In the midst of Qin Moon, even Gai Nie, after ascending to Sword Saint, had ended up gravely wounded against Qin's three hundred elite iron cavalry—and those were merely embryonic formations.
If Han Fei and his crew stormed the Grand General's manor, guarded by three thousand armored troops, even if Wei Zhuang broke through to heaven-human unity, it would be a one-way ticket to death.
"You all still don't grasp what an array formation truly is!" Xue Nu sighed inwardly; they were beyond saving. Charging straight into the Grand General's heavily fortified residence to assassinate Ji Wu Ye? Pure delusion.
If slaying a state's top general were that simple, the world would long since have fallen to the Hundred Schools.
"Does Miss Xue Nu know something about them?" Zhang Liang asked.
If any of the Hundred Schools knew arrays best—both in theory and mastery—it was Daoism. Zhang Liang had always been fascinated by formations, but they were each school's guarded secrets, never shared lightly. He'd had no avenue to study them.
"My master once said that today's Military School is deep into array research. Wind, forest, fire, mountain—the four cardinal principles of warfare—are the seeds of formations. The Wei Wu Zu's 'immovable as mountain' stands out, as does Bai Qi's 'aggressive as fire,' Wang Jian's 'methodical as forest,' and Lian Po and Li Mu's Zhao cavalry 'swift as wind.' All Seven States' military minds are tinkering with them; even if they can't match those legends, they'll pick up the basics. So, storming a heavily guarded Grand General's manor? You're walking into a slaughter."
The Wei Wu Zu phalanx was the world's finest—unbreakable head-on. Bai Qi's assaults were unstoppable torrents; Wang Jian overwhelmed with inexorable momentum; Lian Po and Li Mu's Zhao riders struck like thunderclaps. Yet all were mere prototypes. The Wei formation later evolved into the Eight Gates Golden Lock Grand Array, with the others spawning their own lineages.
Han Fei and the others fell into contemplation. If, as Daoism claimed, even famed generals' tactics were embryonic arrays, then barging into the Grand General's manor was suicide. Ji Wu Ye, versed in even the superficials, could handle them with ease.
"Assassination doesn't have to mean clashing with all that, right?" Nong Yu interjected from the side.
Han Fei and the rest brightened—yes, a hit-and-run kill, not a frontal brawl with the guards. They might dodge those pitfalls altogether.
"Ji Wu Ye is hailed as Han's strongest general in a century—not for his command, but his personal prowess. My master said even Wei Zhuang might not best him. His iron-body training rivals Wei's Armored Gate commander Dian Qing—ordinary blades barely scratch him. Otherwise, why would Blood-Clad Marquis Bai Yi Non submit to him? Don't let his facade fool you." Xue Nu pressed on. Without her master's warning, she'd have underestimated Ji Wu Ye's martial might too.
"Iron-body arts are easy to learn, hard to master—and they all have vital gates. Strike the gate, and the whole technique crumbles," Wei Zhuang said gravely.
"But how would you even find his? And a cautious man like him would guard it with fine gold armor. How do you pierce that?" Xue Nu shot back.
"Locate the gate, and I'll shatter it," Wei Zhuang declared, brimming with confidence.
Xue Nu eyed him, thinking, Heh, can't even beat me, and here you are, bluffing away.
Wei Zhuang caught her gaze but, unaware she was the woman from outside the city, challenged: "Doubting me?"
Xue Nu rolled her eyes. "And if I am?"
"Step outside—we'll settle it!" Wei Zhuang snapped.
Zhang Liang and the others froze. How did this escalate to a duel?
"You sure about that?" Xue Nu's voice turned icy. So much for my warnings.
"Brother Wei Zhuang, Uncle Master Wu Chen Zi is still in Xin Zheng," Han Fei cautioned pointedly—she's got backup.
Wei Zhuang's grip tightened on his sword, then he turned away, ignoring her.
Xue Nu huffed coldly. She'd only reached half-step heaven-human thanks to her master's nudge; now he wanted a piece of her?
"Miss Xue Nu, do you know Ji Wu Ye's vital gate?" Han Fei asked with a placating smile.
"No idea. Master said once you hit heaven-human unity, one strike cracks his iron-body. Why bother hunting gates?" Xue Nu replied coolly, flicking a glance at Wei Zhuang.
Your master's logic is airtight... but damn, it makes me want to punch someone. Heaven-human unity isn't street cabbage—it's not that easy. Han Fei and the others were speechless; Wei Zhuang's breathing even hitched in fury. What, mocking me for not being heaven-human?
"Yan Ling Ji, stay out of this Ji Wu Ye assassination nonsense—let them play suicide squad," Xue Nu told Yan Ling Ji. As a half-Daoist now, hanging with this lot would just tank her IQ.
"This is our affair—hope Daoism keeps out of it!" Han Fei insisted. He'd gamble on the hit anyway, but the plan shifted: scout Ji Wu Ye's vital gate first.
"As expected—Master was right; you're beyond saving, and you'll drag everyone down with you," Xue Nu said, eyeing Han Fei. She finally got why her master would save even a wretch like Lord Yan Chun but ignore Han Fei: some folks you just couldn't redeem.
"Oh, right—Master had me relay that. And he added: 'One dead Shi Xiu is enough.'"
"What does that mean?" Han Fei puzzled. What does Shi Xiu have to do with this?
"No clue—don't ask me. Chatting with you drops my IQ; now even I can't parse what Master meant," Xue Nu waved it off.
"Remember, you're half-Daoist now—don't mix with that Dang Kang crew; it'll rot your brain," she advised Yan Ling Ji.
Yan Ling Ji nodded. Suddenly, she saw Han Fei and his bunch as genuine death-wishers. As a Bai Yue outsider, she couldn't fathom their Han-saving zeal—it was like a herd marching to the block. But Daoist approval stirred a spark of hope in her.
"Three unfilial acts, worst is leaving no heir—Guiguzi can always train another Horizontal Sword. Go on, then—charge ahead worry-free!" Xue Nu couldn't resist needling Wei Zhuang.
"Outside—now!" Wei Zhuang exploded, unable to hold back.
"Can't even take our chef—yet you challenge me?" Xue Nu dismissed him. Daoism doesn't strike lightly... I just stir the pot and walk.
Ah, provoking feels so good—like watching you itch to swing but swing at air.
"Miss Xue Nu, it's getting late—why not head back?" Zi Nu cut in. Let her keep poking, and Wei Zhuang would erupt.
Xue Nu glanced skyward—the moon was out. Heavens, if I don't hurry, I'll miss dinner.Birds of a feather really do flock to stupid.Wonder what Hei Bai Xuan Jian's whipped up tonight. Then a disdainful look at Wei Zhuang: Strutting like the world's top dog before even hitting heaven-human. Look at Hei Bai Xuan Jian—cooks like a dream, fights like a demon, and sweet-talks to boot. No wonder he's heaven-human; you're just a limping half-step hack.
"You really can't beat her house chef!" Yan Ling Ji told Wei Zhuang.
Wei Zhuang blinked. Even you look down on me? Forgot how I one-shot your trio?
"Her chef's heaven-human!" Yan Ling Ji added, then turned and left.
I... Wei Zhuang itched to cleave the air with his sword. When did heaven-human get so casual? A chef? You mocking me? Or has Daoism gone god-mode?
"Miss Xue Nu?" Nong Yu called softly to the spot where Xue Nu had stood.
"She's gone!" Wei Zhuang's Shark Teeth flashed; Xue Nu's form dissolved into a swarm of colorful butterflies, fluttering away.
"What do you all think—still go for Ji Wu Ye?" Zi Nu asked, hesitating.
The others wavered too. Even if the kill succeeded, escape? Near-certain doom.
"We need his vital gate first—otherwise, it's doomed," Zhang Liang said.
"Then we shelve it," Han Fei agreed. No gate meant pointless sacrifice. At least Xue Nu had highlighted oversights. First, absorb the Emerald Tiger's windfall.
Han's economy teetered post-Tiger—military funding was a crisis. Losing Ji Wu Ye too? Unbearable. Priority shifted: revive the economy, secure troop pay.
Back at the courtyard, Xue Nu found Hei Bai Xuan Jian extra zealous in the kitchen—all her favorites. Something felt off, but she couldn't pin it. Food waits for no one.
"You're fattening her like a prize hog?" Dong Jun caught on.
"She called me a chef," Hei Bai Xuan Jian said flatly.
Dong Jun shivered. Who says only women hold grudges? Men do too—especially the one who owns your stomach! She resolved never to cross him, then pitied the blissfully munching Xue Nu. Silly girl—already blacklisted, and clueless.
Li Hai Mo and Xiao Meng sensed Hei Bai Xuan Jian's attentiveness toward Xue Nu was... off. All her prefs, sourced from deep wilds—beasts verging on yokai, rare herbs aplenty. And these weren't digestible via normal cultivation; they stuck.
"Notice Xue Nu's plumping up?" Xiao Meng whispered to Li Hai Mo, eyeing her laterally broadening face.
Li Hai Mo nodded. Xue Nu had gained noticeably—two wardrobe swaps already.
"You need to diet," Li Hai Mo told her.
Xue Nu froze, glancing at Xiao Meng, Dong Jun, then Hei Bai Xuan Jian and the laden table.
"Full belly first—then you diet!" Hei Bai Xuan Jian grinned.
"Right—fuel up to slim down!" Xue Nu beamed back at him. Such a thoughtful uncle-figure. She dove back into the feast.
Dong Jun mourned silently. Sold out and loving it, the fool. Then at Hei Bai Xuan Jian: Cold killer on the outside, pitch-black heart within—petty as hell.
"Xue Nu crossed you?" Li Hai Mo asked. It was deliberate—straight-up fattening plot.
"She called me a chef," Hei Bai Xuan Jian repeated.
Li Hai Mo met Xiao Meng's gaze. Hopeless—Xue Nu earned this.
Even Confucians kept gentlemen from the kitchen; calling Hei Bai Xuan Jian a chef? Hei Bai Xuan Jian not drawing steel was mercy. Who knew his heart ran so foul?
So, timeless truth: never piss off the cook.
_
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