5: The information was incorrect.
In another room of the inn, Sun Xiaoyue was restless.
She held a yellow Talisman in her hand.
Her face showed some hesitation.
"Sister Qingqing..."
After a while, she looked at Chen Qingqing, who was wiping her Magical Artifact sword, and whispered, "Is that Chen Xu... really reliable? He's at the tenth level of Qi Refining Stage, but his attire and that sword... they don't have any spiritual glow at all, like something from a Mortal blacksmith's shop."
Chen Qingqing's wiping motion didn't stop, her gaze still focused on her long sword, which emanated a faint chill, and her tone was calm: "Wang Chong said he's experienced."
"But he looks quite old. A tenth-level Qi Refining cultivator at his age is likely an old man who has exhausted his potential and is stuck at a Bottleneck, unable to advance."
"Such a person would have had their spirit worn away long ago. If danger strikes, won't he be the first to run?"
Sun Xiaoyue was still uneasy, expressing all her worries.
Chen Qingqing's movements finally paused.
She looked up at Sun Xiaoyue, a hint of coolness in her eyes: "Just take care of your Talismans. Whether he's the first to run isn't important."
"What's important is that we ourselves don't lose our composure."
Despite saying that, Sun Xiaoyue's words still left a mark on her heart.
She had seen too many people like Chen Xu in the outer Sect.
They spent their entire lives lingering in the Qi Refinement Stage, exhausting their years and their spirit.
They possessed cultivation, but lacked matching Magical Artifacts, Medicinal Pills, and Cultivation Techniques.
Such people were like tigers without sharp claws or fangs.
They looked intimidating but were actually strong on the outside and weak on the inside.
The path of cultivation was so cruel.
Aptitude, Opportunity, and resources were all indispensable.
She pulled her thoughts back, no longer thinking about the man who made her feel somewhat strange.
She was the captain of this mission, and she had to ensure nothing went wrong.
Early the next morning, as dawn broke, the group of six left Shangya Prefecture City and headed towards Zhang Family Village, thirty li away.
Zhang Family Village was a small village built against the mountains, with dozens of households and smoke curling from chimneys, which should have been a scene of peace and harmony.
But when Chen Xu and the others entered the village.
What they felt was an oppressive atmosphere that lingered.
At the village entrance, an old man with a walking stick and a wrinkled face was anxiously waiting. He was the village chief of Zhang Family Village.
Seeing their Sect-affiliated clothing, the old village chief's cloudy eyes instantly lit up with hope, and he tremblingly came forward: "Honored Immortals, you've finally arrived!"
As the captain, Chen Qingqing stepped forward, cupped her hands, and said, "Elder, there's no need for such courtesy. We have been ordered to handle the Yao Beast matter. Please tell us the details."
At the mention of the Yao Beast, the old village chief's face instantly turned pale.
His lips trembled, and he couldn't utter a complete sentence for a long time.
"Honored Immortals... That... that's not an animal, it's a man-eating monster!"
He pointed to the continuous green mountains behind the village, his voice choked with sobs: "At first, it was just chickens and ducks, then cattle and sheep... We reported it to the officials, and they said it was just wild beasts and told us to be careful ourselves."
"But half a month ago, Butcher Wang's young son went up the mountain to chop firewood and never returned... A few days ago, Li Dazhuang... right at the village entrance... was... dragged away, half his body gone..."
The old village chief spoke, tears streaming down his face: "There are already... four people gone from the village! Honored Immortals, I beg you, you must seek justice for us!"
Four people!
Chen Qingqing and the others' expressions changed.
The mission intelligence only mentioned Yao Beasts injuring people, but now, four people had died!
This was a completely different matter.
It meant that the ferocity of the Green Wolf Beast pack far exceeded the Sect's estimation.
"Elder, rest assured, we are here to eliminate this fiend."
Chen Qingqing promised with a solemn expression: "Has that Yao Beast been in those mountains all along?"
"Yes, yes, it's in the back mountain!"
The village chief nodded repeatedly.
After comforting the villagers, the six did not linger in the village and went directly into the mountains.
The forest was dense, blocking out the sky and sun, and the light suddenly dimmed.
It was quiet all around, not even the chirping of birds or insects could be heard, only the rustling of wind through the leaves and the deliberately light footsteps of everyone.
Wang Chong walked at the front, clearing the path, while the sturdy Zhao Tong protected the flanks.
Sun Xiaoyue, from time to time, took out a Talisman to sense the surrounding movements.
Chen Qingqing coordinated from the center, while Chen Xu followed not far behind the team, his expression calm, his gaze sweeping over every inch of grass and trees around him.
His heart was calmer than anyone else's.
Ever since he had a wife and child, he feared death more than anyone.
But precisely because he had attachments, he needed to be calmer than anyone else.
"There's a smell of blood."
Wang Chong, who was at the very front, suddenly stopped and lowered his voice.
Everyone immediately became alert.
Chen Xu also smelled it, that faint scent of blood carried by the wind.
It was also mixed with a hint of the uniquefishy smell of Yao Beasts.
He quietly observed the surrounding terrain.
The trees here grew taller and taller, the ground began to become damp and muddy, and a faint mist rose in the forest.
This kind of place was most suitable for Yao Beasts to lurk.
The team continued for about a li, and the mist ahead grew thicker and thicker.
It was almost to the point where they couldn't see their hand in front of their face.
"Everyone be careful, this mist is strange."
Chen Qingqing reminded, taking out a luminous pearl emitting a soft white light from her Storage Pouch.
It illuminated a few zhang around them.
Just then, the pupils of the always silent Chen Xu suddenly constricted.
He saw a faint shadow, almost blending into the environment, subtly wriggle in a bush three zhang to Chen Qingqing's front left.
"Be careful!"
Chen Xu didn't have time to think, he let out a low shout, his body already moving faster than his thoughts.
He took a swift step forward, reached out, and grabbed Chen Qingqing's arm, pulling her back forcefully!
Almost at the same instant, a grey-black long shadow shot out from the bush with a "whoosh," carrying a foul wind, sweeping past where Chen Qingqing had just been standing!
It was a tongue covered in barbs!
The incident was sudden, Chen Qingqing only felt a great force, and she stumbled back a few steps.
She directly bumped into Chen Xu's embrace.
Before she could react to what had happened, she heard that terrifying sound of something cutting through the air.
"What is it?!"
Wang Chong and Zhao Tong exclaimed, immediately turning to protect everyone.
The tongue, having missed its target, retracted like lightning.
Chen Xu did not pursue. He steadied Chen Qingqing, his gaze fixed on the bush, his right hand forming a sword-finger, and a fist-sized fireball instantly formed at his fingertip.
"Go!"
He flicked his finger, and the Fireball Spell whistled out, smashing into the bush.
"Boom!"
The flames exploded, igniting the damp grass and trees.
A sharp, piercing shriek, unlike a wolf's howl, came from the flames!
Immediately after, a black shadow scurried out of the bush in a panic.
It fled in disarray deeper into the forest.
Only then did everyone see the full appearance of the attacker.
It was not a Green Wolf Beast at all!
Its body was like a leopard, covered in a hard, grayish-green carapace, with thick limbs, and most terrifying was its large mouth full of interlocking sharp teeth.
"This is... an Iron-Tongued Demon?"
Chen Qingqing looked in the direction the monster fled, her pretty face pale, filled with lingering fear.
If not for Chen Xu's quick action just now.
She might have already been pierced by that tongue.
"That's right, it's a Late Stage first-tier Iron-Tongued Demon."
Chen Xu's calm voice rang out.
Bringing everyone's minds back.
He walked to where the fireball had exploded and crouched down.
He picked up a bit of burnt ash and sniffed it at the tip of his nose.
"The intelligence was wrong. What's entrenched here isn't a pack of Green Wolf Beasts at all, but a rare Iron-Tongued Demon."
Chen Xu stood up, clapped his hands, and said clearly, "This type of Yao Beast is cunning by nature, adept at camouflage and ambush. Its carapace is hard, difficult for ordinary swords to injure."
"That long tongue is its primary attack method, extremely fast, and it also has paralyzing venom."
"Just now it was only probing. Once it entangles its prey, it will use those teeth, which can crush metal, to tear the prey to shreds."
Listening to Chen Xu's analysis, Wang Chong, Zhao Tong, and Sun Xiaoyue all gasped.
The difficulty of dealing with a Late Stage first-tier Iron-Tongued Demon.
Was higher than three to five Green Wolf Beasts of the same tier combined!
The way everyone looked at Chen Xu completely changed.
No longer was it scrutiny and doubt, but admiration and trust.
To detect danger in an instant, act decisively, and identify the Yao Beast's origin and pinpoint its weaknesses with just one exchange, this level of experience and insight was something a common elderly Qi Refining cultivator simply couldn't possess.
"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Chen, for saving my life."
Chen Qingqing bowed solemnly to Chen Xu.
At this moment, there was no longer any hint of disdain in her heart.
Only the relief of surviving a close call and heartfelt gratitude.
"Fairy Chen is too kind. Acting as a team, it's only right."
Chen Xu accepted the bow calmly.
"Brother Chen, what do we do now? This Iron-Tongued Demon is too insidious."
Sun Xiaoyue asked, still shaken.
Everyone's gaze was focused on Chen Xu.
Unbeknownst to them, he had already become the backbone of this team.
Chen Xu didn't answer directly, but instead asked, "You all saw it just now, what is it afraid of?"
"Fire!"
Wang Chong immediately reacted: "Your Fireball Spell really scorched it!"
"Exactly."
Chen Xu nodded, "Although the Iron-Tongued Demon's carapace is hard, it can't withstand high temperatures. Its long tongue is the weakest point among weaknesses. As long as we use fire-type Spells, we can restrain it."
He said, turning his gaze to Chen Qingqing: "Fairy Chen, you are the captain. You decide how we proceed from here."
He did not seize power, but instead returned command to Chen Qingqing.
This action made Chen Qingqing regard him even more highly.
She took a deep breath, calmed herself, and quickly thought.
Her strongest Spell was the Ice Cone Spell, which was indeed not very useful at this moment.
But she hadn't only cultivated one Spell.
"I've also cultivated a set of Crimson Flame Sword Art."
Chen Qingqing said, "Its power is decent, but I usually neglect practicing it, so it's not as proficient as my Ice Cone Spell. However, it should be enough to deal with this Iron-Tongued Demon."
Wang Chong was immediately overjoyed: "That's great! I've seen Fairy Qingqing's Crimson Flame Sword Art; its power is impressive!"
Chen Qingqing nodded, looking at Chen Xu with an inquiring gaze.
Chen Xu calmly said, "Then Fairy Chen will be the main attacker. Zhao Tong, your Earth Wall Spell will be responsible for defense, blocking its frontal charge. Wang Chong, you and I will flank it from both sides, looking for opportunities to attack its flanks and joints. Sun Xiaoyue, you are responsible for keeping watch around us, and simultaneously use your Talismans to interfere with its movements, don't let it escape again."
The arrangement was clear, with distinct divisions of labor, taking into account everyone's strengths.
Everyone responded in unison, their morale boosted.
"Alright, let's do this!"
Chen Qingqing gripped the long sword in her hand. The original chill on the blade gradually dissipated, replaced by a faint crimson glow.
Meanwhile, Chen Xu silently took out the dried meat Bu Yifan had prepared for him from his satchel, tore off a strip, and slowly chewed it, replenishing his strength.
His gaze calmly looked into the depths of the forest, where five hundred Spirit Stones were waiting for him.
For this family, this battle must be won, and it must be won decisively.