Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Envy, Jealousy, and Hatred
 

Wang Chen looked up at the night sky.

Above the vault of heaven, beneath the bright moon, streaks of light came from the north, swiftly swerving toward the southwest.

Among them, several were particularly conspicuous!

He realized at once—the Inner Sect Disciples and the Purple Mansion Superiors had been mobilized.

With beacons ablaze and defense areas igniting Daylight Columns for reinforcement in the Outer Sect’s borderlands, the Cloud Sun sect’s upper echelons couldn’t possibly remain indifferent.

But the enemy’s attack had been so sudden, and had been delayed for such a long time.

It was unknown how many cultivators like Wang Chen, recruited into the Night Patrol Team from the lower ranks, were filled into the ranks as cannon fodder!

There was not the slightest ripple in Wang Chen’s heart.

He made a wide detour, avoiding the country roads where he might encounter ambushes or attacks, and took a shortcut to reach Yi Ten Defense Area.

By this time, dawn was nearly breaking.

And the scene at the Yi Ten Defense Area surprised Wang Chen.

This sturdy fortress was lit up like daylight, with a cacophony of human voices as lively as a bustling market.

Surrounding the Defense Area were a large number of cultivators, the majority of whom were dressed as Spiritual Plant Farmers.

Many were accompanying the elderly and carrying children, their faces etched with panic and unease.

There were also younger, more energetic cultivators gripping weapons, warily surveying the surroundings.

Prepared to fight at a moment’s notice.

Because he wore the Standard Robes of the Night Watchman and presented his Identity Plaque, Wang Chen was able to smoothly enter the Defense Area.

Inside, the situation was even more chaotic than outside.

Many cultivators were sitting or lying down, some healing themselves, while others were being treated by their peers.

There were angry curses, pained groans, and heated arguments.

The place had essentially become a battlefield hospital.

The air was thick with the stench of blood!

Wang Chen looked around and, in a corner of the training grounds, he saw Team Leader Yao Mingjie.

And Deputy Leader Guo Ping!

Both seemed relatively unharmed.

Yao Mingjie’s body was stained with blood, and his complexion was extremely ugly.

Guo Ping was saying something to him.

“Brother Yao, Brother Guo!”

Wang Chen approached and saluted them, “I’ve returned.”

He didn’t want to be expelled from Cloud Sun sect, didn’t want to be branded a deserter. He needed to rejoin his unit.

Yao Mingjie and Guo Ping were both momentarily stunned.

Guo Ping reacted quickly, his face breaking into a delighted smile, “Wang Chen, are you alright?”

Wang Chen smiled wryly, “I was lucky to escape, thank you for your concern, Brother.”

Although the Deputy seemed very concerned and genuinely happy for Wang Chen’s safe return,

Wang Chen would never forget.

Guo Ping’s reaction when the Night Patrol Team was ambushed.

Wang Chen’s wariness of Guo Ping did not lessen for a moment!

He covered the turbulence in his emotions with a wry smile, to avoid letting the other person detect anything amiss.

Yao Mingjie, however, said emotionlessly, “It’s good you’ve returned.”

His words were concise and his tone cold.

Yet Wang Chen’s regard for this Team Leader far surpassed that of the enthusiastic Deputy Guo Ping!

“You’re unharmed?”

At that moment, an agitated voice suddenly came from the side, “How can you be completely fine?”

Wang Chen turned to look, only to see a young cultivator roaring at him in anger, “So many brothers and fellow disciples have died, and yet you, a Qi Cultivation fourth level, are perfectly fine, how come?”

The cultivator’s face was ferocious, his hysterical appearance reminded Wang Chen of a raging emperor.

The eyes of those around immediately turned toward them.

As the target of accusation, the looks Wang Chen received were quite peculiar.

Surprise, confusion, schadenfreude…

And at this moment, Wang Chen recognized that the one shouting at him was a teammate.

The teammate too had survived.

But an entire right arm had been lost, wrapped with a bandage around the wound.

Wang Chen could understand his teammate’s agitation and fury.

A cultivator’s body, once maimed, would encounter great obstacles on the path of cultivation, and it might even sever the path altogether.

It’s not just losing an arm, even a lost finger can be a severe injury.

To want the severed limb to regrow,

one would need a Golden Core True Person to cast a spell, or one must consume a specialized pill.

No matter which way,

it’s not something a minor cultivator can achieve!

In short, this person hardly has a future to speak of.

It’s normal to lose control of one’s emotions in such a state.

But understanding is one thing,

Wang Chen certainly doesn’t want to become the target of someone else’s venting.

And within the questioning of the cultivator with the severed arm, there lay a deep malice!

He ignored this teammate who had lost his wits and pulled out the Storage Bag branded with the vertical eye insignia from his sleeve pocket.

He handed it to Yao Mingjie, “Senior Brother Yao, this is what I confiscated after killing a thief.”

Yao Mingjie looked Wang Chen deeply in the eye, then reached out and grabbed the Storage Bag, “You haven’t opened it, have you?”

Wang Chen: “Yes.”

“You’re very smart.”

Yao Mingjie weighed the Storage Bag in his hand and said, “You must never touch the things of Evil Cultivators and Demon Cultivators. They love to set malevolent restrictions within their own Storage Bags.”

“The ones who attacked us were the Grey Eye Thieves; they wouldn’t carry anything valuable on them!”

He suddenly asked, “Did you cast that Dust-Smoke Talisman?”

Wang Chen nodded.

The effect of a Dust-Smoke Talisman is similar to a smoke grenade, very useful for obscuring the enemy’s vision.

The Dust-Smoke Talisman had come from his own scramble and,

arguably, saved his life.

“You did well.”

Yao Mingjie said, “I will report your merits, but this Storage Bag must be turned in as well.”

Actually, he didn’t say that Wang Chen’s Dust-Smoke Talisman had helped himself.

Those standing nearby instantly looked at Wang Chen with eyes full of envy, jealousy, and hatred.

A minor Qi Cultivation fourth-layer cultivator had actually managed to kill a thief by seizing an opportunity, and even obtained solid proof of his battle merits.

A few hundred Merit Points were guaranteed!

Wang Chen replied without hesitation, “No problem, thank you, Senior Brother!”

If he had to choose someone to trust among these people,

he would choose Yao Mingjie, without a doubt!

Wang Chen believed that the leader of the team would not embezzle his Storage Bag or the credit for killing the enemy.

There were so many people watching!

Yao Mingjie then looked towards the cultivator with the severed arm, his gaze filled with contempt and disdain, “Considering you’ve lost an arm, I’ll pretend you haven’t said anything just now.”

The muscles around the cultivator’s eyes twitched a few times.

The unusual gazes from those around him made him wish he could just crawl into a hole and hide.

This young cultivator hung his head in dejection, his initial fervor and indignation gone, leaving him as wilted as a frost-hit eggplant.

Wang Chen felt that the blow to his spirit had far surpassed the physical injury!

What was left alive was nothing more than a walking corpse.

Dawn broke.

Two Cangqing-colored hawks landed one after the other on the watchtower.

Yao Mingjie was called away.

Soon, he returned.

He said to Guo Ping, “Orders have come from above; all new squads are to be disbanded, and old team members are to return to their original teams.”

He then said to Wang Chen, “You can go home, the mission is over!”

Is it really over just like that?

Honestly, Wang Chen could hardly believe it.

Reflecting on last night’s experiences, it felt like it had all been a dream!

At this moment, the sun peeked over the horizon, casting a blood-red coat over the Yi Ten Defense Area with its morning rays.

The second update is here.

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