Chapter 369: Poisonous Strategy

Inside the Secret Chamber Mandala, these fellows had been busy for a full hour or more.

As the thick, rolling smoke gradually dissipated, only fourteen withered corpses remained on the altar in the center of the Mandala.

As these people straightened their clothes, the stone door over there slowly opened, and a group of men in black walked in to carry the female corpses off the altar.

After the group finished tidying their clothes, they walked slowly out of the Secret Chamber Mandala, but they did not walk out along the stone steps; instead, they turned their steps and came to another secret chamber beside the Mandala.

This had already become a routine for this group of people after their evening banquet. This banquet took place every half month; besides cultivation, they would also discuss matters together.

These fourteen people were all leaders of various factions. Meeting once every half month served two purposes: first, to report the progress of their respective areas to Sun Qian; second, if there were any difficult or troublesome matters, they could be raised at this time so everyone could pool their wisdom and efforts.

Inside this secret chamber, there were only stone tables and stone chairs; apart from that, there was nothing else.

That stone table was very wide, occupying nearly half the area of the secret chamber, and fourteen stone chairs were arranged around it.

As soon as everyone sat down, several maidservants used special silver trays and silver cups to bring in ginseng tea, placing it one by one in front of everyone.

When the maidservant placed the silver cup of ginseng tea in front of Xu Dongyang, he stared intently at the maidservant's fair, tender neck; the excitement from inside the Mandala had not yet faded from his heart.

Many people looked at the silver cups of ginseng tea before them, their expressions shifting.

This was ginseng tea brewed from century-old Blood Ginseng. This stuff was not easy to come by.

Moreover, to put everyone at ease, Sun Qian had specifically used silver cups to serve the tea. Everyone sipped the ginseng tea while feeling grateful for his thoughtfulness.

Next, they began to discuss business, following the usual practice of reporting to Sun Qian in order.

Sun Qian smiled, his fingertips rubbing the rim of his silver cup as he listened carefully to their reports, stopping occasionally to ask a few questions.

In less than an hour, more than ten people had finished their reports.

They had each been in charge of their respective affairs for quite some time; even Xu Dian, who had entered Xiangu County the latest, had been managing the weapon shop for nearly a year.

Their various operations were already on the right track.

After everyone finished reporting, Sun Qian would generally offer them some suggestions. He did not give them one by one as each person finished; instead, he would wait until everyone had finished reporting before Sun Qian spoke collectively.

When he spoke at this time, he never named names, and often a few words were enough to hit the nail on the head. Although he did not name anyone, the person he was talking about knew it the moment they heard it.

This was also the reason why everyone admired him; with this level of thought and intelligence, none of them could achieve it.

Everyone was waiting for Sun Qian's suggestions after hearing the reports, but Sun Qian coughed and said, "A matter has occurred recently that I would like to discuss with you brothers."

Sun Qian suddenly looked at Ruan Fengshan and said, "Fengshan, you should be the one to say it."

Ruan Fengshan said, "Yes, Big Brother."

The people sitting around the stone table all looked at Ruan Fengshan with puzzled expressions, not knowing what had happened.

Ruan Fengshan said, "Brothers, this matter is actually quite tricky. As you all know, more than half a month ago, a rebellion occurred at my Yuanshun Escort Agency. Fortunately, with the help of you brothers, we wiped out all the troublemakers that very night!"

"However..." Ruan Fengshan changed the subject and said, "The person leading the trouble at the Escort Agency was Xiao Zongting. He has a daughter named Xiao Yu and an apprentice named Duan Rong. Three years ago, they both became Registered Disciples of the Sect. Just yesterday afternoon, they returned to Xiangu County."

Xu Dian took a sip of ginseng tea and said, "They entered the Sect three years ago. So now that they are back, are they Registered Disciples or Outer Sect Disciples?"

Ruan Fengshan looked at Xu Dian and said, "Brother Xu, you have truly asked the key question."

"Regarding this matter, I have already had Xu send a secret letter to the Hall. I estimate there will be news in these two or three days. However..." Ruan Fengshan's tone became somewhat heavy at this point. "According to my understanding, that person named Duan Rong has a very high probability of having become an Outer Sect Disciple."

At this moment, Sun Qian suddenly said, "If they were both Registered Disciples dismissed by the Sect, it would be much easier to handle; we could just surround and kill them directly. But if they are Outer Sect Disciples, like that Duan Rong, we cannot help but be wary of the consequences. An Outer Sect Disciple, sent home after three years, killed just after returning to his hometown to visit relatives—even though this place is remote, the Sect will likely investigate thoroughly, which would be very disadvantageous for us!"

Ruan Fengshan chimed in, "Big Brother and I discussed the idea of whether we could set a trap to scare them away."

Sun Qian smiled and said, "That is exactly the idea. If you brothers have any thoughts or suggestions, feel free to speak."

"Scare them away?!"

Many people showed puzzled expressions on their faces. A trap capable of scaring away a True Qi Realm expert—how could that be so easy to set?

At this time, Bai Rong suddenly smiled and said, "I have an idea. You brothers can listen to it."

Ruan Fengshan immediately became interested, his eyes fixed on Bai Rong as he said, "Brother Bai Rong, please speak."

Bai Rong said, "Just find a way to get that brat to go to Huaying Pavilion. With the charm techniques of the Four Great Enchantresses, I guarantee he won't be able to resist. When the time comes, it will be a natural progression to get him drunk until he is unconscious. I will then take the opportunity to go in and strangle that little bitch beside him. By then, even if he has a hundred mouths, he won't be able to explain it clearly. The Ya Men can openly issue a warrant for his arrest, and the Sect will not shield a murderer."

"You really are a vicious pretty boy!?" Xu Dian looked at Bai Rong and cursed with a laugh.

Hearing this, the expressions of many people at the table changed slightly as they looked at Bai Rong. Because this poisonous scheme seemed applicable to any one of them.

Duan Rong, in the shadow of a tree far outside the secret chamber, felt a chill in his heart upon hearing this. Inside Huaying Pavilion, when Bai Rong treated Hu Huanhuan like that, he had already developed murderous intent. Now, this white-faced poisonous snake had actually designed such a vicious scheme for him.

A foul rage had already risen in Duan Rong's heart. If he weren't afraid of alerting the enemy, he would have snuck into Huaying Pavilion tonight and skinned this fellow alive.

Ruan Fengshan and Sun Qian exchanged a glance; Bai Rong's poisonous scheme indeed had feasibility.

Afterward, two others proposed strategies, which also had their merits.

The group discussed matters in this stone chamber until midnight before leaving.

The group stepped on the stone steps together and exited the secret chamber, then walked to the vicinity of the rockery. Ruan Fengshan moved something on the rockery, and a stone door opened.

After Sun Qian and Ruan Fengshan said goodbye to the group, they walked into the stone door.

Only after the two figures disappeared did the others disperse.

Only when everyone had dispersed and the place was completely silent did Duan Rong leap out from the tree shadow, but his figure flickered, and he flashed past the rockery.

Duan Rong had already discovered the mechanism for the rockery stone door through his Divine Sense, but he also knew that after Ruan Fengshan entered the stone door, he had locked another mechanism. If anyone else were to open the rockery stone door mechanism without authorization, multiple bells inside the secret passage would ring simultaneously.

Duan Rong's figure was as fast as a ghost, and soon he was standing in an alley outside the high wall, his Divine Sense constantly probing underground.

At this moment, Ruan Fengshan and Sun Qian were in the secret passage deep underground, not far from him.

This secret passage led from Wei Yutian's old residence to Ruan Fengshan's Sealed Treasury.

Wei Yutian's old residence was not far from the Yuanshun Escort Agency to begin with, separated only by a residential area and a street.

This secret passage was renovated almost at the same time as the secret passage leading from the Escort Agency's Sealed Treasury to the County Government Office.

The use of this secret passage was also quite significant.

To support the cultivation of so many brothers, besides the cultivation grounds, more importantly, there were cultivation resources, and the core of these resources were the virgins abducted.

Relying on ad-hoc abduction was clearly not feasible. Sun Qian had long designed a method of captivity. Moreover, Wei Yutian's place had ready-made facilities for captivity, which could be used after some renovation.

The reason for building a passage to the Sealed Treasury in the Back Courtyard of the Yuanshun Escort Agency was also a path Sun Qian had envisioned.

The abducted women were loaded directly into the escort boxes of the Escort Agency, disguised as cargo, and pulled into the Sealed Treasury of the Yuanshun Escort Agency. This could be called foolproof, without anyone knowing!

Inside the Sealed Treasury, they opened the escort boxes and led the abducted civilian women along the passageway to the livestock-rearing area within the old residence of Wei Yutian, to be used for cultivation purposes.

At this moment, inside the secret passage, Sun Qian and Ruan Fengshan were walking slowly while discussing the strategy proposed by those few people in the Secret Chamber just now.

A heavy sense of worry surged in Ruan Fengshan's eyes.

Because ever since Duan Rong and Xiao Yu disappeared from the residential area near the Escort Agency, a full day had passed, and although he had sent out all his secret agents, a whole day had gone by without a single piece of news.

The more this was the case, the more Ruan Fengshan felt uneasy in his heart.

Sun Qian glanced at Ruan Fengshan and said, "Have there still been no traces found of Duan Rong and Xiao Yu?"

Ruan Fengshan sighed deeply. "We have long since spread our informants throughout this Xiangu County. Under these circumstances, for those two to still be able to escape from under our noses, they truly have some skill."

A hint of coldness also welled up in Sun Qian's eyes. "If we can't even find the people, then whatever strategy we plan will be of no use!"

"Does Big Brother have any brilliant ideas?" Ruan Fengshan asked.

Sun Qian said expressionlessly: "Those two must be hiding. Have the secret agents continue the search; there is no such thing as a mouse in this world that doesn't poke its head out!"

Duan Rong, in the dark alleyway, used his Divine Sense to perceive their entire conversation and expressions.

Following this group of Bai Rong was truly not a wasted trip.

He had almost completely figured out the opponents he would be facing. There were thirteen experts in the True Qi Realm in total, among whom Sun Qian and Xu Dian were experts at the True Qi Realm Second Layer, and the remaining eleven were experts at the True Qi Realm First Stage. Moreover, these people had almost all achieved the second layer of the Filthy Blood Divine Art.

Sun Qian and Ruan Fengshan had even achieved the third layer of the Filthy Blood Divine Art.

Duan Rong himself had achieved the second layer of the Filthy Blood Divine Art, and he knew deeply that the second layer of the Filthy Blood Divine Art was already capable of withstanding attacks from True Qi Realm experts.

To kill these thirteen people, I am afraid that even with Duan Rong's cultivation at the True Qi Realm Great Perfection, it would still be somewhat tricky.

While eavesdropping on the conversation between Sun Qian and Ruan Fengshan, Duan Rong was deducing strategies in his mind.

Sun Qian and Ruan Fengshan walked through the secret passage until they reached the Sealed Treasury of the Escort Agency; Sun Qian thought Ruan Fengshan would go up, but Ruan Fengshan followed Sun Qian instead and headed toward the County Government Office again.

Sun Qian looked at Ruan Fengshan and said, "You are coming to the County Government Office with me too?"

"The Escort Agency is not safe right now."

Sun Qian chuckled and said, "If you stay at the Escort Agency, you might just lure them into making a move."

Ruan Fengshan could not help but smile as well, saying, "It is better to wait for news from the Hall. Once the brothers are in ambush and the trap is set, I will act as the bait then."

Sun Qian said, "Little Brother, rest assured. With so many of us brothers here, could we really watch you get killed by those two little ones?"

Upon hearing these words from Sun Qian, Ruan Fengshan felt slightly more at ease.

Duan Rong, standing in the shadows of a street corner on the ground, had a face that looked as if it were frozen with a layer of frost.

These people were all old hands in the underworld, and they were sinister, cunning, and incomparably vicious. To deal with them, one must have a thorough plan before making a move; once a mistake was made, even if Duan Rong could escape unscathed, Xiao Yu and the others would likely be unable to escape death.

Sun Qian and Ruan Fengshan arrived together at the Secret Chamber beneath the County Government Office, and Sun Qian invited Ruan Fengshan to go up and rest together.

Ruan Fengshan said that he wanted to wait for news from the secret agents in this Secret Chamber.

Sun Qian knew that Ruan Fengshan was in the Secret Chamber to coordinate the secret agents searching for the traces of Duan Rong and Xiao Yu, and at this moment, he was like a bird startled by the mere twang of a bowstring; staying in the Secret Chamber made him feel safer.

Sun Qian then walked out of the Secret Chamber along the stone steps by himself. Although it was already past midnight, he still braced himself, sat down at the desk, and finished reviewing the thick stack of official documents on the table before going to sleep. When he lay down, the roosters had already begun to crow.

Duan Rong had been dozing in the shadows of an alleyway, monitoring every move of Ruan Fengshan, who was hiding in the Secret Chamber.

After more than two hours, Ruan Fengshan had fallen asleep half-reclined in his chair. Duan Rong saw the morning star hanging upside down in the dark night sky. He knew that in another half an hour, the sky would slowly brighten.

After more than two hours of deep thought, Duan Rong already had a strategy in his mind.

He decided to meet up with Yang Zhen, Xiao Yu, and the others before dawn.

Duan Rong stood up and, taking advantage of the darkest time before dawn, hunched his body and walked toward the residential area where the old residence of Xie Lei was located.

Duan Rong walked past the breakfast stalls on the street and sniffed; his stomach was growling with hunger. He had only eaten a flatbread the entire day. Although he had disguised himself as a beggar, he still could not bring himself to actually beg for people's leftovers.

Duan Rong crossed the market and arrived in the dark and silent residential alleyway. Once he entered the darkness, under the sweep of his Divine Sense, he discovered there was nothing unusual in the surroundings, so he suddenly exerted his movement technique, moving through the alleys and passages as fast as a ghost.

Duan Rong soon landed in the courtyard of Xie Lei. Everything was quiet all around; Duan Rong could even hear his own breathing clearly.

He jumped into the dry well and climbed into the secret room.

Xiao Yu and Zhu Xiaoqi were curled up in the corner sleeping when they suddenly heard a rustling sound. Xiao Yu was startled and asked, "Who?"

Her hand had already grasped the Qingling Saber at her waist.

"Me!"

Hearing Duan Rong's familiar voice, Xiao Yu's heart settled. "Can't you call out before coming in?"

"What? Did I scare you?"

Xiao Yu did not answer; she took out a Fire Folder and lit the oil lamp in the corner.

Only then did Zhu Xiaoqi open his sleepy eyes and see that Duan Rong had already walked in.

Duan Rong's bones suddenly crackled all over his body; his figure was seen growing larger circle by circle, and after a few breaths, he returned to his original appearance.

He had been in the state of using the Bone Shrinking Technique for a whole day. In fact, the consumption of his muscles and bones was quite significant.

Duan Rong caught his breath and sat on the ground, feeling somewhat exhausted. Xiao Yu took a flatbread and handed it to Duan Rong, and Zhu Xiaoqi poured him a bowl of clear water. These were all food that Yang Zhen had prepared for Zhu Xiaoqi earlier.

Duan Rong took the flatbread and the water, and while eating, he began to tell Xiao Yu about his discoveries that day, as well as the methods those guys planned to use to deal with them.

As Xiao Yu listened, her face became as if frozen with a layer of cold frost. Only then did Xiao Yu realize that she had been too reckless before; if it hadn't been for Duan Rong stopping her, she feared that not only would she have failed to take revenge, but she would have gotten herself killed instead, and perhaps even implicated Duan Rong.

(End of this chapter)