Bab 51: Disguise
Liu Peng donned the robe of one of the slain cultists. Siyi and Juanxiu disguised themselves as ordinary villagers. With their identities concealed, they ventured into the cage that was being pulled by a ferocious beast, ready to embark on a perilous journey towards the Autumn Moonlight District.
The plan was risky, but it was the only way they could infiltrate the enemy without being detected.
Despite the length of their journey, the trio remained cautious, aware that they were not yet safe from the reach of the cultists. To avoid any unwanted encounters, they decided to remain inside the cage, nestled among the hay and straw that had been scattered within for their comfort. The air was thick with tension as they waited, knowing that any misstep could lead to their discovery and subsequent capture.
Siyi leaned forward, her eyes fixed on Juanxiu. "I supposed you had enough time to check the content of the other ledger?" she asked, her voice carrying a sense of urgency.
Juanxiu nodded. "I did. There's just a series of scribbles, like it is written on another language," he said, his brows furrowed in confusion. He didn't want to ask Xiannu to translate it since he sensed it might be personal, and he was too focused on learning the basics of formation to take on a new language.
"I guess it's not that important," Siyi said with a shrug, but her gaze remained fixed on Juanxiu. "When are we going to return inside that realm?" she asked, her tone insistent.
"After three months. There's a limit to how long we can stay inside," Juanxiu answered.
Siyi raised an eyebrow, "I was initially wondering how you were able to increase your cultivation in such a short time. Now it all makes sense. But how come you're still in the expert stage after training inside for a long time?"
Juanxiu let out a small sigh, "I'm not a martial prodigy, unlike some people."
"Don't sell yourself short," Chang Bao chimed in. "You're one of the strongest people I know. You are my Master, remember?"
Juanxiu's cheeks turned slightly red at the compliment, but Siyi was still curious. "So, what's our next move?"
Juanxiu thought for a moment before answering, "We'll use the secret realm to boost the power of our clan,"
"Once we've done that, I'll hunt down the person responsible for my father's death and Uncle Jiming's disappearance. The day he infiltrated the Hao clan will become the day he regrets the most." Siyi's eyes grew cold, and even the temperature in the area seemed to drop as she spoke, "I'll make sure he pays for what he's done."
Liu Peng glared at Siyi, noticing the blue aura around her hands. "SiYi, control your energy," he reprimanded sternly, "We can't afford to draw attention to ourselves. If anyone feels your energy, our covers will be blown."
Siyi nodded, feeling embarrassed. She quickly reigned in her cultivation, dispelling the blue aura around her hands. "Sorry," she said, slightly lowering her head in shame.
Chang Bao, who was beside her, couldn't help but chuckle. "Looks like Sister Siyi's emotions are getting the better of her," he teased, earning a glare from Siyi.
Juanxiu, who was riding in the same carriage, remained silent. He knew that SiYi was slowly being consumed by her anger. At first, he thought that it could be good since this had fueled her thirst to seek strength. But after seeing her right now, he doubts if he could even look Tengyang in the eye.
Juanxiu himself was furious for the death of Tengyang. And if he could, he will also seek justice for his death. But Juanxiu learned a lot from his father. Back then, his father Jiming could easily find an excuse to rally the entire clan and launch a coup d'état against the empire for the unjustified death of his grandfather.
But he held it all inside knowing there were people relying on him. He finally understood him now that he is in his position.
The group traveled day and night, their journey taking them through desolate terrain.
Liu Peng estimated that there should have been close to a million residents in this province alone. In addition to the local population, there were also mercenaries and tourists who came to visit the region's famous armories and weapon forges.
Tiger Quarry was renowned for its rich deposits of earth minerals, making it one of the most prosperous provinces among the Nine Great Provinces. However, as they continued on their journey, there was no sign of human activity apart from their own. The sight was truly heart breaking for Liu Peng.
The silence was eerie, broken only by the sound of the carriage wheels turning on the dusty road. The once-thriving villages and towns they passed by were now abandoned, with doors and windows boarded up. The group passed by abandoned farmland, where the crops were left to wither and die.
It was as if the entire province had been evacuated, leaving behind a ghost town. Liu Peng couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. Who could have caused such a mass exodus?
Liu Peng's face twisted with concern as he spoke up, "The scale of this is beyond what I could have imagined. How many people do you think they have taken?"
Chang Bao's voice was grim as he added, "And how many have they killed to control this large population?"
Siyi's expression hardened as she replied, "If we don't stop them here, imagine how many more people will be sacrificed."
Juanxiu's voice was filled with a tinge of hopelessness as he said, "I hope the news will reach the authority soon. I don't think we can take care of them with just the four of us."
Siyi shook her head in disagreement, "We're still not sure. For all we know, this has been orchestrated by the empire. You know how greedy they can be."
"But according to the ledger of Grandfather, there's a shadow manipulating the current empire. Technically, this is not done by the empire," Juanxiu said.
"Being manipulated or not, they have to answer to the atrocities that have been committed under their regime," Siyi stated with conviction.
After a few more days of traveling, the group spotted a plume of smoke rising in the distance. Liu Peng's heart sank as he wondered if they were a part of the same group of cultists they had encountered before. He quickly came up with a plan.
Taking a small knife hidden in his shoe, Liu Peng inflicted superficial wounds all over his body to make it look like he had been in a skirmish. He acted weak and feeble as they approached the cultists.
As they got closer, they could see that the cultists were indeed from the same group they had encountered before with their same robe. The cultists had hypnotized a large group of people.
There are also people held captive in three carriages, each filled with cages. Liu Peng put on his best acting skills and pretended to be severely wounded as they approached the group.
One of the cultists approached Liu Peng, concern etched on his face. "What happened to you?" he asked.
"We were attacked while on our way," Liu Peng replied, feigning weakness. "One of our carriages was taken, but I managed to rescue these three," he gestured to Chang Bao, Siyi, and Juanxiu, who were pretending to be docile like the others inside the cages.
The cultist's eyebrows furrowed. "Who attacked you?" he asked.
"It was a group led by a man named Pan Geming," Liu Peng answered, hoping that his lie would be convincing enough to gain the cultists' trust.
Liu Peng's voice trembled as he spoke, trying to make it seem like he was really injured. "They killed everyone in our group. I was the only one lucky to survive."
The cultists looked at each other, then back at Liu Peng. "You are welcome to join us," one of them said. "We are headed to the Autumn Moonlight District. We can protect you and these captives."
"Thank you," Liu Peng said with a grateful smile.
Upon mentioning the name, Pan Geming, the people who were silent on one of the cages laughed.
Upon hearing the laughter, Liu Peng raised an eyebrow in confusion. But before he could ask any questions, the man inside the cage spoke up.
"See! You should not dare underestimate our people," he laughed, "Old Man Bai Fa! It seems that the rookie is here to save us," he added, addressing the old man beside him.
It turns out that these group were members of the same escort agency as Pan Geming. He quickly thought of a plan that might help them take advantage of this situation.
"Prepare yourself, Cao Ying. Once we get out of this cage and Geming unseals our cultivation, we will kill everyone here," Bai Fa said, his tone filled with authority and intimidation despite being inside the cage.
Sensing the urgency, the leader of the cultist group decided they needed to move quickly before they also became targets of Pan Geming. As they turned their backs on Juanxiu's group, Liu Peng, Siyi, Chang Bao, and Juanxiu made a swift move.
Siyi swiftly dispatched everyone who stood in her way, while Liu Peng attacked the cultist leader with a swift punch. Wearing a gauntlet made from Titanium Knuckle Gorilla, Liu Peng's fist caved in the enemy's chest, even though he did not use his full strength.
The other cultists were quickly neutralized as well, with the enemy having no chance to retaliate.
The captives inside the cage eyed Juanxiu and his group with suspicion as they introduced themselves as friends of Pan Geming.
"We are a friend of Pan Geming." Liu Peng announced
"Prove it," Cao Ying challenged, crossing his arms.
Without hesitation, Liu Peng recounted the events of the past few days, including the attack on their caravan and the abduction of the other captives. The people inside the cage listened intently, their initial doubt slowly giving way to hope.
Cao Ying looked at them suspiciously. "How do we know you're not lying to us?"
Juanxiu stepped forward. "We don't have time for lies. We need to work together to stop the people responsible for taking these innocent civilians."
Cao Ying nodded slowly, considering their words. "You're right. We need to put aside our differences and work towards a common goal."
Siyi sighed, "There's nothing we can get from deceiving people inside the cage,"
Siyi manipulated her qi and sliced the lock with one swift motion, freeing the captives from their imprisonment.
The old man Bai Fa stepped out of the cage, his eyes filled with a newfound vigor. "Thank you for freeing us," he said. "We are cultivators, and our cultivation has been sealed. We will need your help to unseal it."
Juanxiu took the lead, using his knowledge of pressure points to carefully target the right areas on each person. As he worked, the people began to glow with energy as their cultivation was unsealed.
"We need to return the favor to them my friends. Let us save our family," Bai Fa rallied his people. "What's your plan?"
Bai Fa turned to Liu Peng and asked for their plans. Liu Peng, in turn, looked to Juanxiu, and the old man was initially surprised by the young man taking charge.
Juanxiu spoke confidently, "Some of us will wear the uniforms of these people, and others will remain inside the cage. We will disguise ourselves as one of them. Pan Geming has reported the incident to the nearby town, and I suspect that reinforcements will soon arrive. Once they create a distraction, we will join in and take down the enemy while we are on their ranks. This will catch them off guard and give us the upper hand."
Bai Fa nodded in approval. "It's a risky plan, but it just might work. Let's get started."
The group quickly got to work, removing the cultists' clothes and donning them on themselves.
Juanxiu and the group quickly left the scene and headed towards the Autumn Moonlight district. They knew that they needed to move fast to prevent any dire situation. Juanxiu also did not undo the hypnotism on the people outside the cage to create perfect disguise.
Hadiah
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Power 
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