The fairy forced me to marry into her family, so I retorted by throwing myself into the Pool of Fate

This intelligence report is undeniably detailed.

In normal times, with these resources, all you need to do is set up a trap, find a path he's bound to take, and ambush him. If you're prepared to catch him off guard, your chances of winning are extremely high.

The problem now is that Mandu has retreated into its shell.

Li Ping put down the intelligence report, his brows furrowed.

The last time he used the Water Dividing Transformation technique to condense his avatar and self-destruct, although he was aiming at the saber, Man Du was also present at the time.

That explosion terrified Mandu, and from then on, the old man hid in the Great Black Sea and refused to come out.

The Black Sea is vast and boundless, dotted with reefs and caves.

Those old calamities had been operating inside for countless years, with countless hiding places. Outsiders would be completely lost and have no way of finding them.

"Difficult." Mu Junyi was the first to break the silence, scratching his head and saying, "This old thing is hiding in its shell like a turtle. We can't just rush in and search for it, can we? The Great Black Sea is so big, it would take forever to find it."

Mu Chengyuan didn't speak, but he pursed his lips and nodded, clearly agreeing with the sentiment.

Li Ping didn't rush to speak. His gaze swept across the three faces before finally settling on Mu Ming.

Mu Ming did not disappoint him. After pondering for a while, he slowly said, "From all aspects, there is only one way to get rid of him."

"What kind of approach?" Mu Junyi asked.

"Lure the snake out of its hole." Mu Ming pointed to a line of text on the intelligence report. "The intelligence report says he's a lecherous man who often abducts women and takes them back to the Great Black Sea. And look here."

He moved his finger down and stopped at a spot. "During this period of seclusion, he hasn't been idle. Some people have seen women being brought into his lair."

Mu Junyi's eyes lit up, and he said, "As long as we find the subordinate who found the woman for him, we can follow the clues to find the source."

Li Ping shook his head: "Finding his men is useless. If his men are captured, Man Du will only become more vigilant and retreat even deeper. Besides, he won't come out to his death just because his men were captured."

Mu Junyi was taken aback, scratched his head, and fell silent again.

A moment later, a thought suddenly struck him and his eyes lit up: "What if we could find a woman who could make Mandu's heart flutter?"

Moreover, this woman was so strong that his men couldn't subdue her, forcing him to return and report to Mandu, who then personally took action.

Li Ping glanced at him and smiled, "You're a promising young man."

Mu Junyi chuckled at the praise, then frowned again: "But the question is, what kind of woman would make his heart flutter?"

After these words were spoken, the room fell silent again.

Yes, that old calamity cultivator Man Du has been in the Black Sea for decades, what kind of woman hasn't he seen?

Ordinary women probably wouldn't pique his interest.

Sending a beautiful female cultivator would be too dangerous; what if she were kidnapped by his men?

Mu Ming suddenly looked up at Li Ping, his expression somewhat subtle: "Although it wasn't mentioned in the newspapers, I've heard some rumors in the market."

"What rumor?"

Mu Ming paused for a moment and said, "Man Du often mentions Sister Yue Bai's name."

"It seems like a few years ago, Sister Yuebai passed through the market and was spotted by him from afar. This guy is so reckless, he has repeatedly said in private that he wants to... to get close to her."

As soon as he finished speaking, Mu Junyi and Mu Chengyuan's expressions both darkened.

Sister Yuebai is an elder of the Mu family, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and holds a highly respected position in the Mu family. For a Tribulation cultivator to dare to say such a thing is simply asking for trouble.

But at this moment, those words have become a clue.

Li Ping pondered for a moment and said, "If that's the case, we can impersonate Yuebai and pretend to be guards."

"But what if they take direct action?" Mu Chengyuan rarely spoke up.

Li Ping said, "If they make a move, we'll make them back down. When their men can't hold them off, they'll naturally have to go back and report to Mandu."

Mu Ming continued, "When Man Du heard that a woman who looks like Mu Yuebai had appeared with only a few guards by her side, he would definitely not be able to restrain himself."

Mu Junyi slapped his thigh: "Brilliant! As long as he comes out, we can deal with him."

Mu Chengyuan nodded, a hint of excitement flashing in his eyes.

But Mu Ming wasn't so optimistic. He looked at Li Ping and said, "The plan is good, but there's a problem. How do we impersonate Sister Yuebai?"

Ordinary illusion spells cannot fool the eyes of those old tribulation cultivators.

These people have been living on the edge for decades, and their eyesight is incredibly sharp; they can be easily exposed if you're not careful.

If we're exposed, not only will our plan fall apart, but we'll all be surrounded.

Li Ping remained calm and said, "Leave this to me."

Having witnessed Li Ping's abilities firsthand, Mu Ming and the other two didn't ask any further questions upon hearing this.

Then, Li Ping stood up, looked around at the three of them, and said seriously:

"A major battle is inevitable in dealing with Mandu."

"Everyone, repair the magical artifacts that need repairing, and replenish the talismans that need replenishing. This battle, we must either not fight at all, or if we do fight, we must do it cleanly and decisively, leaving no future troubles, so that nothing goes wrong later."

Upon hearing this, the three nodded in unison, then got up and went to prepare.

For a moment, the room fell silent.

Li Ping sat at the table for a moment, then came to the side of the desk.

Grind the ink, lay out the paper, and pick up the brush.

He closed his eyes and recalled for a moment before beginning to write.

With smooth lines and just a few strokes, the outline of a woman leaps off the paper.

Li Ping nodded and hung the drawing on the wall.

Then take two steps back and take a deep breath.

With his hands forming a hand seal, magical power flowed slowly.

Water divides into illusions.

This spell has four levels.

At the beginner level, one can only condense one water avatar, which looks exactly like oneself, to confuse enemies. Upon reaching a certain level of mastery, the avatar's existence time increases, and its actions can be controlled within a certain range.

Reaching the pinnacle of cultivation opens up a whole new world.

The incarnation time was not extended, nor could divine consciousness be sent into it to make it obey orders. Instead, it had an ability that shocked Li Ping: to transform into other people.

Not only can it conjure up the other person's appearance, but it can also simulate their aura and cultivation level.

This goes far beyond the scope of Yellow-rank spells.

When Li Ping first learned of this ability, he was also taken aback.

A Yellow-rank top-grade Water Splitting Illusion, upon reaching its perfect state, can actually possess the power of a Profound-rank spell.

If it weren't for the fact that he couldn't control it with his divine sense, he would have seriously doubted whether there was a mistake in the spell's rank designation.

Magic power gathered at his fingertips, flowing forward like a gentle stream.

A slight ripple came from the air, and then a figure gradually solidified from being transparent.

First the outline, then the eyebrows and eyes, and finally the details of the folds in the robe.

A moment later, a woman stood in front of Li Ping.

She wore a moon-white long dress with a cloud-patterned ribbon tied around her waist. Her long hair was styled into a cloud-like bun, with a few stray strands hanging down beside her ears.

Her features were exquisite, and she possessed a cool and aloof demeanor.

It's as if the woman in the painting has stepped out of the painting.

Li Ping withdrew his hand seals, walked around the woman, and carefully examined her from head to toe.

His height, physique, face, and temperament were exactly the same as in the portrait, and his cultivation level was also at the Foundation Establishment stage.

The only regret is that it's just an empty shell.

Without divine control, she could only stand quietly, staring blankly into the void, neither moving nor speaking.

But for Li Ping's plan, that was enough.

He nodded, satisfied.

The reason I dared to make such a solemn promise in front of Mu Ming and the other two was precisely because of this.

Li Ping observed for a while longer, confirming there were no flaws, before waving his hand to dissipate his magic power.

The woman's figure rippled like water, gradually becoming transparent, and finally dissipated into the air as a wisp of vapor.

……

……

The next day, Li Ping awoke from his meditation. He composed himself and once again used the Water Splitting Illusion Technique.

The magical power surged forth and coalesced into form.

In a short while, a woman appeared in the room.

A moon-white long dress, cool and aloof eyes, and faint fluctuations of cultivation at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage emanated from her.

As usual, Li Ping checked everything and, after confirming that there were no flaws, pushed open the door and went out.

A moment later, he called Mu Ming and the other two over.

The three entered the room, their gazes falling on "Mu Yuebai" sitting upright in the chair. They all paused, then fell silent.

Li Ping stood aside, watching their reactions, and couldn't help but feel a little smug.

The effect of the water splitting and transforming is indeed amazing.

Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly noticed that Mu Ming looked hesitant.

"Brother Li, your magic is indeed extraordinary; I can't see any problems, but..."

Mu Ming changed the subject, his expression becoming increasingly strange.

"But...why did you transform into the shape of Mu Ping?"

Li Ping's smile froze on his face.

A bath bottle?

He paused for a moment, then frowned and said, "You mean, she doesn't look like Yuebai?"

Mu Ming stared at the woman for a few more moments, then shook his head, his tone utterly resolute.

"It's not just that they don't look alike, they're not even the same person."

Li Ping's mind went blank.

Not the same person?

He turned to look at Mu Junyi and Mu Chengyuan.

Although neither of them spoke, their expressions clearly said five words: Mu Ming is right.

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Li Ping remained silent for a moment, then suddenly thought of something, and his expression changed slightly.

He strode to the desk, laid out a new sheet of paper, and handed the pen to Mu Ming.

"Draw a picture of the moonlit night."

Mu Ming took the pen, his eyes looking a little strange, but seeing Li Ping's serious expression, he didn't ask any questions and began to draw.

He painted very quickly, and after only half a cup of tea's time, he put down his brush.

Li Ping picked up the drawing paper, glanced at it once, and then fell silent.

The woman in the painting and the woman he conjured up were indeed not the same person.

The two share a similar look in their eyes and brows, and their temperaments are also alike, both exuding a cool and aloof air.

But their face shapes are completely different.

He transformed into a round-faced man, while the woman in the painting had an oval face.

One was plump, the other slender.

Li Ping's fingers tightened slightly as he gripped the drawing paper.

After thinking for a moment, he finally understood.

It turns out that the person he was with on his wedding night was not Mu Yuebai, but Mu Ping.

Having married into the Mu family two years ago, he still doesn't even know what his wife looks like.

If I said that, I doubt anyone would believe me.

Li Ping stood there, his mind churning with thoughts.

Why would you need to fake it?

Is he too busy in seclusion, or does he simply not want to see her?

Li Ping took a deep breath and suppressed these thoughts.

Now is not the time to dwell on this.

The intelligence about Mandu has been obtained, the plan has been finalized, and the magical artifacts and talismans for Mu Ming and the other two have been prepared.

Everything is ready; all that's left is to take action.

As for this old matter, there will be plenty of opportunities to investigate it in the future.

He raised his head and looked at Mu Ming and the other two.

"The plan remains unchanged."

"We'll take action tomorrow."