Chapter Twenty: Flaw
“Difficult! If the county authorities really pursue this matter, we might escape, but our families will surely be implicated. Since that man named Xue intended to conscript us from the very beginning, he must not fear our escape!” Chen Jie shook his head as he spoke.
“We’ll just take things as they come. When the time comes, just don’t rush to the front. If you can lie down, don’t stand up!” Qin Yi said.
“Junior Brother Qin is right!” The others all nodded in agreement.
...
Seven days passed quietly. During that time, Qin Yi’s supply convoy made four or five trips transporting provisions.
The county troops continued to clash with the rebels. As expected, most of the rebels were comprised of vagrants; their combat ability and weaponry were inferior to the county army. However, in recent days, the rebels had avoided direct confrontations, instead relying on their numerical advantage to launch attacks from multiple fronts, drawing out the county forces and winning a few small victories by overwhelming smaller groups.
Sanjian County, the county office.
This was currently the command center for the rebels in Sanjian County.
“Seven days, and now our fifth elite squad has been wiped out along the enemy’s supply route! So far, we haven’t managed to seriously damage the enemy’s logistics. We don’t even know how our five squads were destroyed!” The rebel commander, Cao Mengxiong, spoke grimly.
Of the first elite squad, only two men escaped; none of the other four squads survived. According to the two survivors, a single formidable foe had slaughtered half their squad. But what about the other four squads?
“I propose we activate the undercover agents that the Sacred Envoy has planted in Jinyuan County. The Sacred Envoy has mentioned that one of his servants, a practitioner at the sixth tier, is still in hiding there. If necessary, we can deploy him as well,” said Deputy Commander Peng Dahai in a low voice.
His son had died in Cangwu Town, and after an investigation, it seemed a masked man in the uniform of the Azure Dawn Daoist Temple was responsible.
That was a blood debt he was determined to repay.
All the more reason to defeat the county army swiftly, and then destroy the Azure Dawn Daoist Temple.
“No, the Sacred Envoy has said that unless absolutely necessary, these undercover agents must not be used,” Cao Mengxiong objected, shaking his head.
“Brother Cao, you misunderstand me. The Sacred Envoy also said that, at critical moments, they may be used! All five of our elite squads were lost along the enemy’s supply routes. I suspect the enemy has sent a master to escort their provisions! Each of our squad leaders was at the third tier, and every member at the first, all equipped with warhorses. Whoever could wipe them out can’t be ordinary soldiers!”
“If we can use the undercover agents to identify the targets, and then have the Sacred Envoy’s servant kill them—or even burn the county army’s granary—”
“That could be the key to our victory!” Peng Dahai’s tone was fervent.
Cao Mengxiong pondered for a moment after hearing this. “You have a point. Very well, deploy the agents.”
...
Jinyuan County town.
Inside a humble residence.
“Sir, the investigation is complete. We have narrowed it down to all the members of the second supply convoy,” Chen Chengquan respectfully reported to the gray-clad figure before him.
Though this man was outwardly just the Sacred Envoy’s servant, Chen dared not show the slightest disrespect—after all, even as a servant, he was a practitioner at the sixth tier!
“Tell me how you’re so certain,” rasped the gray-clad man.
“There are four supply convoys in total. Over the past seven days, the other three have all failed to deliver provisions to the front lines, and some were even wiped out completely. Only the second convoy has succeeded each time.”
“Moreover, according to intelligence from our informants, the second convoy was attacked five times. Apart from heavy casualties the first time, most of them survived the next four attacks. It’s highly suspicious! Therefore, I conclude that our five elite squads were eliminated by someone—or several people—from the second supply convoy.”
“Not bad analysis,” the gray-clad man nodded.
“It seems then that either there is a master hidden among the second convoy, or a master is secretly escorting them.”
“Sir, what are your orders?” Chen Chengquan inquired.
“Naturally, we’ll test which possibility it is. Tonight, we slaughter the second supply convoy, and see if there’s a master hiding among them,” the gray-clad man said coldly.
“By the way, you’re sure the old priest from the Azure Dawn Daoist Temple and that bald monk from Buddha’s Radiance Monastery haven’t left the mountain?” he asked.
“They haven’t!” Chen Chengquan replied with absolute certainty.
“Good.” The gray-clad man nodded.
At present, there were three sixth-tier practitioners in Jinyuan County: one from the Azure Dawn Daoist Temple, one from Buddha’s Radiance Monastery, and the old county magistrate. But all three were advanced in age and past their prime.
In other words, unless it was one of these three, any master lurking in the shadows could at most be at the fifth tier. Against his own sixth-tier strength, he was confident of victory.
“Also, notify all agents to prepare in advance. Tomorrow night, we’ll see if we can burn the enemy’s granary. Tonight, I’ll select a group of agents to act with me,” the gray-clad man continued.
“I’ll arrange it at once!”
...
Night.
Inside the room allotted to the supply convoy.
Qin Yi had not yet gone to sleep.
“Status panel!”
Qin Yi:
Five Energies Return to Origin Fist: Consummate (Fivefold Power)
Pivot Star Palm: Consummate
Yao Guang Footwork: Consummate (Leaping Movement)
Azure Void Skill: Beginner+
Energy Points: 91
“Too bad I haven’t learned any new martial arts yet,” Qin Yi sighed to himself. The energy points above were all gained by requisitioning a batch of warhorses recently.
“Should I try upgrading this Azure Void Skill?”
According to Senior Brother Zhao, the Azure Void Skill was a daily requirement at Azure Dawn Daoist Temple, though it was said not to be very useful. At its advanced stages, it only made one more energetic and perhaps contributed to longevity.
“Longevity? That’s better than nothing!” With so many energy points now, using a few wouldn’t hurt.
“Upgrade!”
He saw the panel decrease by two energy points, and a cool sensation spread through his mind.
This process lasted five minutes.
Qin Yi:
Five Energies Return to Origin Fist: Consummate (Fivefold Power)
Pivot Star Palm: Consummate
Yao Guang Footwork: Consummate (Leaping Movement)
Azure Void Skill: Guard the One+
Energy Points: 89
“So this Azure Void Skill requires two points just to get started?”
More importantly, apart from his mind feeling clearer, there seemed to be no other change!
Looking at his energy points, Qin Yi decided to continue.
“Upgrade!”
He upgraded twice in a row, consuming twelve energy points in total.
“Hoo... wonderful!” A wave of coolness, several times greater than before, surged into his mind—it was like swimming in icy water in the middle of a desert.
Twenty minutes later.
“I do feel significantly more clear-headed! And it seems there’s a faint flow of energy in my dantian... is that an illusion?” Qin Yi frowned.
He tried to control this internal “energy,” but it seemed both present and not, leaving him rather puzzled.
Could this be what Senior Brother Zhao meant by Azure Void Skill nurturing one’s vitality?
He tried performing the Five Energies Return to Origin Fist again.
“It still doesn’t seem to have improved my strength at all!”
Qin Yi:
Five Energies Return to Origin Fist: Consummate (Fivefold Power)
Pivot Star Palm: Consummate
Yao Guang Footwork: Consummate (Leaping Movement)
Azure Void Skill: Embryonic Breath
Energy Points: 77
“Embryonic Breath! I’ve already reached the same realm as the temple master!”
But when he noticed the plus sign had disappeared after Azure Void Skill, he was momentarily taken aback.