"Even if it is big of a fortuitous opportunity, one shouldn't bully juniors!" Bai Ling scolded.

"Young miss is absolutely right! I am just a barbarian living in this remote place, I don't know anything!" Hong Di Town Lord profusely apologized, even if his cultivation base leagues better than Bai Ling.

Seeing this comical sight, Bai Ling had a hard time keeping a straight face while scolding, she even leaked some stifled laughs here and there.

But Hou Shu didn't notice the comical sight in front of him at all, his mind was wandering.

The mastermind doesn't have the ability to forcefully control a Nascent Soul Great Completion expert without any contact right? No, it can't be!

Thinking this, Hou Shu asked Bai Ling in a hoarse voice, "Ling'er... Why didn't you tell me, your Master, about the abnormal increase in the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth?"

Hearing this, Bai Ling's cheek flushed pink as she lowered her head and spoke in a sheepish voice, "Disciple thought that despite the decrease of Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth, there still should be places where Spiritual Qi should be as dense as the time before the Great Calamity," She then threw a quick glance before bowing once more and saying, "And since Master didn't seem bothered by it, I didn't think it wasn't something worthy of notice."

As she was saying this, Hou Shu noticed that the jade pendant he gave her during the day she was initiated didn't grow in red and azure flames.

"So the mastermind didn't make me forget... I am just too used to it..." Hou Shu mumbled as he let sigh.

Hou Shu looked at Bai Ling once again, thinking that even though she was smart, she was still that naive child from that mortal temple.

He shook his head and spoke in a mild tone, like honey, "Ling'er, I am not an Immortal, I still have seven emotions and six desires," he pointed towards himself, "I forget things, or don't take it into account."

He then pointed towards Bai Ling, "Thus, one should speak of whatever they noticed, even if the person they speak to is their superior or even Master."

His finger then pointed towards the blue, freezing sky, "This doesn't hold true to just the way of investigation, but to every way that exists under the heavens."

"Disciple thanks Master for giving this precious teaching!" Bai Ling offered a deep bow, her mischievous countenance disappeared as if an illusion. She understood, that even though it seemed like her Master gave this teaching to cover for his face, it was truly a meaningful teaching.

"As they say, Teacher for a day, father for a life!" Hou Shu laughed.

He then turned towards, his face once again stoic, "Have you or your subordinate visited the Chijia Village recently, when did you last visit?"

Hong Di Town Lord nervously said, "Chijia Village is a seclusion ground of a peak foundation establishment cultivator, because of his reclusive attitude, we didn't have much contact with him... The last time my people went there was twenty-seven years ago."

"Thought so," Hou Shu sighed and waved his hand, "You may go now."

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This was something Hong Di Town Lord didn't show any courtesy in, the more he waited, the more chance that he would lose this fortuitous opportunity.

"The only place we can go to now is Chijia Village." Hou Shu spoke in a mysterious tone, he had a hunch that the simple village was not so simple anymore.

***

As Hou Shu and Bai Ling were traversing through the barren plains, they noticed that the surroundings were getting quieter and quieter. Even Barren Plains have countless spiritual beasts grazing the grass, yet now, not a single one is in sight.

Compared to silent Hong Di Immortal Town, this place's quiescence was unparalleled, comparable to the difference between Heaven and Earth.

This sight didn't faze Hou Shu, but it did faze Bai Ling.

"Master, why don't instate the help of Hong Di Immortal Town? There is such a big manpower there we can use." Asked Bai Ling.

While Bai Ling's face didn't indicate anything, her Master, Hou Shu could tell that she was deeply unsettled from her hidden yet present nail scratching, "That won't work, Hong Di Immortal Town is already under the effect of the culprit."

"Besides," he turned towards Bai Ling, "Relying on the Intel of others is the way or arbitrary, not the way of investigation. Ling'er is a tough girl, don't be afraid of a little danger!"

"Y-yes master." Said Bai Ling, but one can tell that she was still unsettled.

As soon as they finished talking, the sight of Chijia Village appeared on the horizon.

Chijia Village was surrounded by tall trees. These trees were so long that some of them even pierced the clouds. But these trees were not like what one would expect, they looked like gnarled and twisted ginseng roots made of rocks, and had an ethereal black fire with ghostly faces as fruits and leaves. These trees were blocking most of the village behind them.

But there were not just these trees, Chijia Village seemed to have been overgrown with life as if all of the life was gathered here at one spot. The master and disciple pair could hear countless screeches coming from the village.

But these were not what truly attracted someone's attention, what was the most eye-catching aspect of Chijia village was the burning village chief's manor.

One could see the burning manor through the forest of twisted trees, because, for some reason, these seemingly fire-resistant trees were not growing anywhere near it, leaving a huge hole in the forest.

This sight might have scared ordinary cultivators, but not Hou Shu as he led Bai Ling into the forest.

The moment they stepped inside, a huge, ravenous-looking insect jumped onto them.

But Hou Shu launched a wisp of flame into its mouth, burning its interior to a crisp while keeping the exterior in a pristine condition, showing the excellent control Hou Shu had over flames.

Examining the corpse, the sack-like appendage hanging from its abdomen fought Hou Shu's eyes, "Wu Xing Gu Insect, an insect said to have been common during the time before the great calamity, their discerning feature was the ability to live in any environment despite the difference in spiritual qi and the sack that both males and females have hanging from their abdomen for carrying their offspring. It's said that their offspring has one in ten chance to turn into a wild gu, though the external environment matters."

Remarking that, they went deeper into this forest, occasionally killing Wu Xing Gu Insects.

Hou Shu found it odd that the number of Wu Xing Gu Insect was surprisingly low, despite the high amount of life readings this place was giving before and still is. But seeing that there was no answer nearby, he could only continue on their journey.

Soon, they reached a house amidst this dense overgrowth.

Though calling it a house was an overstatement. It was a shack, a house of a commoner, a poor one at that.

Yet despite its humble appearance, Hou Shu's divine sense couldn't penetrate inside, prompting Hou Shu to say, "Ling'er, go open the door to see if there is something or someone still there, but do not forget to be on guard."

"Yes, Master!" Bai Ling nodded and slowly opened the door of this shabby dwelling.

But what she saw made her freeze in place.