Now, Ao Tu had selected the site for the Yellow River Grand Formation when several female bandits blocked his way.
Elsewhere, bandits waylaid travelers in the wilderness, and when lust stirred at the sight of beauty, it was women they violated.
But this was the Western Liang Women’s Kingdom, and the female bandits violated men.
Seeing how savage these women were, and hearing their vicious words, which hurt the ears as much as the sight of them stung the eyes, Ao Tu gave them a swift end, striking every one of them dead.
Afterward, Ao Tu continued refining the formation and regulating the water veins. Following the positions of the congenital eight trigrams, he arranged the nine curves and three powers, with their interlocking advances and retreats, until everything was in place.
During this time, studying the Formation Diagram had given Ao Tu many insights. He arranged the mountains, streams, grasses, and trees one by one as well: where trees should grow, where grass should sprout, where rocks should stand, and where slopes should lie. He put each in its proper place.
He also built three thatched cottages in a conspicuous spot in the mountains, making this a place of human habitation.
By the time everything was ready, evening had fallen. Ao Tu and the queen stayed in the thatched cottages, doing what farming husbands and wives did, entwined together.
The next day, they returned to Poison Enemy Mountain.
Ao Tu estimated Tang Sanzang's progress. The Daughter Kingdom had many waterways and few mountains, allowing for swift travel; he imagined they would reach the Capital in another month or so. Touched by the queen's affection, he spent more of his remaining time with her whenever he was not cultivating.
Thus a month passed, but there was still no sign of