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Chapter 127 - 127: Hunting Outside the City, Hidden Dangers Lurk
Chapter 127 - 127: Hunting Outside the City, Hidden Dangers Lurk
Chapter 127: Hunting Outside the City, Hidden Dangers Lurk
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“Do you really think you can survive once you leave the city? Little He, don’t say
I didn’t give you a chance. It’s your own fault for not cherishing it. Later on…”
He Zhao didn’t pay any attention to Hong Zhen’s words. He simply walked around him and left.
“Not bad, kid,” Lu Xuan, standing in He Zhao’s pocket, nudged him with his wooden arm. “Such an obvious threat, and yet you chose not to beat him up.”
“Private fighting and crime are forbidden in the city. Everyone must abide by this rule,” He Zhao took a deep breath. “Hong Zhen wouldn’t dare break the rules here. I guess he’s deliberately provoking me to strike first. His uncle is the local magistrate here. If I fell for it and gave him leverage, it could endanger my mother.”
Since his father’s death, He Zhao had been through a lot. He was more sensible and mature than his peers.
“You should think about what to do next,” Ru Shou said. “That Hong Feng is in your team, and once outside the city, he’s likely to be hostile towards you.”
“What’s there to be afraid of?” Lu Xuan laughed. “We have Senior Ru Shou covering us outside the city. A little projection of his spirit is enough to suppress the entire Dream Ruins.”
“It’s good that you understand,” Ru Shou spoke leisurely. “Remember, you two are still under assessment. Once outside the city, follow my instructions, and I’ll ensure your safety.”
“Of course, no problem,” Lu Xuan readily agreed, curious to observe this Ru Shou.
“Understood, Senior Ru Shou,” He Zhao responded.
Meanwhile, Ru Shou was deep in thought. Having seen the architectural style, cultivation system, and language customs of this place, he had some guesses about the era Dream Ruins City came from. He speculated that within this dark world, there must be an opportunity waiting for latecomers.
“However, the projection of spirit only allows us to stay in this city for twelve hours, not long enough to seek out this opportunity,” Ru Shou pondered. “There are rules in the Immortal Tomb: members cannot kill each other, and body snatching is definitely not allowed. I might use the technique of mind control to make this boy my puppet…”
He then considered the presence of another wooden figure in Shebi Shi’s pocket. “If Gong Gong is around, it might be tricky to deal with. I need to find a way to expel his spirit projection first…”
Ru Shou planned his next moves.
At the city gate, more than ten figures gathered.
“Is everyone here?” asked a yellow-faced man with an axe hanging at his waist.
“Captain, all thirteen of us are here, not one missing,” replied a man in his thirties standing beside him, holding a long sword and radiating a fierce aura. He was much younger than the yellow-faced man. This person was Hong Feng, mentioned by Hong Zhen.
The hunting teams weren’t dispatched every day but in several groups taking turns. Ideally, more people would mean greater strength, and hunting teams should gather to jointly attack Nightmare Demons. However, Dream Ruins City didn’t operate under such rules.
In Dream Ruins, the larger the team, the more Nightmare Demons and Evil Spirits they encountered. Additionally, the higher the cultivation level of the members, the more powerful the attracted creatures.
Teams entering the darkness were like bright torches; the longer and brighter they shone, the more terrifying the monsters they attracted. Over the years, the city had found the optimal team combination: ten to fifteen members, with the highest cultivation level being the Orifice Solidification Stage.
Those above Sitting Illumination Stage could only go out alone or with peers of the same level. Stronger individuals attracted more powerful creatures, and any battle could easily affect other team members.
He Zhao’s team’s highest cultivation level was the yellow-faced man, the captain at the early Orifice Solidification Stage, named Zhang Wanjun. The second-highest was a middle-aged woman at mid-Daoist Foundation Stage, named Li Rui, followed by Hong Feng at the peak of the Conviction Stage.
Among the thirteen members, four, including He Zhao, had not crossed the threshold of the Conviction Stage.
Hong Feng noticed He Zhao at the back of the crowd, greed flashing in his eyes.
He had already conspired with his brother to cripple He Zhao once outside the city, then pressure He Zhao’s mother for the Dream Stone, with Hong Feng taking possession of it.
Hong Feng wouldn’t kill He Zhao; a burden was more useful than a dead man. He Zhao would be a strain on his mother, forcing her to succumb. If He Zhao died, his mother would lose her weakness, which would not be beneficial to their plan.
He Zhao was unaware of Hong Feng’s current thoughts but was wary of him.
“We’ll split into groups, each picking team members. If we encounter
Nightmare Demons or Evil Spirits, we can form arrays to fight,” Zhang Wanjun suggested.
Li Rui and Hong Feng nodded in agreement. Excluding themselves, there were ten people. Zhang Wanjun, being of higher cultivation, took responsibility for four members. Li Rui and Hong Feng each chose three.
As expected, after picking two members, Hong Feng pointed at He Zhao: “You come to my group.”
He Zhao’s expression darkened, but he said nothing and followed Hong Feng.
The city gates slowly opened, revealing the thick darkness outside, boundless and limitless..