The Rebirth of the Cultivation Leader Qin Zhao as a Celebrity
Chapter 268 - 266: The Deserted Mountain Village

Chapter 268: Chapter 266: The Deserted Mountain Village

Qin Zhao had used a spell to dispose of the corpses and resentful energy on the banyan tree, and the eerie atmosphere in the woods had disappeared, leaving behind a faint green halo around the banyan tree.

This was the spiritual energy it had accumulated over many years of cultivation, but very little remained, most of it residing in the Tree Spirit.

"Other than having it come here on its own, is there another way to lure it over?"

"My Tree Spirit bears my scent. If you know Tracking Technique, you should be able to find it."

Qin Zhao nodded. Since the Banyan Tree Spirit had not committed any wrongdoing, she would not kill indiscriminately.

"You have cultivated for many years without harming anyone. If your Tree Spirit still exists, I will retrieve it and return it to you."

Qin Zhao let the Hellhound sniff the scent of the Banyan Tree Spirit, and then followed the scent to find the culprit.

"Woof woof!"

The Hellhound barked twice and ran in the opposite direction they had come from.

The golf course was situated at the base of the mountain, while this forest led deep into the mountain range.

Ordinary people dared not venture deep into this mountain, because the innermost part was a rare animal reserve, filled with many ferocious beasts and other unknown creatures.

Qin Zhao and her companions followed the Hellhound, encountering numerous wild beasts during their walk through the woods.

As darkness fell, they were even surrounded by a pack of wolves.

The luminescent green in their eyes appeared particularly sinister against the deep darkness of the night. Several pairs of eyes stared intently at Qin Zhao and Chu Yan, seeing them as easy prey.

When they were about to be attacked, a little lamb emerged from the Contract Space, bleating at the wolves, who then surprisingly left them alone.

"In such a dangerous place, an ordinary person wouldn’t have even found the Banyan Tree Spirit before being devoured by the beasts."

Seeing the dispersing pack of wolves, Qin Zhao narrowed her eyes thoughtfully.

"Whoever took the Tree Spirit likely has some skills."

"I suspect he may be a cultivator."

The mummified corpses from earlier had not been hung on the banyan tree simply for aesthetic purposes, as the Banyan Tree Spirit had described. The culprit had hung them there to set up an array.

This array would refine the Banyan Tree Spirit into a weapon.

According to the Banyan Tree Spirit, it had cultivated for seven hundred years, producing a Tree Spirit, and its entire being was a treasure. The perpetrator’s goal was to refine it into an evil tree, then control it.

After a lengthy journey around two mountains, they finally spotted habitation.

A vast and wide river ran near a small village not far from the mountain stream. In the darkness, many lights were shining in the village, resembling stars in the sky.

"Wait, don’t go there yet."

Chu Yan was about to walk toward the village, but Qin Zhao pulled him back.

"There are many arrays around this village."

If they went over now, they would quickly be detected by the people inside.

"I’ll break the arrays first."

Chu Yan obediently stood beside her, moving only where Qin Zhao directed. As for the little lamb and Tengshe, they were returned to the Contract Space.

Qin Zhao not only broke the arrays but also managed to prevent the one who set them up from detecting their interference.

When they reached the village entrance, both of them used Invisibility Talismans.

Just as they walked in, a thick wave of Evil Energy hit them. They passed several houses with lights on, but there was not a single person inside, leaving the whole village feeling ominously lifeless.

They continued on, only to discover that not a single house was occupied!

"What’s going on? Why are there lights but no people?"

Chu Yan leaned closer to Qin Zhao and asked her quietly,

"I don’t know either."

Qin Zhao lowered her head and saw he was holding her hand; noticing Chu Yan’s pale face, she thought he was scared, so she did not pull her hand away.

He’s so timid, why does he still insist on following her?

She should have let him go back earlier.

They walked around the village and were pretty sure there was no one and no ghosts. However, the village was filled with a strong aura of deathly resentment and Evil Energy, likely a hiding place for an Evil Cultivator.

Qin Zhao was about to check the area near the village, when she and Chu Yan suddenly heard the sound of a vehicle driving, coming from the direction of the winding mountain road.

Gradually, the sound grew louder.

The dazzling headlights shone from outside the village, almost lighting up the village entrance like it was daytime.

A large truck came and stopped at the village entrance. Two men got out and walked toward the truck’s cabin, which was locked, and chaotic voices could be heard.

The men opened the cabin, and Qin Zhao heard a piercing scream.

"Ah! Help!"

Following that were several more screams.

Someone laughed coldly and said, "Even if you scream your lungs out in these mountains, no one will come to save you. If you don’t want to suffer, behave yourself!"

The two men pulled several people out of the cabin—children as young as four or five, teenagers, and young girls, adding up to over a dozen people.

These people seemed to have been kidnapped; their hands were chained, and there were signs of being beaten on their bodies. Inside the cabin, two more men’s accomplices watched over them.

The kidnapped people, seeing the unfamiliar place and hearing wolves howling in the deep mountains at midnight, were shaking with fear, clustering together, their faces filled with despair.

Based on their ages, these people were separated and taken deeper into the village.

"Huh, why is no one here?"

"In the middle of the night, where else could they be?"

"Right, we sent them a message before coming back. Could it be someone found this place, so they took people to hide on the mine side?"

"You go and check the mines."

This group was a human trafficking syndicate, each time they kidnapped people, they would bring them here to process. Later, the processed people would be taken out for other arrangements.

It was hard for anyone to find this remote mountain village, but to be safe, they also dug a hole near the mine. If anyone came searching, they would hide the kidnapped people there.

The mine’s ore was not any rare mineral. In earlier years, people bought it, and the villagers made their living by mining, but now this mineral was worthless.

The other people arrived at the largest house in the village, and all the kidnapped people were placed inside. That house also contained many bizarre props.

Qin Zhao and Chu Yan had on Invisibility Talismans, so no one noticed them.

They followed the people to this house.

Earlier, when inspecting the place, they had seen these props - many broken bowls, carts, sound systems, and some tools used by street performers.

"These two are young; don’t damage them. Later, find two families without children, they could sell for a good price.

These older ones are hard to sell. First, have them practice stealing, and if they don’t do well, chop off their limbs and make them beg!

As for these three female college students, we brothers will have some fun first, then send them to Sister Hong to make money!"

The leading man skillfully arranged what to do with these people.

Upon hearing their conversation, Qin Zhao finally understood why they had kidnapped these people.

They were human traffickers, and moreover, they worked as a gang!