Chapter 92

Chapter 92

Rushing footsteps drew near, and soon, a group of frenzied cultivators charged toward where Yi Xuan and the others were. Following closely behind them were a few guards patrolling Tazhe City.

There was no need to ask what was happening. Once again, a cultivator had lost control, and the Tazhe City guard squad was in pursuit.

Yi Xuan pulled out a longsword crafted from ice. With a swift slash, he effortlessly intercepted the crazed individuals. A reverse thrust of his sword sent them toppling backward like falling dumplings, hitting the ground with thuds as the pursuing patrol guards swiftly overpowered them.

"ROAR!!"

Just as the guards were about to thank Yi Xuan for his assistance, another deafening roar echoed nearby. Their faces paled, and they turned to see dozens of raving madmen charging in their direction.

The sudden turn of events plunged the street into chaos. Surrounding cultivators hurriedly moved aside, fearful of encountering these frenzied individuals and catching the "madness" themselves.

The sheer number of the frenzied ones overwhelmed the guards. Even if they tried to summon backup through communication, it would be too late.

Sure enough, those who had lost control were already upon them, attacking anyone in sight.

They moved at an incredible speed, reaching the group in the blink of an eye.

Yi Xuan and Sheng Yunshen promptly joined in, assisting in subduing the frenzied individuals to prevent them from harming the low-ranking cultivators in Tazhe City. As this was not a life-or-death battle, their actions were inevitably restrained.

One of the crazed individuals charged towards Ning Yuzhou and Wen Qiao.

The patrol team captain, who had received the alert and rushed over, happened to witness the scene and exclaimed, "Be careful, Mister Ning!"

This patrol team captain was the same one who had escorted them into the city and to the City Lord's Manor the previous day. Seeing Ning Yuzhou, the alchemist, being attacked by the frenzied person, he broke out in a cold sweat.

Just as the patrol team captain was about to intervene, Wen Qiao calmly pulled Ning Yuzhou closer and swiftly punched the charging individual, sending them flying.

The frenzied man was flung backward like an arrow loosed at breakneck speed.

It happened that a few cultivators, having heard the commotion, rushed over from a nearby alley. One of the youths was a step too slow and, unsuspecting of "hidden weapons," was struck square by the frenzied individual.

The youth let out a pained cry as the crazed man, upon striking him, seized the opportunity to cling onto him and sank his teeth into the youth's flesh.

The young man's companion swiftly restrained the frenzied individual, lifting the youth whose shoulder was gruesomely bitten and bleeding.

The boy was both startled and pained. Filled with fear, he asked, "What should we do? Could I have caught the madness too? Am I going to go crazy as well?"

"No, Little Tangtuan, don't overthink it. Aren't you perfectly fine right now?" his companion reassured him.

After comforting him, the group saw the frenzied individuals charging towards them. With no time to waste, they rushed to assist in subduing them.

Wen Qiao hadn't expected to hit anyone or even bite someone. Recalling Ning Yuzhou's statement that being injured by the crazed individuals wouldn't lead to infection, she temporarily set aside her concern and focused on dealing with the group.

Flipping her wrist, she summoned her long whip. The stone-gold whip coiled like a nimble snake, swaying left and right to ensnare the frenzied ones, tossing them into the center of the road for Yi Xuan and Sheng Yunshen to restrain.

Ning Yuzhou was safely guarded behind her, none of the frenzied individuals able to approach him.

Seeing this, the patrol team leader ceased worrying about them and concentrated on subduing the crazed crowd.

With everyone's combined efforts, they finally managed to subdue all the frenzied individuals.

Due to this unexpected incident, the street, which had regained some liveliness with the arrival of Crimson Heaven Sect disciples, turned quiet once again.

The Tazhe City guards, experienced in such situations, swiftly knocked out the crazed individuals before binding them tightly. They then called for nearby patrolling guards to take them away. Following that, they approached Yi Xuan and the others to express their gratitude for their assistance.

The patrol captain approached, expressing gratitude, "Senior Yi, thank you very much, fellow daoists." He then looked at Ning Yuzhou with concern and asked worriedly, "Is there anything wrong, Young Master Ning?"

As the trusted aide of Lord Xu, the patrol captain knew that the city relied on Ning Yuzhou to treat those in a frenzied state. He would rather be injured himself than see anything happen to Ning Yuzhou, thus his palpable anxiety.

Ning Yuzhou appeared calm and composed, responding gently, "I'm fine, with Ah Chuo here."

Wen Qiao hummed in agreement, echoing his words earnestly. Even Wen Tuzi twitched slightly, conveying that with them around, Brother Ning would be safe.

The patrol captain: "..."

Relieved after confirming Ning Yuzhou's well-being, the patrol captain finally relaxed.

Yi Xuan sheathed his weapon and inquired, "Has it been like this lately?"

A solemn expression appeared on the patrol captain's face as he replied, "Yes, during this recent period, almost every day, someone goes into a frenzied state, catching us off guard."

This situation had made Tai Ze City an atmosphere of fear and paranoia. After all, they had yet to determine the cause of cultivators' madness or when it might strike, making prevention impossible. It seemed as if without vigilance, loved ones could suddenly become frenzied and attack those around them.

Just as they were speaking, a group of cultivators who had rushed over to help arrived, supporting a young man with an injured shoulder.

Sheng Yunshen recognized the injured youth as the one they had engaged in conversation upon entering the city. He and the group of cultivators beside him were all there in search of the missing Shui Liyin.

The injured youth and his companions also recognized Sheng Yunshen and his group, instantly feeling awkward.

Yesterday, they assumed these individuals were also searching for the missing Shui Liyin. Little did they know, that wasn't the case. Now, reflecting on their lengthy conversation at the time, it feels rather awkward.

The patrol leader expressed his gratitude for their assistance and, noticing the young man's injured shoulder, kindly offered, "If you don't mind, you're welcome to rest at the Lord Mayor's Manor. We have an Earth Rank Alchemist there; your injury will be tended to, young sir."

The youth wore a mournful expression as he said, "I was bitten by a mad person, will this injury infect others?"

"No, no, Young Master Ning assured us that it's not contagious. Master Chi, please rest assured."

The youth asked in confusion, "Who is Young Master Ning?"

"Prince Ning is the direct disciple of the Crimson Heaven Sect's Sect Master. Has Prince not heard of Prince Ning?" The patrol team leader was rather surprised.

"Oh, so it's him." The youth suddenly understood. "Of course, I've heard about him. Rumor has it that he's a genius in alchemy, artifacts, and arrays, which is why the Sect Master of Scarlet Heaven Sect took the unprecedented step of taking him as a disciple."

Beside the young man, an older cultivator also wore a look of astonishment as they inquired, "Can Young Master Ning truly cure those who have fallen into madness?"

"Absolutely, it can be done."

The patrol captain was indeed Lord Xu's confidant, sharing the same unwavering trust in Ning Yuzhou as his lord.

Upon hearing his confident words, the group of youths commented, "Seems like the Crimson Heaven Sect truly has some capabilities. This Young Master Ning..."

Suddenly, the young man snapped to attention, his eyes flicking toward Yi Xuan and the other three.

Yesterday, when they revealed their identities, it was known that they were disciples sent by the Crimson Heaven Sect to offer assistance. Wouldn't Young Master Ning be one among the four?

Their gazes shifted among Yi Xuan, Sheng Yunshen, and Ning Yuzhou, their faces betraying a hint of hesitation.

The patrol team leader warmly introduced, "These gentlemen are fellow Daoists from the Chi Xiao Sect." He introduced each of the four individuals, Yi Xuan and his companions, and when he came to Ning Yuzhou, his voice became even more enthusiastic, "And this is Ning Gongzi."

The youth gazed intently at Ning Yuzhou, realizing that the man was not much older than himself and perhaps even had a lower cultivation level. Instantly, he felt disappointed, assuming that people must have exaggerated Ning Yuzhou's abilities. A middle-stage Primordial Martial Realm Alchemist could at most refine Mystic Rank pills; no matter how skilled, their capabilities would be restricted.

The cultivators who were with the young man thought the same, but out of respect for the Crimson Sky Sect, they refrained from showing their true feelings.

In the end, the young man and his companion made their way to the City Lord's Manor together.

Their visit to the manor was not for rest or healing, but rather to inquire about Shui Liyin's whereabouts and to assess the situation with the frenzied individuals. After all, they were also intrigued by the peculiar events unfolding in Tai Ze City.

During their journey, they introduced themselves to each other. Sheng Yunshen and the others learned the background of the injured youth and his companion. They hailed from the Taize Tang Clan, being disciples of the clan. The young man's name was Tang Yelin, a direct lineage disciple of the Taize Tang Clan.

Coincidentally, they were exploring the vicinity when they heard about Shui Liyin's disappearance. Fueled by a sudden impulse, they hurried to Tai Ze City.

In essence, they were a group of well-fed and leisurely cultivators with an overwhelming sense of justice, drawn to any commotion like moths to a flame.

Upon learning that they were disciples of the Tai Ze Tang Clan, the patrol captain couldn't help but treat them with more courtesy.

Arriving at the City Lord's Manor, Lord Xu emerged upon hearing the news. Upon seeing that Ning Yuzhou and his companions were unharmed, he immediately felt relieved.

As for Tang Yelin and his companions, Lord Xu wished he could simply ignore them. Lately, he had been plagued by a swarm of cultivators seeking Shui Liyin, and he was anxious about more unreasonable ones demanding he hand her over.

Fortunately, the disciples of the Tai Ze Tang Clan proved to be level-headed. They didn't hold the Tai Ze region responsible for Shui Liyin's disappearance, and their conduct was commendable. Lord Xu breathed a sigh of relief and finally showed some genuine sincerity in his interactions with them.

Tang Yelin and the others, seeing that Lord Xu was occupied, felt it would be inappropriate to inquire about Shui Liyin on the spot. They decided to settle temporarily in the City Lord's Mansion, planning to speak with Lord Xu when he had some free time later.

Lord Xu made it clear that he was not in the mood for conversation.

The steward arranged for them to rest in a flower hall.

No sooner had they taken their seats than they saw a young girl enter, with a demonic rabbit perched on her shoulder.

The girl, around seventeen or eighteen, had an elegant figure and an incomparable radiance. She wore a light green silk gown that fluttered like a celestial being's robe. The demonic rabbit on her shoulder resembled a fluffy ball of fur, both adorable and charming, easily capturing the attention of cultivators.

A lovely maiden always captures the attention of onlookers, especially when she's both beautiful and charming.

Upon seeing her, everyone agreed that this young Junior Sister from Crimson Heaven Sect was indeed a stunner, surpassing even Qingyun Sect's adorable Junior Sister Mu Shan in terms of beauty.

"Miss Min," they all stood up to greet her.

Wen Qiao nodded at them coolly, then approached Tang Yelin whose shoulder was stained with blood. She examined his injury and, with a flip of her hand, produced a vial of pills. "Mr. Tang, I accidentally struck you just now. My apologies. This is a Spring Return Pill, it can heal your wounds."

Tang Yelin's gaze fell upon her, and his face suddenly flushed red.

He stuttered, hastily waving his hands. "N-No, it's not Miss Min's fault. It was our sudden approach, and I wasn't strong enough to avoid being bitten. Miss, please don't worry about it."

Wen Qiao insisted on giving him the spirit pill without further ado.

Though it was indeed a coincidence, she couldn't deny that her actions had inadvertently led to him being bitten.

After delivering the pill, Wen Qiao didn't linger and promptly left.

Tang Yelin held the vial of pills she'd given him, his face flushed like a boiled shrimp. With puppy-like eyes, he couldn't resist stealing glances at Wen Qiao's departing figure. Recalling their close encounter, he mused dizzily, how could there be such a lovely and beautiful girl in this world?

Not only was she beautiful, but she was also kind-hearted, going out of her way to deliver the spirit pill even though it wasn't her responsibility.

His companion couldn't help but twitch his lips at his reaction.

Sure, the girl was indeed very attractive, but did he have to be so smitten? Didn't he say he was going to look for Fairy Water Lily earlier? Now, he probably couldn't even picture what she looked like.

Tang ShaoLin, the oldest among them, spoke up, "Yelin, since she's kindly given you the pill, don't let her efforts go to waste. Take the spirit pill first."

Tang Yelin replied, "I've already consumed a spirit pill earlier, there's no need for... "

Before he could finish his sentence, someone had already uncorked the vial. Upon seeing the spirit pills inside, they were immediately stunned. "Top-grade Rejuvenation Pills?"

The others hurried over, and upon catching sight of the four perfectly round and lustrous top-grade Rejuvenation Pills in the vial, they were equally astonished. They hadn't expected that a disciple from Scarlet Heaven Sect would be so generous, presenting four top-grade pills at once.

Although they were only Mystic Rank pills, their quality as top-grade made them incomparable to ordinary ones.

Tang Shaolin mused, "I've heard that Young Master Ning from Scarlet Heaven Sect is capable of refining top-grade pills. Could it be that he personally refined these?"

"That should be the case. Otherwise, why would he be so generous?" someone chimed in. "Scarlet Heaven Sect isn't Qingyun Sect. They lack spirit pills themselves."

Upon hearing this, everyone felt that the rumors about Ning Yuzhou circulating outside were likely true. He really was capable of refining top-grade pills.

Looking at the four top-grade pills in the vial, even Tang Shaolin, who had previously urged Tang Yelin not to let down the young lady's intentions, held his tongue. Since the injury wasn't serious, it was best to keep the top-grade pills for when they were truly needed.

"Ah, if that Young Master Ning really has the skill to refine top-grade pills, then..." The speaker looked at Tang Yelin with a chuckle. "If Little Tang likes Miss Min, you should go after her. Your big brother will support you."

Tang Yelin's face flushed red. He retorted, "Fifth Big Brother, what are you talking about? Don't talk nonsense. I... I came here for Fairy Waterlily this time..."

The group tsked. Wasn't he feeling guilty for saying that?

**

Wen Qiao returned to the courtyard allocated for their rest within the City Lord's residence, only to find Ning Yuzhou and the others already in the room.

Upon seeing her, Sheng Yunshen inquired, "Little Junior Sister, have you delivered the pills? Is that Little Tangtuan alright?"

Wen Qiao nodded. "He's fine."

Yi Xuan furrowed his brow. "Who's Little Tangtuan?" What kind of odd nickname was that?

"Tang Yelin, huh?" Sheng Yunshen was surprised. "Second Senior Brother, didn't you know that the Tangs of Tai Ze are often nicknamed 'Tang Tuan'? Since Tang Yelin is the youngest, he would naturally be the little Tang Tuan of this generation."

Yi Xuan: "..."

Yi Xuan had no intention of entertaining the Tang family's nickname, so he turned his head to find the table already filled with vials of pills. These spirit pills were precisely what they had purchased at the pill shop in Tazhi City earlier.

They gathered around, their eyes fixed on the vial of pills on the table.

Sheng Yunshen inquired, "Junior Apprentice Sister Ning, you can speak now. Why did you purchase these alchemy vials?" As he spoke, he opened one of the vials and peered at the spirit pills inside. They were all high-grade and of fine quality; there seemed to be nothing amiss with them.

Ning Yuzhou didn't respond, instead taking out a jade box and emptying the spirit pills from the vial into it.

In the end, the entire jade box was filled to the brim, with a small peak of spirit pills towering above the edge.

Wen Tubao hopped onto the table and sniffed at the spirit pills in front of the box before disdainfully turning its head and leaping away.

Sheng Yunshen was astonished. "Wen Tubao, you actually disdain spirit pills? Aren't you fond of them?" As he spoke, he reached into the box to take out a pill, intending to feed it to the rabbit.

Without any hesitation, Wen Tubao kicked its hind legs, sending the pill flying, and let out a disdainful snort.

"Wen Tubao, you're wasting spirit pills! Wasting is shameful!" Sheng Yunshen accused, picking up the fallen pill from the ground.

Wen Tubao turned around, presenting its fluffy tail and backside to him.

Even as a rabbit, it had its standards. How could it possibly consume such low-quality and oddly scented spirit pills?

However, Wen Tubao's reaction confirmed that there was indeed something wrong with these spirit pills.

Intent on training them, Ning Yuzhou said, "Take a look. What's different about these spirit pills compared to others?"

Upon hearing this, Sheng Yunshen, Wen Qiao, and Yi Xuan each took a spiritual pill to commence their examination.