Chapter 170: Sudden Inspiration
Chapter 170: Chapter 170: Sudden Inspiration
Following the directions on the map.
The Flying Ship headed north, soon reaching a conspicuous demarcation line—a defensive fortification composed of great cities and countless fortresses.
Armored mortal Martial Artists patrolled vigilantly along this fortress-lined defense.
In the war between the Yan Kingdom and the Tuluo People, the main forces were, of course, the Cultivators from each side.
But the role of mortals was not to be underestimated. In large numbers, heavily armored Martial Artists could even threaten Low-Tier Cultivators.
Furthermore, the Tuluo People were primarily focused on raiding rather than occupation. Once war broke out, hordes of their mortals would swarm into the Yan Kingdom’s territory like ants, plundering resources like Spirit Stones, spiritual mines, and Spirit Medicines.
The Cultivators were too few in number. They also had to deal with the Tuluo Cultivators, so even if they ran themselves ragged, they couldn’t stop all the raids in time.
This was where the power of mortals had to be mobilized to deal with the raiding Tuluo mortals.
The Yan Kingdom’s Cultivators only needed to handle the Tuluo Cultivators, which greatly eased their burden.
Gazing ahead, Li Ping couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. "We’re about to enter the Grassland."
This was his first time entering the territory of an Alien Race. Although he had studied the intelligence reports in detail, he still felt an unavoidable sense of unease.
SWOOSH!
The Flying Ship shot upward and shrank to about ten feet in length, just enough for him and Yan Hengchuan to move around. Then, Li Ping threw out the Nightfall cloak, enveloping the entire vessel.
Instantly, the Flying Ship vanished into the void.
Only after doing all this did Li Ping show a satisfied expression. This Top-Grade Spiritual Artifact, excellent for concealment, was one of the key reasons he dared to venture deep into the territory of an Alien Race.
Li Ping looked at the astonished Yan Hengchuan and calmly instructed, "Hengchuan, sense Yan Liming’s aura and location now."
"Yes, Grandmaster!" Hearing this, Yan Hengchuan quickly closed his eyes and began to concentrate.
Li Ping stood to the side, a thoughtful look on his face.
’Honestly, it would be much easier if I went to capture Yan Liming alone.’
’The main reason I brought Yan Hengchuan is that only he, having practiced the ’Foundation-Seizing Method,’ can sense Yan Liming’s exact location.’
Li Ping had already made up his mind. Once they got close to Yan Liming, he would go deal with him alone. It was best for Yan Hengchuan to wait obediently at a distance.
After all, if a fight broke out, with his strength at the Peak of Qi Refining, not only would he be of no help, but he would also hold Li Ping back.
As he pondered, Li Ping checked his equipment again.
His greatest trump card was a stack of High-tier Spirit Talismans in his Storage Bag.
He had several hundred Tier Two Middle Grade Spirit Talismans, all of which he had drawn in his spare time over the past twenty-plus years.
And over a dozen Tier Two Upper Grade Furious Thunder Talismans.
Because he had rushed off to deal with Yan Liming right after breaking through to Mid-stage Foundation Establishment, he hadn’t had time to create more Tier Two Upper Grade Spirit Talismans.
However, if he activated over a dozen of them at once, their combined power would be enough to severely injure a Late-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator. If the opponent was careless, they could even be killed instantly.
「 」
A moment later, Yan Hengchuan opened his eyes and pointed to the front right. "Grandmaster, I’ve sensed him. Yan Liming is in that direction."
Li Ping nodded slightly. "Good. Let’s head over now."
The territory of the Tuluo People was vast and boundless, but most of it was desert. Only a few areas had rivers and Grasslands.
The Floating Shadow Shuttle flew for several days before reaching the location Yan Hengchuan had sensed.
But looking at the scene ahead, Li Ping couldn’t help but frown.
The location Yan Hengchuan had sensed was a vast, lush plain, where countless Tuluo tents were scattered across the land.
"We can’t go any further," Li Ping said, stopping the Flying Ship.
Yan Hengchuan looked at him, confused. "But Grandmaster, I sense Yan Liming is right below us."
"I know." Li Ping nodded. "But the Black Water Tribe has a Core Formation Cultivator presiding over it. We can’t just rush in."
According to the information he had gathered from Tianshang Immortal City.
The organizational structure of the Tuluo People was quite different from the Western Wilderness. The Western Wilderness was comprised of nations ruled by Cultivator sects, while the Tuluo People formed tribes of varying sizes around their Cultivators.
Small tribes might only have a few thousand people and a handful of Cultivators, their overall strength comparable to the Qi Refining families of the Western Wilderness.
Super-large tribes, on the other hand, had populations in the tens of millions and were overseen by Core Formation Cultivators. Their overall strength was enough to challenge an entire nation.
However, there were not many such super-large tribes. Within tens of thousands of miles of the borders of the Yan and Liang Kingdoms, there were only a few.
In terms of overall strength, the Tuluo People were naturally superior to the Yan and Liang Kingdoms.
However, the Tuluo tribes further north faced pressure from the Fire Worshipers and the Great Moon People, so they didn’t dare cross the vast distance to raid the two kingdoms.
Moreover, the Tuluo People were organized into tribes that functioned as nations, and they held ancient grudges against one another. They fought amongst themselves constantly, and their internal conflicts were no less intense than their wars with the Yan and Liang Kingdoms.
Therefore, the Tuluo People who invaded the Yan and Liang Kingdoms were usually led by a single super-large tribe, commanding an army of Cultivators and mortals from their vassal tribes.
The Yan and Liang Kingdoms could handle an army of this scale on their own.
Historically, there had been instances of several super-large Tuluo tribes joining forces to invade, but in such cases, the Daoist Guardian Alliance would rally Cultivators from other nations in the Western Wilderness to support the Liang and Yan Kingdoms.
Even then, the Tuluo People struggled to gain an advantage.
The tribe that now appeared before Li Ping was called ’Black Water,’ and it was one of those super-large tribes.
According to the intelligence he had gathered, the Black Water Tribe had two Core Formation Cultivators in residence and several hundred Foundation Establishment Cultivators. In terms of strength, it was fully comparable to Fenglan Immortal City.
Although the Core Formation Cultivators of the Black Water Tribe had Magical Treasures that were less potent than those from the Western Wilderness due to a scarcity of Spiritual Objects, dealing with a mere Foundation Establishment Cultivator like him would still be effortless.
How could Li Ping possibly dare to rush into the Black Water Tribe’s territory?
「 」
’But if I don’t dare to go in, why does Yan Liming?’
’What exactly is he doing here in the Black Water Tribe?’
’A trade? Or some other purpose?’
’Why haven’t the Tuluo People dealt with him?’
’You have to understand, Alien Races don’t care if you follow the Righteous Dao or are a Demon Cultivator.’
A flood of questions filled his mind. After a moment of thought, Li Ping looked at Yan Hengchuan. "Are you sure Yan Liming is here?"
After hearing from Li Ping that a Core Formation Cultivator was presiding over the Black Water Tribe, Yan Hengchuan had been too frightened to speak.
Now, hearing Li Ping’s question, he quickly closed his eyes to sense again for a moment before answering with certainty, "He is in this tribe!"
Li Ping spoke with a grave expression, "Alright, Hengchuan. I’m going to pilot the Flying Ship in a circle around the Black Water Tribe’s territory. Sense carefully and mark Yan Liming’s position on the map!"
"No problem, Grandmaster!" Yan Hengchuan took the map, studied it carefully, and then replied in earnest.
The Black Water Tribe’s territory was quite expansive. Piloting the Floating Shadow Shuttle, it took Li Ping the better part of half a day to complete a full circle.
Yan Hengchuan also successfully used his senses to lock onto Yan Liming’s precise location.
But after seeing his markings, Li Ping was even more surprised.
Yan Liming was located right in the core area of the Black Water Tribe—a place generally inhabited by the tribe’s Cultivators.
In other words, Yan Liming had not only brazenly infiltrated the Black Water Tribe but also dared to show himself directly to the Tuluo Cultivators.
’Could it be that he has connections with the Tuluo People and is being treated as a guest?’ Li Ping couldn’t help but wonder.
If that were the case, he would have even less reason to rush in and attack.
Once a fight started, the other party would likely call for a large number of helpers. He would be outnumbered and overwhelmed, with death as the only outcome.
Li Ping considered whether he should capture a Low-Tier Tuluo Cultivator and use Soul Searching to understand the situation.
But then he had another thought.
’Yan Liming is a Core Formation Cultivator who has been reborn through Possession. Given his past network, he’s most likely interacting with High-tier Cultivators in the Black Water Tribe. A Low-Tier Cultivator probably wouldn’t even know he’s here.’
’Besides, if the Black Water Tribe’s leadership notices a missing Cultivator, it would alert the enemy and make Yan Liming wary.’
Right now, Yan Hengchuan could sense Yan Liming’s location, while Yan Liming was completely unaware of Yan Hengchuan’s presence.
He was in the shadows, while his opponent was in the open.
This was his greatest advantage in dealing with Yan Liming on this trip, and he wasn’t about to give it up easily.
Thinking of this, he made a decision without hesitation. "Hengchuan, we’re turning back. We’ll find a place to wait. We’ll make our move after Yan Liming leaves the Black Water Tribe."
In Li Ping’s view, Yan Liming was a member of the Human Race, unlike the Tuluo People. His cultivation depended on Spirit Veins.
He couldn’t stay in a place without a Spirit Vein for long and delay his cultivation. Sooner or later, he would have to leave the Black Water Tribe and return to the Western Wilderness.
When he left, that would be Li Ping’s time to strike.
Once Li Ping made a decision, Yan Hengchuan naturally wouldn’t object.
Soon, the Illusion Shuttle came to a stop in a canyon, and the two of them sat cross-legged inside the Flying Ship to wait.
To keep his Magical Power at its peak, Li Ping even stopped drawing Spirit Talismans.
As he meditated, he remained deeply puzzled by the fact that Yan Liming was apparently interacting with High-tier Cultivators from the Black Water Tribe.
He couldn’t figure out why Yan Liming would appear in the territory of the Tuluo People.
And according to Yan Hengchuan’s senses, he had arrived here over a year ago.
’Why would he come here and give up his own cultivation? What’s he after?’ Li Ping couldn’t help but wonder.
After cultivating the Nine Tribulations True Spirit Scripture, a top-tier technique for the Dual Cultivation of Body and Technique, he would occasionally have a Sudden Inspiration, causing him to fixate on seemingly insignificant matters.
For instance, the reason he had rushed here to deal with Yan Liming immediately after his breakthrough was that he had a faint feeling that if he didn’t kill Yan Liming now, he might never get another chance.
And now, for another example, he had another faint feeling that whatever Yan Liming was doing could have a significant impact on his own safety.
’After I capture Yan Liming, I must torture his soul and force him to reveal the purpose of his trip!’ Li Ping thought to himself.
A Core Formation Stage Cultivator’s Divine Soul was far stronger than his own.
He probably couldn’t perform Soul Searching on Yan Liming. He would have to rely on various methods to torment Yan Liming’s Divine Soul and force him to talk.