Chapter 75: The True Mission

Clatter, clatter, clatter!

Four horses trotted through the mountains and forests, and Qin Feng once again put on his mask of pain.

At the front of the group, Yang He seemed to intentionally slow down the pace. The sky was gradually darkening, yet they hadn’t even covered half of the journey.

Due to the unusual behavior of the two, Qin Feng had been secretly observing them throughout the journey. Yang He’s movements were cautious; he was constantly manipulating the Yin energy around him, sensing the movements in the surroundings.

At the rear of the group, Zhang Tiannan’s body was infused with golden Qi, his muscles tense. Whenever Yang He made a move, Zhang Tiannan’s reaction was the fastest.

These two were clearly on high alert. The five of them reached deep into the mountains, where the surroundings were dim, and towering ancient trees layered one upon another.

Yang He tightened the reins once again, and the horses slowly came to a halt. He said, “Everyone, it’s getting late. While we have the chance, why not take a rest and have something to eat?”

Qin Feng raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. There was a rule when traveling in the mountains: after dark, if one wanted to stop and rest for an extended period, you cannot eat.

The light from the campfire and the smell of food would attract mountain spirits and wild creatures. Staying still for too long could easily lead to a dangerous situation.

Yang He dismounted from his horse and surveyed the surroundings. He somehow produced four white banners and planted them in the four cardinal directions. Then, he walked to the center of the formation, formed a palm with his right hand, and slammed it onto the ground.

A bright green light emanated from him, connecting to the four white banners above, forming an array in an instant.

It was the Six-Rank Ghost-Sealing Array, capable of guarding against ghosts and spirits while also shielding most mountain spirits and wild creatures’ perception.

Qin Feng’s face turned grim. Was Yang He about to reveal everything? “Lord Shi, I have been hiding something all this time, and I hope you can forgive me,” Yang He said respectfully, clasping his fists.

Si Zheng remained unfazed. “A Grade 6 Peak Hundred Ghosts Daoist, a Grade 6 Peak Divine Martial martial artist disguised as Wood Insignia demon slayers fled to Jinyang City when Qiyuan City needed you the most, when the people needed you the most. And now you think you deserve to be in the Demon Slayers Department?”

Beneath his calm tone was an unknown anger. Qin Feng understood that this normally carefree chief was truly angry now.

Cang Feilan had positioned herself behind Qin Feng, alert and vigilant.

The atmosphere became tense, as heavy as quicksand.

Qin Feng’s palms were sweaty. He didn’t look at Yang He because as long as he stood beside Si Zheng, the ghostly techniques wouldn’t be able to harm him. However, he had to be cautious of Zhang Tiannan. A Divine Warrior at the Peak of the Sixth Rank could crush his skull in the blink of an eye, just like he had dealt with the previous giant python.

The four horses seemed to sense the oppressive atmosphere and became restless, their hooves stomping anxiously.

Zhang Tiannan still didn’t speak. He just held the reins and gently stroked the horse’s mane.

At that moment, Yang He sighed and broke the silence. “There’s no need for this, we, brother Zhang and I, mean no harm. Our journey to Jinyang City wasn’t an act of desertion, but rather, we are entrusted with an important mission.”

Si Zheng sneered, “If you’re using the previous incident as an excuse, there’s no need for further explanation.”

The previous incident naturally referred to the Heart Devouring Gu calamity. If Yang He and his companion truly had only the strength of a single First-Rank Wood Insignia, it would be reasonable to send them on such a mission.

However, these two experts at the Peak of the Sixth Rank were invaluable assets. In a typical small city, they could even become division leaders. It was inconceivable for the city’s higher-ups to send them away for a relatively low-priority mission, especially considering the imminent major battle. Safeguarding Qiyuan City was of utmost importance!

“The Heart Devouring Gu incident is just a side matter. Our true mission is to safeguard an item. After the chaos is resolved, we will safely return the item.”

“What could be more important than the survival of Qiyuan City?” Qin Feng blurted out unconsciously.

Upon hearing this, Yang He struggled for a moment. It wasn’t until Zhang Tiannan nodded at him that he spoke slowly, each word carefully enunciated, “The Dragon Protection Monument.”

Once these words were spoken, Qin Feng and the other two immediately looked at each other in surprise.

“In the morning, you clearly said that the Dragon Protection Monument had been taken away by the enemy. Could it be…” Qin Feng seemed to have guessed something.

“The Dragon Protection Monument left in the city is a fake one,” the secret hidden in Yang He’s heart was revealed, making him appear much more relaxed.

Indeed, Qin Feng couldn’t help but gasp in shock.

To think that the enemy’s target was the Dragon Protection Monument, and they managed to swap it out beforehand.

Could this be the work of the Imperial Teacher as well?

Incredible! Would I ever be this amazing in the future? Qin Feng pondered, stroking his chin.

With this mission, it explained why Yang He and the others had to pretend to be the Demon Slayer under the Wooden Order. After all, if two distinguished figures like the Green Jade Order left Qiyuan City before the big battle, it would raise suspicion. If the enemy discovered it, they would undoubtedly be hunted down.

But Qin Feng still had a question: what was the purpose of the Dragon Protection Monument, and why did the enemy want to steal it while Qiyuan City was willing to defend it to the death?

In the records, there were only a few vague descriptions of the Dragon Protection Monument—a precious tool that suppressed the fortune of a region.

However, fortune was an intangible and elusive concept. Why was it valued so much? To be honest, it was a bit puzzling.

Furthermore, fortune was supposed to belong to a specific land. Taking away the Dragon Protection Monument alone wouldn’t serve any purpose.

Qin Feng furrowed his brows. The more he thought about it, the more questions arose in his mind.

“Why come to Jinyang City? Wouldn’t it be safer to go to other Heavenly cities?” Si Zheng asked, his tone no longer hostile.

Qin Feng turned his head to look at him. Si Zheng understood the importance of the Dragon Protection Monument; otherwise, his attitude wouldn’t have changed so quickly.

Yang He didn’t hide anything. “The nearest Heavenly city to Qiyuan City, even with the fastest horse, would take a whole day to reach. The longer the delay on the way, the higher the possibility of accidents. We can’t take that risk.”

“Reasonable, but not enough,” Si Zheng remained unconvinced.

“I sincerely ask Lord Si to use the Sacred Gourd to eliminate the Heart Devouring Gu in the Qiyuan River. That part is true. But it’s just a side task. The main point is, when the Lord Spear Immortal arrived in Qiyuan City, he handed a sealed letter to Sir Zheng, containing only one sentence: ‘Take the Dragon Protection Monument and go to Jinyang City.'”

Si Zheng closed his eyes, lost in thought.

Qin Feng raised an eyebrow. The Sir Zheng mentioned by Yang He was undoubtedly the official of Qiyuan City. As for the sealed letter, it was most likely the work of the Imperial Diviner. But why did they have to go to Jinyang City? Would something unexpected happen if they went elsewhere?

How accurate could the predictions of a high-level diviner truly be?

Qin Feng fell into deep contemplation.