Foreseeing the Enemy's Moves

"We'll pass through Ji'an and Caoling, board a boat at Flying Cloud Ferry, and after seven days on the water, we'll reach Xiangzhou."

Ouyang Lan took out a piece of silk cloth from her personal bag, squinted her eyes, and examined it carefully. A smile then appeared on her face.

There were no eagle eyes watching from the sky.

They had also dealt with another wave of pursuers.

Her heart was greatly relieved at this moment. Even though the poison in her body had not been completely purged and her movements were slightly strenuous, it could not conceal the joy she felt seeing the boundless spring scenery of green mountains and clear waters in the wilderness.

Lu Wu-bing glanced at her with amusement, but he wasn't as carefree as his Senior Sister.

His experiences from his past life had taught him that ninety percent of the way is often the hardest part of the journey.

The more they felt safe.

The more likely it was that another tragedy would begin.

He looked up at the sky and asked doubtfully, "Senior Sister, are you saying we'll return to the mountain the same way we came? Will we head downriver to Flying Cloud Ferry?"

"Of course. Although the water route is slower, it's a familiar path.

Moreover, Chief Wu of the Flying Cloud Branch of the Cao Gang has some connections with our Celestial Star Sect... With his arrangements, we'll surely have a smooth journey."

Seeing Lu Wu-bing's face still solemn, Ouyang Lan's tone faltered slightly, "Junior Brother, do you think something is amiss?"

"Not at all. I just remembered something. Our Third Senior Brother separated from us; do you think he might have gone ahead to Flying Cloud Ferry to meet us?"

"Third Senior Brother knows the most people and has a very good relationship with Chief Wu. If he can't find us, he'll definitely go ahead and wait."

"Is that so? You all think returning to the mountain via Flying Cloud Ferry is the best option... Senior Sister, have you considered that Gu Dongting might think the same way?

As the saying goes, 'anticipate the enemy's moves and plan ahead; the supreme art of war is to thwart the enemy's plans.' If Gu Dongting and the disciples of the Eastern Sea Sword Sect catch up to us, we might not be able to escape."

Lu Wu-bing left one sentence unspoken.

As the saying goes, 'familiarity breeds contempt.'

He had only recently joined the Celestial Star Sect.

Whereas Third Senior Brother Wu Yunchong had reportedly been a disciple for eight years, was deeply trusted by the Sect Leader Master, and was often entrusted with important tasks requiring disciples to handle them due to his competence and meticulousness.

Of course, Lu Wu-bing didn't actually believe Third Senior Brother would cause trouble.

He just knew that ever since Wu Yunchong started following them, their luck hadn't been very good.

In any case, whenever that Third Senior Brother offered any suggestion or made any choice, something would inevitably go wrong.

Once it happened, it could be dismissed as a coincidence.

But it happening every time couldn't be explained away by chance.

Of course, these were all subjective judgments, inferring causes from results, which could be seen as hindsight bias.

The main reason was that Lu Wu-bing always remembered that Mao Mao had refused to let Wu Yunchong pet it the first time they met.

"Forethought ensures success; lack of it ensures failure."

Being extra cautious was never wrong.

He gently stroked the backbone of the little cat held in his arms, feeling its steady and deep breaths, a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes, but his face wore a sunny smile.

"Senior Sister, why don't you take another look at your map and see if there are any other safer paths marked on it."

"Where would there be so many paths? Besides going by ferry, the only other way is through Ping Shan Pass.

The main road is easy to travel, but if we encounter mounted pursuers, we'll be completely exposed.

With the number of people the Eastern Sea Sword Sect brought this time, they could easily set up a few lookouts, and we'd be discovered."

"Senior Sister's consideration is very thorough; we really cannot take the main road."

Ouyang Lan, praised, beamed like a flower. She shook the silk map in her hand, intending to show off her knowledge of geography to her junior brother. Pointing to the vividly drawn map, she said, "We can't take the water route, and the land route is even more dangerous...

To be unexpected and avoid being tracked by the Eastern Sea Sword Sect, there's only one choice. That is to traverse the mountains and cross the hundred-mile Hengshan."

"Senior Sister is right. Then let's cross Hengshan... It will be tiring, but don't worry, I'll carry you this time."

Lu Wu-bing declared confidently.

"Dream on."

Although Ouyang Lan was an innocent young lady.

Perhaps a bit naive and pure, she wasn't truly ignorant.

Recalling the events of the previous day, she finally understood...

What the matter was with the sword sheath that had gotten in the way when her junior brother was on her back.

This fellow, despite his serious demeanor, was actually quite mischievous.

After deciding to cross the mountains.

The two hesitated no longer.

They lived like savages, drinking mountain spring water when thirsty, roasting wild rabbits for food when hungry, sleeping in the wilderness at night, and diligently practicing their internal energy and swordsmanship.

As dusk began to fall, the two gathered dry firewood. After roasting a wild boar, they ate until their bellies were round and full.

Ouyang Lan began to meditate, circulating her internal energy to break through her acupoints.

Lu Wu-bing, as usual, swung his sword to clear an open space. He took a step, then another, thrusting his sword out, again and again...

He meticulously practiced the Inch Step and White Rainbow Pierces the Sun.

Ouyang Lan watched, gnashing her teeth.

She had never seen anyone practice swordplay so diligently, nor anyone who favored practicing basic thrusting sword forms so much.

However, come to think of it.

The facts proved that the speed at which her junior brother improved his combat abilities by practicing swordplay this way was far beyond her reach.

From this perspective, it seemed he was the one doing it correctly.

Therefore, Ouyang Lan decided to say less and observe more, no longer interfering with or guiding her junior brother's practice.

Even so, there were still some things that needed to be said.

"Junior Brother, you might think that practicing just one sword form is enough.

But the Thirteen Life-Snatching Swords has other forms, each with its own unique uses.

If you were to master the seventh form, Clear Wind Flowing Clouds, or the twelfth form, Three Rings Encircle the Moon, no matter which move you used, that needle-like sharpness wouldn't be able to wound you."

"Also, you've already mastered the White Rainbow Pierces the Sun form. Further progress will be extremely difficult.

My father said that to advance from Mastery to Perfection, every sword technique not only requires long years of practice but also a moment of inspiration.

Before that opportune moment arrives, no amount of arduous effort will allow you to break through."

Thinking of her father and mother, who had been stuck at this very step, unable to break through, Ouyang Lan felt a pang of sympathy.

"A moment of inspiration?"

Lu Wu-bing nodded, indicating he had heard her.

In truth, he lacked nothing more than moments of inspiration.

With the fate of Heaven Rewards Diligence, as long as he kept practicing, any bottleneck would be naturally overcome and broken through.

All that was needed was practice volume.

However, this was not something he could easily explain to Senior Sister Xiaolan.

Lu Wu-bing's constant practice of the White Rainbow Pierces the Sun thrusting form stemmed from his fear of insufficient firepower.

His experiences in his past life had taught him that whether a person could live well or achieve great things truly couldn't rely on developing all aspects equally.

The height of one's achievements often depended on the longest plank in their barrel.

After all, life wasn't about holding water, and there were no second chances...

In this world, the strong acted with impunity, and the weak suffered fates worse than death.

Without strength, one couldn't even live the life they desired, let alone refuse a tragic destiny.

After a moment's thought, he changed the subject. "Senior Sister mentioned that for every level of sword mastery, one could contend with opponents three ranks higher.

So, now that my thrusting sword technique has reached Mastery, can I contend with a second-rate swordsman of the Sixth Rank without defeat?"