"They've come with ill intentions!"
Bai Cang's eyes narrowed slightly, a faint iridescent light flashing within them.
Two streams of energy immediately came into view outside the door.
One of the dishes was very familiar; it was Chen Xunzhao.
Another unfamiliar aura, however, was so strong that it was almost blinding.
“They are at least at the Innate level, and cannot be defeated by force!” Bai Cang made a decision in an instant.
With just a thought, the five little ones pounced on him.
His entire body transformed into a semi-transparent ghost, passing through the wall in the backyard.
In the blink of an eye, Bai Cang appeared more than a hundred meters away.
He revealed himself in a secluded spot and then sprinted towards the pharmacy.
What? You're saying you haven't distinguished friend from foe?
Hey, the enemy has brought people to our door. Do you think they're inviting "Master Bai" to dinner?
Before long, Bai Cang met Sun Hongbo at the pharmacy.
It's not that we can't afford to work hard, but finding a powerful backer is more cost-effective.
"Looking so out of breath, did you go out for a tryst last night?"
Sun Hongbo chuckled and teased, "With your appearance and such youthful promise, you should exercise restraint to avoid harming your spiritual cultivation!"
Bai Cang had no time for jokes. "Master, what's the background of the Inspector?"
Sun Hongbo frowned upon hearing this. "The Inspector is dispatched by the Crimson Dragon Temple to inspect the high-ranking cultivators in various prefectures and counties. What is your relationship with him?"
Upon hearing this, Bai Cang's heart skipped a beat. "Has any inspector visited our temple recently?"
After saying this, Bai Cang recounted what he had seen that day in a subtle and euphemistic way.
"Nonsense! When the inspector arrived, the abbot would have already opened the main gate and gone out thirty miles to greet him."
Sun Hongbo said coldly after hearing this, "Don't be afraid. It must be that blind man Chen using someone else's name as a shield. He's trying to curry favor with some big shot and dares to betray his own people. I think he's courting death!"
Upon hearing this, Bai Cang felt reassured. "Master is mighty and domineering!"
It feels so damn good to have someone protecting you!
However, Bai Cang did not let his guard down and stayed close to Sun Hongbo, never leaving his side.
After sending someone to inquire about the truth, Sun Hongbo sat quietly in the main room of the pharmacy, waiting for the unwelcome guest to arrive.
As the saying goes: those who come are not good, and those who are good do not come.
Chen Xunzhao will not give up until he catches the person at the Baicang courtyard.
They might have to go to the pharmacy to demand their return!
Sure enough, not long after.
Sun Hongbo, who seemed to be resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them, his sharp gaze looking towards the door like that of an eagle.
"Who dares to trespass on the important grounds of the pharmacy?"
"Mr. Sun, please don't misunderstand, we are just..." Chen Xunzhao pushed open the door and entered, his face full of smiles.
"You traitorous dog, get out!"
Before he could finish speaking, Sun Hongbo waved his sleeve, and a fierce wind suddenly rose up.
Chen Xunzhao was also sent flying backwards instantly, spitting out a mouthful of blood in mid-air.
"You have quite the audacity, daring to injure someone right in front of me?"
A young man dressed in black martial arts attire then flashed out and caught Chen Xunzhao with a single hand.
Then, with his hand on his knife, he sneered repeatedly, "I am Han Tao, a soldier under the command of Han Qinhu, one of the Seven Inspectors of the Crimson Dragon General Temple. Am I qualified to enter your pharmacy?"
Sun Hongbo stood up, his face grim, and said, "So it's just a lowly soldier under the Inspector General. I thought it was the Inspector General himself."
At the same time, Bai Cang looked up.
Han Tao appeared to be in his early thirties, with a gloomy face, sharp eyebrows and eyes that seemed to hold knives; it was clear at a glance that he was not someone to be trifled with.
"The Inspector has arrived in Yinshan County. I have been ordered to come ahead to scout ahead. Does your Sanyin Temple intend to obstruct official business?"
Sun Hongbo was aggressive and immediately tried to intimidate his opponent without warning.
Han Tao, however, refused to back down and immediately accused him of a serious crime.
Sun Hongbo's expression changed slightly. "If it's official business, do you have a driver's pass?"
Han Tao did not answer, but under Chen Xunzhao's pointing, his gaze fell on Bai Cang. "This must be Brother Bai Cang, right?"
"I've come here simply to ask you a few questions, young man. Could you possibly do me a favor, Master Sun?"
Sun Hongbo quipped, "If it's not convenient, what can you do?"
Han Tao's eyes flashed like knives, showing no sign of backing down. "Then I can only ask my Uncle Sanyin to do this favor."
Upon hearing this, Sun Hongbo twitched the corner of his mouth before looking at Bai Cang. "You heard that? I was just asking a few questions."
The implication is: Don't give them any face. Answer if you want to, or shut up if you don't. I'll cover for you if anything happens.
"Disciple understands."
Bai Cang felt relieved upon hearing this. He first bowed to Sun Hongbo, then cupped his hands to Han Tao and asked, "What does the Inspector wish to ask?"
"I dare not accept such praise! I am merely a foot soldier under the command of the Inspector General."
Han Tao, however, was meticulous and left no room for argument, saying, "The Five Rampant Thieves have committed a major crime. The Taoist priests of the Red Dragon Temple have issued a strict order that they must be apprehended and the valuable treasures recovered."
"The Inspector was ordered to pursue and capture him; we are merely doing our duty."
"We must not let any clue slip by. We have no ill intentions whatsoever. Please forgive us, young man."
Han Tao's words were not meant for Bai Cang's ears, but rather to indirectly give Sun Hongbo an explanation.
After saying that, Han Tao continued, "The Five Rampant Thieves had already gone into hiding. The only time they risked exposing their target was when they committed several massacres of entire families in Guobei County."
"The Inspector has determined that the Five Wraiths' purpose was to retrieve a painting, an authentic work by a master from the previous dynasty: 'Night Parade of One Hundred Demons'."
"Chen Xunzhao has confirmed to me that this painting was previously consigned for sale at Guyuezhai, which is also the reason why the entire Guyuezhai family was wiped out."
"And you were indeed at Guyuezhai on the day of the incident. What do you have to say about that?"
Upon hearing this, Bai Cang felt a chill run down his spine.
However, he remained outwardly calm, saying, "It is true, I have nothing to say."
"Speechless? How could you have nothing to say?"
Han Tao's voice suddenly became erratic, and his tone became extremely gentle, "Back at Guyuezhai, it was you who took this painting, wasn't that right?"
In an instant, Bai Cang felt the scene before him blur and felt a strong urge to confide in someone.
He almost blurted out the word "right".
But the next second, the "Soul Suppression" talent suddenly lit up, startling Bai Cang awake.
"This is... a mind-controlling spell?"
"This guy is not only a master of innate cultivation, but also a wandering Taoist sorcerer who has entered the Dao?"
Bai Cang came to his senses, feeling a wave of fear and anger. He also felt a chilling desire to kill Han Tao and Chen Xunzhao.
"That day, I was desperately short of money, so I randomly picked a shop and begged for some..."
Bai Cang, with a blank stare, spoke mechanically and slowly.
He even recounted the process of how he extorted the shopkeeper, how he bargained, and his thought process at the time.
Except for not mentioning the "Night Parade of One Hundred Demons" at all, and instead using a jade pendant as a substitute, everything else was the truth, which shows that he was well-versed in the true meaning of lying, which is nine parts truth and one part falsehood.
Upon hearing Bai Cang's account, a hint of disappointment flashed in Han Tao's eyes.
"Han Tao, how dare you lay a hand on my disciple?!"
Just then, Sun Hongbo suddenly roared, his voice like a thunderclap, ringing in Bai Cang's ears.
Bai Cang pretended to suddenly wake up, and saw Sun Hongbo pounce out like a tiger descending from the mountain.
With a palm strike shaped like a knife, its sharp and unparalleled edge aimed directly at Han Tao's Six Yang Master!
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