Chapter 129: The Outbreak of War

"Once I resolve the Ghost King Zhao Kuo tomorrow, I will erase the primordial spirit imprints on the Sun and Moon Golden Wheels. You can help me by duplicating a few sets first."

Li Yunfei was shocked. "If you do that, won't you have to re-consecrate and nurture them? That will surely impact your combat effectiveness!"

Ziwei shook his head. "The impact is minimal. Consecrating and nurturing only takes 49 days. The most troublesome issue right now is here at Changping. As long as this problem is solved, it doesn't matter if I stop intervening in other ancient battlefields. Besides, these are not the only two magic treasures I possess."

"These two treasures have pushed the extremes of offense and defense for all magic treasures currently in the cultivation world. The Sun Golden Wheel has peerless defense, indestructible and unyielding; the Moon Golden Wheel has peerless sharpness, capable of cutting through anything."

"In the future, when Nascent Soul stage cultivators appear and materials improve, perhaps even stronger treasures can be forged."

"But for now, the Sun and Moon Golden Wheels are the strongest treasures in the entire cultivation world, bar none. If every Yin Spirit stage cultivator in the Sky Group could be equipped with a set, that would be ideal."

Upon hearing Ziwei's words, Li Yunfei was filled with respect. He finally understood the difference between Ziwei, the leader of Zixiao, and the sect masters of old. In Ziwei's philosophy, the concept of a "secret, exclusive treasure" did not exist; as long as something could elevate the nation's overall strength, he would never hoard it. Only a selfless person with such a grand vision was qualified to be the leader of Zixiao.

Li Yunfei spoke solemnly, "No problem. After tomorrow, I will do my absolute best to duplicate this set of treasures as much as possible."

Ziwei nodded in satisfaction and patted Li Yunfei on the shoulder. As they were talking, He Ming arrived. After clarifying his intention, it turned out he was also there to ask Li Yunfei to duplicate his "Southern Brightness Li Fire Sword." However, upon hearing the conditions for the duplication, he felt a slight disappointment. Since Li Yunfei had to dedicate his full effort to the Sun and Moon Golden Wheels, he did not press the request to erase the primordial spirit imprint on his sword.

After chatting a while longer, they took their leave. With time to spare, Li Yunfei took Zhang Ziying and Honghong out, intending to visit Daoist Yuling and his colleagues from the Pure Yang Sect, with Abao and Xiaobei acting as guides. Since he had joined Zixiao and would be working within the system, fostering good interpersonal relationships was essential.

Daoist Yuling and his disciples were delighted by the visit and warmly invited them inside. After the pleasantries, the conversation shifted to Maoshan Daoist arts. Yuling had assumed that Li Yunfei’s cultivation was a result of accidental inheritance without proper guidance, and he intended to offer some pointers to help a junior. To his surprise, Li Yunfei's understanding of Maoshan arts was not inferior to his own. Despite Li Yunfei only being at the late Yin Spirit stage, he spoke of techniques beyond the Golden Core stage with the familiarity of an expert. Realizing that Li Yunfei was a rare prodigy, Yuling was overjoyed. His intention to lecture faded, replaced by an equal exchange of insights. His two disciples, Zhou Ming and Yang Lianzhen, listened intently, feeling they had gained much and admiring Li Yunfei deeply.

After two hours, as the conversation slowed, Daoist Yuling sighed, "What a pity, what a pity, that I did not meet you sooner."

Abao chimed in with a sly grin, "Daoist, you’re just regretting that my boss isn't your personal disciple, right?"

Yuling laughed bitterly and waved his hand. "How could I have such good fortune?"

Li Yunfei smiled, "Daoist, you are too kind. Although I have not formally joined the Shangqing Sect, I am indeed practicing its arts. This inheritance came from my ancestral home; perhaps my ancestors had deep ties with the Shangqing Sect after all. The identity of a Maoshan Shangqing successor is something I cannot cast off. If you don't mind, I would like to call you Uncle-Master."

Daoist Yuling was overjoyed. "That is exactly what I wished for, yet dared not ask."

Li Yunfei stood up, clasped his hands, and bowed. "Disciple Li Yunfei pays respects to Uncle-Master Yuling."

Yuling stepped forward to help him up, saying, "Rise, nephew."

Although Li Yunfei’s strength and potential meant he did not need a patron, having one was always better than not. In the system, being a lone wolf led nowhere; when support was needed, there would be no one to speak for him. Since he truly practiced Shangqing arts and Yuling was one of the only three Golden Core cultivators in Zixiao, this connection was well worth establishing.

After rising, Li Yunfei flipped his hand to reveal an exquisite wooden box. He opened it and smiled, "Uncle-Master, I came here in a rush and have no proper gift. Some time ago, when I slew a weasel demon, I used its hair to make a batch of spirit brushes. It is a small token of my respect; I hope you will accept it."

The box contained eight wolf-hair spirit brushes. Upon opening, a rich spiritual aura radiated out, making the eyes of Yuling and his disciples light up. Using these brushes to draw talismans in the air could double the power of talismans for those below the Golden Core stage, and enhance Golden Core talismans by at least a fraction—they were truly rare treasures. While not top-tier artifacts for someone of Yuling's level, they were extremely hard to come by because finding a weasel that had cultivated to the Yin Spirit stage and attained human form was a matter of extreme luck.

This gift was perfectly chosen. It was not so common as to be worthless, nor so extravagant as to be awkward to accept. Moreover, it was highly practical for a Maoshan master, for whom mid-air talisman casting was a signature combat skill.

Yuling was delighted. "You have a thoughtful heart. Xiaoming, this is your junior brother's gift; accept it."

"Yes, thank you, Junior Brother Yunfei," Zhou Ming said as he happily accepted the brushes.

"Brother Zhou, you are too polite. I have taken enough of your time, so I will take my leave now. Let us gather properly another day," Li Yunfei said.

Zhou Ming nodded with a smile. "Agreed. We disciples of the Orthodox Sect do not abstain from wine or meat; when we have time, we shall have a drink."

Li Yunfei agreed readily. After bidding farewell to Yuling, he headed toward the quarters of the other Pure Yang disciples. After Yuling saw them off, he sighed to his two disciples, "This Li Yunfei is a talent. You should draw closer to him in the future; maintaining a good relationship with him will only benefit you." Both disciples nodded in sincere agreement.

With the Pure Yang disciples, Li Yunfei did not stay long, as they were not well-acquainted. After a brief chat, he gifted them a few bottles of "Pig King Pills" and took his leave. By the end of the afternoon, he had successfully gained the favor of the Zixiao leadership at Changping. Combined with his existing connections—Liu Bin and He Ming through Zhang Ziying, friendly ties with the Qingcheng Sect, and an introduction to the Wudang Sect via Wang Zhiwu, the dean of Xiangshan Academy—Li Yunfei had built an interpersonal network within Zixiao that rivaled any veteran, despite having just joined.

...

"Host, please note: The Changping Ancient Battlefield instance has been detected, rated at levels 86 to 90. Please select the instance difficulty."

Standing before the Iron Wall Formation, Li Yunfei nodded to himself. It was as he had estimated. Ever since learning that Ghost King Zhao Kuo was equivalent to a Golden Core cultivator, he had deduced the instance level would be around 80 to 90. In reality, the combat strength of the Yin Army ranged from level 20 to 59. The Yin Soldiers were level 20-29, Ghost Generals 30-39, Ghost Commanders 40-49, and Ghost Kings 50-59. Since Ziwei and Yuling had to work together to suppress Zhao Kuo, it proved he was at least a late-stage Golden Core level, above level 57.

This meant Li Yunfei would only gain experience from killing Ghost Commanders and Kings; anything below that was a waste of effort.

While pondering tomorrow's battle, Li Yunfei led his group into a bunker. The interior was a circular space five meters in diameter with a ladder for access. Facing toward the inside of the formation was a firing port, larger than those in standard bunkers. A six-barreled rotary machine gun was mounted there, with ammunition boxes placed to the side. The bunker had a spiritual barrier that blocked Yin Army attacks, allowing soldiers to fire freely at the ghosts and spirits.

Inside the bunker, three soldiers were sitting on the floor, playing cards. Among them were two regular soldiers and one Pure Yang disciple in a white Zhongshan suit, his long sword resting nearby.

Seeing Li Yunfei and his group, the soldiers hesitated, reflexively moving to put down their cards. Li Yunfei waved his hand, smiling, "Carry on, don't mind us. We are new arrivals, just looking around to understand the defensive situation."

The soldiers looked toward the Pure Yang disciple. Although they were not directly under Zixiao's command, members of Zixiao were superhumans who could solve problems the regular military couldn't, so they were naturally respected. The Pure Yang disciple, about twenty-five or twenty-six, did not underestimate Li Yunfei despite his youth. He recognized him as the expert who had fought Daoist Yuling in the sky a few hours earlier.

He set down his cards and rose to ask, "Comrade, which sect are you from?"

"Maoshan Sect, Shangqing branch," Li Yunfei replied. "Just arrived today. You came with Brother Liuyun and the others, right?"

The disciple bowed respectfully. "Yes, I am Luo Feng. Daoist Liuyun is my master."

"Ah, a high disciple of Brother Liuyun. No worries, we're just looking around. You continue your game."

Luo Feng nodded and sat back down to resume the game. Seeing this, the soldiers felt more at ease. As Li Yunfei walked over to the firing port to fiddle with the rotary machine gun, one of the soldiers, a corporal in his twenties, asked, "Comrade, specialization is key. Can you handle that thing?"

Li Yunfei turned back and chuckled, "Brother, when I was playing with these, you were still a civilian!"

Zhang Ziying smiled at the soldier, "According to your military rules, you should call him Squad Leader."

The young soldier blushed, unable to meet her gaze, while the other soldier peeked at her through the corner of his eye. They had seen many female cultivators lately, but none so beautiful and graceful. They were distracted by Zhang Ziying, failing to notice that the machine gun and the 1,000-round belt Li Yunfei was "fiddling with" flickered and vanished for an instant before reappearing.

The system shop had gained another weapon, and the belt was filled with anti-evil bullets inscribed with runes—invaluable to him. Just imagine how satisfying it would be if his skeleton warriors were all equipped with Gatling guns later on.

Having quietly acquired the machine gun, Li Yunfei was delighted but maintained a nonchalant tone. "It's been a while since I touched one of these. Once we take down the Ghost King and the commanders, I'll ask the commander for one. I'll strap several thousand rounds to my body and sweep through the Yin army—it'll be glorious."

The corporal laughed, "Aren't your magic treasures better than this?"

Li Yunfei stepped away from the firing position, smiling. "It's different. Using a treasure consumes my own cultivation; using this consumes nothing. As long as there's enough ammo, I can keep firing until the barrel melts."

The soldiers laughed, but Luo Feng’s eyes lit up, having caught the implication. "Do you mean to say we already have a way to take down the Ghost King and the commanders?"

Li Yunfei nodded. "Yes, the plan is foolproof. Tomorrow morning, Ziwei will lead us into the formation for a decapitation strike. I believe we will return in triumph soon."

"That's great!" The three were overjoyed.

After touring the bunker and successfully acquiring the machine gun and a 30mm autocannon, Li Yunfei returned to his quarters, satisfied.

That night, Li Yunfei practiced dual cultivation with Zhang Ziying, while Honghong sat in the living room, holding a spirit stone to cultivate her "Celestial Fox Seeking Dao Manual." As for the panda siblings, there was no need to count on them—they were snoring away in the next room.

The next morning at 8:40 AM, Li Yunfei and Honghong headed to the meeting room. At 9:00 AM, Ziwei began assigning tasks.

"The old rules apply. Zhao Kuo will be handled by Daoist Yuling and me. Today, Yunfei and Honghong are the absolute keys." Ziwei looked at them. "Time your deployment of the gourd perfectly. We must ensure a decisive strike. Try to eliminate all 14 Ghost Commanders in the first exchange—or at least the majority. Is there any problem?"

Li Yunfei pondered for a moment and stood up. "Task accepted. However, I have one request."

"Speak," Ziwei said.

"I request that Brother Liuyun and his group clear the Ghost Generals, while I and Honghong handle all 14 Ghost Commanders. I guarantee not one will escape."

The room was stunned. Ziwei and He Ming, however, understood. They knew Li Yunfei wanted to kill the commanders to boost his cultivation. Ziwei asked seriously, "Are you confident?"

Li Yunfei replied cautiously, "I have an 80% chance of clearing them in one exchange, and 90% within two. If I haven't wiped them out within three rounds, I request to be demoted for a year."

In the military-style management of Zixiao, a one-year demotion meant losing all salary and living only on a basic allowance—a "truly massive loss." With this military pledge, no one had any further objections.

Ziwei smiled. "Good. Since you have such confidence, the Ghost Commanders are yours."

...

Outside the Iron Wall, Li Yunfei distributed "Yellow Immortal Pills" to everyone, allowing them to be immune to the "Yellow Wind" for 15 hours. After consuming them, Ziwei led the group into the formation, flying toward the northwest.

The Iron Wall Formation was designed to keep things in, not out. Once inside, no one could leave without the master of the formation opening a gate. Of course, they could break out by force, but there was no need.

The bunker crews were ready, artillery was uncovered, and 1,300 Zixiao members stood by to provide spiritual power to the formation.

...

The Skeleton Mountain in the west was where the Qin general Bai Qi had buried 400,000 Zhao soldiers alive. Now, those bones had crawled out as 300,000 skeleton warriors. This was a horrifying concept—a vast, white sea of bone.

When they were three or four kilometers from the Old Back Slope, where Zhao Kuo was buried, Ziwei ordered them to land. Daoist Yuling handed him a tablet. Ziwei checked the coordinates and ordered, "This is Area B7. Daoist, you, Yunfei, Zhou, and Lianzhen are to cast the 'Earth-Pacifying God Mantra' here, covering the entire area. Then, expand to Area A7. If the Yin army remains still, continue to A8 and B8. If they mobilize, return here to fight."

The Changping battlefield was divided into a grid, with each area ready for saturated artillery bombardment. The Ghost King and his commanders were concentrated in A8 and B8.

"I'll use the Spirit-Calling Formation," Li Yunfei said. "Let's see what I can summon."

As Li Yunfei cast his formation, 18 super-skeleton warriors, clad in heavy armor and wielding crescent blades, rose from the ground. Their massive soul power stunned everyone.

"Mid-stage Yin Spirit? 18 of them?" He Ming gasped.

"They are skeleton warriors; I’ve simply equipped them well," Li Yunfei replied.

"But how are they this strong?" Yuling asked, eyeing the purple-gold hammers at their waists. "Just how many of those hammers do you have?"

Li Yunfei didn't answer directly. "These warriors are linked to my primordial spirit, which is why they possess my special physique."

Ziwei and He Ming were suddenly enlightened, their faces showing joy. "So that’s why," He Ming laughed. "With this equipment and your physique, each one is a peak-stage Yin Spirit combatant. You have 19 peak Yin Spirit warriors plus those powerful hammers—you can rival a early-stage Golden Core cultivator head-on!"

Li Yunfei smiled. "They have basic analytical intelligence and can follow orders like AI. You can command them directly."

As the team moved out, Li Yunfei’s speed—and the fact that his skeletons could keep pace—left everyone in awe.

Ziwei looked at his companions and mused, "Yunfei is a treasure. I have a feeling he will play an immeasurable role in the future of Zixiao."

Li Yunfei, hearing this through his psychic link with the skeletons, smiled to himself. He didn't want the leader's chair—that was too much work. He just wanted the absolute power of influence. He had a dream of seeing the Great Xia nation stand at the pinnacle of the world, and he intended to be the one to guide that rise, with the resources and strength to ensure it succeeded.