Big Data Cultivation

Chapter 373: Chapter 373: Night Raid

Those who stayed at the base of Mount Zhige felt a pang of regret, little knowing that those in the carriages were actually the ones in extreme discomfort at that very moment.

Though they were spared the walk, sitting in the carriages was truly rough. Now, in the depths of winter, knife-sharp winds slashed at their faces, making the experience quite unbearable.

Due to the uneven and rugged roads, and the fact that they were traveling at night, their speed was not very fast, averaging only about fifty li per hour. Nevertheless, persisting in this way of travel, stopping every few hours to stretch their legs, was ultimately more efficient than journeying on foot.

Traveling alongside the carriages was a cavalry troop of twenty men, with over sixty horses in tow.

After six hours, they reached the vicinity of the Yangshan Gu Family, with those in the carriages nearly frozen to death and the horse riders nearly exhausted to death.

The Gu Family’s influence in Yangshan was immense, mainly spread over three large areas: one in the county town, one in Sanjia Market Town, and the last being Gu Family Village.

The leading figures of the Gu Family were partly in the county town and partly in the town, but the core and backbone forces were all in Gu Family Village.

Dealing with the Gu Family members in the county town was manageable. Mr. Shi, bearing the Prefectural Governor’s calling card, and the Deng Family Brothers, with the Magistrate’s note, only had to wait for daylight to inform the county magistrate, ensuring the temporary detainment of the Gu Family’s scions in the town.

In the Sanjia Market Town, the Gu Family had only six or seven hundred people, but their martial strength was not to be underestimated, maintaining over a dozen martial masters all year round.

Gu Family Village covered an extensive area, owning seventy to eighty thousand mu of farmland alone, as well as vast tracts of sloping fields and mountainous terrain. Over three thousand members of the Gu Family lived concentrated there, with an additional thousand or so people dependent on the Gu Family scattered around them.

When the convoy arrived about three li from the town, they finally stopped. The Tian Family guide introduced to Feng Jun that they had to choose one key target between this place and Gu Family Village.

As he was speaking, Mr. Shi walked over. This fellow knew how to enjoy himself. Initially seated in the carriage, he later moved into the driver’s cabin of a utility vehicle during a rest—naturally, no one could contend with him for the spot.

Looking composed and focused at the moment, he smiled and inquired, “What plans does Divine Doctor Feng have in mind? How do you intend to make your move?”

Feng Jun was quite decisive, “Unless Mr. Shi has better suggestions, I plan to launch a direct assault on the Gu Family Courtyard in Sanjia Market Town.”

The Gu Family Courtyard in the town occupied a significant amount of land; it was actually a complex consisting of one large and two smaller courtyards.

Mr. Shi pondered for a moment and then said, “Even if the assault on the courtyard goes smoothly, it would take at least an hour, right? Are you certain it won’t alarm the people of Gu Family Village?”

Gu Family Village was only about ten li from Sanjia Market Town, and the reason the town was called “Sanjia Market” was that previously, the Gong Family, Lu Family, and Gu Family were responsible for setting up the marketplace.

The Gong Family has long since disappeared into the annals of history, and the Lu Family has only left behind a lineage of more than three hundred people, of whom over two hundred still till the land – now only the legend of their ancestors’ prosperity remains.

Now the town, with a population of seven to eight thousand, is undoubtedly the Gu Family’s domain, with more than half of the population earning their livelihoods around the Gu Family Courtyard.

While the courtyard housed only five or six hundred people, assaulting it would not be a task easily accomplished.

“It won’t take long to actually fight them,” Feng Jun said, gazing at the dark outline of the distant town with an expressionless face. “As long as we don’t care about the casualties… I mean the casualties of the civilians, not ourselves.”

Mr. Shi remained silent, his face grave. He believed that the other party could do it—the means of an Immortal were not something mere mortals could withstand.

Pausing for a moment, Feng Jun turned to ask, “Mr. Shi, your question implies you might have your considerations?”

Mr. Shi nodded, “In fact, I suggest you target a location… Are you aware of the Gu Family’s external storehouse?”

The Gu Family’s external storehouse was actually the largest warehouse they operated outside, located three li from Sanjia Market Town, positioned between the town and Gu Family Village.

Feng Jun nodded slightly, “I’ve heard of it. Do you mean to isolate them and strike at the reinforcements?”

Mr. Shi blinked in surprise, then nodded again, “Exactly, isolate and strike at the reinforcements. As soon as you attack there, both the town and village will have to send support.”

Feng Jun pondered for a moment and then asked, “The storehouse merely contains some goods and property. I’ve heard that all of the Gu Family’s truly valuable items are in the internal storehouse… Are you sure this will draw out Gu Maoyuan?”

Mr. Shi replied with an affirming smile, “The Gu Family’s daily necessities like salt, cloth, and medicine… everything except food, are all stored there. Perhaps it wouldn’t draw out Gu Maoyuan himself, but it will definitely alarm him.”

Feng Jun understood the implication. He had already gathered that Gu Maoyuan resided in – or in the vicinity of – Gu Family Village, definitely not in the county town or the market town.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

However, nobody was certain of Gu Maoyuan’s exact whereabouts. The man thought highly of himself, frequently changing his residence, and even among the Gu Family, few knew of his movements.

Feng Jun’s eyes flickered with thought as he asked, “And then?”

Mr. Shi smirked, his smile laden with deep meaning, “He certainly won’t act rashly, but as long as we are ruthless enough in our attack, they will definitely need to discuss countermeasures… Divine Doctor, you must have already put a great deal of pressure on him.”

“So…” Feng Jun’s eyes flashed as he came to a realization, “You know where they hold their meetings?”

“Precisely,” Mr. Shi nodded with a sense of pride, and he confidently replied, “In fact, the place where they hold their meetings is quite secret—not in the clan hall, but in the canteen of the Martial Practice Field.”

Feng Jun was taken aback and then gave a thoughtful look, “Your sources are very well-informed.”

“Of course, that’s essential,” Mr. Shi replied casually, “The great families must control… the Imperial Court is not just talk.”

Feng Jun nodded, his understanding of the situation on this plane deepening further.

According to Mr. Shi, the Imperial Court was truly wary of the major families, and while they didn’t show it openly, the efforts they made behind closed doors were significant, even to the point that one could describe them as calculated and deliberate.

Take the Yangshan Gu Family as an example, the Imperial Court could actually produce a plan to eradicate them at any moment, not only accurate but undoubtedly well-simulated, with extremely high feasibility.

With this in mind, Feng Jun couldn’t help but ask, “Are all the clans being watched so closely by you, or is it just those within the Family Alliance?”

Mr. Shi glanced at him, smiled meaningfully, and said nothing—don’t you think you’re asking too much?

Since he was like this, Feng Jun did not ask further and began organizing his team, stealthily heading towards the Gu Family’s external storeroom.

The Gu Family’s external storeroom was not small, covering over a hundred acres. Feng Jun called a few team leaders over to discuss a battle plan.

First, they had to poison the outskirts. Cultivator Wu had not come, but he had given Feng Jun a dozen vials of poison, most of which were Bewitching Heart Poison Powder. Feng Jun strongly suspected that the poison powder he had seized last time was from this same man.

But since they had already crossed paths in conflict, there was no point in bringing it up again.

It was Cultivator Wu’s appearance that had given Feng Jun a wakeup call, one really shouldn’t underestimate the natives of this plane.

If he had been unrelenting and refused to spare Lord Beiyuan, the hidden Cultivator Wu would surely have become a terrifying trump card, possibly causing untold troubles.

This was a side note, no need to mention it further. Feng Jun’s idea was to start with the poisoning, then send out a small force for a fierce attack, while the majority lay in wait on either side of the road, ready to ambush the Gu Family’s reinforcements as they arrived.

After that, continue to feign weakness to lure more reinforcements from the Gu Family.

After all, his job was to propose a plan. Each family’s forces had their own leaders. The Mi Family had fewer people attending, and were there out of friendship; they discussed it among themselves and followed the commands of Yu Zhengqing.

Having made these arrangements, Feng Jun was ready to head over to Gu Family Village, but Mr. Shi stopped him, “Divine Doctor, would you take me with you?”

Mr. Shi, though a Prefectural Governor’s aide and extremely intelligent, also had considerable martial skills—an intermediate-level martial master. In the Earth Realm, he belonged to the category of scholars who brandished swords, embracing the idea that “reading thousands of books is like travelling thousands of miles,” with the actual strength to back it up.

Feng Jun smiled and shook his head, “I already have a map of the village. Going alone is just right. With all of you on the sidelines, it’s not convenient to take action.”

While speaking, he darted outside, vanishing into the night.

Since the time for the assault had been agreed upon, Feng Jun rushed all the way to the Gu Family Village, entering it silently.

The Gu Family Village at night was different from other villages, because it was a clan village, there was a lantern at every intersection. Although not particularly bright, it provided enough light to be a great convenience for pedestrians at night.

This also made it easier for Feng Jun. He flew over lightly and looked around, easily locating the Martial Practice Field.

To his surprise, although it was the darkest before dawn, through his night vision goggles, he saw that there were already several figures in the Martial Practice Field.

Feng Jun silently approached above the Martial Practice Field, looked down, and realized that there were a few children practicing their boxing. Judging by their size and height, they were only about eleven or twelve years old.

You can’t say success comes without efforts. The Gu Family had prospered for so long because they had their ways; such a cold winter, before dawn, children of eleven or twelve were already at the Martial Practice Field.

Of course, Feng Jun was just reflecting on this. A clan that treated lives like grass was better off declining a bit.

Then, he found the dining hall. At its entrance hung two extremely dim lanterns, and there were people walking around inside, obviously preparing breakfast.

Feng Jun circled the dining hall, burying five explosive devices in the mud around it, each weighing fifty kilograms. As he was contemplating whether to bury a sixth, a roar exploded in the distance.

He rose several meters into the air, looked around, and saw that a fire had broken out at the external storeroom, glaring uncharacteristically bright in the pitch-black night.

Suddenly, the sound of bells rang throughout the Gu Family Village, urgent and rapid. Then, stray lights emerged from various households, quickly spreading throughout the entire village.

The quality of the Gu Family descendants was indeed notable. One by one, shadows converged towards the village entrance, rapidly gathering hundreds of people.

At the same time, about a dozen people rode swiftly towards the direction of the external storeroom, their movements extremely agile—clearly, they were out to gather news.

Seeing this, Feng Jun knew he had little time left, so he flew directly towards a large tree outside the Martial Practice Field.

(During the period of double monthly tickets, I loudly call for support.)