The Three Armies Join Forces

"Combine the three armies?" Yan Fengxiao looked at Chen Haoran as if trying to see right through him.

"Exactly, General Yan. The Qian Kingdom has long since made preparations. If our three armies continue fighting separately, sooner or later the Qian forces will defeat us one by one. We would be better off joining forces and using Wuling City as our breakthrough point. That might give us a better chance of victory," Chen Haoran said, looking at the two generals.

Yan Fengxiao said nothing, pondering the matter of joining forces. It might work. Guo Youshan had even less to say. His army had been routed, and he now had only around eight hundred men left. Whatever the two generals decided, he would do. He only hoped to atone for his crimes through meritorious service before the Martial Emperor's order to hold him accountable arrived. Something this momentous could not have escaped the Martial Emperor's notice. Perhaps word had already spread like wildfire throughout the imperial capital by now.

"Generals, once the armies are united, command will be yours to exercise as you see fit. I, Chen Haoran, am willing to lead the vanguard in taking the city." Seeing that Yan Fengxiao seemed somewhat tempted, Chen Haoran continued.

"Do you mean that, General Chen?" Yan Fengxiao asked, staring intently at Chen Haoran.

"I can pledge my life on it!"

Yan Fengxiao feigned thought for a moment, then turned to look at Guo Youshan.

"What do you think, General Guo?"

"I am yours to command. I have no other intentions!" Guo Youshan knew full well that with only eight hundred men left, he could hardly contend with the other two. He would serve as a subordinate general, charge into battle, and redeem himself through meritorious service.

"Good! Then we'll do as General Chen says. Today, the three armies will join forces and attack Wuling City together." Yan Fengxiao swept his hand through the air, his face full of satisfaction.

After breakfast, Ye Fan hurried to the old village chief's home. Outside, several people were counting the bamboo wares made over the past few days. Pharmacist Bai of the Treasure Hall had ordered so many that the villagers had worked day and night to finish them. The first batch was already woven and waiting to be delivered to Sunset City!

"You're here, Xiao Fan!" The villagers smiled and greeted Ye Fan as he arrived. Xiao Fan had brought the village twenty taels of income, and everyone was very grateful. After all, it would help them through their immediate difficulties.

Ye Fan greeted each of the uncles in turn.

"Xiao Fan, sorry to trouble you today! This whole cartload of bamboo wares is no light burden. Why not let Qingquan go with you again? The two of you can look after each other."

"No need, Uncle Chen. Let Brother Quan stay and help in the village. I've been to Sunset City several times, so I know the road well. Don't worry."

The villagers still wanted to persuade him, but just then, Xiao Ke'er arrived.

"Brother Fan, will you be all right going alone? My eldest brother is heading toward Sunset City today too. Why don't you travel together for part of the way? You could keep each other company." Xiao Ke'er had heard that Ye Fan was going to Sunset City alone and felt somewhat worried.

"Don't worry, Ke'er, I'll be fine. Pharmacist Bai of the Treasure Hall and I are fairly well acquainted, and he's a good man. Otherwise, he wouldn't have ordered so many bamboo wares from us. Don't worry, I'll be back safe and sound before evening."

Father Ye and Mother Ye were there too. Father Ye said nothing. Xiao Fan had grown up and needed to try shouldering responsibilities on his own. Mother Ye, on the other hand, looked worried. Sunset City was a long way from here, and a round trip took nearly a whole day. Still, though she was worried, she said nothing. Everyone in the village was busy with the new village, and each had their own work to do. There really was no one to spare.

"Uncles, Father, Mother, Ke'er, I'll be going now. Don't worry, nothing will happen. I'll be back before sunset." Ye Fan lifted the handles of the wheelbarrow and spoke to the people around him.

After bidding everyone farewell, Ye Fan set off with the wheelbarrow.

When he reached a secluded spot, Ye Fan looked around to make sure no one was there. With a thought, he and the wheelbarrow vanished into thin air. This was another use of understanding the Star Art. His body was more closely connected to the great Dao of the world, so he could disappear into thin air without opening the gate to the Inner World, saving him a great deal of trouble.

The next moment, Ye Fan appeared in the woods outside Sunset City's gates. The wheelbarrow was still in the Inner World. Ye Fan first had to find someone: Qi Dazhu, whom he had hired before. The man was honest and dependable enough, so hiring him to transport the goods would save Ye Fan some worry.

But Ye Fan seemed to have come too early today. He saw very few people looking for work at the city gates.

"Could they have already been hired?" Ye Fan looked around. The sun had only just risen, and the dampness had not yet left the ground. Aside from the guards, there were no traveling merchants at the gates.

"I must have come too early today. The gates aren't even open yet. I'll wait a little longer!"

With that, Ye Fan slipped into the Inner World.

The herb garden he had planted could no longer be called a garden. It was more like a sea of herbs. As far as the eye could see, lush green and brilliant red stretched without end. With his skillful use of the Star Formula, Ye Fan no longer had to enter the Inner World and tend to it personally. With a movement of his divine sense, everything in the Inner World changed according to his thoughts.

The Water Spirit Art had also undergone many changes after he accidentally obtained the Star Art last time. The energy contained in a palm strike was greater than before. Previously, one strike might have accelerated growth by a month before its energy was exhausted. Now, a single strike could accelerate growth by at least three to five months before its energy was spent.

With nothing to do, Ye Fan lay down on a branch of the Tree of Life and swung his legs, utterly at ease.

Hmm? If I could cultivate a Tree of Life or two and transplant them to the village, everyone could benefit, Ye Fan suddenly thought as he gazed at the canopy that blotted out the sky and sun.

He got to work at once. Ye Fan chose a tender green branch and gently broke it off, then selected a patch of bare land where no herbs had been planted and stuck it in the soil. Water from the Spring of Life slowly flowed over, and he unleashed the power of the Water Spirit Art. Once he had done all that, Ye Fan squatted down and watched closely.

"Huh? Why hasn't it changed? Could it be that there isn't enough energy?" Ye Fan muttered to himself, seeing that the branch had not sprouted any new leaves.

He immediately sent out another palm strike, and the power of the Water Spirit Art enveloped the branch once more.

"Uh, a new bud seems to have appeared. But isn't it far too small? At this rate, when will it be ready to transplant?" Ye Fan muttered.

The Tree of Life contained a vast power of life and was rich in Spiritual Qi. It needed a great deal to grow. If it could be cultivated so easily, wouldn't it be found on every street? The mother Tree of Life had been continually nourished by the energy released from colliding stars when heaven and earth first opened, as well as by the earth vein. Only then had it grown large enough to blot out the sky and sun as it did today. Cultivating a Tree of Life was harder than hard-unless heaven and earth were opened anew...

Ye Fan tried several more times, but there was still little change in the branch. The new bud was no bigger than a sesame seed. It was growing far too slowly.

"Ah, never mind. I'll let it grow on its own." After several fruitless attempts, Ye Fan gave up.

By then, daylight had fully broken, and the city gates had opened.

More and more travelers were passing by. Ye Fan leaned forward and looked down. Qi Dazhu and the others were approaching from nearby, pushing wheelbarrows. They were chatting and laughing; it seemed their earnings had been fairly good lately.

"Brother Qi!" Ye Fan appeared in a flash and called out to them from a distance.

"Huh? Is someone calling me?" Qi Dazhu looked around.

"Over here, Brother Qi! Over here!" Ye Fan called again.

"Is that him? The big employer from last time." Qi Dazhu looked toward the voice, and when he recognized Ye Fan, he spoke to the fellow villagers beside him.

"Come on, it's young Brother Ye. Let's see if he needs any help." With that, Qi Dazhu led the way.