Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 1715 - 1708: Setting Up Informants

Chapter 1715: Chapter 1708: Setting Up Informants

"Then, what does the Saint mean by this..." Xing Hu widened his eyes, wearing an utterly bewildered expression.

"Anxiang Zheng plays a pivotal role in this case—or rather, in this series of cases. The Young Lord keeping an eye on him is absolutely right." Luo’er said.

"A series of cases..." Xing Hu muttered, his brows tightly furrowed.

"And my arrangement for the Young Lord is to follow Anxiang Zheng and protect him in secret," Luo’er continued.

"Protect him? Is Anxiang Zheng in danger?" Xing Hu asked, puzzled.

"Not yet, but it will be soon," Luo’er revealed a mysterious smile and continued, "I hope that no matter what the outcome may be, the Young Lord can ensure the survival of Anxiang Zheng."

"Hmm..." Xing Hu pondered for a moment, then clasped his hands together and solemnly said, "Since it’s the Saint’s arrangement, I shall follow the instructions."

"If you find it inappropriate, you don’t have to force yourself," Luo’er added.

"No, no, I trust the Saint wouldn’t harm me. Just the other day, I saw the Saint extending grace at the West Market, which only solidified my belief." Xing Hu replied resolutely.

"Thank you, Young Lord, for your trust," Luo’er said earnestly.

"No need to be so formal. The Saint is merciful and benevolent; this kind of politeness only makes me uneasy," Xing Hu quickly responded with a wave of his hand.

"I’ve instructed the people outside to arrange a banquet. Young Lord, why not stay for a meal before leaving?" Luo’er suggested.

"No, no, no, merely visiting the Saint is already enough to satisfy me. How could I dare remain for the banquet?" Xing Hu waved his hands continuously in refusal.

"No need to be so courteous with me," Luo’er insisted.

"I’d rather not," Xing Hu appeared flustered and kept waving his hands. "I’d better hurry to follow Anxiang Zheng, lest I fail the Saint’s expectations."

"No need to be in such a rush," Luo’er said.

"Please forgive my abruptness. I’ll set out immediately; I don’t wish to delay any further," Xing Hu continued to decline.

"Very well," Luo’er sighed lightly, then nodded. "Since the Young Lord insists, I won’t forcefully detain you. You may go to find Anxiang Zheng right away. If there are any changes, I will inform you through the Saint’s decree."

"The Saint’s decree?" Xing Hu widened his eyes, looking confused.

"It can only be understood, not spoken," Luo’er revealed another enigmatic smile.

"Alright, alright, I trust the Saint. Then, I’ll take my leave for now. Sorry to trouble you all." Xing Hu clasped his hands together in farewell and turned to glance at Cheng Ziang.

"Very well, Azure Dragon, escort the guest," Luo’er said knowingly as he observed the scene.

"Understood!" Cheng Ziang nodded and then led Xing Hu out of the room.

Not long after the two had left, Tangmo couldn’t help but ask in Chinese, "Luo’er, are you intending to have Xing Hu protect Anxiang Zheng?"

"Yes," Luo’er nodded, his face serious. "If Anxiang Zheng is indeed that Star-shattering expert, then last night’s massacre was undoubtedly a provocation toward him. I believe more tragedies may follow. If someone is targeting Anxiang Zheng, having Xing Hu around should help him hold out until we arrive."

"What’s going on? Anxiang Zheng has us under house arrest, and we’re supposed to help him?" Hu Daoke questioned in confusion.

"Anxiang Zheng merely suspects our involvement in last night’s incident; his motivations aren’t malicious. We shouldn’t distort his intentions maliciously just because of his actions," Luo’er said steadily.

"Is Xing Hu reliable? He strikes me as somewhat clumsy," Hu Daoke said with a worried expression.

"Regarding his abilities, I believe Feng would have more to say," Luo’er remarked as everyone turned their gazes to Feng.

Feng, having been with the Advance Team for several years, had already learned Chinese. So even though Luo’er and the others were conversing in Chinese, she could mostly understand.

Noticing everyone’s gaze, Feng looked bashful, lowered her head slightly, and softly said, "His cultivation isn’t below mine; he just lacks Jianghu experience, which makes him seem a bit unreliable."

"Jianghu experience?" Hu Daoke scratched his head, puzzled.

"That would be the art of guarding against treachery," Baiyue explained. "Feng herself also learned those varied techniques from Huayu Ting."

Before long, Cheng Ziang returned to the room after seeing Xing Hu off. Seeing the group deep in discussion, he actively joined in and reported to Luo’er, "Luo’er, I have something to report."

"Go ahead," Luo’er nodded.

"Regarding last night’s matter," Cheng Ziang said gravely, "According to what Ah Si relayed, this incident is related to the Emperor’s Sect."

"The Emperor’s Sect?" Luo’er’s expression shifted slightly.

"On one hand, they want us to leave Guyi Government as quickly as possible without lingering. On the other hand, they’re also trying to find leverage against Anxiang Zheng to use against him," Cheng Ziang explained.

"What would they threaten him for?" Hu Daoke pressed.

"To compel him to let us leave the territory. You’re well aware that this area is the Anxiang family’s domain in Qi State. If we attempt to forcibly leave Guyi Government without their permission, it would likely be an uneasy journey." Cheng Ziang glanced at him before turning back to Luo’er.

"Afraid of what? When has our Advance Team ever been so spineless?" Hu Daoke retorted boldly.

"If trouble can be avoided, it’s best to avoid it. After all, the Jianghu is perilous and fraught with the unknown—not simply a place where martial strength alone guarantees one’s dominance over Kyushu," Cheng Ziang retorted with a glare.

"Hmm... but... this approach..." Luo’er furrowed his brow.

"I can’t think of a better solution," Cheng Ziang admitted, spreading his hands. "After all, Ah Si is merely a member of Heterogeneous Hall, with limited influence. The Emperor’s Sect won’t simply bend to our will either."

"Regardless of everything, those who slaughter the innocent cannot be forgiven," Luo’er sighed with closed eyes.

"Ah Si mentioned that if we encounter such individuals, we may eliminate them on the spot," Cheng Ziang said coldly. "The leaders of the Emperor’s Sect only care about whether we reach Shengyuan Prefecture; they couldn’t care less about the lives of these subordinates."

"If this is indeed the Emperor’s Sect, they likely wouldn’t kill Anxiang Zheng, since they still need to rely on him," Tangmo speculated, looking at Luo’er.

"Mm," Luo’er nodded. "But in any case, having someone watch over Anxiang Zheng ensures coverage."

"I’m worried about Xing Hu. What if he takes personal revenge? If Anxiang Zheng truly is the Star-shattering assassin, then he’s Xing Hu’s enemy," Baiyue said with concern.

"That’s unlikely," Cheng Ziang refuted. "If Xing Hu were that kind of person, we wouldn’t trust him, and Luo’er certainly wouldn’t assign him important tasks."

"Life is unpredictable," Baiyue countered with a shrug.

"In any case, we should resolve matters here as soon as possible and leave this place," Tangmo said, frowning.

"Actually, we’ve gained quite a bit during our time here," Cheng Ziang remarked.

"Such as?"

"For instance, it has become apparent that, after a century of transformation under the Wen Family, Kyushu is no longer as disdainful of literature and over-reliant on martial power as one might imagine," Cheng Ziang explained.

"Take Huayu Ting, for example. He clearly knows that Fei Yu might affect his bloodline, yet he remains unwavering in his devotion, willing to forgo the so-called purity of bloodline for love. This would’ve been unimaginable in the past."

"How would you know what Kyushu used to be like?" Hu Daoke said disdainfully.

"Couldn’t the knowledge gained through observation suffice?" Cheng Ziang retorted with a glare.

"If the Star-shattering assassin truly is Anxiang Zheng, it suggests he, too, is a maverick like Huayu Ting. To maintain order, he’s killed many people. Yet the reason he’s called the Star-shattering assassin lies in the fact that he’s executed countless immoral cultivators, using the most taboo techniques cultivators fear," Cheng Ziang stated.

"Kyushu is on the verge of transformation," Luo’er affirmed.

"Do you remember the commander named Xuan during the West Outer Heaven war? He stopped at nothing to exploit Military Generals, using every tactic available. While his conduct was questionable, it was clear that he was undermining the Wu Family’s power in the Wen Family’s favor," Cheng Ziang continued.

"Xing Hu mentioned that the current Emperor Wu has launched three major campaigns since his reign, and all of them ended in failure without exception. Coupled with the West Outer Heaven case, could it be possible to interpret it this way: the Wen Family is quietly weakening the Wu Family’s power through warfare, the very thing the Wu Family thrives on?"