Fortune Across the World

Chapter 164: Crisis Strikes, Fiery Rain Reveals Power (Part 1)

Qianli Palace had peacefully celebrated the New Year, but just as Ding Qiyu was suppressing her growing sense of longing and deliberately avoiding Le Zhuyi while pushing herself to complete her tasks, a thunderous explosion shattered the apparent tranquility of the palace. Ding Qiyu had been working on a cylindrical mechanism at her desk when the blast from the mountains startled her. Realizing something was amiss, she dropped her work and rushed to Yan Tian Hall.

By the time she arrived, many had already gathered, drawn by the explosion. Le Zhuyi stood with a serious expression, discussing something with Meng Lan and Meng Chun. Even Le Mengxiao, who rarely joined the group, was present. Ding Qiyu hurried over, and as Le Zhuyi finished speaking, she noticed Ding Qiyu, who had been avoiding her. A flicker of hurt crossed Zhuyi's eyes, but given the situation, she suppressed her emotions, focusing instead on the crisis at hand.

Avoiding eye contact with Zhuyi, Ding Qiyu asked urgently, "What's happening?"

Meng Chun was the first to respond, "We're not sure, but it seems someone is blasting the mountain. Sister Han has gone to investigate."

"Blasting the mountain?" Unable to breach the front mountain's defenses, the attackers resorted to blasting? Ding Qiyu didn't need to guess who was behind this. Having spent so much time at Qianli Palace, she felt a deep sense of belonging and was furious at this violation.

As she was about to speak, another explosion echoed from a different direction. Le Mengxiao, leaning against a pillar, stood upright, volunteering, "I'll go see what those scoundrels are up to!" Her tone was indignant, and without waiting for Zhuyi's instructions, she left with several close sisters.

No sooner had Mengxiao departed than a third explosion rang out. Le Zhuyi clenched the handle of her whip, her chest burning with rage. Yet, uncertain of the situation outside, she had to remain in Yan Tian Hall to make decisions if further incidents occurred. Otherwise, she would have taken up her Thousand Feathers Fire Whip and dealt with the villains herself.

The concealed worry and fatigue in Zhuyi's eyes made Ding Qiyu want to comfort her, but she held back for reasons she couldn't quite articulate.

Meng Lan stepped forward, "Sister, let me take some people to check it out. The palace needs you here." Her usual playful demeanor was replaced by seriousness. Meng Chun, too, wanted to help but stayed behind, unsure if more explosions were imminent.

After a moment's thought, Ding Qiyu said, "I'll go with Little Lan to see what's happening." The enemy's audacity demanded a response, and she hoped to use her skills to confront Zhenxiao Sect. If her mechanisms could be effective, she was determined to show them Qianli Palace's strength.

Le Zhuyi hesitated briefly before instructing, "Be careful. Don't engage recklessly."

Ding Qiyu nodded and left with Meng Lan. The main hall of Yan Tian Hall fell silent, with only Zhuyi and Meng Chun waiting for news. Fortunately, after the initial explosions, no further disturbances were heard.

Blasting a mountain required significant resources, and Zhenxiao Sect couldn't afford multiple entry points. They divided their forces into three groups, setting explosives at strategic locations pointed out by Mengxiao. Committed to capturing Qianli Palace at any cost, they planned to force the palace's defenders into combat, whether they chose to confront or wait.

Meanwhile, Ding Qiyu and Meng Lan led a team to the site of the third explosion at the front of Danying Mountain. They followed the voices through a thicket, peering down from a cliff to spot a large assembly of men at the mountain's base. The main force kept a safe distance from the explosives, while a smaller group prepared for another round of blasting. Ding Qiyu and her team remained hidden, the enemy confident in their position, unaware of observers above.

"This is outrageous!" Meng Lan fumed, echoed by the anger on the disciples' faces.

Were it not for the steep cliff preventing a safe descent, Meng Lan might have led a charge immediately.

The enemy's position was well-chosen, out of range of falling rocks or oil from above. The cliff was long and steep, with a significant vertical drop. Ding Qiyu calculated the distance with her crossbow and assessed the nearby peaks. All locations were too far for her weapons, even the powerful crossbow she had designed for General Lu's archers. Qianli Palace's disciples lacked suitable long-range weapons.

If they had a powerful long-range weapon, they could exploit their position to punish the attackers. But as things stood, their advantage was nullified. To deal with the mountain-blasting villains, they had to either confront them directly or wait for them to breach. Both options were poor; direct confrontation would forfeit their defensive advantage, risking ambush, while waiting for a breach would leave the palace vulnerable in the future. The enemy's actions had put Qianli Palace in a precarious position.

As Ding Qiyu pondered, Meng Lan suggested, "Let's charge out, Little Yu!" Respecting Ding Qiyu's opinion, Meng Lan hesitated, but she was ready to act.

After a moment, Ding Qiyu decided, "No, find the best vantage points here. Some of you come with me to the bamboo courtyard!" Though reluctant to harm others with her creations, the situation left no choice. If it was a matter of survival, she had to use her mechanisms to protect her people. Though untested, they were the only option.

"You have a plan?!" Meng Lan's anger turned to hope, trusting Ding Qiyu's intelligence.

"Yes, I have some new mechanisms that might work, but I need help carrying them!" Ding Qiyu replied, cautioning, "Stay safe if they blast again!"

Meng Lan nodded, quickly organizing a group to accompany Ding Qiyu back to the bamboo courtyard. Inside Ding Qiyu's room, five large black wooden tubes were neatly arranged, with a half-finished one on the desk. Besides the tubes, there were baskets of oddly shaped arrows and a stack of new crossbows.

To keep her mind occupied, Ding Qiyu had thrown herself into her woodworking, only now realizing how intensely she'd worked. These new mechanisms were intended for the front mountain path defenders. The path was long, and ordinary crossbows lacked the range and power needed. Inspired by historical weapons, she'd created "Shenji Arrows," attaching gunpowder tubes to arrow shafts. The positioning was precisely calculated, and upon firing, the gunpowder provided sustained propulsion.

Ding Qiyu also designed a Shenji Crossbow, which loaded one Shenji Arrow at a time. Firing the crossbow ignited the gunpowder, launching the arrow.

However, experiments showed that while the Shenji Arrows had impressive range, the uneven burn of the gunpowder affected accuracy, making them more like skyrocketing fireworks than precise projectiles.

To address this, Ding Qiyu modified the arrows, splitting the gunpowder into a "propulsion tube" and an "explosive tube." Upon impact, inertia triggered the explosive tube, unleashing destructive force over a wide area.

With successful tests, Ding Qiyu recalled reading about another ancient weapon, inspiring her to design the tall black wooden tubes in the room.