Stepping out of the Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy once again, Liu Bai no longer felt the same curiosity and excitement he had during his first departure. Confronted with the vast continent, what surged within him was only the free and unrestrained feeling of fish leaping in the boundless sea and birds soaring in the endless sky.
Of course, the necessary vigilance was still present. Especially the four freshmen beside Liu Bai, who had just left the academy for the first time. At this moment, each of them was incomparably tense, their sharp eyes reacting to the slightest movement in the night.
Such caution was not wrong. Danger from the outside world could strike at any time, and only those who remained vigilant could travel farther down this path.
However, being too tense was not good either.
"Brother Xu, do not stay so taut. Our journey this time will take several days. Better take some rest now. Otherwise, tomorrow you may not be able to keep up."
Beside the campfire at night, Liu Bai looked at the overly tense Xu Huang and spoke with a faint smile.
After all, this was his first time participating in such a mission, and it was from the very beginning a top-level extermination mission. Nervousness was inevitable. If he had not already endured the brutal trial of the Spiritual Road back then, Liu Bai would never have dared to bring Xu Huang to make up the numbers.
"Thank you." Xu Huang's low voice rang out.
He was not one adept at speaking. Moreover, he knew very well that his presence here was only to fill the ranks. Yet even so, there was not the slightest resentment or anger within him.
Because he knew he had truly gained an enormous fortune.
Leaving aside the rewards once the mission was completed, the experience itself would benefit him immensely. For this reason, Xu Huang's heart at this moment held only gratitude toward Liu Bai.
Watching Xu Huang head off to rest, Liu Bai merely smiled faintly.
With this, four of the top five of the Heavenly Ranking from the original story now had good relations with him. With these ties, when his two younger brothers arrived in the future, they would also be well cared for.
This was what was called planting trees so that later generations could enjoy the shade.
As for Liu Bai himself…
The truth was that he never intended to linger inside the academy for three or five years.
So long as he did not slack, breaking through to the Three Disaster Realm within two years, while difficult, was not impossible. By that time, the Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy would no longer be sufficient to support his rapid growth. That would be the time for him to depart.
An entire night passed, and after nearly ten days of travel, the two squads finally arrived within the domain of Mu City.
However, they did not rashly enter the city. Instead, they temporarily halted within a forest a hundred miles away.
"Junior Liu, according to our original plan, you will set up your formation here for an ambush. We will go lure the Fan Family's people out." Chu Lin came to Liu Bai's side and spoke.
Liu Bai pondered for a moment before responding. "If you go like that, the danger will be too great. If the Fan Family makes a full move, you will not be able to resist.
Moreover, Fan Tong possesses a spirit artifact grade flying boat with extreme speed. At that time, you will not escape his pursuit. Therefore, I suggest not sending too many people. One person alone is enough."
"One person? Would that not be even more dangerous?" The one speaking was still that same youth from before. By now Liu Bai knew his name. Wu Ting, nineteenth on the Heavenly Ranking.
Originally he should have been eighteenth, but after Liu Bai defeated Liu Xuan, everyone from thirteenth onward was pushed down one place. Thus, Wu Ting became nineteenth.
Chu Lin frowned, but very quickly understood Liu Bai's reasoning.
"No. If only one person goes, then Mu City will likely not attack directly. Instead they will follow in secret, searching for our main force and waiting for the chance to annihilate us."
Liu Bai chuckled softly. "Exactly so. But we cannot rule out other responses, so the task still carries risk."
After some hesitation, Chu Lin said, "Then let me go. Even if the Fan Family wants to capture me, it will not be so easy."
Indeed, with Chu Lin's strength, unless Fan Tong personally acted, none of the others could guarantee to stop him if he wished to retreat.
Liu Bai thought for a moment and then said, "But have you considered that if you go, once discovered, they will very likely report directly to Fan Tong. At that point, you will be in greater danger.
Therefore, I propose that the cultivation of the one who goes this time should not be too high."
Chu Lin froze at his words, then swept his gaze across the people beside Liu Bai.
In that case, the only ones who met the requirement were the four freshmen with Liu Bai.
"Then let me go." A calm voice rang out. Everyone looked over. The one who spoke was the taciturn Shen Cangsheng.
Liu Bai thought for a moment before nodding his approval.
"Though Brother Shen is only at the late-Phase Heaven Fusion Realm, even against a Heavenly Transformation Realm opponent he should still have the ability to retreat."
Even Chu Lin could not help but glance at Shen Cangsheng. To be honest, he had not expected that a freshman would volunteer for such a task. Putting aside other matters, his courage alone marked him as extraordinary.
Perhaps in the future, this one would surely rise to prominence on the Heavenly Ranking. Unfortunately, he had entered in the same year as this monstrous Liu Bai. Whether this was his fortune or his misfortune, only time would tell.
"If it is just one person, it may be too thin. Let me accompany Brother Shen." Li Xuantong spoke calmly at this time.
That was not a problem. One or two made no great difference to Mu City. After all, both Shen Cangsheng and Li Xuantong were still only seventeen or eighteen, their youthful faces carrying a touch of immaturity that could easily mislead others.
With the plan settled, preparations began.
As Shen and Li headed toward Mu City, Liu Bai concealed himself in the shadows and began to prepare the Divine Cauldron Refining Heaven Array in advance. Chu Lin meanwhile led the rest of the group to remain within the forest to rest.
Strictly speaking, whether Shen and Li or Chu Lin and the others, they were all bait. The purpose was to lure out the great fish of Mu City and then capture them in one net.
This method seemed simple, but it was exceedingly practical.
Within the forest, Liu Bai closed his eyes. A hidden fluctuation spread from his body, and within moments the entire forest for ten thousand meters was enveloped.
The range of a fifth-rank spiritual array was vast. Yet with Liu Bai's current control of the Divine Cauldron Refining Heaven Array still lacking, he could only manage this size. Any larger would risk losing control.
As the unique fluctuation rippled outward, scarlet lines of spiritual power began to appear in the sky above the forest. These lines crossed and intertwined like a vast web, forming mysterious patterns that completely covered the heavens overhead.
From a distance, Chu Lin and the others could not help but click their tongues in amazement.
A fifth-rank offensive spiritual array, being set up before their very eyes. This was their first time witnessing such a scene.
Half an hour later, once the scarlet lines had fully drawn out the structure of the Divine Cauldron Refining Heaven Array, Liu Bai's seals changed rapidly. Instantly, the glowing diagram in the sky descended, merging into the earth beneath their feet.
Currents of spiritual energy began to flow through the ground. Within a few breaths, everything settled, and the violent aura faded away.
Buzz… Buzz… Buzz…
Just as Chu Lin and the others were about to approach, sudden rumblings came from beneath the ground, followed by dozens of spiritual energy columns, each as thick as an arm, erupting violently. There were easily hundreds of them.
"This is…" Chu Lin was startled, unsure what was happening this time.
Very quickly, he saw that Liu Bai in the sky was now surrounded by countless spirit seals. Guided by the columns of light, the seals began embedding themselves one by one into the ground at the spots where the columns rose.
Each time a spirit seal successfully embedded, the corresponding column of light dimmed.
At that moment, Chu Lin and the others finally realized that these columns of light were actually the spiritual nodes of the Array.
When all six hundred spiritual seals were embedded into the earth, Chu Lin felt the entire forest tremble with spiritual energy before falling completely silent. It was as if everything that had happened moments ago had been an illusion, leaving not the slightest trace to detect.
Having completed the setup, Liu Bai beckoned to the others, then walked to the position of the extinguished fire within the formation. He said, "You will stay here. When the formation is activated, this position will not be attacked. Remember, do not go beyond this boundary. If you do, not even a deity can save you."
Hearing this, everyone nodded repeatedly, including Chu Lin.
There was no choice. This was a fifth-rank spiritual array. If they were caught inside, none of them would survive.
However, Chu Lin could not help but feel that he and the others were deliberately chosen by Liu Bai as bait.
This did not feel right. Should we not be the main force for this mission?
Time passed, minute by minute.
While Liu Bai and the others were setting up the formation, Li Xuantong and Shen Cangsheng had already arrived at Mu City, a hundred miles away.
This was also a large city, bustling with people and extremely prosperous. Various guilds and trade caravans had shops within the city. Resources and specialty products from all over Northern Heaven Continent could be found here.
Given such a busy city, two strangers entering should have gone unnoticed. Yet, within less than an hour of entering, the two were already being watched by experts from Mu City.
"How strange. Did we leave a flaw? Or do they treat everyone this way?" Feeling the vague gaze upon them, Li Xuantong could not help but wonder.
"Can we determine their location?" Shen Cangsheng sent a silent transmission to Li Xuantong.
The two walked shoulder to shoulder through the crowded streets, sometimes weaving into the crowd or entering shops, occasionally buying an item or two. Their behavior was completely ordinary, indistinguishable from anyone else.
"We cannot determine it. They must have a special method to completely hide their aura. Of course, the crowd may also be providing them cover," Li Xuantong replied.
"It seems we were detected when we approached the Fan Family mansion earlier."
As the rulers of Mu City, the Fan Family mansion was located in the innermost city. Even approaching the inner city by a hundred meters would result in being dealt with by the guards. Back then, the two had merely observed from a distance.
They never expected that even this would be noticed.
Since the opponent did not make a move, their plan appeared to have succeeded initially. Next, it was a matter of seeing how the Fan Family would respond.
After wandering the city for another two hours and confirming that the Fan Family had no intention of acting against them, Li Xuantong and Shen Cangsheng began to leave the city.
The process was smooth. The guards seemed to have received no orders, conducting normal checks, collecting exit fees, and allowing them to depart.
They returned to Liu Bai and the others at the fastest speed possible.
"The feeling of being watched is gone. Could it be that they did not follow us?" Li Xuantong could not help but ask during their journey.
"Do not concern yourself with that. Focus on completing the mission," Shen Cangsheng replied steadily.
Whether the enemy had followed them or not was irrelevant for now. Acting suspiciously could only ruin their plan.
What the two did not know was that in a shadowy area a thousand meters away, a figure was quietly lurking.
"Hehe, two little mice. There are indeed accomplices. These so-called geniuses are nothing. Their vigilance is so low. How dare they come to cause trouble in Mu City. They are truly courting death!"
Soon, he took out a black jade slip and transmitted all the information to his allies while continuing to trail behind the two.
Meanwhile, inside the Fan Family mansion in the inner city of Mu City, Fan Tong slowly set down his jade slip.
"The Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy. I did not expect them to come so soon. They are forcing my hand…"
"In that case, let us collect some interest for my son first."
At worst, he could abandon Mu City afterwards. With the Dragon Demon Palace backing him, he could continue making trouble for Northern Heaven Spiritual Academy.
"And that brat… one day, I will personally kill you and avenge my son!"
Blood surged around Fan Tong as his voice rang in the ears of all Mu City experts.
"Everyone, assemble!"
In the forest, Liu Bai stood atop a tall tree canopy. His body was covered in azure spiritual light, blending perfectly with the surrounding forest.
This was the special ability of the Green Wood Spiritual Technique. Its offensive power was limited, but it could easily connect with the aura of surrounding trees. Even those far stronger than him could not detect it.
As he waited, Liu Bai saw Shen and Li return swiftly. Seeing them unharmed, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Very soon, he detected a strange aura entering the forest. Judging by its manner, it had been following the two all the way.
.....
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