Free Web NovelChapter 1145: Chapter 776: You Don’t Have Much Time Left_2
Indeed, you can’t be too careful with people. Although Professor Cui verbally expressed trust in Tai Wenqin, he still kept a backup plan.
This way, if Tai Wenqin used Myanmar-Tai to secretly convey information to the Dharma Sect or added embellishments in the translation, Professor Cui would immediately notice. freewёbnoνel.com
On their way, it began to drizzle, making the mountain path slick and increasingly difficult to traverse, and some muddy areas were impassable, requiring logs to be laid down to cross over.
After more than two hours of effort, they finally arrived at a secret base in the mountains.
This place was built against the side of a cliff, with a dozen wooden houses of varying sizes, and three caves on the cliff, each with firelight emanating from within.
The central cave was the most impressive, at least 7 or 8 meters tall, and wide enough for two cars to pass in side by side.
Based on what Tai Wenqin had previously said, Yang Xiao judged this place was used by the Dharma Sect to reforge magic artifacts and prepare Tower Guarding Paste, that is, Corpse Grass.
Of course, this was only one of them; who knows how many similar secret bases are hidden in this vast expanse of mountains.
Yang Xiao wasn’t surprised that such places were built in the mountains, as these activities couldn’t be openly displayed.
Just in this moment, Yang Xiao had seen no fewer than ten Magic Disciples pushing small carts covered with white cloth into the far right cave, and when they emerged, the carts were empty.
At this moment, an elderly man with a hunched-back and wearing white clothing came forward surrounded by several people, his face taut, speaking a series of Myanmar-Tai heavily accented words to them.
After he finished speaking, a Magic Disciple next to him translated, with an extremely stiff tone, "This is Elder Basong, this place is under the elder’s jurisdiction, next we’ll take you to see the magic artifact, follow us."
The group left the base, not far away, behind several lush trees stood a small stone house, and in front of it were several Magic Disciples dressed in white.
Yang Xiao was surprised to find someone he knew at the forefront: an old man he’d met once before with only one arm.
"The magic artifact was partially damaged during the reforging process, we can’t restore it according to the design you provided, the Lama inside will explain the specifics to you," introduced the Magic Disciple nearby.
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiao immediately thought that inside the stone house was the previously mentioned Dead Mouth Lama, the odd person sitting in the Iron Sedan, "Boss, you rest, I’ll go in first and take a look," Yang Xiao said.
This job wasn’t meant for Yang Xiao, he’s not a Spirit Tester, but Professor Cui knew Yang Xiao must have discovered something, so he nodded and agreed.
The one-armed old man ordered people to open the door, Yang Xiao went in alone, and the next second, the door closed.
Sure enough, there was the Iron Sedan parked inside the stone house, Yang Xiao found it hard to imagine how this group managed to transport an Iron Sedan through such rugged mountain paths.
Glancing around to confirm they were the only two in the room, Yang Xiao approached the sedan, lowered his voice, "I’m here again, old man."
Not a moment after the words fell, the curtain in front of the sedan was swiftly pulled back, revealing the old man bound inside the sedan, his body slightly trembling, trying to lean forward, and through the eye holes in his mask, Yang Xiao could sense the old man’s current excitement.
"You finally came..." the old man’s broken voice sounding rough as gravel.
"You promised me before, please tell me where the lantern’s carry rod is now?" Yang Xiao raised his hand in a respectful gesture.
"Certainly, but let’s talk business first, how do you suggest we handle this magic artifact?" the old man had a worn wooden box on his lap, Yang Xiao had seen this box among the large crates they brought, it had a seal on it back then.
The old man lifted the box, offering it out, and as Yang Xiao stepped forward to accept the box, he was suddenly grabbed by the old man at the wrist, but Yang Xiao was prepared, keeping the box steady with the hand being grabbed, while his other hand swiftly turned from fist to palm, chopping down.
The old man’s wrist was thin, but the force he exerted wasn’t lesser than Yang Xiao’s, directly pulling Yang Xiao towards the sedan.
The old man would’ve taken Yang Xiao’s hit without letting go, while Yang Xiao didn’t dare use full force fearing he might accidentally kill the old man right there.
"Silence, I have something to tell you!" the old man grimly ordered, his arm trembling in pain, his voice both low and urgent.
Yang Xiao leaning his torso forward, already half inside the Iron Sedan, seeing Yang Xiao was raising his fist, the old man spoke rapidly, "Your identities are exposed; they already know you’re from the Patrol Defense Office, today they’re here to kill you!"
"I don’t understand what you’re saying!" Naturally, Yang Xiao wouldn’t admit, who knows if the old man was trying to trick him.
"Then, I’ll say something you can understand. The people you saw outside don’t count. There are others hiding in the woods, just waiting for you to slightly relax, they’re going to strike from inside and out, exterminating all of you!"
Seeing the old man speaking convincingly, Yang Xiao couldn’t help but believe it a little, secretly took out the Human Bone Staff, moments later, his pupils suddenly contracted, sensing dozens of evil thoughts nearby.
The old man might lie, but evil thoughts wouldn’t, there was indeed an ambush here!
"A magic artifact able to detect the range..." the masked old man’s eyes sparked, "Good, excellent!"
"Listen carefully to what I’m about to tell you, every time this old body moves, there are at least two Ghost-level Apostles watching, one openly and one secretly. The open one is that one-armed old dog you’ve seen, the hidden one is always mingled in the crowd thinking they’ve disguised well, it’s the woman with a mole below her jaw."
Yang Xiao quickly recalled, indeed, outside there was such a person, likely in her forties, short hair, small nose, small eyes, not talking, standing quietly behind the group.
Yang Xiao didn’t dare use the Human Bone Staff for a long time to probe, fearing it might alarm those outside.
Just from that brief moment he confirmed the old man wasn’t lying, there were indeed people lurking in the woods.
"The one-armed old dog, the mole-marked woman, both are Ghost-level Apostles, and there’s another elder named Basong, who also has half a foot in the Ghost-level realm, with spiritual power on par with yours."
"Moreover, there’s a Ghost-level expert hiding in the woods as well, I don’t know much about this person, but he followed from Bangshu City and probably isn’t from the Dharma Sect, but recruited as a specialist." The old man’s breathing turned rapid, his speech hurried and quick.
"Why are you helping us? What’s in it for you?" Yang Xiao asked quietly.
"I want you to rescue me! Because I can’t stand living this worse-than-death existence any longer!"
The old man growled, his emaciated knuckles showing blue veins, the sound of wind and rain outside drowned out their conversation.
"Among the people I brought is a Ghost-level Apostle, and I only have half a foot in that level myself, now you expect the two of us to face four of them, we can’t even protect ourselves, let alone rescue you?"
Yang Xiao spoke truthfully, feeling grateful for the old man’s frankness but indeed unable to rescue anyone, only thinking of how to find a way to escape and save Professor Cui.
The old man’s eyes narrowed upon hearing this, his tone suddenly intriguing, "Ordinary people would undoubtedly fail, but you’re different, because you have it."
The old man lifted his hand, grabbing Yang Xiao’s sleeve. At this moment, Yang Xiao had the Drama Robe on, he had sensed something amiss when the Dharma Sect notified them to enter the mountains, taking precaution by wearing the Drama Robe as the innermost layer.
This moment brought unprecedented shock to Yang Xiao, his face darkened, eyes fixed on the old man’s face, "Who exactly are you?"
"That doesn’t matter, if you rescue me, I’ll tell you everything afterward, don’t ever leave me behind; I can help you truly harness this thing!"
The masked old man whispered mysteriously, "You know what I mean, I speak of the presence behind the clothes."
"Your skin has already been partly changed, you don’t have much time left. There isn’t anyone in this world who understands this thing more than me; I’ve pursued it for thirty years!"
"Hundred Demons Coffin Clothes..."
