Starting with the titmouse, seventy-two transformations

Chapter 301 The forces within the stronghold prepare for a bloodbath.

Halfway up the mountain road.

The previously refreshing night breeze now resembles a howling north wind, chilling to the bone, making one's blood freeze and one's whole body feel icy cold.

Within a radius of several hundred feet, all the chirping of insects and birds abruptly ceased.

On the branches and under the leaves, in the bushes and grass, small animals such as insects, birds, snakes and rats died suddenly, and even the grass and trees withered and turned yellow for no reason.

Old He and the others in the arena felt inexplicably uneasy, as if they were facing a great demon that had been startled awake from its slumber. Their mouths were dry and their scalps tingled.

Several timid members of the church fainted on the spot.

Yu Niang, who was facing Liu Sheng directly, stubbornly pursed her lips and refused to speak.

"Don't scare Er Ya!"

At this moment, Du Bingyan playfully patted him and stepped forward to hug the small, trembling figure hiding behind Yu Niang.

It was Yu Niang's daughter, Er Ya.

Now she is almost nine years old, taller than before, and much prettier.

"call!"

Liu Sheng suddenly awoke, and with a thought, he suppressed his murderous aura, causing the frozen air to immediately begin to flow.

The temperature has returned to normal, the mountain breeze is refreshing, and even the chirping of insects on a summer night seems to come from afar.

Lao He and the others visibly breathed a sigh of relief, their gazes towards Liu Sheng filled with shock, horror, and disbelief.

Three years have passed, and their strength has greatly improved. They originally thought they could catch up with Liu Sheng, but unexpectedly...

The gap seems to have widened even further?
With his addition, everyone's situation should improve considerably!
At this moment, Er Ya, who was being held in Du Bingyan's arms, calmed down.

She stepped down from Du Bingyan's arms, came to Liu Sheng, knelt down and kowtowed, saying in a clear voice:

"Uncle, my mother scratched her face herself."

Women are naturally beautiful, so why would they scratch their faces?
Unless it causes unnecessary big trouble!

In this chaotic world, it is common for a beautiful woman to be coveted by a powerful man.

The vast majority of people would choose to submit and become dependent.

There are few like Yu Niang who could harden their hearts and disfigure themselves to remain chaste.

Liu Sheng quickly realized the whole story.

"You've grown up and know how to protect your mother now, that's good!"

He helped Er Ya up, patted the little girl's head, and said softly:
"Tell me, who is it?"

Er Ya's eyes darted around after hearing this, glancing at Lao He and the others. Seeing that they remained silent, she whispered:
"It was that Master Sun. My mother didn't want to make things difficult for Sister Yue'e and the others, so she slashed her own face."

Sun Xiangzhu?
A figure appeared in Liu Sheng's mind.

He was tall and thin, with long arms and legs, a black mole on the corner of his mouth, and looked like a skinny monkey, with a wandering gaze.

The person who had been standing next to Han Santong earlier spoke rudely and seemed to be calling Sun Kening?

He's clearly not a good person.

There is a way to die.

"Trust your uncle, and tomorrow you'll turn your mother back to how she was before."

Liu Sheng smiled faintly, turned his head and waved to Lao He:

"Continue with what we didn't finish earlier: the situation of those groups, their cultivation levels, and the number of men they have..."

Old He steeled himself and stepped forward, stammering:

"Brother Sheng, I—"

"This is not your fault! After all, you were leading a large group of elderly, weak, women and children in this dog-eat-dog world. Just surviving was a huge feat. How could everything possibly go smoothly?"

Liu Sheng waved his hand, indicating that he didn't need to worry about it.

To say he didn't have some lingering resentment about this would be a lie. But in a world where death is so common, protecting the three defenseless women and children—Grandma, Yu Niang, and her daughter—and saving their lives so that Liu Sheng wouldn't have any regrets for the rest of his life was already an immense achievement.

To be even more demanding would be inhumane and heartless.

However, before he returns, compromising is a necessity for survival.

Now that he's back, many things can be thoroughly settled and accounted for.

The way you play depends on the cards you're dealt.

However, before that, you need to know what cards your opponent has in their hand. Knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory.

"cough--"

Old He glanced gratefully at Liu Sheng, organized his thoughts, and then recounted the situation in Woniu Village without reservation.

The two walked side by side, talking as they went. By the time they reached their camp in the mountainside, Liu Sheng had a good understanding of the forces within the stronghold.

At this moment, the forces in Woniu Village are divided into three factions.

One is the veteran faction led by "Green Snake Saintess" He Yue'e, with Old He and his group as the core members.

Most of the members were former laborers who had escaped to Wohu Ridge with them after breaking through the imperial court's encirclement and suppression.

And the poor people who came to seek refuge later were mostly farmers who couldn't make a living, with their families in tow, all looking for a way to survive.

The largest number of people was over 60,000.

Lao He and his men selected some able-bodied men from among them, trained them for more than a year, and barely managed to get a little over 1,600 soldiers.

Most of them are at the Qi and Blood Realm, and those at the Bone and Tendon Realm are no more than 200. They are led by Zhao Lei, who has now achieved the Great Perfection of the Internal Organs.

(Defense pole: Of the 60,000 people, after removing the elderly, children, women and the disabled, there are less than 10,000 able-bodied men. They also need to clear land for farming, build fortresses and do other labor. The number of able-bodied men who can take time off for training is less than 2,000. After removing those who are slick, timid and other unsuitable, the number is roughly this.)
The second group consisted of the remnants of the White Lotus Army, led by Sun Kening and Han Santong.

They were defeated by the imperial army, suffering heavy casualties, and had nowhere else to go but to seek refuge at Wohu Ridge.

After entering the stronghold, they recruited many local ruffians, gang members, powerful families who had ruined their homes, and bandits from the surrounding mountains and rivers through enticement, incitement, and networking.

The core consisted of over two thousand White Lotus Army soldiers, along with more than ten thousand accompanying them.

Finally, there is the third faction, led by Young Master Ling (the young man in blue) and Qiao She.

More than a year ago, they were ordered by Jinchi Dharma King, one of the five Dharma Kings of the White Lotus Sect, to parachute into Wohu Ridge.

Accompanying them were five thousand elite soldiers, whose level of combat prowess even surpassed that of the White Lotus Army!
In addition, there were more than 20,000 artisans and laborers accompanying the army, as well as countless materials.

The main structure of Wohu Village, along with its three-tiered defense system, was built under their supervision.

They had powerful backgrounds and extensive connections, controlling the supply channels for various materials in the village, including grain, armor, and medicine.

Besides the three major forces mentioned above, there is also the "mining gang" led by the Zhang brothers.

The group numbered just over two thousand. They were miners who escaped during the chaos after the upheaval in the world. Hearing of the reputation of the "Green Snake Saintess," they came to Wohu Ridge.

They were all free from all ties, daring to fight and kill, exceptionally united, and powerful, with most possessing the cultivation level of the Bone and Tendon Realm.

The three brothers, Zhang Jin, Zhang Yin, and Zhang Tong, had an unexpected opportunity in the mine, each possessing a body with a bronze head and iron arms. Despite their True Form Realm cultivation, they were able to fight against Qi Refining cultivators who had entered the Dao Realm.

The three men were generous and righteous, and grateful for He Yue'e's kindness in taking them in, so they always stood by her side.

However, under the coercion, enticement, and manipulation of Ling Gongzi and Han Santong, they have gradually become swayed recently.

"We're really... almost backed into a corner."

Liu Sheng stopped and looked at the cluster of wooden houses stretching for miles in front of him.

Under the cover of night, the crowds were as numerous as ants, bustling in and out of their "nests" with various tasks.

They were dressed in rags, most of them barefoot, and emaciated, but their faces were full of vitality.

There is a kind of vibrant life that only appears on the faces of the upper class in this world.

Or, it could be called hope.

Liu Sheng watched quietly for a moment, then lowered his gaze and his tone became lighter:
"Old He, let's find a place to talk this over. Tonight we'll take down Han Santong and his gang."

(End of this chapter)