Chapter 40: 39. All-Out War

39. All-Out War

The people from Black Iron Villa have attacked?

Hearing this loud shout from a Bamboo Leaf Gang cultivator, all the residents in Green Willow Alley were struck with terror.

As rogue cultivators, the reason they were willing to spend a large sum of money to rent a place in the Bamboo Leaf Forest was precisely to obtain the protection of the Bamboo Leaf Gang.

Now, however, they were being implicated because of the conflict between the Bamboo Leaf Gang and Black Iron Villa.

"Ying, Yue."

"You two quickly go back inside to pack your things and prepare to move at any moment."

"Fellow Daoist Wen, come with me to take a look at the situation outside."

Chen An reacted very quickly and immediately made the corresponding arrangements, fully displaying the demeanor of a head of the household.

Song Huaying and Gu Xinyue were both very obedient; they only said with worried faces, "Husband, Sister Wen, please be careful," before turning and trotting into the house to pack their things.

Wen Zhiyun also changed her previous attitude of often grumbling and contradicting him, silently walking out of the courtyard with him.

At this moment in Green Willow Alley, there were cultivators standing in front of every household's door.

Everyone was watching the situation.

Seeing if it was necessary to move the whole family to flee for their lives.

But after watching for a while.

Aside from a terrifying loud noise that erupted at the very beginning, everything had been peaceful until now.

Seeing that these Bamboo Leaf Gang cultivators stationed in the Core Area were all running toward the Cheap Area where he had previously lived, rather than toward the border between the Bamboo Leaf Forest and Black Iron Villa, Chen An could not help but feel some doubt in his heart.

These Black Iron Villa cultivators didn't launch a surprise attack from the border between the two gangs?

Soon, he recalled the stubbly male cultivator he had taught a lesson to in the Cheap Area Market earlier.

A male cultivator who claimed his father was an Elder of Black Iron Villa.

At that time, this stubbly male cultivator often brought people to the market in the Cheap Area to cause trouble.

He had thought he was just a spoiled brat, idle and looking to show off his power and find a sense of presence.

Looking at it now, that person was likely scouting the location back then.

The reason Black Iron Villa launched a surprise attack using that Cheap Area as a breakthrough point this time was very likely due to the idea provided by that stubbly male cultivator.

Thinking of this, Chen An realized that the stubbly male cultivator was not simple.

It was highly probable that he was a spy for Black Iron Villa.

Then the question arose: was the attack he encountered on the road when moving from the Cheap Area to the Core Area related to this stubbly male cultivator?

Chen An fell into deep thought.

At this very moment, he had a hope in his heart.

He hoped that the stubbly male cultivator would die in this battle between the two gangs.

Otherwise, with an enemy out there, he would never feel at ease.

"Everyone in Green Willow Alley!"

"Black Iron Villa is attacking the Cheap Area on the south side, which is twenty miles away from the Core Area!"

"Everyone is very safe staying in the Core Area, no need to panic!"

"During this special period, everyone stay inside your houses and behave, do not walk around, and certainly do not leave the Core Area without authorization!"

"Otherwise, you will be treated as a mole passing information to Black Iron Villa and executed on the spot!"

Seeing that the residents of Green Willow Alley had all run out of their houses, the Bamboo Leaf Gang Manager responsible for governing the Core Area walked over and said.

Seeing the Manager arrive, many people could not help but ask:

"Manager Li, how did these people from Black Iron Villa suddenly attack?"

"Yeah, this is too sudden."

"Manager Li, if you don't let us go out, we have no way to earn money to pay the rent."

"..."

Everyone asked one after another.

Manager Li did not feel annoyed, only smiling faintly: "Rest assured, you will soon have the opportunity to earn rent money."

The crowd looked at each other in dismay.

They wanted to ask something more, but before they could open their mouths, this Manager Li had already left.

"What do you think?"

Wen Zhiyun looked at Chen An and asked.

Chen An glanced in the direction of the Cheap Area, then looked at the still-peaceful Core Area, and said: "Take it one step at a time. Let's stay for now; after all, it's very chaotic outside and not very safe."

"Good, I'll listen to you."

Wen Zhiyun nodded without a second thought, looking like Chen An's wife or concubine.

Chen An also noticed this, but he did not tease her.

This change in Wen Zhiyun was something he was happy to see.

He did not want to ruin Wen Zhiyun's current gentle attitude for the sake of a moment's teasing.

At this time, Han Sanfan, who lived nearby, walked over and said:

"Fellow Daoist Wen, I feel that the Bamboo Leaf Forest might not be safe. I have a close friend in White River City; if something really happens to the Bamboo Leaf Forest and we have to flee, Fellow Daoist Wen can join me in seeking refuge with that friend."

What do you mean by this?

Trying to poach my woman in public?

Chen An's brows furrowed slightly.

But before he could say anything, a female cultivator opposite them said:

"Fellow Daoist Han, you're going too far now. Fellow Daoist Wen is with Alchemist Chen, you know. Be careful, or you'll end up on Alchemist Chen's bad side for hitting on his Dao companion in public like this."

"Exactly, Fellow Daoist Han, watch out for a beating."

A female cultivator who had just stepped out of her home carrying a chamber pot to empty it teased.

After speaking, she splashed the contents of the pot outward, and a stench of urine instantly permeated the air.

"You two hags, don't slander me; I didn't mean anything like that at all."

Han Sanfan cursed at the two female cultivators, then turned back to Chen An with a chuckle: "Alchemist Chen, don't misunderstand. What I meant just now was that Fellow Daoist Wen and Alchemist Chen should both come with me to seek refuge with my friend."

"Alchemist Chen, I have some matters to attend to at home, so I'll be heading back now."

Seeming guilty, Han Sanfan offered a casual excuse and turned to leave.

Chen An hadn't paid any attention to what he said at all.

At this moment, what he cared about was that Wen Zhiyun hadn't refuted the female cultivator's remark about the two of them being Dao companions just now.

It looked as if she had tacitly accepted this relationship.

At least in the eyes of outsiders, that was the case.

In the blink of an eye, several days passed.

Over in the Cheap Area, the people from Black Iron Villa and the Bamboo Leaf Gang were still clashing.

And the scale of the conflict was growing larger and larger.

The front lines had already spread to another Cheap Area.

Even at the main border, large-scale conflicts had begun to appear.

Generally speaking, the war between the two gangs had broken out in full force.

It would only intensify in the days to come.

But the good news was that the Core Area remained peaceful.

Aside from some rise in prices, everything else was basically unaffected.

After all, the location of the Core Area was near the center of the Bamboo Leaf Forest, which was close to the headquarters of the Bamboo Leaf Gang.

As long as the Bamboo Leaf Gang did not fall, the Core Area would not be in any trouble.

However, many residents in the Core Area did not have confidence in the Bamboo Leaf Gang.

Because in terms of strength, Black Iron Villa was a cut above.

Another few days passed.

The war between the two gangs intensified, but neither side had truly gone all out; they were still in the testing phase, and the situation remained a stalemate for the time being.

The residents in the Core Area were therefore still living in relative peace, without being too greatly affected.

Especially as time went on, everyone began to relax.

They felt that the two gangs probably wouldn't fight too fiercely.

At most, they would just trade blows at places like the border and stop once they made their point.

It wouldn't be long before they negotiated a peace.

Chen An felt the same, sensing that the Bamboo Leaf Gang and Black Iron Villa likely wouldn't take things too far.

After all, the leaders of both sides were Foundation Establishment experts who had been cultivating for a long time; it was impossible for them not to understand the principle that when the snipe and the clam grapple, the fisherman reaps the benefit.

PS: Setting out my bowl, begging for monthly tickets and recommendation votes!