Chapter Thirty: Counterattack
It was a young person wearing a bamboo hat, dressed in plain coa.r.s.e cloth robes that appeared. There were many marks of battle on this young person. He had bandages under his clothing, but there were still bloodstains. Clearly, this young person had traveled a long way. Even though he did not show any tiredness, the dust and wind could not hide from w.a.n.g Taixu’s perception.
“I had not expected to meet you so quickly.”
The young person took off his bamboo hat, and bowed seriously.
“You are very stilled in hiding, but you are killed in methods dealing with cultivators, and at many times, you neglected the gazes of ordinary people.” w.a.n.g Taixu gave a faint smile and said, “You cannot change many of the fine details. Some people can easily judge that you are Qin.”
“Ye Zhengnan, you are Ding Ning’s people, you are worthy of my trust.” After a pause, w.a.n.g Taixu’s expression grew serious. “You have come here because of his plan. What does he want me to help with?”
Ye Zhengnan looked with admiration at the gangster leader who had come from Changling. Fairly speaking, he knew that among Ding Ning’s people, he was one that was easy to be overlooked. Not just compared to people like Jing Liuli and Li Xixing, even Nangong Caishu, Hu Jingjing and the others were more eye-catching because of their families and sects.
But on the second day he reached the Yan capital, he encountered w.a.n.g Taixu’s people, and the other accurately detected his true ident.i.ty and led him here. This gangster was able to become such an important person in Shangdu. This was not a coincidence, and not just the favor of the Yan crown prince.
He nodded respectfully, but did not say much, just carefully taking out a few bamboo scrolls from a pouch. Then he took out a small sword from his calf, pulled on a mechanism that ordinary people could not detect, and then spun the sword hilt. The hilt was hollow, and he took out several cowhide pieces. Then he spread the drawings, piecing them together, and then put the bamboo pieces on top.
w.a.n.g Taixu focused on his every move. So when all this was finished, w.a.n.g Taixu was frowning deeply. He could see this was the blueprint for a certain seal weapon.
“What is this?” he frowned deeply and asked gravely. He knew that Ding Ning had made arrangements. It was not ordinary for someone like Ye Zhengnan to send a blueprint to him.
“Prime Seal Metal Puppet.” Ye Zhengnan replied simply and quickly, “Seal weapon blueprint from the You Dynasty.”
w.a.n.g Taixu’s frown did not relax. He looked silently at Ye Zhengnan, wanting to get more information.
“It is a powerful seal weapon that can defeat the Nether Floats.” Ye Zhengnan knew what he was thinking right now and did not hesitate to speak, even more simply and crisply. “Once the Nether Floats are finished, they do not need the cultivators of the Qi Dynasty, and should be the strongest seal weapons in the world. Back when Zheng Xiu obtained some of the seal weapon methods of the You Dynasty, the You Dynasty is something which has merged the forging methods of the You Dynasty and the ghostly methods and the ghostly methods of the Qi Dynasty. But this Prime Seal Metal Puppet is something that surpa.s.ses the level of seal weapons she knows.”
w.a.n.g Taixu nodded in understanding. Then he looked down carefully at the blueprint which had been pieced together.
Ignoring his feelings as a part of the Qin, just from a strategic view, the Qin Dynasty’s Nether Float fleet was truly the most intimidating weapon right now. There was no city that could stop the Nether Floats which could suddenly appear. Most cities were built by water, and based on the movement of the Chu Dynasty army remnant and Ding Ning’s movements in Nanquan, the Ba Mountain Sword Field clearly wanted to take Jiaodong Commandery.
Jiaodong Commandery was surrounded by water, and the main city was rich in water. The Nether Float fleet was naturally the greatest threat.
“It is not hard to find enough craftsmen, we just have to find them from the Chu. But it is not possible to find so much black metal sand. Even I am helpless.” w.a.n.g Taixu looked for nearly an hour and then looked at Ye Zhengnan, explaining in more depth. “The other main materials may not be a problem, but the black metal sand is produced from a special clay in the Huanglong Mountain in the Qin. While I can send in some people, black metal sand is produced in low amounts. They are used to make powerful seal weapons, can be used to stick together metals that conflict, and is very expensive. This surpa.s.ses my abilities.”
“Someone will deliver the black metal sand and the sky crystals from the Qin lands.”
Ye Zhengnan was slightly surprised, but his surprise was just because w.a.n.g Taixu’s abilities surpa.s.sed his expectations, and only mentioned one item.
w.a.n.g Taixu heard his answer, and was shocked. “Someone is able to deliver black metal sand and ski crystal from the Qin?”
“Yes, even the sky crystals will be transported from the Qin. You do not need to expend effort to search.” Ye Zhengnan nodded. “You just have to find the other materials and suitable craftsmen.”
w.a.n.g Taixu was silent. After a long while, his gaze landed back on the blueprints.
In the view of the outside, Ding Ning had not done anything except announce his ident.i.ty. But from what was just sent to him, he knew that Ding Ning’s counterattack toward Zheng Xiu and Yuanwu had started, and on many different levels.
He was not a skilled craftsman, but even with his knowledge, he was able to see that this “Prime Seal Metal Puppet” was a terrifying seal weapon. It was not just able to deal with the Nether Float, but was able to defeat most seal weapons in the world. If such precious and rare materials like the black metal sand and sky crystals could be transported here, then he should be able to gather the other items listed.
“There is one other thing he asks you to help with.” Ye Zhengnan turned to another topic and said softly, “He wants you to help me find a cultivation population in the Yan Dynasty called the Elegant Nunnery.”
“Elegant Nunnery?” w.a.n.g Taixu stilled. He had never heard of such a place before.
“This cultivation place was originally in the Yan Xu Mountain, just a small sect. But he wants you to help me see if you can find a cultivation record of theirs called “Ode To Elegance.” Ye Zhengnan quickly explained. “While I do not know what the contents are, it should be of great use to me.” Saying so, Ye Zhengnan took a thin book out from his sleeve and presented it to w.a.n.g Taixu.
w.a.n.g Taixu could not help but say, “What is this?”
“This is what he gave you, he said it is of use to your cultivation.” Ye Zhengnan seriously answered.