When Chen Mu entered the main hall of the city lord's mansion, there were already more than a dozen powerful cultivators sitting inside.
In addition to the original three Core Formation Realm experts that Chen Mu had not yet seen through, there is now one more Core Formation Realm. This brings the total Core Formation Realm in Absolute Sword City to four.
In the very center of the hall, a man covered in blood, bound tightly, lay unconscious on the ground.
The people in the hall were all whispering among themselves, their faces filled with worry.
Chen Mu guessed that the people gathered here now were all powerful figures in Absolute Sword City, and the reason there were only five people last time was probably because Bai Jinglong only trusted those four people.
As a junior, he bowed slightly upon entering the city lord's mansion, said nothing, and silently sat down in the last seat of the row.
"Gentlemen, the spy has been found!"
He just explained that in seven days, 150,000 Otherworldly Demon troops would arrive at Absolute Sword City.
If no one has any new opinions, let's call it a day!
Go back and prepare early. If you can withstand this attack, the imperial court will not forget you!
Chen Mu seemed to have arrived too late. After Bai Jinglong finished speaking, everyone got up and left one after another.
" Chen Mu, wait here for a moment, I have something to discuss with you!"
Upon hearing Bai Jinglong's shout, everyone present curiously glanced at Chen Mu.
However, most people had no recollection of Chen Mu, and after observing him, they left one after another.
A moment later, only Chen Mu, Bai Jinglong, and Elder Qing Xue remained in the hall.
" Chen Mu, now that the spy has been caught, I'll return this 'clairvoyant' to its rightful owner."
Bai Jinglong returned the crosshair to Chen Mu from his storage ring, a hint of reluctance in his eyes.
"Thank you, Lord City Lord!"
Chen Mu took the sights and put them back into his storage ring.
" Chen Mu, regarding your proposed plan to garrison Broken Blade Mountain, we haven't gathered many cultivators yet, only a little over three hundred."
Bai Jinglong sighed, a hint of regret in his eyes.
"This group is quite strong, but they are still far from the number I expected. A raiding party should have a size of a thousand to bring enough killing power."
Therefore, I think your plan is very likely to fail!
"More than three hundred people?"
Chen Mu was slightly surprised, not because the number of people was too small, but because there were many more than he had expected.
He originally thought that being able to gather more than a hundred people would be quite good, since they weren't low-level martial artists, but rather those at the Qi Nourishing Realm or above.
It seems that as a border city, Absolute Sword City has a relatively high proportion of courageous warriors.
"Lord Bai, actually, three hundred people are enough!"
To be honest, I've actually been holding back some tricks. With these people cooperating with me, it's enough to support this plan!
Upon hearing Chen Mu's words, Bai Jinglong showed an interested expression.
"What methods did you use? Would you mind telling us now?"
Chen Mu shook his head, his smile mysterious.
"This is my master's invention; Lord City Lord, you can simply wait and see."
Ever since Chen Mu proposed the battle plan for Broken Blade Mountain, Bai Jinglong had sent people to investigate his background, so he naturally knew who Chen Mu's master was.
"Haha, Yang Huiming, the ' Heavenly Craft Ghost Talisman,' is indeed a remarkable figure in the world of talisman masters."
As his disciple, I have absolute confidence in you.
Chen Mu was secretly surprised. Elder Ming never mentioned his past, so this was the first time he had heard of it. It turned out that Elder Ming had such a famous nickname.
Bai Jinglong pondered for a long time before making a decision.
"Since you think there's no problem, I'll give those three hundred-plus people I've gathered a temporary unit, named the ' Sword Guardian Battalion,' and put it under your command."
Elder Qing Xue will serve as the military supervisor, assisting you in guarding Broken Blade Mountain. Do you dare accept this assignment?
Chen Mu immediately stood up, his expression solemn.
"I am willing to accept the order!"
Bai Jinglong nodded with satisfaction, his tone becoming more serious.
" Chen Mu, although you are not an imperial soldier, now that I have assembled a force for you in the name of the imperial court, you are subject to the court's control, so you must be responsible for your subordinates."
If you lead your troops recklessly and cause heavy losses, I will hold you accountable afterwards. Are you aware of all this?
"I understand!"
Seeing Chen Mu's unwavering expression, Bai Jinglong breathed a sigh of relief.
Chen Mu's move was entirely beneficial to him.
After all, there are only a little over three hundred cultivators. Even if they are completely abandoned, it will not have a significant impact on the overall battle situation.
If the plan at Broken Blade Mountain succeeds, his pressure will be greatly reduced, which is the main reason why he agreed to Chen Mu's plan.
Elder Qing, do you support my decision?
Bai Jinglong turned to Elder Qing Xue and asked.
After spending time together, Chen Mu discovered that Elder Qing Xue was a rather indecisive person.
She liked to follow the rules and focused solely on her cultivation, showing indifference to everything else.
Not everyone goes through hardships to break through to the Core Formation Realm. Some people have a smooth journey and rely on the legacy of their ancestors to reach this point. Therefore, it is understandable that Elder Qing Xue has this kind of personality.
This war will be very dangerous for those below the Core Formation Realm, but for those above the Core Formation Realm, there will be virtually no danger to their lives.
Since Core Formation Realm cultivators can fly, no matter how many soldiers there are, they cannot stop them if they want to leave.
Even cultivators who reach the Core Formation Realm stage rarely risk their lives, since it's very difficult to kill someone at this level.
Even if the opposing team has a numerical advantage, if they can't win, running away is not a problem.
Ultimately, the reason Core Formation Realm experts fight on the battlefield is for their respective missions or to save face.
If things become unmanageable and they flee, the court will not punish them for it.
Of all those present, the only one who couldn't run away was Bai Jinglong, because he was the city lord. If he abandoned the city and fled, even if he didn't die in battle, he would be executed by the imperial court.
That's why Bai Jinglong put so much effort into this battle; after all, it was related to his life and fortune.
Elder Qing Xue shrugged indifferently after hearing Bai Jinglong's question.
"I'm fine! If Lord Bai thinks it's alright, I'll stay and guard Broken Blade Mountain!"
"Okay, it's decided then!"
Chen Mu, you can go to Broken Blade Mountain tomorrow to make arrangements. I will grant you a special sum of military funds; you must use them carefully.
As the saying goes, "An army marches on its stomach."
At this point, Bai Jinglong was very generous. Chen Mu was risking his life for Absolute Sword City, and if he didn't show any attitude, the battle couldn't be fought.
Bai Jinglong comes from a distinguished family and is well-versed in the art of employing people.
He could understand the army's lax discipline in normal times, and he was too lazy to supervise them all day long, because military training was really tiring.
However, he can distinguish right from wrong at crucial moments; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to hold the position of Lord of Absolute Sword City for so many years.
"Thank you, City Lord! I will depart tomorrow morning and will certainly establish the stronghold as soon as possible!"