After leaving the council hall, Pockmarked Huang returned to another underground chamber.
"Hmph!" He snorted heavily, holding back his anger.
"When I first became Branch Hall Leader, would I have spared you a second glance, Night Asura? A tiger brought down to the plains gets bullied by dogs!"
He sat down in a chair and exhaled a breath of stale air.
The Branch Hall had suffered considerable losses. Finding the Dragon Eye and destroying the Dragon Vein was one part of its mission, but building up the Branch Hall's strength was equally indispensable.
"We need to take grassroots preaching seriously again."
He had not paid enough attention to spreading the faith in the counties and towns under Ever-Peace Prefecture.
Night Asura had actually been clever in one respect: he avoided direct clashes with the Huaiyuan Four Sects and the Martial Suppression Bureau. Instead, he sent his men out to preach far and wide, stirring up a little more fanfare and recruiting many more devout believers willing to offer their essence blood or become Medicine Persons. He had hoodwinked his superiors into thinking he was doing a splendid job, earning lavish praise instead.
"That old bastard is sly as a fox." Pockmarked Huang rubbed his temples.
Just then, someone outside requested an audience.
"Come in!"
The visitor was Chu Fan. He bowed respectfully to Pockmarked Huang.
"Branch Hall Leader!"
"You're here to ask permission to go to Big Stone County again, aren't you?" Pockmarked Huang frowned.
Chu Fan had spent several months gaining experience under him and had performed reasonably well.
His recent efforts to coordinate contact between the various relay stations in the Prefecture City had proved useful, too. He did possess some ability.
"Fine. You have my permission," Pockmarked Huang said.
"What?" Chu Fan raised his head, surprised and