Chapter 45

Shangguan Ruomeng said firmly, "Tonight, we must set sail on time. My daughter has already added some personnel to the ship, all of whom are experts dispatched from the Shangguan family. Most of them have the strength of True Martial or Spirit Martial realms, and there is also Elder Ran accompanying them. Once we reach the tributary, the Mu family will send people to take over and board the ship. With the two forces combined, we can sail upstream for ten days without the enemy reacting. Once the supplies reach Xuzhou, Admiral Hai, the Inspector of the Nine Gates, will escort the shipment, ensuring absolute safety."

Shangguan Tengfeng nodded repeatedly, "That's right. The canal is narrowest at the tributary and the foot of Lianlang Mountain, making it the best place to board. If the enemy wants to destroy the supplies, they can only do so at the dock or within five miles of the tributary along the canal. Once we pass this section, with Admiral Hai securing the canal, even a Divine Martial realm expert won't be able to board. If I were them, I would also send spies to these two places. But, Ruomeng, now that there are spies in the Shangguan family, they might have already boarded the ship. Is it safe to let them leave with the ship?"

Shangguan Ruomeng sighed, "At this point, even if we know something might go wrong, there's nothing we can do. We can only find and eliminate the spies on the ship."

"So you didn't raise the alarm but set sail according to the plan to lull the enemy into a false sense of security..."

Shangguan Ruomeng said, "To be honest, Father, I spent the afternoon analyzing all the crew members on the ship and found a few suspicious individuals. I've already sent people to keep an eye on them. As soon as they move, my people will eliminate them. So, we don't need to worry too much about the spies on the ship."

Shangguan Tengfeng breathed a sigh of relief, looking at Shangguan Ruomeng with admiration. In the entire Shangguan family, his daughter was undoubtedly the smartest, far surpassing the elders who only knew how to cultivate and not to strategize. That's why the old man entrusted the Huairen Hall to Shangguan Ruomeng.

"Despite the fact that a woman is in charge of such a large family, it's not a good thing to say, but Shangguan Ruomeng's abilities are undeniable."

"Shangguan family is fortunate to have you," Shangguan Tengfeng sighed.

Shangguan Ruomeng said, "This time it was luck. If it weren't for the message from the Jishi Pharmacy, this could have been very troublesome."

Shangguan Tengfeng exclaimed, "Speaking of which, I also sent people to investigate the Jishi Pharmacy. It's just a small apothecary. How did they know this secret?"

Shangguan Ruomeng was puzzled, "I'm not sure, but it's true. If the supplies can leave the canal, I will have to pay them a visit to thank them."

"South of the city, the Xu family's territory," Shangguan Tengfeng's eyes flashed with a cold light.

Shangguan Ruomeng looked at Shangguan Tengfeng wisely, "Father, don't worry. I know what to do and won't cause trouble for the Jishi Pharmacy."

"Alright." Shangguan Tengfeng nodded, "It's getting late. Let's set sail."

"Set sail..."

At Shangguan Ruomeng's command, five ships set sail simultaneously...

...

In the cold night wind, Feng Jueyu rushed to the canal five miles from the tributary. The surroundings were quiet, and the wind carried the rustling of the grass and shrubs.

There were no sounds of battle, indicating that Mu Zhonghun not only had a strict army but also a proper strategy. At least the fifty men didn't stand by the riverbank waiting to be ambushed.

No one had died yet, which meant the Mu family's soldiers might be investigating the surroundings, or the enemy's assassins might be preparing to strike. Either way, as long as no one had died, there was still a chance to turn the tide.

Thinking this, Feng Jueyu used the grass to conceal himself, his killer's alertness and judgment coming into play. With the special perception of the Yin and Yang energies, Feng Jueyu found a few people whose auras were similar to Mu Qianjun's.

"Great, I need to warn them quickly..."

As he thought, Feng Jueyu approached. He knew that Mu Qianjun's subordinates were also strong, and this time, he had brought all the experts from the army. Without revealing his identity and gaining their trust, Feng Jueyu didn't want to rush in and die unjustly.

Focusing on one person, Feng Jueyu recognized the soldier who carried Mu Qianjun's silver spear. After some thought, Feng Jueyu found a pebble at his feet and threw it a dozen meters away.

"Snap!"

The pebble hit the ground, and the soldier, who was investigating the environment, immediately crouched down without making a sound.

If it were an ordinary person, their first reaction would be to ask, "Who's there?" Then Feng Jueyu could reveal his identity and start a conversation.

Unfortunately, the soldier was much more cautious than he expected. Not only did he not make a sound, but he also signaled with two fingers, and a few hidden sentries moved closer.

Damn, he's cautious enough to be a special forces soldier.

Feng Jueyu was speechless. He had to speak up, or he might be killed unjustly. Damn Mu Qianjun, why issue a kill order?

Thinking this, Feng Jueyu took two steps back and shouted in a voice that the soldiers could hear, "Hold your fire, it's one of us."

"Swish, swish, swish!"

Before his words were even finished, Feng Jueyu heard three gusts of wind, and the soldiers surrounded him, including the one with the spear.

Because they needed to remain hidden, they didn't activate their true qi, so there was no glow. They relied on their physical strength to surround Feng Jueyu.

Feng Jueyu did the same, circulating the Life and Death Art within his body without releasing any energy, and suppressing his aura to avoid being mistaken for an enemy.

"Don't move, it's one of us."

The soldier ran over, standing in front of Feng Jueyu with a sharp gaze, "Restrain him."

Damn, he said it was one of us, and he still acted so directly. Feng Jueyu groaned inwardly, but at least the soldier said "restrain" and not "kill."

He raised his hands in surrender and was pressed to the ground by two soldiers. The leading soldier ran over and grabbed Feng Jueyu by the throat, "Who are you?"

Feng Jueyu didn't move. He had clearly seen a faint orange-yellow glow on the hand that grabbed his throat. This guy was a Profound Martial realm expert, no wonder he carried Mu Qianjun's spear.

"Don't move, I'm a friend of Mu Qianjun, here to warn you."

"A friend of the young general?" The soldier frowned, scrutinizing Feng Jueyu for a moment before letting go, "It's you. Release him, he's a friend of the young general."

Feng Jueyu was stunned for a moment, then slapped his forehead. He realized that Mu Qianjun must have been seen bringing him here, and this soldier had been hiding nearby. It made sense that he recognized him. This was good, saving him the trouble of explaining.

The soldier said, "Sir, why are you here? It's dangerous."

He saw that Feng Jueyu had no aura of a martial artist and had been "carried" by Mu Qianjun, so he mistook him for an ordinary person.

"I said I'm here to warn you, what's wrong with your ears?" Feng Jueyu was not polite, even a bit annoyed. If he hadn't revealed his identity quickly, he might have been strangled to death. No wonder soldiers have such strong hands.

"Warn us?" The soldier looked disbelieving.

Feng Jueyu didn't mind, "Don't waste time. After you left, the Gold and Silver Guild sent people. Now your young general is being held up, and the Gold and Silver Guild has dispatched sixty Earth Fiends and two Heaven Fiends to ambush you. Tell your people to be careful."

"Gold and Silver Guild?" The soldier shuddered, "Really?"

"Why would I lie?" Feng Jueyu rolled his eyes. He wasn't here to play around. He said, "Quick, tell your people. Be quiet, don't alert the enemy."

The soldier said urgently, "It might be too late. People have already been sent out. Now, to notify them, we have to shout."

He turned to the two soldiers beside him, "You two, gather the men quietly and find the enemy's position."

The two soldiers quickly left, and the soldier asked, "Sir, what is your name? I am Yang Huaiyi."

Feng Jueyu waved his hand impatiently, "Don't waste time. Tell me, what are Earth Fiends and Heaven Fiends?"

Yang Huaiyi, who had met him once, believed him, "Earth Fiends and Heaven Fiends are titles for the Gold and Silver Guild's killers. Earth Fiends are above Qi Martial and below Spirit Martial, while Heaven Fiends are Profound Martial realm experts..."

"What?" Feng Jueyu almost fainted. "So they sent two Profound Martial realm experts and possibly sixty Spirit Martial realm experts? That's too many. Are experts so cheap?"

Yang Huaiyi couldn't understand his meaning but nodded, "Yes, the Gold and Silver Guild is one of the largest and most ruthless killer organizations in Tiannan. They have many experts, so sending these few isn't a big deal. However, not all Earth Fiends are Spirit Martial realm experts; some might be Qi Martial or True Martial realm."

Hearing this, Feng Jueyu breathed a sigh of relief. It was manageable. If they were all Spirit Martial realm experts, he wouldn't stand a chance.

Feng Jueyu didn't want to waste time, "Alright, go deal with the enemy."

"Ah~"

Before he finished speaking, a scream echoed from the riverbank. Feng Jueyu and Yang Huaiyi were both startled. Then Yang Huaiyi said, "It's too late. Our men have been ambushed."

"Clang, clang, clang!" The sounds of battle rang out, and someone had already joined the fight.

These were bloodthirsty soldiers. How could they not help their brothers in need? As they appeared to rescue their comrades, they fell into deeper traps. In a blink, five brave men had fallen.

"Damn, they killed my brothers. I'll fight to the death." Yang Huaiyi's eyes turned red, and he drew his sword to charge out.

Feng Jueyu quickly pulled him back, "What are you doing? Do you want to die?"

"Sir, let go. I can't just watch my brothers die."

"Idiot." Feng Jueyu held him tightly, scolding, "Will you be of any use? The enemy arrived earlier and has the advantage. They can easily communicate with each other. If you charge out, you won't save anyone; you'll just get yourself killed. If you die, what about the mission?"

Feng Jueyu's scolding made Yang Huaiyi feel frustrated, but he knew Feng Jueyu was right. If he died, the entire plan would fail, and his brothers would be killed one by one.

"Sir, are we just going to watch our brothers die?"

Feng Jueyu said, "Of course not. Listen to me. Gather your men and move them here. Since we've lost the advantage, there's no need to hide. As long as we stick together, they won't dare to attack. Once we have a chance to catch our breath, we can think of a way to deal with them."

To the readers:

PS: It's 5 AM. I'll sleep for a bit and update later.

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