Chapter 359

At night, inside the Hua family's great camp, the noise of people was booming.

The artisans who had gone out to survey had all returned, and the erected tower was still drilling downward at the slowest speed; if it struck a vein and released earth qi, a formation restriction would naturally notify those in the camp.

Bonfires were everywhere; the Hua and Ren family guards had brought in wild beasts, cleaned them, and placed them on the bonfires to smoke and roast.

Also, the Ren family's transport team delivered a large amount of poultry and livestock, which, under the skillful hands of the cooks, was prepared to fragrance that spread far and wide.

In each big pot, thick stew was simmered, rice, wheat rice, and mixed grains were cooked; hot steam billowed out in all directions, making the artisans, guards, laborers, and servants drool.

Only near the few tents occupied by Wu Tie were the lights dim and flickering, almost as if ghostly shadows could be seen swaying.

No one prepared food for them, no one asked if they were hungry, and even when the lamp oil in the tents burned out and the candles guttered, no one brought new oil or candles.

'Goo~goo-goo~'!

Wu Tie rubbed his growling belly and gave a 'hehe' chuckle.

Whether Foundation Establishment, Perceiving Profound Realm, Chonglou Realm, Life Pool Realm, or even Embryo Storage Realm, cultivators still have the desire for food and drink.

The stronger the body, the more energy and substance it needs to replenish.

Every cultivator is a big eater; high-level cultivators of the Life Pool Realm and Embryo Storage Realm are super big eaters.

However, such high-level cultivators of the Life Pool Realm and Embryo Storage Realm either take spirit pills or eat spirit beasts and birds of prey, which contain vast heavenly-earth essence and huge amounts of nutrition, making their appetites seem small.

If they really let loose, even the weakest Life Pool Realm cultivator could eat at least a dozen ordinary, domesticated old yellow cows with no special bloodline in one meal.

And Wu Tie's bodily functions are now absurdly strong; his flesh rivals that of a body-training expert of the Embryo Storage Realm, so even a lump of ordinary alloy shoved into his gut would be easily digested by him.

Thus Wu Tie's appetite has become extremely terrifying.

When cultivating, the influx of heavenly-earth essence from outside keeps his stomach from feeling too hungry; but when not cultivating, as his body's natural reaction kicks in, Wu Tie feels as if nearly a dozen tentacles are thrusting out of his throat, longing to snatch the fragrant roasted beasts from the distant bonfires and swallow them whole.

He produced a Divine Martial Army-secretly manufactured 'marching pill'; the egg-sized pill glowed in the darkness. It is marching rations refined by the Divine Martial Army, which gathered the essence of the five grains, tempered the blood and flesh essence of ferocious beasts and birds of prey, assisted by various precious medicinal ingredients, using alchemical secrets.

Such a tiny pill contains energy and nutrition comparable to a hundred old yellow cows; taking one, an ordinary Life Pool Realm cultivator can endure for about half a month without thirst or hunger.

But its texture… is like a stone lump smeared with blood plasma—fishy-smelling, extremely hard, and it scrapes the throat.

After staring at the marching pill for a while, Wu Tie shoved it back into his sleeve and gave a heavy cough.

The Divine Martial Army and City Defense Army soldiers around him were also starving, their bellies growling; the Divine Martial Army soldiers still had spare marching pills on them, but these City Defense Army soldiers had come in a hurry and had made no preparations.

Wu Tie gave a light shout, lifted his head and chest, and strode toward the nearest bonfire.

A Ren family guard captain, holding a horn-tipped dagger, was about to slice a piece of meat from the golden-roasted thigh of a white-foreheaded, hanging-eye, winged tiger when Wu Tie suddenly appeared beside him and lightly pushed his right hand on the captain's shoulder.

This Ren family guard captain turned out to be at the half-step Embryo Storage Realm in cultivation, practicing the Ren family's hereditary art.

But under Wu Tie's hand, the guard captain, after a light push, instantly lost his footing, staggered sideways for dozens of steps, and slammed headfirst into the neighboring bonfire, burning his hair and eyebrows to blue smoke and setting his clothes ablaze.

"Hey..." a group of Ren family guards leapt up.

"Thank you, thank you, I, representing the Divine Martial Army, thank you for your hospitality," Wu Tie chuckled 'hehe', kicked the two guards who instinctively swung at him, one each, sending them crashing to the ground, then burst into loud laughter.

"Ashamed, ashamed, I, Huo Xiong, have achieved nothing yet, and you all have prepared fine wine and dishes to comfort the troops; truly I am ashamed." Wu Tie laughed loudly, and a fierce, abnormal qi surge burst from beside him, spreading outward and violently shaking back the Hua and Ren family guards near seven or eight bonfires.

"Rest easy, the safety of this camp, I, Huo Xiong, say it's solid, no problems at all!" Wu Tie slapped his chest in a carefree manner and waved to his subordinates behind him: "What are you standing there dumbfounded for? Don't waste the Ren family's generous hospitality."

"Hurry up, eat, drink, then return to the tents to sleep." Wu Tie gave a half-smile glance at the flustered Ren Duxing approaching, and said softly: "Tonight you must rest your spirit well; come daytime, we still need to guard the camp."

Ren Duxing led a large group of guards over, stopping by the bonfire and staring fixedly at Wu Tie.

Wu Tie looked at Ren Duxing with a cheerful smile and said slowly: "Young Master Ren, thank you, thank you, you actually prepared fine food and wine for us… too kind… but the Divine Martial Army's regulations are strict; fine wine and food are enough, we don't need beauties."

"I didn't…" Ren Duxing opened his mouth to roar.

"You don't welcome the Divine Martial Army?" Wu Tie cut off Ren Duxing's words, lowering his body slightly like a wolf preparing to pounce, fixing his gaze on Ren Duxing: "Or perhaps you harbor dissatisfaction toward our Divine Martial Army…"

"The Divine Martial Army is directly under the Great Jin Divine State's Ministry of War, directly under the Divine Martial Hall's command, directly mobilized by the Divine Emperor's Majesty… Our Divine Martial Army can be called the elite guard of the Great Jin Divine State." Wu Tie spoke rapidly: "Dissatisfaction with my Divine Martial Army is dissatisfaction with the Divine Martial Hall, with the Great Jin Ministry of War… it is…"

"Dissatisfaction with our Great Jin Divine Emperor!" Wu Tie pointed at Ren Duxing's nose and said coldly: "Watch every word you are about to say, every sentence… if you speak wrong, it will cost you your life!"

Ren Duxing trembled all over with anger.

He stared dead at Wu Tie for a long while, then suddenly gave a bewitching smile: "What did Captain Huo say? As for the Divine Martial Army, our Ren family… is able to supply the officers with food and drink; that is our Ren family's great honor!"

Ren Duxing laughed brightly: "Really, no need for beautiful attendants? Five hundred eighty-one beauties can't be gathered at once, but preparing thirty or fifty beauties for Captain Huo, our Ren family can still manage."

Wu Tie looked at Ren Duxing and smiled: "I dare not, I dare not… the military law is strict, I really dare not."

Ren Duxing nodded with a smile: "Then, eat well, drink well. Hmm, night watch duty won't trouble Captain Huo and the other officers… gentlemen, rest well, hehe!"

Ren Duxing gave a smile that didn't reach his eyes, tugged at the corner of his mouth, then turned and walked away.

A throng of guards escorted Ren Duxing away; Ren Duxing walked to a bonfire several dozen zhang away and suddenly kicked one of his own servants flying.

"Damn!" Ren Duxing cursed.

Wu Tie watched Ren Duxing's retreating back with a cheerful smile, then after a moment he beckoned his subordinates: "Come, eat, eat, drink, drink… hmm, when sleeping at night stay a bit alert, hehe."

When Wu Tie and his party were not present, the Hua family camp was also lively at night.

The artisans and guards were drinking and making merry, some were gambling in groups, some were wrestling and playing, and even the Hua and Ren family spell cultivators were matching their divine abilities, performing tricks like producing melons from empty basins, gold from empty basins, lotuses from flat ground, and heavenly-reaching ropes to amuse each other.

When Wu Tie and his party arrived, the atmosphere of the entire camp turned very cold and quiet.

Everyone finished eating and drinking, then retreated into their tents to rest.

The whole camp was silent, save for the Hua and Ren family guards on night patrol drifting slowly through mid-low air.

Each guard, as he drifted past Wu Tie's tent, would glare fiercely at it; if their gazes had lethal force, Wu Tie would surely have been turned into a sieve, and the finest kind used for sifting flour.

Wu Tie sat cross-legged in his tent, not resting.

He was waiting, waiting for someone from the Hua or Ren family to show a flaw.

He had seen that Hua Xin Xin had obviously fallen into the Ren family's scheme, and the Hua family's dispatch of so many prospecting teams this time certainly had a hidden spy.

But where lies the crux of the problem?

This survey team—are they looking for ore, or something else?

Ren family members have also gotten involved… suspicion is great; if Wu Tie hasn't guessed wrong, among the Hua team only a handful would be suspect, whereas every Ren person would be suspect.

A wisp of black smoke suddenly rose silently from the ground before Wu Tie.

Wu Tie suddenly lifted his head, drew his six-tempered saber, about to strike down, when from the black smoke an arm extended, its palm gripping a blood-red token that it swayed. Wu Tie abruptly halted his motion and, with a backhand, laid the saber on the cot.

"Forbidden Demon Hall?" Wu Tie looked at the sturdy man who walked out of the black smoke, his whole body wearing tight dark-light black leather soft armor, gritting his teeth and sneering coldly: "You guys this time, what tricks are you playing? The information you gave is vague and unclear—what exactly do you want to do?"

The sturdy man gave Wu Tie a deep look, without answering his question: "Divine Martial Army Eighth-rank Colonel Huo Xiong?"

"It's me!" Wu Tie said in a deep voice: "What business do you have?"

"The Hall Master of the Hengguo branch hall in the Forbidden Demon Hall thinks highly of you." The sturdy man flipped his palm, producing a small windmill over a foot long, exquisitely crafted, and handed it to Wu Tie.

"This is a Thrice-refined Immortal Weapon Myriad Blade Chariot; once activated, as the windmill moves, it unleashes a million flying blades that tear through the air to kill. Below the Fetal Storage Realm, contact means certain death; even a Fetal Storage Realm expert, if trapped for too long, will also be severely wounded by it." The sturdy man said coldly: "Especially when refining the Myriad Blade Chariot, a thread of innate fire toxin was infused inside; those killed or wounded have the fire toxin clinging to them, making healing… extremely difficult, extremely difficult."

"This treasure's power is immense, and being an Immortal Weapon, it needs no refinement; you can use it right away and fully unleash its maximum power." The sturdy man's eyes flashed with a hint of envy and jealousy as he said in a deep voice: "The Hall Master has instructed you to act well; if this time… the Hua family troop here really stirs up some trouble, and you achieve merit, the Hall Master can guarantee your future in the Divine Martial Army."

Wu Tie stared for a good while, then slowly took over the Myriad Blade Chariot that looked like a child's toy.

Thrice-refined Immortal Weapon?

My goodness!

Wu Tie possesses many fine items on him—the White Tiger Fissure, the Reincarnation Pagoda, the Tree of Abundance; speaking of their grades, they are all far superior to Immortal Weapons.

But precisely because these treasures are too powerful, Wu Tie's current cultivation cannot possibly unleash their true power.

This Thrice-refined Immortal Weapon actually needs no refinement; you can pick it up and use it right away, unleashing its full power?

A million flying blades kill; contact means certain death for those in the Life Pond Realm?

Even if one is trapped in the Fetal Storage Realm, they will be severely wounded?

Moreover, the flying blades contain a thread of innate fire toxin?

Ah, such a sinister and vicious weapon—how did you forge it? But Wu Tie likes it!

Gripping the Myriad Blade Chariot tightly in his hand, Wu Tie said in a deep voice: "Forbidden Demon Hall, how can you interfere in the affairs of our Divine Martial Army?"

The sturdy man seemed to have received prior instructions, knowing Wu Tie would ask such a question, he said softly: "Our Forbidden Demon Hall has supervisory authority over all the armies of the Divine Nation; you are merely a lowly eighth-rank colonel, your future is just a word from the Hall Master."

Wu Tie pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded: "In that case, I, Huo Xiong, will get promoted and make a fortune. The Hua family troop indeed has something strange; the Ren family people are extremely strange."

The sturdy man's body gradually turned into a wisp of black smoke.

"We have someone watching this place; we know what you said… but lately the Forbidden Demon Hall is under tremendous pressure, severely short-staffed… do your job well, achieve results, and the Hall Master will take notice."

The black smoke vanished, leaving only the Myriad Blade Chariot in Wu Tie's hand emitting a faint sharp aura, so tangible.

Wu Tie couldn't help but curl his lips.

Thrice-refined Immortal Weapon…

Immortal Weapon, ah, this is the kind of precious treasure standard issue for high-ranking generals of the third, second, and first rank in the Divine Martial Army.

Setting aside the preciousness of Immortal Weapons, for someone of 'Huo Xiong's status to possess a legitimate Immortal Weapon that can be openly used is all the more rare and valuable.

Wu Tie chuckled lightly, beginning to nourish the Myriad Blade Chariot with his magical power.

Although this Thrice-refined Immortal Weapon can be used without refinement, constantly nourishing it with one's own magical power makes its activation faster, control more precise, and thus its true combat power naturally greater.

The night passed without incident.

Over the next few days, Wu Tie led a group of subordinates to rampage through the Hua family camp.

Apart from the tent where Hua Xin was indulging in pleasure, which he did not enter, he carefully screened every other part of the camp.

Faintly visible, the killing intent in the eyes of Ren Shanwen and Ren Dexing grew day by day, but they ultimately endured it.

On the twelfth day after Wu Tie entered the camp.

Lu Ran's survey team had already surveyed over a thousand li to the southwest.

Because round-trip travel was inconvenient, Lu Ran led people to establish a new camp in those mountains and forests, and Wu Tie naturally brought a portion of his troops to garrison the new camp.

On the third day after moving into the new camp, a low rumbling sound came.

Beneath a drilling tower, a thick black-and-red earth-pulse energy as wide as a water jar shot up along the drill rod, then was quickly suppressed by Lu Ran controlling the sealing formation on the tower, pressing this earth energy down.

Wu Tie leapt to the side of the drilling tower, laughing as he asked Lu Ran: "Master Lu, what have we found here?"

Lu Ran furrowed his brows, keeping a stern face and staying silent.

Wu Tie's heart suddenly leapt… Could it be that thing has come?