The Pastoral Life of a Cultivation Master

Chapter 2989 Let's verify together
Although Zhou Zixing and Qian Ying were both talking about the red thread and the red thread fruit, their thoughts were completely different.

However, inner thoughts are still inner thoughts, and even if the two people have innate abilities, they cannot know what the other is thinking.

After about half an hour, Qian Wantong returned: "Elder, Elder Zhou, I searched the entire vicinity and even counted the members of each family, but I still couldn't find Ouyang Nan. They may not have returned here; they may have found a place to stay on their way back."

"What did Ouyang Min say?" Qian Ying asked.

“Since Ouyang Nan handed over his leadership duties, Ouyang Min has not appeared for the past few days, nor has he contacted any members of the Ouyang family team. He doesn’t know where Ouyang Nan and his group are,” Qian Wantong said.

Qian Ying was speechless. She hadn't expected Ouyang Nan to be so disregardful of the safety of the Ouyang family members, abandoning her position and never returning. It seemed that there were quite a few problems within the Ouyang family.

However, he was also happy to see this problem.

Since Ouyang Nan can't be found, there's no way to get firsthand accounts. Looking at Qian Zhenghao beside him, he couldn't blame the guy. After all, he had said he'd been poisoned by snake venom, which was why he was still somewhat numb and hadn't participated in the second exploration mission.

“Elder Zhou, in that case, let’s go find Ouyang Nan tomorrow. After we meet, we can inquire about the situation on the other side of the canyon. Ideally, we should cross the canyon and conduct an on-site investigation to facilitate the team’s subsequent actions,” Qian Ying said.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zixing frowned and said, "We do need to investigate what's happening on the other side of the canyon. However, I'm worried about the strange beasts beneath the black mist in the canyon. If the entire team crosses the canyon and gets attacked by these beasts, we might be at a disadvantage without the unique environment of hills."

Although Zhou Zixing used the word "passive," Qian Ying understood what he meant. If the monsters in the canyon attacked the team, then only the two of them might be able to escape the monsters' attacks. The others, especially without the protective environment of the hills and nurseries, would simply be waiting to die if attacked by the monsters.

"Yes, Elder Zhou is thinking that we still need to question Ouyang Nan and the others tomorrow to see what the situation is with the strange beasts in the canyon these past two nights." Qian Ying had anticipated Zhou Zixing's concerns. Deep down, she shared the same worries about the strange beasts in the canyon.

"Um, Elder..." Qian Zhenghao knew that interrupting now was inappropriate, but he had something he had to say.

When Qian Wantong heard Qian Zhenghao hesitate to speak, he glared at him. Did this guy have no sense of propriety? The two elders were discussing something; was it appropriate to interrupt? Couldn't he wait until the discussion was over and Elder Zhou left before reporting to Elder Qian?

But before Qian Wantong could speak, Qian Ying raised her hand to stop him and asked, "Say what you want to say."

Upon hearing Qian Ying's words, Qian Zhenghao immediately replied, "Yes, Elder."

"What I was about to say was that after I crossed the canyon, I didn't see any traces of strange beasts on the other side, and there were no traces of strange beasts walking through the woods there either," Qian Zhenghao said.

"Oh? Is that really so?" Zhou Zixing asked immediately, somewhat surprised. Qian Ying and Qian Wantong had the same expression.

“Yes, Elder Zhou, I carefully observed the situation on the other side when I first crossed the canyon. However, since the area from the other side of the canyon to the forest is all rock and the distance is not very large, only about twenty meters, it is very difficult to find any traces of strange beasts. However, in the forest, the further in you go, the denser the bushes become, to the point that you have to cut a path through them. This situation indicates that no strange beasts have entered the forest.”

"Furthermore, after I was cured of the snake venom, I didn't follow Ouyang Nan and the others to investigate. While waiting for them to return, I searched the surrounding area but didn't find any traces of large animals. So the strange beasts in the canyon probably didn't set foot on the other side of the canyon."

"However, these are all my observations. In reality, it's still uncertain whether those strange beasts have actually set foot on the other side of the canyon. But, the two elders can ask Li Mo about it tomorrow. After all, he's been on duty over the canyon these past two nights, supposedly observing the situation of the strange beasts there."

Qian Zhenghao had indeed carefully investigated all of these things. Moreover, in order to cover up his fear of being bitten by the First-Line Red again, he did not follow Ouyang Nan into the bushes a second time, and spent some time observing the situation in the forest.

In addition, he had returned to this side of the canyon to check on the rope bridge, so he also took the opportunity to observe the surrounding area. This statement now serves to highlight his diligent work ethic.

After listening to Qian Zhenghao's description, Qian Ying nodded slightly and smiled at him, which was a form of approval.

“Elder Zhou, then tomorrow we should question Li Mo thoroughly and hear about his monitoring of the strange beasts in the canyon over the past two nights. This will help us with our next exploration plan. What do you think?” Qian Ying asked.

"Hmm, I think it's a good idea!" Zhou Zixing agreed. However, his heart trembled as he recalled how Chen Mo had stopped him in these hills, then threatened him and then offered him a sweet treat. He really didn't want to see Chen Mo again.

But sometimes, that's just how frustrating it is. You don't want to see something, but you're forced to. Oh well, whatever will be, will be. Anyway, he can't beat me in a fight, and there's something subtly controlling him from the back of his neck, so as long as I behave myself, there shouldn't be any problems, right?

After the two finished their discussion, Zhou Zixing naturally took his leave.

After seeing Zhou Zixing leave, Qian Ying questioned Qian Zhenghao again, especially about the details, asking in detail about things she hadn't thought of or asked about before.

After the questioning was completed, Qian Zhenghao was allowed to go and rest.

Qian Ying and Qian Wantong remained silent in the tent for a long time before finally saying, "It seems that Ouyang Nan has his mind on my arrangements. He hasn't come back to explain the situation to me for two days, but instead sent Qian Zhenghao back to report. What he's thinking is really... Humph!"

"Elder, should I go and give him a warning?" Qian Wantong asked.

Qian Ying shook her head and said, "No need, you can stay here and watch the team tomorrow. Zhou Zixing and I will go over tomorrow, cross the canyon and see the situation there. Some things can only be judged by seeing them with our own eyes. As for the rest, there's no need to worry about them now. When the opportunity arises, I will settle accounts with them properly."

After he finished speaking, his entire aura turned cold.

However, Qian Wantong did not feel any change, because this was a hilly nursery area, where the temperature was already below minus 100 degrees Celsius, so no matter how cold the atmosphere was, it was not as cold as the temperature below minus 100 degrees Celsius.

Qian Ying also realized this instantly. When she looked up and saw that Qian Wantong had no reaction, the shock on her face subsided considerably. Damn it, she almost made a fool of herself.

The next day, Qian Ying, Zhou Zixing, and Qian Zhenghao set off towards the canyon before dawn. However, even with such an early start, they still didn't encounter Ouyang Nan and her group along the way.

"Zhenghao, you said that Ouyang Nan and her two women return here to rest every night?" Qian Ying asked Qian Zhenghao beside her as they walked.

Qian Ying and Zhou Zixing did not increase their pace, but kept pace with Qian Zhenghao.

Upon hearing Qian Ying's question, Qian Zhenghao quickly replied, "Yes, Elder. They all left the canyon with me last night, but the three of them were a bit slower than me."

Upon hearing this, Qian Ying and Zhou Zixing exchanged glances, seemingly both understanding each other's questions, but they didn't press further, deciding to wait until they reached the canyon to inquire in detail.

Even if Ouyang Nan and the others had concealed some things, Qian Ying believed that with his own peak third-level innate strength, all conspiracies and tricks would be no problem.

Unfortunately, he didn't know what Zhou Zixing was thinking, otherwise he wouldn't have been so confident.

After all, he couldn't defeat Zhou Zixing with just a few punches and kicks; it would take some effort. But Zhou Zixing was no different from a child in front of Chen Mo.

……

Ouyang Nan and the others had actually returned to the hills to rest last night. However, because they were worried about Chen Mo's safety, they ran towards the canyon before dawn, when it was almost time.

When the three of them arrived at the canyon, the sky was just beginning to lighten, and Chen Mo had just come up from the canyon.

Before anyone arrived, he took out the cloth bag and three porcelain bottles, and began to take out the red snake gallbladders one by one from the cloth bag and put them into the porcelain bottles.

Last night, I also put some snake gallbladders in the cloth bag, but I haven't taken them out yet. Since I have some time, I'll take them out so I can easily give them to Ouyang Ruoxi and the others.

Just as he was busy, three women came running over. Chen Mo felt a warmth in his heart. He had only been on the canyon for a few minutes, harvesting snake gallbladders, when these three women arrived. They were really just in time. If he had lingered a few more minutes at the bottom of the canyon and hadn't run into them, he really didn't know what might have happened.

"Amo!" Ouyang Ruoxi felt much more relaxed upon seeing Chen Mo. She had tossed and turned all night, barely sleeping, worrying about Chen Mo constantly. Now, seeing him, her anxious heart slowly began to unwind.