Chapter 827: Totem Army

Li Li Banfeng sent out his shadow to reconnoiter, then replaced Hua Jiuer to prepare the array.

Looking at the state of Hen Wuyou Ping, Hua Jiuer also frowned: "How can we set up an array here?"

Gazing far into the distance, only endless white snow stretched out—no variation, no depth. In such a place, not even setting up a simple illusion would be easy.

As Hua Jiuer pondered, Ayu responded: "Younger brother, you can establish a boundary at Hen Wuyou Ping, but what form it takes is uncertain. Before nightfall, don't let the enemy cross the Prince's boundary!"

"What's the Prince's boundary?"

"It's the dividing line between Jianren Gang and Hen Wuyou Ping!"

Ayu showed Li Li Banfeng a map: from the Chun Prince's mansion as a single point, a line over three hundred li long ran east-west—north of it was Jianren Gang, south of it Hen Wuyou Ping.

"Younger brother, pay close attention: the boundary I'll create lies along this line. If you can't hold this line, my boundary is useless."

"I've already informed Ayi—the path from Hulucun to Hen Wuyou Ping is sealed. Once it's cleared, she'll bring troops to reinforce us immediately!"

Li Li Banfeng checked his pocket watch—it was already noon, six hours until nightfall.

How long would it take to travel from Jianren Gang to the Chun Prince's mansion?

That depends on who's traveling.

The first time Li Li Banfeng led Xiao Yeci and the others outward, he didn't know the route, the Sage had secretly intervened, and there was a group of children with no cultivation—so it took thirteen days.

Now, if Li Li Banfeng traveled again, he could reach it in minutes.

How fast is the enemy?

When Li Li Banfeng walked slowly, the previous three-headed soldiers could barely keep up. If the enemy moves at that pace, roughly speaking, it would take at least three hours to march from Huai'en Village to the Chun Prince's mansion.

"Wife, if we hold for just three hours, the boundary will be set!"

"Three hours—" Zhao Xiao's face grew grim. She studied the map and felt this time was too long.

Across three hundred li of borderland, the enemy has countless paths—impossible to defend everywhere.

"Husband, Hen Wuyou Ping has no natural defenses. We must take the initiative and maneuver against the enemy."

Li Li Banfeng knew this battle would be hard: "Wife, think positively—maybe the enemy is still resting in Jianren Gang and won't come to Hen Wuyou Ping today."

His wife shook her head: "War values speed. The enemy won't delay long—they'll arrive at Hen Wuyou Ping today."

As Zhao Xiao predicted, half an hour later, Li Banfeng Yi returned: "The enemy is coming."

"How many?"

"Over ten thousand. Li Banfeng Zi is watching them." Li Banfeng Yi marked the enemy's position on the map.

"Over ten thousand—" Zhao Xiao's eyes darted to Hua Jiuer. "Can the Confusing Blossoms Array hold back ten thousand?"

Hua Jiuer shook her head repeatedly: "I've never used an array against so many. Besides, this place is terrible for setting one—plant a few sticks in the snow, and ten thousand men could walk right through without seeing a thing—"

As she spoke, Hua Jiuer coughed from the wind. Old Lao Chahu automatically poured her a cup of tea.

Looking at the tea, Hua Jiuer had an idea.

"Husband, how much water can Old Lao Chahu produce?"

"Plenty—it can fill a whole street!"

This wasn't Li Li Banfeng boasting. When Old Lao Chahu first joined him, it could easily fill an alley. Now, after years of fine food and drink, filling a street was nothing.

"Husband, lend me the teapot—I've got a plan!"

Zhao Xiao chose an ambush site fifty li ahead based on the enemy's route. Hua Jiuer took the teapot and began setting the array.

Tea spilled on the snow, melting patches into dimples, creating texture and depth.

Hua Jiuer had Old Lao Chahu pour diluted tea—the color differed slightly from snow, but not so much as to stand out. The tea-stained snow left speckled marks, forming the array's shape.

Zhao Xiao and Xiang Xiang Hongying went to the array's perimeter, poking holes into the snow. The cold wind whistled through, producing faint, ghostly music—real yet illusory.

All prepared, they waited less than half an hour before the enemy appeared.

A column of three-headed soldiers marched across the snowfield—massive in size, countless in number, moving swiftly like a dark cloud, sweeping up snow as they entered the array.

Hidden in the shadows, Hua Jiuer's face turned pale. She feared they'd trample the array flat.

Fortunately, most markers were placed along the edges; some were buried under snow, but the overall effect remained intact.

Hua Jiuer couldn't make ten thousand men lose their way all at once. The main force, originally marching south, now veered slightly southeast.

That slight deviation was enough. Hua Jiuer grabbed the teapot and ran ahead, continuing to lay the array, guiding them further off course.

Everything seemed to be going well—until they reached the second array, when one three-headed soldier suddenly stopped.

The central head belonged to a man in his thirties; the left was an old hag; the right, an old man.

The old hag and old man urged him forward, but the central head sensed something wrong—he noticed the snow's color had changed. Where did all these yellow specks come from?

It looked like someone had urinated on the snow—but not this much.

Hua Jiuer's heart tightened.

This was the flaw of large arrays.

Every array has weaknesses; the larger the array, the more weaknesses.

A small array might have only one flaw. One person entering—even a supreme expert—has low odds of spotting it.

A large array might have dozens of flaws. Ten thousand people entering—even if all are mediocre—will inevitably spot one or two.

Li Li Banfeng and Xiang Xiang Hongying hid in the snow. If necessary, they'd kill this man.

But killing him would expose even more flaws!

More soldiers halted, sensing something odd in the snow. Soon, over a dozen had stopped.

In the balance, a gust of wind howled, carrying urgent, melodic notes urging the troops forward.

The soldiers, influenced by the music, stopped examining the snow and kept marching.

This was Zhao Xiao's preparation: singing outright wouldn't work. A subtle cultivation technique, woven into the wind, perfectly deceived the three-headed soldiers.

Li Li Banfeng remained crouched in the snow, waiting silently for the enemy's center to approach.

In the heart of the army, beneath the commander's banner, stood an eight-wheeled carriage. Nian Nian Shangyou sat inside, stroking his fish-like beard, occasionally glancing at the front and rear formations.

Is this Nian Nian Shangyou real or fake?

Li Li Banfeng stared with Jin Jing Jinjing Qiuhao for a long while, then turned to his wife.

Zhao Xiao shook her head slightly—she couldn't tell either.

If they couldn't tell, they couldn't act.

Hua Jiuer laid down one array after another. Guided by these arrays, the enemy's path shifted from southeast to due east. The wisest tactic now was to stand still—ideally, delay until nightfall.

Pfft!

Sitting in the eight-wheeled carriage, Nian Nian Shangyou used his beard to dig his nose, then licked the residue.

The motion was swift—but Li Li Banfeng saw it.

Li Li Banfeng sensed something was wrong.

Nian Nian Shangyou did look a bit ridiculous, but he was Grand Secretary of Shang State, and Lan Qiao Yi's most trusted subordinate.

He was meticulous about his image. On such a critical battlefield, how could he make such a ridiculous gesture?

Could this Nian Nian Shangyou be fake?

His posture was more lax than the real Nian Nian Shangyou's. If he's not real, where is the real one?

Could there be another enemy force?

As Li Li Banfeng continued observing, Li Banfeng Zi suddenly appeared beneath him, whispering: "Seventy li east, another enemy force is marching south."

East?

"How many?"

"Over ten thousand."

"Why is there another ten thousand?"

Nian Nian Shangyou hadn't united his forces—he'd split them!

Zhao Xiao's expression darkened further. Hua Jiuer was already struggling to maneuver against one force; she couldn't possibly handle another.

Li Li Banfeng signaled for his wife and Hua Jiuer to stay put. He and Xiang Xiang Hongying headed east.

Seventy li east, another army of nearly identical size marched south. At this pace, they'd reach the Prince's boundary soon.

Xiang Xiang Hongying whispered to Li Li Banfeng: "Attack."

Li Li Banfeng was about to act when his body pendant rang with Yuan Yuan Miaoping's voice: "Boss, let me try! If you start fighting here, they'll hear the noise over there and blow the cover."

Yuan Yuan Miaoping had a point. Li Li Banfeng asked: "What's your idea?"

"Head south a few dozen li first. Give me time."

Li Li Banfeng marched south thirty li, then released Yuan Yuan Miaoping.

Yuan Yuan Miaoping chewed bubblegum, surveyed the surroundings: "Any more complex terrain?"

Xiang Xiang Hongying said: "Everything looks the same here. Make do."

Yuan Yuan Miaoping stared at the snow a moment longer: "Fine. Bring out the projector to help me."

At home, the projector and Yuan Yuan Miaoping got along well. Now, with time running short, they had perfect synergy. Yuan Yuan Miaoping explained briefly; the projector instantly understood the tactic.

The projector selected the flattest patch of snow as a screen, hovered in midair, and projected a massive image onto the ground.

The projection looked identical to the surroundings—but it added subtle changes. Its core idea matched Hua Jiuer's Foolish Cultivation Array: misdirect the enemy.

But Hua Jiuer's array was refined; this projection had countless flaws. Li Li Banfeng didn't even need Jin Jing Jinjing Qiuhao to spot them.

Yuan Yuan Miaoping blew a bubble: "A few flaws don't matter. In film, it's about atmosphere—if the atmosphere's right, the audience understands."

Li Li Banfeng cut in: "What's 'atmosphere'? Explain."

"That's too profound. You wouldn't understand even if I explained."

"If you can't explain, stop talking nonsense. This is life or death."

"Who's talking nonsense?!"

Yuan Yuan Miaoping, usually so lazy and careless, suddenly grew serious, carefully adjusting the details on the projector's image.

"Add a tree over there—not too tall, but with leaves on the branches. Just six leaves total, one about to fall off, the others swaying twice in the wind."

"Make the snowdrift slightly raised in the middle, so it looks like something's buried beneath, but not obviously so."

"Add a faint blue speckle on that snowy ground, just enough to make viewers think they're seeing things—after a moment, they'll feel dizzy."

Li Li Banfeng stood in the snow, feeling the same flaws he'd noticed before were still there, plainly visible.

Xiang Xiang Hongying walked slowly from afar and saw not a single flaw—her attention was entirely drawn to the details Yuan Yuan Miaoping had arranged.

"Big Sis, help me out—this snow isn't level, some scenery's warped!"

Yuan Yuan Miaoping called Xiang Xiang Hongying "Big Sis," and Xiang Xiang Hongying didn't get angry; she used her unique "Treading as on Level Ground" technique to smooth the snow.

Soon after, the enemy troops arrived, and the shifting lights and shadows passed completely unnoticed.

Yuan Yuan Miaoping projected her own screen's imagery onto the snow, perfectly complementing the projector; together, they adjusted the angles, slowly diverting the enemy's direction.

Xiang Xiang Hongying worried: "This is pure illusion—if they realize it, they'll find their way back."

Yuan Yuan Miaoping was confident: "Let them find their way back—I'll switch the show on them soon enough."

This enemy unit was contained, but Li Li Banfeng couldn't relax—he waited quietly for Nian Nian Shangyou to appear.

The Nian Nian Shangyou in that earlier group was fake—was this one real?

When the central column passed, Nian Nian Shangyou appeared—unlike the previous one, he was no longer lax; this Grand Secretary stood straight on his carriage, occasionally summoning subordinates to give orders.

This was how Nian Nian Shangyou should behave.

Li Li Banfeng examined him repeatedly with Jin Qing Jinjing Qiuhao—found no flaw—until Nian Nian Shangyou's carriage suddenly skidded, nearly toppling over.

In panic, Nian Nian Shangyou's shoulders sprouted two extra heads; both turned into Nian Nian Shangyou, then hastily retracted into their skulls.

This Nian Nian Shangyou wasn't real either.

Could there be a third force?

Li Banfeng Yi hurried with his shadow east to investigate; Li Li Banfeng, with Xiang Xiang Hongying, went west. After flying over a hundred miles, Li Li Banfeng spotted the third force.

Still over ten thousand strong, but much closer to the Prince's territory.

Xiang Xiang Hongying asked: "Seventh, what other arrays are there?"

Li Li Banfeng shook his head: "No more arrays."

They were less than five li from the Prince's border—at their marching speed, they'd reach Hen Wuyou Ping in minutes!

Li Li Banfeng signaled Xiang Xiang Hongying to wait in the air for backup; he dove straight down toward the central column to kill the enemy commander.

Whether this central column was Nian Nian Shangyou or not—he'd kill him first.

The central column still had eight-wheeled war chariots, indistinguishable from the other two forces; Nian Nian Shangyou stood atop, whipping his horse incessantly, ordering faster advance.

Li Li Banfeng advanced and slashed off his head.

Another head sprouted from Nian Nian Shangyou's body, still urging the entire army to press forward.

This Nian Nian Shangyou was fake too—but his orders were real; their marching speed was terrifying.

Li Li Banfeng used Tread Through Wan Chuan to crush the chariot and rider into pulp. With the commander dead, the enemy should have collapsed.

But the enemy didn't collapse—they kept marching, not even glancing at their fallen commander.

Li Li Banfeng cut down their standard flag—the army still surged south at full speed.

They seemed programmed—no matter what happened, they marched on.

Li Li Banfeng stared ahead and used Duan Jing Kai Lu; a curtain of snow rose ahead, blocking their path.

The formation shifted instantly—two rows of soldiers rushed forward, spewing fire to melt the snow curtain, charging through the slush.

BOOM!

Not far ahead, the ground collapsed into a hundred-foot-deep trench; Xiang Xiang Hongying also used Duan Jing Kai Lu.

Three-headed men leapt across, others flew over, some flung a silk thread to the other side and swung across.

They crossed—but the trench broke their formation.

Xiang Xiang Hongying stood on the far side, stomped with Tread Through Wan Chuan, and overturned dozens of three-headed men.

Not many—perhaps because their formation wasn't dense enough.

But other three-headed men farther away suddenly dodged aside—this surprised Xiang Xiang Hongying.

The overturned three-headed men weren't all dead; one spat a thread of silk that stuck to Xiang Xiang Hongying's ankle; she quickly used Chang Xing Wu Ai to shake it off—only to be instantly wrapped again, this time around both legs.

Two three-headed men, six heads total—all body cultivators, all able to spit silk—wove a cocoon around Xiang Xiang Hongying.

Xiang Xiang Hongying slashed the cocoon open with her spear; ahead, six three-headed men were qi cultivators, weaving layers upon layers of nets.

Trapping her in the center.

When Xiang Xiang Hongying tore through the endless silk webs, she realized she was surrounded.

Xiang Xiang Hongying stood still, spear in hand, watching the battle.

She wasn't afraid of being surrounded—she feared her own fighting style had failed.

Only a hundred enemies surrounded her.

Before her, tens of thousands more surged forward—but all avoided her.

Behind her, countless enemies raced south, ignoring her entirely.

If she kept repeating the same tactics—Duan Jing Kai Lu, then Tread Through Wan Chuan—she could kill a few more, but stopping this horde was futile.

Xiang Xiang Hongying silently admired: What fierce soldiers.

These soldiers were too disciplined—only by killing their commander now could they be stopped.

Xiang Xiang Hongying looked up—Li Li Banfeng still hadn't found their commander.

He'd killed many in the center, but killing anyone seemed to have no effect—they were like robots, each soldier's actions pre-programmed before the march.

Li Li Banfeng pulled out his gloves and waved them at Xiang Xiang Hongying—he'd use explosives.

Xiang Xiang Hongying understood, and used Duan Jing Kai Lu repeatedly to scatter the marching troops.

After the formation broke, the enemy didn't rush to reform—they kept advancing, never forming a thousand-man array, never bothering with proper battle formations.

Li Li Banfeng pulled a bag of explosives from his gloves, used Feng Xiu technique, and hurled it out.

Xiang Xiang Hongying desperately dodged—before the explosives detonated, sixteen food cultivators with three heads opened their mouths and used Qi Swallow Mountains and Rivers to swallow them whole.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

A dozen muffled explosions rocked the three-headed men—they spat blood.

Wiping blood from their lips, they kept marching.

A Yi's explosives—eaten and shared!

What kind of stomachs did these people have?

Could Qin Qin Xiaopang eat A Yi's explosives?

How did they manage it?

Lan Qiao Yi sat in a cave, watching a mirror.

The mirror was a Kui Xiu magic treasure—he saw Li Li Banfeng throw the explosives and sighed: "Nian Shangyou, they used this same method to destroy the Dai Kou Camp, to blow up the Great Altar—I've recorded every drop of blood on the Great Totem!"

Nian Nian Shangyou said: "Li Qi has come, with Xiang Xiang Hongying. I suggest we send reinforcements immediately."

Lan Qiao Yi shook his head: "If ten thousand troops can't handle these two, all my efforts have been wasted!"

Nian Nian Shangyou glanced at the other two mirrors: "What of the other two forces?"

Lan Qiao Yi didn't even look—he ordered: "Keep marching!"

Li Li Banfeng pulled Xiang Xiang Hongying from the crowd and vanished.

Nian Nian Shangyou said: "Li Qi retreated?"

Lan Qiao Yi smiled: "Do you think he'll come back?"

Nian Nian Shangyou said: "I believe he will."

Lan Qiao Yi nodded slightly and kept watching the mirror.

Soon after Li Li Banfeng vanished, dozens of three-headed men began convulsing—their limbs stiffened, faces twisted, joints bent into impossible angles.

These were travel cultivators—their level was far below Li Li Banfeng's; logically, they shouldn't sense malice from Li Qi.

But there were so many—each sensed minor anomalies and pooled them together, sensing imminent danger.

Under the travel cultivators' warning, some listened, some watched, some smelled the unique odor of gunpowder—they were Kui Xiu. At their level, they couldn't see Li Li Banfeng—but hundreds of eyes, working in concert, could catch faint traces.

Li Li Banfeng secretly threw out explosives—Lan Qiao Yi's Kui Xiu treasure couldn't detect them.

But these Kui Xiu spotted the explosives and warned the food cultivators in time—the food cultivators leapt into the air and swallowed them again!

The army kept advancing, never stopping.

Li Li Banfeng dropped a drop of blood on the ground—an invisible boundary rippled outward.

Where the boundary passed, three-headed men shed flesh and blood, fell wounded; some wounded ones who crossed it died instantly.

The three-headed army finally halted—they couldn't bypass Li Li Banfeng's boundary.

Li Li Banfeng, carrying the boundary, prepared to walk through the enemy formation. He took two steps—then his head split with pain.

Using Guan Men Bi Hu required prolonged mental focus—some of the army's Nian Xiu sensed Li Li Banfeng's presence.

These Nian Xiu weren't low-level—and there were countless of them; over a thousand in total.

They didn't try to control Li Li Banfeng's thoughts—just flooded his mind with chaotic, random thoughts.

The sensation was familiar—he'd experienced it fighting the Wu Zui Army—but the Nian Xiu technique's strength was incomparably greater. With his Shuang Yun Liu cultivation base, he'd nearly lost consciousness under the assault.

Guan Men Bi Hu's boundary vanished. Confused and reeling, Li Li Banfeng appeared in the crowd—before he could recover, over a dozen weapons pierced his body.

No time to use Xing Zhe Wu Jiang—he used Zhai Xin Ren Hou to harden his body. He wasn't mortally wounded, but bore over a dozen cuts.

The Nian Xiu kept chanting, the Wu Xiu kept slashing—Xiang Xiang Hongying charged forward with her spear and slaughtered every Wu Xiu around Li Li Banfeng.

Li Li Banfeng used the technique of riding wind and cloud, lifting a group of Nian Xiu around him into the air, then flung them to the ground, smashing them to pulp.

But there were plenty of Nian Xiu in the army; now that they had found the key, other Nian Xiu gathered to attack Li Li Banfeng and Xiang Xiang Hongying.

The two were overwhelmed defending themselves, while the rest of the enemy army continued advancing.

Li Li Banfeng touched his pocket watch; Meng De told him it was only half past three, far from nightfall.

Less than a li remained to the Wang's boundary; if he used the boundary again, he'd surely be detected by over a thousand Nian Xiu—but without it, what other option did he have?

Li Li Banfeng recalled all his shadows and launched a direct, brutal assault.

Li Banfeng Yi led over a hundred Lv Xiu shadows, fighting alongside Xiang Xiang Hongying at the heart of the enemy army.

Li Banfeng Zi led over a hundred Zhai Xiu shadows, constantly launching hit-and-run strikes around the enemy ranks.

Li Li Banfeng, accompanied by dozens of shadows, darted back and forth through the enemy army; wherever he passed, three-headed men danced wildly, driven mad.

The ten-thousand-strong army once again halted; Nian Nian Shangyou grew concerned: "My Lord, send reinforcements!"

Lan Qiao Yi's tone was resolute: "No reinforcements! Inform the other two columns to keep marching!"

Nian Nian Shangyou glanced at the other two columns and felt something was wrong: "My Lord, they seem to have taken the wrong direction."

Lan Qiao Yi looked at Nian Nian Shangyou: "Are you asking me?"

Nian Nian Shangyou immediately ordered: "Stop marching, recheck our direction!"

Lan Qiao Yi roared: "We cannot stop marching!"

Nian Nian Shangyou quickly corrected himself: "Check while we march!"

Lan Qiao Yi watched the battle near Li Qi and slowly smiled.

Less than a li from the boundary, Li Li Banfeng fought desperately—but could not halt the ten-thousand-strong army's advance; many enemy troops had already crossed the Wang's boundary.

Leaving Suishenju prepared to appear and join Li Qi in defense, when suddenly a voice cried beside his ear: "Little brother, wait—I'll go first!"

"You're here?" Leaving Suishenju gasped, voice trembling.

"That's right—I'm here!"

HOOOOO!

The deafening whistle of a steam engine tore through the air as a pitch-black train crashed into the crowd, overturning men and horses in its path.

Li Li Banfeng exclaimed in delight: "Brother! You've come!"

Lao Huochē laughed loudly: "Load more coal, add water—we're on the move! The train's power is boundless, brother—don't slack off! I came the moment I got your message—fight them!"

Nian Nian Shangyou pointed at the mirror: "My Lord, Shiba Lun has arrived—still no reinforcements?"

Lan Qiao Yi gritted his teeth: "Perfect! No reinforcements needed—keep fighting!"

CLANG!

The carriage door opened, and a massive human head rolled out.

"HOOOOO!" Tou Tou Youlu opened his mouth, spat out yellow bile, and shouted, "Shiba Lun, you damn old train nearly gave me motion sickness!"

PS: Only Lv Xiu can move fast enough.