it works. If not, I'll find another way. No rush."

---

Northwest, thirty li east of the Rift Zone, an abandoned mine.

Bai Ze unfurled the bai ze map. Golden light flickered as a diagram of the underground structure floated in the air. The mine was deep, extending hundreds of fathoms down with a dense network of branching paths like an ant's nest.

"This used to be a spirit mine that produced Spirit Stones. It was abandoned a hundred years ago after being hollowed out. But recently, Devilish Qi has been emerging from here." Bai Ze pointed to several red dots on the map. "These are supply points for Devilish Qi. An channels Devilish Qi from The Rift to here, then distributes it in all directions through the mine tunnels. Demonic Soldiers and Demonic Generals come here to absorb Devilish Qi and replenish their strength. Cut this off, and they won't get replenished. Without replenishment, they'll weaken. Once they're weak, they'll be easier to deal with."

"How many entrances?"

"Three. One to the east, one to the west, and one to the north. The northern one is closest to The Rift, has the thickest Devilish Qi, and the strongest defenses. The eastern and western ones are weaker."

"Then we enter from the east. Bypass the strongest and hit the weak. No rush."

---

Eastern entrance, mine opening.

The entrance wasn't large—two people wide and one person high. Black Devilish Qi surged from the cave like breathing, like sighing, like sleep-talking. Not a blade of grass grew around the entrance; the stones were black, the soil was black, and the air was black. It was a darkness that induced panic, despair, and the urge to flee.

Lu Mingyuan did not flee. He stood at the entrance, sensing the Devilish Qi within. It was thick, like ink. Within that Devilish Qi was hatred, and within that hatred was the resentment of the Witch-Demon Calamity. Within that Devilish Qi was a grudge, and within that grudge was the indignation of the Investiture of the Gods Calamity. Within that Devilish Qi was pain, and within that pain were the tears of the Journey to the West Great Tribulation. Within that Devilish Qi was fear, and within that fear was the despair of the Dharma-Ending Kalpa.

"Bai Ze, how many Demonic Soldiers are inside?"

"About thirty. No Demonic Generals, all Foundation Establishment or Golden Core level. But they're underground, the terrain is complex, and it won't be an easy fight."

"Don't fight. Seal."

"Seal? How?"

"Seal the entrance. Not with stones, but with True Qi. Once sealed, the Demonic Soldiers inside can't get out, and the Devilish Qi outside can't get in. Without supplies, they're finished."

Lu Mingyuan extended his hand, palm facing the entrance. Wanxiang True Qi surged out—a golden light, bright, fierce, and powerful. That light wasn't an attack; it was a Seal. A Seal was placed over the entrance, standing between the inside and the outside, between the Demonic Soldiers and the human world.

The Seal was thick, hard, and steady. Devilish Qi slammed into the Seal, and with a flash of golden light, it was bounced back. Demonic Soldiers rushed forward, hit the Seal, and were also bounced back. They charged three times and were repelled three times. They couldn't get out.

"How long can one Seal last?" Bai Ze asked.

"Three days. In three days, the Devilish Qi inside will be exhausted, and the Demonic Soldiers will be finished. Once finished, they can be transcended. Once transcended, they can be purified. Once purified, they can be mended."

"You're coming back in three days?"

"No need. In three days, the Seal will dissipate on its own. By then, the Devilish Qi inside will be gone, and the Demonic Soldiers will be useless. Useless Demonic Soldiers pose no threat. They will either dissipate on their own or be reclaimed by An. Either way, they won't kill anyone else."

Bai Ze looked at the Seal, at that golden light. It remembered the first time it met Lu Mingyuan in a dream. Back then, he was just a child who couldn't even sense Spiritual Qi. Now he could set Seals, cut off supply lines, and solve problems at their source. He was growing, day by day. Very slowly, like a snail's crawl. But he was growing—growing in the darkness, growing in the resentment, growing in the despair.

---

Western entrance, mine opening.

It was slightly larger than the eastern entrance—three people wide and two people high. The Devilish Qi was also thick, but not as thick as the east. Several withered trees stood around the entrance; their bark was black, their branches were black, and their trunks were black. The trees were dead, yet they remained standing like tombstones, like sentinels, like specimens of despair.

Lu Mingyuan stood at the entrance, sensing the Devilish Qi within. There was hatred in that Devilish Qi, but it wasn't heavy. That hatred wasn't from the Witch-Demon Calamity; it was the hatred of Human Race Cultivators. They had cultivated, refined, and suffered for a lifetime. But then The Rift came, the Devilish Qi came, their Daoist grounds were gone, their Disciples were dead, and their Cultivation Techniques were useless. They hated—hated the unfairness of the Heavenly Dao, the injustice of fate, and the fickleness of life and death.

He extended his hand, palm facing the entrance. Wanxiang True Qi surged out—a golden light, faint and soft. That light wasn't a Seal; it was transcendence. He wanted to transcend that hatred, that resentment, that indignation. Not to destroy, but to understand. Not to suppress, but to listen. Not to oppose, but to accept.

"I know you hate," Lu Mingyuan said. "You hate the unfairness of the Heavenly Dao, the injustice of fate, and the fickleness of life and death. But hatred doesn't solve anything. Hatred only brings more pain, makes An stronger, and hastens the Dharma Ending Age. Letting go of hatred isn't admitting defeat; it's liberation. Only by letting go of hatred can you see the light. Only by letting go of resentment can you see the path. Only by letting go of indignation can you see hope."

Those hatreds struggled, resisted, and roared. They didn't want to be transcended, purified, or released. They wanted to stay in the darkness, in the resentment, in the despair. Because that was the place they knew, where they had stayed for so long, and the only place they thought they could be.

But Lu Mingyuan did not give up. His True Qi was permeating, soaking, and melting. Like spring rain, nourishing things silently. Like a stream, flowing endlessly. Like a mother's lullaby—gentle, soft, and slow.

Those hatreds began to loosen. Bit by bit, inch by inch. Once loosened, they became light. Once light, they became faint. Once faint, they dissipated. Once dissipated, they were gone. Once gone, it was no longer hatred, but understanding. No longer resentment, but relief. No longer indignation, but letting go.

The Devilish Qi at the entrance thinned. It turned from ink to smoke, from smoke to mist, from mist to air, and from air to nothingness. The Demonic Soldiers inside howled, struggled, and collapsed. Without hatred, they had no power. Without resentment, they had no form. Without indignation, they had no reason to exist.

An hour later, the entrance fell silent. The Devilish Qi had dissipated, and the Demonic Soldiers were finished. The inside of the cave was pitch black, but it wasn't the black of Devilish Qi; it was a normal black. The black of night, the black of a mine, the black of stone. That black wasn't scary, because there was no hatred, no resentment, and no indignation within it. There was only emptiness, silence, and waiting.

"It's done," Lu Mingyuan said. His tone was calm, as if he were saying the weather was nice.

"You transcended them?" Bai Ze asked.

"Not transcended, but understood. Once understood, the hatred dissipates. Once the hatred dissipates, the demon is gone. Once the demon is gone, the people are safe."

---

Northern entrance, mine opening.

The largest entrance—five fathoms wide and three fathoms high. The Devilish Qi was thickest here, and the defenses were strongest. Over a dozen Demonic Soldiers stood outside, all Golden Core level. There were even more Demonic Soldiers inside, along with Demonic Generals. At least two Demonic Generals of the Taiyi Realm.

Lu Mingyuan stood at a distance, looking at that entrance. He didn't walk over, didn't set a Seal, and didn't transcend them. Because he knew now was not the time. His True Qi hadn't recovered, his body hadn't healed, and his heart wasn't yet large enough. He couldn't win, couldn't transcend them, and couldn't Seal them. So he would wait. Wait for his True Qi to recover, for his body to heal, and for his heart to grow. Then he would return.

"Bai Ze, leave this entrance for now."

"Leave it? It will be the biggest threat."

"I know. But I can't handle it right now. If I can't handle it, I won't. It's not giving up; it's waiting. When I can handle it, I will. No rush."

Bai Ze looked at him. There was no haste, no agitation, and no obsession in his eyes. Only waiting. The kind of waiting that said, "I know I can't do it now, but I know I'll be able to later." The kind of waiting that said, "I'm not afraid to wait, because I'm growing while I wait." The kind of waiting that said, "When the time comes, I'll go."

"Fine," Bai Ze said. "We wait."

---

Northwest, Rift Zone, early morning.

Dawn was approaching. There was a sliver of white in the eastern sky—faint and weak, like the breath of a newborn baby. That white spread, bit by bit, inch by inch. As it spread, it grew bright.

Lu Mingyuan stood on a small hill, watching that white light. Behind him were three barriers, two Seals, and one place of transcendence. The eastern mine was sealed, the western mine was transcended, and the barriers at the river valley, wind gap, and gully were set. The civilians of three villages had been moved, and nine Loose Cultivators had been saved. So much done in one day. No rush, no agitation, no obsession. Doing it slowly, steadily, and gently. By doing it, more got done. As more was done, it became effective. As it became effective, the demons weakened. As the demons weakened, people could live. As people lived, hope remained. As long as there is hope, the day will break.

"Bai Ze."

"Mm."

"How many things did we do today?"

"Set three barriers, sealed one mine, transcended one mine, moved two villages, and saved a group of Loose Cultivators."

"Is that a lot?"

"Yes."

"But I feel it's not enough. There are still over a dozen villages to save, dozens of The Rift to patch, and tens of thousands of Demonic Soldiers to transcend. It's not enough—not nearly enough."

"But you're only one person."

"That's why I need more people. Starting today, we recruit. Loose Cultivators, Martial Artists, monks, Daoists, Mortals—whoever is willing, come. I can't give money, Medicinal Pills, or Cultivation Techniques. But I can give hope. Hope is worth more than anything."

"Where do we start?"

"With the people we saved today. Zhou Zheng's nine Loose Cultivators, the old man from Willow Creek, the old lady from the Earth Deity Temple, the hunters from Shihezi. They believe in me. Those who believe in me will follow me. Those who follow me will save more people. More people will believe in me. When more people believe in me, we can set more barriers, Seal more mines, and transcend more Demonic Soldiers. With more people, our strength will grow. As our strength grows, the demons will weaken. As the demons weaken, the day will break."

Bai Ze didn't speak. It just crouched on his shoulder, watching that white, that light, and that man. There was light on him—a golden light, bright, fierce, and powerful. That light shone on his face, on his body, and in his heart. That light was called hope, it was called perseverance, and it was called Lu Mingyuan.

Day broke. The sun rose from the east—red, round, and warm. That light shone upon the land of the Northwest, upon The Rift, upon the Devilish Qi, and upon the ruins. That light wasn't fierce or scorching. It was soft, warm, and alive. That light told everyone—day has broken, and a new day has begun. A new day brings new hope, new possibilities, and a new path.

Lu Mingyuan took a deep breath, turned, and walked south. Toward those who believed in him, toward those who needed him, toward those who wanted to live. No rush, no agitation, no obsession. Walking slowly, steadily, and gently. One step at a time. One day at a time. One year at a time. By walking, he would get there. Once there, he would save them. Once saved, they would live. Once they lived, there would be hope. With hope, the day will break.

In his heart, that little tree was still growing. Two fathoms, two point one, two point two. Very slowly, like a snail's crawl. But it was growing—growing in the darkness, growing in the resentment, growing in the despair. As it grows, it will become large. Once large, it can set more, Seal more, and transcend more. With more set, more sealed, and more transcended, the demons will weaken. As the demons weaken, people can live. As people lived, hope remained. As long as there is hope, the day will break.