YM778.TV Chapter 51 - 41 Leaving i
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Watching the flying boat vanishing in the horizon, Xu Mu couldn’t help but be stupefied.
No wonder, no wonder Chi Feiyan never mentioned the loose cultivators!
Because those followers could not affect her at all!
This is the power of a cultivation family!
“How come this happened? Shouldn’t they have used the Light Body Skill and traveled on foot?”
Somebody couldn’t help but complain.
Others dispatched their flying artifacts to chase after them.
But those who had both the money to buy flying artifacts and the courage to go forward alone were few. Most hesitated for a moment, conjured the Light Body Skill upon themselves and continued from the ground.
But seeing their speed, they seem unlikely to catch up.
As a large crowd entered, flocks of birds started to fly away.
At the same time, some people hesitated, struggling, then chose to turn back despondently.
Without a Foundation Establishment Family leading the way, with their strength alone, there’s no way they could traverse thousands of miles of forest.
Instead of throwing away their lives, they decided to stay home, hopefully, the demon cultivators from Soul Forging Sect would spare them.
“Friend Xu! Friend Xu! Wait for me!”
Zhang Shouren hurriedly chased after him, dragging along his grandson.
“Friend Zhang?” Xu Mu asked with confusion, “Why did you follow us?”
“I want to go with you, if it’s alright?” Zhang Shouren stroked his beard awkwardly.
“Of course!”
Xu Mu quickly agreed.
Although the man’s power was not much, he was a decent person, which was more than enough for him.
“Great! Shall we get going now or should we find a few more people?”
“I want to find someone experienced in surviving in the forest, do you know anyone?” Xu Mu asked.
Xu Mu knew a few but they all lived in the marketplace, and finding them now won’t be easy.
“I do know some, but at this point, strong ones must have found their groups already. Some might have left, it will be difficult to find them now!” Zhang Shouren said with a wry smile.
“If they have experience, weaker ones would do!”
As he finished saying this, Xu Mu felt a bit stupid.
Those with weak power would not venture into the forest, where on earth would their experience come from?
But Zhang Shouren’s eyes lit up.
“If you don’t consider power, there actually is a suitable person; his experience is definitely rich. But…”
“But what?”
“But he has mobility issues, his power is also weak. He might slow us down!”
That’s why he was hesitant to bring it up. The other party would be an even greater burden than him.
“It’s okay, as long as he has experience!”
Having someone familiar with the wilderness could help avoid a lot of danger and trouble; it was worth going slower for that.
“He lives nearby, I’ll take you to him!”
Under Zhang Shouren’s guidance, they found the person Zhang Shouren mentioned- a one-eyed, one-armed, limping old man in a dilapidated house at the Baihe forest residential area near the slums.
“You want to take me with you?!” Ouyang Ying said incredulously.
“Exactly, we would like your help in leading the way.” Xu Mu replied politely.
Ouyang Ying looked at Little Ling’er in Xu Mu’s arms, hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
He knew Zhang Shouren for decades, since Zhang Shouren introduced them, surely the man wouldn’t be a problem.
Besides, he doesn’t have anything valuable that might attract unwanted attention.
Given the current situation in the marketplace, if he stayed, death was certain. It was better to leave with them.
Truth be told, even if Xu Mu did not approach him, he would have gone into the forest alone after most people were gone.
Unlike the other loose cultivators, he wandered everywhere when he was young, been to the front lines and fought with the Soul Forging Sect.
He knew of their cruelty!
Never held hope for the Soul Forging Sect.
Once identified as a demon cultivator, their actions became devilish, not because their martial methods were evil.
Things like the Infants Blood Pill, were child’s play in their territory.
They even had their own professional organization, purchasing at rock-bottom prices, then refining in bulk.
Some were even more vicious, extracting it before they were even born.
“If you all don’t mind me, then I naturally have no problem.”
Ouyang Ying picked up his wooden crutch and knocked on his right leg. A series of metallic knocking sounds were heard.
Clearly,
He didn’t have a limp leg!
He was missing a leg!
“Since we came to find you fellow Daoist, we certainly knew about your situation!”
On the way here, Zhang Shouren had already filled him in about Ouyang Ying. If he had wanted to back out because of the risks, he wouldn’t have come.
“Friend, have you prepared everything needed? If yes, why don’t we go together to the marketplace? I’d like to buy some more supplies, and run into a few friends to join us on the journey.”
He wanted to go back to the marketplace to see if he could get more people onboard, like Shopkeeper Tu, Su Qing, and some other acquaintances.
Having lived for so many decades, it’s only normal to have made a few acquaintances.
Lan Shijin also had many friends in the marketplace. If everyone could join, they could support each other along the way.
Of course, he wouldn’t want too many people!
“I’ve finished preparing my things! As for the marketplace, 1 don’t suggest you go,” Ouyang Ying replied calmly.
“Why’s that, Friend Ouyang?”
“Given last night’s skirmish, the marketplace is likely in chaos. We might not be able to meet your acquaintances even if we go there now. Besides
Ouyang Ying glanced at the sky in the distance.
“From what I know about the Soul Forging Sect, they likely won’t just travel at a steady pace. Most of the rumors spreading through the marketplace are probably false!”
“My guess is they’ll probably arrive early. If we delay any longer, we might not be able to leave.”
Ouyang Ying looked at Xu Mu, his solitary eye steady as ever.
Should Xu Mu disagree and insist on staying to find more people, he wouldn’t argue.
That being said, he would not accompany him, but wait at the entrance instead.
Lan Shijin and Zhang Shouren glanced at Xu Mu, waiting for his decision.
Xu Mu was clearly the leader of the team.
If he wanted to keep on looking for more people, they would continue, and if he said they should leave, then they would leave.
Xu Mu furrowed his brows.
Little Ling’er in his arms was cheerfully bopping her small head against his chest.
“If that’s so, let’s leave now!”
As Ouyang Ying put it, even if they did go, they might not find anybody.
Discretion is the better part of valor!
Xu Mu didn’t want to take the risk, even if it was only a one percent chance.
Ouyang Ying couldn’t help but show a rare hint of admiration upon hearing Xu Mu’s words.
He liked doing business with this type of person.
Whoosh!
He put two fingers to his mouth and gave a soft whistle.
A red blur emerged from a house, in an instant jumping onto his shoulder. It was a squirrel with fluffy red fur and a large tail!
“A Flame Squirrel?!”
Surprise took over Lan Shijin’s features.
Whilst the Flame Squirrel was not a high-ranking monster beast with special abilities other than breathing fire, it was rare and cute, thus very popular as a pet among women from large cultivation families.
She hadn’t expected the poorly off Ouyang Ying to own one, hence her surprise!
The other two women also brightened at the sight.
Little Ling’er, in the midst of playtime, immediately perked up, her eyes shining and saliva drooling out.
“Want… medicine… Daddy… I want… medicine…”
“What do you want?! That belongs to someone else!” Xu Mu said with a bitter smile.
The Flame Squirrel, intimidated by Little Ling’er, swiveled its tail and buried itself in Ouyang Ying’s clothes, with only its small head visible, peering about in confusion.
“Little Red! Over here!”
The boy clutching Zhang Shouren’s leg suddenly called out.
The Flame Squirrel seemed to recognize him and instantly jumped onto his hand.
The boy took out a few sunflower seeds, and the Flame Squirrel spat a small ball of fire in excitement, then started nibbling at the seeds.
Little Ling’er lay on Xu Mu’s shoulder, her eyes glued on the boy and the squirrel, refusing to look away.
“Let’s go!”
Everyone cast the Light Body Skill on themselves and with the Flame Squirrel jumping back onto Ouyang Ying’s shoulder, the group set off toward Baihe Forest.
Before long, they mingled with the departing crowd, disappearing into the vast sea of trees.
An hour later!
A massive skeletal ship, hauled by countless grieving souls, rolled in from the distant horizon. With the eerie wailing of the souls and the dark storm clouds, it was as if the end was nigh.
The previously peaceful marketplace suddenly boiled over in panic!
Loose cultivators who had initially wanted to join the Soul Forging Sect could no longer keep calm. One by one, they fled outwards madly.
“Who would’ve thought there would be so many! Hehe! Go, my darlings!”
Thousands of souls broke free from their shackles. Their faces twisted in pain, they roared and wailed. Like evil spirits from hell, they swarmed towards the ground.
In no time, White Stone City turned into a realm of death.
“Reporting to the Grandmaster! The Foundation Establishment families in the marketplace have fled to the Liyang Sect, and many loose cultivators have escaped into the nearby forests!”
“No worries! Once my nine main souls have fully advanced, the Liyang Sect will be next! Let’s see where they can run to then!”
“With regards to the loose cultivators, there’s no need to completely wipe them out. Leave them as seedlings. Gather their belongings, and we shall move to the next marketplace!”
“Understood!”