Incitement

Wang Ping had originally planned to wait and see before stepping in to punish these bandits. Now that others were handling it for him, he naturally had no need to force himself into the spotlight. After the two knocked the bandits unconscious, they tied them together and interrogated them like Officials.

The bandits had hard mouths, but the Woman was no pushover either. With only a slight suggestion from her, the surrounding crowd of onlookers became fired up with righteous indignation and beat the bandits unconscious. If not for the two protecting them, they would probably have been beaten to death.

The clamor in the camp continued until the city gates opened. The two had no time to look for Wang Ping. Once day broke, Wang Ping also saw them clearly. Both wore Daoist robes and crowns on their heads. The female Daoist's robe was embroidered with fiery red patterns, while the other was a fat man wearing a gray-blue Daoist robe like Wang Ping's.

Wang Ping now understood why the two dared to interrogate the bandits so openly. The female Daoist's robe belonged to the True Sun Sect, and the True Sun Sect was Xia Kingdom's State Religion, with the duty to Oversee the World.

At that moment, a burst of commotion erupted from the camp. The female Daoist intended to take the bandits to the county Prefectural Office to answer for their crimes and wanted several people to testify, but most were unwilling, provoking her into a stream of furious curses.

In the end, only three Outsiders were willing to testify. The female Daoist dragged the bandits toward the city gate while cursing all the way, while her Companion spoke soothing words beside her.

At the city gate, the Gate Guards did not dare stop the female Daoist when they saw her robes. They could only send one man running to the Prefectural Office to report the matter.

Wang Ping maintained a Peaceful Heart as he observed everything. Looking at the camp, the city gate, and the merchants near the pavilion, he could not help thinking of the Buddhist Countenance of All Beings. Put together, they formed the so-called Sea of Suffering.

Wang Ping's heart was conflicted now. The Mystic Sect teachings he cultivated made him instinctively want to save those in the Sea of Suffering, yet at the same time, he wanted to escape this boundless Sea of Suffering as soon as possible.

Yulian poked out her little head, reading Wang Ping's thoughts and emotions. Following the thoughts within Wang Ping's Spirit Sea, she gazed down at the Countenance of All Beings below.

"I'm hungry..."

"Once the market opens, I'll buy you two live shrimp."

"Oh!"

Wang Ping lightly pushed off with his feet, leaping down from the tree and landing steadily on the Official Road beside it. He startled several Peddlers pushing carts of goods along the road, but they relaxed once they saw he was a Daoist.

There were a great many people traveling this Official Road, and it was also the main road leading to the south of Central Province. Running an honest business here could actually bring in money quickly. Unfortunately, desire was limitless.

Wang Ping smiled at himself, drove the jumble of thoughts from his mind, and walked calmly toward the city gate. After the Guards looked him over from head to toe, they let him through without even checking his ID Badge.

After entering the city and taking only a few steps, Wang Ping saw a stall selling steamed buns. He went over and bought two hot buns, then had the shopkeeper fill his Water Canteen. Just as he was about to leave, Yulian said softly, "Shrimp!"

Wang Ping turned his head and saw a barefoot Fisherman in the depths of winter, carrying a bamboo basket as he hurried toward the market. Wang Ping did not stop him, because he looked rushed. He was probably anxious to claim a good spot at the market.

"Why do you like shrimp?"

"The meat is tender!"

The county city's market was very small. After entering, Wang Ping felt somewhat nauseated, because it stank terribly and sold everything imaginable. The meat was wild game from the nearby Mountain Forest, all slaughtered on the spot, leaving more than half the market a bloody mess of flesh and gore. Livestock such as pigs, sheep, chickens, and ducks were sold whole.

After buying shrimp for Yulian, Wang Ping left the market as quickly as possible. Once Yulian had filled her belly, she wrapped herself around Wang Ping's wrist again and fell into a deep sleep.

Wang Ping did not intend to continue his journey today. He needed to find an inn for the night, take a bath, and change into clean clothes.

After finding an inn, bathing, washing his clothes, and preparing to sit in meditation and practice Qi Refining while waiting for them to dry before setting out again, his State of Mind was disrupted by sudden laughter from the courtyard outside.

It was that female Daoist from the morning!

She seemed to have encountered something that delighted her. She chattered endlessly with her Companion, bursting into laughter as she spoke.

He pushed open the door and stepped outside...

Wang Ping saw the female Daoist and the Fat Daoist seated on opposite sides of the Stone Table in the center of the courtyard. Hearing the sound, the two stopped talking, and the three looked at one another for Two Breaths.

"It's you!" The female Daoist recognized Wang Ping. "You heartless bastard."

"Fellow Daoist... please, come over here!"

The Fat Daoist rose politely and clasped his fists, pointing to the Stone Stool beside him in invitation.

Wang Ping also wished to befriend Cultivators from other sects and learn some truths about this world. His Master, True Man Yucheng, had never explained such matters to him.

"You are too courteous, Fellow Daoist!"

Wang Ping returned the salute.

Seeing Wang Ping return the salute, the female Daoist reluctantly did the same at the Fat Daoist's prompting. The three then sat together and began chatting. The female Daoist was indeed a Cultivator of the True Sun Sect, with the Daoist Name Feng Miao. She cultivated on White Crane Mountain in Mozhou Road.

The Fat Cultivator was unexpectedly from Wang Ping's destination, the Shangdan Sect. His Daoist Name was Cheng Ji. He had followed his Master since childhood, refining pills in White Crane Mountain, and had never visited the Main Sect in Hushan Kingdom.

From the two, Wang Ping learned that five days ago, they had pursued a Tiger Demon that had harmed people to this place. When they asked a roadside beggar for directions, they learned of the Camp Boss harming people and went to seek justice. In the end, the matter even reached the Prefectural Office, but the county magistrate ignored it for lack of evidence. Thus, they had kept watch outside the city and caught the culprits red-handed.

"Those beggars you saw last night were originally Travelers passing through. Not only did they have their Travel Expenses stolen, even their travel documents were snatched away. They could only beg around here like Savages. Some others became Bandits, but the Prefectural Office wiped them out some time ago."

After hearing this, Wang Ping furrowed his brow and stared at Feng Miao. "Do you think the matter is settled just because you caught those bandits and sent them to the authorities?"

"I'm not that stupid!"

Feng Miao glared at Wang Ping in displeasure, then said smugly, "I interrogated them and learned that the person directing them from behind was the city's garrison commander. He has already been seized by the Prefectural Office and was given Fifty Board Strokes on the spot. They beat him unconscious."

Among the many books Daoist Yucheng had collected were the laws of Xia Kingdom. Wang Ping had found them interesting and specifically studied them for a month. For ordinary Theft Cases in Xia Kingdom, punishment was generally administered on the spot. Once the punishment was over, they were sent home to nurse their injuries; there was no notion of imprisonment.

Wang Ping smiled after hearing this and said, "Let's make a bet. I bet that garrison commander was not hurt at all. In a few days, after you leave, he will reappear on the City Wall lively as ever and continue his old business."

"What do you mean?"

"This could never have been done by some mere garrison commander. Yuanning County's problem cannot be summed up by a mere Theft Case either."

Wang Ping urged, "If you don't believe me, sneak into that garrison commander's home tonight. One look, and you'll know what is going on."

Thousand Wood Temple had no connections at all in Mozhou Road. It would be very difficult for Wang Ping to handle this matter, but Feng Miao was different. The True Sun Sect was not only the State Religion, but also had followers throughout Mozhou Road.

At Xu Shi that night.

Wang Ping, meditating in his room, opened his eyes...

Just as he had expected, Feng Miao had taken Cheng Ji to the garrison commander's home.