chsdbacks Chapter 25: Using the Town's Creatures as Bait
Chapter 25: Using the Town's Creatures as Bait
The escort team made a brief stop in Lishan Town, standing ready for action.
Zhang Ping lived a leisurely life, spending his days practicing boxing and stances in the courtyard, and seeking advice on swordsmanship from Qin Hu.
The martial arts school has its own rules for its demon-slaying sword techniques, which Qin Hu cannot pass on to outsiders without permission. However, he might as well offer some pointers on some sword-wielding skills or sword techniques learned through unorthodox means.
The blade sliced through the air, swirling up fallen leaves. The snow had only fallen for one day, and the yard was still relatively dry.
Zhang Ping sheathed his sword and exhaled, a puff of white mist slowly dissipating into the slightly chilly air.
"This Dragon Soaring Blade Technique is of mediocre power, but it's still usable when facing an enemy, better than waiting to die... It's just that it's extremely difficult to master."
He muttered to himself. After practicing for five days, he hadn't even grasped the basics.
"Swordsmanship... the mantis is a natural swordsman, but I wonder if the stats panel recognizes it." This thought had barely formed when...
crunch--
The courtyard gate was pushed open, and Quan Hongyan slipped in, beckoning to Zhang Ping and saying in a low voice, "Master has decided that we will start exorcising the demon tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Zhang Ping felt a sense of relief.
"Have the Demon Exorcism Bureau arrived?" Having obtained the spirit fox beast pattern, he couldn't wait to leave this place.
"She didn't come." Quan Hongyan shook her head.
"Then why..." Zhang Ping asked, puzzled.
"We can't wait any longer. If we delay any longer, the autumn shipment might be delayed. The Demon Extermination Bureau... we can't count on them."
This reason left Zhang Ping speechless for a moment.
"The spirit fox is cunning and hides in the wild. How are we supposed to find it? Even a master of filth refining would have a hard time finding it if they wanted to hide." After branding himself with the beast pattern, he had a deep understanding of the spirit fox's ability to conceal itself.
Quan Hongyan whispered the entire plan to Zhang Ping. Upon hearing it, Zhang Ping was deeply shaken and almost froze on the spot.
Chongxin and Lu Qiang, two masters of physical cultivation, were actually planning to lead most of the flesh-refining martial artists out of the town to search for spirit foxes in the wild!
According to their calculations, the spirit fox couldn't afford to wait any longer. Once the Demon Extermination Bureau's reinforcements arrived, they wouldn't even dare to lie in wait, let alone take action.
The Demon Exorcism Bureau is different from ordinary martial arts practitioners; they have specialized methods for dealing with demons.
Even if they wait a year or two until the demon-slaying experts leave, they'll only be able to pick up a commoner from a small town, which is a losing proposition. As for taking over the caravan and the Lu family's merchant caravan, the spirit fox doesn't have much time left either.
Now is the perfect time to lure the snake out of its hole.
Zhang Ping wasn't stupid. The plan itself was chilling—all the experts were out, leaving the town vulnerable!
If the spirit foxes manage to sneak in, what will happen to those left behind? What will happen to the ordinary people? Even if the Chongxin people manage to wipe out the spirit foxes outside and then return to help, who knows how many people will survive!
Especially for martial artists, they are a delicacy in the eyes of the spirit fox.
To put it bluntly, they're using the entire town of Lishan as bait to lure demons into their trap!
"That's ruthless..." Zhang Ping swallowed hard, his throat bobbing.
There are some martial artists in this world with a conscience, but not many.
"I'll be going out with Master tomorrow morning. Brother Zhang, find a safe place to hide yourself." Quan Hongyan had no choice but to give Zhang Ping a heads-up about Chongxin's decision.
"Okay! Thank you, Sister Yan!" Zhang Ping took a deep breath and thanked her sincerely.
Although she was protected by beast patterns and could dodge if she couldn't win, Quan Hongyan's actions did carry the risk of information leaking.
"Okay, take care!" Quan Hongyan gave him a deep look before her figure disappeared into the deepening twilight.
Zhang Ping stood there stunned for a moment, then quickly went back to his room to pack.
The spirit fox will surely come tomorrow, so he needs to find a hiding place first. A spirit fox pelt and a few scraps of claws and teeth are all he has.
"Where should we hide?" After getting ready, it was already completely dark outside.
Zhang Ping rubbed his chin, pondering. If the sky falls, will the tall ones hold it up? Now that all the tall ones have run away, what use is he, the short one,? Hiding is the best strategy.
A thought suddenly struck him: "Sister Yan said that Master Lu is also leaving the city. Madam Lu has no cultivation, so she must have guards around her, including many experts in meat refining! Wouldn't it be perfect to seek refuge there?"
He thought of Lu Wanrou. The creditor is the boss? It's perfectly natural for the boss to seek refuge at the creditor's house!
……
The next day, the town showed an unusual vitality.
When the people saw the large group of warriors leaving the city, and heard that they were going to slay demons, they cheered and jumped for joy, and many came out of their homes, making the streets more crowded than usual.
At the Lu family caravan's encampment, cargo wagons were piled up in two courtyards. In the large courtyard between the two courtyards, the remaining Lu family warriors were huddled together, the atmosphere tense and tense.
Zhang Ping huddled in his room, peeking out through the window cracks a few times, and felt a little more at ease.
"At least three are in the meat-refining stage, and one is in the late stage..." Sure enough, coming here to gamble made the right decision.
"Brother Zhang, don't worry, we'll be fine." The room was spacious, and besides Lu Wanrou, there were also some talented but still young members of the Lu family, including Lu Feng.
Seeing Zhang Ping peering out the window, Lu Wanrou knew he was afraid because it was his first time escorting goods, so she gently comforted him.
"Yes, with Sister Rou here, I feel at ease." Zhang Ping happily sidled up to her, calling out in a high-pitched voice, before quickly shrinking to the back of the crowd amidst several disdainful glances.
His cowardly and fearful appearance caused several members of the Lu family to turn their faces away in disdain.
The maidservant beside Lu Wanrou couldn't help but mutter, "Look at the martial arts school disciples, they're all waiting outside. How dare you squeeze in..."
The disciples from the Four Martial Arts School who came with them, all at the Skin Tempering Realm, also consciously stayed outside.
Only Zhang Ping, relying on the affectionate way he called her "sister," shamelessly squeezed in.
Even Lu Wanrou had her doubts: How could a martial artist at the mid-stage of the Skin Tempering Realm be so cowardly? Then she thought of the money and tokens she had bought on credit... Well, it's better if he's timid. If he gets bitten to death by a spirit fox outside, her debts will be gone.
Zhang Ping was surrounded by piercing gazes, but he didn't care at all; his skin was thick enough to block a knife.
Survival is the only thing that matters. Face? What's that worth?
……
"stop!"
In the wilderness, Chongxin suddenly raised his hand, his gaze sweeping around like that of a hawk.
This place is ten miles from the town, surrounded by low hills, with withered trees and sparse weeds, a desolate scene.
"Right here." He waved his hand.
Qin Hu stepped forward in response, slamming the fox corpse he was carrying on his shoulder onto the ground. He then opened a ceramic jar, revealing thick, black fox blood.
"Splash!"
Blood was poured onto the corpse, and a strong, pungent stench of blood and fox odor immediately filled the air.
"The spirit fox hates the slaughter of its own kind the most, let alone such desecration of corpses. Brother Chong, what a skillful move!" Lu Qiang crossed his arms and clicked his tongue.
A complete fox corpse is quite valuable.
"Hmph! Today, these beasts will pay for their blood debt and serve as a sacrifice to the spirits of my martial arts school disciples and the Lu family warriors!" Chongxin snorted coldly, his aura surging, his sharp gaze sweeping across the shadows among the withered trees and rocks.
"Those demons have followed us all the way here. Once they smell this scent, they will surely be unable to resist."
Lu Qiang also roused himself, his Qi and blood power at the Refining Realm circulating around his body. "Even if their main force attacks the town, we can quickly return to reinforce them and block them inside!"
The fishy, pungent smell spread with the wind, growing stronger and stronger.
Everyone held their breath, and the swords were silently drawn half an inch from their sheaths.
After what seemed like an eternity, a strange gust of wind swirled past, causing the withered branches to tremble violently.
The leader, Chongxin, suddenly opened his eyes wide, and the long sword on his back transformed into a sharp light that slashed through the air!
laugh--!
Amidst the ear-piercing sound of tearing silk, a ten-meter-long, condensed blood-red blade of energy shot out into the sky!
"You fiend, prepare to die!"
……
"Watch out! They're coming!"
Outside the courtyard wall, the guarding martial artists suddenly tensed up.
From several directions in the town, piercing screams rang out one after another, accompanied by chaos!