"Which man in this world doesn’t have sweet words to say? Think about it for yourself. Is it really worth losing your soul over a madman?"
"Get out! Get further away!" The Phonograph forcefully closed the outer room’s door.
Li Banfeng returned to the Portable Residence and felt the room was extremely stuffy.
HUFF. HUFF.
His wife was breathing very fast, as if there was some trouble.
"My wife, what’s happened?"
"Oh, my husband, your Little Servant is fine, just feeling a bit overheated from the Elixir."
Li Banfeng spread out the map left by Shui Yongquan. "My wife, the Local Deity really wants to start a war. This is the map of both territories, with a big mountain in the middle. There are only two passages: one canyon and one cave. The battle starts in three days. Do you think this war is winnable?"
The Phonograph stared at the map for a moment and asked, "What did this Local Deity promise you in return?"
"He said as long as we hold one passage, he’ll give us a ten-mile patch of land. I think this canyon should be defensible."
The Phonograph put the map into its machine case and projected it onto the wall with firelight. "Oh, my husband, please tell me, why do you think this canyon is defensible?"
Li Banfeng had read military-themed literary works. "On both sides of the canyon, the terrain is treacherous. If we ambush them with ten thousand soldiers, wouldn’t however many enemies come in just end up dead?"
PFFT.
His wife chuckled. "My husband is talking about the ways mortals wage war. In the struggles between Local Deities, it’s all about the Cultivators under their command. These tactics simply don’t work."
"Why wouldn’t they work?"
"First of all, where are you going to find these ten thousand soldiers? Within a hundred miles of this territory, how many living beings have cultivation levels, intelligence, and can fight? At most a hundred or two. If my husband agrees to defend the canyon for the Local Deity, he will not allocate any troops to you. You have to work with whatever people you have. My husband, how many capable fighters do you have?"
"Not many, maybe seven or eight..."
Apart from Li Banfeng and Ma Wu, only Zuo Wugang, Cao Zhida, Zhen Jincheng, and the three Straw Moth Ladies were fit for the battlefield. Xiao Chuanzi and Xiao Genzi were barely adequate.
HUFF.
The Phonograph took a breath and continued, "The enemy army entering the canyon isn’t necessarily at a disadvantage. Those with thick hides can withstand attacks. The fast ones can charge forward to engage. Those who can fly can battle in mid-air. And those who fly high enough don’t even need the canyon; they can fly directly over the mountain. My husband, you don’t understand the combat techniques of Cultivators. Occupying advantageous terrain doesn’t guarantee an advantage."
Li Banfeng scratched his head. "Then what’s the use of this major route?"
"Of course, there’s a use. Not many aberrant types can fly quickly across the mountain, and going directly over is like jumping into the tiger’s mouth.
If your Little Servant hasn’t guessed wrong, flying aberrant types will scout the canyon from above, covering the main army as it advances. That’s the proper strategy. With only those seven or eight people under your command, you’d just be cannon fodder on a Local Deity’s battlefield.
That Local Deity of yours doesn’t actually expect you to hold the canyon. He merely wants you to act as bait to delay the enemy forces. The ten-mile canyon takes a considerable time to traverse on foot. If you can engage them in combat and hold them off for twenty minutes, that will be sufficient for his plan.
Even if you fail to hold your position, he’ll have a contingency; an ambush will surely be waiting at the valley exit. As for the Local Deity himself, he will undoubtedly take the cave route. That path is much more concealed, allowing him to launch a surprise attack and directly raid the enemy’s main base, catching them completely off-guard!"
"He wants me to be bait?" Li Banfeng sat stunned for a while, then asked, "What if I don’t defend the canyon and choose the cave instead?"
"My husband, you can’t choose the cave because you’re unfamiliar with the path. If you get lost in the cave, wouldn’t you be sitting ducks?"
"What if I go through it a few more times? Won’t I become familiar with it then?"
"My husband is so stubborn. The battle starts in three days; how many times can you go through it? No matter how well you know the path, could you know it better than the aberrant types native to the land?
Being unfamiliar with the terrain is deadly on the battlefield. In the cave, where no Heavenly Light penetrates, at a critical moment, I fear you won’t even be able to find a way out.
My husband, even though you are a bit mad, you are also a clever man. You surely wouldn’t choose to defend the cave. The Local Deity has already seen through your thoughts."
Li Banfeng suddenly sat up and rubbed his forehead vigorously.
Just as Li Banfeng was about to ask, he heard his wife say, "My husband, Local Deities are ruthless beings who have lived for untold years. You must be extremely careful when dealing with them.
I observe that this Local Deity of yours isn’t very skilled in deploying troops. He could actually dispatch some of his own people to hold back the enemy army; it’s not absolutely necessary to deceive you into risking your lives. However, defending the canyon requires careful planning.
First, scatter bait to lure the enemy in. You don’t need to scatter much, but you must make a grand display. This makes the enemy want to attack yet hesitant to commit easily, fearing they might miss an opportunity if they don’t. Their indecision alone can buy a significant amount of time.
Once the enemy enters the canyon, your first targets should be those attacking from high ground—the flyers. Bring them down using covert tactics; this is to blind the enemy.
Next, target those on the lower paths—the ones who are tough but less agile. Hit them relentlessly; this is to shatter the enemy’s foundation.
Traveling Cultivators, who are generally swift, will mostly be in the middle. You must not pursue them aggressively, or you’ll suffer heavy losses. It’s even acceptable to let a few of them pass.
As long as he deploys more forces, holding out for twenty minutes isn’t too difficult. Then, with the Local Deity leading a surprise attack from the cave, he can certainly overrun the enemy’s main base."
After hearing all this, Li Banfeng kept nodding and said, "According to what my wife says, this battle isn’t too hard to fight."
"My husband!" The Phonograph shouted loudly, startling Li Banfeng so much he shivered.
"What’s the matter, my wife?"
"Your Little Servant is teaching you these things, not for you to go to war!
When Local Deities go to war, they inevitably fight to the death. If your Local Deity loses, and you can’t bear to abandon your land, you’re bound to lose your life!
I’m teaching you warfare so that you can see the situation clearly. Before the battle, go take a look at the canyon. If the Local Deity uses the wrong methods, it proves he doesn’t know how to command troops, and he is sure to lose this battle.
At that point, you must abandon the land at once and leave New Land immediately to avoid being caught in the conflict.
My husband, have you remembered what your Little Servant said?"
Li Banfeng nodded. "I’ve remembered."
"You promise me, you absolutely must not go to the battlefield!"
His wife’s voice was piercing, and Li Banfeng repeatedly nodded. "I promise."
WHIRR.
His wife’s voice softened again. "My husband, these next few days, go out less. Focus on your training and take good care of your body. Your Little Servant will find a way to get you to the Fifth Layer."
"My wife, there’s no rush for this matter."
"My husband, your Little Servant is a bit anxious."
Li Banfeng slept, surrounded by a cloud of Steam, very warm.
Upon waking, he saw his wife was also asleep. Li Banfeng sneaked out of the house and consumed a Gold Yuan Pill and a Blue Poplar Pill in the wooden hut to accumulate his cultivation level.
The Phonograph woke up and didn’t see Li Banfeng, feeling very worried, fearing he couldn’t resist the temptation and had agreed to join the Local Deity’s campaign.
Red Lotus scoffed from the outer room, "Wicked woman, knowing that your time is running out, you still talked so much with that madman. Are you giving your last words?"
"I’m afraid that madman will lose his life on the battlefield, and then none of us will be able to leave."
"All your endless nagging and instructing, even planning to take him to the Fifth Layer... Do you really see yourself as his young bride?"
"What’s it to you, you wench!"
Red Lotus snapped back, "How dare you insult me? Believe it or not, I can take your life right now!"
HUFF. HUFF.
The Phonograph was breathing rapidly; she was weak and furious.
"Wench, I can’t be bothered with you. Get lost!"
Red Lotus sighed and said, "I’m sincerely trying to save you. Let’s make a contract. As long as you’re willing to help me..."
"Get lost!"
A cloud of Steam sealed the door.
Red Lotus sensed waves of murderous intent and kept quiet.
Inside the Phonograph’s casing, the mirror slowly turned.
Li Banfeng’s face was reflected on the wall.
"No matter if it’s a thousand gold, ten thousand gold, or even ten million gold, giving it to my wife to consume doesn’t pain my heart at all."
WHIRR.
The song began to play again.
"Sweetheart,
Suddenly before my eyes,
My breath quickens,
My feelings stir for you,
I hope you will realize,
And return my longing with a string of your own."
WHIRR.
The Phonograph laughed.
PS: The wife won’t be killed off, right?
Shala shouted angrily, addressing the other Shalas, "I dare any of you to try!"