Chapter 501

Just as Jinshan Town knew the strategic importance of the Pass Camp, they built a city there specifically to defend Zhencheng and repel foreign enemies;

Wuchuan was the same: Donggu Camp connected to Jinshan Yuan Camp to the east and Muyin Fushan Camp to the south, like a nail driven between the two towns—and it was the only route for southern towns to advance northward. Such a vital position had long been fortified with a city.

Though Donggu City’s scale couldn’t match Zhencheng, it spanned five kilometers in both directions, and outside its southwestern main gate, a moat twenty meters wide had been dug.

In the extreme cold of Binghe, liquid water was nearly impossible to sustain, yet humans, as intelligent beings, had ways to withstand such climates.

“During peacetime, no one tends to this moat; the thick ice that forms on top serves perfectly as a path for people to enter the city. But during war, we ignite coal stones in the iron troughs beneath the moat to melt the ice…”

Above Donggu’s main gate, more than twenty figures hovered in midair; their leader was an elderly man clad in blue brocade, and behind him, bowing with humble deference as he explained, was none other than Wuchuan’s lord, Qin Feng.

Qin Feng kept speaking, but thinking of the elder’s identity and the news he had just brought, his pupils glowed with excitement he could not hide.

The elder before him was Cai Yunhe, a third-generation scion of the Cai Qiu Fangbo lineage, and also the third-ranking figure among the ten Xianyang-level reinforcements dispatched by Cai Qiu to aid Nanlu.

“Young Fangbo Cai Qiuhu personally led a hundred Xianyang-level experts into Jinshan City. I, under his orders, have come here with ten others to reinforce Wuchuan!”

He had heard these words himself when he led the delegation out to greet Cai Yunhe.

The Great Xia’s plan to unify Nanlu was doomed to fail!

At that moment, those words flashed instantly through Qin Feng’s mind.

A hundred Xianyang-level experts were more than enough to reverse the current crisis.

The key was, this was only Cai Qiu—Chencang’s forces hadn’t even arrived yet.

After Qin Feng finished detailing Donggu’s fortifications and saw no reaction from Cai Yunhe, he could no longer suppress his confusion and asked respectfully:

“Lord Cai, since the Young Fangbo has already arrived in Nanlu, why not appear in person to intimidate? Great Xia’s strength is enough to bully Nanlu, but before your fanzhen, they are but fireflies against the moon. If the Young Fangbo were to personally visit Xiacheng and show his might, Xia Hong would surely hesitate…”

“Hmph! Easy to say. Great Xia has at least fifteen Beiwang-level puppets—none have appeared since the war began, likely guarding Xiacheng. How exalted is the Young Fangbo? Is it worth risking his life for this petty matter in Nanlu?”

“I am foolish—I beg your pardon, Lord!”

Qin Feng was cut off, his face stiffening slightly; though he apologized, his inner confusion deepened.

Though he didn’t know Cai Qiu Fanzhen well, he had heard the name of Young Fangbo Cai Qiuhu.

Cai Qiu Fangbo had four sons: the eldest, Cai Qiuyang, governor of Linchu Commandery; the second, Cai Qiuning, governor of Qingcang Commandery; the third, Cai Qiuhong, governor of Baishui Commandery; and the youngest, Cai Qiuhu.

“Young Fangbo” was no honorific—it was a real fanzhen title. From the title alone, it was clear: Cai Qiuhu was the next Fangbo, heir to Cai Qianshan.

To hold the title of Young Fangbo, Cai Qiuhu’s strength was self-evident. Qin Feng had heard that though he was the youngest son, his talent far surpassed his three older brothers—he broke through to Jieshen at sixty, and now, barely in his eighties, he was among the youngest in Mo’ao Chuan’s Jieshen ranks.

Not only that, he was deeply favored by the Fangbo: he lived permanently in Cai Qiu City and could freely command the Fangbo’s Silver-Scale Army.

Leaving aside his status and background, his Jieshen cultivation alone meant no one in Nanlu could threaten him.

Four years ago, Great Xia unleashed twelve Beiwang-level puppets at Hongmen Battle; two days ago, during the abduction of Xia Yu by Yang Jian and Chu Xukong, they deployed three more Beiwang-level Tengjiao. Their current count is fifteen.

In Binghe’s law, cold beasts of the same level vastly outmatch humans.

Fifteen Beiwang-level puppets? Absolutely terrifying!

Of the three northern towns, Jinshan had the strongest defenses—but if fifteen Beiwang-level puppets joined the Xia Army in assaulting it, even Jinshan wouldn’t hold long.

Great Xia declared war two days ago, yet still hasn’t deployed those puppets. This reassured Qin Feng—and made him believe Yang Jian’s words even more.

Those Beiwang-level puppets must have usage restrictions; otherwise, Great Xia wouldn’t have waited this long.

Of course, those puppets weren’t invincible!

Not against Jieshen-level experts.

Cai Qiuhu was a full Jieshen expert. Even if he couldn’t defeat fifteen Beiwang-level puppets together, wouldn’t his mere presence in Xiacheng to intimidate them count as anything less than risking his life?

Not to mention he brought so many Xianyang-level experts. Even if Great Xia had gone mad or hidden some deadly trick, and dared attack him—he could simply flee.

To call his visit to Xiacheng “risking his life” was clearly an exaggeration.

“The real reason is they don’t want this war to end.”

The two fanzhen aided them against Great Xia because they too coveted Nanlu—but they couldn’t send large armies south. So rather than intimidate Great Xia and end the war, they preferred to let the northern four towns exhaust Great Xia’s strength first.

After a moment’s thought, Qin Feng understood why Cai Qiuhu refused to intimidate Great Xia in Xiacheng—his spirits sank immediately.

Though his heart sank, he dared not show it on his face.

The situation forced submission. No matter what, they depended entirely on the two fanzhen’s aid to resist the Xia Army. Whatever the fanzhen said, they had to obey—no right to object remained.

“Before I came, I visited Fushan. In arms, cultivation, and troop discipline, your fifty thousand soldiers are no match for the Xia Army. Launching an offensive has zero chance of victory—but defending behind your walls is manageable. With our help, if Great Xia dares attack rashly, they’ll suffer heavy losses. So…”

Since the fanzhen didn’t want the war to end, they’d never help them launch an offensive. Now that Qin Feng understood Cai Qiu’s scheme, hearing Cai Yunhe’s words brought him no surprise—only a sharp drop in his earlier excitement.

Of course, he showed none of it on his face. When Cai Yunhe finished, he bowed respectfully, smiling with gratitude: “Lord Cai speaks wisely—I have learned. But…”

He paused, then continued hesitantly: “Yangqu is already besieged by Yuan Cheng’s forces. Without reinforcements, it will fall. Longgu has already changed hands. If Yangqu falls, all lands south of Donggu become Great Xia’s territory. Then the Xia Army can march north unimpeded—we…”

“Don’t worry! The Xia Army won’t break Yangqu. Young Fangbo brought fifty Xianyang-level experts out of Jinshan City. Eleven of us came here to Donggu—the remaining thirty-nine followed him to Yangqu.”

Yangqu is saved!

Thirty-nine Xianyang-level experts, plus Cai Qiuhu, the Jieshen expert—combined with Yangqu’s strong defenses, the Xia Army’s ferocity means nothing.

Hearing this, Qin Feng’s heart instantly calmed.

No matter what sinister motives Cai Qiu harbored, they clearly didn’t want Great Xia to unify Nanlu—and they were willing to send troops to help Cao Ganyang hold Yangqu Town.

Even if they wouldn’t lift a finger, fine—let the war stall into stalemate. Just wait for the Xia Army to grow overconfident and attack.

Previously, Qin Feng had feared the four hundred thousand troops of Fushan Camp would attack Donggu Camp. Now, not only did he no longer fear it—he actually hoped the Xia Army would come and attack.