Rise of the Wang Clan: Starting with a Portable Farm

Chapter 158: Interests and Ambush

Lei Liheng wanted to lead the main attack because he wanted a larger share of the spoils.

They had agreed that the main attacking force would face the greatest resistance and risk, so it would receive an additional tenth of the gains and the first choice of what was taken.

And once his people entered the Gu family stronghold, who could know exactly what they found? They could keep some of it for themselves, increasing their take even further.

Lei Liheng would take the Zhao and Cheng families to Red Maple Lake, while the Wangs and Lis attacked the Gu family’s two other second-grade spiritual veins. Red Maple Lake was the family’s main residence and held valuable resources, but the three families there would have to divide what they found. Their gains might not exceed what the Wangs and Lis obtained.

Li Yaozu did not see it that way. Ordinarily, only one Foundation Establishment cultivator would guard each of the other mountains, but no one knew whether that cultivator was at the early or late stage. There was also a defensive formation and a large number of Qi Refining cultivators. The Li family had only twelve people here and might fail to take a mountain on its own.

“Fellow Daoist Lei, we came to weaken the Gu family. Why not attack Red Maple Lake with our full strength and deal with the other two places afterward?”

Wang Longyou said gravely, “The Gu family has an inheritance in formations. Its defensive formations will surely be strong. We really shouldn’t divide our forces.”

Lei Liheng was unconcerned. “Why are you praising the enemy and belittling yourselves? My Lei family is no pushover.”

He produced two visibly damaged artifacts that appeared to be upper-tier second-grade.

“These are self-detonating spiritual weapons,” he said. “Their power is nearly that of Array Breaking Talismans. Take one each to help you break the formations.”

Wang Longyou wanted to say more, but Wang Hao stopped him.

Lei Liheng had made up his mind. He wanted the Gu family’s formation inheritance and did not want the Wangs or Lis to obtain it. As soon as interests had to be divided, trouble began.

Wang Hao smiled. “Then we’ll attack Clear Dew Peak.”

Once they had settled on the plan, the groups parted. “We all move after dark tomorrow,” Lei Liheng said.

He took the Cheng and Zhao families toward Red Maple Lake.

Wang Hao watched them go and shook his head. He turned to Li Yaozu and Li Derong.

“If we attack one site together, we can probably take it easily. If we split up, something could go wrong. Let’s take Clear Dew Peak first, then go to Black Wind Mountain together. We can divide what we gain equally.”

Li Derong was surprised. The Wangs had three Foundation Establishment cultivators, yet Wang Hao was offering to split their gains evenly with the Lis.

She was about to refuse, but Li Yaozu accepted first.

“Young Friend Wang knows what matters,” he said, his contempt for the other three families plain. “At a time like this, they’re still fighting over profits.”

He took out a stack of talismans. “I won’t let the Wangs lose out. The Lis will provide the talismans for this attack.”

Wang Longyou nodded in approval. “Then let us depart.”

The two families planned to join forces and overwhelm Clear Dew Peak, but events did not go as expected.

When they arrived at Clear Dew Peak, they saw a group of people heading up the mountain.

Their clothing identified them as Gu family cultivators.

The sight alarmed everyone.

“Did the Gu family learn of our plan and reinforce its defenses?” Li Yaozu asked.

“I don’t think so,” Wang Hao said after watching them. “They aren’t acting as if they’re in a hurry. They may not be reinforcements.”

He thought for a moment. “They were already planning to attack us. Perhaps they’re gathering their people now, and Clear Dew Peak is one of the assembly points.”

Everyone turned to look at him.

“That’s possible,” Wang Longyou said, calming himself. “The group came from the west, where Black Wind Mountain lies.”

Li Yaozu relaxed. “Then we can save ourselves some trouble. Once we take Clear Dew Peak, Black Wind Mountain won’t be much of a threat.”

“But the extra people will make Clear Dew Peak harder to attack,” Li Derong said with a frown. “We have five Foundation Establishment cultivators, but they have nearly a hundred Qi Refining cultivators. This won’t be easy.”

Wang Hao watched Clear Dew Peak for a while and came up with a plan.

“Why not wait a day? If they’re gathering here, they won’t stay long. They’ll head to Red Maple Lake or the Ye family’s Double Dragon Mountain. We can ambush them on the road. Wouldn’t that be easier than attacking the mountain?”

Everyone brightened at the suggestion.

Lei Liheng’s group was also going to attack Red Maple Lake. Clear Dew Peak might hear about it and send help, so the ambushers might not need to wait long even if the Gu cultivators had gathered early.

“But wouldn’t that break our agreement? We promised Lei Liheng we’d attack tonight.”

Wang Hao sneered. “As long as we keep every Gu cultivator here from reinforcing Red Maple Lake, we haven’t broken our word. If they don’t leave Clear Dew Peak, we can attack tomorrow. It’s only one extra night.”

With the plan settled, Wang Hao and the others hid in a forest along the route from Clear Dew Peak to Red Maple Lake. They posted scouts in other directions as a precaution.

In the latter half of the night, a streak of sword light approached from afar.

“Wenhao, Fellow Daoist Li, someone’s coming. Two Foundation Establishment cultivators and more than seventy Qi Refining cultivators!” Wang Longyou, the strongest among them, had been watching Clear Dew Peak.

Everyone turned to Wang Hao. He had, in effect, become the leader of the Wang and Li families’ force.

“Do we attack?” Li Derong asked, sounding a little nervous.

“Prepare to fight,” Wang Hao ordered without hesitation. “They’re weaker than we are. Once they leave the protection of Clear Dew Peak, their fate is sealed.”

He quickly assigned their targets.

“Uncle Yanzhi, your cultivation is lower, so help our Qi Refining clansmen deal with theirs. Senior Li, you and Sixth Granduncle take the mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. Fellow Daoist Derong, you and I will take the other Gu family cultivator.”

“Everyone into the illusion formation. When they get close, wait for my order, then attack with all your strength. We have to seize the initiative.”

The others obeyed and concealed themselves.

Soon the Gu family cultivators came into view.

They wore yellow robes. Two Foundation Establishment cultivators kept watch from above, while roughly seventy Qi Refining cultivators followed on the ground using lightness techniques. They also had a dozen or so riding horses, moving at about the speed of mid-tier first-grade beasts.

They were hurrying. Wang Hao guessed that news of an attack on Red Maple Lake had reached them. The distance was only about ten thousand li, within the reach of an upper-tier second-grade transmission talisman.

“First, kill some of the lower-level cultivators to ease the burden on our people. Then we can join forces against the Foundation Establishment cultivators,” Wang Hao said quietly.

The Gu cultivators hurried on, unaware of the Wang and Li forces hidden in the forest’s illusion formation.

“Attack!” Wang Hao shouted as they drew near.

The Wang and Li cultivators fired their artifacts and talismans from the formation at once.

The sudden strike inflicted heavy casualties. More than twenty Gu cultivators fell where they stood; some had their heads smashed apart.

Wang Hao saw several beautiful female cultivators lying in pools of blood and felt a pang of pity.

He had killed before, but this was the first time he had attacked people who had not yet attacked him. In the past, others had tried to kill him first, and he had felt no guilt in fighting back. Even at the Pill Cauldron Sect, he had struck hard only after Qin Hu went after his clansmen.