What Kind of Gu Worms
Seeing Zhao Ting's hurried footsteps, Sang Ying knew that he was definitely going to inform the sect leader of the Listening Tide Sect about this.
Sang Ying had guessed that Zhao Ting would be very anxious after learning that Dong Fuzhu and the other two were missing, but she did not expect him to be this anxious.
After thinking about it, she found part of the answer: because of Green Lotus's efforts outside, almost all the foreign cultivators had been taken away by their newly formed alliance of foreign cultivators.
She hadn't seen any newcomers from the Listening Tide Sect's guest quarters in all these days, so it was very likely that the six of them were the only batch of sacrificial candidates the Listening Tide Sect would have in the coming days.
Moreover, judging from the situation Duan Hanyi, it was clear that the sacrificial ceremony that Listening Tide Sect was about to hold was about to begin. If there weren't enough offerings at this crucial moment, Zhao Ting would naturally not fare well.
"It seems Zhao Ting will probably use your name to hunt down Dong Fuzhu and the others. Fortunately, they cleaned up their tracks very well when they left, so the Listening Tide Sect people probably won't be able to guess where they went for a while," Duan Hanyi said softly, seeing Sang Ying's worry.
Sang Ying felt Jiang Zhuoxue's hand on her shoulder and sighed softly, "I hope Fuzhu and the others can reach the Beast Soul Sect or the Array Sect soon."
In this way, even if the Listening Tide Sect members catch up with them, it will be too late to reverse the situation.
Just as Sang Ying had guessed, Zhao Ting went directly to Sect Master He Lun to tell him about what had happened that day.
When He Lun learned that three of the originally planned number of sacrificial offerings had disappeared, he questioned them carefully for a long time to confirm that there was really no problem. However, he was not immediately relieved. Instead, he ordered his disciples to go out and find the missing people and to bring them back before the sacrifice began.
Upon hearing the crucial word "capture," the disciples of the Listening Tide Sect understood that their sect leader was about to break ties with the six outside cultivators.
As for Zhao Ting, the manager who failed to notice something was wrong in time and almost let the other three people escape as well, he was also severely punished.
However, He Lun did not place all his hopes on Dong Fuzhu and the other two. The date of the sacrifice could not be changed, but no one knew whether Dong Fuzhu and the others could be brought back in time.
To ensure the sacrifice would proceed without incident, He Lun had no choice but to send his nephew on a risky mission: to carefully retrieve three sacrificial offerings from outside. Even if they weren't used in the actual ceremony, they could serve as a snack for that person.
Upon receiving this mission, Zhao Ting's first target was Green Lotus had been active outside for a long time.
You want to find your sister? Fine, I'll grant your wish and let you and your sister die together!
Not long after, Sang Ying learned from a foreign cultivator who was fairly close to Green Lotus that Green Lotus had suddenly disappeared. Two other foreign cultivators had also disappeared with her, making the number of missing persons exactly the same as that of Dong Fuzhu and the other two.
Sang Ying rubbed her temples. She knew without a doubt that it was the Listening Tide Sect that did it. The fact that they dared to arrest people so openly meant that the sacrificial ceremony was imminent, and it was time for the Listening Tide Sect to make their move.
As expected, the day after Green Lotus disappeared, Zhao Ting knocked on the gate of Sang Ying's courtyard.
Sang Ying pretended to be pleasantly surprised as she pulled open the door, but then her expression turned to disappointment when she saw Zhao Ting's face.
Zhao Ting knew she was waiting for her junior brothers and sisters, so he believed Dong Fuzhu and the other two's departure was an accident even more.
"It's Steward Zhao. Is there something you want to say today?" This time, Sang Ying was much colder towards Zhao Ting than before.
Zhao Ting recalled his previous critical attitude towards them and understood. He immediately picked up the food box in his hand and smiled apologetically at Sang Ying: "I offended you all with my inappropriate words last time, and the sect leader punished me severely after finding out. But I thought I should come and apologize to Fellow Daoist Sang in person. So, today our sect purchased a batch of fresh fish delicacies, and I specially had them cooked into dishes for you to enjoy."
Honestly, as soon as Zhao Ting picked up the food box, Sang Ying smelled that tempting aroma.
It seems Zhao Ting knew they hadn't eaten the ingredients sent by the Listening Tide Sect, and this time he went to great lengths to trick the three of them.
"Steward Zhao, why are you being so polite? I've heard that this fish delicacy is a specialty of the Cloud Mulberry Realm. It's said that the fish meat is snow-white and flawless, shimmering like a pearl. Eating a single piece is like a cultivator swallowing a Supreme-Grade Spirit Stone; it's an extremely precious thing. Steward Zhao, you've given us such a fine thing. I hope your sect leader won't be angry?" Duan Hanyi was the first to step forward, not only pushing Sang Ying aside but also grabbing Zhao Ting's food box handle, as if afraid that Sang Ying would refuse this delicious meal.
Zhao Ting this, but was quite pleased with Duan Hanyi's shrewdness.
"This was also our sect leader's intention. He felt very sorry for my previous offense, so he specifically sent me here to apologize." Zhao Ting handed the food box to Duan Hanyi. "Now that I've delivered the food, I won't disturb your meal any longer."
Duan Hanyi took a deep breath of the aroma of the dishes and said insincerely, "Steward Zhao, don't leave so quickly. Stay and enjoy this delicious food with us."
But just by looking at his expression, it was clear that his attempts to persuade him to stay were merely polite formalities, not genuine sentiments.
Sang Ying seemed somewhat displeased with Duan Hanyi's behavior. She cautiously said, "It's not appropriate for us to accept such precious things. I carefully kept all the ingredients that people sent before, planning to return them when we left. If you accept them now, what kind of image will it have for us to eat and take things here?"
"Fellow Daoist Sang, I only called you Fellow Daoist Sang out of respect. Jiang Zhuoxue treats you like a treasure and listens to everything you say, but I'm not like that. You wouldn't let me eat those good things before, fine, but now they've prepared them and delivered them to our door as an apology, why shouldn't we eat them? Besides, this is a delicacy! Do you understand what a delicacy is? It's something that can be the highlight at an auction!" Duan Hanyi said as he closed the courtyard gate, seemingly not wanting Zhao Ting to know about the argument in the courtyard.
But Zhao Ting was already quite satisfied when he saw Duan Hanyi's reaction.
He was somewhat annoyed by Sang Ying's meddling. If it weren't for her stopping them, these people would have already eaten the food they brought, and he wouldn't have had to waste such precious fish today.
But it doesn't matter. Once the sacrifice is successful, they can get whatever Listening Tide Sect wants. It's just a small fish delicacy. Compared to what he can get in the future, it's nothing.
This food delivery continued for several days until Zhao Ting confirmed that the three people had eaten the problematic food, and more than once. He then knew that the entire plan could begin.
Meanwhile, Sang Ying and the others, who were guarding the courtyard, carefully placed the Gu worms they had found in the food in front of the new communication talisman.
"Uncle, could you take a look and tell me what these Gu worms are for?" Sang Ying asked softly to the image projected in front of the communication talisman. If anyone from the Jimo Household were here, they would recognize that this figure was clearly their family head and his wife's Gu cultivator friend of many years!