Chapter 701

The expenditure and mobilization involved were almost unimaginable.

"It seems the Tang Army has set a trap here, intending to pin down our main force."

Mu Huali's brow furrowed into a deep crease as he studied the military map for a long while, finally arriving at a conclusion that came remarkably close to the truth.

"A trap? What trap? Could there possibly be one even this poor monk cannot unravel?"

The Immortal of Eternal Life gave a cold, disdainful laugh as he spoke.

Though he had lost his memories as the Immortal of Eternal Life, his strength had not diminished in the slightest.

An ordinary cultivator of the Supreme Mythical Realm was little more than an ant in his eyes.

Then how could anyone beneath the Supreme Mythical Realm possibly catch his notice?

To think a so-called trap could deal with a master of his caliber—was that even possible?

Unless…

The one who set this trap was a master of the very same caliber as himself.

But how many such experts of his cultivation could there possibly be under heaven!

When a master of that caliber wished to deal with someone, would he even need to set a trap?

Mu Huali felt that the Immortal of Eternal Life's public remark was almost a rebuke aimed at himself.

An ordinary general would have long since flown into a rage.

But Mu Huali was not only a brilliant commander—he was also one of the Thirteen Wings.

No one understood the pride of a supreme expert like the Immortal of Eternal Life better than an expert himself.

Mu Huali naturally understood as well just how terrifying the Immortal of Eternal Life truly was.

He immediately replied with a hint of apology,

"Master Changsheng has misunderstood. Any such trap naturally poses not the slightest threat to you.

But this great army of mine has marched south—how many men does it number?

These men are all elite soldiers of the Great Yuan. If they are trapped here, the blow to Great Yuan will be no small matter."

"Oh…"

The Immortal of Eternal Life gave a flat reply and did not take up his words.

In his eyes, so-called elite soldiers were existences beneath even ants.

He would not feel the slightest pity no matter how many of such soldiers died.

But he would not say such things publicly, which was why he merely replied flatly.

"Then what shall we do next? Shall we still proceed according to the original plan?"

General Zhebie, sensing the Immortal of Eternal Life's arrogance, immediately offered Mu Huali a way out.

Mu Huali cast General Zhebie a grateful look, then pondered for a moment and sighed heavily,

"The Tang Army is certainly plotting something here.

But until they make their move, all we can do is passively receive them.

The primary objective of this attack on Youzhou is to seize Beizhen and enter that Lanruo Temple.

Since Youzhou has now been taken, this mission must be completed no matter what.

Zhebie, you will follow the original plan and proceed with Master Long Xiang to Lanruo Temple. You must make contact with the Yin Moon Dynasty.

Master Changsheng will likewise follow the original plan and head to that vital thoroughfare to intercept the Tang Army experts coming to reinforce Youzhou.

As for me, I shall remain behind in Youzhou, holding the center and directing operations.

Should anything go awry, I will cover the rear for all of you."

The original plan had been for Mu Huali to personally lead an elite force to Lanruo Temple together with General Zhebie and Long Xiang Seng.

But with this unexpected turn of events, Mu Huali dared not move rashly.

So he altered the plan, sending only General Zhebie and Long Xiang Seng to Lanruo Temple.

"Good! Making contact with the Yin Moon Dynasty is the most important matter at hand."

Long Xiang Seng nodded and immediately said to General Zhebie,

"General Zhebie, I must trouble you to lead your men and make this journey with this old monk."

"Grand General, this subordinate takes his leave."

Since Mu Huali had already issued the order, General Zhebie naturally departed at once with Long Xiang Seng.

The Immortal of Eternal Life, seeing the dispositions settled, gave Mu Huali an arrogant nod before abruptly vanishing without a trace.

Clearly he had already left to intercept any Tang Army experts who might come.

508 Mu Huali, we've been tricked

The next day, Mu Huali took his seat in Youzhou City and set his scouts and secret agents to work, closely gathering every kind of intelligence.

General Zhebie and Long Xiang Seng naturally led a contingent of elite Great Yuan soldiers toward Beizhen.

For three days straight, as intelligence poured in, Mu Huali's brow grew ever more tightly furrowed.

He felt the Tang Army's actions this time were far too unusual.

Everything was just as he had speculated at the military council—the Tang Army intended to use Youzhou as bait to set a trap and pin down his main Yuan force.

But to pin down his main Yuan force, they would need a Tang Army main force of nearly equal strength.

Yet now, in all directions around Youzhou, not a single Tang Army force of any note had appeared.

The Immortal of Eternal Life had likewise sat in meditation on the vital road for three days, yet not a single person above the Earthly Immortal Realm had shown up.

Every aspect of this reeked of something sinister.

"Report…"

Just as Mu Huali was burning with anxiety, wondering how the Tang Army meant to deal with him, yet another military dispatch was delivered into his hands.

After opening and reading it, his face turned pale with shock.

It turned out this military report had been sent by Boerhu.

It said that during the attack on Yanmen Pass, Bi Xuan and others discovered inside the official yamen of Yanmen Pass the Qinglong Society's Three Hundred Thirty-One Branch altar master Kou Zhong.

Moreover, this Kou Zhong was actually representing the Qinglong Society, standing at the eye of the defensive formation guarding Yanmen Pass.

If so, didn't this mean the Qinglong Society had actually entered the fray?

In other words, was Great Tang relying on the Qinglong Society to hold back this main force of the Yuan army?

But how could that be possible!

If the Qinglong Society were so easy to persuade, able to draw this power that stood above all the great factions into the conflict—

Then what need would Great Tang have for setting traps or playing schemes?

Simply joining hands with the Qinglong Society, and it wouldn't just be a matter of pinning down this main force of the Yuan army.

They could have marched out beyond the frontier in full force and swept across Great Yuan, couldn't they?

Thinking of this, his eyes lit up.

Could it be—

Great Tang's plan was actually to ignore the movements in the north and counterattack Great Yuan?

Then if this main force of his turned back to aid the north, it would be a pincer attack from north and south.

Wouldn't Great Tang's army beyond the frontier be utterly annihilated?

Just as he was thinking this, another military report arrived.

"What? General Zhebie requesting reinforcements?"

Looking at this brief military report, Mu Huali's face changed once again.

The most important objective of this southern campaign for Great Yuan was Guo Beizhen's Lanruo Temple.

Tie Muzhen pinned his hopes on Mu Huali: after taking Youzhou, seize Lanruo Temple and establish contact with the Yin-Yue Dynasty.

On the surface, the progress of this southern campaign had been entirely smooth.

Because Mu Huali was worried, he did not send out all of his elite strength, dispatching only General Zhebie, Long Xiang Seng, and a portion of the elites to Lanruo Temple.

But according to Great Yuan's intelligence, this lineup was considerably stronger than the one Great Tang had stationed at Lanruo Temple.

Therefore, although it deviated somewhat from the original plan, Mu Huali did not think anything unexpected would happen with this mission.

He never expected the unexpected to come after all—General Zhebie had actually sent a request for reinforcements.

Looking at this brief request-for-reinforcements battle report, Mu Huali deliberated at length, and finally decided to lead all his elites to Lanruo Temple.

Anyway, taking Youzhou would be best, but even if it couldn't be taken, Lanruo Temple still had to be seized, to make contact with the Yin-Yue Dynasty.

This latter objective was the single greatest purpose behind Great Yuan's mobilizing such a massive campaign this time.