Chapter 69: Lao Chao of the Devouring Sea Gang

Fang Cun left the roadside tea shed and boarded the black carriage. Xiao Qingliu then drove it, heading southwest along the country path.

Before long, they stopped on a slope and waited quietly.

Fang Cun lifted the carriage curtain and glanced out. He could see a large porridge tent set up in front of a farmstead in the town ahead. He didn’t know which kind-hearted person had placed it there. Probably because this place not only distributed medicinal soup for the illness but also had a large pot cooking porridge and meat to hand out to refugees, a larger crowd of people had gathered here in a packed mass compared to other places, waiting to receive their share.

Fang Cun only took one look before asking, “What’s wrong with this place?”

Xiao Qingliu replied, “Young Master, this act of charity looks normal. But the numbers are strange. I’ve been counting here. Within one hour, at least seventy or eighty refugees arrived. Yet the total of those who left and those who stayed behind is less than that. I estimate that four or five people have vanished. And if I remember correctly, most of the vanished ones were young women!”

Fang Cun trusted Xiao Qingliu’s judgment. Back when Xiao Qingliu went out to find an assassin for him, he had already been extremely careful. Yet Master Qin had followed him the whole way. Seeing this, Xiao Qingliu had immediately tried to draw a blade across his own neck to avoid revealing Fang Cun’s involvement. But Master Qin stopped him, preventing him from completing the act. Master Qin then dragged him all the way to the Fang Residence to meet Fang Cun, who had been only fourteen years old at the time. They discussed the price face-to-face and ultimately agreed on the friendly rate of five thousand gold per sword strike…

This incident was a bit of unsavory history between Fang Cun and Xiao Qingliu, master and servant.

But as for other matters, Xiao Qingliu hadn’t messed up before…

“Refining a human elixir also requires selecting suitable material…”

“The elderly, the weak, and the seriously ill—their innate qualities would be more or less tainted by age or sickness, making them inferior among potential ingredients for the human elixir. Regarding materials suitable for the human elixir, children under three years old are the best. Their Innate Qi is the purest. Young men and women around eighteen or nineteen years old are the next best; the human elixir refined from them would be the most potent. If he deliberately selects only young women… this indicates…”

According to Xiao Qingliu’s words, Fang Cun slowly reached a conclusion in his mind: “Compared to back in the Southern Mountains, his standards for selecting material are indeed higher now…”

After pondering slightly, he asked, “Have those fools also spotted this place?”

“They discovered it an hour ago. Their skills aren’t half bad…”

Xiao Qingliu said with a smile, “But they don’t know I’ve already noticed them. Didn’t investigate anything else!”

Having gotten a clear picture, Fang Cun stayed inside the carriage, sitting quietly. The location was already parked with many carriages, belonging to noble families and wealthy merchants from the city who had come to perform their charitable acts, or stewards and shopkeepers left behind by them. It blended in perfectly. They waited until evening when fewer carriages remained. Fang Cun then instructed Xiao Qingliu to move the carriage farther away, hiding it within some tall grass.

Night fell. The porridge tent was taken down. Faintly, they could hear the people who had been giving out porridge dispersing the refugees around them. They yelled loudly, ordering them to quickly go away and get lost. If they wanted medicine and meat, they could come back early tomorrow morning. If they didn’t leave quickly, people would start hitting them.

Gradually, the refugees drifted away. Deep silence descended.

“Movement…”

They waited for an unknown amount of time when Xiao Qingliu suddenly spoke softly.

Fang Cun lifted the curtain and looked, but saw only pitch black. He could see nothing.

Xiao Qingliu quickly explained, grinning, “Action over there. Looks like three carriages came out from the back gate…”

Fang Cun nodded, saying, “Follow them. But don’t get spotted. Can you manage?”

Xiao Qingliu chuckled softly, “That’s my specialty!”

The black carriage quietly rolled out. It followed discreetly, neither too far nor too close. Within the surrounding darkness, the occasional startled fluttering of birds could be heard now and then. It was unclear if someone was darting through the night, tracking something. They travelled over a dozen miles, gradually heading towards the west of Willow Lake City. The damp scent of water hit their faces—they were increasingly approaching the docks around Willow Lake.

“Far from the Academy and the City Governor… hides from prying eyes… offers an easy escape route…”

Fang Cun mulled over these key points in the darkness. His sense of confidence grew.

They stopped hidden behind several willow trees some distance away. Fang Cun strained his eyes. Dimly, he could make out a wild, deserted dock in the desolate surroundings, overgrown with tall weeds. Behind the weeds at the lakeshore rested a huge boat. No lights were lit inside; it was engulfed in complete darkness. Floating on the lake surface, at first glance, it resembled a man-eating giant beast—strange and sinister.

“Almost time…”

This plague situation had been going on for some time now. Considering the enemy was kidnapping over a dozen people every day, the amount needed to refine the human elixir must be approaching completion. If they didn’t find them soon, likely the enemy would succeed in refining this human elixir…

And if he succeeded in refining it out here on the lake, he could immediately escape using the water… Probably no one could catch him then…

The weeds on the shore, taller than a person, swayed. It seemed like a party of people was moving through them, slowly making their way towards the lakeside.

Soon after, the sound of water moving indicated the huge boat was about to head deeper into the lake.

Within this unusual stillness, the night felt oppressive…

“Demons, halt!”

Just at this moment, a clear, sharp shout suddenly broke the surrounding silence, startling a flock of birds into flight.

Fang Cun and Xiao Qingliu immediately perked up, craning their necks to see.

……

“Swish…”

Amidst the seemingly empty wilderness, stirred only by the night wind, sudden light erupted. Seven or eight Talismans shot into the air like fireworks. Instantly, dazzling light blossomed, bright as sunlight, illuminating the area within a hundred yards.

“Swish!” “Swish!” “Swish!”

Under the Talisman light, several figures flew out from amidst the trees and tall grass, scattering towards different directions.

Leading them was a woman clad in white robes. She flew in mid-air using her Magical Power, fluttering gracefully like an immortal fairy. It was Meng Zhixue. At this moment, a huge snowy-white sword box could be seen strapped to her back, adding a touch of heroic spirit. She gazed coldly towards the boat.

Sword intent condensed around her, poised to strike at any instant.

Simultaneously, Meng Qing’er and Yu Qingli appeared. Soaring through the air, they instantly reached the bow and stern of the boat. One bore a light smile on her face, her eyes sharp; the other pressed five fingers downward into empty air, unleashing Magical Power. Instantly, gang members on the deck were immobilized.

Immediately afterwards, Nie Quan rushed forward with seven or eight other Academy Disciples. A huge blade taller than his head by a foot was strapped to Nie Quan’s back. They formed a line at the shore’s edge and simultaneously formed hand seals. Their combined Magical Power surged. Within Willow Lake, towering waves immediately rose, crashing back towards the shore. The boat was immediately pushed back against the bank.

They had materialized in an instant and coordinated flawlessly. In a flash, they had encircled and immobilized the boat with perfect teamplay.

“Impressive tactic…”

Xiao Qingliu couldn’t help but exclaim in amazement as he watched the scene unfold.

Fang Cun rubbed his earlobe, silently marveling inside: ‘As expected of an Academy’s regular-level top students…’

……

“Wh—who is there?”

The glow from the Talismans clearly illuminated the deck. It was filled with gang members dressed in simple tunics. Their demeanor was thick with ferocity. However, the Academy Disciples attacked too swiftly, catching them completely off guard. Before they could react, they were either pinned by Meng Zhixue’s palpable sword intent or fixed by the watchful gazes of Meng Qing’er and Yu Qingliu flanking them on either side… There was simply no time to resist…

With bright, gleaming sword points pressed against their necks, even if they wanted to move, they didn’t dare…

“You gangsters used the plague as a cover to abduct common folk! What is your aim?”

Standing out over the shore, Meng Zhixue flew through the air using her Magical Power. It seemed she was stepping on emptiness as she advanced slowly. Her cold question cut through the tension.

Her voice wasn’t loud, yet it carried far through the four directions and intimidated the crowd.

Seeing Meng Zhixue’s stunning appearance, the gang members on deck experienced their hearts pounding fiercely. Yet the cool aura emanating from her, sharp and jade-like, instilled fear so deep that they couldn’t even bear to look directly at her. One by one, their knees weakened as though they wanted to kneel. They even forgot to answer.

“Hmph!”

Just at this moment, a muffled grunt came from inside the cabin. It rumbled like thunder, dispelling the heavy pressure weighing down the ship.

“Academy Disciples really throw their weight around…”

A chilling voice followed. From within the cabin emerged a man built like a solid iron tower—a bare-chested brute. Beneath the Talisman light, they could see strands of black serpent-like energy writhing and twisting tightly around his entire body.

His gaze, filled with cold malice, swept across the surroundings. He said coldly, “The Devouring Sea Gang is simply conducting legitimate business. Must you interfere?”

The Academy Disciples who saw him emerge collectively gasped inwardly. Those who recognized him instinctively uttered his name.

“It’s Lao Chao of the Devouring Sea Gang…”

“Demon Lao Chao…!”

Despite being proud Academy Disciples, favorites of destiny, their hearts inevitably recoiled at the sight of this notorious fiend from Willow Lake City.

……

“Swish!”

At the same moment, within the carriage beneath the willow grove in the rear, Fang Cun witnessed Lao Chao’s appearance. His expression instantly turned grim.

He abruptly let the curtain fall. His brows knit tightly together. He muttered in a low voice, “We’ve been fooled!”