Chapter 64: A Minor Agricultural Official Dares to Snatch Treasure?

The straw figures climbed the mountain on foot, while Zhao Xing relied on the straw figures to climb the mountain.

He crafted a rattan chair and secured it with two bamboo poles on either side.

Then two Swift-Step straw figures made of green vines carried the rattan chair forward.

The remaining straw figures were scattered to the front and rear sides.

The farthest straw figure was sent out three li, which was also the limit of Zhao Xing's control.

Although the mountain path was steep, the three-li control limit was measured in a straight line, so it was already more than sufficient.

If anything stirred, Zhao Xing could know in advance.

"The straw figure art is truly useful." Sitting in the chair, Zhao Xing could not help but sigh.

The Swift-Step straw figures traversed the mountain path as if it were flat ground, moving even faster than he could himself.

"In the future I must study the Swift-Step straw figures more. When the time comes, a hundred-li rapid march will cost only one straw figure—saving both time and effort."

Additionally, among the straw figure squad there were four special straw figures, each fitted with two first-tier East Lake Pearls.

It was the sixth straw figure art Zhao Xing had only learned two days ago—the "Scout Straw Figure."

It granted Zhao Xing a second viewpoint.

With the other straw figures, Zhao Xing only had a vague sense. But with these four, he could see clearly.

The spell's grade was not high, merely at the first-revolution level, but it was already enough to see very far.

Less than two quarter-hours into the climb, Zhao Xing spotted the other mountain climbers.

Through the Scout Straw Figure's viewpoint, he spotted four climbers in a pine grove to his front-left, besieging two others.

"Fighting over loot?"

Zhao Xing was instantly energized.

He immediately ordered the straw figures to converge toward the front-left.

"Qin Feng, my brother and I don't want this low-grade Spirit Bloom anymore—why must you press us so hard?" One of them, a tall warrior wielding a battle saber and wearing soft armor, was under attack from two people. He kept parrying and roared in a low voice.

"Zhou Gang, only now you think to beg for mercy?" The cold youth, also wielding a saber, unleashed blade light and pressed the attack. "Hmph, too late. Last time during the night watch at the city gate, my brother-in-law had only had a little drink, yet you and Fang Jie insisted on detaining him. When I begged you, why didn't you show any mercy?"

"Bastard, your brother-in-law had only had a little drink? He was trying to break through the checkpoint! The commandery was strictly investigating Profound Heaven demonic men at the time—those were the rules, how could you and Fang Jie be blamed?" Zhou Gang was furious.

"Enough talk. I took you two for a pair of jerks back when I was at the Hucheng Martial Office! Now you fight me for treasure—old grudges and new, settled together!" Qin Feng pressed his attacks, his sword strikes growing fiercer.

The nearby Scout Straw Figure's eyes swiveled, taking in everything.

As for the sounds of their battle, they did not escape Zhao Xing's ears either; a gentle breeze carried the voices straight to him.

"Hucheng Martial Office? Officials from a neighboring county?" Zhao Xing stroked his chin, peering from afar with the Five Elements Observation. He instantly judged that these men's realms were all around the fifth or sixth stage of Qi Gathering.

Their moves were all similar—clearly taught by the same master. But four against two, the side with more numbers had already gained a clear advantage.

It seemed it was not only over the treasure, but then again, that made sense.

Under the same roof, minor clashes were inevitable—even blood relatives were like that, let alone mere colleagues?

Outside, etiquette and law held them in check; they saw each other day in and day out. But once inside the Spirit Mountain, with the Oblivion Stele present, they would remember nothing once they descended, so fights broke out easily.

Let alone with a treasure right before their eyes.

"Based on the sensing, that should be a low-grade Spirit Bloom." Zhao Xing looked in a certain direction. In that pine grove, a rotting log thick enough for two people to embrace lay on the ground.

On the upper end of the rotting log grew a gray lingzhi mushroom, with a ring of purple along its edge. The moment Zhao Xing looked at it, his heartbeat quickened slightly.

After assessing the battle situation, Zhao Xing reached a conclusion: it was doable!

"Go, quietly steal the lingzhi over."

Zhao Xing ordered two Entangling Straw Figures to sneak over.

The Great Strength Vajra was too conspicuous—even though Zhao Xing had specifically draped them in a grass cloak, they were still unsuitable for this kind of stealthy work.

The Entangling Straw Figures were different—their upper limbs could extend up to twenty meters! That meant they did not need to get close to secretly pluck the lingzhi.

The two Entangling Straw Figures crept forward, hiding from pine tree to pine tree.

The Entangling Straw Figures made of green vines were colored very similarly to the surroundings; without looking carefully, they were hard to spot.

Besides, the two groups were still fighting each other and paid no attention to anyone approaching.

"Rustle, rustle~"

The Entangling Straw Figures crouched down behind a pine tree twenty meters from the rotting log.

The vines extended slowly like spirit snakes, advancing along the ground, and soon reached beneath the lingzhi.

After wrapping around twice, a gentle pull and the basin-sized lingzhi was plucked right off.

The vines slowly retracted, returning to the Entangling Straw Figure's body.

Just as success seemed certain, unexpectedly the two groups fighting at the Hucheng Martial Office had already determined a victor.

The battle saber in Zhou Gang's hand had been sent flying, his arm bleeding profusely, the bone visible within. His companion Fang Jie had also been slashed in the thigh and lost the ability to fight.

Qin Feng immediately stopped, looking down at the two from above, his heart thoroughly pleased.

"Qin Feng, if you have the guts, kill us!"

"Kill you? Hmph, I'm not that stupid—how could I make such a mistake?" Qin Feng sneered, binding them up. "I should thank you two for finding this lingzhi… huh?"

Qin Feng's expression suddenly changed: "Where's my lingzhi?!"

On the rotting log where it had been, the lingzhi had already vanished!

"Someone's here!"

Qin Feng's accomplice sensed something was wrong and looked around. With sharp eyes, he spotted the straw figures turning to flee.

"Bastard! Who dares snatch food from the tiger's mouth!" Qin Feng was furious. He could not even be bothered to discipline Fang Jie and Zhou Gang, and the four immediately gave chase.

"What a useless bunch—how could they lose so fast? Didn't they say they were taught by the same master, so their moves couldn't be broken? They should've held out a bit longer at least." Zhao Xing had wanted to avoid fighting and only play the sneaky sixth man, but he had still been spotted.

The Entangling Straw Figures could not outrun Qi Gathering fifth or sixth stage warriors. Seeing this, Zhao Xing stopped hiding and laid his cards on the table.

"Gentlemen, please consider carefully before deciding whether to pursue."

The voice, carried on a gust of wind, drifted over.

"Swish, swish, swish, swish~"

At the same moment, over a dozen straw figures appeared in the pine forest, blocking the path of Qin Feng and his four companions.

"Hm?" Qin Feng was startled and stopped in his tracks.

But on closer look, they were only straw figures, and he flushed with annoyance.

Damn it—thought we were surrounded by a dozen men, turns out it's just a Farmer's straw-figure technique.

"Brothers, you go chase after it, I'll take care of these straw figures!"

Seeing they were only straw figures, the other three no longer hesitated and immediately set off in pursuit of the straw figure that had stolen the lingzhi, leaving Qin Feng alone to face these straw figures.

"I suggest you don't do that." The unfamiliar voice rose again on the wind.

Qin Feng pointed his battle-saber and said disdainfully, "Still putting on airs? A few measly straw figures think they can scare me? A puny Farmer dares snatch food from under a martial artist's nose? What a joke!"