Chapter 98: Truth?

From the looks of the exposed bones, there were many that were different from the ones they had seen in the crumbling courtyard. Many of them were just ordinary bones.

The Fish Dragon Village had been destroyed. There were 354 villagers living in the village back then. Even if all of their corpses were here, there should not be so many of them. Moreover, they had been fishing out corpses in the last decade and they were still going strong to this day. Taking into account the remains that had been washed away by the current, just how many people had died in the river? There were certainly other people as well, apart from the Bais.

Ding Fanqiu’s expression was indifferent. It was as though he was used to seeing dead people. When he entered the warehouse, he merely raised his hand slightly to cover his mouth and nose. He ordered his disciples, “Search.”

“Understood.” The three disciples went to work and checked the contents of the boxes.

Lu Zhou felt even more suspicious when he saw this. ‘What are they looking for?’

However, before Lu Zhou could ask about it, Ding Fangqiu suddenly said, “These are the bones of the Other Tribes...”

“Other Tribes?”

“There is no place for the Other Tribes on Great Yan’s lands... Over the millennia, after Great Yan had conquered the lands, there have always been Other Tribes wanting to cause a disturbance. Measure Heaven River is fated to be drenched in blood,” Ding Fangqiu said calmly.

Lu Zhou asked, “These are all the remains of the Other Tribes?”

Ding Fanqiu glanced at Lu Zhou and laughed mockingly. He replied, “Well, that’s what the palace says.”

Little Yuan’er poked her head out and asked, “What are you guys looking for?”

“A bone... an extremely special bone...” Ding Fangqiu replied.

“What special bone?” Little Yuan’er’s curiosity was piqued. Ding Fanqiu did not answer her question directly. Instead, he said, “Little girl, if you become my disciple, I’ll teach you everything that I know.”

Little Yuan’er frowned slightly. She glared at Ding Fanqiu, “You?”

“There are many who wish to join the Evil Sky Pavilion, and yet, they don’t have the chance... You should think about this carefully... All of my nine disciples are experts whose names inspire awe everywhere they go.”

“Not her...” Little Yuan’er pointed at the girl who was searching the boxes. The female cultivator was young and she had a babyface.

“...” Ding Fanqiu was speechless, unable to retort.

It seemed like Ding Fanqiu was revealing his foxtail. Lu Zhou was not surprised. Instead, he said, “I’m afraid you won’t be able to teach her.”

Ding Fangqiu was clearly displeased by Lu Zhou’s words. His hands remained on his back as he said, “There’s no one under the heavens whom I can’t teach.”

Lu Zhou did not want to waste his energy bickering with Ding Fangqiu. The reason he came here was to investigate the truth behind the Fish Dragon Village incident. ‘I’ll let him continue his act and impersonate me for the time being. After all, he still has some value.’

With that being said, Lu Zhou was still puzzled. How did Ding Fangqiu and his three disciples manage to form a connection with this place? It seemed like they had been doing this for a long time. What was Ding Fangqiu’s objective? Who was backing Ding Fangqiu?

After searching for some time, Ding Fangqiu’s three disciples returned.

The warehouse was in a complete mess now. Most of the boxes were overturned. The environment was bad. The stench of rotting flesh permeated the air.

The girl said, “Master, we didn’t find anything.”

The other two disciples shook their heads as well.

Ding Fanqiu frowned slightly. He asked calmly, “Is there another warehouse?”

The three disciples shook their heads again.

This warehouse was large enough that there was still some space left even with all the boxes in here.

Lu Zhou looked up at the sun and noticed that it was already setting. At the same time, he glanced at the mission list on the system dashboard.

When they were about to leave, they heard the sound of shuffling footsteps from outside. Moreover, the hurried footsteps indicated that there were more than one person.

“An ambush.” Ding Fanqiu did not even look at the newcomers when he said coldly, “Kill them.”

“Understood.” The three disciples shot out of the warehouse and went on a killing spree.

The newcomers were a group of soldiers. They were no match for cultivators.

At this moment, Lu Zhou remembered that Mingshi Yin had encountered a witchcraft trap when he was here previously. Surely a place this important would have better security?

“I’m curious...” Lu Zhou said suddenly.

“Hm?”

“What’s the special bone you mentioned earlier?” Lu Zhou asked.

With his hands on his back, Ding Fangqiu replied, “Old householder, I’ll remind you again. The more you know, the more dangerous it will be.”

“At my age, life and death matter not.” Lu Zhou stroked his beard indifferently. He was not lying. Before he had transmigrated, he had already died once. Moreover, this was nothing compared to when the ten elites laid siege on Golden Court Mountain.

“Very well...” Ding Fanqiu shook his head.

The sounds of fighting intensified. The number of people increased as well. Shortly after, groups of cultivators began showing up as well. It seemed like they had rushed here after receiving news about what happened. The number of cultivators continued to grow.

A projected voice rang in the jetty at this moment. “You’ve walked into a trap. Death to the intruders!” Although the voice was not loud, everyone heard it clearly.

It seemed like things were getting more and more complicated.

Lu Zhou was not worried about this. If he wanted to leave, these people would not be able to stop him.

Ding Fangqiu glanced at Lu Zhou before he walked out.

Outside the warehouse, soldiers were gathered in ranks on the shore beside the jetty. They wielded spears and blocked the path. Many cultivators hovered in the air above the soldiers.

The three disciples returned to Ding Fanqiu’s side after killing the soldiers at the warehouse’s door.

“We’re surrounded. It’s a trap!”

Ding Fangqiu calmly stood with his hands on his back. He did not seem to be affected by this news. He was an elite in the Nascent Divinity Tribulation realm after all. There was no need for him to feel afraid.

No number of soldiers could stop a Nascent Divinity Tribulation realm cultivator from leaving through the air.

Ding Fanqiu looked at the cultivators hovering above the soldiers. ‘Sense Condensing realm, Brahman Sea realm, and a few in the Divine Court realm. With these numbers, they want to stop me?’”Little girl... don’t blink...” Although Ding Fangqiu did not turn around, it was clear he was speaking to Little Yuan’er.

Lu Zhou continued stroking his beard as though all these had nothing to do with him.

At the same time, an imposing aura surged out from Ding Fanqiu’s body. With a single step, he was out of the warehouse.

Bzzt!

A 50 feet tall avatar towered above the others in the air. The avatar was faint blue in color. It looked extremely terrifying. It was surrounded by energy. The golden lotus under it unfurled its leaves, revealing four leaves.

The soldiers and cultivators near the jetty saw this, and their expressions changed greatly as they took several steps back. However, they did not run away. They only cautiously put some distance between them and the avatar.

Little Yuan’er muttered disdainfully, “Only four leaves...”

Ding Fangqiu’s female disciple rolled her eyes and said, “What do you know? Our master’s strength is peerless. He’s conserving his strength. Four leaves are enough to deal with these people. A Divine Court realm cultivator’s avatar can reach Ten Worlds, at most. With the Hundred Tribulations Insight, everyone here will have to prostrate themselves.”

At this moment, waves and waves of energy rolled off Ding Fanqiu’s Four-leaf avatar.

Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!

The buildings near the jetty shook and rattled.

The soldiers retreated further. The cultivators raised their guards.

One of the cultivators shouted, “Everyone, stay calm... Let’s retreat slowly. News from the palace states that this person isn’t the real Ji Tiandao!”

“A Grand Witchcraft Formation has been laid down here yesterday... Let’s head back to the Grand Formation. When the elites from the palace arrive, these criminals will be taken care of in one fell swoop. No matter who it is, death to the intruders!”

“Death to the intruders!”

“Death to the intruders!”

The soldiers began chanting loudly.