55: We can’t delay any longer!

The next day.

A batch of Mortal slaves was sent into the city, both men and women, totaling over a thousand people.

A few days ago, the Liu Family turned traitor, cooperating with the Robber Cultivator to ambush the Law Enforcement Team. The matter quickly alerted the Foundation Establishment Elder Zou Ming.

Elder Zou Ming immediately gathered a thousand members of the Law Enforcement Team and drove the Rank 2 cloud-breaking flying boat straight to the crime scene.

The Robber Cultivator had long since vanished without a trace, and all the Cultivator in the Liu Family's ancestral grounds, the Emerald Bamboo Forest, had fled. All spirit plant were either taken away or destroyed.

This was a premeditated ambush; the Liu Family had prepared in advance, so no matter how much Life Qi Elder Zou Ming had, it was useless.

The Liu Family Cultivator could run away immediately, but the Mortal under the jurisdiction of the Liu Family in the Emerald Bamboo Forest could not escape!

In a fit of rage, Elder Zou Ming ordered that all Mortal connected to the Liu Family be turned into slaves.

That was how these thousand slaves in the city came to be.

"The weak have no human rights!"

Liu Xuan once again deeply perceived the cruelty of the Cultivate world!

A single outburst of anger from a Foundation Establishment Cultivator could determine the fate of these thousand people, without any room for resistance.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Liu Xuan had no intention of saving them; instead, taking advantage of the low price, he spent ten Spirit Stone to buy ten young maidservants.

The number of maids in the house was increasing, and with their bellies slowly growing, he truly needed a batch of maidservants to handle the chores.

The unidentified Robber Cultivator team did not disappear; instead, they became even more rampant, attacking the Law Enforcement Team on missions from time to time.

Although the Sect Enforcement Team had strong overall strength, they were in the open while the enemy was in the shadows. The Robber Cultivator were elusive, and they really couldn't do anything about them.

These Robber Cultivator were familiar with the local environment and were extremely well-informed. Even when Foundation Establishment Cultivator Elder Zou Ming and Elder Xue Hu personally took action, they failed to catch them.

During one Law Enforcement Team operation, Elder Xue Hu hid his identity within the ranks, but was eventually injured by a mysterious Foundation Establishment Cultivator in the Robber Cultivator team.

If it weren't for Zou Ming arriving with people in time, this Foundation Establishment Cultivator, Xue Hu, might have fallen.

When this matter spread, the Law Enforcement Team lost all face, and the Aura of the Robber Cultivator soared!

Now, Yongning City had stopped all large-scale missions more than fifty miles away from the county town, only sending small groups of scouts to gather intelligence.

On the cloud-breaking flying boat hovering above the county town. On the top floor of the boat's tower.

Foundation Establishment Cultivator Zou Ming and Xue Hu sat opposite each other. Spirit incense was lit in the hall, and a pot of wine was placed on the table.

The wine pot floated up into the air, tilted slightly, and poured out a fire-red liquid like magma into the wine cup below.

"Brother Xue, did you see the background of that Foundation Establishment Cultivator during this exchange?" Zou Ming poured a cup of Red Pine wine for Xue Hu and asked.

Xue Hu shook his head. "That person is very strong and skilled in sword-controlling techniques. Even in a one-on-one fight, I estimate he is not inferior to me."

"Oh?" Zou Ming was startled. In the Red Pine Sect, Xue Hu was known for his combat prowess, and it was hard to find an opponent among those at the Early Foundation Establishment Stage.

"Is he a Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator?"

Xue Hu shook his head again. "Doesn't look like it! Judging from his mana, he is at most at the Peak of the Early Foundation Establishment Stage, unless he has Cultivated a specialized concealment Spell."

"I sent secret agents from the Lu Family to deliver information, but they also don't know the background of this person. I suspect the Chen Family is behind this!"

Xue Hu frowned and looked at Zou Ming. "The Chen Family probably already realized something is wrong. Should we take action early?"

"Wait a bit longer!"

Zou Ming picked up the Red Pine wine and drank it in one gulp. "Once a Foundation Establishment Cultivator escapes, the future troubles will be endless. Besides, there is another Foundation Establishment Cultivator whose identity hasn't been figured out yet. No rush!"

"That is the logic!" Xue Hu's expression revealed a trace of worry. "If Revered Master blames us..."

"Brother Xue!" Zou Ming's tone became solemn. "You and I are both doing our best. Why would Revered Master blame us?"

"Fine!" Xue Hu nodded. "You are good at these things. I'll go first. Call me if there's anything."

After saying this, Xue Hu stood up to leave and disappeared within a moment.

After Xue Hu left, Zou Ming chuckled softly and shook his head slowly.

Revered Master's lifespan was nearing its end, estimated to be less than thirty years, and the Red Pine Sect was in imminent danger.

Revered Master pinned all his hopes on Senior Brother Wang Qiao, who was at Peak Foundation Establishment, hoping he could Breakthrough to the Golden Core, protect the Sect, and protect the Xiao Family.

Regarding this, Zou Ming was not optimistic. Wang Qiao only reached Peak Foundation Establishment at the age of two hundred and fifty. Now, at two hundred and seventy, even with Revered Master's full support, the possibility of Breakthrough to the Golden Core was still very low.

If Wang Qiao failed to Breakthrough, perhaps his end would come even earlier than Revered Master Xiao Changfeng's...

And even if Wang Qiao successfully Breakthrough, could he really treat them, his fellow disciples, the same way Revered Master did?

At that time, Wang Qiao would need to consolidate his Cultivation and clean up the previous mess. The amount of Spirit Stone needed would be significant! Would he take it out on them, his fellow disciples?

New emperor, new courtiers. In this situation, considering oneself was the wise move.

Only that brute Xue Hu rushed to the front for everything. Which of the other Foundation Establishment Cultivator was not planning a way out for themselves and their Family?

The matter of Yongning, to put it bluntly, was just Revered Master sparing no cost to scrape together Spirit Stone for Wang Qiao to purchase Golden Core spirit items.

Whether it succeeded or not, there was no benefit for him, Zou Ming. As long as he did not openly disobey Revered Master's orders, this current stalemate was actually beneficial to him.

Hand over the bulk to the Sect, and he could scrape a little bit for himself, right?

"Senior Brother Wang, this matter is for your Dao path, so you must take action yourself. I believe Revered Master will understand!"

Zou Ming muttered to himself.

A few days later.

The Law Enforcement Team found a few excuses, and Zou Ming personally led the team to punish several Cultivation Family that were originally under the Lu Family.

Just when all the Cultivation Family in Yongning were in a state of panic and a large-scale riot was about to break out, the Law Enforcement Team suddenly stopped, and announced several appeasement notices.

The Sect Enforcement Team shrank their control range, focusing their targets on the area around the county town.

The matter of the Robber Cultivator gradually subsided, but the atmosphere in all of Yongning became increasingly tense.

Opportunists ran wild, and small and large Robber Cultivator were everywhere. Some small Family that wanted peace had to be passively involved; otherwise, they would face the fate of being looted by the Robber Cultivator.

Once order was destroyed, the consequences would be devastating!

Some Family spirit lands began to go to waste, and various industries stagnated. If the chaos could not be ended as soon as possible, Yongning would slip out of the control of the Red Pine Sect.

Zou Ming could wait, but the Sect could not. Another three-thousand-man Sect Enforcement Team was being prepared.

Zhao Deliang received a new order from the Sect and immediately dispatched the Law Enforcement Team to surround the Lu Family Spirit Stone mine. Once the three-thousand-man Sect Enforcement Team was in place, they would first take down the Spirit Stone mine.

The reason Yongning was chaotic was because of the Lu Family and the Chen Family. As long as these two families were resolved, the rest of the Qi Refining Family, although numerous, were just a loose sand; they could be cleaned up slowly when the time came!

Having mobilized seven or eight thousand Outer Sect Disciple in total, the Sect's expenses were immense; they could not afford to wait any longer!