Chapter 339: 315 Talents, Part 1

September.

A Reunion Inn located on the outer ring of Citong welcomed a group of special guests.

The guests were entirely wrapped in white windproof gauze, concealing their faces regardless of gender.

The leader spoke with a clumsy Western accent, seemingly a language from France.

After swiftly checking into the inn, the group started inquiring around about the religious authorities and fleets, as well as tax exemptions.

Such people were common in Citong.

Judging by their appearance, they were religious figures. According to the Great Spirit’s law, many religious figures enjoy certain tax exemptions.

The extent of these exemptions depended on the influence and power of their respective sects.

Those with the most exemptions were naturally the Buddhist sects.

Next were the Daoist sects.

However, after the group of white-clothed individuals checked into the inn, another ordinary caravan followed them into the city.

Because all attention was on the group in white, the caravan was extremely inconspicuous and low-key.

After entering the city, this caravan settled in a small inn opposite the Reunion Inn.

“Master, all personnel are in place. How should we proceed with the investigation?”

Inside a guestroom in the small inn.

Cheng Hui, along with spirit envoys from the nearby Golden Wing Pavilion, consulted quietly on the local situation in Citong.

Before arriving, he hadn’t anticipated such a dire situation.

The entire local branch of the Golden Wing Pavilion had basically been wiped out without a trace.

This meant that in Citong, the Golden Wing Pavilion was now completely blind.

Cheng Hui frowned deeply.

He rarely encountered such a tricky situation.

“Can we find out who did it?” he asked in a low voice.

“It’s rumored to be the Secret Sect. The government proclamation mentioned it,” the spirit envoy replied honestly.

“Can we trust the government’s proclamation? The Great Spirit’s government might have long been infiltrated and corrupted,” dissatisfaction flashed in Cheng Hui’s eyes.

“Master, you might not know, but currently, the most powerful force in Citong is Lord Zhang, the religious authority of Agarwood Palace. Many fleets follow his lead. The government and the prefect are quite cooperative with him and give him a lot of face,” the spirit envoy replied helplessly.

“Agarwood Palace…” Cheng Hui’s expression turned grim.

This was the first time he encountered such a situation in his pursuit of various groups.

The Golden Wing Pavilion’s office in Citong was gone, yet without evidence, no one knew who was responsible at all.

“Behind Agarwood Palace is the Great Dao Teaching. Now that Zhenyi Western Sect is in a standoff, neither side wants to provoke the Great Dao Teaching into joining the conflict.

Therefore, we can’t take direct action. That Daoist is absolutely untouchable. We must first secretly gather evidence to prove that he indeed has issues.”

Cheng Hui felt extremely frustrated. Previously, during investigations of other candidates, any command led to targets being arrested or hunted, and no one dared obstruct.

But now, in Citong, he was stuck, completely in the dark.

“Then, Master, how should we respond to the covert messages from Master Kongding?” the spirit envoy asked with difficulty.

“Tell Master Kongding that we’ve received intelligence suggesting a possible connection between the Rebel Sect and the hidden peoples. Please have him directly eliminate the remnants of the Rebel Sect,” Cheng Hui said in a low voice.

He was very aware that he knew nothing and had no information.

But it didn’t matter; with Master Kongding, Lord Kongwu, and Master Jinyuan, the three grandmasters of spiritual veins here, pushing through little Citong would suffice.

Sweeping through all potentially involved forces would surely uncover clues.

With a calm expression, Cheng Hui continued, “Tell Master Kongding that the head of the Rebel Sect, Zhang Yunqi, was originally a remnant of the Eastern Sect and might know something about the hidden people. Please apprehend him first.”

“Understood!” The spirit envoy quickly exited the room.

The guestroom returned to silence.

Cheng Hui still donned the outfit of an outsider merchant caravan leader, with his physique subtly disguised to appear slightly plump and affluent.

Even though he’d sent someone to notify Kongding, he knew well that finding Zhang Yunqi was already quite difficult for Kongding.

Because ever since the Rebel Sect suddenly diminished in influence and went underground, Zhang Yunqi hadn’t appeared as he used to.

Furthermore, this period coincided precisely with the arrival of Daoist Zhang Ying of the Great Dao Teaching in Citong.

Also, since both sides had historical ties, intertwining now wasn’t unexpected.

“Come in,” he called out again.

“Boss, here I am!” Immediately, a master from the Golden Wing Pavilion entered the room.

“Notify Master Tongbei to disguise himself and find a reason to arrest a few managers from Agarwood Palace for interrogation.

Also, ask Master Fengmo to inquire about the recent activities of Zhang Ying, the Daoist, from the two spiritual veins of the Snow Rainbow Pavilion tasked with supervising and protecting him.

Finally, reach out to the local gang members who frequent the docks, and find out if any ships have recently transported a large number of women away. Determine where these ships have headed.”

These ships would have obvious features that are hard to forget. Invest more money; if one person doesn’t speak, another will. With enough money, someone will talk.”

“Understood!”

Cheng Hui always tackled matters from multiple angles.

Wanghai Temple held many Western beauties, all premium offerings prepared for transport to the capital.

Now, they’ve all vanished. Such valuable items must have a destination.

As long as this destination is found.

This series of arrangements considered nearly every possible angle.

As for offending Daoist Zhang Ying of the Great Dao Teaching, he didn’t care at all.

He hadn’t directly acted against him. With the overwhelming power of the three grandmasters from the Western Sect present, this was already a significant gesture.

The Daoist was untouchable, but the others didn’t share the same immunity.

*

*

*

“The final bit… finally arrived.” Zhang Rongfang maintained his patience and continued to complete the alchemy process.

The second layer of the Chasing the Sun pill had been difficult to find the main ingredients for, and now he could finally take them formally to break through.

However, the sudden completion of his attribute points made Zhang Rongfang hesitate.

He really wanted to add to them immediately and see what talent he could gain after reaching two hundred life points.

Suppressing the longing within his heart, Zhang Rongfang meticulously followed the steps, extracting the completed pills and storing them in a sterile, baked small porcelain bottle.

He labeled the bottle with a pen; there were a total of five bottles with fifteen pills produced.

Each bottle contained three pills.

Each pill was the size of an eyeball.

For others, these pills would be far from enough to practice the Golden Toad Skill’s Chasing the Sun layer.

Perhaps ten times more would be barely sufficient.

But for Zhang Rongfang, after taking them once, he could forcibly increase his attribute points through sheer will.

This also avoided pill toxicity.

He didn’t have to endure the time-consuming wait to extract the pill toxins before continuing consumption.

Long ago, those practicing the Golden Toad Skill, according to Tian Ruyi of the Thousand Stone Sect, needed to consume the pill once and use special methods to temper their bodies. It was best to also take some pill detoxification recipes for conditioning.

Otherwise, it was impossible for anyone to train to the Chasing the Sun stage.

Zhang Rongfang finally examined the pills he had packed but ultimately did not consume them right away.

He stood up and left the alchemy room, walking along the shaded path of the Agarwood Palace towards the quiet room where he usually meditated and cultivated.

He planned to add his points in the quiet room and reach two hundred life points.

Moreover, if he took the pills, firstly, his current attribute points were insufficient, and secondly, after taking them, his life value would also drop.

He’d have to wait again for a while to get close to two hundred.

So, it was better to first try to cross this boundary now.

Arriving at the door of the quiet room.

Suddenly, a shadow appeared under the trees on the right side, kneeling on one knee.

“Daoist, someone is quietly inquiring about your personal information at the dock, as well as the information of those women previously sent by the Wanghai Temple.”

The figure was a skilled Rebel Sect operative Zhang Rongfang had placed in the Agarwood Palace for convenient communication.

After all, Zhang Zhenhai was also a true young talent, an extraordinary expert at a young age, with boundless potential.

Daily, after receiving numerous resource supplies from Zhang Rongfang, his cultivation was further improving.

Now, Zhang Zhenhai was also close to achieving perfection with External Medicine.

Therefore, appointing someone specifically for communication allows Zhang Zhenhai to be free, with ample time for his own martial cultivation and medication intake.

“Do you know who it is?” Zhang Rongfang frowned and asked.

“From their attire and the documents and road guides provided, they appear to be Great Spirit People disguised as a caravan. Among them are Northern People, and even two bald ones,” the person replied softly.

“Bald ones….” Zhang Rongfang meditated briefly and instantly thought of the Western Sect.

“Continue to monitor, do not alert them,” he instructed softly.

“Yes.” The figure stood up and quickly departed.

To outsiders, this person was just an ordinary low-ranking Daoist in the Agarwood Palace, but without prior knowledge, no one would know he was a hidden Rebel Sect member within the Taoist palace.

Watching the person leave, Zhang Rongfang stood in front of the quiet room door and sighed lightly.

The Western Sect had finally come.

Having killed Kongxiang, killed Hui Jue, and destroyed the entire Wanghai Temple, he knew that sooner or later, the follow-up from the Western Sect would come for him.

Now that day had finally arrived.

“Just hope that everything goes as smoothly as Uncle Zuo said….”

He paused for a moment, finally extending his hand to push open the door of the quiet room.

Walking inside, he closed the door behind him.

He walked to the only meditation mat in the room and pulled open a hidden compartment on the wall behind it.

Inside the compartment were piles of bottles of boiled water, along with a large reserve of jerky, dried fruits, dried vegetables, Fasting Pills, Hemostasis Pills, Antitoxic Pills, and so on.

This was the supply prepared to cope with possible seclusion hunger and thirst conditions.

Taking out some food and pills, he closed the compartment. After making all necessary preparations, Zhang Rongfang sat down on the meditation mat, closed his eyes, and quietly focused his attention on the attribute panel.

’Let me see…. two hundred points, what on earth will appear….’

Without hesitation, he added the freshly obtained attribute point to his life.

His life value jumped from 199 to 200.

Then there was silence, the same silence as the last time returned once more.

Zhang Rongfang remained still, continuing to sit cross-legged, waiting.

One second.

Five seconds.

Ten seconds.

Thump.

Suddenly, a violent heartbeat resounded, its waves spreading throughout Zhang Rongfang’s body.

His body began to heat up, becoming burning hot.

His blood accelerated rapidly, like a horse that had broken free, frantically coursing through his veins.

A sensation like being engulfed in flames instantly enveloped Zhang Rongfang from head to toe.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep