Falling into the Tiger's Jaws

Six or seven tables had been set up inside, filled with wandering martial artists and cultivators in all manner of Daoist robes.

They drank and played drinking games, chatting and laughing as waves of wine and meat fragrance drifted outside.

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

Jia Song burst into laughter the moment he entered.

At once, the martial artists and cultivators at the six or seven tables all abruptly turned to look at Li Qingyun and Zhao Yifan as they entered. Their movements were perfectly synchronized, their smiles stiff and wooden, like puppets on strings.

Li Qingyun was secretly alarmed, and a powerful urge to retreat rose within him.

The murky waters of Yinshan Town...

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

He pointed toward the table in the center of the hall. Though he appeared warm and welcoming, his words brooked no refusal.

"You two should sit at that table. There are fellow Daoists from Pengcheng Luoxia Temple, Hanshan Zijin Temple, and elsewhere. As fellow disciples of the same faith, you should have plenty to discuss. You two wouldn't refuse to give this deputy commander some face, would you?"

The hall full of martial artists and Daoists stared blankly and vacantly at Li Qingyun and Zhao Yifan, as if echoing Jia Song's words. An immense pressure took shape, forcing the two of them to take their seats and drink along with the others.

"Meow..."

Just then, Yuanbao, the Big Black Cat that had been sound asleep on Li Qingyun's shoulder, suddenly woke. Every strand of black fur stood on end as he let out a loud cry!

The oppressive, stifling atmosphere in the room was instantly shattered!

At the central table, two or three Daoists swayed, and clarity returned to their vacant, sluggish eyes.

"Jia Song, you've kept us from leaving town to investigate the trail of the strange demon, making us drink and eat meat here at the Youdao Division every day and waste precious time. What exactly are you up to?!"

A middle-aged Daoist at the fourth layer of Qi Refining, dressed in the distinctive robes of Luoxia Temple, slammed his palm onto the table and glared at Jia Song as he shouted in anger.

"Exactly! We've been here so many days, yet we haven't even met Commander Zhou!"

"I say this haunting in Yinshan Town is fake, while you, Jia Song, having another agenda is real..."

The other two Daoists who had regained their senses—one old and one young, from Hanshan Zijin Temple—also spoke up to demand answers.

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

Then the aura of his spiritual power surged. Though he looked old and decrepit, he instantly radiated an imposing pressure!

He was actually at the seventh layer of Qi Refining!

"What, this deputy commander has treated you all to fine food and drink these past few days, and that was somehow a mistake?"

With a grim, icy face, Old Daoist Jia swept his gaze across the crowd before slowly saying, "The demons causing trouble in our town this time have made the situation somewhat serious. We reported it upward, but no one came. Commander Zhou had no choice but to send out pleas for aid far and wide, inviting everyone here to lend us a hand."

After a pause, he added as though kindly offering a reminder, "According to the Youdao Division's investigation, behind the ghosts wreaking havoc in Yinshan Town, there should be an even more troublesome evil ghost. I gathered everyone at the Youdao Division for food and drink and prohibited private action because we are raising troops for a single purpose: waiting for more comrades to arrive. Only by joining forces will we have a chance!"

"If you act rashly now and startle the snake in the grass, the evil ghost may fly into a rage and slaughter the entire town, bringing disaster upon all living beings. Who among you can bear the consequences?"

At those words, the three Daoists who had first regained consciousness found themselves somewhat unable to argue back.

Everyone here had come to Yinshan Town through bounties, temple assignments, and other means to suppress ghosts and protect the people.

If they failed to eliminate the ghosts and instead caused mass civilian deaths, that would be a grievous sin!

The middle-aged Daoist from Luoxia Temple had a fiery temper. Fuming, he picked up his wine cup and drained it in one gulp, then angrily said again,

"Since Deputy Commander Jia puts it that way, then I, Chi Hui, quit. That should be acceptable, right? I plan to leave town tonight and return to Luoxia Temple!"

Jia Song sneered. "Fellow Daoist Chi may leave if he wishes. The rest of you may leave as well. In three days' time, I certainly won't stop you! But at present, this concerns the Youdao Division's top-secret ghost-suppression operation. How can we startle the snake in the grass? If you insist on making things difficult for me now, you are making things difficult for Yinshan Town..."

As he spoke, his spiritual power billowed, and he suddenly shouted,

"Where is Inspector Tu?!"

Thud, thud, thud!

Dense footsteps immediately rang out from beyond the room. Beneath the swaying lamplight, a squad of armored soldiers wielding crossbows surged forward like a tide. Their bolts gleamed with cold light as they densely aimed at the martial artists inside.

In particular, they targeted Li Qingyun, Zhao Yifan, and Chi Hui of Luoxia Temple.

For a moment, Killing Intent filled the air!

Then a burly man in mountain-patterned armor stepped forward, his face painted with the blood markings of mountain folk. His expression was stern and cold.

His face dark as still water, he rested a hand on the long saber at his waist and said, "Whoever dares disrupt Yinshan Town's great ghost-suppression plan, do not blame Tu for showing no mercy beneath his blade!"

This Inspector Tu radiated intense Killing Intent. He cultivated an unorthodox path, but his cultivation was profound—he had already reached the fifth layer of Sha Refining!

Chi Hui and the old and young Daoists from Purple Gold Temple turned exceedingly grim.

The other martial artists inside, their eyes still vacant and dull, showed no emotional change whatsoever.

"Hehe, Deputy Commander Jia, Inspector Tu, why must it come to this? We can talk things over properly. We came here to suppress ghosts and protect the people..."

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

Everyone's gaze immediately focused on him.

Jia Song's eyes were shadowy, as if he had not reacted for the moment.

A blast of cold wind poured backward into the room. Li Qingyun's Daoist robe fluttered, the Big Black Cat sprawled across his shoulder. His steps seemed slow but were swift; in just a few strides, he reached the central table and sat down without ceremony.

Holding the wine jug, he poured himself a cup. His handsome face wore a smile as he raised the cup in greeting toward Jia Song, Inspector Tu, and the others, then drank it in a relaxed, casual manner.

"Since we have come, we should simply follow Yinshan Town's arrangements. Senior Brother, come over as well. We barely rested on the journey here, and it is rare for Deputy Commander Jia to be such a generous host and arrange such a fine banquet!"

Li Qingyun smiled leisurely and beckoned to the tense-looking Zhao Yifan, as though he could not see the dozens of murderous crossbows aimed at them outside.

"Junior Brother, you truly have a big heart. I only hope you have a plan. This Yinshan Town assignment really is..."

Anxiety filled Zhao Yifan's heart. After sighing twice, he still walked over and took a seat at the wine table.

Having faced dangers together along the way, the senior and junior brothers had already developed a measure of tacit understanding.

Li Qingyun poured wine for Zhao Yifan.

Then he smiled and called out to Chi Hui, as well as the old and young Daoists from Purple Gold Temple.

"Fellow Daoists, would you honor me by having a few drinks together?"

The expressions in Chi Hui and the other two's eyes shifted repeatedly. In the end, their faces eased, and they raised their cups in response. "You are too polite, Fellow Daoist!"

After Li Qingyun's round of joking and banter, the atmosphere was no longer so drawn like swords and bent like bows.

"Haha, isn't this much better? If everyone were as sensible as Fellow Daoist Li, why would I ever fall out with you all?"

Seeing Li Qingyun and the others drink cup after cup, Jia Song's slack mouth curled into a smug smile.

"Everyone, keep drinking. I'll have someone bring out more good dishes! As long as everyone follows unified orders and does not leave town to startle the snake in the grass, everything else can be discussed..."

With that, Jia Song flicked his wide sleeve and turned to leave the room.

Qin Qing's gaze swept over the puppet-like martial artists in the room. A trace of pity flashed through her eyes and vanished, and she followed Jia Song out.

The crossbow-wielding soldiers also withdrew one after another.