304: Tavern

"Uncle Chu!"

"Are you all right?"

Seeing Chu Tianci standing before him, Mo Ran was still very excited.

After all, he was the one who had told him everything before leaving, and Mo Ran had misunderstood him at the time, thinking he wanted to sever ties completely.

If it were just that, it would be fine, but the other party's final helping hand left Mo Ran feeling even more indebted.

He had to repay this kindness.

"Yes, thanks to you and the help of your cult, I finally managed to survive."

"Uncle Chu, what on earth happened to you? Why were you so badly injured? And aren't you a corporate elite? Logically, you should be at least a second-class citizen. How did you end up like this?"

Chu Tianci shook his head, his face full of bitterness.

"Second-class or whatever, to put it bluntly, we're all just servants for the big shots, at most a slightly better breed of dog."

"The clues I left for you led you to go directly to the Grace Group to find Young Master Wang... It seems I guessed wrong. From the beginning, they never intended to use legitimate means to obtain the Spiritual Root from you."

"So, when you sent an appointment request to the Grace Group, I was arrested and severely tortured."

"Afterward, I lost my job, and many of my body parts were dismantled to compensate for the company's losses."

"As for this prosthetic... it's because the losses were too great, and Young Master Wang was very dissatisfied."

"They dismantled me while giving me medicine to recover, until they had taken enough to cover the cost."

"First the left arm, then the left leg... Fortunately, before the left side of my body was completely used up, the debt was finally paid off."

"So, I suppose I've managed to keep my life."

Hearing this, Mo Ran felt terrible.

He really hadn't expected that this was the result of his own actions. After thinking it over, he could only ask one thing.

"Then what about sister-in-law and Little Chu?"

Chu Tianci had a local wife, and the two had a child.

Mo Ran had seen their photos; the family of three looked very happy.

But now that even Chu Tianci had fallen into such a state, they... "Wan Yi... committed suicide... taking the child with her."

Mo Ran didn't speak, but his slightly trembling hands betrayed his feelings.

Chu Tianci sniffled and looked up, his eyes a bit red.

"It's okay, it's not your fault."

"The source of the suffering isn't you, it's this world."

"Those who choose to walk a single-log bridge should be prepared for the bridge to break and for themselves to die, rather than blaming the person who crossed before them when they fall."

"Now, I just want to live on for them, even if it's just for a little while longer... After all, I don't know how I'd face them if I went down there now."

Mo Ran remained silent.

He was always like this when faced with questions that were hard to answer.

"Let's not talk about that for now." Chu Tianci's expression softened slightly as he turned his head to look at the crow that was still muttering. "That one... should be the true person in power in this church, right?"

"Oh, he is..."

"Exactly!" Qing Xuan instantly appeared on Mo Ran's shoulder. "I am the Pope of this church in every sense of the word. Of course, you can also use the normal title and call me Abbot."

"So it is Abbot Qing. My apologies for the lack of respect."

"I'm sorry, I was heavily injured before and didn't have the strength to learn much. I could only tell you what I knew first, hoping you would pass it on to Mo Ran, so I was lacking in etiquette."

Qing Xuan waved his wings dismissively.

"Ah, it's a small matter."

"I'm not who I used to be either. As you can see, I'm just a remnant soul now."

"Though I'm called the Abbot, what I can do is limited... Besides, the information you provided is very valuable."

Chu Tianci smiled and turned back to Mo Ran.

"I've already told Abbot Qing about the specifics. To make a long story short, I heard some news after I was caught."

"The true master of Grace City, Old Master Wang, has handed over the harvesting rights of this city to King Dong."

"As you know, those who can be titled as Kings in the Eastern Region are all prominent figures, at least at the Body Integration Stage."

"So they never have any qualms about how they act."

"And what they're going to do this time is harvest the entire Pastoral Area, and possibly even some ordinary citizens along with it."

"That's why Young Master Wang wanted to interfere with the market and demote a large number of ordinary people into the Pastoral Area."

"Now the first Cleanup Squad has arrived; they've only cleared out some of the homeless."

"When the follow-up troops arrive, things will only get more troublesome. There might be Core Formation Stage or even Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators among them."

"That's why I tried to steal a company car to escape before, but unfortunately, I was caught... Luckily, you saved me."

Chu Tianci smiled in thanks again, but then his face turned bitter.

"Now you've seen it; the first purge has begun, and the second won't be far behind."

"At the same time, this means the Pastoral Area must have been surrounded. Leaving like before is almost impossible now."

"That's why I want to ask for your help."

He looked at Qing Xuan.

"Abbot, it was my fault for overhearing your conversation just now, but if you want to punish me, please wait until I've finished."

"You mentioned that the deity you worship is at the Core Formation Stage?"

A glint of light flashed in Chu Tianci's eyes, carrying a hint of expectation.

Qing Xuan nodded.

"Correct, and he's a bit stronger than the average Core Formation Stage."

"That's good, that's good..." Chu Tianci seemed to have made up his mind. He took a deep breath and said to Qing Xuan and Mo Ran, "The Pastoral Area is sealed. Most likely, we won't be able to escape."

"And you've seen Young Master Wang's character. Even if you really do as he says, you might not necessarily escape with your lives."

"So the only way now is to unite all the forces we can and force our way through the blockade."

"From what I've heard, your deity can absorb the Power Of Faith."

"In that case, if we gather the faith of the entire Pastoral Area, could he briefly exert power at the Nascent Soul Stage?"

Qing Xuan thought for a moment and answered cautiously.

"It should be possible."

"Cultivators in the Eastern Region rely heavily on external power; they can't be equated with Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators from outside regions."

"With the blessing of faith, as long as the opponent isn't an elite among the Nascent Soul Stage, the deity should have no problem holding them off for a bit."

"However... why should we help you?"

"Ultimately, if forcing our way through succeeds, it will help more people escape. Isn't that helping yourselves as well?"

"But saving you, saving people—all of it involves risk."

"And you just said yourself that Wilde only might not let us go, but if we actually do this with you, then he definitely won't let us go."

Seeing the tense atmosphere, Mo Ran interjected.

"Senior, everyone is a believer; if we can save them, we should. I think even the Taiyi God would want that."

"Humph! The prerequisite for saving people is not dying yourself. Getting yourself killed too—that's just 'buy one, get one free'!"

"But Senior, if I have to watch so many people die, I'd rather stay behind. You can just take the Spiritual Root and leave, Senior. That should be enough to secure a chance at life."

"You! You... Sigh, you child. I was just testing you, joking with you. Of course we're going to save them, but we have to discuss a safe way to do it, right?"

Seeing this, Chu Tianci quickly chimed in.

"The people from the various major factions should all be gathered in the neutral Tavern now."

"I've been to the Pastoral Area before and know a bit about them. Based on past experience, they must be on high alert by now."

"If I step forward, I might be able to gain some of their trust."

"If we can convince them to unite, we might actually be able to resolve this crisis... After all, no one wants to die."

His expression became resolute.

In the end, Qing Xuan stayed behind to reassure the people, while Mo Ran followed Chu Tianci to the Tavern.

Braving the fine snow falling from the sky, the two walked toward the brightly lit and noisy Tavern as the sky gradually darkened.

"Clack."

The door was pushed open.

For a moment, the din in the Tavern quieted down as everyone reflexively looked toward Mo Ran and Chu Tianci at the door.

But in the next instant, the noise resumed, with people drinking and chatting as before.

After the two chose a corner to sit in, Mo Ran paid the waiter some money and a tip in exchange for two large mugs of ale and several portions of hot food.

Just as they were about to discuss their next move, a man walked onto the stage originally intended for performances.

He was a middle-aged man with a beer belly and a large beard.

He picked up the megaphone and shouted at the crowd.

"You shouldn't resist! Only peace can buy peace!"