A Night of Desperation

Chapter 310: Revenge 2

"Eh?? How come you’re back!?" Yu Mo was shocked to see Yu Hong, and immediately grew anxious.

"Weren’t you supposed to run away first?"

"Someone was trying to assassinate us on the way, and somehow those chasing us got into trouble with something, and were attacked by a group of giant lizard-like monsters that surrounded them. Seeing the situation was dire, we took the chance to escape."

Yu Hong explained.

He had thought about completely hiding the presence of the Dragon Lizards, but the place was a plaza, and it was improbable that no one was around.

Even during the late hours, it was highly likely that passing vehicles and pedestrians would discover traces.

So completely concealing the truth was unrealistic; it was better to just be clear from the start.

After all, as long as he himself didn’t say the Dragon Lizards were his, no one would know.

"Monsters? Like giant lizards??" Yu Mo was a bit stupefied; what kind of bizarre interruption was this?

He’d been in Taizhou for decades and heard about resentful marks and the more advanced Black Disaster, but this was the first time he heard of giant lizard-like monsters.

"Anyway, those two were held up, so we ran. Zheng Xia and the others are bringing people to seek help from the Ku Chan Taoist of Zihe Palace, and I thought of coming back secretly to see if there could be a chance to lend a hand!" Yu Hong said sincerely.

"!!!" Hearing this, the four old Taoists Yu Mo and Yu Hen instantly showed clear shock on their faces.

What kind of quality was this!?

In such dangerous times of being attacked, and at the critical moment after escaping with their lives, Yu Hong could still think of coming back in an attempt to rescue this group of old men.

Such character, such a disciple, coupled with his exceptional talent, keen senses, and the fast pace of his Daoist skills cultivation.

He was simply the perfect disciple any teacher would dream of!!

"Zheng Rou!!" Moved in his heart, Yu Mo tightly grasped Yu Hong’s hand.

"True hearts are revealed in adversity; having a disciple like you is my fortune!"

"Master, you are too kind." Yu Hong’s hand was grasped, and he felt a wave of goosebumps, but he still maintained his composure.

"Alright, Zheng Rou’s character we’ve all witnessed; he will never be treated unfairly in the future! The key now is that we need to take care of the aftermath of this attack immediately. Where are the two Special Envoys?" Yu Hen by then had come to his senses, tied up the three traitors with ropes, preparing to deal with the aftermath.

It was then that he noticed Zheng Ming, who was supported on one side and hurried to his aid.

Yu Hong watched as everyone got busily involved and shook his head internally, but in order to maintain the image he’d shown, he could only follow and assist.

Half an hour later.

Zheng Xia and the others escorted a young Taoist with a square face and a gentle façade into the Taoist Temple.

Inside the grand hall.

Yu Hen, Yu Mo, and the other old Taoists showed great deference and saluted the Taoist with a bow.

"In times of crisis, we appreciate the True Man Ku Chan making the trip." Yu Hen said. "Those who attacked earlier retreated for some unknown reason, and we are investigating the cause. True Man, rest assured, though Qingchen Temple is but a small branch of the Taoist Sect, we will not lack the due respects!"

The so-called respects naturally mean the appearance fee that Ku Chan Taoist should have.

Do you really think someone of this level could be casually called upon?

Otherwise, wouldn’t they be running around all day every day? Therefore, in the Taoist Sect, each level of magician or Taoist has a corresponding appearance fee.

Just like Yu Hong and Zheng Ming going out to take cases, their fee for one intervention is at least two hundred thousand each.

At their level, it’s two hundred thousand a pop, so for Ku Chan at his rank, it’s at least ten times higher.

And even then, it depends on his mood and schedule.

To come, is a favor. Not coming, is more the norm.

As the saying goes, money is needed everywhere, which was why Qingchen Temple didn’t develop well initially. That’s why Yu Hen values money so heavily now.

Ku Chan was only in his twenties and could already be called a True Man.

Yu Hong observed from a distance this Taoist known as the top talent of the Yasong Taoist Sect and the future Palace Master of Zihe Palace.

Indeed, as Zheng Xia had said, just standing within ten meters of him, one could feel an invisible pressure constantly bearing down on one’s mind.

The pressure felt like there was a weight in the tens of kilograms pushing one outward.

This force wasn’t physical to endure, but rather an inner sensation; if one did not pay attention, they’d naturally be pushed backwards and would become unstable in their stance.

What was eerie was that as soon as one lowered their head and stopped looking at the other person, this pushing force would dissipate on its own.

Yu Hong carefully felt this sensation inside him.

He was strong in physical strength, but in terms of spiritual cultivation, he was only at the sixth level of the Guanwu Skill, currently barely stronger than Zheng Ming.

Far inferior to this man.

Within Qingchen Temple, even the Temple Master and his master Yu Mo, when keenly sensed, seemed to have stronger spiritual cultivation than himself.

But only by a limited extent, nowhere near the special feeling when facing Ku Chan.

Shortly, after exchanging a few words with the people of the Yu Generation and Ku Chan, this invisible force of spiritual pressure quietly vanished.

Clearly, Ku Chan had retracted it deliberately.

The previous release was likely a manner of asserting his strength and status.

"I have carefully sensed it just now; using a technique to detect, there indeed were magicians from the Seven Evil Alliance here. They have already left now, and no disguised inside helpers have been detected within a two-hundred-meter radius. You all can rest assured," Ku Chan said in his gentle voice.

Hearing this, everyone at Qingchen Temple breathed a sigh of relief.

But Yu Hong’s mind stirred.

A detection and discrimination technique with a radius of two hundred meters... He gained a new appreciation for the capabilities of top Magicians.

"Since there’s no issue here, I will take my leave. There are many more calls for help at the Taoist Sect; they all stem from the Seven Evil Alliance’s actions, and I must hasten to their aid," said Ku Chan in a gentle voice.

"Other branches of the Taoist Sect have also been attacked!? The Seven Evil Alliance is so bold?!" This revelation shocked Yu Hen and the others.

"Yes, the person leading the Seven Evil Alliance is none other than Long Qingzi. This individual’s demeanor is eccentric, and his mood swings unpredictable. In the past, he was pursued and wounded numerous times by a joint effort of the two Heavenly Master Mansions, yet he always managed to escape. Now that he has resurfaced, his intentions are surely malevolent," sighed Ku Chan.

"Real Person, you’ve worked hard. We won’t delay your journey any longer," said Yu Hen, clapping his hands. A female Taoist behind him hurried forward, holding a tray.

A stack of six small gold bars lay on the tray, cushioned by a red silk cloth.

"This is a token of our gratitude. We wish the Real Person a safe journey."

"Thank you." Ku Chan nodded, glanced over everyone at Qingchen Temple, and suddenly formed a Seal with one hand and pushed it forward.

Hum!!

In an instant, a ring of transparent light burst forth from him.

The light shone on all of Qingchen Temple’s Disciples, dissipating the fear and panic in their hearts at once.

Those with injuries felt their pain lessen, and those who were mentally exhausted felt as refreshed as if they had had a good night’s sleep.

"Before parting, I offer my aid to all my fellow Taoists," declared Ku Chan in a solemn voice.

"Thank you, Real Person!"

Everyone bowed in unison.

Yu Hong was among the crowd, feeling the soft power continually seeping into his body.

The power was like water, like a breeze—warm and gentle—and even for someone with such a robust physique as him, it felt incredibly comfortable.

By the time everyone snapped out of their daze, Ku Chan’s figure had vanished.

"Zheng Xia, Zheng Ming, come here," Yu Mo, the old Taoist, called out to Yu Hong.

Yu Hen and the others began arranging for the Disciples to coordinate with the Special Envoy and the arriving police officers to report the situation.

Yu Mo led the two to a Quiet Room.

"Now that Qingchen Temple has been dealt a blow, Mud Doll Sect, a member of the Seven Evil Alliance, has started the full-scale war. Hence, starting today, we will cooperate with the official armed forces to eradicate the major strongholds of the Mud Doll Sect in the vicinity. You two can use this opportunity for training," explained Yu Mo.

"Can we really do it?" Zheng Ming, who had just awoken from unconsciousness, was evidently having doubts.

After consecutive setbacks, his confidence in his own abilities, which used to be firm, had now shrunk.

"We are from the Taoist Sect; we must step forward and cooperate. Moreover, the government also has its trained Magicians for protection and support, what’s there to fear!?" Yu Mo said impatiently. "Don’t worry. Even within the Mud Doll Sect, there is only one among the Primordial Embryos’ seven children that’s a cause for concern. Aside from that, we only have the Iron Soldiers and the Copper Soldiers, which are somewhat troublesome, but we elders will handle them."

"Master, I have a question," interjected Yu Hong.

"Go ahead."

"It’s about whether techniques would be affected when facing guns and artillery?" inquired Yu Hong somberly.

"Ordinary techniques are of little use; they’re mostly developed specifically for dealing with resentful marks and Black Disasters," answered Yu Mo. "But some malicious forces have developed special techniques that can indeed affect reality. For example, techniques similar to hypnotism can not only hypnotize others but also oneself, to become more robust, faster, less afraid of pain, and fearless."

He sighed.

"After all, our spiritual power is much stronger than ordinary people’s. With just a little development of a special function, we can easily affect reality and achieve effects akin to cheating."

"No wonder those from the Mud Doll Sect are so confident," Yu Hong realized.

"Next, the Disciples from Qingchen Temple will be dispersed to assist the armed forces. We will set off tomorrow, and before we depart, we will provide you with a set number of talismans and single-use Dao Artifacts," Yu Mo said. "This time, we were caught off guard and took a hit, but once we are fully prepared, it will be their turn to worry!"

Zheng Ming and Yu Hong exchanged looks and both agreed.

Not long after, they came out and headed back to their rooms to rest.

On the way, Zheng Ming stopped Yu Hong.

"Zheng Xia! Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Outside the grand hall, in a quiet corner by the iron tree planters, they stopped.

"Of course, go ahead," said Yu Hong, looking at him.

"I heard from Master and the others that it was you who saved me. Thank you for this time!" Zheng Ming earnestly bowed to him.

"There’s no need for formalities between members of the same sect," Yu Hong shook his head, "But after this, you’ll need to pay a bit more attention to your physical strength; otherwise, techniques won’t be sufficient to deal with those Magicians from the Mud Doll Sect."

"Understood," nodded Zheng Ming.

"Speaking of which, I have a question," Yu Hong suddenly thought of something.

"Go ahead."

"That is, why did the people from the Mud Doll Sect choose to use techniques against us rather than engaging in close-quarter combat or mainly using gunfire? Wouldn’t close combat and firearms be more efficient and less conspicuous than techniques?" Yu Hong voiced his confusion.

"Well... I guess it’s because techniques are quicker to deploy and more covert. If you win, the loser will definitely suffer mental exhaustion and fall unconscious, which is more convenient for achieving their goal," Zheng Ming responded tentatively.

He thought for a moment and added.

"Anyway, in our circle, it’s common to first compete with techniques. Not many people think like you; this kind of thinking is more in line with military strategy and is something the official side should consider."