Chapter 136: Clang Dang

It was deep into the night, in the Haishen Temple of Anshui Cheng.

"Changshou brother?"

From the nearby statue inlaid with gold and jade, strands of divine thoughts called out.

After a moment, the main statue responded. Two more strands of divine thoughts entered the cloud and mist dream realm, and Ao Yi once again saw the figure standing at the base of the statue.

Ao Yi hurried forward, his eyes gleaming, his youthful face full of vitality.

"Changshou brother! My father, the Dragon King, has already begun mobilizing troops and generals! Those from the West... those people have been eyeing our Dragon Clan for ages! This time, we'll make sure they know that our Dragon Clan isn't something they can push around!"

Upon hearing this, Li Changshou felt no particular ripple in his heart—it was exactly as he had anticipated.

The Dragon Clan, with their pride intact, were unlikely to back down without a fight. Still, the details that followed needed careful planning. They couldn't strike Western Cult too hard, lest they provoke the elders by harming the juniors, and they couldn't cause too many casualties among mortals, which would add to his own karmic burdens.

Li Changshou said: "Don't get too excited. The enemies we're dealing with this time aren't ordinary foes. Besides, any war will inevitably bring death and injury, which isn't something to celebrate."

"Yes, Changshou brother is right."

Ao Yi immediately suppressed his smile, cupped his hands in a daoist bow, and showed a look of remorse.

Then, Ao Yi recounted his actions over the past couple of days. He had rushed back to the East Sea Dragon Palace to meet his father, and as Li Changshou had instructed, he reported the matter. The East Sea Dragon King pondered briefly before summoning the clan's elders for discussion. Apart from a couple of old turtle immortals who advised against clashing head-on with Western Cult, the other elders were indignant and eager to fight.

Ao Yi declared firmly: "This time, Father has decided to deploy thirty thousand Immortal Jiao soldiers, over six hundred Dragon Clan experts, and twenty Golden Immortals! If the battle turns critical, several elders in the clan are ready to join the fight at any moment!"

Li Changshou: ...

In his heart, he felt just a tiny bit of guilt...

It was simply because the Dragon Clan's big brothers were far too straightforward. Mobilizing twenty Golden Immortals, over six hundred experts, and thirty thousand Immortal Jiao soldiers at the drop of a hat! This force, without considering other factors, would be enough to wipe out a major immortal sect! When they moved, it was like causing mountains to collapse and tsunamis to rage; the Dragon Clan's survival from ancient times truly had its own merits...

Li Changshou couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. The Dragon Clan was making such a grand display, while the opponents had only sent a dozen True Immortals... It would be quite awkward.

Ao Yi said: "Changshou brother, do you have any more instructions? I need to meet up with a few uncles and head to the South Sea from the sea."

"Yi brother, your cultivation is still shallow; it's not suitable for you to join the battle..."

"I'm the chief protector of the Haishen Cult—how can I be absent from this fight?"

Ao Yi's gaze was resolute. "I've received so much merit for nothing; I can't just let my clansmen shed blood and risk their lives for me! Father has ordered me to take command, and this time, we'll strike a heavy blow against the enemy! As for you, Changshou brother, don't worry about this battle—you don't need to come."

"How could I not worry? In that case, you must take care of yourself and not act recklessly."

Li Changshou said: "These past few days, I've prepared a plan to repel the enemy. It's placed behind the statues of you and me in Anshui Cheng, in a blue bundle. Have a swift expert retrieve it secretly first; inside, there's also a letter for you. I'll say this boldly: as long as you follow the strategies in these plans, the Dragon Clan can advance or retreat as needed. Unless experts beyond the heavens get involved, there won't be too many casualties."

Ao Yi blinked, suddenly realizing something, and whispered: "Is this retreat plan from up there...?"

Li Changshou smiled mysteriously and said nothing more. He waved his hand, and the dream realm dissipated.

On Xiaoqiong Peak of Duxian Sect, Li Changshou steadied his mind and began the next steps.

Meanwhile, in the East Sea Dragon Palace...

Ao Yi followed the instructions, asking a Dragon Clan expert skilled in swift flight to hurry to Anshui Cheng and secretly retrieve the plan. By the time this Dragon Clan Golden Immortal returned on clouds, the thirty thousand Dragon Palace water troops were already assembled and ready in the sea.

The second prince, Ao Yi, took up the command flag, donned a suit of Biyu armor, and had several profound experts guarding him closely.

From afar, one of the experts sent a voice transmission: "Your Highness, I've got it!"

Ao Yi, who had been pacing back and forth on the seabed, brightened up and hurried forward, saying: "Thank you for your trouble, Uncle!"

The Dragon Clan expert transformed into human form and approached gracefully, pulling from his sleeve... a square wooden box, about two feet long, wrapped in blue cloth.

Ao Yi and the other Dragon Clan experts were momentarily stunned. Ao Yi quickly enveloped the box with his immortal power to protect it from the sea pressure. Opening the box, he saw several neatly stacked bamboo slips inside.

Atop the bamboo slips was a transmission jade talisman.

Picking up the jade talisman, Ao Yi used his immortal sense to probe it and soon read the simple lines:

In urgent matters, adapt as needed; I can't elaborate on the reasons. The steps to follow are all here, totaling twenty-six. First step: "Marching Chapter," must read before departure—after reading, you'll understand the second step.

Ao Yi put away the jade talisman, then reached for a bamboo slip and slowly unrolled it. The clear handwriting on it seemed imbued with some kind of power, drawing Ao Yi in quickly...

Before long, Ao Yi finished the first chapter. After a brief consideration, he decided to follow the strategy. He took out the Nine Dragons Proud Heaven Seal granted by his father and declared loudly: "All uncles and fellow clansmen, divide the troops immediately! One-tenth of the forces will travel on the sea surface, entering the South Sea via the water route, but keep your auras concealed, no banners raised, and no show of force! The rest of the army will hide their traces and circle north; travel through the earth veins, pass through Dongsheng Shenzhou, and enter Nanzhanbuzhou, avoiding detection by the immortal sects, and head to the southwest of South Sea!"

One Dragon Clan expert frowned and asked: "Your Highness, why divide the forces?"

Ao Yi recalled the line from the bamboo slip he had just read: "If anyone asks why divide the forces, just say to think about the enemy we're dealing with."

Ao Yi replied calmly: "Uncle, just think about the enemy we're dealing with this time."

The expert furrowed his brow and said no more.

Another old dragon said: "Our Dragon Clan soars through the nine heavens—when have we ever burrowed through the earth like this?"

Ao Yi was slightly surprised inwardly, thinking: Could the expert behind Changshou brother foresee the future? This question was even noted in the bamboo slip.

Without panicking, Ao Yi maintained his composure and said: "The earth is formed from the body of Pangu the Great God, and the clouds and mists are but his breath—how can we not use the earth veins for passage?"

The old dragon pondered for a moment, bowed in respect, and dared not speak further.

The Dragon Clan experts raised no more objections and began to take the young prince more seriously.

Thus, the Dragon Clan water troops split up and headed toward the southwest of South Sea—one group going south via the sea, the other north via land, one overt and one covert.

Ao Yi added: "I also ask the clan elders to help conceal the heavenly secrets for the Dragon Clan army."

"Don't worry, Your Highness," an elderly dragon with white hair and a dragon head chuckled, "we're already on it."

Ao Yi nodded, glanced over the bamboo slip in his hand again, and quickly put away the rest.

A Jiao dragon carriage arrived, and Ao Yi boarded it with several experts, taking the sea route to draw the enemy's attention.

On the way to the South Sea, Ao Yi began flipping through the twenty-six bamboo slips.

After the "Marching Chapter" came the "General Theory Chapter," followed by "Battlefield Selection," "Ambush Chapter Part One" (middle and lower), and "Luring the Enemy Chapter."

The "Luring the Enemy Chapter" branched into three paths based on the opponent's reactions, with further subdivisions.

Before long, Ao Yi was absorbed in the bamboo slips, reading intently.

"Truly worthy of an expert from Renjiao—these strategies are so thorough, they make even dragons envious!"

Soon, following the bamboo slip's instructions, Ao Yi smiled and pulled out the full set of "Ambush Chapter," letting the experts study it first...

"Everyone, uncles, take a look at this ambush method—it's unparalleled in the world!"

The Dragon Clan experts nodded with smiles, not paying much attention at first, but as they examined the three bamboo slips, their expressions turned serious.

"Dividing into smaller units while keeping the spirit united..."

"The surface ambush lures the enemy, preventing them from gauging the situation; the shallow layer is for inflicting damage, with mid-layer, deep-layer ambushes, and reserves... It's all interconnected and masterful."

"Is this the method humans used to triumph over the witches and demons?"

However, while they found the ambush tactics impressive, they didn't recommend Ao Yi use such cunning schemes.

But Ao Yi's words settled it: "In battle between armies, how can we speak of deceit? Compared to this trivial pride, I care more about the lives of my clansmen!"

The Dragon Clan experts of the previous generation nodded in agreement and complied.

The Dragon Clan was strictly disciplined, and with Ao Yi holding the command seal, he had full authority over this battle.

Thus, a few days later...

Three thousand Immortal Jiao soldiers from the Dragon Palace, along with dozens of experts, "sneakily" arrived in the South Sea and hid in the waters near Anshui Cheng.

Naturally, their movements didn't escape the "enemy" who had been watching the sea routes.

These Dragon Palace troops were already under tight surveillance by several black mosquitoes.

A few more days passed.

From deep underground, batches of Immortal Jiao soldiers gathered one after another, staying hidden without surfacing.

Even with the Dragon Clan's utmost caution and expert concealment techniques...

The traces of these Immortal Jiao soldiers were still detected.

However, the one monitoring them was a certain South Sea Haishen who had already arranged everything in a short time.

Who could have imagined...

That the somewhat arrogant Dragon Clan would be so cautious, burrowing through the earth before anything even happened?

When Li Changshou saw that the nearly thirty thousand Dragon Clan troops had begun "spiraling" forward, setting up a full seven layers of ambushes—one on the surface and six below—in the preselected chain of barren mountains, with experts joining forces to hide their tracks...

Finally, a fifth of the weight on Li Changshou's heart lifted.

Li Changshou hadn't been idle these past few days either. In the several Haishen Temples most likely to see conflicts among believers, he had stationed reliable divine messengers and paper effigies, and had the messengers soothe the believers in advance.

The opponents would probably start by inciting conflicts among mortal followers...

And sure enough.

Just six days after the Dragon Clan's ambush was in place, several sects neighboring the South Sea God Cult gathered large numbers of believers and began surging toward the major cities of the South Sea God Cult...

Leading to fierce cross-city brawls among the mortals.

The forces of the mortal kingdoms also sent troops to monitor, but they dared not provoke these believers.

These groups of followers were, of course, heading to smash the Haishen Temples.

Most of them were poor folk, and many joined for the sake of some monetary incentive...

Li Changshou didn't want to incur karmic burdens, so he wouldn't deal with them harshly. In the retreat plan he gave to the Dragon Clan, he had repeatedly emphasized not harming mortals.

A few days later, several thousand followers from other sects were the first to find a Haishen Temple outside a city...

At noon, the sky was overcast.

In front of the Haishen Temple, a sturdy young man raised a long staff and shouted: "The South Sea Haishen is an evil god who deceives people! Tear this place down and make more people worship our Lima God! Smash it!"

At once, several thousand mortals surged forward en masse!

They wielded hoes, carried wooden sticks and hatchets, chanting slogans as they charged toward the tightly shut temple doors...

But as the crowd advanced just ten zhang, the temple doors suddenly swung open!

Two burly men in full armor leaped out, roaring in unison: "Hold on!"

The dense crowd was instantly intimidated by these fierce door guardians, everyone confused but quickly halting their steps.

Several shadowy figures mixed in among the mortals, who were about to act covertly, also frowned slightly and observed for now.

The big man on the left asked the crowd: "Are you here to smash our Haishen Temple?"

The young leader, steeling himself, shouted: "That's right! You false gods, you evil ones!"

"Please, go ahead!"

The two burly men roared together, stepping aside in invitation.

One pulled out a small drum from his embrace, holding it and tapping it gently.

The other bellowed in rhythm, starting to chant: "Folks, you're all from around here, so hear me out! Smash the statue if you must, but don't hurt anyone in anger! The door's only two zhang wide, so don't crowd and rush! Demolish the walls before the door, then smash the statue inside! Everyone stay calm, one hit each and it'll fall with a bang! The statue's not worth much, but a stampede could cost lives! We'll step aside quick, you smash and then take a break—there's more to come later!"

With that, the two big men bowed to the crowd, and the drumbeats stopped.

"Good!"

"Encore!"

"What's this about? Did we come for a show?"

Amid the noisy chatter, the two big men hastily retreated into the temple, vanishing into the backyard under everyone's gaze...

They flipped over the wall and fled...

The group of mortals was left baffled, but someone took the lead and charged in, and the followers of the other sects swarmed, breaking down the walls and flooding into the Haishen Temple.

Underground, the paper effigy housing Li Changshou's divine sense smiled slightly. No karmic burden added, and the temple being smashed was just a loss of material goods for the Haishen Cult.

At that moment, in a cave dwelling near the border of Xiniu Hezhou, the Daoist Wenjing, who was secretly observing through her blood mosquito puppets, also looked somewhat puzzled...

What was the meaning of this?

But soon, the blood mosquito puppets detected dozens of Dragon Clan auras heading toward the smashed Haishen Temple. In the South Sea, the Dragon Clan "army" was also beginning to surface and assemble.

"Hmph," Daoist Wenjing smirked, continuing to watch the show and waiting for the perfect moment to release her children...