Chapter 526: Office

Wu Jinliang immediately took out his Qiankun bag, intending to rummage through it for Ah Xun’s relics.

Shi Chun knew what he was about to do and stopped him, pointing to a nearby pavilion. “What’s the rush? This spot is too exposed and inconvenient. Since we found one already on the way up, it means there might be quite a few of these trees. Let’s keep going and look further up.”

Wu Jinliang agreed, realizing that if they’d found one so easily while still ascending, there must be more than just this one.

The two immediately continued their ascent. As Shi Chun had anticipated, they found more Soul-Returning Trees along the way, though none of the individual trees they encountered seemed particularly large.

As they saw more and more, with some even forming small groves, the sight gradually became less surprising.

Their progress up the mountain became increasingly cautious, almost surreptitious.

There was no other way; the closer they got to the divine palace at the mountain peak, the stricter the guards became.

Later, seeing that the situation wasn't right, Shi Chun took the initiative to lead Wu Jinliang back down the mountain. They retreated to a secluded spot where several Soul-Returning Trees grew, rested there, and hid.

Seeing no further action, Wu Jinliang, puzzled, whispered, "Why are we stopping halfway?"

Shi Chun looked up at the sky. "Let's wait and see if the strong fragrance at midnight is connected to that golden meteor shower."

"Oh," Wu Jinliang understood. He let Shi Chun do his thing while he decided to try something else. He took out Ah Xun’s relics again and asked, "Are there any Soul-Returning Trees nearby? Point to one; I want to try using Ah Xun's things."

Shi Chun glanced at him. "You're sitting inside a tree trunk."

"Huh?" Wu Jinliang immediately stood up, turned, and reached out, feeling the empty space. "This, is this it?"

Seeing him fumbling blindly and reaching in the wrong direction, Shi Chun had no choice but to draw a circle on the sloping ground, marking the position of the tree trunk where Wu Jinliang was sitting. He let Wu Jinliang busy himself, while he himself had to use his right eye's special ability to keep watch. Otherwise, they could easily be captured, especially since, given their cultivation levels, this place was teeming with experts.

This long wait, however, would come at a significant cost to Shi Chun; maintaining effective vigilance of their surroundings required a constant drain on his vital energy.

Outside the mountain gate, another Blazing Fire Sect disciple, having been cleared, ascended the sacred mountain. They arrived at the temporary lodging of the Blazing Fire Sect group, met Qiu Ben, and handed him a stack of papers detailing the information gathered from Dazhi City.

Under the lamp, Qiu Ben meticulously read the contents of each paper. He noticed that the information was compiled from the perspective of Dazhi City's guards, and he surmised that the sect must have found and 'communicated' with someone within the city guard to obtain the details so quickly. After reading through the materials, he understood the full scope of what Poyuan had reported, forming a general outline of the entire incident in his mind.

He also understood why Poyuan had identified Huang Yingying as the key figure.

Most importantly, he now knew Huang Yingying's location. That fellow Poyuan had seized Huang Yingying in Dazhi City and brought her directly back to the sacred mountain. No wonder Shi Chun's group was heading towards the sacred mountain.

It seemed there was something significant about Huang Yingying.

Qiu Ben immediately pulled out a map of the sacred mountain. He had come prepared, naturally, not blindly.

His finger searched the map for a while, finally pointing to a location marked "Service Quarters."

Knowing Huang Yingying's background details, he naturally knew where she would be housed after being brought back; the entire Golden Rat clan on the sacred mountain was confined within these so-called "Service Quarters."

After confirming the location and briefly observing the surrounding terrain, he said to his chief disciple, Huang Lang, who stood by awaiting orders, "Go summon Poyuan to see me. Tell him I wish to observe the vital energy at night."

"Yes," Huang Lang replied, taking his leave.

Qiu Ben then slowly gathered the scattered items he had laid out.

Before long, Poyuan was brought forth. He didn't enter the room but stood outside the door, looking at Qiu Ben with an air of neither humility nor arrogance.

Qiu Ben was used to the other party's unyielding demeanor. This was, after all, someone else's territory, and he was a guest; otherwise, he wouldn't mind teaching this young demon a lesson in manners. How dare a mere Earth Immortal display such arrogance before him?

He strode out the door, and as he brushed past Poyuan, he stated directly, "Take me to the 'Service Quarters' area. I want to take a look."

Poyuan's eyes flickered slightly. He knew the other party must have investigated the Dazhi City incident and learned Huang Yingying's whereabouts.

Escorting this group was now part of his duty, so he made no excuses and led the way personally.

The Blazing Fire Sect was going to the Service Quarters area on their own accord; he hadn't suggested it, nor had he disclosed Huang Yingying's location. The Blazing Fire Sect had found out themselves. If questions were raised later, he could easily deflect blame.

The Service Quarters were on the other side of the main mountain range. The group took some time to arrive at a dark and gloomy cliff.

Poyuan gestured downwards with his chin. "This is it."

Qiu Ben led the way, leaping down, and the others followed. They landed at the damp cliff bottom. Blazing Fire Sect disciples lit up their Sandalwood Gold Flames for illumination. Underfoot, there was slippery moss and streams so shallow they barely covered their soles, flowing along the ground.

Seeing the light, a large rat with an iron ring locked onto its nose bridge scurried over to investigate. Upon seeing Poyuan, it quickly bowed and spoke in a male voice, "Patrol Master Yuan, do you have any instructions?"

"Just taking a look," Poyuan said.

"Oh, alright." The large rat scurried ahead, leading everyone into a mountain cave.

More accurately, it was a dungeon rather than a mere cave. From the entrance, there was an iron door, and further inside, iron cages extended throughout the cave. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all welded iron grids, though the main gate was currently open.

Even from outside, a pungent, foul odor was noticeable, let alone once inside. It was pitch black within, with no light whatsoever, but the glow of the Sandalwood Gold Flames illuminated pairs of reflective eyes in the darkness.

As they walked, they occasionally saw large rats squatting along the sides. Their fur was dull and yellowish, most were filthy, and many appeared listless.

"Why are there no lights?" Qiu Ben asked.

"No lights are allowed here," Poyuan replied.

He didn't elaborate, but it was implicitly one of their punishments.

Soon, a skinny, large rat, shedding fur like a mangy dog, scurried over. It bowed in greeting and spoke in an old man's voice, "Patrol Master Yuan, what can we do for you? Just give the order."

"Just walking around, taking a look," Poyuan said indifferently.

"Alright," the old man replied, his voice humble and submissive. He then crawled alongside them, accompanying them, his movements showing that his legs were no longer very agile.

Poyuan then introduced to Qiu Ben, "This is Jin Fu, the clan leader of the Golden Rat tribe."

Qiu Ben glanced at the old rat with disinterest and continued to survey his surroundings. He noticed that none of the large rats they continuously encountered had attractive fur. They were all gaunt, clearly indicating chronic malnutrition. Occasionally, he would also spot several small, undeveloped rats huddled together in damp corners.

Upon seeing strangers, the huddled small rats clearly shivered. They were so tiny, yet their noses were already pierced with iron rings, locking their demon bones.

And it wasn't just the small rats; evident tension also showed in the eyes of the larger rats.

Qiu Ben could roughly interpret the situation: few people probably visited at night, and when they did, it usually meant trouble.

Based on some background information about Huang Yingying provided by the sect, he also had a rough understanding of the Golden Rats' situation. They were normally enslaved, constantly working. If they didn't perform well, they would be severely punished and deprived of food. Although the sacred mountain would allocate a plot of land for them to grow their own food each year, the problem lay in the word "each year." The size of the land allotted to them annually depended entirely on the mood of the benevolent provider.

It was said that in earlier prosperous times, the Golden Rat population had reached several thousand. After falling into the hands of the Phoenix clan, their numbers gradually dwindled to only two or three hundred.

It seemed that the Golden Rats' difficulty in reproduction was also a contributing factor, along with the current restrictive living conditions.

As they walked and observed, the group suddenly stopped. They discovered a person curled up, sitting with knees hugged, in a corner of the cage. It was a small old man, his clothes unbelievably dirty and torn, his hair disheveled, and he looked utterly wretched.

Upon seeing someone approach, the old man's spirits initially lifted, and his eyes were full of expectation. But upon realizing it was Poyuan, he quickly recoiled in fear.

"Why isn't his demon bone locked?" Qiu Ben asked.

"His name is Huang Yingying," Poyuan said indifferently. "Years ago, he saved Granny Fan's daughter during an incident and was subsequently granted freedom by the Divine Maiden. However, he committed an offense recently and was captured again. Out of respect for Granny Fan, he was given special clemency by the authorities, and his demon bone was not re-locked."

Huang Yingying bowed his head, his heart seething with hatred for Poyuan. He originally had done nothing wrong, but that scoundrel insisted on reporting him as troublesome, forcibly capturing him and dragging him down from the heights of freedom to the depths of despair.

For him, life in Dazhi City before had been like living among immortals; his current life was truly worse than that of pigs or dogs.

Not having experienced a good life might have been bearable, but to return after having tasted it was truly an agonizing torment, with each day feeling like a year.

Yet, this resentment dared only to remain in his heart, not showing the slightest outward sign.

And Qiu Ben's objective for this trip was to meet him, which would facilitate setting up their strategy.

After that, they continued on their way, feigning indifference.

After confirming the outsiders had left, Huang Yingying muttered curses in the darkness, "Poyuan, you had better hope you never fall into my hands!"

"Sigh," the clan leader's voice, slowly approaching, sounded from nearby. "You said someone would come to save you. You said you would ask them to rescue all of us. Everyone here has been keeping their ears peeled and eyes wide open for you every day. So, where are they?"

Huang Yingying replied, "Clan leader, they will come, they definitely will, because they need something from me, and I still have leverage over them."

The clan leader sighed, "Yingying, you must think this through carefully. Don't act recklessly! One wrong move could lead to the annihilation of our entire clan! When we had food, we never mistreated you. Don't bring disaster upon us."

Huang Yingying, having tasted life outside, was in no mood to heed this advice. All he wanted was to escape. He grumbled and complained, "Clan leader, stop calling me Yingying. Don't you know, people outside laugh at me and say it's a woman's name? Why did you give me a name like that in the first place?"

The clan leader replied, "With my vast knowledge, of course, I knew it was a woman's name. When you were born, I could tell by touch that you were the cub with the best physique. You also know the principle that a humble name is easier to raise. Making your name even more humble was meant to bring you greater fortune. A name this good, most people wouldn't have the skill to come up with it. And look at the result: you're the only one here who has experienced a good life outside. In the end, it was the good name I gave you. Don't be ungrateful for your blessings. If you must blame something, blame yourself for changing your surname. 'Jin' (Gold) is so much better, signifying a noble fate. 'Huang' (Yellow) is no good. What is 'Huang'? It means 'failed,' 'spoiled.' Do you understand what that means?"

Huang Yingying, fumbling in the dark, subconsciously performed a quick divination with his fingers. Could it really be because he had changed his surname to the wrong one?

Another large rat nearby chimed in, "Clan leader, I want to change to an even more humble name. Help me think of one."