95: Chapter 94: Everyone Does Their Own Thing 95: Chapter 94: Everyone Does Their Own Thing Li Jingxi glared with his big eyes, “A mere fortress dares to talk about independence?”
Hou Niao said nothing, but the carefully thinking Feng Yaochen sighed, “The cultivation forces in this world are not limited to the Quanzhen Sect!”
What was originally a purely technical conspiracy suddenly escalated to a new height by Hou Niao, and he also felt embarrassed, making his senior brothers nervous.
“It’s just a speculation, speculation…
I’m a newcomer who hasn’t fully understood the situation…
It’s likely just nonsense, don’t take it too seriously, everyone.”
Xiang Zhiwen sighed, finally understanding the feelings of Mu Shuai from Tianxiang Building back then; it was truly a mix of all sorts of emotions.
The crux of the problem was that even if he felt the possibility was slim, he still had to act as if safeguarding against it, which was the meaning of his posting here.
Having defended for several years, yet losing the territory, what meaning did his previous slaughters of countless demons and ghosts have?
Yao He gazed towards the west, where the boundary between Yinling and Wei Country lay, “Wei Country’s Taihao wanting to extend their claws here too?”
Xiang Zhiwen stopped him, “Hold on!
Without evidence, we cannot make reckless statements!”
Looking at Hou Niao, “We will investigate the Tracking Honeycomb Top-horned Beast, but we also need someone to secretly investigate the internal issues of Fang Family’s Castle.
Hou junior brother, being new here and less recognized, are you willing to stay and act as our eyes?
I see you do have a knack for scheming.”
Hou Niao outright refused, “Senior brother, this is not suitable!
I’m unfamiliar with this place and was spotted by the Fang family members when I came in; there’s no secrecy to speak of.
If I really stayed here to gather information throughout the fortress, I’m afraid I would hear nothing.”
Xiang Zhiwen looked at him, “Is it that you cannot, or will not?”
Hou Niao naturally responded, “Both cannot and will not.
I learned swordsmanship not to stay here and engage in mind games with others; it’s more refreshing to go out and move around…”
Xiang Zhiwen’s expression turned unpleasant, “You’re unwilling?
They are also unwilling, do you really expect me, the Patrol Envoy, to stay here?
Seeing everyone glaring at him fiercely, Hou Niao began to suggest a questionable idea, “Senior brother, the Quanzhen Sect’s presence in Yinling is not limited to the patrol alone, you seem to have forgotten the other half, right?”
Feng Yaochen clapped and laughed, “Right, there’s no reason the Town Government fools should stir up trouble and then hide in leisure?
Why should we take on everything?
They are familiar with the terrain of Fang Family’s Castle, have extensive connections and numerous cronies; let them deliberately show weakness to gather information, then find out these sons of the Fang family’s intentions through them!”
Xiang Zhiwen clapped his hands, this was actually his intention too; how could he truly leave such a matter to a newbie?
“So I’ll go and discuss with Guo from the Town Government, maintain strict secrecy, deliberately fabricate conflict between the Town Government and the patrol, then all of us from the patrol will go out to track the enemy, while they stay back and feign compliance…”
Li Jingxi worried a bit, “Senior brother, will Guo from the Town Government agree?”
Xiang Zhiwen smiled, “Don’t worry, Old Guo is a clever man, and even more so one who understands what’s important; to retrieve his lost face, he will definitely do it, and do it wholeheartedly!
Don’t mind his clumsy hands, but when it comes to playing mind games, he has a knack for it.”
Standing up, “Everyone, get ready, we’ll set off once I return!”
An hour later, the sound of a shattered artifact came from the building, and then Xiang Zhiwen stormed out, waving his hand,
I won’t take this nonsense here.
Let’s go out and hunt demons for souls; it’s far better than watching these disgusting things all day!”
…Eight Yinling Patrol members roared out of the fortress.
When they passed the fortress gate, one of the fort guards was whining, and Li Jingxi lashed him fiercely with a whip.
Although they were straightforward people, they didn’t fumble when acting; the key point was, they had been wanting to whip them for a while.
Protection isn’t limitless.
If Quanzhen disciples keep dying or getting injured in Yinling without even earning the minimal respect, then this whip was even mild.
Protecting mortals is the duty of cultivators, but where does the duty of mortals lie?
That’s a question that can never be clearly answered.
Xiang Zhiwen pointed with the tip of his whip and commanded, “Dou Gong and I will go after the Tracking Honeycomb, Li Jingxi, Xu Geng, and Tu Xiu, you three are in charge of hunting the Top-horned Beast.
Feng Yaochen, you and Yao He look for the salt trader…
He hesitated a bit because he wasn’t very clear about the new disciple’s capabilities, so it wasn’t easy to assign him tasks; privately, he saw great potential in the guy—smart and sly by nature.
The patrol team didn’t lack fighters but lacked someone cunning.
Li Jingxi, with his explosive and bold yet meticulous nature, was most suited for hunting the Top-horned Beast; Feng Yaochen, relatively speaking, was better at dealing with people than the others; of course, the most dangerous task of tracking the honeycomb was handled by him and Dou Gong.
In this small patrol squad, apart from him being at the Bridge Connection Realm, others like Li Jingxi, Feng Yaochen, and Dou Gong were at the Grain Avoidance Realm.
So, it meant that it would be better for Hou Niao to stick with the other two teams.
Since there was an unknown threat, it was inappropriate to act alone anymore.
The patrollers didn’t fear death, but they wouldn’t recklessly put themselves in danger either.
Without waiting for him to speak, Hou Niao chimed in, “Shall I go with you to track the honeycomb, Senior Brother?
I could learn something on the way.
I heard that each time you arrive in a new place, it’s safest to stick to the ‘biggest leg’…”
Li Jingxi laughed heartily, “It’s true he’s got the thickest leg, but he’s also the least safe!
Too deep into the water, easy to drown those clinging to his legs…”
Amidst everyone’s roaring laughter, Xiang Zhiwen found no opportunity to refuse, ultimately having to acquiesce to his presumption, yet he reminded him,
“If there comes a day when I think you aren’t suited for this mission, you can’t insist on participating, understand?”
Hou Niao clearly understood, “I get it.
You’re not a nanny, and I’m not a baby.”
The three of them galloped on their horses and soon arrived at the site of the incident where the honeycomb was found; the battle had not been more than seven days ago, the surrounding grass was trampled, and the signs of combat were still vividly visible to these seasoned hands.
“The footprints are very chaotic, there were no less than seven or eight types of demons at the time, but which one was related to the honeycomb, I don’t know.”
Dou Gong had his unique insights into these traces, a capable hand in the Yinling Wilderness.
A true Upper Cultivator wouldn’t make it so complex, feeling the residual aura alone, but that’s the ability of an Upper Cultivator at least in the Tongxuan Realm or beyond, which they were far from, so they couldn’t do without some basic hunter skills.
In a strict sense, they hadn’t fully stepped out of vulgarity yet.
“The honeycomb itself isn’t confined to any particular creature; theoretically, any creature could serve as this wasp carrier.
According to what was observed at the town government, it was probably a monkey?”
But he wasn’t sure if it was a macaque or a baboon or something else; being used as a hive for too long, its original appearance was hard to distinguish, and moreover, in Yinling, such creatures are very rare; this was actually a first-time encounter for all of them.