Chapter 9: Sunset Desert

"The final conclusion is out. The main responsibility lies with the intelligence department. You don't need to worry. These clowns are good for nothing, but they excel at passing the buck."

Inside the third cave of Bai Shui City, the old man in black looked exhausted. He glanced at Lin Feifeng and Liu Yingying, who had been waiting quietly for a long time, and after some thought, continued.

"However, you should reflect on your actions. Next time, you might not be so lucky."

"Thank you, Uncle Master. We will not make the same mistake again next time."

Liu Yingying's expression lightened as she made a solemn promise. Lin Feifeng remained standing quietly, saying nothing. Of course, in such situations, she rarely had the chance to speak.

"Oh, 'we'? Mistake? The same mistake? Tell me, what mistakes did you make?"

The old man looked at Liu Yingying with interest, like a grandfather watching a grandson who never grows up, his face full of kindness, showing no trace of the aura and authority of a Golden Core cultivator.

Feng Rui and Lin Feifeng did not wait for ten days. On the afternoon of the eighth day, they were brought back to Bai Shui City by a Golden Core cultivator. Then came a long series of interrogations.

Various departments of Bai Shui City and major sects with disciples who had died sent people to understand the situation, asking them to cooperate. Of course, cooperation was just a polite way of saying it. They wanted to cooperate, but the consequences of not cooperating were too daunting to think about, so they had no choice but to cooperate.

Fortunately, after cooperating, no one caused them any more trouble. As for how the Golden Core cultivators pursued responsibility, how they negotiated, and how they passed the buck, it was no longer their concern, and they did not care.

The Second Squad suffered heavy losses this time. Like Lin Feifeng's group, the other two groups also encountered ambushes, but their luck was much worse. Only Zhu Yubei was severely injured, and the other five were all killed. After all, not everyone had flying magical tools, and six against three, with a surprise attack, the battle had little suspense.

Zhu Yubei was lucky. By a stroke of luck, he had restored his spiritual energy in advance, allowing him to break through and escape with his life, but it would take at least one to two years to recover from his injuries.

The black-robed Golden Core cultivator Liu Jiaxin had late-stage Golden Core cultivation. Knowing that he had no hope of advancing to the Nascent Soul stage, he devoted himself to cultivating the younger disciples of his sect. He was a man of great cunning and skill, which is why the Bishui Sect appointed him to manage their affairs in Bai Shui City.

Perhaps Liu Jiaxin was satisfied with the final outcome of the incident, or perhaps he wanted to take a break from the intrigue. He then enthusiastically examined the two juniors, with a hint of guidance. How much they could learn from it depended on their own destiny.

"We, we..." Liu Yingying felt a bit flustered, a rare moment when she was at a loss for words.

"Xiao Feng, what about you?"

"It was my mistake. I should have been more careful."

"Is that all?"

"Also, we should not underestimate the self-respect of the Qifeng Realm sects."

"Nothing else?"

"During the battle, we should not just fight recklessly. We need to consider the opponent's battle plan, mindset, and purpose, and use all available factors to gain the upper hand."

"It seems you've learned a lot from this. Did you think of it all yourself?"

"Not entirely. I discussed it with Feng Rui, and I gained a lot."

"This young man is quite good. His experiences are far more complex than yours, and in terms of cunning, you are no match for him. You should note that some things are innate, and what suits him may not suit you. Talent is something that can be encountered but not sought."

Liu Jiaxin sighed inwardly, thinking of his own cultivation.

"Thank you for your guidance, Uncle Master."

Lin Feifeng tried hard to find the legendary talent of Feng Rui, but she always felt that once it was revealed, there was nothing particularly special about it—just bold assumptions and careful verification, nothing mysterious, and certainly not difficult. Perhaps, she just lacked experience?

"I think it's just their cautious habits as solitary cultivators. Besides, he didn't have confidence at the time; otherwise, why didn't he persist? If it were Zhu Yubei, he wouldn't have given up so easily."

Liu Yingying was not at all concealing her dissatisfaction.

"Xiao Feng, strictly speaking, what you said were not mistakes. No matter what decision you made at the beginning, whether to act in groups or check together, it was not wrong. The lack of intelligence was not your fault, and you cannot simply evaluate your prior decisions based on the results afterward. In the same situation, different people make different choices, which may be due to different priorities or personalities. Each person's personality is innate, and there is no right or wrong."

Liu Jiaxin spoke slowly but with no hesitation, clearly feeling deeply about it.

"What you should seriously reflect on is the reason for your choice. Since you decided to act collectively at the beginning, why did you change your mind later? Was the initial decision wrong, or did the situation change? Flexibility is good, but flexibility is not the same as indecision, nor is it an excuse for not following decisions. Being stubborn is bad, but what is the difference between being stubborn and being persistent? This balance is something you will never stop learning. To become an excellent leader, it's not that easy."

"And you, Yingying, regardless of how you view Feng Rui, do not dismiss his words because of him. When you understand this, I will be at ease. But you won't grow up without taking a few big losses."

It was clear that Liu Jiaxin was fond of his direct junior, Liu Yingying, but he did not have much hope for her regarding the issue they had just discussed.

Liu Yingying's head turned from side to side, her eyes darting around. At forty, being told she hadn't grown up made her feel a bit uncomfortable, which greatly improved Liu Jiaxin's mood. Lin Feifeng, however, quietly stared at her toes.

"You can't go on patrol anymore. Prepare yourselves and go to the Spirit Stone Mine in the Sunset Desert. They are short of people there."

Liu Jiaxin did not say more and moved on to another topic.

"Isn't there still a few people who haven't been caught? Uncle Master, I think..."

Lin Feifeng was not satisfied.

"They are just a few lackeys bought by spirit stones. Whether they are caught or not doesn't matter. There are specialists responsible for this."

"I want to do it myself."

"I want to take personal revenge. That's the only way to feel satisfied."

Liu Yingying quickly chimed in. The idea of going to the Sunset Desert, where one could be bored to death, was not appealing.

"Revenge? This is a war, not a personal vendetta. Besides, this is not something I can decide alone. Polishing your water element in the Sunset Desert will benefit you in the future. Back then..."

Liu Jiaxin suddenly sighed, waved for them to leave, and his expression showed a lack of interest.

...

Inside the Peaceful Inn in Sunset City, Feng Rui, Li Qi, and Liu Yingying were drinking spirit tea and chatting casually, but there was no sign of Lin Feifeng. The four of them had been ordered to arrive in Sunset City three days ago. After Lin Feifeng paid respects to the Bishui Sect's Elder Ouyang Mengyan in Sunset City, she was told to wait a few days at the inn and not to rush to report to the spirit stone mine.

Just now, Lin Feifeng was called by Elder Ouyang, and it seemed she was about to receive some instructions. The three of them were waiting in Liu Yingying's room.

"Senior Sister, what did Elder Ouyang say? Why do we have to wait so long? Is it good news or bad news?"

Seeing Lin Feifeng enter, Liu Yingying didn't even stand up, but a series of questions came out of her mouth.

"Daoist Li and Daoist Feng are also here, which is convenient. I don't have to call you separately."

Lin Feifeng ignored Liu Yingying and greeted Feng Rui and Li Qi.

"Since everyone is waiting, no one can escape. Senior Sister, please tell us. I'm dying to know."

Li Qi and Feng Rui just smiled but did not speak. With Liu Yingying around, finding such an opportunity was rare. Even Lin Feifeng was used to it and walked straight to a chair, sitting down without much hope of getting a response from the two.

The matter was simple. Sunset City was located on an oasis at the edge of the Sunset Desert, serving as the front line for the Qishan Realm's defense against the desert's demonic beasts. Over ten thousand years, it had been destroyed several times by beast waves. However, in recent beast waves, human cultivators, with the city's defensive formations and thorough preparations, managed to win.

As an important supply point and material distribution center for low-level cultivators exploring, training, and hunting demonic beasts in the Sunset Desert, Sunset City had become quite prosperous after thousands of years of development. It gathered a large number of cultivators who consumed a vast amount of elixirs, talismans, and other items, while bringing back large quantities of demonic beast materials, minerals, spirit herbs, and various cultivation materials from the Sunset Desert. The massive transactions naturally brought countless profits to the city's controllers and merchants.

Recently, there had been multiple attacks on returning cultivator groups. While killing and robbing among cultivators was common in the cultivation world, this group of cultivators was different. Typical robbing groups usually targeted solitary cultivators or small groups of two or three, leaving few survivors. This group, however, was incredibly bold, always acting in groups of five and targeting groups of five or more returning cultivators. They were also very strong, always ambushing and launching surprise attacks, then immediately retreating, regardless of the outcome, without the thoroughness of typical robbing groups.

Thus, the number of cultivators killed in each attack was not high, but the surviving cultivators were all left with lingering fear. The rumors spread throughout the city, leading to all sorts of bizarre theories and causing widespread unease.

This matter caught the attention of the Elder Council of the Sunset City Alliance. Despite extensive investigations, no valuable clues were found.

The Bishui Sect had a seat on the Elder Council of the Sunset City Alliance. Elder Ouyang Mengyan, a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator, originally planned to just give a few instructions to the junior disciples of her sect. However, after reading the jade slip brought by Liu Jiaxin, she changed her mind and decided to temporarily not send them to the spirit stone mine for defense but to disguise them as solitary cultivators to secretly investigate the matter.

"That's the general situation. Realmsun Sect's Elder Shangguan Wujin also agreed. It's up to Daoist Li and Daoist Feng to decide."

Lin Feifeng finished speaking in one breath and glanced at Feng Rui.

"What to decide? What can we decide? They have already made the arrangements. Do we have a choice? But it's more interesting than going to the spirit stone mine."

Li Qi just shook his head, but Liu Yingying couldn't help but voice her opinion.

"Sect disciples also have their difficulties. As a solitary cultivator, I need to think carefully."

Seeing Li Qi's silence, Feng Rui knew that the so-called consultation was just a polite formality. No matter what he decided, the three of them were not getting out of it.

"We are unfamiliar with the area. The so-called investigation is like fishing; the chances of encountering them are small. We can also take the opportunity to explore the Sunset Desert."

Lin Feifeng added a sentence lightly, though she did not say it explicitly, her intention to work with Feng Rui on this mission was clear.

"What if I don't go?"

Feng Rui smiled gratefully at Lin Feifeng but still asked his question.

"If Daoist Feng doesn't go, you will still be sent to the spirit stone mine for defense. This is not a major matter, and the Elder Council does not take it particularly seriously. Elder Ouyang just wants us to do our best."

Lin Feifeng's tone was as usual, and although Feng Rui couldn't read her thoughts, he understood her good intentions: this was a great opportunity for them.

"Are we going alone?"

"No, there are also two fellow cultivators from the Xuanling Sect. They just arrived in Sunset City, and we will notify them once we decide. You don't need to worry about the spirit stone mine; the Alliance will take care of it."

Lin Feifeng felt relieved.

"When are we leaving? I still want to see the spirit herbs in Sunset City."

"Let's wait for the two fellow cultivators from the Xuanling Sect to arrive. We can get to know each other better then."

...

Half a day later, Feng Rui held a Fire Cloud Grass that was about a hundred years old, examining it repeatedly, his face full of confusion.

"Daoist Feng, have you been looking at this Fire Cloud Grass for so long? Is there something wrong with it? It looks quite ordinary to me." A female cultivator beside him asked curiously.

This female cultivator was Xu Yanlan from the Xuanling Sect, and the yellow-robed male cultivator beside her was her senior brother, Zhang Zhifeng. Both were disciples of the Xuanling Sect and had come to Sunset City for training.

Xu Yanlan's beauty was no less than Lin Feifeng's, and her red dress was particularly eye-catching.

Beautiful cultivators were not uncommon, and most female cultivators practiced beauty-enhancing techniques. However, when Lin Feifeng, Liu Yingying, and Xu Yanlan stood together, each had their own charm, drawing frequent glances from passing cultivators.

After the six of them met, they quickly became familiar with each other and decided to go together to experience the atmosphere of Sunset City and prepare some elixirs and magical tools.

Feng Rui was attracted to a Fire Cloud Grass at a roadside stall and observed it for a long time.

Xu Yanlan, skilled in socializing, chatted with Liu Yingying, and couldn't help but ask. Zhang Zhifeng, with a handsome appearance and a steady demeanor, also joined in.

"This Fire Cloud Grass has ample spiritual energy, but its vitality seems somewhat withered, which is quite puzzling. What do you think, Miss Xu?"

"Daoist Feng has a keen eye. This Fire Cloud Grass is artificially cultivated using a secret ripening technique. I only have a few left."

The middle-aged stall owner smiled and enthusiastically introduced it to Feng Rui.

"Secret ripening technique?"

Feng Rui asked in surprise.

"Yes. It is ripened using a secret technique. Daoist Feng will see that its effect is even better than wild ones."

"Sorry. Let's go, let's check out the other side."

Feng Rui shook his head and put down the Fire Cloud Grass.

"Such a bumpkin, not even knowing this. His eyesight is not bad, though." The middle-aged stall owner grumbled inwardly.

Due to the shortage of spirit herbs, major sects would cultivate spirit herb gardens. When large-scale elixir production was needed, they often used secret ripening techniques. These techniques were closely guarded secrets of the sects and required significant resources, so they were rarely seen on the market. These few were likely leftovers from elixir production, coincidentally seen by Feng Rui.

Such spirit herbs had ample spiritual energy but had their vitality drained, making them of little use to Feng Rui.

From the expressions of Lin Feifeng, Liu Yingying, Xu Yanlan, and Zhang Zhifeng, Feng Rui could tell that for the major sect disciples, this was common knowledge, but it was his first time encountering a ripened spirit herb, naturally leaving him quite surprised.

Looking at the expressions of Lin Feifeng, Liu Yingying, and the slightly surprised looks of Xu Yanlan and Zhang Zhifeng, Feng Rui touched his nose and inwardly sighed, "Embarrassing again."

Lin Feifeng and the others were already used to Feng Rui's alternating displays of profound knowledge and apparent ignorance, but Zhang Zhifeng and Xu Yanlan, being new acquaintances, did not comment further.

"This Feng Rui is quite an interesting person. As a solitary cultivator, his cultivation and knowledge are not impressive, yet the three of them treat him with respect. This mission is going to be quite interesting."

Xu Yanlan thought to herself.

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