Chapter 270: Howling Celestial Hound, Deploy!

Wang De looked at Shi Zhenhai, anger smoldering in his heart.

This idiot actually had this kind of attitude? Had he known it would be like this, he should have simply cut ties with Shi Zhenhai directly and left him to sink or swim on his own.

Although it would be like a warrior severing his own wrist, the Wang clan was not incapable of bearing the loss.

Shi Zhenhai sensed Wang De's anger and instantly froze. Was that necessary? Could it be he had truly become senile?

Even if they had defeated the Wang clan's guest elders, it didn't mean these few people could truly resolve Shi Zhenhai's problem.

One had to know, the Wang clan's guest elders — what immortal arts, what Daoist techniques — had no way to deal with Shi Zhenhai either.

As for that so-called giant beast that suddenly appeared, it was just a trick to deceive the ignorant masses.

Let alone cultivators, even some experts among jianghu charlatans could probably pull it off.

"Master, what do you think of this matter..." Sensing Wang De's fury, Shi Zhenhai had no choice but to lower his stance somewhat.

No helping it; who told him he was the Old Ancestor.

"What do you two think?" Tang Luo looked at Jin Gang and Tang Yuhan, soliciting their opinions.

If it was a mission, they would likely all three accept it simultaneously, and this kind of mysterious, puzzle-solving mission wasn't Tang Luo's forte.

To complete it smoothly, they would still have to rely on Tang Yuhan.

Why not rely on Jin Gang? The reason need not be spoken.

Jin Gang, very self-aware, looked at Tang Yuhan.

The atmosphere instantly became a bit strange.

It made Shi Zhenhai feel a certain disdain; the serious regard he had just raised because of Wang De's anger instantly vanished like smoke.

Letting a woman make the decision on such a major matter — this wasn't simply doting on a wife or concubine.

Only a live-in son-in-law or a kept man would be like this. Judging by this monk's appearance, could he be a pretty-faced gigolo?

However you put it, he was a fourth-rank official. Shi Zhenhai counted as a big shot; what scenes had he not witnessed?

Tang Luo's bearing as an attained high monk, his golden robes — to him they were also ordinary. He had seen embroidered pillows with even better appearances.

"Let's take a look first." Tang Yuhan said.

"Fine, we can go take a look, but whether we can resolve it cannot be guaranteed." Tang Luo looked at Wang De and said.

"It is already a great fortune that Master is willing to help; I dare not ask for more." Wang De lowered his stance even further. "It is already noon today; why not set out early tomorrow morning? Since Master has come here, I must certainly host you properly. Otherwise this lowly one will have no peace in eating or sleeping." Carrying a hint of pleading.

"Good." Tang Luo said. "Oh, no need to specially prepare vegetarian meals; this poor monk does not stand on such formalities."

"Ha." Wang De let out a laugh. "Master is a truly attained person; why would you care about such superficial gestures."

Flattery costs nothing; just throw it out there and it's right.

After flattering for a while, Wang De summoned several pretty and clever maids to lead the three of them away.

"Old Ancestor—"

"You're something else!" Wang De shouted in anger. "Your wings have hardened now; I can't control you anymore."

"Heh." Shi Zhenhai let out a laugh. "Old Ancestor overstates it; I am in the wrong." His attitude completely confirmed Wang De's words.

Wang Xingshan's childhood and the most important growing days of his life were spent by Wang De's side, taught by him bit by bit.

Shi Zhenhai was different; the number of times the two had met face to face was truly countable on one's fingers.

And at that time, Wang De was already a lazy old man who basked in the sun and slept long naps every day.

One couldn't expect Shi Zhenhai to treat Wang De with the same reverent respect as Wang Xingshan.

Doing the surface courtesies was enough; the Wang clan's patriarch was Wang Xingshan, and he was currently a Commandant.

After taking this position, it was no longer the Wang clan helping him, but him helping the Wang clan. Shi Zhenhai truly didn't need to care too much about the attitude of this old head who wouldn't live many more years.

Wang De gave Shi Zhenhai a deep look, didn't waste more words, and turned to leave.

"Sigh, senile old fool." Shi Zhenhai uttered a sentence, and left Wang Garden for the horse farm.

He still had father-son affection and respect for Wang Xingshan.

Night fell; the three of Tang Luo were arranged to rest in a luxurious separate courtyard.

Wang De and Wang Xingshan, the two of them, did not sleep, sitting in the study, candles lit, illuminating the room as bright as day.

Yet the atmosphere was somewhat oppressive.

"I was originally about to die too." Wang De spoke.

"Old Ancestor, how can you say that..."

Wang De raised a hand, cutting off Wang Xingshan's words: "No need for these words; we're not outsiders. My condition I know myself. If not for meeting Master, it would be just these one or two months."

"Originally I already stopped managing affairs, but this matter, this old man about to die, must absolutely meddle in. I had already prepared to exert my remaining heat before death to go beg some people; I didn't expect that little rabbit brat's wings have already hardened this much."

The Wei Suo matter was indeed rather serious, so Wang De only forced himself to hold on and investigate, having prepared to stake his old face and beg people before death.

Anyway he was going to die; the last bit of face, if not used, is wasted.

Hearing about the horse farm incident he also rushed over in haste; the result...

In the end he was treated by Shi Zhenhai as a senile old fool, completely looked down upon; how could Wang De not be furious in his heart?

Wang Xingshan wanted to speak but stopped; in his heart he leaned slightly toward Shi Zhenhai's judgment, feeling Tang Luo's group could not resolve this matter.

Better to focus on currying favor, taking the upper-level route.

Of course, he also wouldn't slight Tang Luo like Shi Zhenhai did; treating them as honored guests was a given. Tang Luo's trio's strength — glimpsing a leopard through a tube, one could see a spot.

Not to mention, making Wang De so respectful, they should have quite a background.

"I understand your difficulty." Wang De said. "Even if saved by Master, I have at most half a year left to live."

"Old Ancestor, you definitely can... we can go beg that Master Xuanzang." Wang Xingshan said.

Able to save the first time, perhaps he can save the second.

"Defying heaven's will, the price is not small." Wang De did not covet life; he had lived long enough. "Our Wang clan may not be able to bear it. For this rotten old man it's not worth it. These years without me, you've done not bad either."

"Old Ancestor." Wang Xingshan was somewhat moved.

"Enough," Wang De said. "I was saved once back then, and now again today — I'm already the luckiest person under heaven. Two truly immortal-like people, both encountered by me, Wang De, and both saved me. That's enough. To be insatiably greedy would invite heavenly retribution."

"Yes." Wang Xingshan spoke no further.

"One thing you must remember." Wang De's expression turned grave.

Wang Xingshan rose and said: "Ancestor, please instruct."

"Shi Zhenhai." Wang De said, "If Master Xuanzang cannot resolve this matter smoothly, immediately sever ties with Shi Zhenhai — the kind that lets everyone know our Wang family has fallen out with him."

"..." Wang Xingshan said nothing, but his widened eyes betrayed his inner shock.

"If this matter is resolved smoothly," Wang De said, "you must also begin keeping distance from him, find another backer. This man's ambition has already grown wild. Understood?"

By the end, Wang De's expression was stern and awe-inspiring.

"Yes." Wang Xingshan swallowed all his words and agreed.

"Good, then I can go with peace of mind." Wang De said, "Have the cook prepare some late-night snacks. It's been several years since I've eaten properly."

"Good." Wang Xingshan smiled. Being able to eat is a good thing.

Early the next morning, Tang Luo and his party headed to the Guard Post.

Perhaps Wang Xingshan said something to Shi Zhenhai, or perhaps Shi Zhenhai figured it out himself — regardless, Tang Luo and the others had come to help him.

Therefore his attitude was far more respectful than yesterday's.

Along the way he introduced the situation to Tang Luo's group quite seriously, and even handed over the roster of the missing persons.

Only now did the three of them receive the relevant mission: to truly resolve the Guard Post disappearances and ferret out the chief culprit.

Arriving at the Guard Post, he summoned his trusted subordinates and earnestly instructed them to cooperate with Tang Luo's group.

The subordinate qianhus nodded repeatedly — if the scandal broke, Shi Zhenhai might still have some chance of avoiding major implication.

But he would certainly be the scapegoat who couldn't escape.

Ever since the Wang family's enshrined expert disappeared last time, no cultivation practitioners had come to handle the Guard Post's affairs. The disappearances continued, unabated.

That Qianhu surnamed Xue was a hundred times more eager than Tang Luo's group.

Shi Zhenhai wouldn't stay at the Guard Post — maybe three to five days a month at most. After staying a short while, he left directly.

Qianhu Xue stayed by Tang Luo's side, beaming: "Masters, where shall we start?"

"Let Protector Tang handle it, Jin Gang together." Tang Luo played the hands-off shopkeeper.

Qianhu Xue glanced at Tang Yuhan, immediately averted his gaze, and nodded smiling: "Good, good."

This woman was truly beautiful — not to mention soldiers for whom "three years in the army makes a sow rival Diaochan," even the habitually pleasure-seeking Qianhu Xue stared with eyes gone straight.

But he knew well: now was not the time for ogling women.

"You two, come with me." Qianhu Xue said.

Jin Gang and Tang Yuhan departed to investigate, seeing if they could uncover any clues. For places unsuitable for Tang Yuhan, Jin Gang would go.

Even if he wasn't good at thinking, that was relative to those crafty old foxes.

Jin Gang wasn't an idiot — questioning and probing were naturally within his ability.

Tang Luo sat in a chair, hand lightly stroking Xiaotian Quan, eyes closed, beginning his daily injury recovery.

The heaven-and-earth Qi of this world was considerably more abundant than back then.

After over half an hour, Tang Yuhan and Jin Gang returned, carrying a stack of case files.

Qianhu Xue didn't follow them in, standing outside: "Just tell the little servants outside when you're done reading."

The Guard Post naturally didn't have only soldiers.

Shi Zhenhai might occasionally stay a few days as a token gesture, but Qianhu Xue had to garrison this place at least half the time — even if he guarded nothing at all.

Naturally there had to be people to serve him, and sometimes he'd even summon courtesans to enjoy himself.

"Any findings?" Jin Gang flipped through a few pages, got a headache, looked away — Tang Luo asked opportunely.

"Protector Tang found some things, but said she needs to think carefully." Jin Gang followed Tang Luo's form of address.

Tang Yuhan nodded slightly, didn't look up, kept reading.

Tang Luo tossed Xiaotian Quan; Xiaotian Quan jumped before Tang Yuhan, blocking her view, and lay on the table staring at her.

Tang Yuhan showed a faint smile, picked up Xiaotian Quan, and looked inquiringly at Tang Luo.

"The dog's nose is keen. Since there are leads now, no need for such trouble — let her help you find them." Tang Luo said, "If she catches the chief culprit's scent, whatever it is, it mostly won't escape."

Xiaotian Quan, deploy!

"Good." Tang Yuhan wasn't surprised by Xiaotian Quan's abilities.

However you thought about it, Tang Luo couldn't possibly just be carrying a mascot — yesterday at the horse farm she hadn't truly seen Xiaotian Quan transform, but she was clear on Xiaotian Quan's extraordinariness.