Following the Trail

As a cultivator with top-tier flying speed in the Three Realms, Zhang Xuezhou can easily traverse territories in a short period of time.

To set up the Qi Luck Array Flags, one needs to choose the four cardinal directions: east, south, west, and north, which represent the most remote parts of a country's territory.

In the real world, maps exist, so Zhang Xuezhou could easily meet the requirements and even arrange for someone to help with transportation.

Maps of this world have become rare items, and even today Zhang Xuezhou doesn't know where the four corners of the Xiong State's territory are.

But he doesn't need to make things perfect. After all, Fortune Technique doesn't have to be perfect to work.

Setting up the four flags in the east, west, south, and north to their maximum extent can mobilize all the accumulated fortune within the territory of the Xiong State. If the area is smaller, the power mobilized by Zhang Xuezhou during the sacrifice will be less.

The formation of banners can be as large as a country's territory, as small as a city or a small town, or even the imperial palace area can be used to construct feng shui banners for sacrificial purposes.

This kind of fortune-based ritual involves both territory and the object of the sacrifice.

For example, Grean has never practiced the Fortune Technique, but thanks to the vast and unified territory of the Aomeijia Alliance and the support of the people, he has an inexhaustible source of luck.

For example, the vassal state of Liu An King of Huainan, was located in a remote corner and was of limited size. However, Liu An King of Huainan, was highly skilled in Fortune Technique. Even simply setting up battle flags around the enemy's palace and offering sacrifices to the King of Huainan could bring immense fortune.

Zhang Xuezhou roughly determined the four cardinal directions of the Xiong State's formation flags before heading towards the Great Han's territory amidst the howling winds and waves.

"They've actually started a war in Henan!"

Perhaps due to the lack of arrangements made by Daojun and Zhu Jiuyin, the Xiong State Legion kept moving back and forth in places like Hexi.

The Great Han Dynasty's army was also frequently mobilized. Even if Zhang Xuezhou checked on it once a month, or even if he flew over every three to five days to check on it, the situation would be different.

"Nine Spirits Primal Sage has quite a few descendants!"

As Zhang Xuezhou's gaze swept downwards, he could still see the Xiong State riding Golden Fur lion and the general of the Great Han Dynasty on horseback clashing below the city.

"Hulugu, it's getting late. Let's fight again next time!"

"Anguo, don't run away!"

As Zhang Xuezhou was falling and trying to get a better look, he saw one person fleeing and another chasing below, which prompted both sides to gallop away on horseback and shout loudly.

"Disease!"

Zhang Xuezhou had met Hulugu. Her name sounded rather strange when translated into Chinese. She was the Left Wise King of the Xiong State, second only to the Great Chanyu in status, and possessed excellent leadership and cultivation abilities.

Hulugu's cultivation was no match for Anguo's. Just as Zhang Xuezhou was about to assume that Anguo was feigning defeat and then launching a counterattack, he saw a long tail sweep past Hulugu's back, and Anguo in front of him let out a painful cry. Even if it was a feigned defeat, it turned into a real defeat.

"Hahaha, no matter how thick your armor is, once you're hit by my Bone-Corroding Dagger, you'll kneel down and call me grandpa!"

Hulugu shouted, unleashing her Law Treasure and urging the demon lion to give chase.

His expression changed drastically only when the wind and waves crashed down from high above.

A heavy blow, so dull it made his vision go black, came from his head. Hulugu, head tilted to the side, carried the demon lion and fled frantically.

No reason needed, no explanation needed; he was genuinely afraid of getting punched again and dying there.

You're lucky!

A cold snort came from behind her. Hulugu felt the voice was somewhat familiar, but she couldn't quite place who it was.

He endured the pain and returned to the camp more than two hundred meters away, where he was received and brought back by the Grand Commandant.

When the deformed helmet was removed, blood gushed out from his head. His head looked as if it had been cleaved in two, and the pain almost made Hulugu faint.

"There are... there are top-tier experts. Retreat... and rendezvous with the Right Wise King!"

The decision was made hastily, Hulugu quickly lay down, causing the generals to shout in alarm and hurriedly call for the army doctor, creating chaos.

"You should help me and keep Hulugu here; it would be a great service!"

Chaos reigned both outside and inside Yuyang City.

If Yuyang City's defenses are strong and its garrison is sufficient, Anguo will not need to leave the city to challenge others and prolong the time.

He hurriedly returned to the city and used a water ladle to vigorously wash his wound. His face became somewhat distorted due to the pain, almost causing Anguo to faint from the pain. However, when his gaze fell on the figure more than ten meters away, he forced himself to stay awake.

"I don't have that ability. When I intervened, at least a dozen people noticed me. If Fei Zong gets close enough to kill Hulugu, I'll inevitably get surrounded. If I'm tied up with a lasso and you can't come to my rescue, then my fate will be terrible!"

"Hey, I'm so suffocating!"

Anguo let out a sigh of relief.

As a staunch defender of the old guard, Anguo was assigned to various guard duties in the north. After a series of battles, he achieved no merits, but he suffered no shortage of beatings.

Seeing the Xiong State Legion move freely while he could only stay in the city and dared not leave, Anguo felt depressed and almost became depressed.

"Have you seen the Nine Spirits Primal Sage?"

Zhang Xuezhou asked a question.

Compared to his own searching, it would be much easier for Zhang Xuezhou to obtain information by asking the generals at the front lines, and it would also significantly reduce his search time.

Zhang Xuezhou assisted Anguo primarily for this reason; otherwise, he wouldn't have rashly intervened, lest his strength be exposed and he be targeted.

Zhang Xuezhou's statement that he lacks the ability to kill Hulugu was not an exaggeration. In a one-on-one fight, he could beat Hulugu like Sunzi with his wild punches. However, if he was caught in a trap and his mount pulled him away, Zhang Xuezhou would also be in danger.

The solution to him is that simple: no matter how many abilities he possesses, such as physical immortality or the ability to fly across thousands of miles, they cannot make him an invincible warrior.

Heavenly King Li's favorite Three-Zhang Green Law Treasure could restrain Zhang Xuezhou, and there were few cultivators who could still roam freely after being bound.

Zhang Xuezhou cannot make up for this shortcoming; he can only avoid falling into this risk.

After a brief conversation, Zhang Xuezhou directly asked what he needed.

"That old demon lion appeared once a month ago, and then disappeared without a trace," Anguo said dejectedly. "If he were here, I definitely wouldn't dare to go out of the city to fight him!"

"Where is Chanyu Junch en?" Zhang Xuezhou asked again.

"Chanyu Junch en isn't on the Hulugu route. Perhaps he's in Shanggu Commandery City the route of Right Wise King Shan Huan. Or maybe he's gone to Youbeiping. I've heard that the Xiong State are digging in the mountains of Youbeiping. Maybe they're looking for something!"

Anguo quickly answered, and was helped up again. He began to undergo surgery by the military doctor to release the poisonous blood and worms, with thin, wriggling worms being removed one by one from under his ribs.

Even Zhang Xuezhou's Highest Clarity technique, which he was skilled in, was helpless against this type of injury. He asked Anguo several times before stopping and not pressing him for answers.

Thank you. Please take care of yourself!

Sigh~

Zhang Xuezhou leaped to his feet.

Just as his arrival was sudden, Zhang Xuezhou's departure was equally sudden.

Anguo was in so much pain that he broke out in a cold sweat, but when his gaze swept over the figure that was quickly taking off, his eyes were filled with uncontrollable envy, as well as a bit of helplessness.

The battlefield was not fixed in the Hexi Corridor, Henan, and Hebei regions, but rather spread across different levels.

There are legion battles, soldiers vying for supremacy, logistical mobilization and replenishment within the Great Han Dynasty, various border trades, suppression of domestic rebellious intentions, and officials like Zhang Xuezhou carrying out secret missions.

Anguo sometimes regretted holding onto his stubborn and outdated ideas, but he lacked the ability to take action.

"If I were to follow them to kill the Nine Spirits Primal Sage, or risk eliminating the Chanyu Junch en, I would probably die even faster!"

Zhang Xuezhou seemed to be just asking a couple of questions and leaving, but Anguo knew very well that such an inquiry was not something that came about casually, but rather that there was a real possibility that such a plan was being developed.

Just thinking about the new emperor's achievements in Mayi, Anguo had no doubt that the new emperor's sword would be pierced by these two.

Becoming part of the conservative faction would at least allow them to hold on for a while, while following Zhang Xuezhou and others in causing trouble would only lead to their swift demise.

He suppressed his resentment, wondering when this arduous defensive struggle would end.