Tang Long hadn't expected the Patrol Mountain Hall to move so quickly this time.
Early the next morning, Chief Ren Yuan of the Patrol Mountain Hall arrived.
"Tell me," Ren Yuan said, sitting in Sheng Fuwu's room. The spoiled food on the table had already been cleared away. "How did Sheng Fuwu go missing?"
As he spoke, Ren Yuan fixed Tang Long with a sharp gaze. "Tell the truth. You know what will happen otherwise."
Sheng Fuwu was, after all, a chief of the Dahe Gang and a body-tempering martial artist—a pillar of the gang. He couldn't have simply vanished without reason.
"Yes."
There was nothing to hide, so Tang Long recounted everything in detail.
"Black Tide?" Ren Yuan's expression shifted when he heard that the group had encountered the Black Tide before they could capture the shepherd. A law-type monster like the Black Tide was practically impossible for them to deal with.
He shook his head. When he learned that Sheng Fuwu had set a trap for the three of them, yet all three had returned alive while Sheng Fuwu hadn't, his expression turned a sight to behold.
"If everything you've said is true, then Sheng Fuwu really was unlucky."
"Chief Ren, do you still need to call Jiang Yan in and question him?"
Tang Long asked.
"No need. If I called him in, his account wouldn't differ from yours."
"Yes." Tang Long answered quietly.
Just then!
Creak!
The door opened, and a girl around eighteen or nineteen walked in. Looking impatient, she complained to Ren Yuan, "Big brother, it's so boring here. Hurry up and finish your chores, then take me around!"
When the girl entered, Tang Long lowered his head, fixed his gaze on his teacup, and said nothing.
Ren Yuan hadn't come alone this time. He'd brought a woman with him—the girl standing before them.
"Ahem." Ren Yuan looked sternly at the girl, though his tone was indulgent. "How can you call matters of the gang chores?"
"I'll take you around once I'm done."
"Hmph! By the time you're done, I'll be bored to death. Every day, all you do is practice martial arts and handle gang business. What else do you ever do?"
"If you won't take me around, I'll go by myself."
With that, the girl turned and ran outside.
"Chief, is it safe to let her go out like that?" Seeing the girl run straight out, Tang Long couldn't help asking worriedly.
"It's fine." Ren Yuan waved a hand. "My little sister's just being willful. She knows her limits."
Outside, as the girl stepped through the gate, the impatient look vanished from her face. Curiosity and caution filled her eyes as she wandered around the village. She'd always lived in Guihua City. Though the countryside scenery was ordinary, she rarely got to see it.
At noon, Jiang Yan came to the square with an empty stomach. He ladled himself a large bowl of congee and grabbed a big piece of dried meat, some pickled vegetables, and two buns. Looking up, he spotted Meng Sheng and Ying Cong there too, so he walked over.
As he drew near, he noticed the two of them eating while sneaking glances in a certain direction.
Jiang Yan followed their gaze.
A girl was holding a large bowl and gulping down congee.
"I never imagined that even a beautiful woman could make so much noise drinking congee."
"She's not much different from us."
The two whispered among themselves. The girl's cheeks were rosy, and her figure was graceful.
Jiang Yan glanced at her, then paid her no more attention. Based on his experience, a woman like that was a walking source of conflict. He couldn't afford to get close.
Gulp, gulp. He opened his mouth wide and drank half the bowl in one go. He crumbled the pickled vegetables, dried meat, and buns into small pieces and ate them in a few bites, then drank the last half of his congee.
After finishing lunch, Jiang Yan was about to head back and get familiar with the External Cultivation he'd just mastered.
Just then, the Big Carp Talisman Soldier suddenly trembled. Its entire pitch-black body seemed to be coated in gold dust. A golden light shot skyward from the talisman soldier, then spread out in every direction from midair.
In just a few moments, a visible golden barrier covered all of Yuyang Village.
Many people turned pale at the sight.
"What's this?"
Jiang Yan looked up. The golden barrier seemed almost tangible; everywhere he looked, the sky was gold.
"This is the talisman soldier's alert. When it encounters a monster it can't withstand, the talisman soldier activates its full power."
Tang Long had also come to the square and explained.
"The talisman soldier's alert?" Jiang Yan murmured. His expression grew grave.
He knew that the last time the talisman soldier had sounded its alert, a Ranked Monster had invaded Yuyang Village. The Patrol Team had suffered heavy casualties that time.
The world fell silent. Before long, streaks of bewitching aurora appeared, like ribbons of color. They were beautiful yet filled with bone-deep dread, like Fierce Beasts descending upon the world, bringing boundless terror.
Far, far above, a woman in a black dress appeared, standing with a sword in her arms. Her clothes were simple and layered, dotted with silver glimmers like a silver moon in the night sky. Her face was hazy, veiled by a faint, clear radiance, but she was still recognizable as a beautiful woman.
The moment Jiang Yan saw her, it was as if he'd been rooted to the spot. An indescribable chill enveloped his left arm, and under its influence, his entire body seemed frozen, unable to move.
He was utterly certain: this was an immensely powerful monster!
A few breaths later, the woman vanished, and the aurora in the sky disappeared.
The Big Carp Talisman Soldier fell silent as well, and the golden barrier dispersed.
It was as if none of it had ever happened.
Jiang Yan's body trembled slightly. "What... what was that?"
"That was a Mirage Shadow!" Shan Renhu came over. He'd just noticed Jiang Yan trembling and had walked over to steady him.
"A Mirage Shadow is a projection of a powerful monster or martial artist. Don't think that just because we saw that woman clearly, she must have been close to us. In reality, she's very far away."
"Even as a projection, she must be very, very far away."
If a projection alone can trigger the talisman soldier's alert, how powerful must her true form be? Jiang Yan wondered silently.
Shan Renhu patted Jiang Yan on the shoulder. "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Jiang Yan shook his head. "I'm fine."
"Good."
Just then, Tang Long came over with the girl who'd been gulping down her food. He said to Jiang Yan, "Jiang Yan, Chief Ren has arrived in Yuyang Village. He wants to see you."
"Sure." Jiang Yan hadn't expected the Patrol Mountain Hall to act so quickly, but he remained calm, without the slightest ripple of emotion.
The three of them returned to Tang Long's room together. Inside, Ren Yuan was drinking tea, seemingly waiting for him.
Jiang Yan stepped forward and cupped his fists. "I am Jiang Yan. Greetings, Chief."
Ren Yuan was also sizing Jiang Yan up closely. His black hair fell in tousled strands, and his brows were like swords, his eyes like stars. He was indeed a handsome young man.
"Brother Jiang, there's no need for formalities. I am Ren Yuan, Chief of the Patrol Mountain Hall. I heard that you developed qi-sense a few days ago and advanced to become a martial artist. I called you here to issue your identification token and martial skills."
As he spoke, he took out a dark iron tablet. Jiang Yan's name was engraved on the front; the back bore just six simple words: Patrol Mountain Hall, Deputy Chief.
He handed it to Jiang Yan. Watching him turn it over in his hands, Ren Yuan smiled. "You'll receive an identification token once your strength reaches the required level. You can look it over later. I brought three martial skills this time. You may choose one."
Before you continue