Published: March 3, 2025
Chapter 318: Cautious Strategy
Upon hearing that it was just a small market, Yan Kai, Cui Liang, Meng Wenxing, and the others all nodded slightly, indicating their understanding.
Their expressions varied, but inside, they all quietly let out a sigh of relief.
With just a mid foundation establishment stage Daoist of Many Eyes, even if he chose not to submit and resist to the end, he wouldn't stir up much trouble.
This meant that the intensity of the battle would not be too high, allowing them to breathe easier, at least not having to worry about life-threatening dangers from the start.
The saying goes, "Know yourself and your enemy, and you will never lose in a hundred battles."
Although Liu Yu was not well-versed in military strategy, he understood this point. Once he grasped his task, it didn't take long for him to make up his mind and establish a preliminary strategy.
According to the map provided by the elder, this location was less than thirty miles from Manshan, and with the escape speed of the Return to Origin Boat, they could reach it in just a little over a quarter of an hour.
He handed the operation token to Jiang Qiushui, letting him control the flying boat.
Liu Yu stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the mountains below, lost in thought.
...
Manshan, a second-tier low-grade spiritual mountain, stood about two hundred eighty zhang tall.
Its scenery, lacking any distinctive features, couldn't be described as spiritually captivating, but it was still ordinary enough to catch the attention of cultivators.
In the eyes of ordinary people, it could be called a "celestial paradise."
Occupied by a mid foundation establishment stage Daoist of Many Eyes, it gradually became a small market under his management.
Due to being established for just a few decades and limited accumulation, it couldn't be considered prosperous. Most cultivators entering this market were at the qi refinement stage, with very few foundation establishment stage cultivators arriving.
But this was still a foundation, much better than being homeless and wandering as a loose cultivator, as it at least allowed the Daoist of Many Eyes not to worry about spiritual stones.
Under his diligent management, everything was developing positively, and in recent years, the market had shown slight signs of improvement. The name "Manshan Market" gradually spread within a hundred-mile radius.
In the later part of the evening, the sky had darkened.
A seemingly inconspicuous red escape light approached from the horizon, and upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a spiritual vessel, eventually landing on the grasslands about seven or eight miles away from Manshan.
It was Liu Yu and his group!
The range of spiritual consciousness for a mid foundation establishment stage cultivator typically spans four to six miles. Seven or eight miles was enough to avoid detection by their spiritual consciousness.
Even if the Daoist of Many Eyes had heard the news about the change in ownership of Ancient Rampart City and remained vigilant, he wouldn't have discovered them.
Liu Yu promptly ordered all cultivators to leave the Return to Origin Boat and land on the grass, and he asked Jiang Qiushui and others to jointly cast simple illusions to hide their presence.
Ancient Rampart City was the northernmost celestial city in Youzhou and even the Yan State, holding significant importance, comparable to Thousand Snow City.
The fall of such an important celestial city was a shocking piece of news for the entire White Cloud Temple, Youzhou, and even Chu State, akin to a thunderclap on a clear day.
As a dominant force in two states, White Cloud Temple had to respond accordingly.
The Yuan Yang Sect, He Huan Sect, and Crescent Moon Valley sent out teams of cultivators to gather information on the powers along Youzhou, which couldn't be considered top secret, perhaps even White Cloud Temple had some arrangements in place.
They might have dispatched disciples to join affiliated forces, forming a large net to set up ambushes at certain locations, waiting for the Chu State teams to arrive.