Grandpa Tail Returns, No More Suspicions

He checked the time. An hour had already passed. Huohuo anxiously awaited Grandpa Tail's return, while Bai Sheng glanced at the time again before taking out Pandora.

"A Sheng, are we going to find that Mara-struck Cloud Cavalry?"

Huohuo also took out her small banner. Perhaps it was because Bai Sheng was here, but Huohuo wasn't as scared this time. Normally, if she encountered such a situation, Huohuo would wait in a corner for Hanya or Xueyi to finish off the enemies before coming out to clean up the aftermath.

"Actually, Huohuo, if you're scared, you can just hide. I can handle it."

Bai Sheng saw Huohuo's slightly trembling legs.

"N-no, it's okay, I can do it. Please believe me, A Sheng. I won't hold you back!"

As if afraid Bai Sheng would leave her behind, Huohuo spoke these words very quickly.

"Then, what about Grandpa Tail? Can you... spare him? Can we let him reflect inside my tail forever?"

Huohuo asked.

Looking at Huohuo's worried expression, Bai Sheng felt a pang of something bittersweet in his heart for some reason. Still, he shook his head and said helplessly, "What else can we do? I'll listen to you and throw him back into your tail. You two have known each other for so many years, it wouldn't be right for me to get rid of him directly. I'll grab him back while I'm at it. But I won't be this polite to him again in the future."

After speaking, Bai Sheng suppressed the mental strain of controlling a large number of Spirit Puppets and began searching.

"Huohuo, keep up."

Bai Sheng led Huohuo through the crowded streets, conducting a thorough search.

The Spirit Puppets' coverage was extensive. Soon, Bai Sheng found a group of suspicious people. Among them, several were wearing Alchemy Commission attire. The person surrounded in the middle was wearing Cloud Cavalry armor! They were currently talking by a small alley entrance.

Bai Sheng quickly signaled Huohuo to stop, extending his index finger backward. However, he accidentally pressed it against Huohuo's mouth.

"Shh..."

Huohuo froze at Bai Sheng's action, her face blushing as she nodded.

Bai Sheng also realized his action was a bit too much and whispered, "Sorry."

Huohuo shook her head, indicating it was fine. Then, no longer dwelling on the minor incident, she focused on listening to the conversation in the alley.

"Old Li, after all these years, are you really content to remain an unknown nobody? We've known each other for over three hundred years. Join us, and the Leader will promote you. Then, you'll have whatever you want."

A yellow-haired man in Alchemy Commission attire said, placing his hand on the shoulder of the Cloud Cavalryman named "Old Li."

Old Li abruptly raised his hand and knocked away the hand on his shoulder.

"Get lost! If it weren't for you people, how would I have no way out now? I killed an Underworld Emissary, how can I go home to see my daughter!"

Old Li was very agitated. As he spoke, several golden-yellow ginkgo leaves grew from his Cloud Cavalry armor.

"Don't talk yet, Old Li. You're just afraid those Judges will come for you. Join us, join the Medicine King, Secret Transmission.

Leader will protect you, and you won't have to hide anymore. Don't you hate this half-human, half-ghost state you're in? Leader can make you human again. You won't have to tear at the Abundance blessings on your body every night.

Don't you want to see your daughter again?"

The yellow-haired man said with a smile, his eyes full of disdain.

"Don't you dare use my daughter to threaten me! If I had known you were from the Medicine Master's Secret Transmission back then, I would never have saved you from that group of Buli Ren!"

As Old Li's emotions intensified, more and more ginkgo leaves grew from his armor. Old Li clutched his head and fell to the ground in pain.

"Old Li, oh Old Li, why bother? I just wanted you to leave with dignity, but it seems you don't appreciate it. Then you can't blame me."

Just as the man was about to place his hand on Old Li, a ball of cyan flame suddenly erupted from Old Li's body.

"Ugh!"

The man yelped as he was burned and quickly withdrew his hand.

"Old Li, since you're so uncooperative, I won't hold back anymore."

After speaking, ginkgo leaves began to grow from the man's body. Countless ginkgo leaves emerged from his flesh and blood, and in an instant, the man transformed into an [Inner Core Disciple of the Medicine Master's Secret Transmission].

Seeing this, the people around them also transformed, turning into soldiers of the Mara-struck.

"Attack!"

At the man's command, the Mara-struck soldiers swung their arm blades and attacked Old Li.

However, "Old Li" merely smiled and dodged the attacks with a few swift movements.

"Really, if I wasn't afraid of having no food later, I'd scatter your ashes!"

The cyan flames on "Old Li" grew stronger. With agile movements, he took down several Mara-struck soldiers. However, these soldiers, with their high regenerative abilities, kept getting back up and attacking fearlessly.

"I thought this was some advanced ability, just controlling the Mara-struck and treating people from the Xianzhou as puppets. No wonder I couldn't possess them."

Old Li chuckled. Because the Mara-struck soldiers had tenacious vitality and no specialized weapons, they were impossible to kill. His body was becoming increasingly fragile, and he needed to finish this quickly.

To that end, "Old Li" directly engaged them, using a few martial arts moves to break the soldiers' arms. He then jammed their arm blades into their own bodies, preventing them from healing for a short period.

With that said, "Old Li" immediately charged at the Inner Core Disciple. The Inner Core Disciple was greatly surprised. From their interactions, he shouldn't have possessed such power. He could even subdue three burly soldiers.

"No, you're not Old Li. Who are you? How are you so strong?"

The Inner Core Disciple panicked. His combat strength was even lower than that of the Mara-struck soldiers. He was a coward and decided to flee immediately.

"Hey, hey, hey, you can't run away! If you run, that kid Bai Sheng won't give me back my energy!"

"Old Li" accelerated again, kicking aside the obstacles pushed by the Inner Core Disciple. With just a light punch, he sent the disciple to the ground.

"Hero, good sir, spare me! Don't kill me, I, whatever you want, I can give it to you, don't come any closer!"

The Inner Core Disciple panicked, sensing a chilling killing intent from "Old Li."

"I won't kill you, but the owner of this body doesn't want you to live. However, you're very useful to them, aren't you? Kid Bai Sheng, and little crybaby?"

"Old Li" turned his gaze towards the dark wall. As expected, two shadows then leaped out from behind it.

It was Bai Sheng and Huohuo.

"Not bad, Tail, you're really something. See? I told you so?"

Bai Sheng said to Huohuo.

Huohuo merely nodded slightly and said sincerely to Tail:

"Thank you, Grandpa Tail..."