Druid Fairy

Chapter 155 Array Spirit
Lingshan Cave is like spring all year round.

Li Pingcan sat cross-legged under the mulberry tree, surrounded by spiritual energy and shrouded in a thin mist.

Since his breakthrough with the help of the Azure Dragon, his cultivation level has remained steadily at the early stage of the sixth level of Qi Refining.

For the past six months, he has been consolidating his cultivation level while continuing his practice step by step. If it weren't for the sudden war, his life would have been quite leisurely.

"call……"

With a long, deep breath, he slowly opened his eyes, feeling the magical power in his dantian that had grown stronger. However, there was little joy on his face; instead, he sighed softly.

"It's still too slow."

If the wandering cultivators outside knew about his current cultivation speed, they would probably be so envious that their Dao hearts would shatter on the spot. But in Li Pingcan's eyes, it was as slow as a tortoise crawling.

This feeling is like a strong man who has been starving for three days and three nights, but in front of him is a bowl of clear rice soup.

It quenches your thirst, but it doesn't really help!
Since his cultivation reached the mid-stage of Qi Refining, his "appetite" for spiritual energy has been growing at an alarming rate.

"Ugh……"

With a long sigh, Li Pingcan looked at the empty medicine bottle in his hand and felt a pang of heartache.

"Why does cultivating immortality seem like burning through money?"

Ordinary spiritual pills are like throwing mud into the sea; they may bring a slight increase in magical power, but if you want to break through the bottleneck of the late stage of Qi Refining, it's like a drop in the ocean.

His appetite has become increasingly demanding.

"Living off one's savings is not a long-term solution."

Li Pingcan stood up and paced around the cave, pondering new ways to make money.

"How about we 'borrow' the Azure Dragon's dragon skin pouch? No, no, that guy is penniless now. He used all his last harvest to strengthen his cultivation."

"Or... should we go and browse the market for unaffiliated cultivators again?"

The moment the thought arose, he dismissed it.

Such places are a mixed bag; you might be able to find a bargain occasionally, but relying on them to support your cultivation is simply unrealistic.

As he was lost in thought, his gaze inadvertently fell upon a stone in the corner of the cave.

The stone is entirely black, with natural pits and craters all over its surface, making it look no different from ordinary mountain rocks.

But when Li Pingcan subconsciously scanned the area with his [Detection Spell], he exclaimed "Eh!" and a look of surprise appeared on his face.

Beneath that ordinary stone shell lay a fist-sized energy core, emitting a faint earthy-yellow glow.

"This is... a little stone spirit?"

Li Pingcan's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly walked over.

The stone was no bigger than a fist, and it had not yet developed any intelligence. It seemed to have just been born from the earth's veins, and it was still confused and full of curiosity and wariness towards everything in the outside world.

He reached out and gently tapped the stone.

"Thump, thump." The stone remained unmoved.

Li Pingcan tried using the [Dream Language], and the stone spirit mentally shrank even tighter.

"Hey, he's still a tough nut to crack."

He was delighted and immediately increased his magical output.

A gentle yet irresistible will, like an invisible net, firmly enveloped the stone spirit.

Li Pingcan was quite patient, conveying his goodwill again and again.

'Little one, don't be afraid, I'm not a bad person.'

"Look at my place, the mountains are beautiful, the water is clear, and the air is full of vitality."

"Follow me, and I can help you cultivate, allowing you to grow quickly and eventually become a divine stone larger than a mountain!"

At first, the stone spirit resisted, but under Li Pingcan's coaxing and deception, it felt an incredibly comfortable warm current spread throughout its body. Its wariness gradually dissipated, replaced by a sense of closeness tinged with curiosity and dependence.

It wobbled gently, and finally rolled into Li Pingcan's palm, rubbing its smooth surface against his fingers.

"That's right."

Li Pingcan happily accepted the "stubborn stone" into his possession.

"The core of this Seven Spirits Array uses spirit stones, which are ultimately inanimate objects. But what if we used this stone spirit as the array spirit..."

He became more and more excited the more he thought about it.

Natural spirits are the essence of the earth. If they are placed at the core of the formation and nurtured by the spirit-gathering formation of the entire cave, they can grow continuously and, in turn, provide the formation with a constant stream of spiritual energy!

This is a perfect virtuous cycle!
This will be known once it is tested.

Half an hour later.

"It really works!"

Looking at the newly arranged formation, Li Pingcan was satisfied. A formation with a spirit and a formation without a spirit are completely different concepts.

Once these small stones have matured, the Seven Spirits Array will become even more effective.

After doing all this, Li Pingcan's gaze quietly locked onto his nephew, who was far away in a military camp on the border, through the field of fungal carpet.

Li Yuanhu had long since shed his youthful naiveté; his dark, light armor accentuated his imposing and valiant appearance. He stood on a makeshift command platform, explaining the essentials of combined attack formations to a hundred soldiers below.

"Listen up! Spearmen in front, shield bearers on the flanks, archers in the rear! When the enemy charges, you're not supposed to fight them head-on. Flank them and cut off their retreat, understand?!"

While he was cursing, he personally went down to the stage to demonstrate, each move steady yet agile.

The soldiers, who were originally terrified, were inspired by his fierce and courageous spirit, and they all trained with extra effort.

'This kid has finally grown up.'

Li Pingcan regained his composure, and the last vestige of his desire to go to the battlefield vanished completely.

His decision not to go to the front lines this time was not out of fear. With his current strength, dominating the battlefield would be no difficult task for him.

But once the fledgling eagle has grown its wings, it will eventually fly alone into the sky and brave the wind and rain.

Li Yuanhu was like that; he had already paved the way for his nephew, giving him everything he could—divine skills, powerful weapons, military strategies, and elixirs.

He has to walk the rest of the road himself; a towering tree cannot grow in a greenhouse.

Moreover, the battlefield today is not as simple as it was during the beast tide.

In the midst of dynastic wars and the emergence of immortals, it was no longer a pond where he could easily "fish in troubled waters."

He had heard from various sources that both the Great Yu Dynasty and the Great Qian Dynasty had deployed their true elite forces to the border, including many late-stage Qi Refining Immortal Masters, and even occasional rumors of Foundation Establishment cultivators appearing.

In a battlefield teeming with powerful individuals and where divine wills intertwine, the risks of exposure are far too great.

Once his secret is discovered, it will bring utter destruction to the Li family.

He can't gamble, and he can't afford to gamble.

'Rather than going to that chaotic battlefield and gambling on an uncertain future, it's better to stay in the family and accumulate strength.'

…………

A rocky hill.

This is the most chaotic and deadliest place on the border of the Great Qian Dynasty.

Countless jagged rocks, like the fangs of a giant beast, have cleaved the earth into fragments, providing an excellent natural barrier for ambushes and sneak attacks.

Since the start of the war, Li Yuanhu and Wang Lie have been sent here together, each commanding a capital city, responsible for suppressing the small groups of "Chiyan Army" that have infiltrated the Daqian Dynasty.

These past few days of baptism by blood and fire have made Li Yuanhu truly understand the cruelty of war.

There's no stopping there like in a martial arts arena; here, it's all about direct life-or-death combat. One moment your comrade is joking around with you, and the next, he might be a cold corpse.

Wang Lie was like a tiger descending from the mountain. When he fought, he emphasized courage, using bold and unrestrained attacks.

"Charge! Whoever beheads the enemy general will be rewarded with ten taels of silver!"

He charged ahead, his blade flashing, blood and flesh flying everywhere, truly awe-inspiring.

His tactics were extremely efficient, and he achieved great success in just a few days, gaining a small reputation in the army. This made him increasingly disdainful of Li Yuanhu's "timid and hesitant" fighting style.

'Hmph, what kind of prodigy is Li? He's nothing but a spineless coward who relies on his family background!'

Wang Lie cleaved a Crimson Flame Army soldier in two with a single stroke, then looked at Li Yuanhu, who was directing his troops in a well-planned advance using the terrain, with disdain in his eyes. 'True battles rely on unwavering courage. What kind of hero hides in the back?'

Unlike Wang Lie's unrestrained nature, Li Yuanhu was like a seasoned old hunter.

He kept his third uncle's teachings in mind and never confronted the enemy head-on.

"Second squad, launch a feint attack from the left flank to draw their attention! Third squad, go and push that rock down to cut off their retreat! The rest of you, form ranks, archers, prepare!" He used various hand gestures taught by his third uncle to command his hundred-man squad.

His soldiers were mostly farmers conscripted from Yunshui County. They were not as fierce as Wang Lie's men, but they were obedient and cautious. Under Li Yuanhu's command, they were always able to achieve the greatest results with the least cost.

"The captain is truly amazing! We did the same thing last time, and we wiped out the enemy without losing a single brother!"

"Following Lieutenant Li, I feel I can go home alive to see my mother!"

The soldiers were completely convinced of Li Yuanhu's abilities and obeyed his every word.

On this day, a scout brought news that a small squad of about thirty Crimson Flame Army soldiers had been spotted in the One Line Sky Canyon, three miles ahead.

"Thirty people? Hahaha! That's just enough to fill a gap between my teeth!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Lie's eyes lit up; this was a reward delivered right to his doorstep!

Without waiting for orders, he immediately selected a hundred elite soldiers to go and "eat meat".

"Captain Wang, wait!"

Li Yuanhu quickly stepped forward to dissuade him, saying, "The terrain of Yixiantian is easy to defend but difficult to attack. We must be wary of a trap!"

"A trap?" Wang Lie glanced at him and sneered, "Lieutenant Li, are you scared of fighting? Thirty men? Do you think they can cause any trouble? If you don't dare to go, then wait here and see how I bring them back with their heads!"

Having said that, he ignored Li Yuanhu and led his men out, howling as they charged forward.

Li Yuanhu watched his retreating figure, his brows furrowed, and the unease in his heart grew stronger.

"Everyone, rest where you are and stay alert!" he ordered his men in a deep voice. "Send two quick-witted men to follow them and check things out. If anything seems amiss, report back immediately!"

Sure enough, half an incense stick later.

"It's terrible! Sir! Captain Wang and his men... have been ambushed!"

The narrow canyon has now been transformed into a battlefield of carnage.

Nearly a hundred archers from the Crimson Flame Army were lying in ambush on both sides of the narrow valley, raining down arrows that pinned Wang Lie and his men down at the bottom of the valley.

The valley entrance was completely blocked by several heavily armored soldiers wielding giant shields.

"Damn it! We've fallen for their trap!"

Wang Lie brandished his broadsword, deflecting several arrows aimed at his face, but his arm was still numb from the impact.

He was covered in blood, with several deep, bone-revealing wounds on his body. There were fewer than fifty of his brothers still standing by his side.

"Brothers! Charge out with me!"

Wang Lie's eyes were bloodshot, and he looked like a mad tiger. If this continued, he would only face death.

He picked up his knife and prepared to lead the charge.

But at that moment, a strange flute melody suddenly rang out from above the canyon.

Immediately afterwards, several agile black-scaled wolves leaped down from the cliffs on both sides and joined the battle!

"It's...it's a ferocious beast!"

"They even have animal tamers!"

Wang Lie's soldiers completely collapsed.

They had never seen anything like it before. Faced with these incredibly ferocious and impenetrable monsters, their courage was instantly swallowed up by fear.

Despair, like an icy tide, completely overwhelmed Wang Lie.

For the first time, he felt the chill of death.

'Am I, Wang Lie, going to die here today?'

A deep sense of resentment welled up within him. He still had a bright future ahead of him, an unfinished path in martial arts, and beautiful wives and concubines...

At this critical moment, a deafening explosion suddenly erupted!

"Boom!"

At the entrance to the canyon, the shield formation set up by the heavily armored soldiers was blasted open by a violent force, creating a huge gap!

Thick gunpowder smoke and a pungent sulfur smell filled the air, making it difficult to open one's eyes.

The Crimson Flame Army's formation was thrown into chaos instantly.

"Reinforcements! Reinforcements have arrived!" Wang Lie's remaining troops erupted in cheers.

Wang Lie also perked up and suddenly looked up.

A figure burst out from the swirling dust!

The person who arrived was none other than Li Yuanhu!
Unlike Wang Lie, he did not charge straight into the enemy ranks. Instead, under the cover of the explosion, he moved like a nimble ape, leaping several times on the rugged valley walls, and actually circled around to the flank of the group of archers!
"kill!"

He charged down the mountain like a tiger, plunging headlong into the ranks of archers who hadn't even had a chance to react.

Screams and cries of alarm rose and fell in an instant.

How could those archers who usually only hide in the shadows and shoot arrows be a match for a master who has been trained later in life?
Li Yuanhu's charge threw them into chaos, and they were routed.

Above the canyon, the Crimson Flame Army beast tamer who was playing the flute changed his expression upon seeing this, and immediately commanded the several demon wolves to turn around and surround Li Yuanhu.

"Well done!"

Li Yuanhu was not surprised but delighted; this was the opportunity he had been waiting for!
He neither dodged nor avoided the several demonic wolves that surrounded him, but a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

He suddenly pulled out several black lumps of iron from his pocket and threw them around with all his might!
Thunderbolt!
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

A series of explosions rang out, and flames shot into the sky!
Those arrogant demon wolves were thrown to the ground by the sudden explosion, their skin torn open and their howls filled with agony.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Li Yuanhu killed one person with a single strike, then used his feet to propel himself forward like lightning, instantly reaching Wang Lie's side and pulling him up from the ground.

"Can I still leave?"

Wang Lie stared blankly at him, at his face stained with gunpowder and blood, and for a moment he was speechless.

Seeing him stunned, Li Yuanhu stopped talking nonsense, grabbed his arm, and shouted to his soldiers who had already formed a battle formation behind him: "Form ranks! Retreat!"

With shield bearers on the outside and spearmen on the inside, the group protected the wounded, taking turns providing cover, and retreated from the canyon in an orderly manner.

…………

Inside the makeshift tent, the campfire crackled.

Wang Lie, shirtless, allowed Li Yuanhu to treat the deep, bone-revealing wound on his back with an unknown ointment.

The cool sensation relieved the pain considerably.

Looking at Li Yuanhu's focused profile, he felt a mix of emotions.

Shame, gratitude, shock... all sorts of emotions intertwined, like boiling medicine, emitting a bitter and astringent taste.

Wang Lie owes this kid his life.

If it weren't for him, I would probably be food for those demon wolves by now.

"Why...why did you save me?"

After a long while, Wang Lie finally managed to squeeze out these words through gritted teeth, his voice hoarse.

"We are comrades-in-arms."

Li Yuanhu didn't even look up, his tone as calm as if he were talking about something trivial.

These four words, however, struck like a heavy hammer.

Courage is not recklessness.

Composure is not cowardice.

True strength lies in maintaining a calm mind even in the most dangerous moments.

"Thanks."

Wang Lie said in a low voice, without a trace of his previous arrogance.

After bandaging the last wound, Li Yuanhu stood up and patted him on the shoulder.

"Take good care of your injuries and get back into the fight. You've got a long way to go. Our army needs more experts like you."

After saying that, he turned and walked out of the tent.

Wang Lie watched his retreating figure and slowly clenched his fist.

He remembered this kindness.

(End of this chapter)