Immortal Cultivation: Starting from a Pharmacy Apprentice

Chapter 209: Chapter 209: Sneaking Around at Night

It was just as stuffy inside Mountain View Tower.

Those goddamn patrol disciples hadn’t let their fellow sect members install a cooling and heat-dispelling Array in Mountain View Tower.

But that was fine. When some of their brothers returned to the mountain, they’d find that person and use a bit of "fist-to-face reasoning" to make him change his tune.

The three of them walked outside, leaned against the railing, and enjoyed the cool breeze.

Brother Wu said, "There are wondrous arts in the Cultivation Realm that can summon a person’s soul."

"When someone dies far from home, their friends and family, fearing they might be lonely and lost, will sometimes use such methods to call their soul back."

He chuckled.

"However, when used in combat, this art has the effect of forcibly dragging a person’s Divine Thought or remnant soul back into their body."

"This, of course, is a malicious act."

Bai Mo and An Caiwei listened, completely befuddled.

’They’re clearly greenhorns.’

Brother Wu continued his explanation in a low voice:

"But regardless of its purpose, performing such an art requires a massive Array or an altar."

"Only then can one have the ability to summon a soul from miles away."

Bai Mo asked tentatively,

"Are you saying the tree stump is actually part of a magical arrangement?"

Brother Wu nodded.

"Indeed."

"It uses people’s thoughts as a sacrifice to call back remnant souls that have left their bodies."

"When friends and family summon a soul, they use blood ties, kinship, or old belongings and names as a tether. This is how they can anchor onto a soul in the unseen world."

"This tree stump arrangement, however, uses people’s thoughts as the anchor. From the moment they leave those grass rings, they’ve been anchored."

It dawned on Bai Mo. ’Anything can happen in the Cultivation Realm,’ he thought.

"So, Brother, do you think this is a good thing or a bad thing?"

"And who is behind it?"

Brother Wu shook his head.

"I don’t know."

"But we’ll find out soon enough."

"Huh?"

Bai Mo and An Caiwei looked at each other, confused.

Brother Wu explained, "A team of outside Cultivators has their eyes on that big tree stump. They claim it’s a top-quality material and have been coveting it for a long time."

"They’ve probably already gone for it."

Bai Mo glanced at him.

"I didn’t see any unfamiliar faces on my way back."

"Of course. They’ve been hanging around Immortal Arrival City for a while and have had plenty of dealings with the Cultivators from the Demon Hunting Team."

"They naturally know what the stump means to the Demon Hunting Team, so they went secretly."

Brother Wu gave Bai Mo a meaningful look.

"They present themselves to the public as a merchant caravan and they’re very generous. I bet those men you hang around with have benefited from their generosity more than once."

When people get something for nothing, it tends to go to their heads, just like alcohol.

It becomes much easier to pry information out of them, especially casual talk that seems unimportant.

Heaven knows what those men have said.

Bai Mo said hesitantly,

"So, what’s your take on that group, Brother?"

Brother Wu spread his hands.

"What take could I have?"

"They’re operating in the Xuandao Sect’s territory. I personally approved the paperwork for them to dig up the stump!"

"So you’re just letting them do it?" Bai Mo asked.

"I’m just letting them test the waters. After all, it’s something that maintains the stability of the area. We can’t just change things rashly."

Brother Wu clapped Bai Mo on the shoulder.

"Originally, we were planning to put on some hoods and night gear, disguise ourselves as hit-and-run thieves, and conveniently frame some notorious local bandits."

"But now that you’re here, Junior Brother, I suppose we won’t have to stay up all night and go to the trouble."

Bai Mo understood what Brother Wu meant.

Sighing internally, Bai Mo couldn’t help but kick himself for walking right into this.

"What’s the story with that group of Cultivators?"

To be on the safe side, Bai Mo wanted to get a clear picture first.

"They’re from some unrefined sect. They follow a path similar to our Divine Dao Mountain, but their methods are much cruder."

"Even if we had rejected their paperwork, this bunch would have probably tried to do it secretly anyway."

Seeing from Brother Wu’s expression and tone that he truly didn’t take them seriously, Bai Mo breathed a sigh of relief.

"Let’s go, let’s go!"

"I want to go see, too!"

An Caiwei, standing beside them, chimed in excitedly, egging them on.

Since his senior brothers had spoken, Bai Mo found it hard to refuse. Besides, he was a local and deeply connected to the matter, so he didn’t say no.

So, Bai Mo cupped his fists and took his leave.

As he went downstairs, he saw a senior brother putting away some black clothes he’d just taken out, giving him a knowing look.

"Good kid!"

Bai Mo smiled wryly, cupped his fists, and departed.

A short while later, along a certain street, the courtyard gates of numerous Demon Hunting Teams were pounded upon.

Those who weren’t home were left alone, but anyone who was present was gathered.

When Bai Mo spoke, they were willing to listen.

In just a few words, Bai Mo explained the situation.

"What!? Something like that is happening?"

"It really takes all kinds! They’re even greedy for a piece of rotten wood!"

One of the burly men said, his eyes wide as he boomed,

SHING!

Someone drew their blade directly, their face flushed red with anger.

"Son of a bitch. No wonder those businessmen were so nice to grunts like us, buying us drinks and meals, talking so sweetly..."

"No one’s ever been that nice to me in my whole life!"

He felt like he’d been played for a fool.

Everyone turned their gazes toward him.

"You know that group?"

The furious man said, "I do!"

"Later, I tried to get them to take me to a brothel, but they made all sorts of excuses and refused!"

"Rumor has it that Cultivators who practice these strange arts have a lot of taboos. I’m almost certain it’s them!"

The crowd looked toward Bai Mo. More or less all of them had recently encountered these generous merchant caravans.

Normally, it wouldn’t be a big deal, but prying information from them like that was a serious offense.

Bai Mo nodded.

"I may not be much, but as an Outer Sect disciple of the Xuandao Sect, I can handle this."

At that, the crowd erupted in fury. Raising their weapons high, they marched out of the city like a massive, clamoring horde.

In an instant, lights flickered on in countless buildings as the city’s residents peeked out cautiously to watch.

They just wanted to see what kind of trouble this restless bunch was stirring up in the middle of the night.

...

Outside the city, shadows surged, revealing the figures of several Cultivators.

"Brother Zhang, you are a great talent. The Shape-Stealing Banner you refined is undoubtedly a masterpiece."

"But these men all have strong physiques. Stealing only sixty percent of their vital energy, I’m afraid they’ll still wake up after a while."

"Let’s hurry!"

A Cultivator as thin as a rail clapped his hands and said.

More than ten burly men lay motionless and silent on both sides of the road.

Brother Zhang, dressed in brocade robes, was feeling quite smug.

"Sixty percent of their vital energy is nothing. Watch me drain all of their blood essence to nourish the souls in my banner!"

"That way, we won’t have to worry about being disturbed when we start our work..."

"Don’t!" the junior brother who had just spoken cried out, stopping him.

"If we do that, we’ll be no different from those on the demonic and heretical paths. We’ll incur public outrage."

"Dealing with these mountain folk is one thing, but right now there are people from the Xuandao Sect in the city."

As the junior brother spoke, a look of deep apprehension crossed his face.

Brother Zhang’s expression froze, and he looked displeased.

"Fine. We’ll do as you say."

As he spoke, a greedy glint suddenly appeared in his eyes.

"What’s the deal with this stump? The souls in my banner are already stirring restlessly."

"It must be an incredibly rare divine material!"

They exchanged a smile, and at the command to begin, numerous dark shadows drifted out from behind each of them.

Only Brother Zhang held a banner, which he waved vigorously to release the wraiths within.

In an instant, the area was filled with flickering shadows, so dense they blocked out the starlight.

Brother Zhang laughed heartily and was just about to order his men to begin when, with a THUMP, one of his junior brothers fell to the ground.

Everyone was shocked.

"Who’s there!?"

Brother Zhang gripped his banner tightly and narrowed his eyes. Just as he was about to call out to his brothers, a sharp pain suddenly struck the back of his head.

THWACK!

’It’s over!’

The large banner fell. Brother Zhang’s vision went black, and he collapsed to the ground without warning.

His junior brothers were instantly terrified.

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