Chapter 1833: Turning Back (I)

Li Zhouwei put away his golden halberd and said with a smile, "You get to spare yourself the trouble, Protector-General, but I still have to see him."

He had a favorable impression of Liu Bai. Unfortunately, this sword cultivator, who was naturally carefree in his dealings, had become entangled in the wider struggle. Everyone saw him as an accomplished, high-spirited holder of [Jade True], but in Li Zhouwei's eyes, he had grown frustrated in his ambitions and burdened with resentment.

Liu Bai immediately sighed. He had grievances with the Situ Family, but he knew that their relationship with the Li Family was hardly better.

Sheathing his sword, he shook his head. "Your standing, King of Wei, surpasses that of all the generals. Having just slain Guangchan, you command great awe. You are the one who should hold this mountain..."

Only after stating the greater duty did he add, "I am, after all, a cultivator of both the sword Dao and [Jade True]. I prefer to give vent to my feelings. Seeing him would only lead to trouble, so I must leave this matter to you, King of Wei."

Li Zhouwei clasped his hands and smiled. "No trouble. My orders were to enter Mount Tangdao anyway. However... There is no need for you to return to Baixiang Valley, Protector-General. Yang Ruizao has already set Banished Essence in motion there. He is awaiting orders, and is ready to depart at any moment."

Understanding began to dawn on Liu Bai. Realizing that Zhouwei had further plans, he glanced at him and said, "In that case, I will wait for you outside the mountain, King of Wei."

Li Zhouwei immediately entered the mountain on a trail of light. Metal and stone loomed all around, and not a trace of heavenly light shone overhead. Instead, dense, fathomless dark mist hung above, with a radiant bronze nether carriage suspended in the sky.

A woman hovered in the air, standing upon a fierce wind. She lowered her gaze in a markedly deferential manner and said, "Greetings, King of Wei!"

Li Zhouwei nodded. "Ah, the ruler of Nanjia. There is no need for such a ceremony."

The woman was Lingu Lanying. Thanks to the old sword immortal of Great Xiukui Temple, the Lingu Family had barely managed to raise a cultivator of her caliber, earning them the title of ruler of Nanjia.

Yet before Li Zhouwei, she felt deeply embarrassed and replied, "I am merely a minor ruler under imperial oversight and would not dare make much of myself before you, King of Wei. Please dispense with my title and simply call me Yingjia."

Li Zhouwei continued leisurely up the mountain and asked with a smile, "A minor ruler under imperial oversight... Interesting. Who coined that phrase?"

When Ning Wan had come to Moongaze Lake to confer titles years ago, she had stated that the lake would govern itself, with Li Zhouwei deciding all matters great and small. Later, it had even become 'a land beyond Cultivation and Martiality's oversight'. By contrast, even rulers such as Lingu Lanying naturally remained 'under imperial oversight'.

His question made Lingu Lanying somewhat nervous. She merely replied, "I couldn't say who coined it... It is just something people say..."

By then, Li Zhouwei had reached the golden hall. Its doors stood wide open, and an old man descended toward him, a golden-red saber on his back and a long-shafted spear in his hand.

His scar-covered face was wreathed in smiles. "Greetings, King of Wei! Thank you for lifting the siege!"

Li Zhouwei studied him briefly, then surveyed his surroundings and said, "You are most capable, Huai-Pacifying General. Despite so few troops and commanders, you still managed to hold out this long."

Although Situ Huo was a senior of long standing, he put on no airs. He nodded and smiled. "It was all thanks to this formation. The grand general laid it down personally. Called the [Great Ye Profound Exile Spirit Formation], it is truly in a class of its own, designed specifically to deal with Buddhist cultivators. Compared with a spirit formation like this, ordinary formations are little more than showpieces!"

He glanced up at the dim nether carriage in the sky and continued, "Secondly... there is the fellow Daoist within that nether carriage... They should have gone back to report by now."

The treasure lay shrouded in still darkness, its Banished Essence sealing off all information. Li Zhouwei secretly connected with the Immortal Mirror and swept it with his perception. Sure enough, it was empty.

Situ Huo watched his golden eyes. Once Li Zhouwei withdrew his gaze, he led him into the great hall. Only after they had taken their seats did he speak.

"King of Wei, you have routed the Zhao army, slain the wicked cultivator, and stabilized the battlefront. Yet orders from above have not arrived, and the surrounding cultivators are watching hungrily... What do you intend to do?"

Li Zhouwei glanced at him and replied, "I was just about to raise that matter."

Situ Huo raised a brow as Li Zhouwei stood and drew a command token from his sleeve. Intricate golden patterns adorned its black surface, along with an inscription in gold.

Li Zhouwei stated, "I want you to leave the mountain with me and head south, general. Protector-General Liu will take over the defense here."

Situ Huo glanced at the token, lowered his gaze, and asked, "Oh? And Baixiang Valley?"

Li Zhouwei replied calmly, "We will hold Baixiang Valley if we can. If we cannot, we will give it back to them."

Situ Huo's expression immediately darkened. He said evenly, "Do you understand what you are saying, King of Wei? Baixiang Valley and Mount Xiaoshi guard Mount Tangdao's flanks. We have finally managed to block the northern forces' routes south. If you relinquish Baixiang Valley... They will once again have a passage south around Mount Tangdao..."

He paused briefly. Recalling Li Zhouwei's intention to head south, he looked at him and raised his brows. "You intend to attack the Capital Immortal Dao's headquarters, King of Wei?"

Li Zhouwei nodded. "Correct."

That silenced Situ Huo.

The three positions of Mount Xiaoshi, Mount Tangdao, and Baixiang Valley formed a winding barrier that shielded the plains behind them. Crucially, all three possessed strong earth veins and abundant spiritual energy. With their Purple Mansion Realm formations sealing the area together and Banished Essence linking them, they could block almost every route by which the northern forces might advance south to attack the Wilderness around Moongaze Lake.

Yet this solid barrier had one weakness, the Baiye region along its eastern flank. However strong the defensive line, Mount Bianyan, Chengyun Gate, and the Capital Immortal Dao's corridor had Xuanmiao Temple and Shanji at its back. If large numbers of northern cultivators gathered there and pushed in from the side, they could still pass through unhindered.

Li Zhouwei looked him straight in the eyes and said, "We lack manpower. Baixiang Valley's earth veins are poor, and it has no spirit formation like the one at Mount Tangdao. We cannot hold it, yet trying would tie down many of our people. Moreover, with Baiye on our flank, we face enemies on both sides. There is no reason another surprise attack like Guangchan's could not happen.

"But if we abandon Baixiang Valley and seize Baiye to use the Capital Immortal Dao's headquarters as our stronghold, we will gain considerable freedom of action, even if we cannot keep the enemy out of Jianghuai. On the defensive, we can draw them into the White River region and fight them within that pocket. On the offensive, we can seize Xuanmiao Temple, cut off Shanji's retreat, and take all of Jiangnan."

Situ Huo had already understood his intentions. He remained silent for a long time before sighing. "I certainly know that recovering Shanji is the grand general's dearest wish. But this matter is too consequential for me to decide."

Li Zhouwei sneered and pressed the command token onto the table. "You cannot decide? Or you refuse to!"

Li Zhouwei knew perfectly well what Situ Huo was thinking. He simply wanted to cling to the power he held as Huai-Pacifying General and Military Commissioner of Tangdao! The greater one's power and standing, the greater the empowerment received from Light of Cultivation and Martiality. Although both were Profound Holders, there was a vast difference between Li Jianglong, whose title was lowly, and Li Jiangliang, a leading minister of the court!

Now that the Zhao troops have withdrawn, Mount Xiaoshi, Mount Tangdao, and Baixiang Valley all remain intact. Holding these positions will require committing well over half of Great Song's strength. As Military Commissioner of Tangdao, Situ Huo commands it all. His standing will naturally be immense, making him effectively the foremost minister!

If we abandon Baixiang Valley and seize Capital Immortal Dao, we effectively divide the entire Jiangbei defensive line into two sections. Whether Liu Bai commands Capital Immortal Dao or someone else does, Situ Huo will have an equal alongside him, claiming a substantial share of Cultivation and Martiality's radiance.

And that was assuming the plan succeeded!

Situ Huo also harbored further suspicions. He was the Huai-Pacifying General, and Mount Tangdao was his fief. Was he to let Liu Bai defend Mount Tangdao in his place? If something unexpected happened within the Capital Immortal Dao and their attack ended in a crushing defeat, the northern forces would counterattack. If Liu Bai then abandoned this mighty mountain and withdrew south, Great Song would lose all its gains. With his own territory lost, what future would Situ Huo have as its military commissioner?

Such suspicions were easy to understand. Li Zhouwei sneered inwardly, People always say the north is divided, but is the south any more united?! Where does everyone ever pull together? Before, they were simply under such pressure that they had no choice but to set aside their interests and disputes!

Faced with his accusation, Situ Huo lowered his gaze, seemingly puzzled, and said, "Why do you say that, King of Wei? I cannot abandon my post without authorization. I can only ask you and Protector-General Liu to undertake the expedition!"

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