043. The Great War Begins Early

Lin Ping was stunned. The two Blood-Moving stage warriors from the Clear Wind Stronghold saw what was happening and shouted, "The guy is feinting! He never intended to fight to the death; he just wants to escape! Catch him, or all our previous efforts will be in vain!"

Realizing he had been played by Lin Shan, Lin Ping flushed with embarrassment and immediately gave chase. However, the three of them had already lost the initiative. Since Lin Shan’s cultivation was at the pinnacle of the Blood-Moving stage, they could not catch up. After pursuing for a short distance, they were forced to give up, watching helplessly as Lin Shan disappeared into the distance.

Once Lin Shan was gone, the three looked at each other. One asked, "What do we do now? Should we go back?"

Another retorted, "You fool, turning back now is what would truly render our efforts futile. We’ve come this far; even if they know, we must press on. The Chief will arrive soon. Once he is here, we can easily crush those fifteen hundred men. Even if this one person escapes to report back, what of it?"

Lin Ping’s expression was dark enough to drip water. Hearing this, he said, "In that case, let’s move quickly!" The two nodded, signaling the troops they had brought to continue forward.

Meanwhile, Lin Shan ran with all his might and soon returned to their ranks. The soldiers were surprised to see him in such a disheveled state. He went straight to Xiao Qiang and the others. Geng Zhong reacted the fastest and, seeing Lin Shan’s expression, immediately asked, "Brother Lin, has something gone wrong?"

Lin Shan took a deep breath and lowered his voice. "Lin Ping has defected. He is leading at least five hundred bandits toward us. I don’t know how many experts are among them."

The faces of everyone present changed drastically. Xiao Qiang, a man of experience, acted decisively. "Geng Zhong, send someone to notify the County Magistrate’s force immediately. Then, assemble the troops and take a defensive posture. We wait for the Magistrate to come to our support!"

The two columns were not very far apart; if the news reached them, they could arrive within half a day—and even faster for high-level martial artists. Geng Zhong spoke in a low voice, "Master Xiao, the situation is urgent. It would be best to send a martial artist to deliver the message."

As a County Lieutenant, Geng Zhong could not leave his post, implying that Xiao Qiang should provide someone from his side. In truth, this was a desirable task; anyone could see that staying behind was extremely dangerous, and leaving to report offered a temporary reprieve. Xiao Qiang instinctively looked at his daughter, Xiao Xiao. He hoped she would be the one to leave, but before he could speak, Xiao Xiao said, "Father, let Brother Lin be the one to report. He has seen those men and understands the situation better than anyone."

Xiao Qiang sighed, realizing his daughter was right. He turned to Lin Shan and said, "Brother Lin, I must trouble you with this. Here is the map." He produced a map marked with the two routes of their march and pointed to a location. "Based on our marching speed, the Magistrate’s party should be here."

Lin Shan nodded. "Understood. I will depart immediately."

At a moment like this, there was no need for false modesty. Mu Qing took out a token—a palm-sized piece shaped like a sword—and handed it to Lin Shan. "Brother Lin, this is the command arrow of our Profound Sword Sect. With this, you can directly meet our Great Elder, Wu Zhenghao."

Lin Shan nodded and took the token. Xiao Qiang said solemnly, "Brother Lin, our lives depend on you. Be careful."

Lin Shan cupped his hands. "I will not fail you."

With that, Lin Shan departed. He had to give his all; his interests were tied to Xiao Qiang’s. If Xiao Qiang died here, everything they had painstakingly built would vanish.

Leaving the group behind, Lin Shan set out. Ignoring the exhaustion of his body, he sprinted at full speed. Half an hour later, he reached the location indicated on the map, but no one was stationed there. Seeing a multitude of footprints on the road, he followed them.

Before long, he was spotted by scouts. "Stop! Who goes there?" they barked.

Lin Shan quickly replied, "I am Lin Shan, a retainer of the Xiao estate. I have vital military intelligence for the Magistrate!" He held up the County Lieutenant’s token, and the scouts immediately escorted him forward. Lin Shan did not stop until he reached the main camp.

The Magistrate of Sanwen County, Linghu Chang, was, in this world of martial arts, a man of cultivation—a Bone-Forging stage warrior. As Lin Shan arrived, he saw Linghu Chang and other prominent figures on horseback, followed by a luxurious carriage. Lin Shan knew that the Great Elder of the Profound Sword Sect, Wu Zhenghao, must be inside.

"My Lord! Lin Shan, retainer of the Xiao estate, has urgent military intelligence to report!" Lin Shan shouted, drawing the attention of everyone.

Linghu Chang, who had met Lin Shan before, was in his thirties. Despite his elegant appearance, he wore battle armor. Seeing Lin Shan, his eyes flickered. "Brother Lin, what is the news?"

Lin Shan glanced around. Most of those surrounding Linghu Chang were from the other three great families. As they looked at the disheveled Lin Shan, their eyes held a hint of mockery. The four families were far from united; they were rife with internal strife. It was only because Xiao Qiang was so powerful that he suppressed the others.

Lin Shan said, "Lin Ping of the Xiao estate is a spy for the Clear Wind Stronghold. He has led their forces here, and fighting has already begun. Master Xiao has sent me to urge you to send reinforcements immediately!"

Linghu Chang’s expression turned solemn. The heads of the other three families exchanged glances, but no one spoke; each seemed to be calculating their own interests.

After a while, one of them slowly remarked, "It would be unwise to dispatch troops now. If we rush over, the enemy will be waiting for us. Could this be a trap to lure us out?"

"Indeed, that makes sense."

Many echoed these sentiments. Lin Shan sneered inwardly. No wonder these people could never accomplish anything; even at a time like this, they were still playing political games.

"My Lord," Lin Shan said, "if the Xiao estate’s force is wiped out, we will not fare any better. A great battle is inevitable; we might as well bring it forward to the present."

When Linghu Chang still remained silent, Lin Shan lost his patience. He suddenly turned toward the carriage, produced Mu Qing’s command arrow, and said to the attendants, "Please ask Elder Wu Zhenghao to receive me!"