384: Xiaoyao Yidong

On the ice wall of the Hanyue Valley Underground Palace, the water mirror was reflecting the movements of the Xiaoyao Sect's branch.

In the footage sent back by Shen Lang, the Branch Leader Li Qiushui was standing in the center of the martial arts field, her white robes as pure as snow. As Sword Qi flickered at her fingertips, she carved several deep trenches into the bluestone ground before her.

Behind her, three hundred Disciples dressed in uniform green robes practiced their sword formation with airtight precision; they were clearly prepared for action.

"Young Lord, the Xiaoyao Sect has been frequently mobilizing personnel these past few days. Both the Medicinal Pill warehouse and the weapon armory in the branch are being cleared out. It looks like they intend to mobilize their entire force." Zhao Gao held a secret report, his voice kept extremely low for fear of disturbing the silence of the Underground Palace.

Jun Xiaoyao's gaze fell upon the jade pendant at Li Qiushui's waist in the water mirror. That pendant was identical to the one worn by the secret envoy of the Third Prince's mansion, only the patterns were more intricate—clearly a token of a core member of the Xiaoyao Sect. He tapped his fingertips lightly on the ice table, causing ice shavings to fall with a rustling sound: "Is there any further news from Shen Lang?"

"News just arrived," Zhao Gao unfolded another secret report. "Shen Lang followed the secret envoy to the vicinity of the Xiaoyao Sect's main headquarters and discovered that a secret passage in the back mountain leads directly to the cliff on the west side of Hanyue Valley. That is precisely the weakest point of our black iron ore vein."

As soon as he finished speaking, a black shadow suddenly flashed across the water mirror, and Shen Lang's voice came through the message talisman: "Young Lord, the Xiaoyao Sect's Young Lord, Xu Zhu, has already set off with Heavenly Human Realm Protectors. Their target is Hanyue Valley, and they are expected to arrive near the cliff in three days."

Jun Xiaoyao looked up at the summoning array. The spiritual energy in the array had risen to 95%. Amidst the circulating runes, a figure holding a Zen staff was faintly visible.

Summoning initiated, Arhat descends to the world.

[System Prompt: Detected Great Grandmaster-level threat, triggering "Protector-type" summoning]

[Summonable Character: Lu Zhishen]

[From: "water margin" world]

[Realm: Early Earthly Immortal Realm]

[Martial Skill: Mad Demon Zen Staff (Transcendent), Arhat Fist (Perfection)]

[Specialty: Horizontal Training Body Protection (Can withstand a full-strength blow from an Initial Heaven Human Realm), Angry Eyes Subduing Demons (Deters enemy morale, reduces their attack efficiency by 30%)]

[Summoning Cost: 92% Spiritual Energy]

As Jun Xiaoyao's fingertip fell, the summoning array suddenly erupted with intertwining gold and red light. The ground shook violently, and a figure like an iron tower stepped out from the light—Lu Zhishen was dressed in a black cloth robe, tied with a straw rope at the waist, and he slammed his sixty-two-pound water-polished Zen staff onto the ground, causing the ice surface to instantly crack with several fine lines.

"I, Lu Zhishen, greet the Young Lord!" His voice was like a booming bell. As he cupped his fists in salute, the Buddha nature and ferocity around him intertwined. "I heard some blind fools dare to touch the Young Lord's ore vein? Let me go and break their legs!"

Jun Xiaoyao looked at Lu Zhishen's panel and the corners of his mouth curled slightly: "I'll trouble you, Great Master Lu. Go to the cliff and set up a defense first; Shen Lang will cooperate with you. Remember, just hold them for three days; there's no need to kill them all."

"Rest assured, Young Lord!" Lu Zhishen shouldered his Zen staff and strode into the teleportation array. His figure instantly appeared at the Hanyue Valley cliff. He looked around and saw only a few secret sentries from The Net at the cliff edge. He immediately shouted: "All of you, get out of the way! I am in command here!"

The secret sentries recognized the aura of the summoning array and quickly retreated to both sides. They saw Lu Zhishen insert his Zen staff into a crack in the rock at the edge of the cliff. The roar of the Zen staff colliding with the mountain rock caused the surrounding accumulated snow to fall with a rustling sound, forcibly propping up a defensive area at the edge of the cliff.

The Net Defense, Three-Line Coordination

Zhao Gao was adjusting markers in front of the sand table in the center of the Underground Palace. Seeing Jun Xiaoyao look over, he immediately explained: "Young Lord, I have made the three-line deployment according to your instructions—"

"The East Line is guarded by the Marshal of the Unruly leading fifty of The Unruly to hold the main entrance of the black iron mine. The Marshal of the Unruly's 'Tiangang Art' can interfere with the opponent's perception, and combined with the mechanisms in the mine tunnel, it is enough to delay their progress." On the sand table, the black token representing The Unruly was inserted at the mine entrance, marked with "Mechanism: Quicksand, Rolling Stones" next to it.

"The Central Line is left to Shen Lang and Great Master Lu. Shen Lang's light body technique is suitable for harassment, while Great Master Lu resists head-on; offense and defense complement each other perfectly." In the middle of the sand table, the cyan token (Shen Lang) and the gold token (Lu Zhishen) were tightly adjacent, with several intersecting arrows drawn around them, representing the guerrilla route.

"The West Line is our backup, with the spearmen formation led by Yue Fei holding the line. If the opponent breaks through the Central Line, the spear formation can form a second line of defense." On the west side of the sand table, small flags were neatly arranged next to the red token (Yue Fei), symbolizing the spearman formation.

Jun Xiaoyao pointed his fingertip at the Xiaoyao Sect branch location on the sand table: "Have The Net's 'Shadow' unit go and take out their branch to cut off their retreat. Tell the Marshal of the Unruly not to just focus on guarding; use 'Tiangang Art' to add some 'ingredients' for them, for example, making the black iron in the mine tunnel suddenly heat up."

Zhao Gao's eyes lit up: "The Young Lord is brilliant! Black iron releases toxic gas when heated, which is perfect for countering the Xiaoyao Sect's protective True Qi! I will go and deliver the order now."

water mirror Disturbance, Xu Zhu Appears

In the water mirror, Xu Zhu's team had reached a small town fifty miles outside Hanyue Valley. In the footage, Xu Zhu was wearing a faded monk's robe and was pressing his palms together in a salute to the shopkeeper: "Benefactor, may I ask which road to take to the Hanyue Valley cliff?"

The shopkeeper was about to speak when a drunkard suddenly rushed out from the side, stumbling and crashing into Xu Zhu: "Go... go to the cliff? That place is very eerie; a few days ago, someone saw the Mountain God getting angry..." Before he could finish speaking, he was steadied by Xu Zhu.

"Thank you for the reminder, Benefactor." Xu Zhu thanked him gently and turned to the Protectors behind him, "It seems the road ahead is dangerous; everyone be careful."

Shen Lang's voice came from the message talisman: "Young Lord, there are three Land Immortal Realm Protectors beside Xu Zhu. Two of them are Li Qiushui's Junior Brothers, who are skilled in the 'Minor Formless Art'. The other's aura is hidden; he looks like an Elder of the Xiaoyao Sect."

Jun Xiaoyao looked at Xu Zhu's harmless appearance in the water mirror and snorted coldly: "Just a wolf in monk's robes. Tell Shen Lang not to expose himself, keep following, and see what they do after nightfall."

After nightfall, the water mirror footage switched to the small town inn. The light in Xu Zhu's room was still on, and he could be faintly seen deep in thought while looking at a map. The Protectors beside him were whispering: "Young Lord, Branch Leader Li said the defense at the cliff is not strong; it is most appropriate to strike tomorrow at the hour of the rabbit."

"No," Xu Zhu's voice carried hesitation, "Master said that we must not kill the innocent indiscriminately. If the other party is willing to yield the ore vein, there is no need to fight."

"Young Lord is compassionate, but that is the Foundation of Beyond Heaven; how could they possibly yield it?" The Protector's voice carried disdain, "Besides, the Sect Head has ordered that we must take the ore vein to give the Third Prince an explanation."

Xu Zhu was silent for a moment, then finally nodded: "Then... try your best not to take human lives."

Pre-battle Adjustment, Hidden Murderous Intent

"Young Lord, The Net's 'Shadow' unit sent back news that the Xiaoyao Sect branch's Medicinal Pill warehouse is empty, with only some ordinary weapons left." Zhao Gao entered holding a new secret report. "The Marshal of the Unruly has already set up a 'Heat Flow Array' in the mine tunnel. As long as the black iron temperature reaches the critical point, the toxic gas will permeate the entire mine tunnel within three breaths."

Jun Xiaoyao looked at the summoning array; the spiritual energy had recovered to 80%, enough for another mid-tier summoning. He tapped his fingertip at the array center, and the runes in the array reorganized, revealing a figure holding a long sword.

[System Prompt: Detected enemy has protective True Qi, triggering "Qi-breaking type" summoning]

[Summonable Character: West Gate Blows Snow]

[From: "legend of lu xiaofeng" world]

[Realm: Peak Grandmaster Realm]

[Martial Skill: Flying Immortal from Beyond the Heavens (Transcendent), Snow Blowing Sword Technique (Perfection)]

[Specialty: Qi-breaking (Sword moves can tear through protective True Qi, has special effects against the Xiaoyao Sect's "Minor Formless Art"), Instant Kill (95% probability of killing the target within ten steps)]

[Summoning Cost: 75% Spiritual Energy]

A white light flashed, and West Gate Blows Snow stood in the array in a white robe, with ice crystals still on his hair. He drew his sword from its scabbard, the tip pointing obliquely at the ground, and his cold gaze swept across the Underground Palace: "Who needs to be struck by the sword?"

"The Xiaoyao Sect's protective True Qi," Jun Xiaoyao pointed to the Xu Zhu Protectors in the water mirror, "If they make a move tomorrow, I will trouble Mr. Ximen to break their True Qi."

West Gate Blows Snow's sword tip trembled slightly, and a cold air shot toward the ice table, leaving a fine mark on it: "Is there a grievance?"

"No grievance, just protecting what is mine." Jun Xiaoyao said indifferently.

West Gate Blows Snow sheathed his sword: "Agreed."

At this moment, a disturbance suddenly appeared in the water mirror—the window of Xu Zhu's room was blown open by the wind, and moonlight spilled onto his face, faintly revealing a hint of features similar to Li Qiushui's. Shen Lang's message followed immediately: "Young Lord, I found out. Xu Zhu is Li Qiushui's grandson and the next Sect Head designated by the Xiaoyao Sect."

Jun Xiaoyao looked at that compassionate face in the water mirror and drew a deep mark on the ice table with his fingertip: "Then we must not let him get close to the ore vein. Tell Lu Zhishen not to hold back tomorrow; West Gate Blows Snow will cooperate with you to break their Qi, and Yue Fei's spear formation should be ready to charge."

Zhao Gao quickly noted down the instructions and turned to deliver the orders. Outside the Underground Palace, the whistling sound of the cold wind blowing across the cliff became more urgent, as if predicting the fierce battle tomorrow.

In the water mirror, Xu Zhu blew out the candle, while Lu Zhishen at the cliff was sitting in meditation with his eyes closed, the cold light on the Zen staff flickering in the moonlight, waiting for the collision at dawn.