Chen Xiao's expression suddenly became serious. He ordered his servants to invite Xi Yunting over before letting Tang Ru tell him the details.

Tang Ru said, "We paid a lot of money and sneaked into the broker's banquet. I bribed a few people in advance to take turns toasting him, and got him drunk. Then I knocked him out and took him away after the banquet. According to his account, someone has been using him to buy children in the past few years. One of the buyers described is the evil cultivator. He may have used an alias this time. He is a Yuanying cultivator named Zhao Jiao." Tang Ru looked solemn, "This person's cultivation is even higher. I don't know how many people he has harmed to cultivate so fast."

It was the first time Shen Yanxing had heard of this. He said with an angry look on his face, "Such an evil act is outrageous! Many people have been displaced by the wars in recent years, and household registration management in various places is in chaos. I'm afraid that's why no one has discovered it."

Chen Xiao hated child traffickers the most. He gritted his teeth and asked, "Where is the broker now?"

Tang Ru said casually, "After being interrogated by Nuonuo and me, he was killed and buried on a barren mountain outside Jincheng. Tong Nuonuo is watching the group of brokers who know the truth to prevent them from leaking the news."

Xi Yunting thought for a moment and said, "In order to maintain stability in the new dynasty, the evil forces will be severely cracked down on. I'm afraid he won't show up again."

Tang Ru nodded and said, "That's right. Nuo Nuo and I went there too late. Jincheng has already traded and we can't track them. Now we have no choice but to set off to other cities immediately to see if we can catch their people. This person is a Yuanying cultivator, we have no chance of winning. That's why I want to ask for your help."

Chen Xiao said in a deep voice: "You did the right thing." Among them, only Xi Yunting could fight against a cultivator in the Nascent Soul stage.

Everyone in the room looked at Xi Yunting, who nodded and said, "It is my duty. But with just a few of us, we can't search all the cities within the time limit."

Shen Yanxing stood up and said to Chen Xiao, "Teacher, let me handle this matter. This evil cultivator kidnapped our country's children, which is a heinous crime. If you don't punish him severely and deter the young people, he still thinks that our Shen family is weak and can be bullied!"

Shen Yanxing represented the royal family, and he sent people to investigate and track, and the city lords cooperated. However, within ten days, news from all over the country came in like snowflakes. Xi Yunting sorted them out one by one and determined Zhao Jiao's recent whereabouts. The other party has almost achieved his goal. After the last transaction, he will pass by Jincheng and return.

"It was so close, I almost let this evil cultivator get away again!" Tang Ru was shocked and angry, "It seems that the information I got at the beginning was not wrong, he really has a base in the territory of the ferocious beasts!"

Chen Xiao stood up and said, "We have to catch them before they go back."

Shen Yanxing said: "I have informed my father and asked him to send people to encircle and suppress them. It just takes time for the information to travel back and forth."

Xi Yunting said: "The opportunity is fleeting. These people have committed crimes everywhere and have never been caught. In addition to having something to rely on, the most important thing is to be cautious."

Tong Nuonuo nodded with a round face, "We can't wait, so let's do it ourselves." He stroked the mechanism box beside him, "I have enough spiritual energy bombs in my hands, and I swear to kill all these evil cultivators!"

Shen Yanxing's guards strongly opposed him to go, and Chen Xiao also strictly forbade him to go. Shen Yanxing had no choice but to say, "I will rush back to the capital immediately and provide the details to my father. I will urge them to arrive as soon as possible. Please be careful, teacher and everyone else."

Chen Xiao didn't really have much hope. It wasn't always played that way in movies and TV shows, where officials always came late. However, Chen Xiao was still very touched by Shen Yanxing's concern as a disciple. He smiled and said, "Then I'll leave it to Yanxing."

Xi Yunting said to Shen Yanxing seriously: "I will protect your teacher, don't worry, nephew Shen."

This was almost a promise, and Shen Yanxing was flattered. He bowed quickly and said, "I entrust the safety of the teacher to you, uncle."

He also felt that this person's attitude change was a bit strange, but he was not stupid enough to get to the bottom of it. He would not understand even if he racked his brains. The insurmountable generation gap between him and Chen Xiao after he became a disciple completely eliminated the threat he felt in Xi Yunting's heart.

The winter is extremely cold and snowy. The vast expanse of snow makes it impossible to see where the road is. The heavy snow in all directions also makes it easy for people to get lost. In this season, animal activities decrease sharply and plants wither. All life is covered under the snow, resulting in a serious disproportion between effort and reward. Unless it is absolutely necessary, practitioners rarely go into the mountains to practice in such weather.

Chen Xiao had a compass in his mind, so he could tell the direction in the snow even without any reference. He led the way, and Xi Yunting assisted him. The four of them climbed over mountains and finally caught up with Zhao Jiao and his group before they left the country.

Zhao Jiao's group consisted of five adults, but they brought more than fifty children. It was freezing cold, and they didn't care whether the children could adapt to the harsh environment. They drove the shivering children to walk in the snow, one foot deep and one foot shallow, at a very slow pace.

"How inhumane!" Tong Nuonuo murmured angrily.

In order to avoid being discovered, they didn't dare to follow too closely.

Chen Xiao's heart was filled with cold anger, and Tang Ru's eyes were fierce, staring at the evil cultivator who used the alias Zhao Jiao.

Tong Nuonuo said anxiously: "What should we do?"

They originally planned to follow them and find their base, but seeing them abusing these children like this, no one could bear to watch.

But if they rescued the children at this time, they would alert the enemy and let Zhao Jiao and others escape. They had more than just these children in their hands, and no one knew where they were hiding. After they lost their whereabouts, it would be even more difficult to rescue those children.

Chen Xiao asked: "Why do they choose to walk on the snow? They are practitioners and it's not like they can't be taken with them. The children will suffer less, and they can get back as soon as possible."

Tong Nuonuo's nostrils flared before he answered, "Fear is the best way to stimulate the growth of spiritual power. Abuse will fill these children's hearts with hatred and other negative emotions, which will make the evil method more effective. They deliberately let these children experience the cold so that they can suffer."

Tang Ru clenched her fists tightly, her eyes became even colder. When she thought of her people who had suffered such an experience, she wanted to eat these evil cultivators alive.

Xi Yunting said in a low and cold voice: "These children are the last batch, and they will not let any of them get into trouble. Although they will suffer some torture, their lives can be guaranteed. We should follow the predetermined goal and find their base first. Once we find the base, we will separate these five people and deal with them one by one!"

Although his voice was not very loud, the other three could hear the rage in it. This made the other three calm down a little. The one who was least likely to get angry was angered, and he knew that the group of people in front would not live long. He just didn't know how they would die?

After walking in the snow for a few days, the children were almost at their limit. The evil cultivators achieved their goal, so they took the children with them and planned to fly forward.

Once it flew up, it would be difficult for them to chase it from below. Fortunately, Xi Yunting could float in the air, so he followed it, while the others followed the signal he left underground.

"Brother, be careful." Chen Xiao said with concern.

Xi Yunting looked at him deeply and whispered softly, "Yes."

Chen Xiao was not used to such a sudden separation and stood there until he could no longer see Xi Yunting.

Tong Nuonuo said, "Let's take a break first. I'm afraid we won't have a chance to rest for a long time." He turned around and called Chen Xiao, and Chen Xiao retracted his gaze and walked over. Tong Nuonuo knew that he was worried about Xi Yunting, and said helplessly, "Don't worry, Chen Xiao, Brother Xi will be fine."

"Yeah." Chen Xiao forced a pull on the corner of his lips and responded.

Tong Nuonuo saw that he was a little distracted, so she tried hard not to roll her eyes at him. Are these two really so inseparable? Why are they acting like Taoist couples?

In order to divert Chen Xiao's attention, Tong Nuonuo asked Tang Ru: "A Rou, I remember you once said that you have a specialty food. Do you have a chance to try it now?"

The invisible foodie immediately came to his senses and blinked at Tang Ru.

Tang Ru looked at the two of them in surprise. She frowned and said hesitantly, "It can be done now, but it will take some time. It's snowing, so it's hard to find the ingredients. But if the food is made, it will be quite nourishing in this weather."

Tong Nuonuo immediately said, "We have already set up camp today, so why don't we, Chen Xiao, clean up the campsite. Ah Rou, you go prepare dinner?"

Tang Ru said, "That's it. You guys wait and see my cooking skills."

Chen Xiao and Tong Nuonuo dug a snow cave together after finding a place sheltered from the wind. They built a fire pit with stones directly on the snow, and Tong Nuonuo took out dry firewood to light the fire. The temperature in the snow cave gradually warmed up, and Chen Xiao took out a thick leather mattress and spread it on the ground. When taking out the specially customized thick blanket, Chen Xiao missed Xi Yunting very much. Without him, there was no one to help him heat the floor.

After waiting for an hour, it was completely dark when Tang Ru came back, covered in snow.

Chen Xiao said, "Is it hard to find things after being gone for so long?"

Tang Ru said, "It's winter after all, so the meat is not very fatty. It won't taste good if it's cooked, so I found some more. Sorry to have kept you waiting."

Tong Nuonuo came over with great interest: "Let me see what you are going to do."

Tang Ru opened the storage bag and poured the collected ingredients into the container. He almost fainted after taking a look at Tong Nuonuo. He shouted, "Isn't this a bug?!"

Tong Nuonuo dodged away suddenly, and Chen Xiao saw that what Tang Ru brought back was actually a small basin of cicada shells similar to cicada monkeys. They only looked a little different, but the size was about the same.

Tang Ru said: "Don't be fooled by the ugly appearance of these insects. They are crispy and fragrant after being fried. In my hometown, they are a delicacy every year and everyone fights for them."

Chen Xiao nodded involuntarily: "Yes, fry it and add some salt, it will be especially fragrant."

Tang Ru looked at him in surprise: "You've eaten it before?"