Our Missions Are the Same

Lin Yu's words made the four of them waver, but pride kept them standing their ground.

Seeing Lin Yu's expression grow darker by the moment, Fang Huai spoke up:

"Fellow Daoist Lin, the four of us only want to take over Green Parasol City peacefully. These mortals provoked us first. Should we just put up with it?

"Senior Brother Pu only wanted to teach them a lesson. He wasn't actually planning to slaughter them."

Seeing Lin Yu's expression ease slightly, Fang Huai continued, "The two sects have made peace. It wasn't easy to achieve!

"Would you kill us over the mortals' mistake and start another war between our sects?

"Is the so-called benevolence and righteousness of the Mystic Sword Sect really worth sacrificing billions of lives for the sake of one city?"

At last, Lin Yu put away his magical weapon and clasped his hands. "Fellow Daoists, I was in the wrong."

Pu Ren'an also took the opportunity to back down. "Our two sects have been neighbors for a thousand years. We should value peace above all. I got a little carried away myself."

Lin Yu had given him a way out. If he still refused to take it, he'd be acting like he didn't know what was good for him.

After all, their opponent's strength was plain to see. Even all four of them together would have a hard time standing against him.

Guided by Lin Yu, the four entered the city and arrived at a residence called Spirit Dew Mansion.

This was where the Mystic Sword Sect's disciples were stationed. Three disciples, including Lin Yu, had originally lived here.

But after Green Parasol City was assigned to the Corpse Sha Sect, the other two had already withdrawn, leaving him there alone.

Lin Yu prepared spirit tea and spirit fruits to entertain them. The four exchanged glances, none willing to be the first to bring up capturing mortals.

Since they said nothing, Lin Yu didn't ask. So they drank pot after pot of spirit tea until the midnight hour.

Compared to the others, Fang Huai was much more relaxed.

Most of Lin Yu's skills and status tags were white. If they really fought, Fang Huai only needed to make a few small adjustments to cut Lin Yu's combat strength by more than half.

All he needed to do now was avoid wasting the spiritual energy in the tea, absorb it quietly, and improve his cultivation.

"Ahem!" Pu Ren'an glanced at Fang Huai. "Junior Brother Fang, didn't you have something to discuss with Fellow Daoist Lin?"

Fang Huai cursed inwardly. You little Pu Ren'an—you might as well be called Pu Shiren. You don't dare provoke Lin Yu, so you're making me take the lead.

With everyone's eyes on him, he could only steel himself and speak:

"Fellow Daoist Lin, I know how deeply you care for the people of Green Parasol City, and I admire your kindness. But the city has now been placed under the rule of the Corpse Sha Sect. That's an indisputable fact.

"To be frank, our mission here is to take the mortals in the city back to the sect and arrange places for them."

"Ahem." Pu Ren'an coughed twice more and glanced at Cheng Zhaozhao.

Cheng Zhaozhao cursed inwardly too, but she could only continue along the lines Fang Huai had laid out:

"Fellow Daoist Lin, you needn't worry. Even if the mortals start as servants at the Corpse Sha Sect, they'll still have a chance to become formal disciples..."

"How many formal disciples come from ten thousand servants?"

Lin Yu's voice was cold as his gaze swept across them.

This time, no matter how much Pu Ren'an coughed or glanced their way, Fang Huai and Cheng Zhaozhao didn't say another word.

If the other party could ask that, he clearly knew something about it. A lie would only make him furious.

Seeing that the two wouldn't cooperate anymore, Pu Ren'an said, "We'll do our best to—"

Before he could finish, Lin Yu cut him off. "It's late. I've arranged rooms for you. Get some rest first.

"Tomorrow, take a walk around the city and experience the bustle of everyday life."

"Before joining the sect, we all came from mortal towns. We don't need to experience it."

"This place is different!"

Lin Yu's gaze burned bright. "It's different from the mortal towns under your Corpse Sha Sect!"

That night, Fang Huai couldn't sleep. He sat cross-legged and hurried to cultivate.

There was no denying that cultivators of the Mystic Sword Sect had far better conditions for cultivation than those of the Corpse Sha Sect.

Even this was merely a post in a mortal town, yet its spiritual energy was far richer than that of the Corpse Sha Sect's Outer Sect.

More importantly, the spiritual energy here was pure, unlike the Corpse Sha Sect's, which was thick with resentment and Poison Sha.

He'd wanted to borrow Lin Yu's [Spirit Absorption] for cultivation, but after a moment's hesitation, decided against it.

If the two sides really did end up fighting, those ten system points might produce an unexpected effect.

"Knock! Knock! Knock!"

Just as he'd become so absorbed in cultivation that he forgot himself, someone knocked on his door.

Fang Huai was puzzled. He was about to ask who it was when a voice came from outside first. "Junior Brother Fang, open the door."

It was Liu Ye.

In the middle of the night, why wasn't this guy asleep? What did he want with him?

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, Cheng Rui's face and status tag flashed through his mind. Fang Huai shivered and swallowed nervously.

An outrageous thought popped into his head:

After spending so much time with Cheng Rui, could Liu Ye have picked up that sort of habit too?

At the thought, a certain part of his body tensed. He hurriedly regulated his breathing, let out a faint snore, and pretended to be fast asleep.

But Liu Ye called out, "Stop pretending. I know you're still awake. If you don't open up, I'm breaking the door down."

Fang Huai had no choice but to open the door.

He deliberately rubbed his eyes, putting on a sleepy expression. "Senior Brother Liu, it's so late. Whatever it is, let's talk about it tomorrow."

He quietly braced one hand against the doorframe, leaving only a narrow gap. If Liu Ye did anything suspicious, he'd shut the door immediately.

But Liu Ye pushed his way inside and lowered his voice. "I can't wait! It has to be done tonight!"

Fang Huai backed away several steps. "No, no, no! Senior Brother Liu, I really can't do this!"

"What do you mean, you can't? You waited until we got here to say that. Aren't you afraid the Ascension Society will punish you?"

Fang Huai was suspicious. Could Liu Ye have come carrying a special mission from the Ascension Society?

Did the Ascension Society know there was Vegetation Sha here too?

"Do you and I have the same mission?" Fang Huai asked tentatively.

"Obviously. It's just the two of us. Don't act like this has to be a big secret."

Liu Ye brought out a Sound-Isolation Talisman, enveloping them both in its effect. "I knew they wouldn't really send me alone on such an important mission.

"As I thought, they assigned you to support me in secret."

Fang Huai said nothing. If Jiang Miao had been able to arrange for him to join this mission, how had the Ascension Society managed to get Liu Ye involved?

The only explanation was that the Ascension Society had already infiltrated the upper ranks of the Corpse Sha Sect.

"Have you found out where that thing is, Senior Brother?"

Liu Ye nodded. "When we entered the city, I secretly released a Sha-Seeking Rat.

"It just came back and reported the approximate location of the Vegetation Sha.

"Tomorrow, we'll pretend to stroll around the city. Once we get close to the Vegetation Sha, we'll seize the chance to take it."

The location Liu Ye described was nearly identical to the one Jiang Miao had told him about.

"Senior Brother Liu, the Vegetation Sha is an extraordinary baleful force. It feeds on mortals' blood essence to nourish itself, and it spreads plague and wreaks havoc across the region. Why would the Mystic Sword Sect leave it alone?"

Liu Ye couldn't figure it out either. "I don't know. Either that bunch of hypocrites can't recognize a treasure, or they haven't noticed it."

Fang Huai didn't believe Liu Ye's explanation, of course. But whether this was a trap or the Mystic Sword Sect truly couldn't recognize its value, he still had to obtain the Vegetation Sha and hand it over to Jiang Miao.

Otherwise, the next time he saw Jiang Miao, her Wind Blade might really slice through his neck.