Chapter 221: Chapter 13 A Trip to the Southern Border, 5 People Gather
 

After that incident, Jiang the Witch hadn’t visited for a while, which left Wei Dongliu somewhat concerned.

“My mysterious persona needs someone to keep the Synchronization Value going…”

Not only was Wei Dongliu concerned, but Wang Cong also missed the prospective mistress of their Sect. He dared not mention her in front of Wei Dongliu but had complained several times in private to Guo Jin, certain that it was the master who had driven the mistress away.

One day, Jiang Liyan suddenly paid another visit, bringing with her a piece of news.

“Assist the Eastern Emperor Sect?” Wei Dongliu asked in surprise.

“Precisely,” Jiang the Witch said with a smile, “Other Mortal Life Path Cultivators have been making connections for days and have already received the news. How come you, Brother Wei, rely on an outside cultivator like me to get wind of what’s happening?”

“Ahem,” Wei Dongliu said somewhat awkwardly.

This identity was meant for infiltrating the inner workings of the Demon Cult, specifically to gather intelligence, yet it turned out to be less well-informed than Jiang Liyan…

Seeing that Wei Dongliu didn’t respond, Jiang Liyan didn’t press on but simply continued:

“Every winter, when the miasma disperses from the Hundred Thousand Mountains, those brutes from Shushan head south to sweep and plunder.”

“The Eastern Emperor Path asks us for help every year, but since they’re not from the Intercepting Cult and are unwilling to offer a proper price, nobody really cares to deal with them, with the exception of those madmen from the Asura Path.”

“This year, however, is different. Firstly, Shushan’s strength has significantly declined after the tumult at the Demon Locking Tower, and secondly, the Eastern Emperor Path is willing to open up the Hundred Thousand Mountains as a reward. Therefore, everyone made an agreement with the Eastern Emperor Path to launch a fierce surprise attack on Shushan this time.”

“I see,” Wei Dongliu nodded, “The Eastern Emperor Path should have made up their mind earlier, right? Why wait to be beaten down by Shushan for so many years before reluctantly giving up their land?”

“The honored founder of the Eastern Emperor Sect is said to have once been a beast-slave of the Beast Taming Path, not even an outer disciple,” Jiang Liyan said with a covered laugh, “If the founder was like that, what strategic foresight can we expect from his descendants?”

“After all, nowadays, the real pillars of the Demon Cult are nothing more than the Heavenly Demon Path, the Nether Ghost Path, and the Mortal Life Path.”

Wei Dongliu listened calmly, sneering inwardly.

If one were to speak of the true pillars of the Demon Cult, it would actually just be the Heavenly Demon Path and the Nether Ghost Path.

As for the Mortal Life Path, Wei Dongliu knew that although there were a few powerful and influential figures, the group as a whole was disorganized, bloated, and fundamentally weak. It was better left unmentioned.

“In that case,” he asked noncommittally, “do I need to report to the Sect if I want to participate in the hunt at the Hundred Thousand Mountains?”

“Report?” Jiang the Witch laughed, “Of course not. Have you heard the joke, Brother Wei?”

“What joke?”

“Joining the Mortal Life Path only involves dealing with the Sect on two occasions,” Jiang Liyan said with a wink, “one is when establishing a Sect, and the other is when changing locations.”

Wei Dongliu: ……

So your Mortal Life Path is basically the civil affairs bureau, huh? They only show up to make money through procedures!

“Let’s not dwell on that for now. I wonder if Brother Wei would like to join forces with others?” Jiang Liyan said with a full smile.

“Join forces? Isn’t it joining forces with you?” Wei Dongliu was momentarily stunned, then he caught on, “You’ve called others as well, right?”

“Since it’s a hunt and ambush, we should of course maximize our advantage,” said Jiang Liyan, her expression unchanged as he guessed her intention, “Single combat is something those brutes from Shushan would insist on.”

“Who are the companions?” Wei Dongliu asked to confirm.

“Nether Ghost Path’s Judge Wen Yang, whom Brother Wei has dealt with before,” Jiang Liyan said with a smile, “Additionally, there’s Gu Lie of the Asura Path and Long Qi of the Eastern Emperor Path, all very reasonable people.”

Very reasonable… Wei Dongliu immediately understood that it meant they had rather unpleasant attitudes.

“It doesn’t matter,” he said indifferently, “One more or one less, it’s all the same to me.”

Jiang Liyan was somewhat surprised and began to wonder to herself.

Although Wei Daoyou does not like socializing, he puts on quite a show of strength… No, judging from all the signs, this guy must be so confident in his own strength that he truly doesn’t care.

That’s fine; Wen Yang is not easily fooled, but Gu Lie can be provoked with just a nudge. It’s perfect for testing Wei Daoyou’s strength with that hot-headed youth.

“In that case, Wei Daoyou, please come with me,” she said with a smile as lovely as a flower, “Let us make haste to the Southern Border and meet up with the other three Daoyous.”

Wei Dongliu then summoned Guo Jin and Wang Cong, and said:

“I will be traveling for some affairs in the coming days. You two practice here on your own, and do not entertain any visitors.”

“If anyone shows up without notice, activate the Protective Sect Array. Wang Cong, have you memorized the incantations for the formation I taught you?”

“Reporting to Master, your disciple has memorized them,” Wang Cong obediently replied.

Jiang Liyan listened from the side, full of curiosity.

A Protective Sect Array? If it really is an array of that caliber, it would require a cultivator specialized in formations to set it up, not something an amateur could handle.

Could it be just a bluff, with a minor formation masquerading as a “great array”?

Of course, Wei Dongliu had no intention of explaining to her, and limited by their understanding, neither Guo Jin nor Wang Cong could appreciate the subtleties and complexities of the “Nine Curves Yellow River Formation,” so they simply complied.

Leaving Shiping Mountain, Jiang Liyan finally found the opportunity to ask him seemingly offhand:

“Is Wei Daoyou’s Protective Sect Array reliable? If not, your two disciples can go to my Biyun Palace to stay temporarily.”

“No need,” Wei Dongliu waved his hand and said.

Jiang Liyan couldn’t figure out his attitude, and seeing that he was unwilling to elaborate, she could only continue to wonder to herself, with his mysterious character’s Synchronization Value sharply rising.

The two of them traveled south on their swords and arrived at Dali City in the Southern Border.

Perhaps because the day when the miasma from the Hundred Thousand Mountains would dissipate was nearing, there were many more cultivators in the city.

Some carried sword boxes on their backs, openly identified as Shushan Sword Immortals; others were tattooed and scarred, handling snakes and insects in a way that did not at all resemble orthodox sects.

Both groups maintained a tacit peace, not encroaching on each other’s territory, not because they couldn’t confirm each other’s identities, but because there were no conflicts of interest at the moment, making it unnecessary to engage in conflicts.

Following Jiang Liyan, Wei Dongliu arrived at a tavern in the city. They went up to the second floor and saw Wen Yang drinking with two cultivators.

Wen Yang was still dressed in a strikingly gorgeous manner, with ornate and intricate clothes, and long hair fastened with a hairpin, appearing entirely the beautiful young woman until he spoke.

The other two cultivators were an old man and a child.

The old man dressed like a foreign monk, bald-headed, with no visible prayer scars on his forehead, large earlobes with earrings, and fierce eyes looking around.

The child was dressed as a girl, her hair done up in two buns, with an expression of innocence… However, if she could sit at the same table as Wen Yang and the monk, how could she possibly be of virtuous kind?

Jiang Liyan went over to greet them with a smile, and then introduced:

“This is Wei Dongliu from the Mortal Life Path, an exceptionally strong cultivator. I assure you of his joining us in our venture.”

“Wei Daoyou is indeed trustworthy,” Wen Yang lazily said while pinching his wine glass with slender fingers.

With both of them vouching for him, the gazes of the monk and the girl turned his way.

However, while the monk looked at him with strong hostility, the girl only seemed to be curiously sizing him up—at least on the surface.