Chapter 189: Xuanxiang Array
Chapter 189: Chapter 189: Xuanxiang Array
The column continued south.
Zhu Ge rode on Mazhu’s back, the Purgatory Star Rod in hand, his gaze periodically sweeping toward the distant, cloud-piercing Eagle Mountain.
Amidst the clouds and mist at the summit, a circling black silhouette never disappeared. It was like an eye suspended overhead, coldly watching the vast, marching column.
’If I could, I’d love to use that eagle for some staff practice,’ Zhu Ge thought.
Both staffs and spears were weapons one could use with basic proficiency from the start, but to master them, to reach a state of perfection, required a great deal of grinding and patient effort.
’The more I practice, the better I’ll get.’
"Brother, that eagle is watching us." Hua Liusha’s voice, tinged with gravity, echoed in his mind. "It’s been watching ever since we left Shayi Dam."
Hua Liusha’s Yin Qi was incredibly useful. She herself was like a signal tower, and each wisp of Yin Qi was like a cell phone, all interconnected.
It allowed her to manage the Six Paths Palace and communicate telepathically with Zhu Ge, which was extremely convenient.
"How long has it been watching?" Zhu Ge asked.
"An hour," Hua Liusha replied, her voice serious. "It’s flying too high for my Yin Qi to reach. I can only judge by its aura."
"Besides, its aura is very stable. It doesn’t seem like it’s about to attack. It’s more like... it’s observing!"
Zhu Ge’s brow furrowed slightly.
’Observing?’
’A Third Realm Demon Beast, facing a column of more than two thousand people, chooses to observe instead of attack?’
’That’s not normal.’
Most Demon Beasts were hot-tempered and fiercely territorial. This was especially true for Third Realm Demon Beasts, which would never tolerate another power wandering near their domain.
Why did the Sword and Axe Mantis attack him before? Because it held a grudge.
Most Demon Beasts don’t hold a grudge overnight, because they take their revenge the very same night.
’So, this eagle’s reaction is far too calm!’
"Keep an eye on it. Tell me immediately if anything changes."
"Understood."
Zhu Ge recalled his Heart Spirit and looked back at the column behind him.
Two thousand four hundred people marched in a long column along the winding mountain path.
Zhao Tieshan led the Martial Artists at the very front. Li Qingquan and the Confucian Scholars followed close behind. Ma San Dao brought up the rear with the hardened soldiers from Dog Street and the regular Soldiers.
Though the formation wasn’t perfectly neat and some people still walked out of position, it was a vast improvement compared to when they had first set out.
"Palace Master Zhu!" Zhao Tieshan galloped over from the front, cupped his fist, and said:
"We’re fifteen li from the base of Eagle Mountain. Eagle City is just on the other side of the mountain. However, our hunter-scouts have found signs of heavy Demon Beast activity along the way—a great many of them, at least ten thousand."
’Looks like we’re almost there.’
Zhu Ge nodded. "Have the column slow down. Stay vigilant."
"Yes, sir!" Zhao Tieshan spurred his horse and rode back.
The column’s pace slowed. Twenty-four hundred people held their breath, their focus sharpening. No one spoke.
Only the sound of footsteps and rolling wheels echoed through the silent mountain forest.
After about another hour of walking, the view ahead suddenly opened up.
Eagle Mountain was right before their eyes.
The mountain was much larger than Zhu Ge had imagined.
It was cone-shaped, rising at least a thousand zhang from base to peak. The portion above the mountainside was perpetually shrouded in clouds and mist, its true appearance hidden from view.
The mountain face was riddled with caves of all sizes. From a distance, it looked like a honeycomb, so dense and numerous it made one’s skin crawl.
"There are Demon Beasts living in those caves," Liu Jianjian whispered, leaning closer.
"I’ve been here before. Back then, there were only a few caves at the summit, home to that eagle and a few of its offspring. Now there are so many down the mountain too. It seems this eagle has been busy expanding its territory over the years."
Zhu Ge gazed at the caves, lost in thought. "So before, Eagle City and Eagle Mountain minded their own business?"
"Right." Liu Jianjian nodded. "Master, I suspect the eagle and Eagle City are putting on a show..."
’A show?’
Zhu Ge and Liu Jianjian exchanged a glance.
’This little porcupine has her moments of genius?’
Mistaking Zhu Ge’s look for a question, Liu Jianjian ventured a guess.
"Think about it, Master. Of all the cities in Red River Prefecture, only a few were left untouched. Could it be like the situation between Jianshui City and the Sword and Axe Mantis?"
Jianshui City and the Sword and Axe Mantis had originally been at a stalemate, but that was no longer the case—the Sword and Axe Mantis had become Liu Jianjian’s little pet.
"Not bad. I suspected as much for a while now," Zhu Ge nodded. "That’s why I came here to train the troops."
He wasn’t just humoring Liu Jianjian; he really had suspected it.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have chosen to train his troops here.
After all, training troops meant there would be casualties, but training against this eagle might result in slightly fewer losses.
"So that’s how it is!" Liu Jianjian’s eyes lit up with understanding, then filled with admiration.
"Master, you’re amazing! You know everything!"
"So, how are we going to fight later?"
’How are we going to fight?’
To be honest, Zhu Ge himself was just an armchair strategist.
He had always fought alone. His only experience with group combat was when he used [Spider] to plot against the Raincoat Fisherman.
’A real battlefield?’
’I can’t just use [Spider] for every single battle, can I?’
Although he had already planned out his entire strategy while using the [Spider] trait...
...the actual execution would be different from the plan.
’Perhaps I’ll know once we’ve fought a real battle.’
At this thought, Zhu Ge had Hua Liusha give the order to halt the column, then called out in a clear voice:
"Everyone, prepare for battle!"
’Prepare for battle?!’
Everyone was stunned.
There wasn’t a single beast in sight. What battle were they preparing for?
Fortunately, every person had a wisp of Hua Liusha’s Yin Qi in their minds, so they followed her instructions and began to prepare.
Preparing for battle meant gripping their weapons tightly, adjusting their leather armor, and generally getting into peak condition to be on alert for the coming enemy.
"Hurry, hurry, prepare for battle, prepare for battle."
"Uncle Niu, can you help me with the straps on this leather armor? I can’t seem to get them tight."
"Xiaoli, my straw sandal has a hole in it. You think something will bite me?"
A brief wave of chaos swept through the column, but then, following Zhu Ge’s directions, they began to move one by one.
"We will meet the enemy with the Xuanxiang Array first! Everyone, memorize this Array. From now on, when I say Xuanxiang Array, this is what I mean!"
Zhu Ge announced loudly.
Hua Liusha had also read the Eight Armored Arrays and naturally understood the variations of the Xuanxiang Array. With the addition of Zhu Ge’s explanation, she used her Yin Qi to notify the Soldiers, and they immediately began to shift their positions.
It was, after all, their first time using an Array. Zhu Ge, Hua Liusha, and the Soldiers were all a bit flustered.
That was only to be expected.
Unfortunately, Zhu Ge didn’t have much time to prepare. After using [Spider] to lay out his plans, he had discovered some suspicious points, which meant he had to establish his own power base as quickly as possible.
Only by establishing his own power base could he hope to deal with the increasingly tangled and complex situation.
In times of peace, Zhu Ge could have taken his time drilling the Soldiers.
But alas, now they could only be forged in the crucible of battle.
He didn’t know how many of these two thousand-plus people would survive.
Of course, those who did survive would undoubtedly become the elite seeds of Zhu Ge’s future forces.
"Everyone, memorize your positions in the Xuanxiang Array. Next, memorize another formation... the Round Array!"