Rise of the Wang Clan: Starting with a Portable Farm

Chapter 173: The Fierce Onslaught

He Junyi clapped. “A good idea. When we withdraw, the Zhao and Cheng families may fear we are headed for their spirit mountains. Leave scouts behind. If they emerge, we can turn back and attack them. Without their array, they cannot match us.”

Ji Shuguang added, “Why leave them guessing? We can openly go to the Zhao and Cheng spirit mountains and search for resources. Surely not everyone has gone. If we find anyone, kill them to make an example.”

“Would that not create a blood feud?” He Junyi hesitated. “Anyone left would probably be old, weak, or ill. Killing them…”

Gu Lizhan snorted before he finished. “We are already at war. Did they not kill cultivators of the Gu and Si families? If you will not do it, I will.”

“Patriarch Gu is right,” Ji Shuguang said. “The Zhao and Cheng families left in haste and must have abandoned some resources. Patriarch Gu could even choose one of their spirit mountains and reestablish his family there.”

“Thank you, Elder Ji!” Gu Lizhan bowed.

“No need; you have earned it. We withdraw, collect something from the Cheng and Zhao mountains, then turn back and destroy them if they attack. If they stay hidden, we move on to the Wang family.”

With so many cultivators, the withdrawal could not be concealed. Ji Shuguang did not try.

Lei Liheng noticed and called the other Foundation Establishment cultivators to discuss it.

Zhao Gaofang and the others worried about their families’ spirit mountains, but none dared take their people back. They had known they would have to abandon some things when they came to the Lei family.

They also warned the Wang and Li families of the enemy’s movement. Neither side meant to reinforce the other, but they still shared intelligence; withholding even that would break their alliance for good.

The Wang family began preparing as soon as the warning arrived.

After discussing it with Wang Yanzhao, Wang Hao offered the Li family the Wang family’s share of the next Essence Condensing Fruit harvest in exchange for support.

If the tree produced three fruits again, the Li family would have a share of two.

Wang Hao could refine at least four Foundation Establishment Pills from one fruit. It was a substantial offer.

Li Yaozu accepted after weighing it.

The Li family had another reason to help: if the Wang family fell, who would refine their fruits into pills? They could hand them to the Qingyuan Sect, cooperate with another alchemist family, or return to relying on the sect’s Foundation Establishment Pill auction every twenty years.

The Li family had received two pills through the fruit tree, another for helping the Wang family secure a demon core, four bought overseas by Wang Hao, two from the campaign against the demonic cultivator, and one from the Si family. All ten were connected to the Wangs. Li Yaozu had considered helping even before this offer.

The Li family originally had two Foundation Establishment cultivators. Of the ten pills, they had used seven and gained five successful breakthroughs. With two cultivators overseas, five were now at home.

Five Wang Foundation Establishment cultivators remained at Wang Family Ridge: Wang Hao, Wang Yanzhao, Wang Longyou, Wang Yanzhi, and Wang Wenyuan. With the five Li cultivators, there were ten defenders, more than the Lei, Zhao, and Cheng families had together.

Numbers were not everything. Wang Yanzhi had not recovered from his injuries; Wang Guang’an, a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator, was away; and Wang Wenyuan and several Li cultivators had only recently advanced. Their overall strength was somewhat weaker.

The Li family had much to pack before leaving its spirit mountain. It reached Wang Family Ridge only shortly before the Maple Leaf cultivators.

Wang Family Ridge was protected by the Dazzling Light Sky Fire Array. It attacked more powerfully but defended less well than the Lei family’s array. Used well, it could inflict heavy losses; offense might be the best defense.

The array had four nodes. Wang Yanzhao assigned one to each of Wang Hao, Wang Longyou, Li Yaozu, and himself. Each would lead one other Foundation Establishment cultivator and thirty Qi Refining clan members.

Wang Yanzhi, one other Foundation Establishment cultivator, and the remaining Qi Refining clan members would form the mobile reserve.

Li Yaozu paired Wang Hao with Li Derong, the strongest of the available Li cultivators, hoping they would spend more time together and grow close.

Wang Hao understood, but neither he nor Li Derong had that intention. They had met in their twenties at the Qi Refining stage and faced danger together, but both placed the Great Dao first and had never thought of becoming Dao Companions.

The Maple Leaf cultivators had learned from their attack on the Lei family. Foundation Establishment cultivators led a full assault from the beginning.

They attacked from four sides, with four or five Foundation Establishment cultivators on each.

Five Foundation Establishment cultivators approached Wang Hao’s side of the array.

They brought out talismans and artifacts to attack the barrier and the defenders inside.

Wang Hao watched the lights burst on the barrier without panicking. He raised a hand.

The Qi Refining cultivators waved their array flags and poured in spiritual energy.

The array shifted, gathering countless fireballs overhead. At the defenders’ direction, they flew toward the attackers.

The Foundation Establishment cultivators raised defenses or dodged and escaped harm. The Qi Refining cultivators could not all do so.

A dozen fireballs might converge on one person. Dozens of Qi Refining attackers died when their defenses failed.

Seeing the situation turn against them, Ye Jingshan exchanged a glance with another Foundation Establishment cultivator and drew an Array Breaking Talisman.

They had used one at the Lei family’s mountain. Its force shook the mountain and damaged the array’s foundation; a breach could then open.

Ye Jingshan contacted the cultivators attacking elsewhere, coordinating the use of two Array Breaking Talismans.

As the talismans touched the array, a roar sounded and Wang Family Ridge shook violently.

Wang and Li cultivators lost their footing. Only the Foundation Establishment cultivators could remain steady enough to pour energy into the array nodes.

They could not fully resist the talismans; the barrier grew thin.

Ye Jingshan urged the Maple Leaf cultivators to attack with all they had.

Artifacts and talismans struck the array from all sides.

The damaged foundation and the defenders’ smaller numbers eventually allowed the attackers to open a breach.

Fortunately, only Wang Hao’s side was breached; the other three sides remained protected.

Wang Hao activated the voice-transmission talisman at his waist to request mobile support.

He exchanged a glance with Li Derong. They had hunted demon beasts together for years, and she understood. With the array breached, they could not hold by themselves.

They each drew a set of array flags from their Storage Bags.