Chapter 25: Transformation

Bai Mucheng immediately began to mobilize his troops, ordering his deputy, Jin Ming, to lead 3,000 elite soldiers to ambush behind a mountain valley where their troops were stationed, cutting off the enemy’s retreat.

He then sent another deputy, Xian Ming, to set up an ambush on both sides of the mountain slopes. If anyone emerged from this area, they would charge out and form a pincer attack with Jin Ming, preparing to wipe out the enemy.

Meanwhile, Bai Mucheng took position at the front, ready to face their army. He wanted to lure them out of the city—it was the perfect opportunity and a necessary precaution against a potential ambush from the Qi King.

In the chilling autumn wind, a killing intent began to rise. Bai Mucheng calculated the days and realized that tonight was an excellent night for a surprise attack. He had chosen well.

At midnight, when Qi Wang’s eldest son, Qi Chenxi, led their elite cavalry from Yulin City in stealth, he did not expect to be greeted by a volley of arrows from the mountainside.

“Ambush! Retreat!” Qi Chenxi shouted in alarm.

But it was too late. Jin Ming’s forces charged out, and the sounds of battle filled the night—clashing swords, shouting, and the neighing of horses, all blending into a deafening chorus. Without the mobility of the cavalry, the Qi King’s forces were swiftly overwhelmed. Bai Mucheng could easily eliminate the Qi King’s forces. How long could they hold onto their isolated city now?

It seemed the Qi King would feel the cold this winter.

Bai Mucheng smiled lightly, his eyes gleaming with cold light.

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In the valley, autumn deepened, and the landscape became more beautiful with each passing day.

The chestnuts and mountain yams had almost been harvested, and Grandma, Aunt Liu, Aunt Feng, and the village head’s wife from Fengqiu Village worked together to roast them. The air was filled with the aroma of chestnuts, and the children eagerly gathered around, unable to resist the smell.

Now that they had enough supplies, building houses and fortifying the valley was progressing much faster. The outer wall at the valley entrance had already taken shape, offering protection against wild beasts and wolves. The security at the Weiwang Escort Agency had also improved, with several houses constructed on the outskirts. Every day, their progress was visible.

Tian Mi instructed everyone to gather devil’s yam and mountain yams, which, though causing itching when touched, were not poisonous once prepared. She explained that while devil’s yam required more careful processing, it could be eaten safely once done.

The harvest of yams and devil’s yam was abundant. They would have enough food to last through the winter, making everyone happy, especially the people from Fengqiu Village, who lacked sufficient reserves. Even though their family was small, they had more food than Fengqiu, which had fewer people. The villagers were glad to be able to share the chestnuts and other resources.

In the afternoon, Tian Mi taught them how to prepare the devil’s yam. The smell of food made the men feel energized, no matter how tired they were. This seemed to be the reason why they were willing to work so hard.

Besides teaching them how to process food, Tian Mi spent a lot of time practicing hunting. She had previously used space abilities to gather food, but now she was using an axe. She practiced every day, integrating her new skills with the weapon, her strikes powerful and precise. She hunted a few rabbits and wild deer every day, which stunned the people in the valley. How was it possible to hunt so easily in these mountains? They ate the freshly cooked meat, and the people from Fengqiu Village joined them. The villagers were thrilled and their eyes welled up with excitement as they roasted the meat to preserve it for the winter.

A few of the sisters-in-law were worried: “Mi’er, you’re carrying a child. You shouldn’t be hunting anymore. Your baby’s health is important.”

But Tian Mi, who drank spiritual spring water daily, was confident that her baby was safe. She smiled and assured them, “Sisters, don’t worry. My baby is very good.”

Now that they were starting to cut dry grass, several houses were nearing completion. Tian Mi and her family moved into a house with three rooms: a central living room and separate rooms for the men and women.

There was less food to gather on the mountain now, so they focused on finishing the houses for the people of Fengqiu Village, making simple furniture for each family, starting with beds. Tian Mi kept all the animal skins from her hunting for herself, but she gave some to Grandma to make bedding, as her elderly grandmother had been suffering from the hard ground for too long.

Tian Mi also helped them cut trees with her axe, which shocked the men from Fengqiu Village. Previously, only they had done the heavy lifting, but now they saw Tian Mi chop down large trees effortlessly with a single swing. It was clear how strong she was, and they were amazed at her incredible strength.

But heaven! She was a woman, and she was pregnant!

Master Mu, seeing the neatly cut edges of the wood, couldn’t help but smile widely. “Miss Tian, you should be careful with your big belly!”

Tian Mi reassured them, saying, “It’s fine. This child will grow up to be a strong warrior.”

Master Mu stared at her for a while before finally accepting her words and said, “The trees over there can be felled now. We’ll need a lot of wood to make the furniture.”

Tian Mi nodded and got to work. She swung her axe to fell one tree after another, making the task look easy.

In just a few days, she had felled the trees that would have taken them several days to do. She then moved on to chopping them into manageable lengths.

Uncle Xu, watching this, turned to Tian Dabiao and said, “Mi’er’s strength is impressive. You should teach her everything we’ve learned since we were young. In these troubled times, she’ll need all the protection she can get when she goes out.”

Since Tian Dabiao had taught Tian Mi martial arts since childhood, she had already become quite strong. However, after transmigrating, she diligently practiced and perfected her skills. In this era, there was no inner strength, but rather techniques that required skill and strength. When practiced well, every move could have a powerful impact.

Every morning, as the sun rose, Tian Dabiao and Uncle Xu would train with Tian Mi. Soon, other children in the valley, including Xu Feiyan, joined them in their daily practice. The sight of them training became a beautiful scene, attracting the attention of the young boys in the village, who would join in every morning.

With each swing of the axe and the laughter that echoed, the whole valley was filled with vitality and hope.

During these daily practices, Tian Mi underwent a transformation.

Meanwhile, the women of Fengqiu Village worked hard every day making grass mats and gathering supplies. Some of the older women and sisters-in-law also joined in, learning how to do the work. The villagers’ diligence was admirable. Every day seemed to bring more tasks to do, but they kept pushing forward.

Tian Mi found a time to go back to her home in the valley, bringing back bags full of herbs, medicinal tools, cookware, and bedding.

She and Tian Dabiao kept three sets of bedding, while the rest was given to her grandmother and two aunts.

Xu Feiyan, Chen Miao, and other women in the village helped Tian Mi cut herbs and prepare medicine. They worked diligently, making various types of medicine that would be stored for future use.

During this time, Tian Mi also brought back more items, mostly bedding and winter clothing, which she had obtained from the soldiers in the county office. Though the quality wasn’t the best, it was more than enough for everyone.

Within a month, everyone in the valley had bedding and winter clothes.

The villagers were deeply grateful for Tian Mi’s generosity. The village chief of Fengqiu Village was so moved that he declared that the entire village would follow Miss Tian’s lead, no matter the hardship. They had received help from her many times, and the gifts of clothing and bedding had saved them from the bitter winter.

Their gratitude towards Tian Mi grew even more, and the villagers prayed to the heavens for a mild winter.

Tian Mi thought little of her actions, not realizing how much of an impact she had on the village.

Meanwhile, in the outside world, Zuo Zhengfeng and Feng Zhaoguan were desperate to find her. Zuo Zhengfeng, upon returning one day, opened a secret letter from Feng Zhaoguan, which revealed that Tian Mi possessed valuable medicinal herbs and life-saving medical skills. Zuo Zhengfeng hadn’t expected the woman he casually met on his journey to be so capable. However, he still had no idea where to find her.

As Tian Mi had hunted so much in the mountains, she had become cautious and stopped hunting, especially after noticing signs of wolves. While there were still plenty of herbivorous animals in the mountains, wolves were more likely to hunt when food became scarce.

Tian Mi used her spiritual spring water to summon herbivores, but if she used meat to lure animals, it could be dangerous.

Her hunting had provided enough meat for the whole year, so she stopped.

In the meantime, Bai Dongyuan, who had been becoming more vicious after deciding to sell out his father, had become even more ruthless. He had intensified his raids, and his next target was the peaceful-looking mountains, where he suspected people had hidden their belongings.