Watching Ye Wen sit calmly in his chair, no one had the slightest dissatisfaction anymore.
City Lord Qiao coughed twice, then told everyone how Ye Wen had single-handedly slain a hundred Devil Wolves and rescued Tingting.
The crowd drew another sharp breath. Demonic Beasts were already stronger than humans of the same rank.
Ye Wen had killed so many Fourth-Rank Devil Wolves; his strength was definitely above the Xiantian Fifth Rank. He was certainly close to the Sixth Grade, or perhaps already a Sixth Grade Martial Artist.
No one dared underestimate Ye Wen now. So young, and seemingly a Xiantian Sixth Grade expert. In this era of upheaval, with spiritual energy erupting, as long as Ye Wen didn't die, he would surely enter the legendary Seventh-Rank realm.
Ye Wen looked at everyone, who had kept their attention fixed on him, and couldn't help speaking up.
"The Demonic Beasts have gathered this time, and may continue attacking the nearby cities. What are you all planning to do?"
Normally, Ye Wen shouldn't have been the one to bring this up. But with his arrival, everyone present had become a little reserved.
City Lord Qiao immediately spoke up.
"We were just discussing this. I'm planning to send a few people to find out the Demon Race's latest movements. But too many different races have come. The Demon Race is stationed all around us, making it difficult to enter the city. Besides, the ones stationed on the outskirts couldn't possibly know what the great demons have decided."
Hearing that, Ye Wen finally understood the dilemma City Lord Qiao was facing.
Ordinary soldiers couldn't get into the city, so they couldn't gather any information. But the strongest Xiantian Masters they could send were only Third-Rank; they'd basically be served up as a meal to the Demon Race.
"How about this: you should evacuate the city as soon as possible. I estimate they're heading for Xingyuan Demon Suppressing City this time. Your city is also a necessary stop on the way to Xingyuan City, so it's best to evacuate early. I'll go check things out in a moment. There's no need for you to go."
"How could we do that? How could we let Little Brother Ye risk himself alone? I, Qiao Lao San, am willing to accompany you on this trip!"
Qiao Lao San suddenly stepped forward and thumped his chest as he spoke.
Ye Wen thought it over and decided it would work. First, a Third-Rank expert wasn't weak; if he couldn't win a fight, he could always run. Second, the man seemed reckless, but he could tell right from wrong. He'd never do something he knew was impossible.
If something delayed Ye Wen, Qiao Lao San could come back and inform the others. So Ye Wen welcomed Qiao Lao San joining him.
"All right, then we'll go check things out together. Let's leave now. If we go too late, something might happen before we can respond!"
As he spoke, Ye Wen stood and headed for the door. When he passed Tingting, she tugged at him and spoke softly.
"Big Brother Ye, my third uncle is a good man, and he's always treated me well. Please, please look after him. Will you?"
Ye Wen looked at Tingting, smiled, and nodded. Then he left the meeting hall. Qiao Lao San followed close behind and said to him,
"My elder brother has two good horses. They're almost ranked Demonic Beasts. They're not much good at anything else, but they have decent speed and stamina. Come with me, Little Brother. We'll each take one, and get back as soon as we can!"
Ye Wen's speed was such that he didn't really need a mount, but to accommodate Qiao Lao San, he agreed to ride with him.
After more than two hours of riding at full speed, the two reached a village near Xingyu Demon Suppressing City. At a glance, they could see that the village had long been deserted. Now and then, a few Demonic Beasts still wandered nearby.
Ye Wen said to Qiao Lao San,
"Find somewhere nearby to hide in a moment. I'll go in and investigate. If we ride in together, we'll be too conspicuous and easily spotted. As soon as I get any information, I'll come straight back and tell you."
Qiao Lao San nodded firmly and assured Ye Wen,
"Don't worry, Little Brother Ye. Just go on ahead. You don't need to worry about me. I may not have many other talents, but I was born with plenty of ways to stay alive!"
Ye Wen gave Qiao Lao San an unreadable look, suddenly wondering, Was this man really foolish, or was he wise in an unassuming way? Had he deliberately put on an act in the city to provoke me into coming here to investigate?
Forget it. No point thinking about it. Ye Wen quickly slipped away toward the city. After watching him go, Qiao Lao San found somewhere to hide the horses, then muttered to himself,
"Chaos has come. If a bunch of rough men like us die, so be it. We have to find Tingting someone she can rely on. If Ye Wen can reach the Seventh Rank, he'll be worthy of her."
Ye Wen slipped into the city. The streets were somewhat familiar, but now they'd been wrecked beyond recognition. These beasts—don't they know how to take care of public property?
Ye Wen noticed that if a Demonic Beast had a Divine Beast or Sacred Beast among its ancestors, its descendants developed intelligence early. Once an animal gained intelligence, its intellect was about the same as a human's.
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