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"They say this evil cultivator was incredibly audacious, nearly harming Master's family. These practitioners of deviant arts are often fanatical and may very well return for revenge."
"Master is only one person, after all, and it's difficult to keep an eye on the entire Gu family at all times. Fortunately, our Action Team has quite a few Xuan Masters, including those at the fourth and fifth levels. We could send them here to protect Master's family. What do you think?"
Chen Qiushi spoke slowly.
As soon as these words left his lips, Liu Dong, who was sitting nearby, froze momentarily. He glanced at their leader, whose face was brimming with anticipation for the master's reply.
And just like that, Liu Dong instantly understood the leader's intention—this was a roundabout tactic!
You see, the fourth- and fifth-level members of the Action Team were undoubtedly geniuses within the organization, but their cultivation progress had slowed down significantly.
It wasn't because they lacked talent or potential; rather, it was because there was no one in the team capable of guiding them. They were left to figure things out on their own, which naturally delayed their advancement.
But the master? He was equivalent to an eighth-level cultivator. Though young, he had already surpassed that realm and was more than capable of providing guidance.
Sending these members to protect the master's family was, on the surface, about safeguarding the household—but in reality, it was a way for them to ingratiate themselves with the master.
After all, to protect the Gu family, they'd need to stay close to its members. Seeing each other every day, it would be natural for the master to occasionally offer some pointers.
Even a little bit of guidance here and there would be more than worth it.
Moreover, while they might not directly assist the master, helping the Gu family amounted to the same thing. Over time, the master would develop a sense of camaraderie with their organization. Even if he didn't join them officially, a foundation of goodwill would be established, making future requests much easier.
All in all, it was a brilliant move—a strategic retreat to advance.
Liu Dong couldn't help but nod in admiration. As expected of their leader, his mind was sharp!
Yao Yao, upon hearing this, hesitated for a moment. After the recent attack by the evil cultivator on her father, she had been troubled about how to handle the situation. After all, there were so many brothers in the family—it wasn't practical to have them all stay at home indefinitely.
She could give each family member a magical artifact, but most of those were effective against yin spirits, not so much against Xuan cultivators.
Now, this uncle suggested sending fourth- and fifth-level Xuan Masters to protect her family. It was indeed a good solution.
Fourth- and fifth-level cultivators weren't weak by any means. She could provide them with additional magical artifacts. Even against sixth-level opponents, they'd be able to hold their ground for a while. By the time trouble arose, she could quickly return through the Ghost Gate to resolve the situation.
With this plan, the problem that had been weighing on her mind seemed resolved. Yao Yao's eyes lit up, and she nodded her round little head.
"In that case, I'll leave the arrangements to you, Uncle. Here, take these lightning talismans as a gift."
Yao Yao understood the principle of "you have to feed the horse if you want it to run." Thus, she generously handed over some powerful talismans that she herself didn't need but were still quite potent.
Chen Qiushi accepted them with a smile. The energy contained in these lightning talismans was comparable to a full-powered strike from a sixth-level Xuan Master.
Though he personally had no use for them, he could distribute them among his subordinates. After all, he couldn't craft such talismans himself.
With Yao Yao's agreement secured, Chen Qiushi hastily took his leave, carrying the blood-stained hand of the defeated evil cultivator. He still had to hurry back and select promising disciples to send to the Gu family.
Such an excellent opportunity for growth would surely spark fierce competition among the group of youngsters. He needed to devise a plan.
Having dealt with the matter efficiently, Yao Yao wasted no further time. She donned her jade pendant, reached out into the void with her bare hands, and slowly pulled open a towering, eerie Ghost Gate.
Once the gap was wide enough for her to pass through, she stepped inside. Beyond the gate, the world shifted, and a dim, winding path appeared before her.
Yao Yao remembered Bai Wuchang's instructions. Following the path straight ahead, it wasn't long before she reached the gates of the underworld, surrounded by dense ghostly mist.
Her presence as a living being immediately drew the attention of nearby ghosts. Pale, skeletal hands reached out from the black fog, attempting to grab at the hem of her clothes. But before they could touch her, the soul-binding chains protecting her lashed out, striking the ghostly appendages like bolts of lightning. The hands retracted with piercing shrieks.
"A living person entering the underworld? Soul-binding chains?" The commotion alerted the ox-headed and horse-faced guardians stationed near the bridge of forgetfulness.
They approached to investigate and immediately noticed the jade token hanging from Yao Yao's waist. Recalling the recent appointment of a living warden by the higher-ups of the underworld, they instantly realized who she was. Swallowing nervously, they exchanged glances. She was so small!
They were aware of the situation, but their superior hadn't mentioned appointing a child!
Still, having served in the underworld for so many years, they understood one important rule: never question your leader's decisions.
If the leader had made the appointment, there must be a reason. Smiling politely, they addressed Yao Yao: "Little daoist friend, it's your first time in the underworld, isn't it? Is there anything we can assist you with?"
For a new colleague, their main approach was warmth and friendliness. Besides, this child was just too adorable, even if her attire was a bit unusual.
"I'm looking for Lord Bai Wuchang!" Yao Yao recognized the two figures as Niu Tou and Ma Mian, having heard about the underworld deities from the old daoist.
As ghostly immortals of the underworld, they were highly familiar with its workings. Since Lord Wuchang had instructed her to wait for him here, she decided not to wander off. But how should she inform them of her arrival?
After some thought, Yao Yao decided to ask the two deities to relay a message.
Her sweet smile instantly won over the bored-to-tears Niu Tou and Ma Mian.
"Then wait here. I'll go fetch Lord Wuchang for you."
Because of their duty guarding the bridge of forgetfulness, they couldn't both leave. They split responsibilities, with Niu Tou going to notify Wuchang while Ma Mian stayed behind to chat with Yao Yao.
Perhaps due to centuries without seeing a living person, Ma Mian's chatter flowed endlessly. Yao Yao listened patiently, responding occasionally. Surprisingly, their conversation flowed quite smoothly.
By the time Xie Bi'an arrived with Niu Tou, Ma Mian and Yao Yao were already chatting like old friends who had met too late in life.
Seeing Xie Bi'an, Yao Yao hurried over with small steps and greeted him softly, "Master."
Xie Bi'an took one look at her outfit and nearly went blind, but he said nothing. After all, her fashion choices weren't his concern.
"Since you're here, let's head to the Yan River minor underworld. Your master is waiting there."
"Thank you, Master," Yao Yao replied, dimples appearing on her cherubic face. After waving goodbye to Niu Tou and Ma Mian, she happily followed Xie Bi'an.
The Yan River minor underworld was a short distance away from the bridge of forgetfulness. Along the way, Yao Yao alternated between adjusting her hair accessories and fiddling with her bag and rings, ensuring her appearance remained impeccable. She didn't want the old daoist to mistakenly think she wasn't doing well.
Xie Bi'an glanced back twice and instantly understood. This little girl was dressed like a nouveau riche today—all for the sake of impressing Qinghan, that old man.
Honestly, it was incredible luck that he had taken on such an excellent disciple.
Each lost in their thoughts, the journey passed quickly, and soon they arrived.
There, at the entrance of the Yan River minor underworld, stood an elderly man in underworld official robes, looking around anxiously. It was none other than Qinghan.
"Master!" Yao Yao's large, grape-like eyes sparkled with excitement. Forgetting all pretense of decorum, she charged toward him like a tiny cannonball.
Her crisp, loud voice immediately caught Qinghan's attention. Turning his head, he saw a dazzling figure rushing toward him. Her speed was so great that he barely had time to react before she collided with him.
His mind blanked for a moment, overwhelmed by the blinding sparkle.
What on earth was this flash?!