Chapter 413

Chapter 413: The Eradication of Bandits (Part Two)

Ji Yongtai had been stationed in Beiwang City for ten years.

As a Purple Palace cultivator from the inner sect of the West Sea Sect, as long as his mind remained untouched by Evil Spirits, he could maintain a firm grip on the city.

He was, without a doubt, the local powerhouse.

Wang Chen aimed to complete the mission of eliminating Xuanyi Dao Ren’s bandit group as swiftly as possible. Collaborating with Ji Yongtai to secure his assistance and support was undoubtedly the optimal choice.

The official from the Sect Management Department had conveyed the same advice to Wang Chen.

However, when Wang Chen approached Ji Yongtai for help in eradicating the bandits, the besieger wore a troubled expression.

“Junior Brother Wang, it’s not that I don’t want to assist you.”

Ji Yongtai furrowed his brow and said, “I desire to eliminate this bandit group even more than you do, but the majority of my cultivators are currently deployed to the surrounding towns.”

Though Beiwang City itself was not large, it governed a vast territory. Recently, the local villagers, herders, and mountain hunters had been frequently harassed by bandits.

To make matters worse, Evil Spirits were also wreaking havoc!

As the besieger, Ji Yongtai was overwhelmed. In addition to sending his Lesser Steward disciples to guard the area, he had also requested aid from the county government and the sect.

“I’ve already sent out six of my seven disciples.”

Ji Yongtai said with a bitter smile, “I cannot leave Beiwang City myself. I had hoped the sect would…”

He trailed off, but Wang Chen and Zuo Xiaomo understood his unspoken words.

Ji Yongtai had not anticipated that the sect would only dispatch the two of them to deal with Xuanyi Dao Ren’s bandit group.

Embarrassed, he scratched his head and laughed awkwardly.

Wang Chen pondered for a moment before saying, “Senior Brother Ji, since that’s the case, I’ll find a way to manage on my own. Could you arrange a place for us to stay and grant us permission to recruit loose cultivators in Beiwang City to form a team for the eradication of the bandits?”

“That’s easily done!”

Ji Yongtai immediately thumped his chest and said, “I have a private residence in the city that you can use. I’ll have a recruitment announcement posted first thing tomorrow morning.”

Wang Chen clasped his fists in gratitude, “Thank you, Senior Brother!”

“It’s nothing.”

Ji Yongtai waved his hand and added, “I’ll also prepare a batch of battle cultivator gear and supplies for you.”

Wang Chen smiled warmly, “Excellent!”

The atmosphere between host and guests was harmonious.

As it was already late, Ji Yongtai arranged for Wang Chen and Zuo Xiaomo to stay in the guest quarters of the besieger’s office that night.

“Brother Wang.”

Once inside the room, Zuo Xiaomo couldn’t help but ask, “Are we truly going to recruit loose cultivators in the city?”

With only half a month remaining until the outer sect assessment, and deducting two days for travel, they had barely ten days to complete this daunting task. It hardly seemed sufficient.

Now, with Ji Yongtai unable to spare any personnel, how much time would recruiting loose cultivators take?

Zuo Xiaomo suddenly felt the future looked bleak.

“Recruit!”

Wang Chen waved his hand and set up magical restrictions in the room to ensure that his conversation with Zuo Xiaomo wouldn’t be overheard.

He said in a deep voice, “We not only need to recruit loose cultivators, but we also need to do it with great fanfare. It’s best if all the cultivators in the Beiwang City area know about it!”

Zuo Xiaomo looked confused, “Huh?”

Wang Chen smiled slightly, “This task will be up to you. Stay in the city to recruit people and keep an eye on Ji Yongtai.”

Zuo Xiaomo felt a chill in his heart, “Do you think there’s something wrong with Senior Brother Ji?”

Wang Chen called Ji Yongtai by name without a hint of respect. If Ji Yongtai was not the problem, then he must have issues!

Wang Chen nodded, “I suspect he has a connection to Xuanyi Dao Ren.”

“How can this be possible!”

Zuo Xiaomo exclaimed, “Xuanyi Dao Ren is the leader of the bandits, and he is the besieger of Beiwang. Without him reporting to the sect, there wouldn’t even be this eradication task!”

Bandits harming the locals would naturally make the besieger their sworn enemy, yet Wang Chen claimed that Ji Yongtai was colluding with Xuanyi Dao Ren, completely shattering Zuo Xiaomo’s perception.

Zuo Xiaomo didn’t doubt Wang Chen, but he found this thought hard to accept!

A spark of realization hit him, “Brother Wang, do you have evidence?”

To his surprise, Wang Chen shook his head, “No evidence, only intuition.”

Tonight, Ji Yongtai appeared to be flawless in front of them.

He complained to them, expressing his heartfelt feelings.

However, Wang Chen sensed that the other’s words and actions were filled with falsehood or were merely an act!

When this besieger spoke of Xuanyi Dao Ren, he looked as if he hated him with all his heart, yet there was not a ripple of emotion in his eyes.

He even made a point to display his rough-and-tumble personality and carefree manner.

The overall impression was of a straightforward person, seemingly without tricks or schemes!

But Wang Chen had an exceptionally keen perception, and he never judged by superficial words but relied entirely on his intuition. He could tell whether someone’s intentions were good or evil, sincere or hypocritical.

He had never been wrong in these judgments!

Of course, Wang Chen had no evidence to prove that Ji Yongtai was colluding with Xuanyi Dao Ren.

Zuo Xiaomo was speechless.

Wang Chen smiled and said, “If I’m wrong, then that’s wonderful, but we cannot be careless. Your task is to remain in the city. If any problems arise, send me a talisman immediately.”

For this task, Wang Chen had specifically exchanged a batch of specially made communication talismans from the sect.

The speed and distance of the communication talismans couldn’t match that of a flying sword, but their advantage lay in being discreet, making them hard to detect or intercept.

Zuo Xiaomo nodded and asked, “What about you?”

Wang Chen said with deep meaning, “I’ll go into closed-door cultivation.”

The next morning, under Ji Yongtai’s arrangement, Wang Chen and Zuo Xiaomo moved into the besieger’s private residence.

Though it was a private home, its scale and layout were comparable to that of large noble families, with hundreds of servants and maids inside.

At the same time, the recruitment announcement for loose cultivators was posted at the city gate and throughout the streets and alleys of Beiwang City.

Ji Yongtai said, “Junior Brother Wang, if you need anything else, just let me know!”

Wang Chen replied with a smile, “Thank you, Senior Brother. For now, I have no need to trouble you. I’ve assigned the task of recruiting loose cultivators to Junior Brother Zuo, and I need to enter closed-door cultivation to break through.”

“Enter closed-door cultivation to break through?”

Ji Yongtai was taken aback, “Junior Brother Wang, you’re going to break through to the third level of the Purple Palace so soon?”

The true age of cultivators, especially high-level Qi Training cultivators, often cannot be judged from their appearance.

But as long as they don’t excessively hide their aura and appearance, experienced cultivators can guess quite accurately.

Zuo Xiaomo was very young, but Wang Chen was even younger!

It was already impressive that so young a Wang Chen had reached the second layer of the Purple Palace, which made Ji Yongtai secretly envious.

He never expected that Wang Chen was now actually about to break through to the third level.

Ji Yongtai’s own cultivation level was only at the third level of the Purple Palace, and he was much older than Wang Chen.

This was a Golden Core seed!