Chapter 497: Xuanyuan Nine Craft Platform
Thousand Peaks Forest.
Dragon King Mountain.
In order to resist the Liangzhu Kingdom’s expeditionary army, the various large and small forces of Thousand Peaks Forest had gathered around the Dragon Ginseng King and established a great hall atop Dragon King Mountain.
Inside the hall, a small number of cultivators, demon cultivators, Barbarians, and deities sat around a massive round sand-table.
Only one cultivator in a green robe stood beside the table.
It was Lu Hongtu.
Lu Hongtu’s expression was cold, his gaze sharp as blades.
He condensed mana and lightly tapped the sand-table. Upon it was a three-dimensional map of Thousand Peaks Forest.
Several streams of mana condensed, forming four routes.
Some of the routes were long, while others were shorter.
“Everyone,” Lu Hongtu began, his voice deep, “after our army launched a surprise attack on the Vanguard Army and temporarily trapped them, Du Tiechuan—although injured by Young Lord Shengxu—reacted swiftly and immediately dispatched four armies for a counteroffensive.”
“This is the latest military intelligence.”
Lu Hongtu slightly curled his finger. The longest of the mana routes emerged more prominently, thickening slightly.
Lu Hongtu explained at the right moment, “Sun Gan’s Golden Halberd Army has already broken through three defensive passes and is advancing with unstoppable momentum. I do not know why Du Tiechuan deployed this imperial guard force.”
“This army poses the greatest threat.”
“In a few days, they will enter the territory of Blue Sky Mountain.”
“There are no Barbarians living on Blue Sky Mountain, but at its summit lies Blue Sky Pool. This pool produces Void Crystals and Azure Lake Stones, and void lifeforms frequently appear there.”
“This precious resource—should we simply hand it over? If not, Blue Sky Mountain has no natural defenses. Only by dispatching a powerful army to hold it could we possibly resist the Golden Halberd Army.”
After a pause, Lu Hongtu continued introducing the situations of the remaining three armies.
“The Red Flower Camp has attacked Cold Moon Mountain and is currently resting.”
“The Barbarian-Demon Camp besieged Lightning Radiance Mountain but was repelled by the defenders. They have retreated three li and set up camp.”
“As for the Three Generals Camp, they should currently be at Dicebone Mountain, fiercely battling the Dicebone Demon God.”
Just as Lu Hongtu finished speaking, a messenger arrived to report.
After hearing the urgent military news, Lu Hongtu’s expression slightly changed. He swept his gaze around the hall and said in a deep voice, “Everyone, the situation has changed.”
“News has just arrived—the Three Generals Camp has already captured Dicebone Mountain.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the cultivators in the hall exclaimed in surprise.
“What? The Dicebone Demon God actually lost?”
“Did He withdraw early in order to preserve His Believers?”
“That shouldn’t be the case. He signed the Dragon King’s divine contract and volunteered to hold his position.”
“Hahaha! When the Dicebone Demon God comes to Dragon King Mountain, I must ridicule Him properly!”
“Where is He now?”
Lu Hongtu’s throat moved slightly. He resisted the urge to reveal the truth that the Dicebone Demon God had defected on the battlefield.
Although the Dicebone Demon God only possessed Golden Core cultivation, his combat power was extremely outstanding. Once he deployed his Dao-Field, he could resist Nascent Soul–level enemies for a period of time.
These were facts well known throughout Thousand Peaks Forest.
Thus, everyone—including Lu Hongtu—had great confidence in that location defended by the Dicebone Demon God. Who could have expected that He would be defeated so quickly—and even defect to the enemy?
Lu Hongtu estimated that if he revealed this intelligence, it would inevitably shake the morale of Thousand Peaks Forest and give rise to widespread panic.
“Such a troublesome matter should be left to the Dragon Ginseng King.”
Lu Hongtu decided to focus entirely on fulfilling his duty as military strategist.
“Wait!”
His heart suddenly skipped a beat as he realized something was wrong.
“The Dicebone Demon God, although only Golden Core, became a deity and can deploy a Dao-Field.”
“His Dao-Field is quite unique, which was why he had been invited to participate in the earlier surprise attack on the Liangzhu Kingdom transport convoy.”
“Now that he has defected… will that information be exposed?”
Lu Hongtu immediately began calculating with his fingers.
After calculating the time, cold sweat appeared on his forehead.
“This is somewhat dangerous.”
“If the intelligence has already leaked and the enemy transmits the message as quickly as possible, they could issue a warning in advance.”
“They must act immediately!”
With this thought, Lu Hongtu immediately transmitted orders using his spiritual sense.
There were too many ears in the hall. Only a few people knew about the ambush plan. Until everything was settled, strict secrecy had to be maintained.
Woodwheel Town.
Commander’s Residence.
Du Tiechuan and Shuang Ling were secretly discussing military affairs.
Du Tiechuan coughed lightly. “Princess, you have only produced six thousand Mountain-Treading Wheels. The total target is eighteen thousand—there is still a gap of twelve thousand.”
“Now that the Vanguard Army is trapped, if our army is to resolve this crisis, your Mountain-Treading Wheels are crucial.”
Shuang Ling nodded.
“Thousand Peaks Forest trapped our Vanguard Army in order to force us to send reinforcements. We absolutely cannot fight on a battlefield prepared by the enemy—that would be like plunging straight into their trap.”
“Don’t worry, Marshal Du.”
“The subsequent mechanical components and materials are already in the latest transport convoy.”
“I even spent most of my fortune purchasing several Mechanical Work Platforms from other countries. Using these to manufacture the Mountain-Treading Wheels is thirty times faster than doing it personally!”
Du Tiechuan nodded slightly.
Shuang Ling then asked, “My mechanical wheels are not the problem. But what about your injuries, Marshal Du? How well have they recovered?”
“If our main forces launch a full assault on Dragon King Mountain, a massive battle will inevitably erupt.”
“At that time, we may face the Dragon Ginseng King inside his Dao-Field, as well as Young Lord Shengxu, who can fight across realms against Soul Formation–level beings.”
Du Tiechuan sighed.
“Shengxu truly deserves to be a Prince-level figure. His Void Breathing Scripture is unparalleled in the world. I was not injured by him—I injured myself.”
“But because of that, the treatment is more certain.”
“Rest assured. When the great battle begins, my injuries will be completely healed. At that time, my true body will also come to reinforce us. We might even invite a Soul Formation–level national beast.”
Shuang Ling finally relaxed.
“That would be excellent.”
No-Thieves Valley.
“This is the place,” Sun Lingtong said while controlling the Wanli Dragon and comparing it with the map.
He had operated the Wanli Dragon far more times than Ning Zhuo, so his skill was more proficient.
The Wanli Dragon secretly approached the valley. To avoid alerting the enemy, it did not dare get too close.
Before long, they heard the sound of carriages and horses advancing.
Soon, Sun Ning saw a transport army arranged in a long serpent formation, winding forward.
Scout riders spread out everywhere, conducting detailed reconnaissance.
Many scouts returned from No-Thieves Valley and reported to the Nascent Soul cultivator leading the Liangzhu Kingdom force that no enemy traces had been found.
The Nascent Soul cultivator personally used several detection methods as well. After confirming there was nothing suspicious, he waved his hand and led the army into No-Thieves Valley.
No-Thieves Valley had a historical story connected to the famous virtuous minister Gu Wenjing.
Gu Wenjing was born into a great clan, but he was intelligent, broad-minded, deeply sympathetic toward the hardships of common people, and possessed great compassion.
He was never arrogant and always placed the safety of the people first. At the age of thirty, he was appointed as the prefect of this region.
At the time, the land was poor and dangerous, with unruly people and endless banditry.
Gu Wenjing did not follow the example of previous officials by assembling an army to suppress the bandits.
Instead, he reorganized the entire region with thunderous efficiency—rectifying industries, improving public morals, constructing irrigation works, building roads, and vigorously developing agriculture and commerce.
He first implemented policies to comfort the people and relieve their grievances.
Then he reduced taxes and abolished many harsh corvée labor duties.
Afterward, he gathered manpower and resources to repair dilapidated farmland embankments, waterwheels, and other agricultural infrastructure, improving farming techniques and promoting them widely.
Day after day, year after year, Gu Wenjing’s reputation among the people grew until it was like the sun at its zenith.
The people gradually became prosperous, and the public order stabilized.
Only in the final three months of his term did Gu Wenjing formally act against the bandits in the mountains.
He did not dispatch a single soldier. Instead, he posted a “Pardon Notice” at the city gate, declaring that bandits who surrendered voluntarily within three months would be pardoned for all crimes except the gravest.
Not only that—the government even granted them farmland and provided resources so that a cultivator’s family could live in peace.
Once this policy was announced, the bandits surrendered in waves.
Thus, the bandit scourge that had plagued the country for years disappeared.
When Gu Wenjing was transferred, the valley that had once housed bandits was renamed No-Thieves Valley to commemorate his great achievements.
However, today, No-Thieves Valley was filled with hidden bandits once again.
“Fellow Daoist Wu Hen, thanks to your methods. Otherwise we would have been discovered,” said Diao Ye, the Corrupt Poison General of the Hundred Venoms Tribe.
Wu Hen wore a black robe, his long hair disheveled.
“Attack,” he said calmly. “I don’t know why, but I have a bad feeling.”
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The next moment, as the transport army entered the valley, the Thousand Peaks Forest forces launched their attack.
Awooo!
A wolf pack poured down like a tidal wave.
It was Lone Fang of the Cangyue Tribe commanding the wolves.
Caught off guard, the transport convoy immediately fell into chaos, suffering many casualties.
The escorting Nascent Soul cultivator flew into a rage, brandishing his sword while commanding military techniques—first strengthening defenses, then preparing to change formation.
Among the ambushers, the Cang Teng King wore ancient vine armor and drew a black bow, firing vines repeatedly.
Soldiers stationed at critical formation positions suddenly had vines burst out of their bodies and died on the spot.
The formation change was severely obstructed.
The Nascent Soul commander activated the military technique Speed is the Soul of War and used his command seal to strengthen the army’s defenses.
Then he threw out a command token while issuing orders.
The invisible military force immediately seized various cultivators—dragging them into crucial positions to assist with the formation change.
The ambushers had prepared for this.
A Nascent Soul cultivator reached into his pouch and scattered a handful of green beans.
In the next moment, the green beans transformed into strong warriors with green headscarves, descending from the sky and charging into the Liangzhu Kingdom army.
The soldiers could no longer reorganize their formation.
Each of these green-headscarf warriors was as sturdy as green stone, with formidable defense.
Unless they were eliminated, the convoy could not change formation.
The escorting cultivator had no choice but to order elites to deal with them one by one.
The blind Barbarian cultivator Di Lu, the bizarre-path cultivator Wu Hen, and the spear-throwing Corrupt Poison General Diao Ye charged into the battle formation and began besieging the Nascent Soul commander.
The commander struggled to block their attacks and gradually fell into a disadvantage.
He constantly mobilized military force to strengthen himself against the siege. But as a result, most of the military force was concentrated on him, weakening the soldiers’ protection.
Many soldiers died in battle.
Sun Lingtong stared at the battlefield with bright eyes.
“Seriously? After the last ambush, the Liangzhu Kingdom didn’t learn their lesson?”
As soon as he spoke, two Nascent Soul cultivators descended from the sky.
“Bandits of Thousand Peaks Forest, I, Floating Cloud Master (Mountain Peak Master), have been waiting here for a long time!”
The two spoke in unison with perfect coordination.
One unleashed cloud-attribute spells, forming pure white cloud ropes that bound many of the green-headscarf warriors.
The other wielded a small mountain-shaped treasure, repeatedly releasing immense mountain seals that forced back many Barbarian cultivators.
Ning Zhuo’s eyes flickered.
“These two are famous rogue cultivators of the Liangzhu Kingdom. Even among Nascent Soul cultivators, their combat strength is exceptional. I didn’t expect the military to recruit them this time.”
After suffering losses in the previous ambush, the Liangzhu Kingdom naturally strengthened the protection of its logistics. They secretly spent a great sum to recruit these two close friends.
Their reputations were well deserved.
Especially because they could cooperate—one dynamic, one stable; one soft, one hard—sometimes even unleashing joint attacks of tremendous power.
Thousand Peaks Forest had no army—only powerful individual cultivators.
Meanwhile, the Liangzhu Kingdom convoy was heavily disrupted and unable to reorganize its formation.
Under such circumstances, individual cultivators became the decisive force on the battlefield.
What a fierce clash of dragons and tigers.
The battle raged until heaven and earth seemed to change color, the sun and moon lost their light, and shouts of killing shook the skies.
Blood flowed like rivers.
Eventually both sides grew exhausted. The greatest victims were the ordinary soldiers, who died in large numbers from the shockwaves of the cultivators’ clashes.
“The time is about right. Let’s move!” Sun Lingtong said.
He and Ning Zhuo had waited patiently until the moment was ripe.
Earth-Travel Technique.
In the next instant, a perfectly round giant stone sphere suddenly emerged from underground before the mechanical convoy.
Theft Art — Direct Copy Hand.
The military supplies inside the mechanical carriages were rapidly swallowed by the stone sphere.
“Stone Dwelling Old Monster?!” Both sides were shocked.
“Excellent! The Stone Dwelling Old Monster has come to reinforce us! This battle is ours! Smash and destroy all those supplies!” shouted the eagle-headed demon cultivator Chen Lingfeng, launching a wind blade.
The next moment, the wind blade was destroyed by the “Stone Dwelling Old Monster.”
The Stone Dwelling Old Monster growled.
“Don’t ruin my business. Fight your own battle.”
With that, he instantly stole the carriage that had just been targeted by the wind blade.
Chen Lingfeng stood there in utter confusion.
“The Stone Dwelling Old Monster came for the supplies?”
“Stop him! Stop him quickly!”
The three Nascent Soul cultivators of the Liangzhu Kingdom immediately panicked.
Only they knew the tremendous value of what was being transported.
Sun Ning controlled the stone sphere and used Earth-Travel again, diving deep underground.
The three Nascent Soul cultivators could not intercept them and had no choice but to return to battling the Thousand Peaks Forest cultivators.
After succeeding once, Sun Ning waited patiently.
When both sides were once again locked in fierce combat, the “Stone Dwelling Old Monster” reappeared and swept away the supplies from another mechanical carriage.
“These are all Mechanical Work Platforms?”
“Wait… this… this is a Xuanyuan Nine Craft Platform?!”
Ning Zhuo was dumbfounded.
Any single Xuanyuan Nine Craft Platform was a Nascent Soul–level Mechanical Work Platform.