The Pastoral Life of a Cultivation Master

Chapter 3275 Not Wanting to Be a Burden
In this valley, due to limited conditions, there were no coffins or anything like that to bury the dead martial artists; all that was available were sleeping bags.

Since entering this valley, all the martial artists who died have been buried in water bags.

Because of the attack by the shadowy figures last night, many of the dead martial artists were scattered on the ground. So the people in charge of bagging them simply put them back together and put them in the bags. No one cared whether the remains were intact. In danger, the living were waiting to die, and the dead could only be buried hastily. Being buried with a patch of yellow earth was the greatest dignity one could hope for.

Other martial artists were arranged by Qian Wantong to dig pits.

The group remained silent, the only sound the digging echoing through the air. The martial artists dug the pits very quickly, creating more than a dozen in a short time.

Together, the group gently placed the sleeping bag containing the remains into the pit, and then slowly covered it with shovelfuls of yellow soil, completely burying the life that had perished the previous night.

The surviving warriors stood silently beside the tomb, their faces solemn, none uttering a word. Yet, a deep sense of unease lingered in their hearts; none knew who would die next.

There were no elaborate sacrificial ceremonies, no eulogies or lamentations, only a silent farewell, wishing the departed to rest here forever, never to encounter strange beasts again.

After a brief memorial service, the crowd slowly dispersed.

Chen Mo and his companions retraced their steps, intending to find a quiet place to continue their cultivation and rest. However, a martial artist strode over, bowed respectfully, and brought Qian Wantong's inquiry once again.

The martial artist spoke respectfully: "Gentlemen, Manager Qian sent me to inquire about the defenses against the shadowy figures tonight. Do you intend to join the others in guarding the main hall to defend against their attacks, or will you choose to guard it alone and defend yourselves? If you join us, please help us move timber and reinforce the defenses within the main hall."

Chen Mo's eyes flickered slightly as he pondered. Although he had killed all the shadowy figures last night, they were all shadowy figures that appeared in the square. However, the barrier still prevented them from leaving, and no one knew if there were any shadowy figures left. So, the shadowy figures might still appear tonight and ambush them.

Although the main hall guarded by Qian Ying and his group of martial artists was large, the personnel were diverse and their cultivation levels varied. If something happened, they could easily drag each other down and cause a chaotic and collapseing situation.

Therefore, joining Qian Ying's team is not a good choice. Besides, Qian Ying and the others have always been hostile towards them, so it's best not to join their team.

However, it was somewhat inappropriate for him to be in the square with Ouyang Nan and the others.

Last night he took action and wiped out all the shadowy figures in the darkness.

But nobody knows what to do if another shadowy figure appears tonight, or what if an even stronger shadowy figure appears?
Therefore, the four of them could not spend the night in the square. They had to do what the martial artists did: find a house, light a fire, and get through the night.

In this way, with the protection of a house, one can not only better defend against attacks from shadowy figures, but also feel a greater sense of security. After all, the feeling of being in an open area versus an enclosed area when facing danger is different.

The more open the area, the less safe one feels. He himself is fine, but what about Ouyang Ruoxi and the others? They still need to be taken care of, so that they can at least feel safer hiding in their rooms at night.

Since they didn't want to reunite with Qian Ying and the other martial artists, they needed to find a new place to settle down.

As for the main hall in the plaza, let's skip it. The building is too large, and if we don't reveal our strength, dismantling it and collecting timber will be slow, especially with Qian Ying and the others watching. On the other hand, the first or second platform up the mountain path is better. It's higher up, offers a wider view, and the buildings are smaller than those in the plaza. Smaller means easier to defend, since there are only four of us.

Moreover, it's quite a distance from the main hall where Qian Ying and his fellow martial artists are stationed, and their view is blocked. If they go up there, they can prepare wood and dismantle the buildings to reveal some of their strength.

Therefore, it's more appropriate to go to the first platform on the mountain path instead of meeting up with Qian Ying and the others. Although there have been cases of shadowy figures attacking martial artists there before, it's best to avoid that building.

However, Chen Mo did not make a decision on his own. He turned to look at Ouyang Nan beside him, his tone questioning. If it were only Ouyang Ruoxi, he could have made a decision directly, but now that Ouyang Nan and Ouyang Nana were also with them, he should respect the elder's opinion.

"Aunt, what do you suggest we do?"

Ouyang Nan, being perceptive, naturally understood Chen Mo's considerations and said gently, "Amo, it's up to you to decide. We'll all listen to you."

"Alright." Chen Mo nodded knowingly, then turned to look at the martial artist who had come to deliver the message, his tone calm and resolute, "Go back and tell Manager Qian that the four of us will act alone tonight, not with you to defend against the shadows. Our safety is our own responsibility, and we hope that everyone on Manager Qian's side can get through the night safely."

"Okay." The martial artist nodded quickly and respectfully.

He knew perfectly well that the four people before him were incredibly powerful, two at the tenth level of the Acquired Realm and two at the ninth level, their cultivation far surpassing that of the ordinary martial artists in the team. Before leaving, Qian Wantong specifically instructed them not to provoke the four, but simply to answer truthfully.

The warrior bowed and retreated, hurrying back to the main hall to report.

Watching the martial artist's departing figure, Ouyang Nan spoke softly, her tone tinged with concern: "Amo, should we stay in this square tonight?"

"No." Chen Mo shook his head gently, raised his hand and pointed to the ancient building on the first platform of the mountain road, his eyes firm, "Tonight, we will stay there."

The three women looked in the direction he pointed, and were stunned for a moment, but then their eyes lit up with undisguised joy.

After entering the plaza's protective barrier, they remained in the open, unshaded plaza, constantly on edge due to the shadowy threat, fearing that the shadowy figure might suddenly leap out from the darkness.

Even with Chen Mo present, they might not be able to withstand a large number of shadowy figures. Besides, they didn't want to be a burden; they wanted to help Chen Mo by providing a good defensive position so that their attacks could be more secure.

However, when they thought about going to the house on the platform, they were worried. After all, the mountain platform was nearly a hundred meters away from Qian Ying and his team. If they were attacked by the shadowy figures, they would be isolated and helpless, and they would have to rely on the four of them.

Chen Mo saw through their concerns and reassured them in a calm tone: "Don't worry, once we get there, just take care of yourselves and stay on guard. I'll handle the task of clearing out potential hazards and inspecting the palace."

"No, Amo, let's clear it out together!" Ouyang Ruoxi's eyes were firm and her tone was stubborn. "Although the three of us are not as strong as you, we can still defend against the shadowy attacks by cooperating with each other and share some of the danger for you. Besides, we can all hold torches, and if the shadowy attacks, we can just throw them out to attack it and repel it."

She didn't want to hide behind Chen Mo forever. In dire straits, the only way to help Chen Mo was to cooperate with him and not become a burden.