Starting with the titmouse, seventy-two transformations

Chapter 161 Entering the Mountain, Frost Wolf Demon
"It's likely to rain."

Liu Sheng looked up at the sky, lost in thought.

He is now disguised as "Gu Shaoshang" and blends in with the three hundred wandering martial arts practitioners, completely inconspicuous.

The reason for separating them from the ghost Caiyu was to be on the safe side, in case the imperial court was plotting something.

Xie Bao is cunning and ruthless, and that Commander Situ is no pushover either; we must be wary of them.

Soon, the time to depart arrived.

The group of Qi cultivators first ascended the platform to worship Heaven and Earth, offering three kinds of sacrificial animals, praying for the success of this journey and for their safety and protection.

Afterwards, Xie Bao, on behalf of the government, delivered a mobilization speech.

In reality, it's more like a call to action for wandering martial arts practitioners, with phrases like "follow orders," "do not act on your own," and "those who violate this will be dealt with according to military orders."

Many wandering martial artists could only chuckle at this; what else could they do?

After finishing, hundreds of people set off, heading straight for the depths of Black Wind Mountain.

Liu Sheng, hiding among the crowd, observed that all the Qi cultivators in the group had mounts.

Xie Bao then acquired a giant elephant to make a show of things, but it was only a large monster, which significantly lowered its status.

The others either rode in carriages pulled by large spirits, like the Hehuan Sect, or rode on the backs of large spirits.

Demon-level mounts have not yet appeared.

The one who went on behalf of County Magistrate Cai Baimao was Li Mu, the Sword of Overturning the Sea.

He was alone with his sword, taciturn, and led a group of elite yamen runners drawn from the three shifts of the county government.

In this way, there were three government officials and seven sect members among the Qi cultivators on this trip.

(From the sect's perspective: Monk Deyun, the master and disciples of Shuiyue Nunnery, Chixiazi and Zixiazi, and the two demons of the Hehuan Sect.)
Other true forms number in the dozens, and internal organs, muscles, and bones number in the hundreds.

It can be said that the army is strong and powerful.

The group was temporarily under Xie Bao's command, after all, he had been a general and had experience in leading troops.

After several days of rest, the Demon Suppression Division replenished its manpower and dispatched several teams to scout ahead in shifts.

They also negotiated with various sects to dispatch disciples and followers to form small teams to patrol the surrounding area and guard against demons.

After entering the mountains, we traveled briskly forty or fifty miles, and the team was in good order without any mistakes.

Xie Bao, as the Demon-Subduing General, is indeed quite capable.

However, what puzzled Liu Sheng was...

Three hundred wandering martial artists were placed in the middle of the group, neither scouting nor patrolling, enjoying the protection of the government and various sects, acting like lords, which was incomprehensible.

There must be a demon in the abnormal situation.

He became more vigilant and, taking advantage of the group's pause to rest, intended to inquire with Chang Gui Caiyu. Just then, he saw a familiar figure walk straight to the carriage of the Hehuan Sect.

Du Bingyan!
What is this woman doing here?
Could it be that they've been missing me since they haven't seen me?
Liu Sheng's heart skipped a beat, and he moved closer without making a sound.

"You left on your own? Do you think I, Du Bingyan, am a fool?"

Du Bingyan's eyebrows furrowed, and she reached out to press her hand on the sword hilt. Water rippled around her, and a "whoosh" sound rang out.

"Du Bingyan, I told you, he's not here. If you don't believe me, come in and see for yourself."

The vengeful spirit Caiyu peeked out, her allure captivating, her words sharp as knives:

"But you, a disciple of a nunnery, are constantly seeking trouble with me for the sake of a man. Could it be that you've fallen for worldly desires and want to..."

"choke!"

"Oh, you want to fight now? Do you really think I'm afraid of you?"

Seeing Du Bingyan draw her sword in anger, the ghost Caiyu went all out, using her sharp tongue and witty banter to gain the upper hand.

This ghost inherited its eloquence perfectly from its previous life and put it to the fullest.

Seeing that a major battle was about to unfold, Xie Bao appeared, stroking his black beard, and acted as a peacemaker:
“Nephew Du, I know you have a life-or-death bond with Liu Sheng, but you cannot let personal feelings interfere with public duty. Now that the ruins are about to be revealed…”

He said sarcastically, glancing around, and gave a forced smile:
"I hope everyone will work together and prioritize the overall situation."

The implication was that they were subtly criticizing Du Bingyan for disregarding the bigger picture.

This guy is clearly still holding a grudge about when Du Bingyan barged into the back garden and made him lose face.

Du Bingyan gripped the sword hilt tightly, her knuckles turning white. Suppressing her temper, she said in a deep voice:

“Liu Sheng is a member of the Demon Suppression Division.” “I have already ordered him to be Lady Caiyu’s personal bodyguard.”

Xie Bao smiled and stroked his beard, then his gaze darkened:
"Moreover, Junior Nephew Du... is no longer a member of my Demon Suppression Division."

"..."

Du Bingyan's breath hitched. She glanced at Xie Bao, then at Chang Gui Caiyu, gripping her sword hilt, refusing to budge an inch.

She couldn't find Liu Sheng today and suspected that something had happened to him, so she came forward to question him.

Judging from Xie Bao and the ghost Caiyu's attitude, it seems to confirm her guess.

Suddenly, Liu Sheng's image flashed before her eyes, her nose tingled, and her mind went blank, leaving only one thought—

revenge!

Once the thought crossed her mind, it spread like wildfire, igniting her reason.

I don't know why I did this, I just wanted to avenge him.

If we must find a reason, perhaps it's because he once saved his life?

Or perhaps...

"Amitabha!"

"Ice Goose!"

Just then, a Buddhist chant rang in her ears.

Like the evening drum and the morning bell, it shattered her anger and delusion, like a basin of cold water extinguishing the wildfire in her heart.

Master Jingyue arrived at some unknown time, standing beside her with indifferent eyes and a compassionate expression.

"Master!"

Du Bingyan's eyes reddened, and she lowered her head without saying a word.

"Fool..."

Abbess Jingyue sighed, her gaze sweeping over the surroundings. She glared fiercely at the ghosts Caiyu and Xie Bao, and said slowly:
"Come back with your master."

In the end, Du Bingyan left with Abbess Jingyue, but before leaving, she glanced at the ghost Caiyu and Xie Bao with resentment, holding a grudge.

Xie Bao's face stiffened. After they walked away, he whispered a few words to the ghost Caiyu and then hurriedly left.

"It seems that Bingyan's wife still has feelings for me. Should I find an opportunity to make things clear to her to avoid any trouble later?"

Liu Sheng's eyes twitched slightly, worried that Du Bingyan might act rashly later and target the ghost Caiyu.

Now that "Caiyu" is his henchman, if he's injured and gone, where can he find a new one?

The key point is that he still has his eye on the abundant spiritual points in the Hehuan Sect!

Can't we harvest them through this treacherous spirit?
It can't be broken.

"Xie Bao asked you to keep an eye on the wandering martial artists? To prevent them from escaping; they might be useful along the way?"

He found an opportunity to get on the vehicle frame and listened to the ghost Caiyu recount Xie Bao's previous instructions, feeling puzzled.

Could these wandering martial artists possibly be of any great use?
The government's sudden release of 300 slots for entry into the ruins may be related to this?
After resting for half an hour, the group continued on their way, stopping every fifty li (approximately 25 kilometers) in an orderly manner.

It is quite obvious that the further you go in, the more amazing the vegetation becomes, with gnarled roots and thick, long branches and leaves.

Two hundred miles away, even ordinary weeds were six or seven feet tall, and the world was lush and green, with dim light and little sunlight.

The monsters that had initially avoided the group due to its large number of members began to appear one after another, spying from the sidelines.

Most of them are spirits and monsters, especially large spirits and monsters, with the occasional demon appearing.

However, after sensing the auras of the ten Qi Refiners in the group, they all wisely retreated.

Until they encountered a pack of Frostwolf demons!

"Have you come here for the Qingyuan Cave ruins?"

The lead frost wolf demon was as large as a mountain, with snow-white fur and deep blue eyes. Where its claws trod, it left behind patches of frost.
"This is the treasure land of my demon race. Go back to where you came from!"

The Frost Wolf Demon was arrogant and domineering; with just a few words, it sent hundreds of people packing and heading home.

Suddenly, a strange wind arose, and tensions rose.

(End of this chapter)