This Disciple Might Just Be a Peerless Genius

"Junior brother, what nonsense are you talking about? Elder Lu is at Shushan, ten thousand li away. How could he be here?"

Hearing Lin Qingzhi muttering to himself, Chen Yao couldn't shake the feeling that he must have suffered Qi Deviation.

"Perhaps I was worrying too much."

Lin Qingzhi also found it unbelievable.

His master was meditating and cultivating on Azure Cloud Peak right now. How could he see what was happening ten thousand li away?

Chu Yu, the great general of the Ji Kingdom, continued explaining the circumstances of the mission. "We break camp tomorrow. Daoist masters, please rest well tonight and prepare for a great battle."

"Wait."

Just as everyone was about to leave and rest, Lin Qingzhi suddenly spoke up.

The Rogue Cultivators, the Ji Kingdom's generals, and even the Shushan disciples traveling with Lin Qingzhi were all astonished.

The utterly unremarkable Lin Qingzhi had actually stepped forward at a time like this.

Lu Changsheng, watching the training mission from ten thousand li away, was also a little surprised. He grew even more curious about what his usually low-key disciple would do next.

"The Ji Kingdom has assembled two hundred thousand troops and spared no expense recruiting extraordinary people, all to wipe out the Eight Hundred Bandits of Guangye Marsh. Since Sima Kuang has escaped encirclement and suppression time and again, he must be cunning and ruthless. An operation on such a grand scale must already have alerted him. If I were Sima Kuang, I would certainly send loyal subordinates to infiltrate our group of Rogue Cultivators."

"That way, Sima Kuang would know our every move. If the two hundred thousand troops marched into Guangye Marsh, they would merely be going to their deaths."

Lin Qingzhi's analysis cut to the bone, and even the great general of the Ji Kingdom changed color when he heard it.

An uproar broke out among the Rogue Cultivators present.

On closer thought, they realized that what Lin Qingzhi described was entirely possible.

Someone from the Eight Hundred Bandits had infiltrated their ranks!

"I've been using Spiritual Qi to sense everyone's Qi all this time, and I noticed someone's Qi change sharply after I gave my analysis. If I'm not mistaken, you're the spy Sima Kuang sent."

Lin Qingzhi turned sharply toward one of the Rogue Cultivators, a seventh-layer Qi Condensation Realm cultivator whose forehead was covered in sweat.

"Damn it!"

Exposed by Lin Qingzhi, the Rogue Cultivator tried to draw his sword and fight for his life.

"Bandit, die!"

A Golden Core Realm Rogue Cultivator immediately struck, slitting the spy's throat with a single stroke of his sword.

The spy's eyes went blank, and he collapsed to the ground.

A seventh-layer Qi Condensation Realm cultivator had almost no power to fight back against a Golden Core Realm Rogue Cultivator.

The Golden Core Realm Rogue Cultivator wiped the sweat from his forehead and grinned at Lin Qingzhi. "Little Daoist master, you truly were born with a discerning eye, to have discovered the spy Sima Kuang planted among us. Might I ask who your master is?"

The Golden Core Realm Rogue Cultivator questioned Lin Qingzhi in an almost fawning manner.

Lin Qingzhi's expression, however, was cold. "Fellow Daoist, may I ask why you didn't try to capture Sima Kuang's spy alive and have him lead us into Guangye Marsh? Why did you kill him at once to silence him?"

Swish.

Reminded by Lin Qingzhi, everyone present turned their gaze in unison to the Golden Core Realm Rogue Cultivator.

There was definitely something wrong with him!

If Lin Qingzhi hadn't pointed it out, they wouldn't have realized at first that anything was amiss.

This Golden Core Realm Rogue Cultivator, so eager to kill the spy and silence him, his own forehead covered in sweat, was very likely another of the Eight Hundred Bandits!

"You bastard..." Sure enough, the exposed Golden Core Realm Rogue Cultivator flew into a rage, his face growing increasingly vicious. "Damn it, I'm done pretending! That's right, I'm a spy for the Eight Hundred Bandits! You dare provoke us? You'll die without a burial place!"

The Golden Core Realm Rogue Cultivator summoned a flying sword and rode it into the air.

"Hmph, trying to escape?!"

Chu Yu was at the fifth layer of the Golden Core Realm. He immediately gave chase into the air, his five fingers clenching into a fist as he smashed it toward the spy with an overbearing, unstoppable momentum!

The air burst wherever the force of his fist passed!

Lin Qingzhi, Chen Yao, and the other Golden Core Realm Rogue Cultivators attacked at once, riding their swords to surround the unfortunate spy.

The Golden Core Realm spy was only at the second layer. Once exposed, his two fists were no match for four hands. Everyone quickly beat him black and blue, and he was finally taken alive.

"This little Daoist master is truly extraordinary. With such meticulous thinking, he actually managed to pull out by the roots the spies Sima Kuang planted among us."

Having captured the Golden Core Realm spy Sima Kuang sent, Chu Yu was full of praise for Lin Qingzhi.

Even he had failed to notice that his every move was under Sima Kuang's surveillance.

"Great General, Guangye Marsh is Sima Kuang's territory. It is shrouded in miasma and riddled with traps. If the two hundred thousand troops march into it, they will surely suffer heavy casualties. We could instead send Sima Kuang false information in the spy's name and lure the snake out of its hole."

"My senior sister is skilled in Daoist formations and can conceal everyone's Qi. We can set an ambush along the way."

"Once Sima Kuang enters the ambush, Great General, you can lead the troops out to attack, while we Rogue Cultivators deal with Sima Kuang. Compared with attacking Guangye Marsh directly, there may be fewer casualties."

As Lin Qingzhi shared his thoughts, the eyes of Chu Yu, the great general of the Ji Kingdom, grew brighter and brighter.

"A brilliant plan! Truly a brilliant plan!" Chu Yu was full of admiration. "Little Daoist master, you are well versed in military strategy. If you would join our Ji Kingdom, my position as great general would be yours in the future. What do you think?"

"I have no real ability of my own. It's all thanks to my master's teaching. Once matters here are settled, I must return to serve at his side. My attainments are far below his."

Lin Qingzhi calmly shook his head and politely declined Chu Yu's offer.

"The little Daoist master is already so capable. Your master must surely be a peerless expert living in seclusion. Come to think of it, how could the position of great general in our little kingdom catch your eye? Men, carry out the little Daoist master's plan!"

Chu Yu was full of regret, convinced that Lin Qingzhi had the makings of a first-rate general.

"Junior brother, I see you in a new light."

Chen Yao put aside her earlier disdain for Lin Qingzhi and actually found him a little charming when he was serious.

"Is that so?"

Lin Qingzhi scratched his head. He had merely developed an interest in the Dao of chess and the Dao of warfare under the influence of the Liang Kingdom's Zhenhai Army military governor, who had adopted him back then.

"But only a little."

Chen Yao still didn't want to admit it.

"Hahaha, once we've wiped out Sima Kuang and his bandits, I must hold a proper feast for you Daoist masters! Especially you two little Daoist masters!"

Seeing Lin Qingzhi and Chen Yao talking, the great general of the Ji Kingdom couldn't shake the feeling that they came from extraordinary backgrounds. He laughed heartily and deliberately singled them out.

At that moment, great waves surged in the heart of Lu Changsheng, who was watching in secret.

He had never expected this disciple of his to possess great wisdom that appeared as foolishness!

When he wasn't cultivating, Lin Qingzhi usually spent his time either playing chess or studying military texts.

It seemed that although his disciple usually appeared dull and slow-witted, he had put all his talent into concentration, Go, and military strategy.

With a mind free of distractions, one could achieve success on any great Dao. With no inner demons at work, the path ahead would be smooth.

That was what made the Childlike Heart so formidable.

This disciple might just be a peerless genius.