Rise of the Wang Clan: Starting with a Portable Farm

Chapter 157: Seize the Initiative

“Everyone, calm down,” Wang Hao said. “Think about what the scouts told us. Six families are preparing to attack Green Bull Market, with more than twenty Foundation Establishment cultivators and a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator sent by the Burning Heaven Sect.”

“If they divide their forces, we may be able to hold them off. But what if they concentrate on just a few of our families? Which of us could withstand that? Our alchemy inheritance makes the Wangs an attractive target. We may draw their strongest attackers.”

Wang Yanzhao considered this, then looked up at Wang Hao. “You mean the five families should join forces too?”

“Yes. Whether the enemy divides or concentrates its forces, they won’t be able to defeat us quickly if we unite.”

“That may not work,” Wang Longyou said. “This concerns more than our family. Even if we agree to abandon our ancestral land, persuading the others will be difficult.”

Wang Hao saw his point. Cultivators could leave, but much of the wealth on their family lands, such as spirit plants tended for decades or centuries, could not go with them.

And where would five families gather? Choosing one family’s stronghold would spark a long argument. Every family had a second-grade spiritual mountain, but none had a third-grade vein that could sustain so many cultivators in one place.

Wang Hao sighed. “Then we can only strike first and reduce their strength. Otherwise we will remain on the defensive, and they will keep the initiative.”

“That could work,” Wang Longyou said, the first to agree. “The other four families must know they cannot defend separately, but they will not want to abandon their lands. Striking first may be our only choice.”

Wang Yanzhao, Wang Yanzhi, and the other elders nodded in agreement.

“There’s no time to lose. Sixth Granduncle, please contact the other three families. I’ll contact the Lis. Let’s try to get two Foundation Establishment cultivators and ten late-stage Qi Refining clansmen from each family. Even if the attack goes badly, a force like that should be able to withdraw safely.”

Wang Hao and the others acted after catching the spies. The other four families had captured spies too, so it took little effort to persuade them to strike first. The Ye family and its allies were still waiting for orders from the Burning Heaven Sect, unaware of the danger approaching.

The five families had resisted demon beasts together for years and knew how to cooperate. With their survival at stake, none held back; each sent its strongest available people.

The Wang Clan sent three Foundation Establishment experts: Wang Hao, Wang Longyou, and Wang Yanzhi. Leading the Qi Refining squad was Wang Yanpeng, a Perfection-stage cultivator who had survived a failed attempt at Foundation Establishment.

Wang Yanzhao and Wang Wenyuan stayed to defend the clan. The experienced Wang Yanzhao gave the others confidence that, even if the enemy attacked before Wang Hao returned, the defenders could hold out behind the great formation for a while.

The Li Clan dispatched Li Yaozu and Li Derong.

Li Yaozu looked bitter. The Li family had been fortunate in recent years, obtaining Foundation Establishment Pills and seeing six clansmen successfully advance. Given a few more decades for those cultivators to grow stronger, the family would have expanded greatly. They might even have started a war for territory themselves if the Ye family had not acted first.

But time waited for no one.

Three of the Li family’s Foundation Establishment cultivators were overseas. Five remained at home, but two had only recently advanced with pills brought back by Li Derong and were still relatively weak. Li Yaozu therefore brought the more experienced Li Derong and left one mid-stage and two early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators to guard the family.

“Fellow Daoist Wang, we’ve discussed this,” Lei Liheng said with narrowed eyes and a smile. “We must move quickly. If we defeat two or three families, this crisis should pass. As for what we take, those who contribute more should receive more. What do you think?”

The six families of Maple Leaf Market were strong and had accumulated considerable wealth. The five families could not swallow the whole market; they only intended to seize what they could and withdraw.

Lei Liheng believed that, as a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, he might contribute more by himself than the Wangs’ three cultivators combined. He expected the Lei family to take the largest share.

“Agreed,” Wang Longyou said solemnly. “But we aren’t going there just to plunder. Don’t lose sight of why we’re fighting, or make a mistake over a few resources.”

With Wang Hao beside him and one more Foundation Establishment cultivator than the other families, Wang Longyou expected the Wangs to gain more and to be able to handle any trouble the others caused.

Lei Liheng smiled and nodded, accepting the terms.

“Is everyone here?” Wang Longyou looked around. “We must act quickly, before the Maple Leaf Market families gather. If we seize their holdings without weakening their forces, they can simply attack us afterward.”

“The Zhao Clan has not arrived,” Li Yaozu noted.

Lei Liheng’s expression remained placid. “Is that so strange? The Zhao Clan is the furthest away. The journey likely delayed them. Let us wait a bit longer.”

Since the Wang and Li families had grown closer, the other three had drawn together as well. They had arranged frequent marriages in recent years, with the Lei family becoming their informal leader. Naturally, Lei Liheng spoke up for the Zhaos.

“Fellow Daoist Lei is right. The journey took us a while. Sorry for the delay.”

A boisterous voice rang out as Zhao Gaofang and Zhao Gaoquan strode into view, leading a contingent of Zhao cultivators.

“Good. Now that everyone is here, let’s discuss our route,” Wang Hao said. “According to our information, the Ye family of Double Dragon Mountain is at the front of the six Maple Leaf Market families. Members of the others may be stationed there. We should avoid taking that risk.”

“Of the other five families, the Beishan Xu Family, the Fengcheng He Family, and the Red Maple Lake Gu Family are the strongest and will probably lead the attack on us. We should take out at least one of them. We have eleven Foundation Establishment cultivators, as well as Senior Lei at the late stage. Even the Gu family, the strongest of them, cannot withstand us.”

Wang Hao had proposed the plan and was entitled to explain it. The Wang and Li families would listen; the other three might disagree, but would not quarrel openly. They did voice their objections.

After nearly an hour of discussion, they reached an agreement.

They would attack the nearby Red Maple Lake Gu Family first, then head west to the neighboring Si Family. The Sis had only two Foundation Establishment cultivators and would be easier to defeat.

After that, they would judge the situation. If the other Maple Leaf Market families had not responded, they would attack the Hes. If the others were alerted, they would withdraw while they were ahead. Once two families and their six Foundation Establishment cultivators were gone, Maple Leaf Market would be much weaker than Green Bull Market. If its leaders had any sense, the war would not proceed.

The Red Maple Lake Gu Family had lasted more than eight hundred years, longer than any of the five Green Bull Market families. Its home lay beside Red Maple Lake, where most of its holdings were concentrated.

It took the coalition ten days to reach the Gu territory. The need for stealth had slowed their march significantly.

Lei Liheng volunteered the Lei family to lead the attack on the Gu family’s main residence.

“Fellow Daoist Wang, Fellow Daoist Li, the Gu family’s Black Wind Mountain and Clear Dew Peak both have second-grade spiritual veins. Your families are strong. Why not attack those two places?”

Like the Wangs, the Gu family would not keep all its Foundation Establishment cultivators in one place. It would station one at each of its key holdings. The five families therefore had to deal with two sites besides Red Maple Lake, which would require splitting off at least two families.