Li Xiaotian's three thousand elite cavalry returned to Yuchuan County, and this news couldn't be concealed. Du Mengyan dispatched over a dozen outer sect disciples stationed in Central Capital to keep an eye on dynamics from all sides.

Though many secret messages could not be promptly acquired, it was entirely sufficient for scouting major events and ordinary information.

On the tenth of June, the army stationed by the Three Rivers and constructed a pontoon bridge.

Last time, Lu Chengfeng ambushed and killed three generations of the Li Family heirs at Yudai River, causing them profound pain. Since then, they have been especially vigilant around waters.

Li Xiaotian ordered the soldiers to build a pontoon bridge and scouts to explore all directions, reporting any slight movement immediately.

At the same time, he issued a direct order to the Celestial Patrol Department, forbidding all townspeople near Jade Dragon Mountain from entering the mountain or constructing houses or serving as servants for bandits. Anyone disobeying would face family-wide execution without mercy.

This decree terrified the villagers who had previously gone up the mountain for work after taking silver. Though the people on the mountain were uninformed, families down below were as anxious as ants on a hot pan, fearful and worried.

However, Du Mengyan had anticipated this, preventing communication channels between the mountain and the valley, ordering craftsmen and servants on the mountain to neither visit home nor go down to purchase supplies for a month.

Jade Dragon Mountain, majestic and treacherous, seems like a jade dragon coiling around a giant pillar, steep and towering, with only a narrow perilous path up the mountain, while the surroundings are all cliffs.

Du Mengyan had already arranged to stockpile enough provisions and sealed the critical path with massive stones. Unless one possesses extraordinary martial arts, ordinary people find it difficult to pass through.

Thus, cutting off information from mountain to valley prevents the craftsmen and servants on the mountain from having unstable emotions.

But over time, trouble will inevitably arise.

At this time, Lu Chengfeng leisurely descended Jade Dragon Mountain, but this time he used Zhao Tianyou's face.

Zhao Tianyou, in his forties, is robust, with bronze skin, messy long hair, and an overall despondent aura.

Lu Chengfeng now wore soft armor, carried a sword at his waist, held an iron spear, and rode a white horse slowly towards the Three Rivers shore, to where Li Xiaotian's forces were stationed.

At that moment, with his white horse and iron spear, long hair flowing freely, he naturally exuded a rough and valiant aura, like a seasoned general, with a commanding presence and an unspeakable charm.

Li Xiaotian's scouts noticed him from afar, bewildered, and quickly reported back.

"You say you spotted Zhao Tianyou?" Li Xiaotian frowned at the scouts reporting back, "Did you clearly see, was it truly him? How many are with him?"

The scout replied, "Marshal, we only saw Zhao Tianyou alone, with no one else accompanying. As for whether it's truly Zhao Tianyou, I dare not confirm."

Li Xiaotian waved his hand, "Continue investigating, expand the search scope, check if there's an ambush behind Zhao Tianyou."

He simply couldn't believe Zhao Tianyou would come alone, sensing a trick within.

Once the scouts retreated, he immediately summoned his personal soldiers, "Immediately convey my military order, everyone assemble urgently, follow me to meet the enemy."

"Yes, sir." The personal soldier saluted and then retreated promptly.

Half an hour later, three thousand cavalry assembled, accompanied by five thousand auxiliary troops, employed to build bridges, open roads, transport provisions, and construct camps.

At that moment, eight thousand troops gathered, flags covered the sky, spears formed a forest, iron armors glinted fiercely, their murderous aura soaring into the heavens.

Li Xiaotian, armored, holding a steel saber, gazed from a distance across the river.

Where he was stationed, the river wasn't wide, nor deep. Even martial artists would struggle to drown, let alone ordinary people familiar with water.

He remained cautious throughout, fearful of being deceived.

But following reports from several waves of scouts, the information he received was surprising.

"Reporting to Marshal, Zhao Tianyou is alone, riding a single horse, ten miles away."

"Reporting to Marshal, the areas ten miles behind and around Zhao Tianyou have been thoroughly investigated, no ambush found."

"Reporting to Marshal, the person matches Zhao Tianyou's appearance perfectly, confirmed multiple times, it is indeed him."

...

Li Xiaotian furrowed his brows tightly, unsure of the trick hidden in the gourd, yet under his command were three thousand iron cavalry, another five thousand infantry, eight thousand troops gathered here.

Even if a Half-Step Celestial Human forcibly fought on, they would perish exhausted among the army, let alone just one Zhao Tianyou?

He suppressed the doubts in his heart, sternly commanded, "Continue scouting, deploy all scouts, don't overlook any potential ambush areas."

"Convey my military order, troops shall remain undisturbed, refrain from crossing the river."

...

While Li Xiaotian fully prepared on his side, on top of Jade Dragon Mountain, Du Mengyan, Du Xiaoyue, and Tan Xiong gathered here, overlooking from a high vantage point.

From where they stood, with good vision, they could clearly see Li Xiaotian's army and the Three Rivers.

"Senior Sister, are we truly letting Junior Brother Lu face Li Xiaotian's army alone?" Du Xiaoyue gazed at the densely packed soldiers by the riverside, feeling a chill in her heart.

Martial artists are flesh and blood too, and equally susceptible to fatigue. Even second-class experts are only hundred-men enemies, and facing armored, battle-formed armies, they must retreat thrice.

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