C7 The Strategy of Four Protect One

Xue Chen stepped out of the Soong Mansion's grand entrance to find the Five Tigers waiting by the carriage. They quickly jogged over and encircled him.

"Young Master, what's the situation inside?" Wuh Zhihao, the head of the Martial Masters, gestured toward the mansion with a nod and whispered, "Sounds like someone stirred up trouble at the birthday banquet. Who's got the nerve to mess with the Soong family on a day like today?"

Xue Chen flicked his sleeves and took a seat on the stone steps, his eyes scanning the Five Tigers before pointing his thumb at himself. "The troublemaker is me. Impressive enough for you?"

The Five Tigers' curiosity deflated, not buying Xue Chen's tall tale for a second.

Wuh Zhihao clicked his tongue, "Come on, quit fooling around. If it really were you, Young Master, would the Soong family just let you walk out?"

Xue Chen pulled a folding fan from his belt and unfurled it with a flourish, fanning himself. "Not only did I ruffle the Soong family's feathers, but I also managed to offend a Cultivator from the Cloud Deriving Sect. If you don't believe me, go inside and see for yourselves."

Seeing Xue Chen's earnest tone, the Five Tigers paused, their skepticism waning.

"To cross a Cultivator from the Cloud Deriving Sect? Good heavens!" Lee Chunhu was starting to believe him, his voice laced with astonishment, "You're... you're serious?"

Xue Chen nodded gravely. "Dead serious! Why else would I leave the banquet halfway through? I'm here to rally the troops since Cultivators are no easy foes. Right now, the master and young miss are still inside, held as my bargaining chips!"

At his words, the Five Tigers' doubts vanished, their knees nearly buckling beneath them.

Still, as their leader, Wuh Zhihao managed to steady himself, his voice quivering, "Young Master, offending the Soong Mansion is trouble enough, but to provoke an immortal from the Cloud Deriving Sect? Where do you expect to find backup now?"

Xue Chen's eyes gleamed with mischief as he snapped his fan shut and pointed at each of the Five Tigers. "You five are the backup!"

"What? Us?!" they gasped in unison, their legs cramping with fear.

"I wagered with that goatee from the Cloud Deriving Sect that our Yin family's five guardians are unmatched martial artists, each one a hero in his own right, capable of taking him down together," Xue Chen tapped his fan against his hand. "But he didn't believe me and challenged us to prove it, so here I am."

"Oh, for the love of..." Wuh Zhihao's jaw trembled, "Young Master, if you're tired of living, that's your business, but why drag us into it? We barely made it back from the frontier alive and just want to earn a living in peace. Are you really going to send us to our doom?"

Shea Daming was on the verge of tears, "Exactly! What chance do we stand against Immortal Sect Cultivators? They'd squash us like ants!"

"Brothers, we better make a run for it. We can't stick around and eat from the Yin family's plate any longer!" Lee Chunhu urged the others, "If we don't leave now, we're as good as dead!"

"Hold on!" Xue Chen called out as he saw the Five Tigers panic and attempt to flee. He quickly warned them, "Don't even think about running. The cultivator made it clear—if we don't go inside, he'll hunt us down to the ends of the earth and ensure our deaths."

The Five Tigers no longer dared to run and instead paced nervously around Xue Chen, like ants on a hot pan.

"Look, it's really not the end of the world. That cultivator's skills probably aren't all that," Xue Chen reassured them when he sensed the moment was right. "You've all emerged from the bloodbaths on the border battlefields. With my strategy, we might just pull off a victory if we're willing to risk it all."

"Yeah, right!" Wuh Zhihao wasn't buying it and grumbled in frustration, "He's an esteemed hermit, and we're just ordinary folks. Going up against him is like throwing eggs at a rock—utterly futile."

Xue Chen chuckled, "We're at the point of no return. Escaping is not an option, so we might as well fight with all we've got. If you follow my lead, at the very least..."

"At least what?" they demanded.

"At least we can shift the odds from 'certain death' to 'a one in ten chance of survival.' That's a glimmer of hope worth fighting for."

Despair washed over the Five Tigers as they lamented their fate. Xue Chen casually opened his folding fan to shield himself from the sun, glancing up at the sky. "Time is running short. Those who aren't afraid to die, go ahead and leave. Those who want to live, stay and listen to my plan. Decide now!"

What choice did the Five Tigers have? Having been duped onto this path by Xue Chen, they resigned themselves to their fate, gathered around him, and sat down to await his instructions.

Without further ado, Xue Chen laid it out: "You've all been through the wringer in combat. I've got a battle formation here, and with your seamless cooperation, we can definitely take down that worthless cultivator. If not, I'll lay down my life for you."

He then had Wuh Zhihao gather some pebbles and began to lay them out, demonstrating the tactics before the Five Tigers.

Initially disinterested, the Five Tigers soon found themselves engrossed in Xue Chen's ingenious strategy, leaning in to listen intently.

"Yan Aze will lead the assault on the front, aiming for the head; Lee Chunhu will target the enemy's midsection..."

"Boss Wuh will launch a surprise attack from the rear with his hidden sleeve arrows, while Shea Daming will keep him safe with a shield..."

"Guo Tiehtou will act as our mobile support, ready to reinforce any of the three fronts as needed..."

After explaining the tactics in one go, Xue Chen emphasized, "This formation relies on Boss Wuh's long-range attacks. The rest of you must do everything in your power to keep him safe while engaging the enemy. We cannot afford to let Boss Wuh get hurt; it would spell disaster for us all."

Intrigued, Wuh Zhihao asked, "Who would've thought a scholar like you would be so well-versed in military strategy? This formation is brilliant. Does it have a name?"

After a brief pause, Xue Chen replied, "As the ancient military texts say, 'The best offense is a distant one, with close combat as support. United on all fronts, there's no battle you can't win.' Let's call it the 'Four-Securing-One' tactic."

Wuh Zhihao repeated the name to himself and applauded, "What a fitting name! Spot on!"

"No matter how sophisticated our battle tactics are, can they truly withstand the onslaught of an immortal cultivator?" Lee Chunhu's confidence wavered as he echoed the unspoken fears of his brothers.

"You have to trust me, trust in our tactics, and most importantly, trust in your own abilities!" Xue Chen rallied the group, patting each of the Five Tigers on the shoulder in turn.

What appeared to be a simple gesture of encouragement was, in fact, laden with hidden significance. Xue Chen channeled the power of his Golden Core, infusing the Five Tigers with surges of Genuine Qi.

The Five Tigers instantly felt a warm surge coursing through them, purifying their meridians and invigorating their limbs with boundless energy. Their confidence soared to new heights.

"Son-in-law, let's go face our adversaries!" The Five Tigers shook off their earlier despondence, clenching their fists in anticipation.

Seeing the invigorating effect of his actions, Xue Chen swept his sleeve with a flourish and led the Heavenly Treasure Five Tigers toward the Soong Mansion courtyard.

At that moment, the courtyard was filled with restless guests, all eager to witness the showdown between Xue Chen and Gu Sanqi, yet fearful of getting caught in the crossfire. Upon seeing Xue Chen arrive with his five martial protectors, the guests tactfully vacated their seats, streaming down to the gallery, leaving the courtyard clear for the impending duel.