This Human Immortal Is Too Serious-Chapter 492 - 490: Return to Dragon Valley Forest Melee, Wu Qing Shan 3467

The night was silent.

The several hundred figures darting through the mountains and forests were like pearls sliding along the Goddess of the Night's dark hair, smoothly slipping into even more secluded woods.

Wu Wang, face concealed by a black cloth, had changed into the Battle Armor stripped from his mentor Chun Luan's guards and followed closely behind her.

These several hundred individuals were the true elite, personally selected by Chun Luan and five other Generals.

Besides Chun Luan, all five other Generals were at the Martial Emperor Realm; it was just that their 'Emperor's depth wasn't enough,' being either first or second-rank Martial Emperors.

Wu Wangdao had repeatedly reminded his senior sister to ensure, as much as possible, that no spies from other Martial God Worlds were among the selected elites.

Chun Luan's answer was quite confident—if problems still arose with this group, then the Luili Realm might as well cease to exist, better to be dismembered into eleven parts and serve as slaves to the other Martial God Worlds.

Wu Wang carefully considered... His senior sister was far too confident. The likelihood of spies among this group was, indeed, not low.

Therefore, he had his senior sister leak a piece of information to these few hundred elites: a few Generals had discussed it and decided to secretly send people to protect the Luili Envoy's convoy.

What else could he do? If he were to truly rebuild the Luili Realm from scratch, he would have to spend ten or twenty years planning and cultivating, selecting a group of trustworthy and strong elite soldiers with the support of the Heavenly Dao. The Luili Realm, in its current state, was already grievously ill and beyond redemption. Due to the Liuli God's long-term inaction, it lacked a backbone and a unifying force.

Wu Wang observed the surrounding environment to avoid being led into a trap, continuously reminding his senior sister Chun Luan to avoid spots that might be ambush points.

At this moment, Chun Luan was utterly baffled. It wasn't that she couldn't accept her junior brother's advice; on the contrary, she felt that the advice given by her junior brother was too… too accurate.

Marching an army is a profound science, especially for hundreds of Martial Artists moving covertly. How to disperse, coordinate, survey the terrain ahead for quick passage, and eliminate their traces—these were all matters only a seasoned General could fully control. At this point, Chun Luan felt that the junior brother beside her was more 'seasoned' and comprehensive in his thinking than she was. In this world, could such a genius truly exist, one who could learn by analogy, mastering the Martial Way while training in Martial Arts?

"Junior Brother…" Chun Luan pulled Wu Wang's arm, whispering, "When did you learn all this?"

Her gaze carried a profound meaning.

Wu Wang sensed his senior sister's suspicion. After a brief thought, he quietly recited the main principles of the Destroying Cloud Technique and mentioned the birth dates of Mo Feng and Fu Er.

Chun Luan blinked, speaking softly, "I'm not suspecting you've been replaced."

"Senior Sister, we must trust each other," Wu Wang said gravely.

"The situation in the Luili Realm is somewhat chaotic right now. If we can't trust each other, this mission is bound to face a crisis. If you have anything to ask, Senior Sister, just ask directly. We don't need to beat around the bush.

"Actually, I don't think these tasks are that difficult; they have many similarities with Martial Arts cultivation.

"As long as one is good at thinking, looking, and observing, without losing respect for Martial Arts due to momentary complacency, and always maintaining a clear head to make rational responses.

"Look, Senior Sister."

With that, Wu Wang raised his thumb and pointed it towards a Great Tree ahead. A surge of force shot out, leaving a thumb-sized hole in the Great Tree's trunk.

Chun Luan laughed. "It's indeed you."

Wu Wang raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile in his eyes.

Chun Luan said, "No need to rush. You're not familiar with the terrain in the border area. If the enemy were to lay an ambush, according to the convoy's route, it should be at Returning Dragon Valley. The land there seems flat but actually has excellent hiding spots."

Wu Wang thought for a moment and asked in return, "Senior Sister, if the enemy wants to ambush our reinforcement troops, where is the most likely place?"

Chun Luan's delicate brows furrowed slightly as she pondered. "Junior Brother, let me think."

With that, Chun Luan took the Bone Whistle hanging from her wrist and blew a few soft notes. The hundreds of elite soldiers rushing forward immediately stopped and took cover nearby.

Marching through the night, several hundred elite Martial Artists had covered nearly a thousand miles, all while prioritizing concealment. Of course, Spiritual Cultivators of similar combat power could cover tens of thousands of miles in a few hours using Sword Control. Martial Cultivators, well, they were more down-to-earth.

The moonlight was hazy, and the forest by the riverbank was quiet and tranquil.

Wu Wang took advantage of this lull to observe Yun Zhongjun's incarnation through the Heavenly Dao. Given the current complex situation, Wu Wang still preferred to discuss matters with his counselor before he could feel reassured. Brother Yun Zhongjun was quite efficient indeed. It hadn't been long since he arrived in the Outer Sky, and he had already started paving the way for his incarnation, dealing with the original family relationships of this body. Unfortunately, it seemed Yun Zhongjun was unlikely to be of much help in the matter of the Celestial Fox Tribe… But Wu Wang, the Heavenly Emperor, was good at 'taking care of his subordinates.' Thoughtfully, he projected the situation here through the Heavenly Dao directly into Yun Zhongjun's heart.

In the city with its small estates that Wu Wang had once passed, within the boudoir of the young lady of a backyard manor, Sister Yun was drying her damp hair. Wrapped in simple cloth, she stood before a bronze mirror, continuously studying her facial expressions. She seemed to be striving for a level where every frown and smile could bewitch one's Spiritual Mind.

Professional.

The message Wu Wang sent via the Heavenly Dao reached its destination. Yun Zhongjun's incarnation let out a soft "Hmm?", quickly returned to the bed, changed into a loose-fitting long dress, and lay down to 'rest.'

After a short while, Yun Zhongjun's voice emerged within the Heavenly Dao. "Your Majesty, be careful. If the opponent does indeed have an ambush set for your convoy, then news that several hundred elite troops are rushing to support you is almost a certainty. The structure of the Twelve Martial God Realms is somewhat complex; they all belong to the Martial God World, so the burden of rebellion is very low."

Wu Wang raised an eyebrow. 'The burden of rebellion'—that was a perspective he hadn't considered before.

Yun Zhongjun's concerns were not without reason. But to retreat without even a clash would truly dampen their morale.

Wu Wangdao said, "I will be cautious, but this trip offers an opportunity to test ourselves against Martial Artists from other Martial God Worlds."

Yun Zhongjun, via the Heavenly Dao, first paid respects to Wu Wang and then sat beside him.

Looking at the handsome face of Yun Zhongjun's true self, Wu Wang... subconsciously imagined him with a hairstyle of large, wavy curls and couldn't help but be dazzled. This was far more beautiful than the incarnation Zhong had designed.

The Elder Brother spoke earnestly, "Your Majesty, I have studied the overall structure of the Outer Sky these past two days."

"What have you found?"

"The Outer Sky is loose, but also united."

Yun Zhongjun smiled and said, "We also have to thank Emperor Shun. His victory in the ancient battle was not won through martial prowess but through political maneuvering that greatly outraged the Innate Gods.

"Among these exiled Innate Gods, there are surely some dissatisfied with Candle Dragon. However, being in the Outer Sky, they can only submit to Candle Dragon in exchange for a chance to fight their way back into the Great Wilderness.

"The Outer Sky appears prosperous, but it lacks true foundation. The plight of the Twelve Martial God Realms stems from the incomplete Dao rules of this world, which fundamentally cannot sustain so many living beings. Furthermore, the Reproduction of living beings is disorderly; if uncontrolled, it will collapse the entire order of the Outer Sky."

Wu Wang frowned and said, "You mean, the Martial God actually allows the Twelve Realms to clash in secret?"

"His design of the Twelve Realms was originally meant to limit the development of his own power," Yun Zhongjun explained.

"If the Martial God World were a complete Divine Realm, it would have to face a problem.

"Internal stability allows living beings to reproduce, and unchecked Reproduction would rapidly expand the Power of Living Beings in the Martial God World, thus forcing it onto a path of outward expansion.

"The Martial God has twelve Innate Gods under him and possesses the strength to challenge Candle Dragon. The flourishing development of the Martial God World would inevitably attract other Innate Gods dissatisfied with Candle Dragon to join or form alliances.

"Then the Outer Sky would descend into endless warfare, and this group of Innate Gods would deplete most of their power through infighting."

Yun Zhongjun paused, shaking his head in admiration.

"From this perspective, the Martial God is quite daring and strategic.

"By dividing his Divine Realm into twelve regions, he used limited internal strife to consume some of the Power of Living Beings, simultaneously causing the Twelve Martial God Realms to constrain each other, and established rules for acquiring additional resources through major competitions.

"This consequently suppresses the number of living beings, enhances the strength level of Martial Artists in the Martial God World, and avoids direct confrontation with Candle Dragon.

"The Martial God doesn't seem as... as simple-minded as you described."

When you put it like that... Wu Wang pictured that dusk in his mind: on the hillside outside the small town, a burly, towering God in golden Battle Armor, bearded, holding two divine-grade martial arts books, speaking those simple, unadorned words, his eyes filled with helplessness and anticipation... This guy, didn't he seem a bit dim-witted?

Yun Zhongjun laughed. "Regarding the Martial God, I haven't paid much attention before, but I will start analyzing his various actions from now on. Are you certain the Martial God is watching you?"

"Positive. I often feel as if someone is watching me."

"If that's the case, then it's manageable. We should still create opportunities to interact more with the Martial God."

Yun Zhongjun hummed thoughtfully. "After my contact with Your Majesty's Artifact Spirit, I also roughly understand the pressure you are under.

"Continually rewinding time is ultimately not a solution; it will harm your very essence.

"Regarding the great calamity, we can rally more valuable allies and gather the power of the entire world to confront it; there will surely be a way.

"Your Majesty, your Artifact Spirit arranging for an incarnation to descend into the Martial God World must have its own purpose. She watches over these two worlds from the long river of time; the Martial God might just be an answer she has for you."

"I've also considered this," Wu Wangdao said, "otherwise, I wouldn't have spent so much effort in the Martial God World."

Yun Zhongjun said, "Overall, getting in touch with the Martial God, or even befriending him, isn't a bad thing."

"Obviously!" Wu Wang exclaimed. He spread his hands.

"Why would I forsake the good life of a Heavenly Emperor to go to the Outer Sky and help the Martial God train troops?

"The Martial God is currently observing this incarnation of mine, looking at my talents beyond Martial Arts. This is also an essential path for me to connect with the Martial God.

"Therefore, I must handle this matter of the Celestial Fox Tribe satisfactorily, yet not too perfectly, lest the Martial God and his subordinates become suspicious."

"Your Majesty handles such trifles with ease," Yun Zhongjun laughed. "I'll continue to take care of the numerous tedious matters surrounding this incarnation... By the way, Your Majesty, do you need an exceptionally talented attendant, or one who is wealthy enough to rival a nation?"

Wu Wang sincerely uttered, "A normal one."

"That's fine then."

Yun Zhongjun couldn't help but feel a lack of interest. Ah, His Majesty is really no fun when he's serious.

「Half a day later.」

The sun was high, scattered white clouds drifted, and the azure sky reflected in a sparse forest by a lake within the Luili Realm. This place was only a little over three hundred miles from Returning Dragon Valley. The several hundred elite troops who had rushed here from the border, along with the six generals, were now hiding in this patch of forest beside the small lake. The dense vegetation was the perfect cover. They had traveled by night and rushed by day, avoiding towns and fortresses, climbing mountains and threading through small forests to smoothly reach this spot. But the road ahead was going to be difficult.

On the branches of a large tree, several figures were seated, some with arms crossed in an air of profundity, others leaning against the trunk with an artistic pose. Their special armor and the occasional 'faint' pressure they emanated attested to their strength. They were Martial Emperor-level powerhouses, military generals of the Luili Realm.

Wu Wang crouched on an adjacent tree, carefully observing the generals' expressions. He had already entrusted the subsequent plans entirely to his senior sister; now it was time to see how Chun Luan would perform. At this moment, although Chun Luan's voice was faint, it didn't escape Wu Wang's keen Divine Thought.

"Gentlemen, right now, two matters are of utmost importance.

"First, we need to confirm whether there are any ambushes around Returning Dragon Valley and, if so, how strong our opponents are.

"Returning Dragon Valley is a key transport route. Its sides are flat, seemingly unfavorable for an ambush, but in reality, it's an excellent spot for a surprise attack. Assailants can quickly disperse and hide in the mountain forests on either side, using the complex terrain to cover their tracks and reach several border gaps.

"The convoy has currently advanced to this point. From here to Returning Dragon Ridge, the towns are dense, and the terrain is open.

"The convoy's guards are also elites directly under the Shrine Institute, so they are exceedingly cautious."

A general lamented, "Our Qing Shan Envoy really stands out too much."

"The Ming Qing Realm will certainly not miss such an opportunity."

"Returning Dragon Valley itself isn't treacherous, but the surrounding terrain is complex; concealing dozens of experts wouldn't be difficult."

"If they launch a sudden attack directly on those three carriages, even if the guard team had a thousand people, the vast majority would be rendered useless."

Chun Luan, recalling Wu Wang's advice, declared with certainty, "Very well, we shall assume there is definitely an ambush in this area."

The generals briefly pondered, then nodded in agreement. Although there was no evidence of an ambush here, it was better to assume there was than to assume there wasn't. Better to have worked for nothing than to carelessly lead their men to their deaths.

Chun Luan continued, "The second matter is somewhat difficult to broach: we must be mentally prepared—our whereabouts may have already been exposed."

"What do you mean?"

"We can't have spies among us!"

"These are soldiers we personally trained, all skilled in Martial Arts."

Chun Luan spoke quietly, "This is just preparing for the worst-case scenario."

"So, Chun Luan, what do you propose we do next?"

"We need to proceed with caution," Chun Luan said.

"We have three options now. The first is to advance openly, contact the convoy, and directly drive away any ambushers. This would minimize casualties the most, but our mission might end in failure.

"The second option is not to contact the convoy. We split into two groups: one to distract the enemy, while the other, composed of experts and elites, chooses another ambush point. We wait for the enemy to strike, then counterattack—the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of The Yellow Sparrow behind.

"The third choice is riskier: we search for the enemy's traces and use the time before the convoy arrives to engage in a battle of wits. This might drive them away or lead to a direct confrontation.

"The enemy's strength is uncertain, and some of us might not make it back.

"I choose the second option."

"I believe we should be prudent. Do we still need such merit? Let's just join the convoy and drive the enemy away."

"But what if the enemy thinks they can take us all down and ambushes us as well?"

"This General thinks Chun Luan's suggestion is good. We divide our forces: one group creates diversions in the surroundings, feigning a search of the mountains, while the other goes directly to set an ambush, striking after the enemy makes their move."

"Wouldn't that be using the Shrine Institute's elites as bait?"

"I feel our own soldiers are the most reliable."

The six generals fell into a brief deadlock. Soon, the highest-ranking middle-aged man made the decision, affirming Chun Luan's strategy.

The several hundred elite troops were quickly mobilized. Unaware of their destination, these Martial Artists followed several generals, constantly maneuvering through the vast forest. Their task was to create a commotion on the periphery, feigning a search for ambushes near Returning Dragon Valley. The strongest hundred warriors were also circling, but the more they circled, the farther they seemed to get from Returning Dragon Valley.

Chun Luan had truly become a 'wise general,' using her agile movement technique to scout suspicious areas in the mountains and forests.

In a daze, Chun Luan noticed the space beside her felt empty; her junior brother was gone. Just as she was anxiously about to search for him among another group of soldiers, Wu Wang emerged from a treetop, gestured for silence, and beckoned her over.

Chun Luan immediately leaped onto the treetops, looking where Wu Wang indicated. Not far ahead, over a dozen birds circled in the air, refusing to land.

Wu Wangdao said, "It's not just that there are spies; the spies are right beside us and can continuously send messages to the enemy. Otherwise, it wouldn't be such a coincidence for them to appear ahead of our constantly changing path. We've noticed them, and they've noticed us."

"A direct confrontation?" Chun Luan's eyes held a hint of fighting spirit.

"The enemy clearly has the confidence to intercept us," Wu Wang said. "We can contact the other unit and combine forces to surround them."

Chun Luan said, "Won't that alert the enemy unnecessarily?"

"Sister, what if the enemy has eight or ten Martial Emperor Realm experts?" Wu Wang asked.

"Do you think Martial Emperors are as common as cabbages? That you can just find eight or ten for an ambush?" Chun Luan scoffed.

"Based on past experience, enemy Martial Artists dispatched so deep into our territory are mostly at the Martial Spirit Realm and Martial Soul Realm, with few Martial Emperors.

"After all, this is our turf; if they cause a disturbance, they won't be able to escape."

Wu Wang frowned. "Isn't that a gamble? Sister, I think it's best to play it safe; at the very least, we should consider how to minimize our casualties."

Chun Luan laughed. "Alright, I'll listen to you. I'll send someone to notify them to combine forces here..."

At that moment, Wu Wang looked up at the distant spot where the birds were circling. Another flock of birds took flight, these ones closer to them. Wu Wang and Chun Luan exchanged a look, mutual alertness in their eyes.

Had the enemy chosen to attack? No, under these circumstances, whoever held the ambush ground had a thirty percent advantage; such an obvious attack would be foolish. Clearly, their hundred-man unit's movements hadn't been exposed. This small group had no spies, or at least none capable of instantly relaying messages. The enemy obviously intended to split their forces to find their hundred-man team...

"Ambush them," Wu Wang said decisively.

Chun Luan nodded subconsciously, immediately took out her Bone Whistle, and blew a rustling sound. The hundred-plus warriors quickly concealed themselves, dropping to the ground or leaping into the treetops. Wu Wang plucked a handful of leaves and casually flung them, knocking the birds flying overhead to the ground. He and Chun Luan simply hid in their tree, unmoving.

Chun Luan silently gripped the long spear on her back. Seeing Wu Wang empty-handed, she unfastened the Short Sword from her waist and offered it to him.

"Ever killed anyone?" Chun Luan asked softly.

Wu Wang smiled and declined the Short Sword. His killings, until now, had mostly been through words. Now, well... He specialized in the ultimate skill 'Two Three Four Six'.

Wu Wang fished out a handful of Silver Needles from his sleeve. In front of Chun Luan, he took out a porcelain bottle, drew out wisps of ghastly green aura, and coated the Silver Needles with it. 'Shen Nong's Materia Medica'—truly a great thing. Crafting poisons is also one of its marvels.

Chun Luan's eyes widened, but Wu Wang had already scattered the Silver Needles. They floated beneath the treetops, entwined with strands of unusual Spiritual Power. Killing people doesn't depend on one's Martial Arts realm.

Wu Wang closed his eyes, his Divine Thought spreading over a ten-mile radius, the Heavenly Dao covertly monitoring everything.

Dark figures rushed swiftly through the forest, their movements uniform, their auras strikingly similar—nearly a hundred of them upon closer inspection.

"People from the Ming Qing Realm," Chun Luan whispered.

Wu Wang nodded. Without waiting for the enemy to draw closer, he slowly raised his hand and gently pushed. A breeze carried the Silver Needles towards the hundred dark figures. The Silver Needles silently dispersed, weaving through the air in intersecting arcs.

THUD!

One of the running figures suddenly fell, tumbling across the ground due to his momentum. Then, more than twenty others pitched forward, apparently suffocating and fainting.

Wu Wang suddenly opened his eyes, his left hand splayed, then abruptly clenched. Piercing howls echoed from all directions in the forest, and the group of dark figures immediately fell into disarray.

Without needing Wu Wang's signal, Chun Luan had already leaped into action, spear in hand. Biting the Bone Whistle, she blew a shrill sound, and the hundred elite warriors concealed in the forest launched their surprise attack!