The Pastoral Life of a Cultivation Master

Chapter 3224 What can doubt do?

Qian Ying took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the shock, anger, and lingering fear surging in her heart.

His gaze quickly swept over the few post-natal martial artists who were healing themselves. They were all pale-faced, dressed in rags, covered in that nauseating black viscous fluid, and their wounds were torn open, making them look extremely miserable.

However, he was experienced and, after careful examination, he found that although the injuries were serious, they were only superficial and had not damaged the meridians or posed any threat to life.

Having confirmed this, my tense nerves relaxed slightly, and I secretly breathed a sigh of relief. As long as no one died, it was a good thing!
I can't help but feel a sense of感慨 (gan3kai3, a complex feeling of mixed emotions, including sadness and reflection). At this point, my bottom line is constantly being lowered, to the point that it's a good thing no one has died.

However, when his gaze inadvertently swept across the crowd and landed on the two figures not far away, the doubts that had just subsided in his heart instantly rose again, even more intensely than before.

Those were Chen Mo and Ouyang Nan, standing in the square looking this way.

When the black shadow self-destructed, it turned into countless black dots, covering the entire area indiscriminately like a rain of pear blossoms. Even he, who was at the peak of the tenth level of the Acquired Realm, had to defend himself with all his might. The ordinary martial artists were left in a sorry state, and some even got covered in corrosive black dots.

But the young man in front of them was standing there quietly, completely clean, without even a wrinkle on his clothes, let alone a speck of that strange black slime.

This composure, this pristine cleanliness, seemed so out of place amidst the chaos of the battlefield, it could even be described as highly abnormal.

Unfortunately, the situation was chaotic at the time, and the black shadow's self-destruction was too fast and too powerful. His entire attention was focused on the black shadow, and he didn't see how Chen Mo dodged those deadly black dots at all.

"Am I just overthinking it?" Qian Ying wondered to herself. "Perhaps he was just lucky and happened to be in a blind spot for the attack?"

But he dismissed the thought as soon as it arose. The barrage of attacks covered an extremely wide area, leaving no blind spots whatsoever.

Unless... unless the opponent's speed is extremely fast, and they have already moved to a safe area the instant the explosion occurs; or unless the opponent possesses some kind of domain barrier that can isolate the filth.

If he were to witness firsthand the speed Chen Mo unleashed in that instant, he would not merely doubt it, but would be absolutely certain—this was definitely a master of innate cultivation who had concealed his true strength!
That near-instantaneous reaction, that instinctive anticipation of danger, is something that those merely at the acquired level cannot possess. Acquired martial artists emphasize abundant qi and blood, while innate masters control the power of heaven and earth; the two are worlds apart.

Chen Mo's performance just now subtly revealed the aura of a master of innate strength.

"Never mind, without solid evidence, we cannot jump to conclusions." Qian Ying told herself, forcibly suppressing her surprise and doubt, and decided to pay more attention to this young man in the future.

"Cough cough..."

A suppressed cough broke Qian Ying's reverie.

Qian Wantong had already completed the initial treatment. His face was still as pale as paper, and there was still a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth, but his previously disordered breathing had become much more stable.

Upon seeing Qian Ying and Zhou Zixing standing nearby, he dared not be negligent. He quickly struggled to his feet, staggered a few steps forward, and respectfully asked, "Elder, should we continue to dismantle the wooden structure on that building?"

Upon hearing this, Qian Ying pondered for a moment. His gaze slowly swept across the entire hall. The eerie black shadow had been annihilated by him and Zhou Zixing, turning into a pool of foul-smelling pus and blood and countless dissipating black dots. For the time being, there should be no further threat of a sneak attack.

However, after this battle, the morale of the group was clearly at its lowest point. The eyes of the injured martial artists were filled with fear and exhaustion; this was precisely the time when they needed rest the most. If the demolition work were to continue forcibly, it would likely backfire and even cause a mutiny. "Let's pause," Qian Ying said slowly, his voice deep and authoritative, carrying an undeniable force. "The demolition work can be put on hold for now. The most urgent task is to send Qian Yu and his men on their way."

As he spoke, his gaze fell upon the mangled corpse not far away, and a complex emotion stirred within him. Qian Yuren was, after all, a member of the Qian family, one of their own. Who would have thought he would end up being killed by an evil spirit?

However, Qian Ying was, after all, a seasoned master who had weathered many storms, and this sense of guilt came and went quickly.

He quickly adjusted his mindset. It was all because of the shadowy figure that had used Qian Yuren's body to launch a sneak attack. In that life-or-death situation, for the sake of the greater good and to kill the evil spirit, destroying Qian Yuren's physical body was a last resort.

“Now that the shadowy figure has been killed, the danger of the sneak attack is temporarily averted.” Qian Ying’s tone softened, with a hint of relief. “Let’s use the salvaged wood to make a simple coffin for the remaining man and give him a proper burial. This monster killed several of our martial artists, and now that it has finally been slain, it can be considered as avenging the dead.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. Seeing that their expressions had softened slightly, he continued, "First, bury the deceased to appease them and prevent them from feeling grief and hesitant to fight. As for the bodies on the platform that haven't been dealt with yet... it's too late to move them now. We'll deal with them tomorrow at dawn."

Qian Ying said in a deep voice, "Everyone, rest where you are, make a fire to keep warm, and conserve your energy. We'll make further plans when it's light tomorrow."

In fact, Qian Ying had a concern that she hadn't voiced: would the barrier that trapped them dissipate with the death of the shadowy figure?
If the barrier remains, they will still be an isolated island, unable to escape. If they cannot get out, subsequent supplies and rescue will become problematic.

"Could it be that the exit is really at the end of the mountain path, on that highest platform?" Qian Ying gazed at the endless darkness deep in the valley, pondering to herself. That place, with its highest elevation, might be the key node of the formation, or perhaps the only way out.

"Yes, Elder!" Qian Wantong immediately accepted the order upon hearing it.

Despite his still-recovering body, he called over several Qian family martial artists and began to fight.

The group worked quickly, moving the salvaged timber over, and with a clanging and hammering sound, a simple yet square coffin was soon formed. Although crude, it at least provided the Qian Yu people with a place to shelter from the wind and rain and a peaceful resting place.

As night deepened, several bonfires were lit in the square. The orange-red flames flickered, dispelling some of the darkness and chill, and casting flickering light on everyone's faces.

The group sat around the fire, some silently healing their wounds, some wrapped in blankets and resting with their eyes closed, and others whispering among themselves, reminiscing about the thrilling battle they had just fought.

The atmosphere in the group was heavy and oppressive, a mixture of relief at surviving the ordeal and fear of the unknown.

Chen Mo sat with Ouyang Ruoxi, Ouyang Nan, and Ouyang Nana, away from the noise of the crowd.

He gazed calmly into the thick, inky darkness, his fingers gently caressing the warm Vajra talisman in his hand.

“Qian Ying…” Chen Mo’s lips curled into a faint smile. How could he not have noticed the way Qian Ying had looked at him earlier?

For a brief moment, he did consider using his true abilities, but in the end, he restrained his aura and only used his movement technique to dodge.

In this bizarre world, you can never reveal all your cards at once. Qian Ying, that old fox, has clearly become suspicious, but so what? As long as things don't come to a head, everyone can still live in peace.