Falling into the Tiger's Mouth

The room was set up with six or seven tables, all filled with martial artists and cultivators in various Daoist robes.

They drank and played drinking games, laughing and chatting, the aroma of wine and meat wafting outside.

"Haha, everyone enjoying themselves? Come, come, let me introduce the two new esteemed disciples from Lingbao Temple..."

Jia Song boomed with laughter as he entered.

Instantly, the six or seven tables of assorted martial artists and cultivators turned their heads in unison towards Li Qingyun and Zhao Yifan, their movements synchronized, their smiles stiff and vacant, like puppets on strings.

Li Qingyun's heart sank in alarm, a strong urge to retreat welling up:

This mess in Yinshan Town...

At that moment, Old Daoist Jia seemed to sense his shift in mood and looked over with a smile.

He pointed to the middle table at the front of the hall, speaking with an outwardly warm and amiable tone, but in a way that left no room for refusal:

"You two can sit at that table. There are fellow Daoists from Pengcheng Luoxia Temple, Hanshan Zijin Temple, and others. With so many esteemed individuals, you should have plenty to talk about. Surely you won't refuse this Vice Commander some face, will you!"

The martial artists and Daoists filling the hall, their eyes vacant and dazed, all turned to look at Li Qingyun and Zhao Yifan, as if echoing Jia Song's words, creating an immense pressure that forced the two to take their seats and join the drinking games.

"Meow..."

Just then, Big Black Cat Yuanbao, who had been sleeping soundly on Li Qingyun's shoulder, suddenly woke up. Its black fur bristled, and it let out a loud yowl!

The oppressive and heavy atmosphere in the room was instantly shattered!

On the middle table, two or three Daoist priests swayed. The dazed and vacant look in their eyes cleared somewhat.

Jia Song, you've been preventing us from leaving town to investigate the demon's traces. Instead, we're drinking and eating meat here at the Daoist Affairs Bureau every day, wasting precious time. What exactly is your intention!

A middle-aged Daoist priest in a Luoxia Temple robe, at the fourth layer of Qi Refining, slammed his palm on the table, glaring at Jia Song and shouting angrily.

"That's right! We've been here for so many days, and we haven't even been able to meet Commander Zhou!"

"I suspect the hauntings in Yinshan Town are a pretense, and you, Jia Song, have other plans..."

The other two Daoist priests who had regained their senses, one old and one young, from Hanshan Zijin Temple, also spoke up, pressing him for answers.

Jia Song's expression flickered, a sinister glint in his eyes as he coldly glanced at Li Qingyun and the Big Black Cat on his shoulder.

Then, his Mana surged. The frail old man instantly exuded an imposing aura!

He was at the seventh layer of Qi Refining!

"What, am I wrong for treating all of you to good food and drink these past few days?"

Old Daoist Jia's face turned cold. He surveyed everyone and then slowly said, "The situation with the demons plaguing this town is quite serious. We reported it to the higher-ups, but no one has come. Commander Zhou had no choice but to send out widespread requests for help, inviting all of you to lend a hand." He paused, then added as if kindly reminding them, "According to our investigation by the Daoist Bureau, behind the ghosts rampaging through Yinshan Town, there is a more formidable evil ghost. My gathering everyone here to drink and eat is to conserve our strength, waiting for more allies. Only by joining forces will we have a chance!"

"If any of you act rashly now and alert the enemy, enraging the evil ghost, causing it to slaughter the entire town and bring about the suffering of its inhabitants, who among you can bear the consequences?"

At these words, the three Daoist priests who had first regained their senses found themselves unable to refute him.

Everyone present had come to Yinshan Town through rewards, temple missions, and other means, intending to suppress the ghosts and bring peace to the people.

If the ghosts weren't eliminated, and instead, a large number of civilians died, that would be a grave sin!

The middle-aged Daoist priest from Luoxia Temple, with his quick temper, angrily downed his wine cup and then declared, "Since Vice Commander Jia says so, then I, Chi Hui, am quitting. I plan to leave town tonight and return to Luoxia Temple!"

Jia Song sneered, "Daoist Chi is free to leave if he wishes. Others are also welcome to go. After three days, I will not stop you! But for now, this concerns the secret ghost-suppression operation of our Daoist Bureau. How can we alert the enemy? If you make things difficult for me now, you are making things difficult for Yinshan Town..."

As he spoke, his Mana surged, and he suddenly roared:

"Where is Inspector Tu!"

Thump, thump, thump!

Intense footsteps echoed from outside. Under the flickering lamplight, a troop of soldiers armed with armor and crossbows surged in like a tide. The crossbow bolts glinted menacingly, aimed at the martial artists and cultivators inside.

Specifically, they were aimed at Li Qingyun, Zhao Yifan, and Chi Hui of Luoxia Temple.

A palpable killing intent filled the air!

Next, a burly man with tribal blood patterns painted on his face, clad in a mountain-style armor, strode forward with a stern expression.

His face was like a dark pool, and his hand rested on the long saber at his waist. "Anyone who dares to disrupt the ghost-suppression plan of Yinshan Town will not be spared by my blade!"

Inspector Tu exuded a powerful aura of Sha. He practiced a heretical path, but his cultivation was profound, already at the fifth layer of Sha Refining!

Chi Hui and the old and young Daoist priests from Zijin Temple turned ashen.

The other martial artists and cultivators in the room, with their vacant and dazed expressions, showed no change in emotion.

"Heh heh, Vice Commander Jia, Inspector Tu, why be so hostile? Let's talk things out calmly. We all came here to suppress ghosts and bring peace to the people..."

Li Qingyun suddenly chuckled, breaking the tense and oppressive atmosphere.

All eyes immediately focused on him.

Jia Song's gaze was dark and unfathomable, seemingly caught off guard.

A gust of cold wind swept into the room. Li Qingyun's Daoist robe fluttered. The Big Black Cat perched on his shoulder, and with steps that seemed slow but were surprisingly swift, he reached the middle table in just a few strides and sat down.

He picked up the wine pot, poured himself a cup, and with a smile on his handsome face, raised his cup in a toast to Jia Song, Inspector Tu, and the others. Then, he relaxed and casually drank it down.

"Since we're here, we'll follow Yinshan Town's arrangements. Senior Brother, you should come too. We've been traveling all this way without much rest. It's rare for Deputy Commander Jia to be so hospitable and arrange such a fine banquet!"

Li Qingyun smiled leisurely, beckoning to the tense Zhao Yifan, as if he didn't see the dozens of crossbows outside pointed at them menacingly.

"Junior Brother, you truly are carefree. I hope you have a plan for this Yinshan Town mission... it's really..."

Zhao Yifan was anxious and sighed twice before walking over and sitting at the banquet table.

Having experienced dangers together on their journey, a certain understanding had developed between the senior and junior brothers.

Li Qingyun poured wine for Zhao Yifan.

He then smiled and beckoned to Chi Hui, as well as the old and young Daoist priests from Zijin Temple, saying:

"Fellow Daoists, would you do us the honor of joining us for a couple of drinks?"

Chi Hui and the other two exchanged glances. Their expressions finally softened, and they raised their cups in acknowledgment. "You are too kind, Daoist friend!"

Thanks to Li Qingyun's lighthearted banter, the atmosphere was no longer so tense.

"Haha, isn't this better? If everyone were as sensible as Daoist Li, why would I have fallen out with you all!"

Jia Song watched Li Qingyun and the others down cup after cup, a smug smile spreading across his loose lips.

"Fellow Daoists, please enjoy your drinks. I'll have someone bring out more good food! As long as everyone follows the unified command and doesn't alert anyone by leaving town, everything else is negotiable..."

With that, Jia Song swept his sleeves and turned to leave the room.

Qin Qing's gaze swept over the wooden-like martial artists in the room. A fleeting look of pity flashed in his eyes before he followed Jia Song out.

The soldiers holding crossbows also retreated one after another.