Wan Jian returns to his clan!

Chapter 142 Without a Trace, a Night Raid on the Camp

When the senior uncles and sisters of the Bright Moon Sect descended the mountain, Lu Wubing personally saw them off.

As the eldest princess of the dynasty and now a top elder of the Bright Moon Sect, she spent seven days and expended tremendous energy playing the zither to calm her mind in the face of the demonic invasion...

This favor is truly immense.

Lu Wubing simply kept it in mind and didn't say anything more about his gratitude.

Most of what Uncle Guanghan did was to repay a debt of gratitude for saving his niece, and he didn't care about his own feelings of gratitude.

All he knew was that the Azure Cloud Chant was of great help to him.

It is possible that for a long time, one can protect one's spirit from being attacked.

It can even help him refine the first divine vein of the [Primordial Spirit Sword Technique], the Devouring Heaven Technique.

Of course, it can also greatly strengthen one's soul, allowing the most difficult aspect of oneself to improve to be rapidly enhanced.

In the process of martial arts practitioners cultivating their skills, what people usually look at is whether their blood and qi are abundant, whether their physique is strong, whether their internal strength is profound, and whether their martial arts skills are miraculous...

Almost no one mentions mental strength.

This is not because mental strength is unimportant; on the contrary, it is extremely important and too advanced.

They are generally beyond the reach of most sects.

Even the most prestigious sects require top-tier experts to be involved in this area.

If one cannot reach the Innate Realm, one's techniques are not perfected, one cannot cultivate the true meaning of martial arts, and one's spiritual power will be invisible and intangible.

Pursuing this is truly asking for trouble.

However, once one reaches the level of true martial arts essence...

Whether the attack power is strong, whether the sword intent is more concentrated and difficult to disperse, and whether it can reach a higher level, mental strength plays a crucial role.

At this stage, refining the spirit is the primary focus, refining the qi is secondary, and refining the body is even less important.

For Lu Wubing, obtaining this sonic attack technique, which can nurture the spirit and gradually increase mental strength, was actually a small stroke of luck.

It can only be said that the Royal Phoenix Pavilion truly lives up to its name, possessing such a profound foundation.

The sun gradually began to set in the west.

After disappearing into the towering peak...

The sky gradually darkened.

Lu Wubing thrust out his sword, his eyes gleaming with a silver light like mist and smoke, and the sword itself was also covered with a visible layer of hazy light...

As he slowly thrust his sword out, the light seemed to shatter, as if one could see the sword, or perhaps the light itself, the surging waves, or the gentle breeze passing through the forest…

"The Void Realm Sword Technique is indeed extremely taxing, especially the crazy consumption of mental energy, which is hard to bear."

It's like someone is hitting your head hard with a hammer.

He only practiced five hundred sword strikes for today's lesson, and then stopped.

Although his physique has improved and his internal strength has become more profound, he is now able to concentrate his sword intent and practice 1,200 sword strikes every day without affecting his daily practice and response.

However, this should only be done under relatively safe circumstances.

If a major battle is required, one must not overexert oneself.

At the very least, you must ensure your mental and physical strength are not depleted too much; having 70% as a safety net is appropriate.

Sensing a faint sense of weakness emanating from the depths of his consciousness, he sat cross-legged on the ground, placed his sword on his knees, and stroked the sword with two fingers, flicking the blade at a unique frequency.

The sword hummed, playing five notes and seven tones.

The heavy and sharp sound waves stirred the air, transforming into a semi-transparent, feather-shaped vortex that enveloped a radius of three zhang around him, vibrating incessantly.

Lu Wubing's spirits gradually recovered, and his mood remained calm.

One could feel that their own [Flowing Light Sword Intent] became even more solidified under the baptism of sound.

Communicating with the longsword in his hand also became easier.

To the swordsman, the sword in his hand was like a clueless, ignorant pet.

Although it can sense its own thoughts, it cannot communicate with them or truly command the sword to do anything autonomously.

No, it's ten or a hundred times dumber than a pet.

At least, the pet can understand what you say, it will throw tantrums, and it knows how to please you when there's something good to eat.

The cat, which was dozing off in the sun while leaning against the eaves of the roof, suddenly opened its big, dark eyes and felt a chill run down its spine. It wondered who was cursing it.

She glanced at her master with disdain, then closed her eyes again to fish, enjoying the cool evening breeze.

It is neither afraid of heat nor cold, and lives a free and unrestrained life.

Lu Wubing shook his head, thinking that as the weather got warmer, the cat became even lazier. Unless absolutely necessary, it was too lazy to move at all. He wondered who had spoiled it.

Although his spiritual communication with the sword didn't elicit much response, Lu Wubing believed that as long as he persisted in nurturing the sword, it would eventually understand his intentions.

At that moment, with a mere thought, the sword's intent will be unstoppable. Even slaying enemies with a flying sword is not impossible.

The seventh sword of the Eight Swords of Subduing Dragon, the "Heavenless Style," has two uses.

One type is sword energy that condenses from the void, which is unpredictable and extremely difficult to block.

Another type is where the sword moves like a swimming dragon, darting around the body and attacking from all directions...

Combined with ethereal sword energy, and further attacked by a physical sword imbued with unparalleled sword intent, that would truly be lawless...

As long as one's spirit is strong enough, the sword will become imbued with spiritual power. At that time, one can pierce through the air with a single sword strike from a distance of a hundred feet and take a person's head. One can cultivate martial arts to the point of becoming a deity.

It will become a legend sooner or later.

Wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys, carrying the aroma of food on the breeze.

It also had a pleasant medicinal fragrance mixed in.

Lu Wubing only felt hungry in his stomach.

He immediately stopped his cultivation practice and went straight to the dining hall.

"Young Sect Leader."

"Senior Brother Lu has arrived."

Along the way, some close junior brothers and sisters rushed forward to greet me.

"How could we trouble the young sect leader to come for a meal in person? Perhaps we could take it to Lanxiang Garden..."

Dong Ning is a genius.

He can make flattery so fresh and unconventional.

Lu Wubing chuckled and shook his head in disapproval, thinking to himself, "I'll personally stake out the toilet."

"Senior Brother Lu, will you come again tomorrow morning to instruct us junior brothers in swordsmanship?" A disciple stepped forward nervously, his eyes filled with longing, and asked in a low voice.

This junior disciple from Jingxin Hall, named Huang Shen, already had wrinkles on his face and some gray hairs on his head. To the untrained eye, he might look like he was nearing seventy or eighty.

That's not actually the case.

This person was only in his early twenties.

He suffered too much hardship and oppression in his youth, which caused him to age prematurely.

When masters and mistresses accept disciples, they sometimes don't value talent too much; whether or not to accept them depends entirely on their first impression.

Perhaps it was some quality of this junior brother Huang that touched a chord in their hearts. So, they brought him up the mountain and taught him carefully, hoping that one day they would achieve their goals.

What wish?

Generally speaking, happy lives are all similar.

But a life filled with hardship is always full of surprises.

It's nothing more than resentment and deep-seated hatred.

Without ability, there are some ideas that one wouldn't even dare to entertain.

After mastering their skills, they naturally seek revenge for wrongs and redress grievances, acting with impunity and doing whatever they please.

To be honest, Huang Shen didn't even know who his enemies were.

But it doesn't matter, he's already planning to go down the mountain in a few days to get to the bottom of things.

If we kill them one by one, we'll eventually find the culprit.

There are many disciples like this on the mountain.

Most of them are people with tragic fates.

Sometimes, Lu Wubing also felt that his master and mistress's way of accepting disciples might be a little strange.

Looking back, perhaps this kind of sect has a greater meaning in existence.

Otherwise, why would the sect leader have stayed anywhere in Jiangzhou City that day, but instead lived not far from his own doorstep?
Senior Sister Xiaolan always seems to appear in front of me, intentionally or unintentionally, reminding me that trouble is imminent.

They may genuinely not want to needlessly incur the wrath of another martial arts sect, but their compassion is also real.

Whether to take action or not is always a matter of ambiguity.

If I hadn't personally presented him with the [Primordial Spirit Sword Manual], it's hard to say how things would have turned out.

At the time, Lu Wubing believed that at least half of his master Ouyang Zheng's motivation was greed for the power of the [Yuanling Sword Manual]. The other half was due to his chivalrous and benevolent heart, which was why he accepted him as a disciple.

Looking back now, I'm no longer so sure.

The reason is simple: the Heavenly Star Sect actually possesses many divine martial arts manuals.

The sect leader's talent wasn't particularly strong; he couldn't even master the sect's unique skills to a very high level. So where would he get the time to covet other sects' powerful sword manuals?

Especially after discovering the enormous flaws in this sword manual.

A few thoughts flashed through his mind. Lu Wubing glanced at his fellow disciples who were listening intently, and said to Huang Shen with a smile, "Tomorrow morning, you will practice on your own. From now on, most of your cultivation will depend on your own practice and combat..."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Every seven days, I will practice with you in the morning. And we will hold a small competition..."

Whoever masters the swordsmanship and possesses the greatest combat strength will receive more elixirs and ample meat. I urge all fellow disciples to diligently practice and not slack off.

Lu Wubing always felt that the cultivation life of the Tianxing Sect was far too leisurely.

The master and mistress, in particular, were extremely busy, frequently having to descend the mountain to perform acts of chivalry, protect the people, and eliminate bandits...

Once the disciples were no longer under their supervision, they lost their direction.

Especially the eldest brother who was the leader, was a lazy and carefree person, so they followed suit and learned from him.

To say they were herding sheep is a bit of an exaggeration.

But they really didn't realize their full potential.

Human nature is what it is.

Even if someone wants to become powerful, as long as they live a comfortable life without external stimulation, they will unconsciously relax and become lazy.

What Lu Wubing wanted to tell them was that they were being fed, and if they couldn't strive for success and only wanted to live comfortably, then they were already being fed.

So let's give the resources to others.

It's okay to be content with mediocrity while watching others soar to great heights.

We must give those who are ambitious a chance.

The best reward is the reward of hard work.

Upon hearing that there would be a competition every seven days, and even rankings, I was shocked.

Furthermore, the top-ranked disciples will receive elixirs as a reward.

Everyone seemed to have been injected with adrenaline, their eyes filled with longing, and their fighting spirit was boiling.

No one truly believes they are inferior to others.

"Really? Brother Wubing, our Tianxing Sect is so poor, can it afford such a huge expenditure?"

Xiao Su is a kind and understanding child.

While other disciples were still focused on whether they could gain any benefits.

She immediately recognized the difficulties involved.

"Don't worry about anything else. Now that you are the young sect leader, it is your responsibility to increase the sect's revenue."

Now that the three lineages have merged, our Heavenly Star Sect is incredibly powerful...

Even if we don't sweep across the south, simply occupying a province and six counties wouldn't be difficult. How could we not afford to support a mere few hundred disciples?"

The Tianxing Sect used to hide in the vicinity of Mingyang City, which was something they had no choice but to do.

The three branches separated, and the internal affairs fell apart. The Tianxing Sect only maintained some reputation by relying on the remaining prestige of its founder.

In the eyes of others, it is not actually that powerful.

Not only in the martial arts world, but also in the imperial court, they were only regarded as a declining local sect, and deep down, they were not taken seriously.

This is reflected in every aspect. The most direct manifestation is...

The Tianxing Sect's "business" has decreased.

Whenever you see disciples of the Wangtian Cliff lineage of the Tianxing Sect, you see that they usually eat simple meals and don't even have enough meat.

This makes it clear that their lives are not very good.

The Jin Yutang and Meng Hu'ao branches have almost completely changed careers.

One focused on business, while the other simply joined the imperial court system and became a chiliarch (a military officer in charge of a thousand households).

It's all embarrassing to talk about.

Lu Wubing certainly wouldn't let this situation continue.

The more dangerous the external environment, the more extreme and forceful measures are needed.

As the old folks say, "A good start prevents a hundred more."

In this situation, going further would open up a vast expanse of possibilities, inspiring both fear and respect, and giving one a chance to breathe.

If we take a step back, all the forces will treat Tianxing Sect as a pushover, and a pack of wolves will swarm in, leaving them with nowhere to bury their bodies sooner or later.

To maintain your core market share, you must have the strength to expand outwards.

In Lu Wubing's view, the first problem to be solved is actually the internal division.

[Jin Yutang] Here, for various reasons, Shen Liancheng slowly began to approach, sending a large amount of money and food up the mountain.

Furthermore, he also supported many disciples to ascend to Wangtian Cliff, indicating a strong intention to unite with them.

Although they still haven't achieved complete intimacy and shared a common command.

This trend is positive.

As time goes on, the benefits of merging the three streams will be discovered, and they will naturally merge completely.

The real dilemma lies with the Menghu'ao lineage.

Li Feiying may not be very strong personally, and he has not learned the top secret techniques of the Tianxing Sect.

This person, however, is resolute, shrewd, and somewhat ruthless in his actions.

There is one thing he wants to do before the other two branches.

It refers to disciple resources.

If we say that the disciples accepted by the Wangtianya sect leader are mostly chosen based on first impressions, helping poor children, and striving for those with good character and moral qualities.

Therefore, the Jin Yutang lineage values ​​interpersonal relationships.

The disciples he accepted were mostly fellow villagers with whom he had business dealings and good relationships.

These people share similar interests, so you can trust them... especially when handling huge sums of money and grain, they won't be bribed by others for various reasons.

Therefore, Shen Liancheng was not looking at the disciple's aptitude.

Li Feiying, however, was completely different in the way he accepted disciples.

He recruited some good young men from nearby areas and also deliberately searched for some talented young men to join the army.

Everything revolves around strength.

Therefore, his disciples, or rather his soldiers, all grew up in a very even way and were of high quality.

He also had the most direct disciples, numbering as many as thirty or forty.

Just like Yang Tong.

Placed in the Yuanxi Thousand-Household Garrison, his martial arts skills weren't outstanding, ranking around tenth. He was introverted and didn't like socializing, and didn't even manage to become a minor flag officer.

If it weren't for the fact that during the Three Families Grand Competition, he had drawn Lu Wubing's name by lot and received his help.

He simply couldn't improve his swordsmanship in a short period of time.

Not to mention its rapid progress and remarkable achievements.

Just like those Tiger Soul disciples who didn't even leave their names...

They rushed onto the field, suffered a hasty defeat, and left, only to return to their daily training routine.

In the event of a major battle, those who survive may achieve a breakthrough and rise to fame.

They were more likely to die in battle, buried in overgrown, chaotic graveyards, their names forgotten by all.

In Lu Wubing's view, the quality of this group of disciples from Menghu'ao was actually quite good.

There were seven people who came this time.

Yang Tong's cultivation level reached the seventh rank, and he opened his seven meridians.

There was another person named Zheng Tong, who also opened seven meridians.

The other five were all at the eighth rank, and all had opened four to six meridians, with their cultivation levels being quite even.

Based on this, Lu Wubing dared to make a conclusion.

Among the more than 800 soldiers of Yuanxi Guard, there were probably 30 or 40 who had reached the seventh rank, and an estimated 100 or more who had reached the eighth rank.

As for ninth-rank disciples with one to three meridians, there are probably two to three times more of them than at Wangtian Cliff.

There are at least three or four hundred people.

So many promising talents.

Forgive me for speaking disrespectfully, but it would be a waste to have Li Feiying take him under his wing and mentor him.

This senior martial uncle modified the Tiger Soul Blade and the Shadowless Sword Technique, creating some simple uses to complement military formations.

In this way, soldiers can learn easily and their combat capabilities develop quickly.

But as for the upper limit, it's hard to say.

All I can say is that, at the same level, even without any progress, Senior Sister Xiao Lan could take on all three of them by herself.

With the right tactics, maneuvering and fighting five opponents single-handedly is not impossible.

Even so, the Yuanxi Guard Thousand-Household Office was still a powerful army that could not be underestimated.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have been chosen as elite escorts for the Ministry of Rites officials.

This, in fact, proves the combat effectiveness of Li Feiying's troops...

He escorted them all the way, encountering many powerful enemies along the way.

His soldiers suffered only three or five casualties, but after a bloodbath, they safely escorted the Ministry of Rites officials out of the country.

Furthermore, Lu Changfeng and his family were also mixed in with this army and were well protected, arriving safely in Mingyang City.

Perhaps each individual member of this army is exceptionally strong, but their overall combat power is terrifying.

They could easily gather two or three hundred people to form an array and send all the disciples of the Wangtianya lineage fleeing in terror.

No wonder Li Feiying harbors even greater ambitions...

I hope to use this as a foundation to establish great achievements and be immediately granted a title.

Once a person develops ambition, they will not be content with the status quo. Their mind will be filled with many calculations.

What Lu Wubing wanted to do was to knock down his arrogance and make him understand that he was just a small fry, nothing special.

Let alone being granted a title or a high-ranking official position.

Once he left the Heavenly Star Sect, he couldn't even protect his own life.

……

Tonight there is no wind or moon, and the stars hang high in the sky.

Starlight shone on the fields, and night mist rose, casting a hazy glow over the surrounding landscape.

The lights in the military camp were dim.

In the night fog, it resembles a ferocious beast crouching in the wilderness, faintly exuding an aura of war and slaughter.

The river meanders to the left, winding around the camp like a white ribbon.

Lu Wubing stood atop the large tree on the earthen slope, gazing for a long time before saying, "Senior Sister Xiaolan, you stay here and keep watch over the north-south passage. Watch out for any suspicious individuals passing through. If you see any experts coming from the north, find a way to send a signal."

"Didn't we say we'd explore the camp together?"

Ouyang Lan looked dejected.

She knew that her junior brother was taking care of her, afraid that she might be in danger.

Although she knew that with her abilities, the chances of infiltrating the military camp undetected were extremely slim, she still felt a deep sense of frustration.

It hasn't been long, and now he can't even keep up with his junior brother.

Back then, when they encountered the enemy, my junior brother had to carry the enemy on his back to escape.

"Actually, with Senior Sister Xiaolan's swordsmanship, even if she alarmed Uncle Li, she could still break through the encirclement."

After all, they hadn't completely broken ties, and he was a senior figure in the sect, so they couldn't afford to embarrass him too much, much less ruthlessly harm his disciples. Therefore, the priority this trip was to remain discreet and inconspicuous, not to engage in battle.

"Junior Brother really thinks I can come and go freely in this military camp."

Although she suspected that her junior brother was flattering her, Ouyang Lan was still very happy.

A white lie is not a lie, but rather a way of speaking.

"Of course, even if she encountered Uncle Li, Senior Sister Xiaolan could withstand thirty to fifty moves. Moreover, by avoiding the enemy's strength and focusing solely on escaping, who could possibly do anything to her?"

This statement is half true and half false. First of all, it requires that Senior Sister Xiaolan not get entangled.

Once she's entangled, and surrounded by soldiers, she won't be able to escape.

However, my senior sister actually understands everything, so I don't need to say anything more.

Lu Wubing simply smiled and said, "Compared to sneaking into the camp to launch a surprise attack, securing our retreat and observing whether anyone is coming to our aid is more important."

Of course, catching the mole is even more important...

I don't think there are any spies from other places in the Yuanxi Thousand Household Office.

If even one person escapes tonight, it will raise suspicion and severely hinder our upcoming bandit suppression operation.

"I understand, and I will not let a single bird fly out of the camp."

Upon hearing this, Ouyang Lan felt greatly valued and nodded earnestly, accepting this [difficult yet important] task.

Lu Wubing smiled, his figure flickered, and he disappeared into the mist.

Even though his vision was clear enough to see a distance of a hundred feet, he could no longer see him.

Ouyang Lan stood on tiptoe, shading her eyes with her hand, looking left and right, especially towards the military camp, looking carefully again and again.

Only when his internal energy was pushed to its limit and his eyes gleamed brightly did he finally see clearly that the grass blades in front of him were moving without wind, and a dark shadow, like the shadow cast by a leaf, flickered and then disappeared into the distance.

By this point, it would be impossible to find even the slightest trace of a clue.

Ouyang Lan sighed, but her eyes showed no frustration; instead, they were full of excitement.

"Tsk tsk, such stealth skills are truly awe-inspiring. Even if I kept watching, I couldn't detect or sense them. Let alone the others in the military camp. Junior brother, you must have practiced martial arts; you must be learning the Shadowless Sword."

She murmured a regretful remark to herself, then gave a self-deprecating smile.

With such stealth techniques, why bother practicing the Shadowless Sword...?

Even if he stood in front of Uncle Li, who had mastered the Shadowless Sword technique, he would probably be hard to spot.

Lu Wubing performed the "Disappearance Technique," completely ignoring the shock that Xiao Lan was experiencing.

All he knew was that as his internal strength increased and his physique became more powerful, he could control every bit of power and every bit of internal energy in his body with greater precision and ease.

Circulating the [Pine and Crane Guide] is like stepping out of this world.

His figure was ethereal, each step taking four or five zhang, and he trod on the grass without making a sound.

Like a withered leaf blown by the wind, it swiftly blended into the military camp...

Avoiding the sight of the night patrol soldiers, he quickly analyzed the camp layout and found the route to Li Feiying's tent.

Inside the large tent, the lights were on.

The aroma of wine and meat wafts through the air...

Lu Wubing quietly approached, concealing his aura and mental fluctuations to the extreme.

Then they heard someone laughing loudly: "If this succeeds, not only will Senior Brother Li's troops not suffer any losses, but they will also advance further."

His Highness Prince Gong will also record this as a great merit... Not to mention anything else, the position of Commander of Mingyang is undoubtedly rightfully mine.

This person speaks slowly and deliberately, with a gentle and warm voice that is very captivating.

Lu Wubing found the name somewhat familiar.

……

(End of this chapter)