“Outsider?” Lin Yuner said with some anger. “I am from the Lin family. How can I be considered an outsider?”
The guard remained unmoved. “This is the county lord’s order. No one is exempt.”
Lin Yuner wanted to say more, but Chen Ping stopped her.
“Stand aside!” Chen Ping said coldly.
His voice carried a powerful pressure, causing the guard to step back involuntarily.
Chen Ping and Hu Mazi swaggered into the county lord’s residence. Lin Yuner hurried after them.
The interior was lavishly decorated, with pavilions and towers scattered artfully, but Chen Ping and Hu Mazi had no interest in admiring it.
They knew a storm was about to erupt here.
Upon reaching the main hall, they saw the county lord seated in the place of honour. He wore a luxurious brocade robe and a jade crown, his countenance stern and imposing.
Seeing Lin Yuner enter with two strangers, a flicker of displeasure crossed his eyes, but it quickly faded to composure.
“Lin Yuner, what brings you here with these two strangers?” the county lord asked coldly.
Lin Yuner mustered her courage, met the county lord’s gaze squarely, and said, “County Lord, I have come today to ask you one thing.
Why do you keep sending the cultivators of our East Township County to the Six Temples of the Gods?
Some of those sent never return, while those who do come back deranged. What is really going on?”
The county lord’s expression changed slightly, but he soon regained his poise.
He sneered and said, “Lin Yuner, are you interrogating me? I send them to the Six Temples so they can gain better cultivation opportunities, enhance their strength, and bring glory to East Township County.
As for those who do not return or end up deranged, that is simply bad luck, or their own limited aptitude.”
Lin Yuner sneered in return. “County Lord, you are still making excuses. The Six Temples use the pretext of altar initiation ceremonies to harvest the souls of cultivators.
Those whose souls are harvested naturally become deranged, their cultivation stalled. You collude with the Six Temples, committing such heinous acts, and show no remorse?”
A hint of panic flashed in the county lord’s eyes, but it vanished as quickly as it came. “I have no idea what you are talking about. It seems you have been misled by someone.”
“Misled?” Lin Yuner began to retort, but Chen Ping stopped her again.
“County Lord, we do not wish to waste words with you,” Chen Ping said coldly. “We only want to know the location of the Six Temples of the Gods. If you are wise, tell us obediently. Otherwise…”
Though he left the sentence unfinished, the threat was clear.
The county lord’s face darkened considerably. He rose abruptly, pointed at Chen Ping, and bellowed, “Who are you? How dare you spout nonsense here! Guards, seize them!”
At the county lord’s command, a group of guards surged in from all directions, surrounding the trio completely.
These guards were all robust and strong, armed with weapons, their eyes filled with ferocity.
Hu Mazi laughed heartily at the sight. “You think you minions can take us down? What arrogance!”
With that, he pulled several talismans from his bosom, readying himself for battle.
Chen Ping waved him off, signalling not to act rashly.
His gaze swept coldly over the surrounding guards, then he said slowly, “County Lord, do you truly believe these guards can stop us? I advise you to reveal the location of the Six Temples obediently. Otherwise, you will bear the consequences.”
The county lord sneered. “You? A presumptuous whelp who knows no bounds, daring to act so boldly before this county lord! Attack! Seize them, and there will be rich rewards!”
Hearing the order, the guards brandished their weapons and charged at the trio.
Chen Ping snorted coldly. His aura erupted instantly, enveloping the entire hall in a crushing pressure. The guards felt an invisible force slam into them, leaving them gasping for air and unable to move.
