Li Banfeng nodded. "If I hold out for twenty minutes and you break your word, you will die. Even if the Contract Book can’t kill you, I will!"
Shui Yongquan burst into laughter. "What a bold statement! I trust you!"
The Contract Book was ready in an instant. Shui Yongquan dripped two dewdrops into it and said to Li Banfeng, "Your turn. Press your handprint!"
Li Banfeng bit his fingertip open and pressed his handprint.
Ghost Fire circled around, saying, "Brother Li Qi, you’ve made the pact. In three days, at five o’clock sharp at dawn, the battle begins, and you must fight for your life. Within twenty minutes, flying enemies don’t count. As long as the ground troops don’t break through the valley, it means you’ve successfully defended it. Also, let me remind you: you must get help from Brother Ma Wu. He has three Bagworm Moths under his command that might hold them back for a moment; otherwise, you won’t last even one minute."
...
Li Banfeng went to Ma Wu’s plot, took two reams of white paper and two buckets of ink, then returned to his own plot to begin printing.
After printing three hundred sheets, Li Banfeng stopped.
There was still enough paper and ink, but Li Banfeng didn’t have that much blood.
Apart from these printed images, he still had several more to draw by hand.
Li Banfeng called Clock Pendulum over to guide him in drawing.
HUFF... HUFF...
The Phonograph was unconscious, but its breathing continued.
Li Banfeng watched the flame in the oil tank and added half a bucket of fuel for his wife.
That evening, Li Banfeng went to Ma Wu’s plot, ready to discuss the upcoming battle with him.
Ma Wu, still unaware of the true situation, had his servants tidy up the gold, silver, and other portable valuables on the plot and ordered those without cultivation levels to evacuate immediately.
For the next two days, only Ma Wu, Zuo Wugang, Cao Zhida, Zhen Jincheng, Xiao Chuanzi, Xiao Genzi, and the three Straw Moth Ladies would remain on the plot.
According to Li Banfeng’s calculations, the three Straw Moth Ladies should be able to hold out for three minutes.
Zuo Wugang should be able to hold out for one minute.
The others, all together, might be able to hold out for another minute.
The Luoshui Sect could hold out for three minutes.
The remaining twelve minutes were up to Li Banfeng himself.
The valley was long. Those twenty minutes wouldn’t be entirely spent in desperate fighting, as the enemy would also need time to walk its length. The valley was ten miles long. Even if the enemy walked unhindered, it would probably take them a good ten minutes.
By this calculation, as long as there were no Traveling Cultivators on the opposing side, it wasn’t entirely hopeless.
Beyond this, another question remained: after this battle, how many would survive?
Ma Wu, unaware of the impending battle, was still thinking about defending his territory.
"Old Qi," Ma Wu said, "I’ll send Yanzi over to help guard your plot in a bit, and Old Zuo will also be there. Don’t lose your head! Once the battle starts, if you see Shui Yongquan losing, we must evacuate immediately. We can’t just hold onto the plot and die."
"Yes, yes..." Li Banfeng was somewhat distracted.
Ma Wu frowned. "This is a matter of life and death; you’ve got to pay attention."
"I am, I am paying attention..."
Ma Wu, still worried, said, "How about this? Let Cao Zhida go over there too. That kid is sharp."
Li Banfeng looked at Ma Wu carefully.
Li Banfeng shook his head. "Old Five, no one needs to go. I can handle it alone."
Ma Wu frowned. "How can you still be joking? This is war!"
"I’m not joking. I can run faster than all of you. More people would just be a burden."
Thinking it over, Ma Wu realized Li Banfeng had a point. As a Traveling Cultivator, he truly was faster.
"Old Qi, I’m just worried that you..."
"You don’t need to worry. When it’s time to run, I won’t hesitate," Li Banfeng stood up and instructed, "The battle starts in three days, at five o’clock in the morning. If I haven’t come to find you by five-thirty, it means I’ve already fled. You should hurry and escape too."
"Five o’clock?" Ma Wu frowned. "They’re only fighting for half an hour?"
"Half an hour isn’t a short time. The valley isn’t far from our plot. Once the enemy troops break through, it’ll be too late for you to escape."
Li Banfeng left Ma Wu’s plot.
He didn’t mention the upcoming battle.
PS: Li Banfeng alone, how will he hold out for those twenty minutes?