Chapter 169: 169. Chapter 167: Strange Events

169. Chapter 167: Strange Events

Night fell quickly; because of the incidents involving Tianqi Sect and Da Jian Men, though everyone was inside their tents, virtually no one slept—they were all on edge.

After all, the incidents involving Tianqi Sect and Da Jian Men were too horrifying.

Han Weicheng guarded the left side with one surviving senior disciple of Tianqi Sect.

"Hello, Master Han."

Ding Huan approached Han Weicheng and greeted him voluntarily.

"Hello, Brother Ding," Han Weicheng replied promptly.

He was deeply puzzled—anyone who wasn't foolish wouldn't voluntarily step out on watch at a time like this.

He was on watch because he had to be.

Why was this chef surnamed Ding stepping out? He simply couldn't understand.

Ding Huan smiled and said:

"Master Han must be wondering why I came out voluntarily to stand watch?"

Han Weicheng smiled—he was confused by Ding Huan's choice, but didn't care to know.

Ding Huan volunteered:

"I'm not from Yanyue Sect; I'm just a chef hired by Yanyue Sect in the Mortal World. Once this journey ends, I'll leave Yanyue Sect."

Han Weicheng could only listen—he thought to himself, what does this have to do with me?

"I greatly admire Tianqi Sect. May I ask, Master Han, what qualifications are needed to join Tianqi Sect?"

Upon hearing these words, Han Weicheng finally understood.

So this chef wanted to join a Dao-cultivation sect? Perhaps he thought joining Tianqi Sect was easier than joining Yanyue Sect—clearly impossible. He could only shake his head:

"I'm sorry, but Tianqi Sect has very high standards for disciples. I can't make decisions on such matters."

Ding Huan didn't truly believe he could join Tianqi Sect—he merely used this as an excuse to approach its outer perimeter.

"Master Han, I deeply respect Tianqi Sect. I'm confident in my culinary skills. If I can't join Tianqi Sect, is there any way I can stay near it?"

Ding Huan's tone was extremely sincere.

Whether or not Qi Qi Xinyue could leave the Divine Clan and come to Tianqi Sect to find him, he had to wait outside for a while—just in case.

Even if he had to leave, he must leave a mark.

Han Weicheng didn't answer Ding Huan again—he had no connection with Ding Huan.

Besides, a chef wasn't worth his effort to befriend. Even if this chef could speak with Elder Gu, so what?

If I were the chef, cooking well along the journey, I could also exchange a few words with the elders.

"You He'er, look over there—is it…?"

Han Weicheng hadn't given Ding Huan a second thought, but as he called to his Tianqi Sect disciple, he sensed something wrong.

"You He'er…"

Han Weicheng suddenly felt a chilling fear—he realized You He'er, who had been right behind him moments ago, was gone.

"Brother Ding, have you seen You He'er?" Han Weicheng stared tensely at Ding Huan.

He knew well: even if You He'er had left for some reason, he would have informed him first.

And You He'er didn't vanish so quickly—it was nearly instantaneous. Something was definitely wrong.

Ding Huan waved his hand, signaling Han Weicheng to be quiet, then stepped beyond the safety perimeter.

Unlike Han Weicheng, he had been speaking with him just now, but his spiritual sense had continuously enveloped the surroundings—You He'er had been within his spiritual range.

He had seen with his own eyes You He'er walk out of the safety zone, as if bewitched by something.

"Brother Ding, what are you doing?" Seeing Ding Huan step out, Han Weicheng panicked and shouted to stop him.

Ding Huan lunged forward—but before he could grab You He'er, a freezing chill seeped toward him.

It was a neurotoxin. Though Ding Huan didn't fear such toxins, he dared not linger—he slapped You He'er, who was completely lost, into unconsciousness, and dragged him back.

Han Weicheng, who had intended to alert Elder Gu, sighed in relief upon seeing Ding Huan return with You He'er.

When Ding Huan grabbed You He'er, he knew the man had been poisoned.

He had no intention of curing him—he merely said:

"Master Han, he's been poisoned. Do you have an antidote?"

Hearing Ding Huan's words, Han Weicheng immediately pulled out a pill and shoved it into You He'er's mouth.

Ding Huan kept watching You He'er—he doubted Han Weicheng's antidote would work. But after You He'er was brought back, the poison seemed to be dissipating on its own.

This was a very strange poison.

Minutes later, You He'er opened his eyes and cried out upon seeing Han Weicheng: "Master Han!"

"You He'er, what happened? Why did you walk out alone just now?"

Han Weicheng asked urgently.

"I don't know… I thought I saw Elder Zhen Feng. He called me over, so I went."

You He'er still looked dazed.

"Master Han, are you alright over there?"

Elder Gu's anxious voice came through, and moments later, he arrived.

"We're fine—only You He'er nearly stepped out." Han Weicheng replied quickly.

Elder Gu's facial expression turned grave:

"Just now, two of our guard disciples vanished on our side. Be careful—this place is strange. Do not leave the protective line."

Hearing this, Han Weicheng instinctively shuddered—if not for Ding Huan, You He'er beside him would have vanished too.

After speaking, Elder Gu seemed to remember something and asked:

"Officer Han, what did you mean just now when you said You Hae-er nearly walked out?"

Han Weicheng hurriedly said:

"I discovered You Hae-er had gone missing—Ding Youfriend went out and pulled You Hae-er back."

"Ding Huan? How did you know where You Hae-er was?" Elder Gu asked, frowning at Ding Huan.

Ding Huan explained:

"I've been following Officer Han all along. I just happened to see Friend You looking dazed and walking out—I didn't think much of it and rushed over to pull Friend You back."

Elder Gu nodded. He grew even more convinced Ding Huan was a talent.

The night ended amid constant fear and anxiety.

Early the next morning, as everyone packed up their tents, they realized two people were missing.

Officer Qiong's face darkened; after all, the two missing Yanyue Sect disciples had vanished while under his watch.

"Elder Gu, the place where it happened isn't far from here—if we just go straight there…" Han Weicheng still trembled with fear.

"Then we set out at noon," Elder Gu decided.

Everyone assumed Elder Gu chose noon because yang energy was strong, making it harder for evil spirits to emerge and harm them.

Only Gu Youchang himself knew he was waiting for other sects to join.

Despite our group of over thirty, our strength is still too weak.

Only by uniting with other sects can we strengthen our numbers and safely pass through this eerie stretch.

Before noon arrived, the group spotted a crowd approaching from afar.

"It's the Shuanghun Sect and Zixia Valley…" Officer Qiong exclaimed in delight.

Both the Shuanghun Sect and Zixia Valley were powerful sects, and the ones leading this group were all Elders.

"Elder Gu, why have you stopped here?"

A middle-aged beauty stepped forward first, greeting Gu Youchang from afar.

Following the beauty was a young man.

Gu Youchang also bowed his fist:

"Greetings, Elder Liu of Zixia Valley, Elder Qu of Shuanghun Sect."

Ding Huan watched from afar, thinking: So this Elder Qu of the Shuanghun Sect really is young. Heh, a soul-possession sect.

"Yes, Brother Gu, why has Yanyue Sect stopped advancing?"

The young Elder Qu of Shuanghun Sect also asked, puzzled.

Gu Youchang called Han Weicheng over:

"Officer Han, recount what happened yesterday."

Han Weicheng stepped forward, paid his respects, then described how the Tianqi Sect and Dajian Gate had nearly been wiped out the day before.

"Such strange events?"

Elder Liu of Zixia Valley frowned.

Dahu Gorge was indeed full of dangers, but most were sudden beast attacks, accidental wandering into deadly plants, or getting trapped in bogs.

Such strange occurrences while walking on the road had never happened before.

Gu Youchang said:

"Now that we have more people, let's travel together."

Both the Shuanghun Sect and Tianqi Sect agreed with Gu Youchang's proposal—strength lies in numbers.

The group of thirty-some suddenly swelled to over fifty more.

This nearly hundred-person procession, with several Elders and Officers guarding front and back, looked considerably safer on the surface.

With over a hundred people moving, progress slowed greatly.

There were too many strong ones here; Ding Huan dared not let his spiritual sense seep out carelessly—but he could let it sink downward.

An hour later, Ding Huan sensed something odd: the soil beneath his spiritual sense seemed disordered.

There were even traces of blood buried beneath the earth, and fragments of torn clothing embedded in the soil.

Ding Huan cautiously expanded his spiritual sense—and confirmed this was precisely where the Tianqi Sect and Dajian Gate had met their end.

If this was the site of the disaster, why did it look completely untouched, with all traces neatly buried beneath the soil?

Moreover, Han Weicheng seemed to have noticed nothing unusual.

A bad premonition stirred in Ding Huan's heart. He no longer cared if the strong ones sensed him—he let his spiritual sense surge outward.

What chilled his spine was this: they weren't on the road at all—they were walking through a forest.

Whether it was Elder Gu, Elder Liu of Zixia Valley, or Elder Qu of Shuanghun Sect, all were sharply alert, scanning the surroundings as they moved deeper into the forest.

Ding Huan retracted his spiritual sense. His eyes saw exactly the same thing: a wide path worn smooth by long-term travel.

He sucked in a sharp breath—everyone else must be seeing the same thing he saw.

Could it be because his spiritual sense had been refined in the cosmos, nearly becoming a tangible substance?

That was why he alone sensed they weren't on the road.

Ding Huan rubbed his eyes—and to his astonishment, his eyes now also saw they were not on the road, but in the forest.

What was going on?

Why could only he see clearly, while others could not?

No—he saw the road again. It was only after his spiritual sense had detected the truth that his eyes had reverted to normal.

Ding Huan sighed. He could no longer trust these sect Elders—if they kept walking, they'd be led straight to the Gates of Hell.