After dealing with Xu Wenwu, the issue of supplies was back before Wei Yuan once more.
The few prominent figures who had already arrived had all come empty-handed, and none of them considered supplies to be a problem in the slightest. To them, as long as they could recover spiritual qi, that was enough. Qingming expanded its boundary realm extremely fast; once the boundary realm stretched to two or three hundred li, the spiritual qi within it would suffice for several people to cultivate simultaneously.
Leave alone mortals; even ordinary cultivators were considered by Zhang Sheng and Ji Liuli to be of little use. All they needed to do was perform some chores and dirty work, and stay far out of the way during battles so they wouldn't be a hindrance.
These lofty immortals were impervious to reason on worldly matters, but Wei Yuan bore heavy responsibilities and had to consider every angle. He fully agreed with Xu Wenwu's views on supplies. Now, the final glimmer of hope could only be pinned on Cui Yu.
As an outstanding figure of the Cui family's younger generation, this young master had always liked calling upon friends and traveling with an entourage. Thus, if he came, he would most likely bring a bunch of fair-weather cronies along, meaning he couldn't travel quickly on the road. And where there were many people, bringing supplies was inevitable.
In truth, Cui Yu genuinely wished the best for these companions of his. He dragged them all over the place to temper themselves, earning merit points together and braving dangers together, so that they wouldn't truly turn into useless playboys.
After slaying Xu Guanwen, Wei Yuan had carefully examined the map, discovering that both the airship route to Hanyang Pass and the overland route to the former Ningxi Commandery were entirely under the Xu family's control. Transporting supplies here from the Palace of Grand Beginning would probably not be so easy.
Therefore, Wei Yuan attached exceptional importance to supplies, though he didn't harbor much hope either, only hoping the powerful figures he had summoned would bring some along in their luggage. As for the routine transport routes from the Palace of Grand Beginning, Wei Yuan figured they would likely be paralyzed.
Still, considering that the lofty immortals before him were all peerless geniuses of their generation in the Palace of Grand Beginning and rarely gathered in one place, it would truly be a waste not to pull off something big. At that thought, Wei Yuan suddenly had a not-so-fully-formed idea.
Clearing his throat, he said, "This is the record of my slaying a Great Shaman last time. Take a look first. Perhaps we can earn some more heavenly merits?"
Heavenly merits? Xiaoyu's ears instantly pricked up.
A record of slaying a Great Shaman—Zhang Sheng, Ji Liuli, and Bao Yun all turned solemn, intently watching the imagery recorded by Wei Yuan's primordial spirit. Only Xiaoyu was a bit bewildered. How did the conversation jump straight to heavenly merits? Wasn't that moving a bit fast?
Everyone remained completely silent until they had watched the entire battle unfold, only then asking a few crucial questions. Wei Yuan naturally explained that an Immortal Monarch had first struck from afar to tear apart the dharma idol, and then a remnant sliver of malicious thought from an ancient immortal had been used to obliterate the Great Shaman's sea of consciousness. Those were the key factors in slaying the Great Shaman.
Next, the group examined the corpse, gelatinous substance, and white chrysalis left behind by the Great Shaman.
Zhang Sheng asked, "What are your thoughts?"
Wei Yuan said, "The world here is shattered, and a fragment of a grotto-heaven lies a few hundred li away, making it impossible for the Shamans to divine this place or its karmic ties. Moreover, I set down Qingming less than two days ago, so the Shamans might think powerful reinforcements wouldn't arrive so quickly. They are colluding with the Xu family, so if a True Person of the Dharma Idol realm were to enter the Shattered Lands, they would likely know immediately. Therefore, they most probably believe that we currently have no Dharma Idol holding down the fort."
At this point, Wei Yuan glanced at Xiaoyu and said, "The only reinforcement who arrived in time was a sword cultivator, and in the end, both of us were sealed. Therefore, the defenses of our boundary realm right now should appear exceptionally hollow."
Xiaoyu snorted and retorted crossly, "What kind of sword cultivator do you call yourself?"
Wei Yuan didn't bicker with him over the matter. Saying too much would only invite a lecture about respecting one's teachers and the Dao; after all, the one most offended by that was Zhang Sheng.
Wei Yuan continued, "With the Shamans' capabilities, they should soon discover that the previous Great Shaman actually died to an Immortal Monarch's methods. Once a trump card like that is played, it's gone. So right now, another Great Shaman might well be lurking in the vicinity, waiting to see whether we have any more cards like that.
"Barring any accidents, they will probe us multiple times today. As long as we let that Great Shaman see we truly have no more trump cards, he will most likely make a move, and very possibly charge straight into the boundary realm. After all, if he delays any longer, reinforcements from the palace could arrive at any moment, and he will lose this prime opportunity to uproot us entirely."
Ji Liuli asked, "How do you plan to feign weakness?"
Wei Yuan had already thought it through: "When the Shamans come, Xiaoyu and I will lead troops to meet them in battle, suffer a crushing defeat, flee back to the boundary realm severely wounded, and then pretend we're trying to pull up the boundary stone and flee. That Great Shaman certainly won't sit idly by and let us take the boundary stone, so he will most likely step in to seize it. Once he enters the boundary realm, we all strike together—perhaps we can make him stay for good."
Ji Liuli nodded. "Though simple, this plan is feasible, but it has a few minor flaws. In a moment, I will lay down a new feng shui formation to add a trait of 'wishes fulfilled' to your boundary realm. With good fortune on your side, Little Wei Yuan, bring out a bit more of your karmic destiny, and I'll set up a karmic destiny angling formation. There's no fear that fellow won't take the bait."
Wei Yuan handed over his last wisp of karmic destiny. A small pagoda appeared in Ji Liuli's hand, suppressing the karmic destiny, and then she busied herself with the preparations. Naturally, she had brought the spiritual materials needed for array formation with her.
Bao Yun also spoke up: "I will scout the surroundings to see if I can locate where the Great Shaman is hiding. If I find him, I can use my Precious Tree to secretly influence him, making him irritable, quick-tempered, and prone to reckless impulse."
Hearing this, Wei Yuan felt a lingering chill in his heart, once again realizing the importance of examining oneself three times a day. Otherwise, against enemies like Ji Liuli and Bao Yun, one might fall into a trap without even realizing it, led around by the nose while completely oblivious.
Bao Yun's figure vanished. Zhang Sheng said, "I need to set up a sword formation in advance. If that Great Shaman dares to enter, I will make him learn a hard lesson."
The three dispersed to attend to their tasks, leaving only Xiaoyu with nothing to do. Without saying a word, he cradled his sword and followed Wei Yuan around, determined to watch everything Wei Yuan did and how he did it, committing it all to memory so he wouldn't accidentally fall victim to this seemingly honest fellow's tricks again in the future.
By then, Yun Feifei had returned with her people, having set up dozens of warning traps along the main path the Shamans would take. Over on the other side, Xu Wan'er had led a team to fell over a hundred trees and was currently hauling them back one by one.
Wei Yuan selected thirty people from among the cultivators, all at the great perfection of Body Casting, appointed two Dao Foundation cultivators as captain and vice-captain, and reorganized their equipment. Distributing a portion of the spoils from the secret vault, he fully outfitted the squad. Then, Wei Yuan ordered them to rest and meditate, conserving energy and spirit in preparation for the coming battle.
Once the preparations were complete, Xiaoyu noticed Wei Yuan looking somewhat downcast and asked, "What is it?"
Wei Yuan sighed softly. "If a Great Shaman truly is nearby, we will soon have to retreat in defeat into the boundary realm. Many among these people will surely die. I can't shake the feeling that this time, I am the one pushing them to their deaths."
Xiaoyu fell silent for a moment before saying, "If the Great Shaman isn't eliminated, they will die sooner or later anyway. In the earlier battle, didn't even more people die?"
Wei Yuan shook his head. "It's not the same. When a great battle erupts, who lives and who dies is in the hands of fate. But this time, I must personally pick the people sent to die."
Xiaoyu didn't know how to comfort him either and could only remain silent. Wei Yuan shook his head, casting his gloomy thoughts aside. No matter how much his heart couldn't bear it, those who had to die would die—and the casualties couldn't be too light either, or the Great Shaman would spot the flaw and refuse to take the bait. If only he and Xiaoyu fought, it wouldn't convey the feeling that they had thrown everything they had into the fight.
A moment later, Bao Yun appeared before Wei Yuan and said, "Found him. He is hiding in the woods to the northwest, currently in the form of a small lizard. I've already quietly planted a seed on him, which will take effect gradually in half an hour. I just don't know whether this is his true body or merely an avatar for scouting. In addition, a large force of Shamans is marching from the west and is expected to arrive in an hour."
With Bao Yun, every movement of the Shamans was laid bare before their eyes. Wei Yuan immediately had Yun Feifei and Xu Wan'er take the remaining cultivators to process the timber and put together a batch of simple wooden huts. The construction site was in the designated disciple quarter, specifically located along the route of the Shaman army's approach, where the boundary realm had not yet reached.
Wei Yuan instructed them to flee straight back into the boundary realm the moment the Shamans appeared.
This was standard protocol, so Yun Feifei and Xu Wan'er both agreed, leading their people to dress the logs and haul the timber.
The several dozen cultivators still did not know their true role. Shouldering sawn timbers, they headed toward the designated spot. The construction site was thirty li from the boundary realm's edge, utterly unprotected and exceedingly dangerous.
The cultivators worked swiftly. In less than an hour, the framing for a row of ten wooden huts had already been raised. Because they were building homes they would soon live in, the cultivators worked with fiery enthusiasm. Though made of wood, the huts were neatly constructed.
Just then, the distant dense forest abruptly went silent.
Several experienced cultivators immediately grew alert, halting their work to look toward the dense woods. At the forest's edge, several venomous lizards slowly emerged, bearing warriors armed with shields and axes on their backs.
"Shamans!" someone shouted. The sharper cultivators dropped what was in their hands and ran. Two of them were reluctant to abandon the newly built huts; hesitating for a fraction of a second and running too slowly, they were instantly pinned to the ground by long arrows!
Waves of Shaman warriors poured from the dense forest like a rising tide. Not a single one of the warning traps set by Yun Feifei had triggered—evidently, an expert among the Shamans had disarmed them all.
With the venomous lizard riders as the vanguard, this Shaman force moved with blinding speed, quickly closing in on the fleeing human cultivators ahead.
Just then, Wei Yuan and Xiaoyu charged out of the boundary realm. Wei Yuan launched several flaming immortal swords while hurling out a few cauldrons. The cauldrons still gleamed with golden light, packing immense force, smashing the dozen or so venomous lizard riders at the very front into meat paste in a single breath. But the immortal swords were far weaker; their flames were dim, barely able to stay lit, and seven swords hurled out managed to pierce only four riders to death.
On the other side, Xiaoyu unleashed several waves of solar flares, sweeping away dozens of riders in the lead in an apparently formidable display. Yet previously, killing these men would have taken him just a single strike.
With Wei Yuan and Xiaoyu bringing up the rear, the main body of cultivators was able to flee back into the boundary realm. Immediately afterward, another squad of cultivators charged out of the realm; neatly equipped and noticeably superior in fighting strength, they formed a battle array at the realm's edge.
Shaman soldiers continued to flood from the dense forest—in the blink of an eye, their numbers had reached six thousand!
Several noble warriors at the late Dao Foundation stage flew up from the army, pouncing ferociously upon Wei Yuan and Xiaoyu. The two fought back desperately, but with their immortal swords vastly diminished in power and facing numerically superior enemies, they struggled bitterly and gradually fell into a disadvantage, forced to fight while retreating toward the boundary realm.
This time, the Shaman army did not pause, charging straight toward the boundary realm.
Chapter 134