I was a mineral prospector in Chengdu, who transmigrated into the body of a mortal sword immortal.

After Duan Qiniang left, Li Bai remained alone in the room. The oil lamp's flame was small, casting a dim light. He walked to the table, gazing at the unfolded ceremony layout. His finger moved slowly across the paper, finally stopping at the center of the imperial road. That would be the route the imperial carriage would take, and the core of his plan. The first rooster crowed outside the window, and the sky began to lighten with the first hint of dawn. A new day had begun; nine days remained until the investiture ceremony. He took a deep breath and drew the Azure Lotus Sword from his robes—its blade warm and smooth, gleaming faintly with a bluish light in the morning glow. His fingers traced the blade, feeling the subtle pulse of its spirit, as if responding to his resolve. He placed the sword flat on the drawing, its tip pointing towards Xingqing Palace. Then, he ground ink, laid out paper, and began writing down the first step of his plan.

As dawn broke, sunlight streamed through the paper windows into the house. Voices began to rise from the manor: the shouts of a man in blue robes leading his men in practicing martial arts in the courtyard, and the clanging of pots and pans from the kitchen. The aroma of rice porridge wafted through the air, mingling with the scent of earth and grass from the yard.

Li Bai did not move.

He sat at the table, his eyes scanning the layout diagram back and forth, his brain working at a rapid pace.

**Step 1: Infiltrate the scene.**

The investiture ceremony was held in the square in front of the Qinzhengwuben Building of Xingqing Palace. According to the intelligence sent by Duan Qiniang last night, only officials of the fifth rank or above, members of the imperial family, foreign envoys, and musicians, ceremonial guards, and servants who had undergone strict screening were allowed to enter the core area on the day of the ceremony. Ordinary people could only watch from the outer streets.

Li Bai's current identity is that of a "fugitive"—an "extraordinary person" whom Li Linfu is searching for throughout the city. He cannot enter as an official, much less as a member of the royal family or an envoy.

The only possibility is that he infiltrated the menial labor team.

Duan Qiniang's intelligence report mentioned that the ceremony required a large number of servants: carrying incense burners, laying red carpets, arranging tables and chairs, preparing sacrificial offerings, etc. These servants were recruited by the Inner Palace Service and were mostly poor people from Chang'an City. After simple training, they were put to work. The recruitment work had already begun and was being carried out at the government office near the East Market.

Li Bai could disguise himself and blend in.

The problem was that even the servants had to undergo rigorous body searches. Everyone entering the square, regardless of their status, had to go through three checks: the first was outside the palace gates, where the Imperial Guards conducted a rough check; the second was at the entrance to the square, where eunuchs from the Inner Palace Affairs Bureau conducted a thorough body search; and the third was before entering the core area, where a special female official (for women) or eunuch (for men) conducted a final check.

It would be impossible for someone carrying sharp weapons, firearms, or poison to pass through.

Li Bai tapped his fingers on the drawing.

**Step Two: Create Chaos.**

He needs a chaos that is realistic and shocking enough, but without harming innocent people.

Gunpowder was the preferred choice.

Sulfur, saltpeter, charcoal. Duan Qiniang has already agreed to get these materials. But gunpowder needs an ignition device, the simplest of which is an incense stick delay—using a specially made incense stick, lit and burning slowly, to detonate the gunpowder at a predetermined time.

How can we bring gunpowder in?

Li Bai closed his eyes and began to recall the chemistry he had learned in university. The three raw materials of gunpowder, carried separately, were not considered contraband. Sulfur could be disguised as medicine, saltpeter as ice-making material, and charcoal was even simpler. But the properties of gunpowder mixed together were entirely different.

He needs a way to mix the three ingredients only when needed.

An idea suddenly popped into my head: a double container.

The outer layer was an ordinary earthenware jar containing seemingly harmless substances—such as cinnabar powder and realgar powder, materials used to create smoke and flashes. The inner layer was a smaller, sealed container filled with a mixture of gunpowder. The detonating device was also hidden in the inner layer. A mechanism at the bottom of the outer container would cause the inner container to rupture when subjected to impact or pressure from a specific direction, spilling the gunpowder, which would then come into contact with the incense cord and detonate.

However, such mechanisms are too complex and prone to failure.

Li Bai shook his head and crossed out the idea.

He needs a simpler, more reliable method.

His gaze fell on the Azure Lotus Sword.

The sword gleamed with a faint blue light, and the sword spirit trembled slightly in its slumber.

The methods of cultivators...

Li Bai suddenly recalled a spell demonstrated by the High Priest in the secret realm of the Western Mausoleum Divine Kingdom—**"Spirit Gathering Explosion"**. It highly compresses spiritual energy into a small area and then releases it instantly, producing an explosion-like effect. The power is controllable; it doesn't produce flames or smoke, but it does generate a strong shockwave and flash.

More importantly, spiritual energy is invisible and cannot be detected by security checks.

The problem is that Li Bai's current cultivation level is only at the early stage of Foundation Establishment. Although his true essence has recovered most of its value, it is still far from enough to cast a spell like "Spirit Gathering Explosion" that requires precise control. Moreover, he needs to set up spiritual energy nodes in multiple locations in advance to create a chain reaction, which requires even stronger divine sense and true essence to support it.

He sighed and put the idea aside for the time being.

**Step 3: Approach and take Yang Yuhuan away.**

Assuming the chaos is successfully created, the Imperial Guards will immediately protect Emperor Xuanzong, the officials will panic, and the eunuchs and palace maids will scatter and flee. The guards around the imperial carriage will also experience a brief period of disarray.

However, Yang Yuhuan must have had personal maids and eunuchs by her side. Moreover, the imperial carriage itself was a closed space, so she probably had no idea what was happening outside.

Li Bai needed to rush to the imperial carriage as quickly as possible, lift the curtain, and bring her out.

This requires extremely fast speed, and... gaining her trust.

Yang Yuhuan knew Li Bai, but that was two years ago. Now, Li Bai is disguised, and she probably wouldn't recognize him at all. In that chaotic situation, if a strange man suddenly tried to take her away, would she resist? Would she scream?

As soon as she makes a sound, the guards around her will react immediately.

Li Bai needed a way to make her instantly recognize him and trust him.

He remembered the letter.

He kept Yang Yuhuan's handwritten letter close to his body. The paper was somewhat worn, but the handwriting was still clear. Perhaps he could produce the letter in the chaos? But that would be too slow, and the paper might be blown away by the wind or soaked by the rain.

A better way is... sound.

Li Bai remembered Yang Yuhuan's voice. Clear, gentle, with the soft, sweet accent unique to Sichuan. He also remembered that two years ago in Chengdu, they had composed poems together. He would recite the first line, and she would finish the next.

"Clouds yearn for her garments, flowers for her beautiful face..."

"The spring breeze caresses the balustrade, and the dew is heavy."

What if, in the chaos, he called out to her in a way that only the two of them knew?

Li Bai wrote on the paper: "The clouds remind me of her clothes, the flowers of her face—the code."

**Step Four: Escape.**

This is the most difficult step.

Even if they successfully took Yang Yuhuan away, how would they leave Xingqing Palace? How would they leave Chang'an City?

Xingqing Palace is guarded by three thousand imperial guards, and its walls are three zhang high, patrolled by soldiers. The palace gates will be closed immediately after any chaos breaks out, and the entire city will be under martial law.

Li Bai could use his light-footed skills to scale the palace walls, but it would be extremely difficult with Yang Yuhuan, who knew no martial arts. Moreover, they would be easily spotted by archers while scaling the walls.

He needs a more secretive passage.

My gaze fell once again on the layout diagram.

Xingqing Palace was expanded during the Kaiyuan era of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, and was originally part of Longqing Ward. The area is located in a low-lying area, with the Dragon Pool (Xingqing Pool) running through it. The water source for the Dragon Pool came from the Lu River outside the city and was introduced into the palace through an underground canal.

Underground culvert...

Li Bai drew a circle with his finger at the location of the Dragon Pool.

If he could find the underground canal connecting the Dragon Pool to the outside of the palace, he might be able to escape with Yang Yuhuan by water. But how wide and high was the canal? Were there iron bars inside? How fast was the current? He knew none of these things.

Moreover, even if they managed to escape Xingqing Palace through the underground passage, they would still be inside Chang'an City. Chang'an City had twelve gates, each heavily guarded. Soldiers patrolled the city walls day and night.

They need to hide and wait for the storm to pass.

Duan Qiniang has several secret strongholds in Chang'an, but Li Linfu's search net is tightening, and these strongholds may not be safe.

The best course of action is to leave the city immediately.

But how do we get out of the city?

Li Bai recalled what the man in blue had said: Li Linfu had sent out multiple groups of men to search the city. These search teams must have had special passes that allowed them to bypass the city gate guards' checks.

If he could get his hands on one of those tokens...

Or, forge one.

However, forging imperial tokens was a capital offense and was easily detected.

Li Bai felt a headache coming on.

He put down his pen and rubbed his temples. It was already bright outside, and sunlight streamed through the window paper, casting bright spots of light on the table. From the courtyard came the sounds of roosters crowing, dogs barking, and children's laughter—the children of the manor's servants.

Life continues.

But his world hangs on the edge of a knife.

Nine days.

There are only nine days left.

He stood up, walked to the window, and opened it. The morning air rushed in, carrying the moisture of dew and the freshness of grass and trees. In the distance, Zhongnan Mountain appeared and disappeared in the morning mist, its peaks still covered with unmelted snow.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through my mind.

The High Priest's words in the secret realm of the Western Mausoleum Divine Kingdom:

"Chang'an, an ancient capital with a history of thousands of years, is the place where the imperial aura of thirteen dynasties converges. The earth beneath it is intricate and complex, like dragons and snakes coiled together. Emperors of all dynasties built palaces following the earth's veins to gather imperial aura and stabilize the nation's fortune."

Earth veins.

Li Bai was a geological engineer. He understood geological structures, the flow of groundwater, and the distribution of rocks. If there really was a complex network of earth veins beneath Chang'an, then some of these veins must have been relatively "active"—channels through which spiritual energy flowed.

These passages may form natural "secret passages".

While ordinary people cannot pass through, what about cultivators?

A cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage can already perceive and manipulate spiritual energy. If he could find a ley line connecting Xingqing Palace to the outside of the city, he might be able to use the flow of spiritual energy to move Yang Yuhuan quickly.

But this is only in theory.

In practice, it is fraught with difficulties.

First, he needs to pinpoint the exact direction and nodes of the earth's veins. This requires extensive exploration, and he can't even enter Chang'an City right now.

Secondly, the ley lines may be very narrow or full of dangers—such as underground toxic gases, landslides, and underground rivers.

Third, even if he found the passage, he needed a way to protect Yang Yuhuan from harm while she traveled through the earth's veins. She was just an ordinary person and couldn't withstand the impact of spiritual energy.

Li Bai leaned against the window frame, gazing at the distant Zhongnan Mountain.

The mountains rise and fall, shrouded in mist and clouds.

He thought of Mount Shu.

In the Shu Mountain Secret Realm, he had seen even more wondrous things—space folding, time distortion, and ancient formations. If there were indeed traces of ancient formations left beneath Chang'an City, then perhaps there were "loopholes" in these formations that could be exploited.

For example, a teleportation array.

Although the possibility is extremely slim, but... what if it is?

Li Bai turned around and returned to the table, spreading out another sheet of paper.

He started drawing.

It wasn't a layout plan for the ceremony, but a topographical map of Chang'an. Based on his memories from his previous life and his experiences living in Chang'an in this life, he roughly sketched out the outline of Chang'an: the imperial city, the palace city, 108 wards, the east and west markets, and twelve main streets.

Then, he began to mark the possible ley line nodes.

Longshouyuan—this is the highest point in Chang'an City and the site of the imperial palaces of past dynasties. It boasts the strongest earth energy.

Qujiang Pool – a place where waterways converge, where spiritual energy flows and thrives.

Leyouyuan is situated at a high elevation, offering a wide view.

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda—a Buddhist holy site—may contain special formations.

The Small Wild Goose Pagoda—same here.

Xuandu Temple – a Taoist temple, may have been built on a node of the earth's veins.

Qinglong Temple – a Tantric Buddhist temple.

One point after another was marked.

As Li Bai looked at the increasingly detailed map, an even more outrageous plan began to take shape in his mind.

He didn't need to blend into the ranks of the menial workers.

He didn't need to carry gunpowder.

He didn't even need to enter Xingqing Palace Square.

What if... he could manipulate the earth's spiritual energy from afar during the ceremony to create a "celestial anomaly" above Xingqing Palace?

For example, suddenly dark clouds gather, and lightning flashes and thunder roars.

Or, on a clear, sunny day, a rainbow, a halo, or a mirage may suddenly appear.

Or, more directly—the earth shook violently.

Of course, it wasn't a real earthquake, but rather a slight tremor caused by disturbing the earth's veins, making the palace shake and the flags fall.

Such a "natural disaster" or "auspicious omen" is enough to cause enormous chaos. Moreover, because it is launched from a distance, he himself can safely hide at a certain ley line node, observe the situation, and wait for the right opportunity.

When the chaos reached its peak, he would use the earth vein passage to quickly approach Xingqing Palace and take Yang Yuhuan away.

Then, they used the earth vein passage to escape Chang'an.

This plan is crazier than any of the previous ones, and also more... feasible.

The premise is that he can accomplish the following within nine days:

First, find at least three key ley line nodes—one for initiating "celestial phenomena," one for observation and command, and one for rendezvous and escape.

Secondly, he needs to master the method of manipulating the earth's spiritual energy. This requires him to recall the traditions of the Western Mausoleum Divine Kingdom or to figure it out on his own.

Third, design a complete action plan, including timelines, signal transmission, and backup plans.

Fourth, prepare methods to protect Yang Yuhuan as she travels through the earth's veins.

Fifth, and most importantly—innocent people must not be harmed.

Li Bai sat down and began to analyze the situation in detail.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the table, the blueprints, and his focused face.

Time passed second by second.

Around noon, the man in blue brought lunch: a bowl of brown rice, a dish of pickled vegetables, and a bowl of vegetable soup. Li Bai quickly finished eating and continued working.

In the afternoon, he began calculating the flow patterns of the earth's spiritual energy. This required combining astronomy, geography, solar terms, and time of day. Fortunately, he had been a science student in his previous life and had a solid foundation in mathematics. He listed out the formulas, substituted the data, and repeatedly verified the calculations.

In the evening, Duan Qiniang returned.

She brought back both good news and bad news.

The good news is that sulfur, saltpeter, charcoal, cinnabar, realgar, and lead powder have all been obtained and are hidden in another stronghold outside the city.

The bad news is that Li Linfu's search operation has expanded to within fifty li of Chang'an. This afternoon, a group of soldiers arrived at the village where the manor is located, questioned the village chief, and checked the household registration. Fortunately, the manor is located deeper in the mountains, and the soldiers did not enter.

"It's not safe here anymore," Duan Qiniang said. "We must move by tomorrow at the latest."

Li Bai nodded: "Where to move it?"

"Zhongnan Mountain," Duan Qiniang said. "I have a Taoist temple in the mountains, which was built with donations many years ago, and the abbot is one of my people. It's more secluded there, and... it's close to the earth's veins."

Li Bai's eyes lit up: "You know about ley lines?"

Duan Qiniang smiled: "I've been in Chang'an for so many years, and I've met people from all walks of life. Some Taoist priests and monks are truly capable. They told me that Zhongnan Mountain is where the earth's veins converge, and that all seventy-two blessed lands and thirty-six grotto-heavens are located there."

"Is that Taoist temple built on a node of the earth's veins?"

"That's what the abbot said." Duan Qiniang nodded. "He said that the valley where the Taoist temple is located is the 'Dragon Eye,' where spiritual energy is abundant, making cultivation twice as effective with half the effort."

Li Bai took a deep breath.

Perhaps this is an opportunity given to him by God.

"Okay, I'll leave first thing tomorrow morning," he said. "But before I leave, I need you to do one thing for me."

"What is it?"

"Get a more detailed map of Chang'an's underground structure," Li Bai said, "especially the area near Xingqing Palace. Is there any information about sewers, culverts, underground warehouses, secret passages... any underground spaces?"

Duan Qiniang frowned: "This is difficult. The underground structure of the palace is a secret, and only a few old eunuchs in the Inner Palace Department know about it."

"Just do your best," Li Bai said. "Also, help me find out if there's anyone in Chang'an who really understands feng shui and geomancy—not a charlatan, but someone with real skills."

Duan Qiniang thought for a moment: "There is one. There is an old Taoist priest in the West Market who sells fortunes. His surname is Yuan, and he is known as 'Master Yuan the Earth.' It is said that he can see the earth's energy and determine the dragon veins. Many high-ranking officials and nobles would ask him to look at the feng shui before building their mansions. But he has a strange temper, charges extremely high fees, and... his whereabouts are unpredictable."

"Can we find him?"

"I'll give it a try," Duan Qiniang said, "but it will take time."

"We have eight days left," Li Bai said.

Duan Qiniang looked at him and suddenly asked, "Taibai, has your plan... been changed?"

Li Bai nodded: "The previous plan had too many flaws and a very low success rate. I have a new idea."

"What are your thoughts?"

"Using the power of the earth's veins to create celestial phenomena, we can take advantage of the chaos to save people."

Duan Qiniang remained silent for a long time.

Finally, she said softly, "This sounds... more like a myth."

"I know," Li Bai said, "but this is our only chance now."

Outside the window, the setting sun painted the sky a golden-red hue. Distant mountains appeared like dark eyebrows, while nearby trees were shrouded in mist. Birds chirped and chattered in the woods as they returned to their nests, and the evening breeze carried the scent of cooking smoke.

Duan Qiniang stood up: "I'll go arrange the relocation. You continue."

She turned and left, her footsteps fading into the distance in the corridor.

Li Bai sat back down at the table.

He looked at the map of Chang'an on the table, marked with countless points, at the possible nodes, and at the small red circle around Xingqing Palace.

Eight days.

He needs to complete an almost impossible task within these eight days.

But this time, he no longer felt despair.

Because in the darkness, a glimmer of light finally appeared.

Earth veins.

Ancient battle formation.

The methods of cultivators.

Knowledge of modern science.

When these things come together, perhaps... a miracle can truly be created.

He picked up a pen and wrote four words in the corner of the paper:

**"Tracing the Earth's Veins".**