Cult Stronghold

"When did he reach Dark Force...?"

Xu Zhengxiong looked at Fang Xing beside him.

If Shen Ye hadn't spoken up, he wouldn't have dared believe that Fang Xing had already entered the Dark Force realm.

Bright Force and Dark Force—crossing between them was like passing through a dragon gate!

Once you crossed that gate, you were no ordinary person!

Especially when Fang Xing was so young—not even nineteen.

His potential was beyond compare.

Calling him a martial arts prodigy was no exaggeration at all.

Under the many eyes fixed on him, Fang Xing remained calm.

Having his cultivation exposed would have consequences, but sooner or later, this day would come.

It had only come a little early.

"You... How could you possibly have Dark Force?!"

Yang Bo snapped out of it and stared at him with wide eyes, still unable to believe it.

Fang Xing ignored him, not even sparing him a glance.

If Yang Bo hadn't been a constable, Fang Xing might have found an opportunity to kill the bastard.

"Lord Zhang, have the others withdraw. Keep this matter confidential. No one is to speak of it until the mission is over," Shen Ye said coolly.

"As you say, Lord Shen." Zhang Chen nodded, then sent the others away.

Yang Bo finally came to his senses as well. Turning to Shen Ye, he said, "Lord Shen, I misjudged the situation. Please give me another chance."

He had intended to send his own people, but Yang Bo had never imagined that Fang Xing had already become a Dark Force martial artist.

It was far beyond anything he'd expected.

"No need. Four people will be enough. You may leave," Shen Ye said coldly.

"Lord Shen..."

"Can't you understand?" Yang Bo was about to say more when a vast, overwhelming pressure suddenly burst from Shen Lang. The air itself seemed to freeze.

The powerful pressure swept over them, and Yang Bo's face instantly turned the color of pig liver.

Feeling that immense pressure, Yang Bo didn't dare say another word. He hurriedly left the hall.

The vast pressure around Shen Ye abruptly vanished, and he returned to normal.

Transformation Force... He could probably defeat me with one hand. Fang Xing's heart tightened.

Though they hadn't fought, the mere burst of Shen Ye's aura had left him feeling intensely oppressed.

Three Foundation Establishment Realms, three dragon gates!

At that moment, the difference was laid bare.

Transformation Force was several times stronger than the gap between Bright Force and Dark Force.

After everyone else left, only Fang Xing and the others, along with the county magistrate's assistants and the county magistrate, remained in the hall.

"Lord Shen, I won't keep you any longer. If you need anything, this county will do all it can to assist you." Looking at Shen Ye, Zhang Chen smiled warmly.

Shen Ye nodded. Zhang Chen and Lin Zheng then left the hall as well.

Only five people remained in the hall.

Shen Ye glanced over them, then took a folded document from his robes. "This contains the details of the operation. Read it and commit it to memory."

At that, they took the document and looked it over together.

"So it really is in Baichao Township..."

Fang Xing studied the document closely. It contained information about a Fire Worship Cult stronghold.

According to the records, the stronghold was located in a temple within Baichao Township.

Lingyuan Temple!

On the surface, it was a temple, but in truth, it was a stronghold of the cult.

The abbot, the head monk, and several others were all listed in the document.

They appeared to be monks, but in truth, they belonged to the cult.

The document gave a very detailed account of the situation inside Lingyuan Temple.

After reading it, they all quickly understood.

Shen Ye took the document back and looked at Fang Xing and the others. "We need to keep the operation discreet. Don't draw attention. Change your clothes, then follow me out of the city. You have half an hour. Meet at the city gate."

They nodded and left one after another.

After returning home and changing into a gray outfit, Fang Xing headed for the city gate.

Half an hour passed quickly. Fang Xing and the others met at the city gate.

Once they were outside the city, they headed toward Baichao Township.

Baichao Township was a little over thirty li from Qingshan County.

It was the largest township within Qingshan County.

At the start of the Wei hour, Fang Xing and the others finally arrived in Baichao Township.

In an abandoned little courtyard in Baichao Township, Fang Xing and the others gathered inside.

Shen Ye went straight to a broken side room at the back of the courtyard and soon came out with several weapons.

Four long sabers!

"Take one each," Shen Ye said.

They nodded.

Then each of them took a saber.

The long sabers were heavy, their blades sharp.

All four weapons looked brand-new.

After handing them out, Shen Ye went back into the side room and brought out a bundle containing some provisions.

There was dried black meat and a few coarse flatbreads.

"The operation won't begin until nightfall. Eat something first and fill your stomachs."

Shen Ye spoke.

At that, they exchanged glances. Chen Shan couldn't help asking, "My lord, shouldn't we head straight to Lingyuan Temple?"

Shen Ye looked up at him. "Lingyuan Temple is heavily guarded. We mustn't alert them. It'll be safer to act at night."

Hearing this, Chen Shan nodded and said nothing more.

They ate the dried meat and coarse flatbreads, filling their stomachs.

Shen Ye had prepared thoroughly, even bringing a waterskin for each of them.

Once they had eaten and drunk their fill, they left the courtyard.

Around the Shen hour, they reached a hillside in Baichao Township.

From the hillside, they looked toward a mountain not far away.

A temple had been built on its peak.

That temple was Lingyuan Temple.

It was a fairly popular temple in the area, with plenty of people coming to burn incense and pray to Buddha.

If they hadn't read Shen Ye's document, no one would have guessed that this seemingly prosperous temple was a cult stronghold.

Looking at Lingyuan Temple on the distant mountaintop, Shen Ye proceeded to lay out the specific plan.

Fang Xing and the others were responsible for guarding the temple's exits.

Fang Xing would guard the exit at the back of the mountain, while Xu Zhengxiong and the others would guard the front exit.

Once Shen Ye entered Lingyuan Temple, if anyone escaped, they were to take them down.

Their main task was to make sure not a single cultist slipped through the net.

Looking at them, Shen Ye's expression turned grave. "Follow the plan. As long as nothing unexpected happens, the operation should go smoothly. Is that clear?"

They nodded.

Shen Ye looked at them. "Since you understand, we'll wait until nightfall to act."

With that, Shen Ye went to a tree, sat cross-legged, and closed his eyes to rest.

Seeing him, the others also found places to conceal themselves.

Fang Xing closed his eyes and used the inner-refinement method of the Demon Subduing Technique to continually refine his Internal Force.

Night soon fell.

Stars speckled the sky.

In the woods on the hillside, Shen Ye slowly rose to his feet. Fang Xing and the others immediately stood as well.

Shen Ye glanced at Lingyuan Temple, its lights glowing in the distance. "Move!"

With that, Shen Ye strode toward the mountaintop, swift as the wind. Fang Xing and the others followed close behind.

After the time it took an incense stick to burn, they reached the outskirts of Lingyuan Temple.

Night cloaked the land, and starlight spilled down.

Shen Ye made a hand signal. The others then began moving according to the plan they'd agreed on beforehand.

Fang Xing reached the entrance to the back of Lingyuan Temple, along a winding mountain path.

With night covering him, he hid there like a ghost.

This mountain path was the only exit from the back of the mountain.

He was to guard that exit.

Fang Xing gripped his saber in one hand and watched Lingyuan Temple, its lights shining brightly.

His nerves were taut. Along with the tension, he felt a hint of anticipation.

He hoped a few stragglers would try to escape.

That way, he could earn Enhancement Points by killing martial artists.

A single Bright Force martial artist was worth a full fifty Enhancement Points.

Even with the amount he'd accumulated so far, it would take more than ten days to save up fifty Enhancement Points.

Killing a martial artist would be much faster.