228: cautious

"Senior Brother!"

"Senior Brother! There's movement! There's movement over at Pingquan Village!"

A Disciple of the Tianque Sect hurriedly reported the situation to Zhao Jingchen.

Hearing this, Zhao Jingchen's eyes suddenly narrowed as he looked in the direction indicated by the Disciple. He saw more than ten figures floating in the air above Pingquan Village, their robes fluttering.

His pupils constricted slightly, and he said in a low voice, "Those are... people from the Tianjian Sect?"

"Could it be... that the culprit behind the continuous disappearances of villagers in the surrounding areas these past few days is actually the Tianjian Sect?"

Before his voice had even faded, the dozen or so Cultivators above Pingquan Village had already made their move.

The villagers had never seen such a display before. Cries of alarm and weeping instantly shattered the tranquility of the mountain village, yet no one dared to resist. The pressure emanating from those Cultivators had long since rendered them unable to move.

In just the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the two hundred or so households of Pingquan Village—the elderly, the young, women, and children—were all systematically driven to the open ground at the village entrance. They stood in a dense crowd, their faces filled with terror and bewilderment.

Ye Hao and Li Pingan also suppressed their auras and blended into the crowd.

In mid-air, the woman with heroic features scanned the villagers who had settled down below, then looked up at the surrounding continuous mountain ranges. A faint sneer curled at the corner of her mouth.

"It seems that bird demon is somewhat clever. Knowing that Elder Xue has personally come out this time, it actually doesn't dare to show itself."

The Senior Brother beside her heard this and sighed softly. "It's just a pity for the many backup measures we set up this time; it was all a waste of effort."

Standing in front of the two was Elder Xue, whose hair was grizzled but whose eyes were bright and piercing.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze scanning the forests around the village like a hawk. The spiritual energy around him quietly circulated, and his deep voice resonated through the sky like a clap of thunder as he spoke loudly toward a certain spot: "Since Fellow Daoist is already here, there is no need to hide."

"Why not show yourself? It would be good for this old man to see exactly which sacred being you are!"

As the words fell!

Zhao Jingchen appeared out of thin air leading eight Disciples. With their robes fluttering, they confronted Elder Xue's group from a distance!

A look of surprise appeared on Elder Xue's face. "I didn't expect that instead of that beast, I would wait for Fellow Daoists from the Tianque Sect."

Zhao Jingchen's brow furrowed as he asked in a heavy voice, "What exactly are you from the Tianjian Sect plotting by capturing these innocent villagers everywhere?"

Although the purple-robed old man before him was at the Nascent Soul Realm, the Tianjian Sect was merely an insignificant second-rate power in the Rain God Continent, not worth fearing at all.

If the opponent truly dared to act, he could activate the instant shadow thousand zhang talisman in his hand and return to his Sect immediately. At that time, he could report to his Revered Master and lead people straight to the Tianjian Sect to demand accountability.

"Tianjian Sect?"

Elder Xue was stunned for a moment and glanced at the Disciple beside him from the corner of his eye.

Only then did he realize that every time they came out to do such things, they would randomly find the attire of some second-rate Sects to deceive people.

It seemed the other party had mistaken them for Cultivators of the Tianjian Sect.

This was just as well!

A flash of amusement crossed Elder Xue's eyes, but he put on an air of integrity and spoke loudly: "So Fellow Daoist has come to investigate these villagers. I'm afraid Fellow Daoist has some misunderstandings."

"Misunderstandings?"

Zhao Jingchen raised an eyebrow, signaling for him to continue.

Elder Xue looked down at the two hundred-plus households of commoners huddling together and said in a sincere tone: "We are not the type to harm these mortals; in fact, we want to bring them back to our Sect for proper protection."

"What do you mean?" Zhao Jingchen continued to press.

Elder Xue sighed. "Fellow Daoist might not know, but our Tianjian Sect has recently heard that villagers from some villages have disappeared strangely, as if they were attacked."

"Our Sect Master is kind-hearted and cannot bear to see the common people suffer. He specifically dispatched me to bring these villagers into the Tianjian Sect's Earth Rank Secret Realm to take temporary refuge. Once this wave of danger has passed, we will let them return to their homes."

Zhao Jingchen was silent for a moment, the suspicion in his eyes not yet faded. He said coldly, "Do you think I will believe this rhetoric of yours?"

Hearing this, Elder Xue unhurriedly waved his hand. Several Disciples behind him immediately withdrew their spiritual energy, and the heavy pressure shrouding the commoners below instantly dissipated without a trace.

The villagers' tense bodies relaxed, and many collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.

"If Fellow Daoist does not believe it, then we shall leave immediately." Elder Xue's tone was peaceful, as if he did not wish to argue. "Although the Tianjian Sect is only a second-rate Sect, since Fellow Daoist practices in the Tianque Sect, you must have heard of our reputation for chivalry and slaying demons over the past century."

Zhao Jingchen couldn't help but feel a hint of hesitation in his heart.

Could it really be a misunderstanding?

The reputation of the Tianjian Sect was indeed not bad; over the years, he had often heard of them leaving their mountains to protect the people and encircle evil Yao Race members.

He couldn't help but think of the villagers who had disappeared into thin air in Bishui Village, which was completely different from the situation in the villages he had investigated before.

"Were the villagers of Bishui Village also taken into the Tianjian Sect's Earth Rank?"

Elder Xue feigned contemplation, then slowly nodded after a moment, a perfectly timed gentle smile appearing on his face.

"Exactly so!"

"If Fellow Daoist does not believe it, you can personally go to the Tianjian Sect in the future to check and find out."

Hiding among the villagers, Li Pingan lowered his voice and said solemnly:

"Junior Brother!"

His gaze was locked tightly onto Elder Xue!

Ye Hao nodded slightly and responded in a low voice:

"This old thing is truly overly cautious. Despite having a Nascent Soul Realm cultivation base, when facing a Golden Core Cultivator, he is actually using words to maneuver and stall for time, while secretly laying down a Entrapment Formation."

As soon as he finished speaking, he caught sight of the ground beneath Elder Xue's feet, where faint, weak spiritual light was flowing—the Formation was clearly near completion. "It seems that Zhao Jingchen and his group from the Tianque Sect are likely doomed."

Li Pingan's fists clenched and relaxed, repeating this twice.

"Then when do we act?"

"No need to rush." Ye Hao's expression was calm, and his tone was certain. "Revered Master once said that saving people requires knowing how to 'time it right.' If the moment hasn't arrived, acting rashly would be counterproductive."

Li Pingan was stunned, his face filled with bewilderment.

The phrase 'timing the rescue' was completely beyond his comprehension, a total blind spot in his knowledge.

Seeing this, Ye Hao explained patiently, "Those good at war have no illustrious deeds. The same applies to rescue; unless the other party is truly in a desperate situation, at a critical moment where their life hangs by a thread, even if you step in to help, it will be hard for them to remember it in their hearts."

"After all, the friendship of adding flowers to a brocade is never as heavy as the gratitude of providing charcoal in the snow."

Li Pingan seemed to understand but not entirely. He nodded with a slight frown, his gaze returning to the sky, though his clenched fists relaxed slightly.

Zhao Jingchen was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Then what if I go to the Tianjian Sect to check right now? Would that be convenient for Fellow Daoist?"

He wanted to test them one last time.

Elder Xue smiled, "Of course! Fellow Daoist, please."

Seeing the other party's unhesitating manner, Zhao Jingchen wondered if he had truly misunderstood this time. The Tianjian Sect had always been chivalrous; perhaps the anomalies in Bishui Village had another hidden cause, rather than being the work of this group before him.

Just as this thought settled in his heart, an indescribable and intense sense of crisis suddenly pierced his back like an icicle!

"Not good!"

Zhao Jingchen's heart shook violently. Almost instinctively, he urged his spiritual energy to protect his body while simultaneously retreating backward abruptly.