You've already caught the embroidered ball, and you still say it's not my husband?

After imprinting the beast seal on the monsters, Lu Xuan could sense their physical health and know what they were thinking, but he could not directly read their memories.

He was also surprised when Pearl said that an old woman had carried a boat full of unconscious young women across the river the previous night.

Especially those unconscious young women wearing red clothes and red headscarves, they looked just like female bandits who had come down the mountain after the White Lotus Village disbanded!

Next to Shuize Township is Anbao Township, where Bailian Peak is located (and next to that is Huangshi Town).

Lu Xuan stood up and looked up towards the southwest, where he could still see the towering White Lotus Peak.

"Could that old woman rowing the boat be a brothel madam, specializing in trafficking young women? The female bandits coming down the mountain are still inexperienced in society, and were deceived by the old woman's sweet talk, drugged, and then transported elsewhere by water in the dead of night?"

Lu Xuan frowned slightly and asked Pearl, "What did that old woman look like? And why did you say she had a sinister aura?"

"Reporting to Master, that old woman had a very old face, probably seventy or eighty years old, but she didn't have a single white hair on her head, and she was very healthy. She could row the boat all by herself..." Pearl carefully recalled the old woman's appearance and subconsciously shuddered. "But that old woman's face and eyes were terrifyingly gloomy, like a demon that had escaped from hell. Little Crocodile felt a chill run down his spine and got goosebumps just from looking at her from afar..."

Judging from Pearl's description, the old woman was no ordinary person.

What elderly person in their seventies or eighties doesn't have gray hair? Even if they could use special methods to dye their hair black and drug a dozen female bandits, how could an old woman carry people onto a boat and then row them away?

The chilling aura unconsciously emanating from the old woman sent shivers down Pearl's spine, who had always lived at the bottom of the Blackwater River...

Therefore, this old woman is very likely not a brothel madam or a human trafficker.

There's definitely a big problem!

While Lu Xuan was pondering, Pearl continued, "Little Crocodile has seen this situation five or six times in the past six months!"

"Every time I saw that old woman rowing her boat, the cabin would be crammed with young women, only women, not a single man. I wonder where she got all these women from? Once, Little Crocodile was really curious, so he hid in the water and followed her from a distance. He saw the old woman go down the river and walk for seven or eight miles before she stopped at the shore. There was a temple on the shore, I think it was called something like 'Wanfu Temple'?"

"After the old woman docked the boat, several monks quickly came out of the temple to help... Little Crocodile was afraid of being discovered, so he hid far away, but there was moonlight that night, and the moonlight shone brightly on the monks' bald heads. Little Crocodile was absolutely sure he wasn't mistaken!"

Pearl's eyes were sincere, her tone firm, and everything she said was what she had seen with her own eyes and was absolutely true.

Lu Xuan narrowed his eyes.

I never expected that after coming to Shuize Township today to look for the water monster and impulsively buying a small crocodile, I would hear such bombshell news—

A strange and eerie old woman repeatedly rowed her boat in the middle of the night to take young women to Wanfu Temple on the opposite bank downstream!

Whether in ancient or modern times, people have always liked to use rivers, mountains, and other natural features to demarcate land boundaries.

This side of the Blackwater River is Shuize Township, but the opposite bank is not within the territory of Qingyang County; it belongs to Zhaoyuan County!

"Wanfu Temple in Zhaoyuan County..."

Lu Xuan pondered, his gaze gradually sharpening. "This Wanfu Temple is very likely a den of iniquity!"

All indications suggest that Wanfu Temple is very likely engaged in some dirty and shady activities!

Bao Bulu was also taken aback, shaking his head as he asked, "Master, what should we do now? Should we cross the river directly to Wanfu Temple to rescue them... or should we make other plans?"

"Master, that old woman is not easy to deal with..." Pearl warned, the old woman gave it an extremely frightening feeling, and her cultivation level was likely no less than Lu Xuan's.

It told Lu Xuan about this so that Lu Xuan could report it to the Demon Suppression Division and earn merit, and it did not want Lu Xuan to go on the dangerous mission alone.

"Master, this matter is of great importance. I think it would be more appropriate to inform Commander Nangong first." Even the timid and cowardly Bao Bulu suggested reporting the matter first.

Lu Xuan took out his captain's badge.

But to their embarrassment, they discovered that this captain's token... was unusable!

"Seriously? This is garbage?"

Lu Xuan's lips twitched violently.

The communication function of this captain's token can only be used once a day, and each call lasts about one minute. It is usually used for emergency communication and receiving missions.

Just now, Nangong Yourong had already contacted him, using up her daily call limit...

"Useless junk, pure industrial waste!"

Lu Xuan complained that the captain's token was far less practical than his communication talisman, and he even wanted to throw it into the river.

Bao Bulv: "..."

His eyes darted around, and he continued to offer suggestions: "Since we can't contact Commander Nangong, why don't we let the little donkey carry its master to Yunzhou City to inform the Demon Suppression Division, and then discuss the matter further?"

Lu Xuan thought for a moment, then tossed the token in his hand to Bao Bulu: "You just need to go and inform them."

Bao Bulu stretched out his hoof to catch the captain's order, somewhat bewildered. "And what about you, master?"

"I'll go to Wanfu Temple first to scout it out."

In a flash.

Both Bao Bulu and Zhenzhu's expressions changed.

Lu Xuan planned to send Bao Bulu to the Demon Suppression Division to report the news, while he himself would go to Wanfu Temple to find out what was going on!

"Master, you mustn't! That old woman... she's terrifying, you can't go!"

"Yes, Master, it's best to be on the safe side and not take any risks..."

"Better safe than sorry," both demonic beasts advised Lu Xuan against acting rashly.

Looking at the long stretch of the Blackwater River, Lu Xuan smiled and said, "It's alright. Even if Wanfu Temple is a den of dragons and tigers, I'm confident I can escape unscathed."

Lu Xuan insisted on going to Wanfu Temple!

He was close to the peak of the fourth rank in cultivation and possessed dozens of max-level techniques, making him invincible below the Refining God Realm.

That mysterious old woman probably hadn't reached the Refining Spirit Realm yet, otherwise she wouldn't have failed to discover the crocodile hiding underwater.

Both are at the Qi Refining Realm, so why is Lu Xuan afraid of her sharp edge?

Even if this small Wanfu Temple truly harbors a Refinement Realm expert, the temple is built against the mountain and beside the river, with the Blackwater River right next to it. With Lu Xuan's extremely fast Ghost Shadow Step technique, coupled with his mastery of the water attribute of the Tide-Rising Water Technique, if things go wrong, he can immediately escape into the Blackwater River and flee far away. Even a Refinement Realm expert would have difficulty catching him...

The risk factor is not high!

Furthermore, saving lives is a matter that requires every second to count!

A full hour has passed since last night. If we delay any longer, the female bandits from Bailian Village who were abducted to Wanfu Temple will likely have met with misfortune and become ghosts.

Although Lu Xuan didn't have much affection for these female bandits, he had met them once before. Seeing young, innocent lives end tragically would not be a pleasant feeling for a doctor with a normal heart...

Taking all factors into consideration.

Why should Lu Xuan be so timid and hesitant?

Why not venture into Wanfu Temple?

Lu Xuan took out a small piece of pure white lotus root from his storage ring and tossed it to Bao Bulu: "We're out of carrots, so here's a piece of lotus root for you. Go on."

Bao Bulu, who had been worried, was overjoyed upon seeing the small piece of spiritual lotus root: "This is... a spiritual plant, a wonderful thing!"

Bao Bulu opened his mouth and swallowed the lotus root.

Its cultivation level was already at the peak of the seventh rank, and it was only a hair's breadth away from breaking through the bottleneck. Now that it had consumed this small half of the spiritual lotus root, it believed that it would soon be able to break through the body refinement and advance to the Qi refining stage.

"Waaaah, Master, you're so good to me."

It was moved to tears, then wiped them away, its eyes becoming unusually resolute: "The little donkey understands. Please rest assured, master, the little donkey will deliver the message!"

Having said that, it turned and ran towards Yunzhou City, turning back every few steps to say, "Master, you mustn't get hurt! Little Donkey will always be waiting for you~"

Lu Xuan smiled helplessly.

Wasn't he just planning to break into Wanfu Temple?

He's not Jing Ke, and he's not going to assassinate the King of Qin, so why make it sound so tragic and heroic?

He heard what Bao Bulu was thinking at that moment.

[Waaaaah, God, please protect my master so he'll be safe and sound! Otherwise, this little donkey won't have a leg to cling to anymore!]

"..." Lu Xuan was speechless.

After Bao Bulu left, Lu Xuan took out a golden demon core, flicked it with his finger, and gave it to the little crocodile.

"This is... the demon core of the fat catfish!" Pearl took the demon core, greatly surprised and incredulous. "M-Master, this demon core is for me?"

The demon core is the essence of a demon beast's cultivation, and it brings great benefits to the demon beast if it consumes it.

Pearl has done a great service by informing Lu Xuan about Wanfu Temple; she deserves a reward!

"Of course," Lu Xuan smiled. "Bao Bulu will soon advance to the Qi Refining Realm. If you don't break through quickly, you won't be able to beat it in a fight."

Lu Xuan has never been a stingy person. Bao Bu Donkey and Pearl are his contracted beasts. Giving them spirit lotus root and demon core is to help them break through and become stronger. Only when they become stronger can they help Lu Xuan in the future.

"Waaaah, Master, you're so kind! Meeting you is the best thing that ever happened to me..."

Pearl was so moved that she cried, and little pearls fell with a clatter.

Then, sniffling, she asked, "Master, are you really going to Wanfu Temple?"

"certainly."

"Master, is there anything the little crocodile needs to do?"

"Lead the way."

……