Although there are quite a few experts, they are insufficient when placed within such a vast territory.
Otherwise, there would be no need to feign compliance with the powerful and treacherous families.
Furthermore, the Good People Bureau only contains humans, while there are dozens or even hundreds of aristocratic families.
Even dealing with only aristocratic families wouldn't guarantee a victory, let alone adding kings and nobles to the mix.
Human survival in this world is more difficult than in any world Xu Long has ever experienced before; it can even be described as barely surviving.
If it weren't for the Good People Bureau's tireless efforts to maintain it, it would probably have long since become food for demons and evil spirits to fight over.
Even with many powerful individuals risking their lives, the situation remains extremely difficult.
Furthermore, as the heads of the powerful families continue to awaken and begin eating, the situation will become increasingly difficult to maintain.
If this continues, humanity will likely lose its voice completely within a thousand years.
Sitting on the whip, Ruyue is a branch of the Tushan Clan, possessing blood that is half demon and half human.
There's no need to explain the Tushan Clan in detail; they're fox spirits.
Holy Auntie, Hu Meier, and Hu Chuer are all descendants of the Tushan Clan.
Unlike Ruyue, who was a branch of half-demon, the other three were genuine descendants of the Tushan Clan, and were pure-blooded demons.
"As expected, the mission wasn't so easy to complete. There must be another reason why Yuan Gong pushed down Mount Yunmeng."
Xu Long frowned, pondering the possible causes and effects.
Ruyue kept jumping around, but soon she couldn't keep going.
She lay sprawled in Xu Long, her cheeks flushed, her eyes glazed with desire, her body convulsing uncontrollably.
Xu Long did not harm her. He had already obtained the information he wanted, and might even cooperate with the Tushan Clan in the future. There was no need for him to be killed needlessly.
At present, there are only a handful of truly powerful clans.
Foxes, wolves, weasels, tigers, Vulture are all carnivorous demons.
There are a few that don't eat people, but they usually stay deep in the mountains and forests and have no contact with humans.
Otherwise, humanity could basically surrender, because those non-man-eating demons are much stronger than the man-eating ones.
"You may leave."
We've gathered enough intelligence; Ruyue is no longer of any use to us.
However, Xu Long still left a force within her body, nourishing her flesh on one hand and leaving a mark on her on the other.
We might need this hidden tool someday. Even if we don't, it's better than nothing.
"Yes!"
Ruyue stood up unsteadily, turned and left.
Besides Ruyue, Lian'er also had a strange aura in this brothel.
She should be from the Tushan Clan, just like Ruyue, and most likely a pure-blooded demon from the main lineage.
Lian'er was entertaining guests, so Xu Long didn't disturb her.
However, two hours passed, and it still hadn't ended.
Something's not right!
Normally, it's considered good if a top courtesan can spend an hour alone with someone, because they only sell their art, not their bodies, and they only chat about romance, poetry, and songs.
Furthermore, the atmosphere over there remained remarkably stable, which was highly unusual.
Regardless of their race, cultivators' auras constantly fluctuate.
Just like human breathing, it needs to be maintained within a certain range.
There must be something wrong with Lian'er's situation.
Thinking of this, Xu Long immediately flashed over.
Sure enough, the room was empty except for a fist-sized Wawa sitting quietly on the table.
Without a doubt, the banshee must have sensed something amiss, so she left behind a decoy and took the opportunity to escape.
"Not bad, not bad, you're really cunning."
Xu Long smiled and didn't take it too seriously.
It's okay if you can't find it; the world has no shortage of demons.
If we can't capture the Tushan Clan, others will do.
Without saying goodbye to the madam, Xu Long climbed over and went out the window.
As places with high foot traffic, brothels often form a small market around them.
Xu Long strolled leisurely along the street, clearing his head while searching for any other demons.
This world's suppression of telekinesis is terrifying; even he couldn't probe very far.
"Hey buddy, your eyes look lifeless and your forehead looks dark; you might be in for some bloodshed soon!"
I hadn't gone far when I heard a shout from the side.
Turning my head, I saw an old man dressed as a Daoist priest.
He wore a gray robe, a tall crown, and had a long beard.
His forehead was bony and his cheeks were sunken, giving him a somewhat sharp and mean appearance.
In front of them was a Bagua Diagram, and beside it stood a banner inscribed with the words, "From the Azure Sky to the Yellow Springs, from the Dark Waters to the Heavenly Realm. All who come and go are ordained by fate; they are known as living Kami."
At first glance, it really does have a kind of otherworldly, ethereal feel to it.
Of course, this applies to ordinary people as well.
In Xu Long's eyes, this guy was just a good-for-nothing.
In the Main World, Xu Long wouldn't bother with him at all.
But things are different here; he needs to gather information through various channels.
Furthermore, this old man was no ordinary person; he possessed a strange aura.
So Xu Long stopped, intending to meet this so-called living Kami.
"You say I'm destined for bloodshed? Give me a reading, or I won't pay."
Xu Long said.
"That's for sure!"
The old man seemed very confident. He held Xu Long's hand and examined it for a long time, his expression changing from sunny to cloudy, becoming increasingly grim.
"Young man, you're destined to clash with the gods and spirits. If no action is taken, you'll surely die a violent death in the streets within three days!"
"A violent death in the street? An offense against the gods?"
Upon hearing the old man's words, Xu Long burst out laughing.
What's wrong with offending ghosts and spirits?
How many ghosts and spirits have died at his hands?
Some of them didn't just collide, they've played many other games!
And now he can't wait for ghosts and gods to come to him, preferably with a few demons, so he won't have to search everywhere like looking for a needle in a haystack.
But since we'd already read his palm, we might as well ask the old man what he wanted to do.
"Does sir have a solution?"
Xu Long feigned a look of fear and asked.
"As the saying goes, life and death are preordained, wealth and honor are determined by Heaven; retribution may be delayed, but it will come eventually. If the King of Hell wants you dead at midnight, no one can keep you alive until dawn. Solving this problem is harder than climbing to Heaven."
The old man abruptly changed the subject, "However, our meeting is fate. Since we've come together, I'll lend a hand and save you from disaster. But there must be a proper reason; you'll have to give me fifty taels of silver as an offering to the patriarch."
The old man remained calm, clearly indicating that this wasn't the first time he'd done something like this; he was a seasoned conman.
Hearing his words, Xu Long understood completely.
This is a con artist who has mastered some trivial magic tricks. All those stories of bloodshed and violent death in the street are just ways to swindle money.
If he's truly capable, he wouldn't mind paying for it.
After all, gold and silver are mundane things that mean nothing to him. He wouldn't even blink an eye if it were five hundred million taels, let alone fifty taels.
But what if it's a scammer...?
It's already quite good that they didn't actually kill him!
"Tch, since life and death are preordained and wealth and honor are determined by fate, how can you possibly change that? If you truly have the ability to defeat ghosts and gods, why are you setting up a stall here?"
Xu Long shook his head, too lazy to bother with him anymore.
"You've lost your life because of some material possessions; I advise you not to regret it."
Upon hearing Xu Long's words, the old swindler narrowed his eyes, a dangerous glint in them.
I never regret the things I do.
Xu Long tossed out a sentence and left without turning his head.
The sun set in the west, the moon rose in the east, and soon it was evening.
Mei Renai carried a fishing net, intending to catch some fish to eat in the river outside the city.
No matter the era, life has always been very difficult for the poor.
Rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea—everything is expensive.
The prices for beef, mutton, pork, chicken, duck, and goose are even more outrageous.
Ordinary families only get to eat meat during the Lunar New Year.
Although we can't eat poultry and livestock meat, there are still plenty of fish.
It's springtime now, and the fish are plump and delicious; one catch can last for several days.
"Catch ten fish, sell eight to buy some fishing line to repair the net, and give the rest to the Gou'er for a treat."
With these thoughts in mind, Mei Renai quickly arrived at the moat outside the city.
"Huh? What's that?"
A red light appeared silently, Mei Renai subconsciously looked up.
Less than a hundred meters ahead, a car was parked there.
There was no horse, no driver, only a lone carriage.
It was entirely red, adorned with tassels and pendants, and decorated with dragons and phoenixes on its wooden structure, giving it an eerie feel in the darkness.
Many people would instinctively feel afraid upon seeing something like this.
But is there anything more terrifying than poverty in this world?
Mei Renai's first thought was money; if she could sell the car, she wouldn't have to worry about making a living for the rest of her life.
"Could it be that some wealthy person abandoned it?"
Mei Renai walked over, her heart filled with greed.
As the saying goes, poverty breeds cunning, while wealth fosters conscience.
When even getting enough to eat becomes a problem, theft and robbery are not shameful.
But one thing needs to be made clear: it's not that we can't make a living because of laziness or other reasons, but because we can't make a living through legitimate professions.
The former refers to social relationships; ordinary people suffer from hunger and cannot fill their stomachs even if they work hard.
The latter deserved it; they wouldn't even deserve to starve to death.
Mei Renai belongs to the former category!
"If I sell this carriage, I can live a wealthy life for the rest of my days, and the Gou'er won't have to suffer with me anymore."
Mei Renai licked her lips, a glint of greed flashing in her eyes.
But when he thought about the possibility of people inside, he hesitated.
This isn't his after all; if he takes it and sells it, that would be considered theft.
Mei Renai was very hesitant, but just as he was struggling with this dilemma, a voice suddenly came from inside the car.
"Young master, do you really want this car?"
The voice was gentle and melodious; although I didn't know what the owner looked like, she must be a charming and graceful person.
"Want to!"
Mei Renai didn't have time to react before blurting it out.
After saying that, he couldn't help but slap himself.
The owner of the carriage was clearly inside, yet he still said such things.
If they pursue the matter, I have no power or influence; even if I don't die, I'll lose half my life.
He's just a worthless man, it doesn't matter if he dies, but the Gou'er is still young, all alone in this chaotic world, how can he survive?
"Girl..."
Mei Renai quickly knelt down on the ground, begging for the other party's forgiveness.
Before he could finish speaking, an arm reached out from inside.
Her skin was like solidified cream, and her hands like tender shoots.
The faint red light emanating from the carriage and the moonlight shining down from the sky complemented each other, causing Mei Renai to swallow hard.
The woman's seductive voice that followed fueled a surge of greed within him.
"If you want it, then come on..."
"The carriage is yours, and so am I..."
Upon hearing the woman's words, Mei Renai suddenly came to her senses.
He was just a poor man, neither tall nor handsome, and he couldn't even read many words. How could he possibly win the favor of such a woman?
"Young lady, I am but a farmer, and I am truly unworthy of your affection."
Mei Renai shook her head, picked up the fishing net, and prepared to leave.
But the next instant, another arm reached out from inside the curtain.
"Young master, come..."
Her voice was soft and weak, yet full of allure.
A hint of confusion flashed in Mei Renai's eyes. She dropped the fishing net in her hand and slowly walked over.
"Girl, I'll be right there..."
Mei Renai grabbed the woman's fair and slender hand, his mind already clouded by greed.
He hadn't considered why the carriage was red, or why a woman was alone there.
Perhaps for him, death never held any fear, because as long as he lived, he was always in the Eighteen Levels of Hell.
"Girl, I've arrived!"
He crouched down and squeezed into the carriage. It was pitch black inside, and he could only vaguely make out the outline of a woman.
Mei Renai reached out her hand, trembling. It was soft and smooth, but it felt a little cold to the touch, like an egg that had been left overnight.
"Young master, come here..."
A gentle voice reached her ears, and an unknown fragrance filled her nostrils, making Mei Renai unable to resist any longer.
A deep roar came from his throat, and Mei Renai's eyes were bloodshot, like a maddened beast.
Creak!
Creak!
Creak!
The piercing sound continued for less than ten breaths before it stopped.
The two red carriages swayed a few times and then vanished from the spot in an instant, as if they had never existed.
On the banks of the moat outside Pingshan County, only a fishing net lay quietly.
"Have you heard? Mei Renai from the west end hasn't come home for two days. That little girl, Gou'er, has been looking for her everywhere, but she can't find a trace of her."
The murmurs coming from outside immediately piqued Xu Long's interest.
In other places, a missing person is not a big deal.
After all, in ancient times, transportation and communication were underdeveloped, and getting lost was basically a death sentence.
But this world is different; demons and monsters are everywhere, and when people go missing, nine times out of ten it's related to those unclean things.
What happened?
Xu Long gestured to the waiter to place the food on the table and casually asked...
Who knows?
The waiter shook his head. "Things haven't been peaceful lately. People go missing every few days. Mei Renai should be the fourth this month. Poor Gou'er, that little girl is only seven. With no one to take care of her, she probably won't survive the month."
"The fourth this month? Is no one in charge?"
Xu Long asked, frowning.
"The government? Pshaw, when have those upright officials ever cared about us common folk? Last year, someone reported it to the authorities, and after six months there was still no news. When they went to inquire at the government office again, they were simply thrown out. Since then, they've basically stopped going."
The waiter's face was full of disdain, but he deliberately lowered his voice to a level that only the two of them could hear.
Clearly, he was also afraid of getting into trouble.