"I want the weapons and armor here!" Li Qiang said offhandedly.
Nanadun started in alarm. "But those are exactly what we don't have! What... what... what are we supposed to do?" he thought, You just said weapons and equipment wouldn't be a problem. Have you forgotten already?
Lin Fenghe and Nashan both looked nervously at Li Qiang. Neither had expected him to say that.
Li Qiang paused, then couldn't help laughing. "Oh! You misunderstood. I meant I need the weapons and equipment used here so I can study their construction. Then I can start making them."
Nanadun said incredulously, "How is that possible? Making these weapons takes specialized manufacturers and large-scale production. It's not something a handful of people can do. If you don't believe me, ask Tange. He even studied a little weapons manufacturing."
Delighted, Li Qiang laughed. "Wonderful! Hurry and invite Tange over. Come on, let's go back and talk." He thought, I'm a disciple of a renowned artifact-refining sect in the cultivation world. I refuse to believe I can't make your weapons.
By the time they reached the room, Tange had hurried over as well.
Nanadun went over their earlier discussion again. "Tange, I remember you had some experience in weapons manufacturing. Do you think we could make our own weapons?"
Tange said awkwardly, "It would be extremely difficult-almost impossible. There are enough varieties of ore here, and crystal deposits too. The problem is, we have no equipment and no weapons manufacturers who know the trade. How could we make them?"
Everyone fell silent, all turning their eyes to Li Qiang to see what solution he had.
Qiao Yuhong's heart was almost leaping out of her chest. Afraid Li Qiang would be embarrassed, she desperately wished she could help him, but she lacked the ability. She looked uneasily at everyone and couldn't help silently praying for the gods to bless Li Qiang with a solution.
Li Qiang knew they would find it hard to understand the sophistication of cultivators' artifact-refining methods. He smiled. "Could you stop looking so nervous? I said I could solve it, and I will. But I must have samples!"
They sensed his confidence. Although they had no idea how he intended to manufacture the weapons, he was their boss. If he said it could be done, there should be no problem. Without realizing it, they had begun to put their faith in Li Qiang.
Nashan frowned. "Weapons are extremely hard to get here. That little Small Spine-Piercing Spear you took last time, Boss—I only got it after trying everything I could. Seven of my men died for that Spine-Piercing Spear."
A bold idea surfaced. Li Qiang asked Nashan, "Are you familiar with the terrain here?"
Nashan nodded his bald head. "Very familiar, but only in our sector and the neighboring ones. Any farther than that, and I don't know it well. Boss, the other sectors are just like ours. Weapons are what they lack most. They won't have any either." He thought Li Qiang intended to look for weapons in other sectors.
"Heh, heh. I'm planning to sneak up there and bring down a couple of white devils, and find out what things are like up above while I'm at it."
"Ah..." Everyone exclaimed in surprise. That was far too bold.
Lin Fenghe said, "We should all discuss it first. That would be safer." Because he knew Li Qiang's other identity, his position required him to give greater consideration to Li Qiang's safety.
Nanadun agreed. "Yes, we need a thorough plan. Everyone's lives are at stake. But I support the boss's idea. Taking a prisoner is very necessary." Having been a soldier, he understood the importance of intelligence.
Nashan was both excited and nervous. In the Black Prison, no one had ever dared entertain the idea of provoking the white devils. This new boss had gall enough to blot out the sky-his very first idea was so unexpected. Nashan couldn't help rubbing his fists eagerly. He hated the white devils to the marrow of his bones.
Fire pools were a geographical phenomenon unique to this place.
They were outlets for underground magma and earth fire. Winding passages followed the routes where earth fire and magma had once erupted, but the temperatures were so high that no one dared consider escaping through them. Nashan couldn't believe Li Qiang was actually interested in them.
Nashan led Li Qiang and several others to the edge of a fire pool. Rolling waves of heat struck their faces. Nearby rock walls twisted and warped in the rising heat, while fiery-red magma churned in the pool. Huge bubbles burst from time to time with strange gurgling pops, each burst bringing a more violent surge of heat.
Paben stood as far away as he could, but the heat still left him struggling to breathe.
Only Li Qiang stood casually beside the pool, seemingly enjoying the temperature.
In fact, Li Qiang was already cheering inwardly. The Fire Essence emerged from his body and plunged headfirst into the fire pool. In just a short while, its body turned a vivid red, and it returned to him. At once, Li Qiang felt the Soul-Shattering Golden Finger's light barrier loosen a little more.
But no one saw the Fire Essence come or go, because it was simply too hot.
Kankanqi wiped away his streaming sweat and smiled wryly. "Even if I still had my flying wings, I wouldn't dare take this route. It's terrifying."
"Oh! That was careless of me. Brother Lin, Kankanqi, and Brother Zhao-the four of us will go. Everyone else, head back first. Brother Han and Nashan will stay and guard our base. Remember, keep a low profile until we return. Don't fight with the other sectors, and don't interrupt training. Understood?"
Nashan said, "Let me go too. After all, I've been here a long time and know the situation better."
This took Li Qiang completely by surprise. He hadn't expected Nashan to volunteer. Looking at him with some appreciation, he said, "All right. Brother Lin will stay, and Nashan will go."
Lin Fenghe had been a soldier and could not disobey a superior's orders. Though thoroughly unwilling, he could only comply.
The others hurried back into the passage at the fire pool's entrance. Kankanqi thought Li Qiang was an absolute madman. He had no idea how they could get through such scorching passages. They might be roasted into dried corpses before they even reached their destination.
Li Qiang said, "All right, get ready."
He handed each of the three men two defensive jade talismans. "Keep one as a spare. Crush the other."
Nashan curiously crushed one. A brilliant gleam spread out, and he suddenly felt cool, barely able to feel the scorching heat from before. He couldn't help crying, "What is this thing? It's amazing!"
Kankanqi was even more astonished. Li Qiang surprised him at every turn, and his confidence in him soared.
Li Qiang pointed at Nashan. "You first. Watch where you land."
Grabbing Nashan by one arm, he exerted his strength and threw him. It would have been a lie to say Nashan wasn't afraid. He had managed to hold himself together at first, but once Li Qiang threw him and he saw magma flashing beneath his feet, he couldn't help screaming.
Only after he landed with extraordinary accuracy in the cave across the fire pool did his anguished cry of "Help!" reach them.
Li Qiang scolded him with a laugh. "You look so fierce, yet here you are yelling for help. You're fine."
Then he threw Zhao Zhi and Kankanqi across as well. Having seen Nashan's performance, neither cried out, but both broke into cold sweats. If they fell into the fire pool, there probably wouldn't even be fragments of their bones left to find.
All three wanted to see how Li Qiang would cross.
With the Fire Essence inside him and a cultivator's body founded on the Purple Flame Heart and Heavenly Fire, Li Qiang had no fear of flames like these. Had his Nascent Soul not been sealed, even falling into the pool would have done him little harm. But now he dared not be careless. He leaped up and streaked into the cave like lightning.
All three cheered. Li Qiang cupped his hands in a salute as fluid as drifting clouds and flowing water, smiling. "Forgive my poor display." In that instant, he left a powerful impression on them-truly dashing and unrestrained.
The four climbed rapidly upward through the cave.
The higher they went, the harder the going became, and branching passages began to multiply. Kankanqi and Nashan had the least stamina and began to slow down. Zhao Zhi, a martial artist after all, could still hold out.
Kankanqi gasped for breath, his face flushed dark green. Nashan's face was pale and sickly, and beads of sweat crowded his skin. He whispered, "Boss, slow down a little. I'm exhausted."
Li Qiang tossed out a rope and said softly, "Grab the rope."
The three hurriedly seized it. With Li Qiang pulling them along, things finally became a little easier.
After several more turns at branching passages, they climbed higher and higher. The passage began to widen, and the surrounding temperature dropped noticeably. They could even feel a cool breeze brushing their cheeks. The four continued climbing.
Just as the three were nearing exhaustion, Li Qiang, climbing ahead of them, suddenly raised a hand to signal a halt.
The three stopped immediately and looked nervously at Li Qiang.
Of them all, Kankanqi understood the fighting strength of the Tante Kingdom's soldiers best, so he was also the most nervous. He felt the Small Spine-Piercing Spear tucked against his chest. Li Qiang had specifically told Han Jin to give it to him, since he was, after all, a local soldier and knew the local weapons best.
Kankanqi sighed inwardly. If only I had my old weapons, armor, and flying wings. I'd feel much more confident in a fight. This Small Spine-Piercing Spear might not even penetrate the white devils' armor. How are we supposed to capture anyone?
Li Qiang turned, pressed his forefinger to his lips, then waved them onward.
In fact, Li Qiang had already heard faint voices. Had his Nascent Soul not been sealed, he could have heard them perfectly clearly. Now he could only determine where they came from, but that was enough.
After a moment's thought, he took out the flying sword Mo Huaiyuan had given him. Though he had never refined it, no weapon of the mundane world could hope to match it.
After another turn, the voices suddenly grew louder. He couldn't understand the jabbering words, but he could tell they seemed to be joking.
After several life-and-death struggles, Li Qiang had grown increasingly bold. He slowly edged closer.
Nashan and the other two also crawled slowly toward Li Qiang.
Keeping his voice extremely low, Nashan whispered, "Boss, that might be a ventilation opening."
Kankanqi quietly drew his Small Spine-Piercing Spear. Zhao Zhi and Nashan each gripped an eight-inch triangular spike, their palms unpleasantly sticky. Zhao Zhi pulled out a strip of rag, gave half to Nashan, and demonstrated wrapping it around his hand. Understanding dawned on Nashan, and he wrapped his hand too, feeling a little more secure.
Li Qiang had located the source of the voices: a hole about half a meter across. He crawled silently to its mouth. The rock around the opening wasn't very thick, and a hall lay below. Just as Nashan had said, it really was a ventilation opening. It was situated at an upper corner of the hall, affording a clear view of the layout below.
Li Qiang was inwardly startled. More than a dozen soldiers in white armor stood in the hall, along with a man in red armor who looked like an officer.
Kankanqi craned his head to look down and was both surprised and delighted. Leaning close to Li Qiang's ear, he said, "This looks like their armory. Look behind that row of stone pillars."
Li Qiang looked and was delighted too. Behind the pillars, neat rows of Spine-Piercing Spears rested on racks, and there seemed to be armor and protective gear as well.
Nashan watched the soldiers moving below in terror. How can we fight this? There are only four of us. If we charge down there, they'll shoot us into pulp before we can even attack. His hands began to shake. Zhao Zhi remained composed and gently patted his shoulder in reassurance. Nashan gave him a grateful look.
Li Qiang rapidly weighed their options. Of the four of them, only he had no fear of these soldiers. With surprise on their side, the other three might manage one opponent each, but there were fourteen soldiers and an officer below, and no telling how many more outside the hall. A frontal attack would be too risky.
Unable to think of a good plan for the moment, he signaled everyone to retreat slowly and crawl into a passage to the side.
"Let's discuss this and see if anyone has a good idea. We need to minimize casualties in this operation and keep the white devils from learning about us. So once we attack, we can't leave anyone alive except those we take away. If we can't take them, kill them immediately. Kankanqi, tell us what you think."
"Boss, I think it'll be difficult. There are too many of them. Once we kill a few and the others become alert, they'll activate their armor and defensive shields. Then we'll have trouble hurting them at all. When that happens..." Kankanqi said helplessly.
Nashan remained silent. Seeing Li Qiang looking at him, he rubbed his bald head and gave an embarrassed, wry smile. "Boss, don't look at me. I'm just a rough fellow. Ah! Seeing so many soldiers nearly scared me to death. Boss, you tell us! Whatever you say, I'll do it. I'm throwing caution to the winds. If I die, I die. At least I'll have fought once!"
Zhao Zhi agreed. "Yes, Nashan has a point. Boss, you tell us. The worst that can happen is death..."
Li Qiang interrupted him, scolding with a laugh. "Nashan, you idiot, why is it always death this and death that? I have no intention of sending you to your deaths. You too, Brother Zhao. Staying alive is what matters."
Nashan smiled bitterly inwardly. Who wouldn't want to live if they could? Against enemies this powerful, once we start fighting, staying alive won't be easy.
Li Qiang cleared his throat softly. "Since no one has any good ideas, I do have a plan that's hardly a plan."
Kankanqi asked in surprise, "A plan that's hardly a plan? What kind of plan is that?"
Nashan cut in. "It means there's no plan."
Before his words had faded, Li Qiang slapped his bald head and scolded, "Who asked you?"
For some reason, Li Qiang rather liked this bandit-like burly fellow and couldn't resist bullying him a little.
Nashan ducked his head, rubbing his bald scalp and muttering, "I'm already stupid. Won't hitting me make me even stupider?"
"We wait. Wait for an opportunity," Li Qiang said confidently.
Understanding dawned on Kankanqi. "Right, wait for an opportunity. They can't have so many soldiers there every moment. We'll take turns watching and act when we get a chance. Good! A good plan!" Inwardly, he greatly admired Li Qiang.
Waiting was truly unpleasant.
Li Qiang gave the food and fresh water he had brought to the three men, then began examining the changes inside his body.
Supported by the energy from the fire pool, the Fire Essence's abilities had surged, finally allowing it to punch a hole through the light barrier. Li Qiang immediately sent his consciousness through the opening into his Nascent Soul and began circulating his Microcosm at full strength.
After an unknown length of time, his entire body suddenly blazed with light.
Bored out of his mind, Nashan was toying with his triangular spike when everything around him suddenly lit up. Startled, his hand shook, and the spike cut his finger. He couldn't help letting out a low cry, then stared blankly at Li Qiang. He couldn't understand how a person could glow.
Kankanqi was dozing against the rock wall. Nashan's low cry woke him, and he snatched up his Small Spine-Piercing Spear. Opening his eyes, he too froze in astonishment.
After a while, the light dimmed. Li Qiang sighed and opened his eyes. He knew he couldn't recover his former condition just yet, but he could already use some True Essence Power. Seeing the two staring blankly at him, he asked, "What are you two staring at? Any developments? Let me hear them."
Nashan and Kankanqi now knew Li Qiang was certainly no ordinary person. Their confidence immediately soared, but neither dared ask why he had been glowing.
Kankanqi said respectfully, "Boss, Zhao Zhi has been gone for quite a while. I don't know whether he's found anything new. He should be back soon." This time, the word "Boss" truly came from his heart.
"Mm! Zhao Zhi is back." Li Qiang had heard Zhao Zhi moving.
A moment later, Zhao Zhi crawled out of the passage. Excited, he said, "Boss, there are only seven people in the hall now. That's the fewest there have been all this time. Do we attack?"
All three looked at Li Qiang.
"We attack! We've been here quite a while. The people below must be getting anxious waiting. Let's all take a look and discuss how to do it." Now that Li Qiang could use True Essence Power, however little, his strength had increased considerably, and his confidence rose with it.
"All right, crush your jade talismans first," Li Qiang reminded them.
Returning to the opening, they counted carefully and found only six people. Another had left.
Three soldiers sat in the middle of the hall, seemingly chatting, jabbering away without pause. One stood beside the row of stone pillars with half his body exposed. Another was in a corner, apparently asleep. The most troublesome was a soldier who kept walking around.
Li Qiang used True Essence Power to transmit his voice. "Brother Zhao, take the soldier walking around. Even if you can't kill him, keep him occupied. Kankanqi, take the soldier behind the stone pillars. Nashan, kill the sleeping one. I'll handle the three in the middle. I'll go down first. Jump down one at a time, and I'll catch you. Don't pause-attack immediately. Understood?"
Seeing the three nod, Li Qiang began his first operation in the Black Camp.
Li Qiang's caution did indeed save all four of them. On Tanbang Star, a fully equipped army could absolutely contend with cultivators, so cultivators who understood the situation would not provoke the local military. The weapons here were extremely formidable.
Like a phantom, Li Qiang drifted silently down, landing without a sound.
Zhao Zhi jumped after him. Before he landed, Li Qiang pushed the small of his back, sending him shooting toward the patrolling soldier like an arrow loosed from a bow.
Next, Kankanqi was pushed over as well.
Gritting his teeth, Nashan jumped down. Li Qiang caught him by the collar and hurled him toward the sleeping soldier.
The three chatting soldiers spotted Li Qiang and his companions and scrambled to their feet.
They had only just picked up their weapons when Li Qiang's mischievous face suddenly appeared before them, its scars twisting as he beamed at them. They couldn't fathom how he had reached them or why he was so fast.