Chapter 257: Chapter 256: How Many Are Actually Present?

Wu Chen did a quick count. There were a total of thirty-one beggars inside the temple.

They were all clutching wine jars filled with the cheapest spirits, and holding roast ducks. Their faces shone with grease as they ate.

Beggars, of course, had no money for such things. But earlier today, the oldest among them had blocked Wu Chen’s path, inviting him to become an immortal, and had received a good amount of silver in return.

Since it was a lot of silver, and his whole group was about to ascend to immortality, leaving the money behind would be pointless. So, he had been generous and spent it all on wine and meat for everyone to enjoy.

The old beggar took a deep swig of wine, wiped his mouth with a filthy sleeve—smearing what was either wine or drool—and bared a mouth full of yellow teeth. He slurred, drunk,

"It’s been two days since we got the Immortal Seal. I wonder when the immortal emissary will come to help us ascend. I can’t wait to see the heavenly fairies! Hahaha..."

Amid his hearty laughter, another beggar slammed down his wine jar, slapped his own emaciated body, and declared with bravado:

"I’m gonna take on ten of ’em!"

"Bah! With that scrawny frame of yours? I bet you’d struggle to lift half a side of pork."

Another beggar immediately shot back with disdain, spitting a thick gob of phlegm. But then, a look of longing filled his eyes as he said:

"Hey, you guys think once we become immortals, we’ll be able to command the wind and summon the rain?"

"Hehehe, this is delicious!"

"..."

The thirty-odd beggars in the temple chattered back and forth, creating a chaotic mess.

Some talked excitedly about their impending immortality, while others, completely clueless, just ate their roast meat, drank their wine, and giggled foolishly.

Outside the temple, Wu Chen shook his head. ’These people probably aren’t all there,’ he thought.

’Otherwise, they wouldn’t have ended up as beggars, much less believe such nonsense about becoming immortals.’

’Even if they went around talking about the seals and ascending to immortality, no one would believe them, and no one would care.’

"..."

Wu Chen didn’t listen any longer. Instead, he patted the shoulder of the young woman beside him and pointed toward the shadows of a nearby grove.

Sun Yuting understood immediately. Wu Chen wanted them to hide farther away to avoid being spotted by anyone from the Blood Slaughter Sect.

"You should be the one to hide farther away. I have the Breath Concealment Skill..."

Wu Chen said softly to the young woman, who had taken a few steps before looking back at him, confused.

"..."

Sun Yuting’s expression froze. She was speechless, her heart filled with a slight resentment for those with a natural talent for Martial Arts.

’They can learn any Martial Arts technique!’

’This Breath Concealment Skill is a secret art for achieving ultimate control over one’s Qi and Blood.’

’What normal Martial Artist would bother to learn it? Who has the time?!’

She could only walk away in silence.

Wu Chen, meanwhile, moved to a shadowy spot next to the temple and stood perfectly still. Aided by his Breath Concealment Skill and his Armor Forging Realm cultivation, not a trace of his aura leaked out.

A mouse scurrying out for food crawled right past his feet, completely unaware of his presence.

After standing silently for about an hour, Wu Chen tilted his head, listening to the sounds from inside the temple.

The candlelight inside the temple had long since been extinguished. The beggars, having eaten and drunk their fill, were now lying scattered on the ground, passed out drunk and snoring thunderously.

’I wonder if the Blood Slaughter Sect will even show up tonight...’

Wu Chen shook his head. He’d clearly heard the beggar say that the seals had been placed two days ago.

’This means the Blood Slaughter Sect branch here doesn’t necessarily operate like the one in Water Town, where they place the seals and collect their "goods" on the same day.’

’Then again, a seal that can control a person’s body like this is truly terrifying. The Blood Slaughter Sect isn’t powerful enough to have such a technique. It must be their backer, the Blood Palace...’

Wu Chen had a hunch that the Blood Palace was definitely the one pulling the strings behind this incident in Cold Rain City.

’If the Blood Palace is involved, then whatever is happening in Cold Rain City is bound to be a major event.’

’The Blood Palace? I wonder what those bastards are up to.’

’Refining some great medicine? But these are all ordinary people. You can’t refine anything from them...’

Wu Chen frowned, pondering deeply, trying to glean more information.

But just then, his ears twitched. He suddenly heard the faint, almost imperceptible, sound of a bell.

TINKLE! TINKLE!

The sound was as subtle as the buzzing of a fly; one could easily miss it if not listening carefully.

But Wu Chen knew. The Blood Evil demons were here.

Because after the ringing, he heard rustling sounds from the temple beside him as the thirty-odd beggars got to their feet. Their movements were eerie as they swayed and shuffled toward the temple entrance.

’Good, I made it in time!’

Wu Chen was inwardly pleased when he heard the commotion.

More than fearing the unseen behemoth that was the Blood Palace, he feared waiting for days on end with no leads.

Wu Chen glanced toward Sun Yuting’s position. His eyes met hers in the dimness, and he gave a slight nod, signaling that the Blood Evil demons had arrived.

Then, in a remarkably bold move, he silently fell in behind the thirty-odd beggars.

At first, Wu Chen simply tailed them. When he saw that no Blood Evil demons had appeared, and only the sound of the bell grew louder, he boldly walked right into the middle of the group of beggars.

Wu Chen hunched over, glancing from side to side.

He saw that the eyes of these ragged, ashen-faced beggars were wide and vacant. On the exposed arms of a few, and on the foreheads of others, the seals emitted a faint, eerie glow.

Apparently, the bell was their summons.

RUSH RUSH RUSH!—

After following the beggars north for about fifteen minutes, Wu Chen heard the sound of rushing water mixing with the tinkling bell, coming from up ahead.

Looking up, he saw a river about twenty feet wide.

It shimmered in the moonlight.

Wu Chen didn’t look for long before averting his gaze.

Because he had sensed two auras by the riverbank.

"Hmph, they’re here! Let me do a headcount!"

As the beggars drew near, one of the figures stood up from a rock by the river. He stopped ringing the bell in his hand, walked before the crowd of beggars, and after a quick scan from left to right, he ordered:

"Alright, count off from left to right!"

As his words faded, the beggars numbly opened their mouths and began to speak:

"One."

"Two."

"..."

"Thirty-one... thirty-two."

The beggars counted off one by one, the voices only stopping after the number thirty-two was called out.

The figure with the bell nodded in satisfaction. He turned and walked over to the other figure, who was still sitting on the rock, and reported loudly:

"Reporting to the boss! Thirty-one were expected, thirty-two are present. Your orders!"

The seated figure nodded and said softly, "Since they’re all here, begin the refin—"

"Huh? What? How many are present?"

The man belatedly realized something was wrong. He shot to his feet in alarm.

An extra person in the middle of the night—it was downright creepy!

He looked warily at the line of beggars. He knew the minds of those with the seals were muddled, so he was about to order his bell-wielding subordinate to do a manual recount.

But before he could finish his thought, a figure erupted from the crowd of beggars, and an indifferent voice rang out:

"No need to count. There is one extra."

The figure was, of course, Wu Chen. As his voice fell, he shot forward at incredible speed, charging toward the more powerful of the two figures by the river.

A furious aura burst from his body, and the calm river before him instantly churned into a tempest.

"Fuck! An ambush!"

The man’s reactions weren’t slow. He knew anyone who dared hide among the beggars to get here had to be skilled.

So, he had no intention of facing Wu Chen head-on. The moment he saw the figure pounce, he wisely turned and tried to leap across the river.

But behind him was a Grandmaster. He had no chance of escape!

In an instant, Wu Chen’s palm was over the demon’s head, his five fingers closing in a tight grip as his aura surged from his fingertips.

The man was about to resist when his eyes rolled back into his head and his body went limp. Wu Chen casually picked him up.

Without pausing, Wu Chen leaped again, landing before the other demon, who was still confused about what was happening. He reached out and dealt with him in the same manner.

Easily subdued.

"Wu Chen, I’m here to help!"

Just then, a voice rang out.

It was Sun Yuting, who had heard the sounds of the fight and leaped into action without a moment’s hesitation, drawing her blade.

She prided herself on her quick reactions, and she was sprinting at full speed.

She arrived at the riverbank almost as soon as the words left her mouth.

And then she saw it: Wu Chen, the fight already over, standing casually by the river with a demon dangling from each hand.

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