Chapter 115: Rural Areas Encircling The City
“Your progress is way too exaggerated, isn’t it?”
The others were relatively calm, but Qin Shen Bo found it somewhat hard to accept.
He had spent over a decade to reach this point, yet Jiang Ce completed a three-level leap in a very short time, which was truly discouraging.
But thinking of the person behind him, he felt relieved.
With his personal strength, plus Wei Lao’s help, it was actually quite normal.
Xuan Qing was curious but tactfully didn’t ask more.
He plucked off a few singed eyebrows and asked, “Which sect are you planning to visit first next?”
Jiang Ce waved his hand: “Put the previous plan on hold for now. Wei Lao has other arrangements there. Now there’s something more important to do.”
“What to do?”
“Go to Lu Shan Sect.”
Everyone was stunned, then they all remembered something. Liang Zhi Che said in surprise: “You’re really going to do that?”
Jiang Ce glanced at him: “You didn’t think I was joking before, did you?”
Xuan Qing hesitated a bit: “This matter needs long-term consideration. I’m afraid…”
“Our big brother is the Gatekeeper. He already has a grudge with Lu Shan Sect, plus we’ve suffered grievances from them outside ourselves. Isn’t it normal to seek some compensation?”
Jiang Ce paused, then continued: “Don’t worry. Still the same words: if anything happens, the leader takes responsibility. This account will be settled on the Gatekeeper’s head.”
Do you really think of the Gatekeeper as a person…
Several people thought this in their hearts, their eyelids twitching, not knowing what to say. Xuan Qing spoke up to explain: “That’s not what I mean. I mean, aren’t you thinking of Lu Shan Sect too simply?”
“You mean, with just us few, we’re no match for Lu Shan Sect?”
Seeing that no one spoke, Jiang Ce smiled and pulled Xuan Qing over: “What’s wrong? We do need to cause them trouble, but it’s not really to wipe them out. Old rules: put on the mask, do some sabotage behind enemy lines, and that’s it.”
“Oh, just to give them a lesson and incidentally intensify the conflict between the Daoist Sect and the Gluttonous Ghost?”
Lou Leshan understood and said in realization.
“Right, right, that’s exactly it.”
Jiang Ce smiled meaningfully.
It had been over a week since the group left Celestial Master’s Mansion. Instead of taking the highway straight to Lu Shan Sect, they followed Jiang Ce’s intention and took the national road, wandering around nearby cities from time to time.
As soon as night fell, the group put on masks and headed straight to local small Daoist temples that were either open to the public or obscure with cultivators.
They didn’t hurt anyone, just trapped the people in the temple, then did nothing, guarded for one night, and left at dawn the next day.
After doing this to four or five small Daoist temples in a row, Jiang Ce offered no explanation, brushing them all off with the word “secret.” Finally, until Xuan Qing discovered a Daoist Priest wearing Lu Shan Sect robes in one of the small Daoist temples, he spotted the clue.
Ku Zhen and Ling Xun were also in the group at this time. They had heard about everything that happened at Celestial Master’s Mansion, but aside from Jiang Ce’s one-night three-level leap, Ling Xun didn’t see any other issues.
As for Ku Zhen, experienced and sharp-eyed, he had always felt that everything at Celestial Master’s Mansion was worth scrutinizing. Now seeing the Lu Shan Sect Daoist Priest, he even spotted the problem a step faster than Xuan Qing.
Almost the instant Xuan Qing looked over, he said seriously: “These temples are probably all connected to Lu Shan Sect.”
Xuan Qing subtly glanced at Qin Shen Bo and the others who were guarding these Daoist Priests while chatting in the hall, then at Jiang Ce who was cultivating Daoist Techniques with his eyes closed beside them, before saying quietly: “These small Daoist temples have no big shots. These days we haven’t even needed to act; Qin Shen Bo and the others are enough to handle it. Even if they’re connected to Lu Shan Sect, what’s the point?”
Ku Zhen pressed his hands together, about to chant a Buddhist Chant, but remembered he was wearing a mask as a Gluttonous Ghost, so he forcibly suppressed the urge, put down his hands, and said thoughtfully: “Two possibilities. Either to knock the mountain to shake the tiger, using these people’s mouths to send a message to intimidate Lu Shan Sect, telling them the Gluttonous Ghost is coming; or some other scheme.”
“With his temperament, the first one is really possible.” Xuan Qing smiled, but after a slight pause, he suddenly asked: “Of the other scheme you mentioned, do you think Wei Lao knows?”
Ku Zhen glanced at him: “Who knows? His relationship with Wei Lao is closer than yours or mine. Anyway, just follow him.”
“I think if it were the former, he would take some valuable stuff at least…” Xuan Qing muttered.
Ku Zhen was stunned upon hearing this, as if guessing something, but he didn’t say it out loud. Instead, he looked thoughtfully at Jiang Ce, then muttered to himself: “How does he know these small Daoist temples are connected to Lu Shan Sect?”
“What?” Xuan Qing didn’t hear clearly.
“Nothing, just talking to myself.” Ku Zhen shook his head.
The next evening, several people repeated the trick but found it empty.
Except for an old man sweeping the courtyard, there was no one else in the temple. Jiang Ce saw he was just an ordinary person, so he approached amiably and asked: “Sir, where are the others?”
The old man looked up, puzzled: “Who are you people?”
“Video creators, internet celebrities. Doesn’t sir know?” Jiang Ce said smoothly.
The old man shook his head: “I don’t understand you young people’s stuff. If you’re looking for people, you’re late. The Daoist Priests in the temple left yesterday, saying they needed to be out for a while. They gave me next month’s wages too. Probably won’t be back for a short time.”
“Alright, carry on then.” Jiang Ce nodded and turned back to organize descending the mountain:
“Let’s go. Looks like the message has been passed from the previous temples. No need to go to the later planned ones; they’ve probably all left. Now all the Daoist Priests from the previous and later temples are likely gathered at Lu Shan Sect seeking protection.”
Everyone felt it strange: why did Lu Shan Sect have more people, yet Jiang Ce’s tone sounded satisfied?
Liang Zhi Che was straightforward and asked directly: “Big Brother, with more people at Lu Shan Sect, doesn’t that make it harder for us to cause trouble?”
“Not at all. Small pattern. Those are all our helpers.”
Jiang Ce replied with a grin.
Including Xuan Qing and Ku Zhen, everyone exchanged looks, thinking: you trap them for a night and they become your helpers? Wishful thinking?
But no matter how much Liang Zhi Che asked, he kept selling the suspense.
With no other choice, everyone assumed it was Wei Lao’s other arrangement and followed Jiang Ce down the mountain.
Afterward, the group didn’t go to other temples but headed straight for Lu Shan Sect.
But at the foot of Lu Shan Sect mountain, Jiang Ce didn’t rush up. Instead, he walked away to make a phone call.
The others thought Jiang Ce was reporting work to Wei Lao, so they didn’t pay attention. After Jiang Ce returned, everyone found an inn to stay. At night, with no unrelated pilgrims or idlers on the mountain, they went up the mountain under cover of darkness.
