Devour

Chapter 373 Lurker

Bei Tingjun smiled softly and said, "I don't need any other treasures for now, so I'll give this bone pill to Your Excellency. If there's an opportunity in the future, Your Excellency can refine a treasure for me based on the situation."

Cheng Bai took the Corpse Bone Pill and watched her walk away slowly. He murmured in admiration, "Sister Bei has also learned to invest long-term. Amazing!"

Looking towards Tianning Village from a distance, the sky gradually darkened.

Cheng Bai calculated, "It's almost the hour of the dog. Even with the Phoenix Force, it would be very difficult for me to discern things without being noticed by a master like Tu He, even with my spiritual awareness."

Li Tong suggested, "It's not that it's difficult to do, but there's no chance of success! Unless Tu He deliberately lets you off the hook and ignores your divine sense. If you want to hide it from him, you'll have to ask Kua E and Jin Lian for help. There will be a surprise!"

Cheng Bai quickly called over the two and inquired in detail, "Do you have any ingenious methods to spy on others without being detected by powerful people?"

Kua E-yang said frankly, "My creation technique can create stone beasts, wooden beasts, and the like. Whenever I come into contact with something, it's as if I've personally experienced it, and I understand what I see and hear."

Jinlian explained, "I possess the secret art of scrying, which allows me to treat a particular object as a sentry with unique sensory abilities. Whether it remains in one place or travels far with others, it will relay the intelligence it acquires."

Cheng Bai's eyes lit up as he asked excitedly, "You two can work together to create elusive scouts, deep into the enemy camp to uncover the hidden truth. Can you display it in real time and share it with your teammates?"

Jinlian nodded lightly and said, "I also have the secret technique of Nebula Lock. It's originally used to lock onto two targets billions of miles apart, linking the results to hunt down the enemy. If you think about it differently, it can also be used to display everything you've detected to others."

Cheng Bai was overjoyed and said, "Great! Thank you both for your help. You have allowed me to stay here and observe the inside story of the meeting held in Xiang Man Lou without anyone knowing."

After careful planning and preparation, Kua Eyang cast a spell to make a small section of dead branch on the ground wriggle as if alive, twisting and transforming into a moth the size of a thumb, flapping its wings and taking off into the sky.

Jinlian parted her red lips and murmured softly, her jade fingers rapidly tapping and swishing incantations, releasing circles of faint light that locked onto the moth. She then constructed an invisible nebula chain, connecting with Cheng Bai's sea of ​​consciousness to share their vision, and then released the insect-like wooden beast towards Tianning Village.

Cheng Bai felt as if he had a pair of strange eyes, like those of a moth, allowing him to see a whole new scene with clarity. A hint of worry welled up in his mind, and he asked cautiously, "What if the little guy gets slapped to death on the road?"

Kua Eyang smiled confidently and said, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. Although the material is crude, it would require someone above the Unfettered Realm to kill it. Besides, it's just lurking in a hidden place, so there's no need for a direct confrontation with others."

Cheng Bai's doubts were all gone, and he sat cross-legged with the two of them on the Xuanren Feijia observation deck, comfortably enjoying the changing scenery that passed by like the wind in his extra field of vision.

Xiangmanlou wasn't difficult to find. Nie Ziqiong had mentioned its approximate location during the day, and Tianning Village had only a handful of luxurious buildings that could be considered famous.

This six-story manor-style building, while not as imposing and majestic as the Cangzhen Building, exudes a sense of refinement and luxury. The elegant gardens in front and behind the building are interspersed with elegant landscapes, making it stand out from the crowds of villagers.

"It looks like it has the air of a wealthy and luxurious family. It must be filled with fragrance." Cheng Bai confirmed the location and said, "There are people on the top floor. Let's go in and take a closer look."

Kua E's swift movements deftly controlled the moth, causing it to flap its wings and fly through the open window. Inside, some neatly dressed villagers had just finished decorating their rooms, furnishing them, and were gradually leaving.

The last person walking in the group caught a glimpse of a moth in the corner of his eye. He whirled around with a startled exclamation, peering intently around but finding no trace of the insect. Feeling slightly uneasy, he blinked and was about to look again.

An impatient voice shouted from outside the room, "Min Lu'er, why are you still dawdling in there? The village chief, the elders, and the prince are almost up to the sixth floor!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Min Lu'er stared wide-eyed and glanced around hurriedly, but found nothing. He gritted his teeth and quickly rushed out of the house, closing the door behind him. He muttered, "I must be seeing things. It's clearly cleaned thoroughly, there shouldn't be any moths or flies."

Cheng Bai, who was far away from Xuanren Feijia, secretly praised: "The remaining personnel of the Tumin Society are indeed elite. Even the young people in charge of cleaning the rooms are not comparable to ordinary Tianren realm. Just based on their physical skills, ordinary sects pale in comparison!"

The fly quietly hid in the shadow of the branches and leaves of a pot of green plants in the room, its whole body perfectly blending into the natural environment, as if it were a branch of the potted plant, motionless.

A soft, long creaking sound echoed as the door slowly opened. Four figures filed in one after another: Min Wushuang, Nie Ziqiong, Tu He, and Diao Zha.

Min Wushuang offered the main seat in the room, taking a seat to Nie Ziqiong's right. Tu He walked to the left side of the table with an expressionless face and sat down in silence.

Diao Zha took two steps at a time and walked to the right side of the big table and sat opposite Tu He. He quickly and skillfully picked up the teapot and cups on the table, and washed, brewed, and served tea to everyone present with meticulous care.

Tu He coughed lightly twice and said solemnly, "The prince summoned us suddenly. I guess it's to deal with Beiyin's declaration of war?"

Nie Ziqiong gently stroked the teacup on the table with his right fingertips, still wearing a carefree smile and said: "The situation is changing rapidly, and the original hastily formulated plan must be adjusted accordingly."

Min Wushuang said with a worried look on his face, "Unexpectedly, the Sun Chaser was successfully forced back by the team led by Princess Ning. When Beiyin attacks, they will no longer attack Di Xuan, but will go straight for us!"

Diao Zha hurriedly said, "The village elders' council and the elders' council have been decimated. How can we, the remaining remnants, resist? It would be better to explain the truth in detail and negotiate for peace."

Tu He chuckled and said, "If a powerful party wants to negotiate peace, will they let us go easily? How much resources are they willing to give up to satisfy them? This building is the only one of ours that's still intact. We're running out of resources everywhere else!"

Diao Zha suggested, "Why should the village pay the price? Sect wars since ancient times have been primarily about competing for cultivation materials, often resulting in the cession of mortal cities. When Tu Min recovers his strength, we will slowly make our way back. Similar examples have occurred throughout history!"

Min Wushuang shook his head and got to the point: "That being said, this will only make our current situation worse. Once the news of ceding territory and seeking peace spreads throughout the martial arts world, the Northern Jingtao Sect will not miss the opportunity to strike back and will undoubtedly advance their front lines southward. Not only will we lose the newly recaptured Beiwei territory, but the losses will further expand, affecting the vassal states of Beilingbingzhou."

Tu He bluntly said, "If the war spreads to Ciyin Country, whether or not we can save Tianning Village will depend on the opinions of others. I have already made plans for the worst!"

Min Wushuang looked even more helpless, sighing, "The situation may be even worse than you imagine. The money, treasures, and weapons stored in the Treasure House have all been taken away by the Sun Chaser. The granary has been flooded by snow and water. Our finances have collapsed, and our supplies have been cut off. The village won't be able to maintain its balance for a few days. Even without an attack from others, we're already facing a debt crisis that has demoralized our people and is on the verge of collapse."

Nie Ziqiong immediately revealed the predicament: "Not to mention the salaries of the disciples at all levels, can't you even afford the wages for the chores and food?"

The calm voice plunged the meeting room into silence, and several people looked at each other in confusion. The reason was simple: Nie Ziqiong was the one who needed the most money.

Cheng Bai, who was watching from the sidelines, pondered, "If we take away the Tumin Society's inventory during the day, that will be the most fatal blow! Without a reasonable solution, this killer organization will be doomed."

As the saying goes, "Man is iron and food is steel." Planning requires money and food, and without food one will starve. Without supplies, the grassroots can't afford to eat, the higher-ups can't even think about practicing, and the leader is in dire straits.

Diao Zha looked eagerly at Min Wushuang, then turned to Tu He, and then his gaze rested on Nie Ziqiong's face. He asked cautiously, "What clever ideas do you have to resolve this crisis?"

Nie Ziqiong took a leisurely sip from the teacup and said calmly, "This tea is slightly astringent and bitter at first, but savoring it carefully is like sipping fine wine; the flavor is profound and profound!"

Min Wushuang was secretly delighted to see him calm and composed, and quickly asked, "Have you thought of a plan to achieve the best of both worlds, Prince?"