232: Inspection

Yingyang Commandery.

Outside a mine.

"Greetings, two Inspectors."

The person in charge of the mine and a Non-Gu-surname Cultivator of the Zhou Family stationed there both came out to greet them.

They welcomed two young Cultivators who looked similar but were dressed differently.

Looking at the tokens displayed by the two, their hearts were solemn.

"Two Inspectors, here is the detailed production record of the mine."

After Zhou Dingyang and the other declined the invitation from the person in charge and the Non-Gu-surname Cultivator.

The person in charge and the Non-Gu-surname Cultivator of the Zhou Family exchanged glances.

The person in charge stepped forward.

He took out several Jade Slips.

Zhou Dingyang and the other carefully read them.

After sending away the person in charge and the stationed Cultivator.

As night fell.

Zhou Dingyang affixed a Talisman, circulated his Cultivation Technique, and silently left his Immortal Cave.

He headed into the mine to investigate.

Zhou Dingze remained in the Immortal Cave.

To deal with the possible appearance of the person in charge and the stationed Cultivator.

For several days in a row.

During the day, the two reviewed the records, and at night, Zhou Dingyang went out to investigate.

On the last day.

Zhou Dingyang and Zhou Dingze exchanged glances and slowly nodded.

"Two Fellow Daoists, the inspection is complete. We brothers will take our leave now."

Zhou Dingyang and Zhou Dingze smiled broadly as they bid farewell to the person in charge and the stationed Cultivator.

The person in charge and the stationed Cultivator did not notice anything unusual.

They each breathed a sigh of relief.

Then they sent the two away.

After traveling a certain distance.

Zhou Dingyang and Zhou Dingze stopped.

"I didn't expect the stationed Cultivator and the person in charge here to already be in cahoots."

Zhou Dingze said indignantly.

"Profits can move people's hearts. Even with Clan rules hanging over their heads, some Cultivators will still take risks."

Zhou Dingyang nodded.

The account books had no problems.

However, during Zhou Dingyang's night investigations, he did discover some discrepancies.

The two did not immediately make a move.

Instead, they pretended not to have found anything.

"The Clan often teaches that a gentleman does not stand under a tottering wall. This matter should still be handled by the Clan."

Zhou Dingyang looked at Zhou Dingze's indignant expression and reached out to stop him.

If it weren't for him, with Zhou Dingze's personality, he would probably have made a scene on the spot.

At that time, if they provoked a desperate counterattack, they might be in danger.

"I will write to the Clan."

Seeing that Zhou Dingze had listened.

Zhou Dingyang took out a blank Jade Slip and inscribed the information he had gathered from his investigation.

After he finished.

Zhou Dingyang formed a hand seal.

A simple bracelet on his left hand glowed faintly.

A white Spirit Pigeon appeared, chirping excitedly as it circled Zhou Dingyang.

"Little White, it's up to you."

The Spirit Pigeon landed on Zhou Dingyang's shoulder.

Zhou Dingyang stroked the Spirit Pigeon twice and handed the Jade Slip to it.

The Spirit Pigeon nodded in a human-like manner.

It flew off in the direction of Cloud Dream Marsh.

However, the white pigeon had not yet flown out of their sight.

When it was abruptly struck down by a Spell.

"Little White!"

The expressions of the two changed.

Their magical power instantly circulated.

About a dozen figures streamed out from the jungle.

The two middle-aged Cultivators leading them were precisely the person in charge of this mine and the stationed Non-Gu-surname Cultivator of the Zhou Family.

"Damn it, it's a good thing I kept an eye out, otherwise, we would have died without a burial place."

The person in charge's face was gloomy and unsightly.

The stationed Cultivator's expression changed.

"We were careless."

Zhou Dingyang and Zhou Dingze exchanged glances, their expressions solemn.

Looking at the dozen or so Cultivators who had surrounded them.

The two were still a bit too young.

They hadn't expected these two to also have a trick up their sleeves.

"Kill them."

The person in charge spoke and was about to act.

"No!"

The stationed Cultivator quickly stopped him.

"All Zhou Family Cultivators have their life lamps burning continuously. If we kill these two, we will be immediately exposed and probably won't be able to escape in time."

As a Non-Gu-surname Cultivator of the Zhou Family, the stationed Cultivator naturally knew about the Zhou Family.

Over the years.

It wasn't that no Zhou Family disciples had died outside.

Aside from accidental deaths, those killed by others were usually very difficult to escape the Zhou Family's pursuit.

If they were to act now, even if they killed the two, they would not be able to escape with their lives.

"Damn these great Family disciples!"

The person in charge's face became even more unsightly.

"Then what should we do?"

The person in charge asked. Everyone here was their confidant, already in the same boat, so he wasn't worried about anyone defecting.

The two conversed as if Zhou Dingyang and the other didn't exist.

"Crippling them, delaying for time, and then escaping to Ningping Commandery. As long as we reach Ningping before the Zhou Family discovers us, we can naturally be safe."

The stationed Cultivator thought for a moment and spoke in a deep voice.

Ningping was the territory of the Spirit Void Sect.

As a Zhou Family Cultivator, he knew more information.

The Spirit Void Sect's power was immense, and the Zhou Family certainly wouldn't be able to openly go to Ningping to capture people.

"Good."

Not only the person in charge, but the other Cultivators also brightened, their hearts settling down.

"Be careful not to give them a chance to call for help."

The stationed Cultivator added.

"You've said so much nonsense. If you want to take us down, it depends on whether your skills are strong enough."

Zhou Dingze had wanted to make a move in the mine.

Now that it had come to this, they could only settle it with their hands.

"Out!"

Zhou Dingze roared.

"Roar!"

A several-zhang-sized fiery striped fierce tiger roared to the sky, emanating ferocity.

Zhou Dingyang also no longer thought of a perfect solution.

His bracelet trembled slightly.

A several-zhang-long Green-Eyed Azure-Striped Snake coiled up.

"Attack!"

Zhou Dingyang and Zhou Dingze exchanged glances, their hearts in sync.

The striped fierce tiger and the Green-Eyed Azure-Striped Snake attacked the stationed Cultivator.

The stationed Cultivator was the most powerful person here, with a Qi Refining Level Seven cultivation.

The snake and the tiger were both Mid-stage Qi Refining Yao Beasts, and they entangled with the stationed Cultivator.

Zhou Dingze's body glowed fiery red, a Talisman in his left hand, and a fiery red ring in his right hand, attacking the person in charge who had just entered the Qi Refining Level Seven.

Zhou Dingyang, on the other hand, faced the remaining few Cultivators alone.

Zhou Dingyang and Zhou Dingze were both at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer cultivation at this time, and their magical power accumulation was close to Perfection.

Their Cultivation Technique was also a complete third-order one.

Their strength was powerful.

For a time, in the jungle.

Fire, tiger roars, wails, Magical Artifacts, Talismans, all kinds of sounds intertwined.

A moment later.

Only two of the dozen Cultivators remained.

Zhou Dingyang alone had dealt with all the other Cultivators.

Then, he joined forces with Zhou Dingze to attack the person in charge.

Zhou Dingze could only hold him off and couldn't launch an effective counterattack.

After all, there was a difference in cultivation.

But after joining forces with Zhou Dingyang, the situation reversed.

The two worked together and killed the person in charge.

The stationed Cultivator had intended to rescue him, but the two Yao Beasts were very difficult to deal with.

Seeing the situation collapse, before the person in charge died, the stationed Cultivator feigned an attack and fled into the distance.

The snake and the tiger reacted and followed closely behind.

Zhou Dingyang and the other joined forces to kill the person in charge, then pursued the stationed Cultivator.

In the distance.

Suddenly, thunder exploded.

In a huge pit, the completely charred stationed Cultivator lay motionless inside.

The snake and the tiger felt the familiar yet strange aura and dared not move for a while.

A moment later.

"Grand-Aunt, why are you here?"

Zhou Dingyang and the other quickly stopped their magical power.

They exclaimed in surprise, looking at the girl of about fifteen years old next to the pit, with two strands of hair naturally hanging down and a conch-shaped hair ornament.

"Little Dingyang, little Dingze, you did well!"

Zhou Xiutong clapped her hands, a smile on her face.

"Heh~"

Hearing Zhou Xiutong's address, the corners of their mouths twitched unconsciously.

Those unbearable memories of the past resurfaced.

"Let's go."

Zhou Xiutong adopted the demeanor of a Senior Sister, easily passed the two, and picked up the fallen white pigeon.

After checking it for a moment, she fed it a Medicinal Pill and handed it to Zhou Dingyang.

The two put their respective Spirit Beasts back into their Spirit Beast rings.

They re-recorded what had happened here and sent another white Spirit Pigeon back to the Zhou Family to report the situation.

After learning of Zhou Xiutong's purpose.

Zhou Dingyang and the other exchanged glances and sighed in their hearts.

They disguised themselves as three Senior Sister and Junior Brothers and went on a journey to other areas outside Yingyang and Huichuan Prefecture.