Catch Them All

By noon of the second day, a towering mountain finally stretched across the horizon.

Severed Connection Mountain.

Shen Hui looked up. The mountain was perilously steep, its main peak piercing the clouds. Above the mountainside, it vanished into mist, its outline impossible to discern.

At the foot of the mountain lay a dense forest, ancient trees soaring into the sky and old vines coiling like pythons.

Shen Hui did not rush up the mountain. Instead, he led Lu Huan around more than half the mountainside.

As he walked, he stopped before old trees and massive boulders, extending his palm to channel strands of spiritual power into them while muttering under his breath.

"What are you doing?" Lu Huan asked.

Shen Hui explained as he made his arrangements:

"The Plague Emperor Sect is situated on this mountain. Apart from the Sect Master, there are Hall Masters, elders, and many disciples."

"On this trip, I intend to catch them all in one net. Those who take to the air on flying swords are easy enough to deal with, but if some slip into the forest and scatter in their escape, I may not be able to keep watch over them all."

He pointed at the trees and stones he had just arranged:

"I used the Baleful Suppression Spirit-Infusion Art to awaken the spirits of these old trees and mountain rocks, then used the Point Stone to Soldier Technique to station guards at several key routes. They may be of little use in the grand scheme of things, but when it comes to cutting off the enemy's retreat, the more I can keep behind, the better."

Lu Huan listened intently, nodding from time to time.

Shen Hui led her to several other directions and repeated the process.

By the time he had finished