“What you have said is not far off.” Tang Xiaohua looked at Zhao Yusheng and nodded. “Then do you know how to break this formation?”

“It is said that one must locate a few key points, and then the formation can be broken.” Zhao Yusheng’s gaze returned to the plum blossom grove.

“Key points?” Feng Jiu’er furrowed her brow, not quite following.

“Such as lakes, or mirrors — anywhere capable of reflecting light.” Zhao Yusheng looked past Tang Xiaohua to Feng Jiu’er.

“Destroy those key points, and the formation will be undone.”

“Once the formation is broken, we will be able to see the situation inside the grove with far greater clarity.”

Tang Xiaohua made no sound, and the air around her seemed to grow a few shades heavier.

Seeing this, Zhao Yusheng did not dare to show off any further.

He knew well that as a disciple of a formation master, Yue Furen’s understanding of formations far exceeded his own — by a great measure indeed.

Feng Jiu’er also looked at Tang Xiaohua, and seeing that she was not speaking, she made no move to interrupt either.

After a moment, the crease between Tang Xiaohua’s brows slowly smoothed away.

“Jiu’er, something is wrong.” She turned her head and met Feng Jiu’er’s gaze.

“Others may well have forgotten that my master had a disciple like me — but Chen Hong will certainly not have forgotten.”

“The Barrier Formation is just one of the most ordinary formations there is.”

“So…” Feng Jiu’er furrowed her brow. “Hua-jie thinks this is a trap?”

Tang Xiaohua shifted her gaze, raised the binoculars again, and looked toward the plum blossom grove.

“There are two possibilities now.”

“First — the person at Lei Shenbao’s side is not Chen Hong.”

“Lei Shenbao is also unaware that you have someone well-versed in formations by your side. He laid this formation in the grove to lure us into walking blindly into it.”

“This possibility is the simpler one.”

“But there is another possibility — that the person at Lei Shenbao’s side is indeed Chen Hong.”

“Chen Hong knows that the city lord of Yue City has led troops here, and she has guessed that I am among them. She wants to use this formation to draw me inside.”

“Chen Hong has deep and treacherous intentions, and she is ruthless and merciless — her methods are no fewer than Lei Shenbao’s own.”

“Do not worry, Jiu’er.” Tang Xiaohua lowered the binoculars and turned to meet Feng Jiu’er’s gaze.

“Whichever possibility it turns out to be, I will go in personally to break the formation.”

“Absolutely not!” Feng Jiu’er shook her head. “Since Zhao Yusheng already knows how to break the formation, you don’t need to be involved in this.”

With Yue-dage absent right now, there was no way she would allow Hua-jie to put herself in danger.

“What need is there for such ceremony between us?” Tang Xiaohua curved the corners of her lips slightly.

“I have my own personal reasons for wanting to fight in this battle. If we win, Lei Shenbao is one fewer troublesome figure in the world — and that means considerably fewer worries for all of us down the road.”

“What’s more, my instinct tells me that the person inside is Chen Hong. If I come across that woman, I will absolutely not go easy on her.”

“Even so, neither of us can rush in recklessly.” Feng Jiu’er came to stand beside Tang Xiaohua.

“We determine the route of entry first. If we go in, everyone goes in together.”

“Jiu’er, this formation is not complicated — there is no need for all the brothers to risk themselves together.” Tang Xiaohua glanced sideways at her.

“One person going in is taking a risk. Everyone standing united — how does that qualify as taking a risk?” Feng Jiu’er met her gaze and smiled faintly.

“Hua-jie, I will not allow you to go in alone. Do you hear me clearly?”

Tang Xiaohua curved her lips and said nothing.

Feng Jiu’er raised the binoculars and continued studying the plum blossom grove. “From this angle, is it possible to identify where the key points of the formation are?”

“One angle certainly won’t be enough — but moving around might make it possible.” Tang Xiaohua replied softly.

“All right.” Feng Jiu’er gave a nod. “If this hilltop won’t do, we can go to another one.”

“That works.” Tang Xiaohua replied, and raised her own binoculars.

And indeed, they went from one hilltop to the next.

Before sundown, everyone arrived at the hilltop where the brothers of Point Three were stationed, and continued their assessment.

On the third day, the group spent another hour or two at Point Three before heading toward Point Four.

Those waiting in the mountains had gone day after day, and were beginning to grow restless.

After Lei Shenbao entered Lei Family Town, he had not traveled far — he had set up camp in a village close to the town center.

The position he had chosen was somewhat unusual, and he had deliberately dispersed his troops.

His primary aim was to ensure that no matter which mountain those outside might climb, they would not easily be able to spot his forces.

Lei Shenbao had waited for more than four full days, and still no word of Feng Jiu’er mounting an attack had reached him. His patience was wearing thin.

Inside a spacious and lavishly appointed courtyard building, in the main hall, Lei Shenbao sat in the seat of honor.

There was one other person in the hall.

The woman was tall and willowy, her figure approaching perfection.

She was dressed entirely in black — from the inside out, her cloak included, everything was black.

Beneath a black hat fell a cascade of black hair draped over her shoulders.

A black veil covered her face, leaving only a pair of deep, penetrating eyes exposed.

Those eyes carried a light unlike that of ordinary people — profound and dark.

“Did you not say they would come inside? Four days have already passed — why is there still no movement?” Lei Shenbao looked at the woman in the hall, his voice low and heavy.

Every time he thought of the dazzlingly attractive man at the side of the woman his heart was set on, Lei Shenbao felt deeply unsettled.

Di Wuya’s looks and presence were the kind that few men could see without feeling a stab of envy.

Not to mention that for Feng Jiu’er’s sake, Lei Shenbao had already surrendered nearly half of Li City.

She wanted Li City — he could give it to her. He had said so himself: he could give her everything.

But there was still another man at her side, and that was something Lei Shenbao could not accept.

“That man has already left.” The woman lifted the teacup with her gloved black hand.

“Do you have evidence that he truly left? Are your spies reliable?” Lei Shenbao was irritated.

If those seven thousand troops had not turned against him, he would not have suffered such a complete and utter defeat.

Those people — they did not even fear death!

Outside Lei Family Town, he still had many informants, but whether any of them could truly be trusted, even he himself was no longer certain.

What made Lei Shenbao even more agitated was the rumor now spreading through camp that the Longqi Army’s people were capable of producing an antidote.

If Longqi had no antidote, how could those seven thousand brothers have followed Longqi’s orders so completely?

At this moment, the morale within Lei Shenbao’s military camp was far from stable.

“Surnamed Lei — raising your voice at me like that — what do you mean by it?” The woman set down her cup and swept a glance at Lei Shenbao.

Her voice was not loud, yet the anger within it was unmistakable.

Lei Shenbao drew a deep breath and pressed his fury down somewhat.

This woman — he could not afford to offend her. Not yet.

“It was you who said that Yue Jianfei’s woman and my Jiu’er would come inside. Four days have passed, and still there is not a single sign of movement.”

“Tang Xiaohua was able to snatch someone right out of my hands — she is no ordinary person. It is very likely she has already guessed our intentions.”

Beneath Chen Hong’s black veil, the corners of her lips curved slightly.

Those deep, penetrating eyes grew more inscrutable still.

“Regardless of how things stand, I will absolutely not allow that woman any chance to escape this time.”