Arriving at the county government office, Yan Ruoshui trio had already received the news and were long already waiting at the entrance of the county government. Seeing Chen Chao who came here with Guo Xi, Yan Ruoshui frowned, seeming a little surprised.
They met once in the county government. But she did not expect that this youth in black in front of her was the local warden.
This warden really seemed to be a little too young...
Chen Chao looked at Yan Ruoshui three people and took the initiative to say with a smile, "Indeed foreign land cultivators. Immortal masters, you really have extraordinary airs."
Yan Ruoshui was expressionless, but when Chi Ganquan looked at Chen Chao, there was some disdain in his eyes that could not be hidden. Cultivators had always looked down on martial artists, this was not some secret either. He could be indifferent to the likes of Mi Ke because he could directly ignore people like Mi Ke; he did not even count as an ant. But, Chen Chao was different. He was a martial artist, a natural target of dislike for cultivators.
Chen Chao perceived the disdain in Chi Ganquan's eyes, but he did not care. He just took it as he did not see it. Glancing over at Guo Xi, he currently had both hands placed behind his hand, a bright smile on his face.
Seeing Chen Chao look at him, this young man who was considered to have already killed two people consecutively in this county town said with a smile, "There's no need to say no more, we should go to the mine early. After the few of us have picked the stones, we can go home earlier too."
Seeing that Guo Xi had already spoken, Yan Ruoshui and Chi Ganquan naturally would not object.
Guo Xi turned to look at Chen Chao and asked, "Warden Chen, there's no problem, right?"
Chen Chao shook his head. He just looked at Mi Ke and said with a smile, "A dossier should be left behind in the county government for this kind of thing. Immortal masters, wait for a moment."
Guo Xi smiled and nodded. The other three remained silent.
Mi Ke was an experienced man, he already knew what Chen Chao was thinking after meeting Chen Chao's eyes. The two people quickly walked into the county government office. Seeing that they could no longer see Guo Xi and co., Mi Ke lowered his voice and said, "Younger Brother Chen, these few people aren't good people. It's especially so for that leader, he's temperamental and unpredictable. Younger Brother Chen, you got to be more careful."
He immediately recounted the events that happened before, including the matter of Guo Xi wanting to go to Chen Chao's house previously.
Chen Chao furrowed his brows and softly, "For the time being, I don't know what objectives these few people have. But Elder Brother Mi please write a letter to Warden Li at once and inform him of the situation here."
Mi Ke nodded his head without any hesitation.
After that, Chen Chao instructed about a few more times. By the time he walked out of the county government office again, Guo Xi was still totally unconcerned. But among the four people, Chi Ganquan and Yan Ruoshui two people already had some impatience in their eyes. There was a lot more undisguised loathing when looking at Chen Chao.
Chen Chao clasped his hands toward Guo Xi and had an apologetic look, "I've kept immortal masters waiting."
Guo Xi waved his hand and just urged Chen Chao to set off.
Hence, after the three people left the county government office, they soon left the city and headed towards the mine that Chen Chao had already gone to before.
When they walked to the foot of the mountain where that mountain god temple was located, Guo Xi asked with a smile, "Warden Chen, tell me about the situation of that Xuanming Mine?"
Chen Chao looked bewildered, "I've never been to that place either. Doesn't Immortal Masters know about it beforehand?"
Seemingly worried that Guo Xi did not know what was going on, Chen Chao was even somewhat uneasy as he said, "That's an important place of the imperial court. Even if it's me, I can't arbitrarily trespass that place without prior notice."
Guo Xi smiled, indicating for Chen Chao not to worry, "We already received news before coming, that quarry's mining has already ended. There's not a soul over there now. We're just going to casually go down to the mine to search for some uncommon stones to try our luck."
Chen Chao let out a long sigh of relief and said softly, "So that's how it is."
After saying this, he immediately continued, "Actually, whether are there people or not, if immortal masters are coming, would they not let immortal masters go down into the mine to take a look?"
Looking at Chen Chao keep on being so obsequious to Guo Xi who was hostile to her senior apprentice brother, that girl could not help sneering coldly. At this moment, she was full of hatred towards Chen Chao, this young warden, in her heart. Even more so than when she learned previously that Chen Chao was a martial artist.
Before approaching that mountain god temple, Guo Xi casually asked, "When we came here before, we didn't find any demons around. It's likely thanks to Warden Chen's work."
Chen Chao smiled with some smugness on his face. But he immediately started smiling bitterly, "I don't dare to deceive Immortal Master either, there were originally many demons here. But a few years ago, an even stronger demon suddenly came here and drove all the demons around away, monopolizing this place. But, I didn't expect that later on, it seemed that a sword cultivator passed by and slew that demon with a single sword. That was how there have been so many years of peace."
Chen Chao's expression did not change as he casually made up a lie.
Guo Xi frowned, "Sword cultivator? Did you see him?"
Chen Chao nodded his head, "Saw a glimpse from far away, it was a sword cultivator wearing a blue shirt. The flying sword under his feet was also incredible; a dark-green color. It seemed like... springtime weed?"
"Springtime weed?"
Guo Xi furrowed his brows and said somewhat disbelievingly, "Could it be that person?"
Not only him, but even Chi Ganquan and Yan Ruoshui had some astonishment in their eyes at this time.
Actually, when Chen Chao uttered the words springtime weed, they had practically locked down that sword cultivator's identity already.
Two years ago, Sword Qi Mountain's hundred-year minted new sword was produced. The sword's name was Wild Grass. At that time, countless sword cultivators climbed Sword Qi Mountain, all wanting to bring this Wild Grass away. But in the end, it was taken away by a young sword cultivator. That sword cultivator's traces were indeterminate, but being able to obtain the recognition of Sword Qi Mountain, he was destined to have great accomplishments in the future.
In reality, as early as in the second month after he took Wild Grass away, news came that the sword cultivator slew a Bitter Sea Realm demon.
Young sword cultivator? It was likely a young fifth-realm sword cultivator.
"Are there any other characteristics?"
A hint of strangeness flashed across Guo Xi's eyes.
Chen Chao was taken aback too. He was merely making up nonsense, how would he know who it was?
Chen Chao shook his head and was somewhat ashamed as he said, "At that time, I just saw a glimpse from a distance. I couldn't even get close. I didn't see clearly what that sword cultivator looked like, but I saw that sword cultivator hovering between these mountains for a long time. No idea what he was looking at."
"You're saying that the sword cultivator hovered between these mountains for a long time?"
This time, it was Yan Ruoshui. She could not help but ask, "Did you see clearly? It was between these mountains?"
The corners of Chen Chao's mouth twitched and he said with a nod, "It's that mountain behind the mountain god temple, it's near the location of the mine."
Either way, the fictional story had already begun, so Chen Chao just supplemented more details, "At that time, the sword cultivator seemed to have said something. I was too far away and only heard a few words, something about a fine mountain..."
Although the story was fabricated, Chen Chao could roughly guess from these few people's expressions that the so-called search for uncommon ores was also a randomly made-up reason. As for the real reason, it was likely not so simple.
At this moment, these four young qi refiners all furrowed their brows. They had no doubts about what Chen Chao said. Because as early as Chen Chao mentioned the sword cultivator, they had already tacitly approved everything.
When they finally arrived before the mountain god temple, Chen Chao asked, "Immortal Masters, do you want to go in and rest for a while?"
"No, go to that mine immediately!"
The story that Chen Chao casually fabricated had already unsettled him. At this moment, he just wanted to go to the mine as soon as possible to investigate things, to see if their sects' efforts had already been thrown to the wind.
Chen Chao nodded his head. It was just that he almost could not hold his laughter in anymore.
The few people quickly passed that mountain god temple and crossed that mountain, and then crossed the other mountain. This time, the qi refiners advanced without sparing any effort, completely disregarding the expenditure of qi. Chen Chao followed behind them and deliberately pretended to be out of strength, falling behind the others by several hundred feet from start to end. Furthermore, he kept on panting heavily.
After finally arriving on the official road, the few people stopped in place and waited for Chen Chao for a while.
Only after Chen Chao caught up, did the few people continue.
When they arrived before the quarry again and stood on top of that huge pit, Chen Chao opened his mouth slightly and tried his best to feign a look of shock.
Guo Xi and co. completely did not pay attention to Chen Chao's thoughts at this time. They took out the magic artifacts that they were carrying one after another.
What Guo Xi took out was a small wooden compass. It was only the size of a palm. A crystal clear bead was inlaid in the center of the compass. It was clear that it was not an ordinary item. While Yan Ruoshui took out several small flags and slowly stuck them into the ground. The magic artifact that Chi Ganquan took out was even simpler; just a bronze mirror.
It was Chen Chao's first time seeing these assortments of magic artifacts and he was somewhat out of sorts. Prior to today, although he had killed two cultivators before, those two people were either swiftly pummeled to death by him, or were conceited until they did not utilize magic artifacts.
And qi refiners was a special branch among immortal cultivators to begin with, these magic artifacts were naturally special too.
After Guo Xi took out that compass, his other hand which had been tightly clenched the entire time also finally opened up at this moment, and pressed on the compass.
The blue light captured from Mi Ke's body before was sent into the bead in the center of the compass at this moment.
For a moment, that originally crystalline bead suddenly radiated light at this time.
Chi Ganquan cast his gaze and could not quite conceal his envy.
Yan Ruoshui also could not help looking over here. This South Heaven Sect's Fairy Yan had a complicated look in her eyes currently.
Guo Xi completely ignored the two and closed his eyes tightly, muttering away under his breath.
A moment later, Guo Xi suddenly opened his eyes.
It was just that he did not look into the pit, but looked elsewhere.
Yan Ruoshui lowered her head and glanced at those small flags that were only vibrating slightly at this moment. There was some anger in her eyes.
While Chi Ganquan had already kept his bronze mirror.
Compared to the magic artifacts of Three Streams Manor and South Heaven Sect, he was very clear about where he stood.
Guo Xi was expressionless as he headed north of the pit.
The others immediately followed.
Chen Chao walked in the rear.
He quietly pressed on the sable hilt at his waist.
Except that in an instant, he took his hand back like lightning.
Because Guo Xi who was walking at the front turned to look at him.
Chen Chao looked at him and smiled.
