The Pastoral Life of a Cultivation Master

Chapter 3271 Preparing New Defense Sites
I want to find some clues to figure out the truth behind the explosions and flashes last night, and I also want to confirm whether the shadowy figure has really disappeared completely and will never appear again.

Inside the circle of flames, Chen Mo watched Qian Ying and Zhou Zixing's departing figures, a faint smile flashing in his eyes.

He knew that no matter how much Qian Ying and Zhou Zixing searched, they wouldn't find any clues.

Those dark figures had been burned to ashes by him, leaving no trace. At most, they could only see some burning ashes and could not find any useful information.

Ouyang Ruoxi walked to Chen Mo's side, gently took his hand, and asked softly, "Amo, are we really going to stay here forever? Should we go to the main hall and meet up with the others?"

Chen Mo shook his head and said gently, "No need, we can just stay here. There are too many people and too many eyes in the main hall, and Qian Ying and Zhou Zixing are always on guard against us. It's safer to stay here. Once they've finished their patrol and confirmed that the shadowy figure has completely disappeared, they will naturally come to find us. Then, it won't be too late for us to act together."

Ouyang Nan and Ouyang Nana nodded in agreement.

They preferred to stay by Chen Mo's side, in this place protected by flames, because only then could they feel a sense of security.

The flames continued to burn fiercely, crackling and popping, while the square remained quiet.

The danger and carnage of last night seem to have become a thing of the past, leaving only the peace and tranquility of surviving a catastrophe.

"Elder Qian, what should we do now?" Zhou Zixing paused slightly, his gaze cautiously sweeping over the empty, desolate square.

The place was deathly silent. Dark traces of last night's battle remained on the ground. The dark shadows that had ravaged the area and terrified people last night seemed to have evaporated into thin air, leaving no trace. The silence was unsettling.

The body of the martial artist who was killed by the shadowy figure last night was still scattered around, his blood already dried, which made him look even more eerie.

Qian Ying raised her eyes, her gaze passing over the dilapidated square and fixed on the ancient building complex nestled against the mountainside high in the valley.

The buildings were old and dilapidated, shrouded in a faint gloom, exuding a sense of desolation.

His expression was solemn as he slowly spoke: "First, let's go back to the main hall where everyone is staying and call everyone out. Then we'll move to the main hall in front of the mountain path, thoroughly clean the interior, stockpile enough firewood, and make all necessary preparations to survive tonight's shadowy attack."

The main hall where we temporarily took refuge last night was severely damaged. A hideous hole was torn open at the entrance, with broken wood and rubble piled up haphazardly. A large area of ​​the roof tiles had collapsed, revealing a gray sky.

If the shadowy figures attack again tonight, the damaged palace's defenses have loopholes, and darkness will freely seep into the palace through the gaps. Especially those shadowy figures, who can leap and jump right in.

Last night, we managed to block the huge hole at the entrance of the main hall by piling up burning wood. But if we do the same thing tonight, those shadowy figures might find an opportunity and try every means to break in.

After all, those shadowy figures are intelligent, and their grand hall, if probed further, will surely have its flaws discovered.

If the shadowy figure manages to slip in, everyone will inevitably be put on the defensive, and the casualties will only be more severe, possibly even leading to the annihilation of the entire army.

Furthermore, the defense against the shadowy attacks relies entirely on the open flames produced by burning large amounts of firewood, using the firelight to suppress the shadows that fear the darkness and high temperatures. However, this crude method of defense consumes a great deal of firewood and cannot withstand long-term wear and tear. Especially with the large hole at the entrance of the main hall where they are now, even more wood will be needed.

No one knew how long they would be trapped in this strange barrier. If they could not break the formation and continued to burn wood without restraint, no matter how many buildings or how lush the forests were in the valley, they would eventually be exhausted.

In dire straits, every bit of supplies is precious and cannot be wasted.

Another point is that, based on her observations last night, Qian Ying discovered that although the main hall's architecture could not block the shadowy figure, the figure did not enter the hall from the top, but rather from the ground.

Therefore, simply placing burning wood along the base of the walls inside the main hall can prevent the shadowy figure from sneaking in.

These are the reasons why Qian Ying insisted on changing his residence in the main hall.

The newly selected main hall has intact walls and a sturdy structure. By setting up campfires around the inner walls of the hall and building a closed fire wall, we can not only isolate the darkness and prevent the shadows from invading, but also save firewood to the maximum extent, leaving a backup plan for the long siege to come.

Qian Ying told Zhou Zixing everything she had thought of, including some of her estimates.

“Let’s go back and gather everyone first. Once we’re ready, we’ll head to the new hall.” Qian Ying pointed to the ancient hall in front of the plaza, right next to the entrance of the mountain path, her tone calm and serious. “First, we’ll work together to break through the protective barrier of the hall’s doors, completely dismantling them to eliminate any potential threats. Then, we’ll have people bring in firewood, ignite it, and light up all the dark corners inside to prevent shadowy figures from hiding in the shadows and launching a sneak attack when we’re not looking.”

“Alright!” Zhou Zixing nodded solemnly, a hint of gravity in his eyes. The horrific deaths and injuries of last night were still vivid in his mind, leaving him no room for complacency.

Furthermore, Qian Ying's analysis was very accurate; only with strict precautions could they safely get through the night.

Without further delay, the two turned and strode quickly toward the temporary hall that was still burning with flames.

The bonfire inside the hall was still burning brightly, the crackling of the firewood clearly audible, and the flickering flames reflected the tense and weary faces of the martial artists. All the remaining martial artists felt much more at ease when they saw the two elders approaching through the flames.

Since the two elders were outside and did not encounter any attacks from the shadowy figures, it means that it is safe outside now.

Qian Ying stood outside the hall and shouted loudly, signaling everyone to step back. Then, she unleashed her domain power, enveloping the burning wood at the entrance of the hall. All the burning wood covered by the domain gradually went out.

"Move these logs aside, everyone come out," Qian Ying said to the warriors in the main hall.

Upon hearing this, all the martial artists quickly set to work, moving away the extinguished wood at the entrance of the main hall, and then came out one by one.

Looking around, apart from the traces of last night's battle, scattered pieces of wood, and a few burning logs, there was no sign of any shadowy figures, which reassured the many martial artists.

"Elders." Qian Wantong and Zhou Ke followed the crowd out of the main hall. The huge weight that had been hanging over their hearts eased slightly, but their brows could not hide the fear and exhaustion of surviving a disaster.

The shadowy figures posed a significant threat to them during the night, and they were on high alert all night, which is why they appeared exhausted.