NOVPUB
Chapter 109: Chapter 106: Strategizing Behind the Scenes
Lingyun Building.
The most luxurious top-tier restaurant in Starlight City.
Standing forty-nine meters tall, one could oversee nearly half of Starlight City from the top floor.
At this moment, atop this pavilion, the Sword Master Xue He narrowed her eyes.
"Heaven seeks to destroy those it first makes mad!"
She spoke indifferently, "This Gu Jinlai is truly arrogant to the extreme. I thought he would take advantage of the night to sneak into Heavenly Grass Pavilion and strike them with a thunderous blow. Yet, he chose to attack outright..."
"Wounding people at will within the city, now, even if the Meteor Star Guard directly apprehends them, the many forces gathered outside the city cannot utter a word of objection. He has given Su Wen a just opportunity to avenge her daughter."
Chen Yue was also somewhat surprised.
"We can’t let Su Wen get there first."
The Sword Master Xue He caressed the top-grade Spiritual Device, Wind and Snow River and Mountain, in her hand, "The strongest aspect of a flying sword lies in its ability to strike unexpectedly. I’m not like Shi Chen, who would tell Gu Jinlai in advance when I am going to strike. He probably doesn’t even realize that he has already become the fish on my chopping block."
"Indeed."
Chen Yue scanned the horizon and suddenly noticed something, her eyes lighting up, "Gu Jinlai is truly unaware of his impending doom. He has actually allowed his subordinate to control that Slaughter Spirit Artifact to shoot at the Pavilion Master of Heavenly Grass Pavilion..."
"Hmm!?"
As a Divinity Transformation Great Master, the Sword Master Xue He, possessing incredible vision, also witnessed this scene, "It seems like Gu Jinlai’s days are truly numbered."
She smiled faintly, her Yin God’s energy entering the Spirit Sword, Wind and Snow River and Mountain.
"Let me strike with the sword and end his arrogant audacity, making him realize that cultivators like him who rely on external objects, let alone having no Slaughter Spirit Artifacts anymore—even if he still did, or even had two of them, before a true flying sword strike, they are nothing but..."
Before she could finish, within her field of view, Gu Jinlai happened to reveal two Short Range Defense Canons.
The Sword Master Xue He, full of confidence, as if she were delivering his ultimate judgment of life, abruptly halted her words.
"Two Slaughter Spirit Artifacts..."
Chen Yue, beside her, couldn’t help but widen her eyes, "He... He actually has two Slaughter Spirit Artifacts!?"
She abruptly turned her gaze toward the Sword Master Xue He, "Master, Gu Jinlai he..."
"..."
The Sword Master Xue He maintained her Yin God Sword stance.
She watched Gu Jinlai, standing among the Slaughter Spirit Artifacts, and even...
It seemed one of the Slaughter Spirit Artifacts was somewhat intentionally aiming in their direction.
She had seen the power wielded by the Slaughter Spirit Artifact controlled by Gu Chifeng.
Such a dense metallic storm being unleashed...
A normal flying sword would have a hard time penetrating such defenses.
No wonder the flying sword Shi Chen shot earlier was intercepted by Gu Jinlai. n𝚘𝚟pub.𝚌o𝚖
She considered that her Wind and Snow River and Mountain, with its sharpness and sky-breaking traits, had stronger offensive and penetrating capabilities than Shi Chen’s.
But even so...
Gu Jinlai had two such Slaughter Spirit Artifacts.
And if necessary, even Gu Chifeng’s Slaughter Spirit Artifact could turn its guns, forming a crossfire network.
In such a scenario, no amount of confidence could help her break through this barraging firewall to shoot Gu Jinlai, who was within it.
For a moment, the Sword Master Xue He’s activated flying sword was in limbo, undecided whether to shoot or not.
...
"How could this be!?"
Amidst the pervasive smoke and dust, You Chang, desperately dodging, shouted in horror: "Such Slaughter Spirit Artifacts must be incredibly difficult to refine, how could he possibly have three!?"
A single Slaughter Spirit Artifact could withstand a Divinity Transformation Great Cultivator’s flying sword strike.
With three Slaughter Spirit Artifacts now in play, the Divinity Transformation Cultivators of Dragon Sparrow Manor certainly wouldn’t make a move, which means...
They had to rely on their own strength and these three Slaughter Spirit Artifacts to fight!?
As shock reverberated through his heart, You Chang’s reaction speed involuntarily slowed.
The next moment, bullets blazing like laser flames whizzed past his body.
Merely brushing past him, the kinetic energy contained in the bullets made his figure sway,
This sway completely locked him under the targeting of the Short Range Defense Cannon, and countless bullets, dense as a torrential downpour, poured onto his body.
Even though he was a Refining God Immortal and wore a Supreme Treasure Armor that he had spent a fortune on, which had remarkable defensive power, under the burst of 30mm caliber bullets, he lasted less than a second before his defenses were torn apart, followed by...
His body was torn apart.
This Pavilion Master of Heavenly Grass Pavilion didn’t even have a chance to scream before being blasted into a mist of blood by the metallic torrent.
...
"Pavilion Master!?"
Watching You Chang, who had just fallen under the Short Range Defense Cannon within a breath’s time, the surviving experts of Heavenly Grass Pavilion were shocked beyond belief.
Especially since at this moment, people like Gu Luochen continued to fire Gatlings, turning wherever they aimed into rivers of blood.
Occasionally, some of their people managed to get close to Gu Luochen and the others, but...
Those Demon God Warriors at his side were not to be trifled with.
A hundred Demon God Warriors swarmed up, capable of encircling even a Refining God Immortal, let alone in small, disorganized groups rushing forward!
The enemy’s strength quickly spread a wave of fear among the crowd.
"Gu Jinlai’s Slaughter Spirit Artifacts are too strong. Even the Pavilion Master, who mastered movement techniques and wore a Supreme Treasure Armor, couldn’t withstand them... and he has three such Slaughter Spirit Artifacts!"
"Run! Hurry up and run! The Heavenly Gang Sect and Meteor Star Guard combined were defeated by these people, we can’t stop them!"
"Though Qi Refining Pills are good, one must have life to enjoy them. Moreover, do they really think I would die for just six Qi Refining Pills a year? I’m getting out of here."
The alarming casualty rate, combined with the fact that many who had recently joined Heavenly Grass Pavilion, holding the positions of Hugging Pill and Gang Condensation, had little sense of loyalty to this power.
Having realized that they were nearly sending people to their deaths in droves, those who had recently joined Heavenly Grass Pavilion for their benefits, including Hugging Pill, Gang Condensation, and Qi Refinement cultivators, were the first to scatter.
Such a flight in this high-pressure environment was bound to trigger a chain reaction.
The experts who were originally courageous enough to charge for their sect also scattered in all directions.
"Hold your ground! Hold your ground! We can win! We still have our trump card!"
Seeing this scene, Supreme Elder Zuo Bu’er shouted loudly, trying to rally the cultivators.
However, just as he appeared, Gu Chifeng had already directed a Short Range Defense Cannon toward him.
The next moment, accompanied by a dense flow of light that effortlessly shredded all the flowers, trees, Iron Armor, and walls blocking their paths, Zuo Bu’er didn’t even have time to shout. He mustered all his energy to dodge and hastily retreat.
Even the Supreme Elder from the Refining God Realm was forced to fly back, powerless to resist.
The hearts of the people scattered.
The disciples who still wanted to struggle no longer dared to stay and fled in disarray.
The entire Heavenly Grass Pavilion, which consisted of more than forty Hugging Pill, and over three hundred Gang Condensation and Qi Refinement Cultivators, had a size comparable to that of Heavenly Gang Sect and Zhang Luu’s alliance, yet it collapsed...
From the beginning of the battle to its end, it took less than ten breaths to completely disintegrate.
The true number of dead and injured on their side was still less than one-fifth.
This scene, witnessed by Dong Hanxue, who was also among the crowd waiting for an opportunity, caused her to sigh as well.
The situation was irretrievable.
...
Gu Jinlai saw that the remaining two Refining God Cultivators from Heavenly Grass Pavilion had escaped under the pressure of Gu Chifeng, and with a wave of his hand commanded, "Gu Chifeng, Gu Luochen, Gu Qingmei, you continue to maintain fire suppression, the rest, enter Heavenly Grass Pavilion and sweep through the resources... Take the Silver Tael related to our debts, and we withdraw after one incense stick’s time."
"Yes."
Upon receiving the order, everyone went about their tasks.
Some seized strategic high points, while others surged into key locations of Heavenly Grass Pavilion with utmost efficiency.
Meanwhile, Gu Jinlai remained near two Short Range Defense Cannons, maintaining their Co-spirit State.
His targets...
Not only included Divinity Transformation Great Cultivators from Dragon Sparrow Manor marked by radar but also included Meteor Star Guard Su Wen.
If he had the chance, he felt Su Wen would not mind delivering a thunderous strike to eliminate him, who had killed his daughter or rather caused him devastating loss and tarnished his reputation.
Although he had three Short Range Defense Cannons, theoretically capable of confronting three Divinity Transformation Great Cultivators simultaneously, he dared not gamble.
The best outcome was to maintain deterrence, preventing Dragon Sparrow Manor and Su Wen from having a chance to strike.
This was also the reason he constantly stood there, surveying the surroundings.
One incense stick’s time passed quickly.
The nearly one hundred Gu Family Disciples who rushed into Heavenly Grass Pavilion appeared, each carrying large and small bundles.
Some were even running over directly wielding large boxes.
As these were Divine Demon Body Refining cultivators, tens to hundreds of pounds were as light as nothing in their hands.
If not for the limited time, they could have even dismantled Heavenly Grass Pavilion’s beams and taken them all.
...
"No one took action, huh?"
Gu Jinlai did not know whether to feel relieved or regretful.
Once the time was up, he did not hesitate, "Let’s go!"
Then, he and Gu Chifeng, carrying three Short Range Defense Cannons, led the way, while Gu Luochen and Gu Qingmei, among others, provided protection with their "Thunder" machine guns. Following them were the Gu family disciples, each loaded with loot.
Under the leadership of Gu Jinlai, they openly defeated Heavenly Grass Pavilion, plundered everything inside, and then brazenly charged out of Starlight City.
The whole process was witnessed by countless people, yet no one came to stop them.
...
Starlight City had no walls.
The group of a hundred people quickly left the boundaries of Starlight City.
"Patriarch, no one has followed us, nor have there been any alerts from flying swords."
Gu Chifeng approached Gu Jinlai.
Despite having previously learned to use the "Red" Short Range Defense Cannon, and even the character "Chi" in the cannon’s name derived from his own name, practice and actual combat felt distinctly different.
His face seemed to still hold a hint of excitement.
"It’s best if they don’t come."
Gu Jinlai looked at the crowd returning fully loaded and immediately ordered, "Regroup with our troops, and then... we retreat."
"Retreat?"
Gu Chifeng was startled.
He then thought of something, "Our departure at this time might arouse suspicion from Star State and Dragon Sparrow Manor, prompting them to act against us prematurely?"
"The reason I chose to attack Heavenly Grass Pavilion at this time is partly because Divinity Transformation Great Cultivators from Purgatory Sect, Yellow Sky Sect, Cold Moon Sect, and Netherworld Sect were present, and partly because there’s only one day left until the grand event. At this point, they certainly won’t rearrange their forces lightly because of us."
Gu Jinlai paused, then added, "Moreover, this battle has shown we possess stronger combat power than anticipated. By leaving now, they will only be happy."
This was probably also the reason why Meteor Star Guard did not attack him as he left Starlight City.
The grand scheme was what mattered.
"Our objective has been achieved."
Gu Jinlai gave a slight smile, enjoying the feeling of knowing the enemy’s every move in advance and exploiting information asymmetry to profit on the razor’s edge...
It felt exhilarating.
Such is the art of strategy.
"Starlight City has become a powder keg, about to explode any moment. We leave tonight. From then on, however they choose to fight here, it no longer concerns us."
