The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 714: I Get It!

I Get It! . . .

The soldiers in the Kingdom of Chen seemed well aware of their commander's intentions, as they diligently piled up wood on three sides of Iron Peak. They understood that they were up against relentless adversaries who could survive grievous injuries. A fire attack seemed the most effective way to incapacitate these formidable foes, and they executed their task with precision.

To avoid being caught in the tower as it went up in flames, the defenders of the Kingdom of Chen faced an arduous decision: confront Wenren Jianyin's forces head-on, despite being heavily outnumbered, or make a daring escape. The prospect of a direct confrontation was akin to a mantis attempting to halt a chariot—doomed and futile.

The Kingdom of Chen had to muster every ounce of determination to obstruct Wenren Jianyin's scheme, but it was no easy feat. Both sides pushed their strategies to the limit. Sending superior cultivators to disrupt the enemy's preparations was a high-risk maneuver, given the imminent threat of a fire attack. The Kingdom of Lan-Feng appeared willing to sacrifice the lives of thousands at the front to eliminate the superior cultivators. Once this was accomplished, breaking through the Iron Peak wall would become substantially more manageable, and if the defenders did not emerge, they would continue stacking wood around the wall until they could unleash the blaze.

Working tirelessly together, hundreds of thousands of soldiers neared the culmination of their painstaking preparations, creating a formidable ring of wood around the fortress.

The mounting tension eventually reached a breaking point, as the occupants of Iron Peak recognized the perilous situation. Panic ensued, but they found themselves with few viable options to counteract the impending disaster.

With a strategic eye, Song Jue scrutinized the developments before him and turned to Cha Eun Xiao, who maintained an air of unwavering composure. Song Jue sought a swift resolution to their current predicament.

"What should we do?" Song Jue inquired, the urgency evident in his voice.

Cha Eun Xiao remained resolute and retorted, "We shall wait and observe."

Song Jue expressed his reservations, saying, "We are running out of time. Waiting will not be sufficient."

Undeterred, Cha Eun Xiao questioned Song Jue, "Do you believe we can outrun time by acting now? What more can we achieve at this moment?"

Song Jue was undaunted, suggesting, "We can set fire to everything they have. By launching an assault now, we will disrupt their plans and seize the initiative."

With a hint of irony, Cha Eun Xiao countered, "Why should we rush out when we can achieve the same outcome with fire arrows? Let them feel the wrath of our flames."

Song Jue quickly grasped the wisdom in Cha Eun Xiao's words, admitting, "You are right. I was too eager. I shall arrange for the fire arrows to rain down upon them."

However, Cha Eun Xiao pointed to the flag waving in the wind and explained the impending problem. "Uncle Song, observe the wind direction. It is coming from the south-west, directly towards the enemy. This wind will persist for the next few days, and it is strong. If we ignite the wood as the wind carries the fire towards us, we shall inevitably burn ourselves."

Song Jue paused, absorbing this vital information. After a moment, he responded, "You are correct. Our plan to set fire is untenable under these conditions. But what of their plans? Will we merely sit idly by and await their flames?"

Cha Eun Xiao offered a strategic solution, stating, "We should not abandon the idea of igniting a fire. However, we must do so in a manner that ensures our own safety. We need to infiltrate their positions and set fire within their ranks. By burning them out first, we can effectively neutralize the threat."

Song Jue was eager to embark on this plan, proclaiming, "I shall carry it out personally. Penetrating their lines should be an effortless endeavor. I will make the necessary preparations immediately."

Cha Eun Xiao concluded, "While this is a sound plan in theory, it does not guarantee success."

Song Jue couldn't help but express his confusion, asking, "Why so?"

Cha Eun Xiao explained with a sense of caution, "It's clear that they are diligently preparing for a fire attack. Given their thoroughness, they may have taken measures to defend against our superior cultivators. They might have prepped the fire in advance once they detected your presence. Even for someone of your abilities, this is exceedingly risky. They don't require an extensive force for this; a pair of capable individuals will suffice. Their aim is simply to impede your efforts to ignite the flames and grant themselves more time to set fire to you. They aim not only to burn you but potentially to kill you."

Song Jue remained undeterred and asserted, "I am not afraid. If I go alone, there may be a risk of failure, but with comrades like Zhao Pingtian, Ning Biluo, Liu Changjun, and even you accompanying me, we shall succeed. And even if, by some misfortune, we fail, we can certainly fight our way to safety. This plan has potential, doesn't it?"

Cha Eun Xiao maintained his composure as he responded, "It's a sound strategy. Even in the event of failure, we are likely to emerge unscathed. However, if any one of us sustains injuries, it may shatter the morale of our troops."

His gaze turned steely as he continued, "Moreover, I suspect that this plan involves more than a mere fire attack. There may be poison involved, although I can't be certain."

Song Jue found it difficult to accept this notion and questioned, "Would Wenren Jianyin stoop to such a vile tactic?"

Cha Eun Xiao's response was unyielding, "In war, there are no prohibitions. If I were Wenren Jianyin, I would employ a range of strategies, including poisons and various traps. I would watch as my adversaries fall into every snare I've set. You, Uncle Song, are a formidable warrior on the battlefield, but sometimes you overlook the finer details. What if they've positioned containers of kerosene nearby? Would you not use them? Of course, you would. Yet what if these containers also harbor poison? If it weakens you, do you believe you could easily escape a sea of flames?"

Song Jue took a deep breath, the realization dawning upon him. Cha Eun Xiao's assessment was unnervingly plausible, and it was a stark reality that Song Jue was forced to confront.

Cha Eun Xiao offered a solution to their conundrum, saying, "Let's exercise patience and observe the situation."

Song Jue, clearly anxious, remarked, "But if we continue waiting, we will eventually be engulfed by the inferno."

Cha Eun Xiao assured him, "Have faith in me. I know what to do. If Wenren Jianyin chose this path, I shall no longer extend any mercy."