Chapter 418

Chapter 418: Eradication of Bandits (Continued Five)

While the manager was writing the letter, Lone Wolf, or rather Wang Chen, was blending into the bustling crowd.

Two days prior, he had eradicated a den of bandits through a method akin to fishing, and in the process, unearthed a crucial mission lead.

The bandit leader, known as the Black Faced Demon, attempted to deceive his way out of trouble. However, under the influence of Wang Chen’s soul searching technique, he confessed to spying on a village widow during her bath in his youth.

Following this lead, Wang Chen tracked down the loose cultivator known as Lone Wolf.

From Lone Wolf, he extracted information about a communication channel used by the horse thieves, which ultimately led him to his current location.

The white tents he had observed earlier served as a hub for the Xuanyi Horse Thieves in Liuma Gather, not only for selling looted goods but also for procuring supplies and cultivation materials.

Given its significance, the manager was a trusted confidant of Xuanyi Dao Ren.

Initially, Wang Chen planned to capture the manager to extract information about the mission target.

However, upon reflection, he realized that Xuanyi Dao Ren would not have placed such a key figure here without substantial safeguards.

While capturing the manager might be straightforward, it risked alerting the others, thereby complicating the mission’s timely completion.

Thus, Wang Chen opted for a strategy to draw out Xuanyi Dao Ren by using the Golden Core Cave as bait, disguising himself as Lone Wolf.

To further entice the manager, Wang Chen revealed the Life Creation Cauldron, a significant lure.

The tactic proved highly effective; Wang Chen could clearly see the greed flickering in the manager’s eyes.

The likelihood of Xuanyi Dao Ren taking the bait was at least ninety percent!

The remaining ten percent hinged on luck, as unforeseen circumstances were always a possibility.

Wang Chen meandered nonchalantly through the market.

His appearance, while unusual, was not out of place in Liuma Gather, a melting pot of local herders, traveling merchants, and various loose cultivators.

The area was teeming with robust and formidable individuals, many of whom appeared more intimidating than Wang Chen.

Amidst such a crowd, Wang Chen remained inconspicuous.

He explored the entire market, purchasing local specialties such as Cang Niu beef, horse milk wine, and cheese—each offering unique flavors at remarkably low prices.

With just one spirit fragment, he could acquire a substantial quantity.

Wang Chen stored several thousand pounds of these goods in his storage bag, which had ample space, making it practical to stock up on provisions for future use.

As night fell, bonfires were lit throughout the market, their Blazing Flames casting light in all directions. The herders, skilled in song and dance, gathered around the fires, creating a festive atmosphere.

Wang Chen settled in a white tent that resembled a wine shop, ordering a platter of grilled meat and a jar of horse milk wine.

He enjoyed his meal while taking in the lively performances.

That night, he stayed within Liuma Gather.

By noon the following day, Wang Chen received a letter of crane paper from the manager.

Unhurried, he leisurely finished a hearty lunch before making his way to the manager’s tent.

Upon seeing Wang Chen, the manager, who had clearly been anxious, let out a sigh of relief and said eagerly, “My lord has agreed to meet you, come with me.”

Saying this, he pulled out a flying artifact.

“Wait!”

Wang Chen reached out to stop him. “I have no intention of meeting your family head.”

“What?”

The manager’s chubby face instantly turned a deep shade of purple. “Are you messing with me?”

“I wouldn’t dare.”

Wang Chen smiled cheerfully. “Your family head is a Purple Palace master; how could I offend him?”

His words carried a mocking tone that nearly choked the manager. “What do you want?”

“Since your family head agreed to the meeting…”

Wang Chen stated matter-of-factly, “I will decide the meeting place.”

The manager took a deep breath, suppressing the rage bubbling within him.

He was quite shrewd, but being led around by Wang Chen felt incredibly frustrating.

However, he could not confront Wang Chen outright; otherwise, it would ruin this big deal, and he could not afford to lose all his wealth.

He begrudgingly said, “I need to consult my lord!”

Wang Chen chuckled, “So go ahead and consult.”

The manager asked, “Where?”

“Right here, at Liuma Gather!”

Wang Chen replied firmly. “I’ll say it again, don’t play tricks; otherwise…”

Whatever the threat was, Wang Chen left unsaid, but the manager could clearly see his confidence and determination!

The manager quietly pulled out a talisman, quickly wrote a letter, and sent it off.

Wang Chen sat down leisurely, pouring himself a cup of tea.

After nearly half an hour, a falcon letter flew back.

The manager took it, opened it, and said, “My lord has agreed; he will arrive in two hours.”

“Very good.”

Wang Chen nodded, “I’ll see you then.”

He tossed a message crane to the manager: “I’ll tell you the exact meeting location when they arrive.”

By now, the manager had lost all his anger and nodded as he received the message crane.

However, deep in his eyes lurked a trace of unspoken malice.

Wang Chen left the white tents and went to the only real tavern in Liuma Gather, using spirit stones to book the entire top floor.

He waited for the big fish to come!

As dusk approached, he received a letter of crane paper from the manager.

Wang Chen replied to the letter.

He sat at a window seat, gazing at the flowing Lanqiang River not far away.

In the twilight glow, the river—revered by the herders as a mother—sparkled with countless golden scales, occasionally graced by the flight of wild swans; the scene was breathtaking.

“Lone Wolf, my friend, you have quite a taste for beauty,” a deep voice suddenly reached Wang Chen’s ears.

He turned to see three people at the stairway, the leader being a middle-aged cultivator in a blue robe with a kind expression and fair skin.

This cultivator wore a light smile and clasped his hands towards Wang Chen, saying, “I am Xuanyi.”

“You are Xuanyi?”

Wang Chen frowned, his expression darkening. “Get lost! If you’re Xuanyi, I’m the true immortal Qingxu!”

Qingxu was the Grand Elder of the West Sea Sect, renowned in the West Sea Spiritual Realm for hundreds of years, and one of the three Qing of the West Sea.

Though Wang Chen, or rather the Lone Wolf he was pretending to be, had never met Xuanyi in person, the middle-aged cultivator claiming to be Xuanyi exuded the aura of a Purple Palace cultivator.

Yet, Wang Chen could immediately tell that the man was an impostor.

He was neither Xuanyi Dao Ren nor a Purple Palace cultivator, and was most likely using some kind of artifact to disguise himself!

The middle-aged cultivator froze, looking somewhat flustered, clearly caught off guard by being exposed so quickly.

The manager beside them exclaimed in surprise, “Lone Wolf, did you misunderstand? This person is…”

“Enough.”

At that moment, a calm voice echoed in everyone’s ears. “You two may leave now.”

“Understood.”

The middle-aged cultivator and the manager both bowed and retreated to the lower level, leaving only a man disguised as a follower.

He smiled faintly at Wang Chen, “Lone Wolf, you have sharp eyes; I am Xuanyi!”