Unexpected (Please Follow, Please Favorite)

No matter how well some things were planned, deviations still arose.

For instance, at this very moment, Wang Ping had thought he was merely dealing with an ordinary corruption case in the county town. Yet when he followed Feng Miao and Cheng Ji's traces to the garrison commander's estate outside the city, he saw flames filling the sky and hurriedly cast a divination.

Sacred Divination!

He quickened his pace. As he approached the estate, he concealed himself in the darkness and looked toward the blaze. The first thing he saw was a group of fleeing servants, while amid the clamor came the sound of weapons clashing.

"There's a Demon!"

Yulian softly warned him.

Wang Ping's gaze sharpened. After casting another divination, he leaped onto the roof of the estate's main hall. There, he saw three armored Tiger Demons in the Backyard besieging Feng Miao and Cheng Ji, while several Archers waited in the nearby corridors, ready to strike at any moment.

This was a fight to the death!

Wang Ping forcibly suppressed the foul rage in his chest, flipped down into the corridor, and as his Steel Sword swept out, one Archer had his wrist tendons severed.

Before that Archer could even let out a scream, two more nearby had their wrist tendons cut. Only then did shrill cries finally echo through the night.

In the blink of an eye, more than ten breaths passed. The Archers in the corridor were no longer a threat. Among them was a Man in Brocade Robes who had merely been watching the show; Wang Ping had not only severed his wrist tendons, but also cut his hamstrings.

The three Tiger Demons had long noticed what was happening here. Once Wang Ping finished dealing with the Archers in the corridor, they exchanged glances, then worked in perfect tacit coordination to drive back Feng Miao and Cheng Ji before fleeing in three different directions.

At top speed, Wang Ping formed a hand seal with his Left Hand and pointed at the Tiger Demon closest to him, issuing a command: "Suppress!"

The suppressed Tiger Demon had only just Jumped Up when an immense force crushed down upon him, slamming him heavily to the ground. Then another invisible pressure descended, causing both his body and head to explode. As blood and brain matter sprayed outward, Wang Ping shouted at Feng Miao and Cheng Ji, "Chase them!"

Feng Miao reacted first. Flames burst across her body as she leaped after the Tiger Demon farthest from Wang Ping. Cheng Ji was not slow either, but as he Jumped Up, he launched a signal flare into the sky.

Wang Ping glanced at the Tiger Demon whose body had been crushed apart, silently recited the Calm Heart Art to keep himself Calm and Peaceful, then circulated the spiritual energy in his Dantian and rushed in the direction Feng Miao had taken.

Two Breaths later, he saw Feng Miao in pursuit. Regardless of whether her spiritual power could sustain it, she constantly swung her long saber, sending more than a dozen crescent-shaped blazing flames slashing toward the fleeing Tiger Demon ahead.

But the Tiger Demon was extremely agile and easily evaded the incoming flames. Besides, the Mountain Forest lay only ten kilometers away. Once he entered it, it would be nearly impossible for Wang Ping and Feng Miao to catch him again.

Wang Ping swiftly considered his options, only to discover that he had none. He gave up on pursuing. Though Feng Miao appeared reckless, she was no fool; as the Mountain Forest drew nearer and nearer, she could only curse and abandon the chase.

After the two met up, Feng Miao cupped her hands and said, "Many thanks to Fellow Changqing for your assistance."

"You're too polite, Fellow Cultivator."

Wang Ping returned the gesture, and the two hurried back to the garrison commander's estate. When they landed in the Backyard, they saw Cheng Ji standing beside the flattened Tiger Demon corpse.

"Does Thousand Wood Temple cultivate earth-vein arts?" Cheng Ji asked.

"No. This was passed on to me by a friend of My Master's," Wang Ping briefly explained.

"Then your luck is truly good."

"Why are you worrying about that? Deal with this mess first!"

With a leap, Feng Miao landed before the unconscious garrison commander. She quickly stopped his bleeding, then grabbed him and leaped onto the roof of the main hall. Forming a hand seal, she drew all the flames that had engulfed the estate into her body.

This world possessed the Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth Five Elements spiritual energy. The factions formed from them were known as the Mystic Sect. True Sun Sect was the Leader among Fire Spirits. Beyond the five great Mystic Sects, there were also two great Heaven Sects and countless minor paths.

"If there's nothing else, I'll return to rest first. To be honest, Fellow Cultivators, this is also my first time fighting someone." Wang Ping found an excuse. He did not wish to face the troubles that would follow.

"Fine!" Cheng Ji readily agreed, while Feng Miao sat cross-legged on the roof and meditated to recover.

County town.

When the Bell Sound rang at midnight, Wang Ping silently returned to his Inn Room. The first thing he did was sit cross-legged in meditation, clearing from his mind the images of cutting the Archers' wrist tendons and killing the Tiger Demon. He then slowly practiced a set of the Evergreen Cultivation Technique before settling his mind to cultivate Qi in meditation.

Morning.

The moment Wang Ping opened his eyes, he heard Yulian say, "So hungry." The previous night, he had relied on Yulian's senses to find Feng Miao and Cheng Ji's traces.

After feeding Yulian, Wang Ping completed one round of Marrow Cleansing before pushing open the door. Neither Feng Miao nor Cheng Ji had returned. When he went to the front to check out, he saw City Guard troops everywhere in the streets.

"What happened in the county?" Wang Ping asked the innkeeper.

"A notice was posted early this morning. The county magistrate and the garrison commander colluded with the Monsters in the mountains. Half an Hour ago, the Prison Cart transporting the county magistrate even passed right by our door. Those soldiers outside were dispatched overnight from the neighboring two counties. I heard that Immortal Masters from True Sun Sect even arrived on cranes this morning..."

The innkeeper's eyes shone as he spoke of the matter, as though he could talk about it forever.

Wang Ping simply listened quietly. After checking out, he bought some Dried Meat for Yulian. Just as he was about to set out, Feng Miao and Cheng Ji entered the inn.

"Are you continuing your journey, Fellow Cultivator?" Cheng Ji asked as he looked at Wang Ping's luggage.

"Yes." Wang Ping had told the two that he had been entrusted by My Master to deliver a letter to Shangdan Sect, but he had not revealed a single word of the specifics.

"This time, we have you to thank, Fellow Cultivator. When you return, remember to come find us at the Prefecture City's Daoist Scripture Hall in Changwen Prefecture. Senior Disciple Sister Feng Miao and I have been taking missions there these past years."

"If I have the time, I will certainly trouble you both."

"Also, you earned no small amount of merit in this matter. Here, this is the Gold Ingot exchanged for your share!" Feng Miao took out a thumb-sized Gold Ingot.

Wang Ping did not stand on ceremony with her.

The common currency in this world was the Gold Ingot, and Cultivators used it in trade as well. As for the legendary Spirit Stones, there were none. Spirit Wood and Spirit Grass did exist, though they could be exchanged for Gold Ingots.

"Also, if you're leaving now, we'll have to escort you out. The county town is already under martial law."

"Then I'll have to trouble you both!"

After leaving Yuanning County Town, Wang Ping quickly found the coastal Official Road in the direction Cheng Ji had indicated. As he traveled along this Official Road and gazed at the boundless Sea Surface, even his mood brightened.

Fishing Nets hung wherever there were Shallow Beaches along the coast. In some places, sections of the Sea Surface had been enclosed with Bamboo Slips. Wang Ping had originally wanted to travel by the sea so he could catch fish and shrimp for Yulian, but now it seemed that would not work.

Before nightfall, Wang Ping reached the outskirts of a Fishing Village. After buying fresh shrimp to feed Yulian, he intended to find somewhere outside to meditate and rest. But heaven did not oblige, and rain began to fall, so he could only borrow a Thatched Shed from a household for the night.

At some unknown hour in the Deep Night, Wang Ping suddenly opened his eyes. By the faint light, he saw a Calico Cat standing atop a low Ramming Earth Courtyard Wall with a mouse in its mouth, gazing curiously at him.

Wang Ping smiled slightly at the sight, then continued meditating and cultivating Qi.

The Calico Cat examined Wang Ping for a while longer before jumping down from the courtyard wall. It hid beneath the rainless eaves and enjoyed a hearty meal. While grooming its fur, it seemed to suddenly remember something. After several leaps, it climbed back onto the courtyard wall and stared at the meditating Wang Ping for a long time. Then it slowly moved over, sat beside him, and absorbed the spiritual energy gathered nearby.