Boat Gang, Refining Corpse Sect, Experts Gathered

"Sky Patrol Guard?"

Hearing the visitor's question,

Li Minghuai frowned instinctively.

"Why had they come to the Daoist temple so late?"

It was not as though Sky Patrol Guards had never visited the Daoist temple before. When master had still been alive, people had come calling—but always during the day.

Who visited at night?

Zhang Chu was curious as well.

Why was an expert drawing the Imperial Court's salary not enjoying himself at the County Yamen, but running to a Daoist temple in the dead of night?

"I'll take a look." Zhang Chu walked over.

"Creak." As the gates opened, a middle-aged man came into view, carrying a flask of aged wine.

The instant he saw Zhang Chu, a trace of inscrutable surprise flashed through the eyes of the middle-aged man, Jin Mu.

When he had heard his subordinates' report earlier, he had doubted Zhang Chu's strength. He had not expected the rumors to be true.

This impossibly young Daoist priest before him gave him a feeling no less formidable than that of a seasoned Jianghu veteran.

"A hero indeed emerges in his youth. I am Jin Mu of the Sky Patrol Guard. I apologize for disturbing you so late at night, Daoist Priest Zhang."

Jin Mu smiled and spoke courteously.

Zhang Chu was also sizing him up.

With a single glance, Zhang Chu determined the strength of this Sky Patrol Guard named Jin Mu: peak First-rate Realm!

The Sky Patrol Guard truly hid crouching tigers and coiled dragons.

"You are too courteous, Lord Jin. Please come in." Zhang Chu did not ask too many questions and invited him into the Daoist temple.

From the man,

he sensed no ill intent.

Once the group entered the main hall and took their seats, Li Minghuai brewed a pot of tea and took the initiative to ask why he had come.

"May I ask why Lord Jin has paid us a visit so late at night?"

Jin Mu did not beat around the bush. He went straight to the point. "To be frank, two other Sky Patrol Guards and I have discussed matters with the County Magistrate and decided to attack the Boat Gang on the river tomorrow!"

"I came tonight to invite Daoist Priest Zhang to join us in suppressing the bandits and lend us a hand. What does Daoist Priest Zhang think?"

"Wipe out the Boat Gang?" Zhang Chu was somewhat puzzled.

Though the Boat Gang committed endless evil upon the river, bandit suppression had always fallen under the jurisdiction of the Prefecture City's soldiers.

The Imperial Court had not established the Sky Patrol Guard

to deal with bandit troubles.

Furthermore, the Boat Gang occupied an island alone in the river. It was easy to defend and hard to attack. The County Yamen's small force could never take it down. Why were the Sky Patrol Guards acting with such urgency?

"Forgive me for speaking bluntly, but could the Sky Patrol Guard's haste to wipe out the Boat Gang be because of the Demonic Cult?"

After turning it over in his mind, Zhang Chu felt that the only reason they would be so eager to act was the Demonic Cult's evil arts.

"Looks like Daoist Priest Zhang already knows. Then Jin will no longer conceal it. Daoist Priest Zhang is correct—the reason we are acting so urgently is that a Secret Agent discovered that Jin Kui, the Boat Gang's Gang Leader, has connections to a Demonic Cult Branch!"

"Moreover, concrete intelligence indicates that Jin Kui has most likely already cultivated the Demonic Cult's evil arts. If we do not eliminate him early, he will surely become a Calamity for Linjiang County one day!"

Jin Mu spoke with absolute certainty.

Zhang Chu did not doubt the Sky Patrol Guard's intelligence.

He was simply curious. Was the Demonic Cult truly so feared that they could not even wait to mobilize troops?

"Lord Jin, what is the current situation on the Boat Gang's island? And what does Demonic Cult Branch mean? Could it be that after the Demonic Cult was destroyed, it split into several sects?"

Zhang Chu voiced his doubts. The original owner had lived in Linjiang since childhood and knew very little about matters of the Jianghu.

Naturally, Jin Mu did not conceal anything in response to his questions.

He said, "Daoist Priest Zhang may not know this, but the Demonic Cult has never been a single sect since ancient times. It was formed by forcibly consolidating over a hundred sects."

"As for the island's current situation, I do not know much either. But one thing is certain: the Demonic Cult Branch, the Refining Corpse Sect, has definitely become involved."

"Some time ago, a Secret Agent noticed something unusual about the Boat Gang and secretly infiltrated the island to investigate."

"He discovered that, at some unknown time, a great number of strong young men had been imprisoned on the island. Stranger still, every few days, several of them would disappear, leaving not even a corpse behind."

"After this intelligence was sent out, several experts infiltrated the island one after another. Yet they vanished in succession. In the end, only one escaped with severe injuries!"

Jin Mu's expression turned somewhat grave as he spoke.

Zhang Chu, however, asked curiously, "What happened afterward?"

"Afterward, the matter reached the Sky Patrol Guard through the Secret Agent network. But before we could arrive, that Secret Agent died from his severe injuries."

"Before dying, however, he left behind a single sentence: Jin Kui has become a demon and must be eliminated as soon as possible!"

"As for why we dared conclude that the Demonic Cult's Refining Corpse Sect was involved, it was because of what we found in that Secret Agent's wounds."

Zhang Chu could not help nodding upon hearing this.

Earlier, in the Li Family's secret passage, he had learned some information about Blood Food from Wang Ping and Zhang Ju.

Now, it seemed that both pieces fit together!

"Good. I am willing to take part!" Zhang Chu made the decision to join the operation without much hesitation.

First, the Boat Gang had committed endless evil and thrown Linjiang County into unrest. Without safety, who would dare climb the mountain to offer incense? Without incense offerings, what would the three martial brothers eat?

Second, the Boat Gang had committed endless evil. Were they not walking human-shaped merit?

What he lacked now was merit!

"Daoist Priest Zhang is truly righteous!"

Jin Mu suddenly rose to his feet and cupped his fists. "Although this operation is hasty, with Daoist Priest Zhang and our three Sky Patrol Guards, we have four First-rate Realm experts in total, along with twenty Second-rate Realm experts, one hundred Third-rate Realm experts, and several hundred County Yamen soldiers. We will certainly be able to eliminate the Boat Gang, this hidden danger, and remove this malignant tumor for the people of Linjiang County and its surrounding region!"

"Moreover, regardless of whether this succeeds, Jin will apply for one thousand taels of patterned silver as compensation for Daoist Priest Zhang!"

"This silver carries no other meaning. Daoist Priest Zhang is already a temporary Patrol Guard, and being paid to handle matters is only right. Therefore, I hope Daoist Priest Zhang will by no means decline."

Seeing Zhang Chu agree to participate, Jin Mu immediately promised one thousand taels of patterned silver as payment for the operation.

This surprised Zhang Chu somewhat.

He had not expected an additional gain.

More importantly, he had not intended to refuse in the first place.

What was wrong with being a Daoist priest? Did Daoist priests not need to eat too?

"Since the matter has been settled, Jin will not disturb you further. At the third quarter of the dragon hour tomorrow morning, I shall await Daoist Priest Zhang at the gathering point!"

Jin Mu came from a Jianghu sect and handled matters with exceptional decisiveness. After speaking, he left behind the aged wine, rose, and took his leave.

His brisk, fiery temperament left the three martial brothers clicking their tongues in wonder.

After he left,

the three martial brothers discussed matters further, arranged what needed arranging, then returned to their rooms to rest.

Early the next morning,

Zhang Chu rose early.

He set out for the ferry dock.

"So many boats!"

Zhang Chu was somewhat startled at a glance.

"Looks like Jin Mu is determined to destroy the Boat Gang this time. He has actually requisitioned every large and small boat in Linjiang County."

The boats at the dock stretched out in a mighty expanse, too numerous to count. All he could see were rows upon rows of armed soldiers, with quite a few Warriors of profound inner strength among them.

"Daoist Priest Zhang, you've arrived!"

Jin Mu emerged from the bow of a boat, still wearing that bold expression as he walked over with a smile.

"Looks like Zhang arrived late." Zhang Chu said as he looked at the various experts already armored and armed.

"Not at all. Daoist Priest Zhang has arrived at precisely the right time. Come, please enter. We are discussing our strategy."

Jin Mu led Zhang Chu into the cabin.

Then he said to the County Yamen soldiers, "Men, order all vessels to set out for the Boat Gang!"

Several hundred boats sailed forth in a mighty procession, advancing through the morning mist toward the island in the river.