Six Sons of Ling Kong, Jade

After leaving Ziqi Country, everyone had been traveling for days without eating a proper meal. When they encountered delicious food, their chopsticks never stopped, and their cups were never empty.

After roughly half an hour, Liu Changhu pushed the door open and returned. He bowed to Ying Hu and said, "Senior, I've gotten to the bottom of what happened in the private room next door."

Ying Hu nodded and gestured for him to sit down.

Liu Changhu remained standing as he replied, "The High Official next door is the local county magistrate. His name is Gao Xiangchen, and he used to be a servant in Gao Taiyun's residence. After Gao Taiming died, Gao Taiyun became the Buzhi of Southern Expedition Country, and this man was assigned here.

"Gao Xiangchen often dines at this restaurant. The proprietor, Liu Ru, has been attending to him whenever he comes and goes, and the two gradually grew familiar. Today, he came to persuade Liu Ru to take Gao Taiyun's side."

After hearing this, Ying Hu remained calm and said, "Nephew, have some tea first. Sit down and tell us."

After sitting down, Liu Changhu picked up his teacup and took a sip before continuing, "That Gao Xiangchen's younger brother, Gao Wuchen, is the head of the guards in Gao Taiyun's residence. Last night, he took thirty first-rate experts to Dian Cang Mountain to follow the orders of the Six Sons of Ling Kong.

"Before Gao Wuchen left, he had his family tell Gao Xiangchen to prepare to seize the assets of the Dian Cang Sect's fleet, restaurants, clinics, and other businesses in Haidong Town.

"I also learned that Gao Taiyun often interacts with the Divine Dragon Snow Mountain Sect. The Six Sons of Ling Kong have taken more than a hundred disciples to Dian Cang Mountain as well."

Ying Hu looked worried after hearing this and said, "It seems the Dian Cang Sect has run into trouble!"

Liu Changhu grew anxious at his words. He stood up, cupped his fists, and said, "The sect is in danger. I hope Senior will lend us a hand."

Ying Hu gestured for him to sit down and not worry.

Seeing this, Hong Yun said, "Master, the Divine Dragon Snow Mountain Sect has Gao Buzhi's secret assistance. The Dian Cang Sect is probably in grave danger."

Ying Hu replied calmly, "The Dian Cang Sect has more than a thousand disciples, with the masters of the nine peaks holding down the fort. Nothing major will happen. Don't worry too much!"

Bai Bingxue was curious and asked, "What grudge does the Divine Dragon Snow Mountain Sect have with the Dian Cang Sect? Is Feng Xuyang trying to wipe out the Dian Cang Sect?"

Ying Hu sighed and said, "Feng Xuyang and Liu Tianyang were once husband and wife. Unfortunately..."

Everyone was shocked when they heard this!

Unwilling to say more, Ying Hu smiled and said, "You're all underestimating the Dian Cang Sect. Even if Feng Xuyang is a grandmaster, how could he compare with Senior Brother Tianyang?"

Seeing that Ying Hu did not take it seriously, Su Jiangcheng hinted at his concern over the whereabouts of the Golden Buddha's Head. "Senior, spears are easy to evade, but arrows in the dark are hard to guard against. The Six Sons of Ling Kong have gathered their forces and are defeating the Nine Peaks of Dian Cang one by one. They have a decent chance of winning."

"Fifth Brother Su, do you have a good plan?" Hong Yun asked.

After thinking for a moment, Su Jiangcheng said, "Senior Ying, the situation is urgent. Why don't we cross the lake tonight and act according to circumstances once we reach the other side?"

Ying Hu did not respond. Hong Yun said, "I think that will work! What do you say, Master?"

Ying Hu nodded and made his arrangements. "Young Hero Changhu, go prepare the boats. We'll set sail across the lake in half an hour."

The winds and waves on Erhai Lake were much stronger at night than during the day. Tonight, the northwest wind was blowing in our favor.

Four ordinary fishing boats set sail from Haidong Town Wharf and headed south. The rough journey left Chen Xi on the verge of vomiting and falling asleep. After barely enduring two hours, they finally reached the opposite shore and Longkan Wharf.

It was the hour of the boar. The wharf was packed with boats, leaving no room to dock, so their boats traveled another half a kilometer west before reaching the shore.

Looking at the countless boats, Bai Bingxue thought, If one of these boats caught fire, would the others be able to escape?

After the boats reached shore, Ying Hu ordered them to boil water and cook. Everyone was to eat their fill and get ready within half an hour, then climb the mountain at midnight.

Ying Hu took nine black porcelain bowls from the cabinet and placed them on the table. "These nine bowls represent the Nine Peaks of Dian Cang, from northwest to southeast. If you were the leader of the Six Sons of Ling Kong, how would you attack Dian Cang Mountain?"

After speaking, Ying Hu drew Liu Changhu's long sword and carved the names of the peaks in order from north to south along the sides of the bowls: Cang Lang Peak, Wutai Peak, Lotus Peak, White Cloud Peak, Crane Cloud Peak, San Yang Peak, Ma Long Peak, Sheng Ying Peak, and Xie Yang Peak.

Hong Yun walked around the table once and said, "When outnumbered, we should defeat the enemy one by one. The Nine Peaks of Dian Cang are like a long snake in a line. We should strike at its vulnerable point."

Everyone thought this made sense and nodded one after another.

Bai Bingxue sighed inwardly, Cousin Hong Yun has followed Uncle Abu since childhood and learned quite a bit of military strategy.

Hong Yun continued asking, "Young Hero Changhu, which of the Nine Peaks of Dian Cang is the weakest? How do the peaks communicate with one another?"

Liu Changhu's expression brightened as he said, "Among the Nine Peaks of Dian Cang, Ma Long Peak, where the sect master resides, is the strongest, followed by Cang Lang Peak. San Yang Peak has weapons and mechanical defenses, while the martial arts of the other peaks are roughly equal. Every peak has lookout towers and beacon platforms. Wolf smoke can be lit to sound an alarm, though we haven't seen any wolf smoke for many years."

Bai Bingxue walked around the table once and asked, "Young Hero Changhu, do the Nine Peaks of Dian Cang have any old grudges or conflicts between them? Or are any of the roads blocked?"

Liu Changhu froze for a moment before saying awkwardly, "These are sect secrets. As a junior disciple, I shouldn't normally mention them outside. But the Dian Cang Sect is in danger today, so we must make an exception.

"The four southeastern peaks of the Dian Cang Sect are led by Martial Uncle Tianyang of Ma Long Peak. The three northwestern peaks are led by Martial Uncle Tian Wei of Cang Lang Peak. White Cloud Peak and Crane Cloud Peak lie in the middle and have always wavered between the two sides.

"Martial Uncle Tianyang and Martial Uncle Tian Wei have been at odds since childhood. More than a decade ago, when the two competed for the position of sect master, Martial Uncle Tian Wei narrowly lost to Martial Uncle Tianyang with one move. They have had little contact since.

"There are roads connecting the peaks in the mountains. Nothing blocks them."

After hearing this, Hong Yun said, "The nine peaks are divided into three factions, leaving an opening to exploit. The snake's head is in the northwest, and the vulnerable point must be Lotus Peak."

Hong Yun walked to the table, flipped over the black porcelain bowl representing Lotus Peak, and said, "It's likely that the Six Sons of Ling Kong already conquered it last night."

Bai Bingxue said, "Senior Ying, Cang Lang Peak is separated from Lotus Peak by only one mountain. If Liu Changhe has been captured by the Six Sons of Ling Kong, it will be difficult to recover the Golden Bodhisattva's Head. We need to hurry."

Su Jiangcheng agreed. "Miss Bai is right. We need to get there ahead of them."

Hong Yun also said, "Master, let's hurry."

Ying Hu looked at everyone, paused, and said, "All right. However, once we reach the mountain, you must not clash with the Dian Cang Sect or the Six Sons of Ling Kong. Don't get involved in their disputes either."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Ying Hu continued, satisfied, "Young Hero Changhu, lead the way. Fifth Hero Su, take fifty disciples and join County Princess Hong Yun's group at the front. I'll take fifty of my guards and County Princess Bingxue through the middle. Sixth Hero Su, take fifty disciples and join Princess Hong Lian's group to guard the rear. None of the three groups may stop along the way. Reach the gate of Cang Lang Peak before midnight."

Several of them cupped their fists and accepted their orders before immediately going to prepare.

At midnight, Bai Bingxue's group left the wharf and traveled along the official road beside Erhai Lake.

At night, a layer of chill floated above Erhai Lake's emerald waters, while the stars filled the entire vault of heaven. Only a few of the densely packed mast lamps at Longkan Wharf were lit. Behind the wharf stood the capital of Southern Expedition Country. Its gates had long since closed, and the guards on the walls were huddled beside bonfires, warming their hands and feet.

While the people in the city slept, Bai Bingxue's group wore bamboo hats and straw rain capes as they hurried along the mountain paths toward Cang Lang Peak on Dian Cang Mountain.

Under the same moonlight, a group of men in black had just hurried away from Cang Lang Peak.

Meanwhile, in the Small World within the Twin Fish Jade Pendant, Chen Qing was studying energy stones in the Siheyuan Courtyard.

His puppets were like robots from later generations. They needed batteries to operate, and the batteries needed to be recharged. His puppets used High-Grade Spirit Stones as spirit-stone batteries, and their movements consumed the spiritual power within the High-Grade Spirit Stones.

Once a High-Grade Spirit Stone's spiritual power was exhausted, it would crumble into a pile of waste rock. He had to find a way to replace High-Grade Spirit Stones with renewable energy stones. He had read about them in one of the books he had brought back from the professor.

He just didn't know whether he could make them work. In any case, Bai Xue wouldn't help him.