Niu Zhenye had been frightened into silence by a single sentence from Lin Baichuan, but endless resentment and venom welled up in his heart. He wished he could swallow Lin Baichuan alive and flay him alive.
At that moment, Li Da narrowed his eyes at Lin Baichuan, then said in a deep voice, "We had been worried that you'd run into danger, but it's good that you're fine. We'll rest in this courtyard tonight and set off at dawn tomorrow..."
"Tomorrow? Captain, your injuries..." Lin Baichuan casually remarked.
"You needn't worry about that. The mission is important and absolutely cannot be delayed." Li Da waved a hand, cutting Lin Baichuan off. Pointing at one of the rooms, he said, "That's your room. Get some good rest!"
"Yes, thank you, Captain!"
After answering, Lin Baichuan did not waste any words. He pushed open the door and entered his room, sneering inwardly. Li Da really knew how to put on an act. He refused to believe that Li Da had not known Niu Zhenye had tried to kill him just now.
Still, he did not deliberately expose them, because there was no damned use in doing so.
Without evidence, he could do nothing to Li Da. It was better to take things one step at a time.
"What a pity. I'd originally wanted to ask Li Da and the others about how to use Earth Spirit Milk, but that doesn't seem possible now."
Lin Baichuan closed the door and muttered inwardly, Li Da and the others must be suspicious of me. If I deliberately ask about Earth Spirit Milk, it'll only deepen their suspicions. Better to be careful. Once this mission is complete and I return to the Demon Suppression Division, I'll make another trip to the Scripture Pavilion and look it up!
The Scripture Pavilion of the Demon Suppression Division contained everything under the sun. It was bound to have information on Earth Spirit Milk.
The night was deep and still, moonlight washing over everything like water.
In another room in the courtyard, directly opposite Lin Baichuan's quarters, Li Da, Niu Zhenye, Wu Xiaoqi, and Luo Kang had gathered.
Li Da was glaring at Niu Zhenye with a dark expression, saying coldly, "You were too impulsive today. You actually dared to make a move on Lin Baichuan with killing intent. It was foolish beyond measure..."
"I... Captain, I only wanted to deal with Lin Baichuan sooner. We could have said we mistook him for a thief and killed him by accident. It wouldn't have been impossible to explain." Niu Zhenye looked rather grim as he said in a low voice, "He's just a newcomer. Killing him would've been no big deal. Captain, you're simply too cautious. If you ask me, we should've finished him the moment we left the city."
"Shut up!"
Li Da flew into a rage, letting out a fierce roar. Veins bulged across his face, and his eyes turned blood-red. Niu Zhenye trembled from head to toe and immediately shut his mouth, lowering his head without daring to speak again. Even Wu Xiaoqi and Luo Kang could not help but shudder.
Li Da was a Senior Demon Slayer. Whether in cultivation or combat strength, he far surpassed them. Now that he was enraged, Killing Intent erupted from his body, sending chills through all of them.
"Captain, please calm your anger. Old Niu meant well," Luo Kang said, swallowing hard as he cautiously pleaded for Niu Zhenye.
"Meant well? I think he's simply stupid."
Li Da snorted coldly. "Do you think your little tricks can fool everyone? You dared to kill Lin Baichuan—do you really think Qin Qing is just decoration? Do you not know that woman's background?"
"This..."
Niu Zhenye froze, left speechless.
At that moment, Wu Xiaoqi said in a deep voice, "Captain, Qin Qing probably wouldn't go so far as to help a newcomer like Lin Baichuan."
"She won't help Lin Baichuan, but she will uphold the laws of our Demon Suppression Division. You all know full well what crime it is to slaughter a colleague." Li Da sneered. "Qin Qing is no simple person. She is definitely more than some Young Miss sent down from above to gild her reputation. You'd best be careful. Do not leave any evidence in her hands, or you won't even know how you died."
"No way! She... could she have some hidden identity? Could she be an inspector sent by the prefectural city to investigate..."
Wu Xiaoqi and the other two all shuddered, their expressions turning rather ugly.
"I don't know. I can't say for sure either. I just feel that woman is not simple. In any case, be careful." Li Da shook his head slightly.
"Then what about Lin Baichuan? Are we not going to deal with him? This is Captain Song's..." Niu Zhenye asked in a low voice.
"What are you in such a hurry for? Once we reach Yunshan County, are you afraid there won't be opportunities? It would be troublesome if the kid died by our hands, but if he died at the hands of demons, that would be entirely different." Li Da snorted. "There are plenty of demons in Yunshan County."
At those words, a sharp gleam immediately flashed in the eyes of Niu Zhenye and the other two.
In truth, that had been their plan from the very beginning: let Lin Baichuan die at the hands of the demons in Yunshan County. What happened tonight had merely been Niu Zhenye acting on his own.
The next day!
The rising sun climbed into the sky, morning light spilling over the land and illuminating the entire town.
Cooking smoke curled upward as the streets gradually grew lively.
As for the huge commotion from last night, it seemed to have been selectively forgotten. The corpses had all vanished, and even the blood around the inn's ruins appeared to have been washed away with water.
Lin Baichuan's group of five left the courtyard, each leading a Unicorn Horse as they ate breakfast at a stall.
The stall was not large, but business was quite good. Every one of its few tables was occupied.
A closer look would reveal that all these people were jianghu wanderers who licked blood from the edge of their blades. A few had even been martial artists who besieged Yin Kuisheng last night.
"Have you heard? Yin Kuisheng's body was found at Qili Slope, torn into pieces..."
"He's really dead? Then what about the Earth Spirit Milk on him?"
"No idea. A lot of people searched all night last night, but they didn't find the slightest clue. Who knows who killed Yin Kuisheng? That fellow was truly sinister. We all worked for nothing and ended up making a wedding dress for someone else."
"Natural Treasures like Earth Spirit Milk are only encountered once in a hundred years. We have to find it."
"Find my ass. The man died at Qili Slope. Whoever killed him and seized the treasure probably fled long ago. Who the hell knows where they've gone now? The sky is vast and the earth is wide—where are we supposed to look?"
At several tables, everyone was discussing the same matter.
Lin Baichuan gnawed on a large meat bun while drinking soy milk. He appeared completely unconcerned, but in truth, his eyes watched in all directions and his ears listened in all directions, taking in every movement around him.
He sneered inwardly.
These people still wanted to find him? They could go see ghosts!
"Captain, I didn't expect Yin Kuisheng to be killed after all. Someone must have been secretly watching the battle last night, then followed him to Qili Slope and killed him there."
Niu Zhenye took a vicious bite from his bun and said in great displeasure, "Damn it. I don't know who stepped in dog shit and got such a huge bargain. Yin Kuisheng must have been badly injured last night. We should've chased after him."
His face was full of unwillingness and fury. So many people had besieged Yin Kuisheng last night, only to be played by Yin Kuisheng in the end. He had detonated his Demon Core, taking out more than half of them in one stroke.
The few of them had survived by luck, but they had still been injured.
They had originally thought Yin Kuisheng had escaped. Yet early this morning, they received word that Yin Kuisheng had been killed and the Earth Spirit Milk had vanished without a trace. Niu Zhenye immediately regretted not pursuing Yin Kuisheng last night. Otherwise, that Earth Spirit Milk might have been theirs.
"Hmph... Chase? What were you going to use to chase him?"
As Niu Zhenye fumed with indignation, Qin Qing frowned slightly and swept him a glance, saying coldly, "All of us were seriously injured yesterday. You, on the other hand, only suffered superficial wounds. But if I remember correctly, you didn't have this attitude at the time.
What use is there in regretting it and spouting such nonsense now..."
"You, I..."
Niu Zhenye froze, then flew into a rage. Qin Qing's retort had left him humiliated, and he was about to argue back.
Before he could speak, however, Li Da slapped the table and said coldly, "Shut up. Hurry and eat. We'll be traveling soon. Who wouldn't covet a Natural Treasure like Earth Spirit Milk? But since we didn't obtain it, it means we were not fated for it.
Still, Earth Spirit Milk may be precious, but not just anyone can use it.
To refine Earth Spirit Milk, one must use earthfire to boil it and bathe in the medicinal bath. The process is incomparably painful. Anyone whose will is even slightly lacking might fail to refine the Earth Spirit Milk and die first instead."
As he spoke, Li Da cast an apparently casual glance at Lin Baichuan, who was lowering his head and drinking soy milk.
Lin Baichuan kept his head lowered, his expression calm, though a sharp gleam flashed in his eyes.
He vaguely felt that Li Da was seemingly chatting with the others, but was actually speaking for him to hear. This fellow was likely suspicious of him and was deliberately probing him.
Hmph, you want to test me? No chance.
Lin Baichuan snorted disdainfully inwardly, his eyes shining brightly. Still, I never expected that refining Earth Spirit Milk required earthfire. Good thing I didn't act on impulse and swallow it whole last night. Otherwise, I really might have exploded and died.
Before you continue