Staying Alive Cautiously in the Celestial Realm and Becoming the Strongest

Ji Yongtai had been stationed in Beiwang City for a decade.

As a cultivator from the Purple Mansion of the West Sea Sect's Inner Sect, as long as his mind hadn't been attacked by an Evil Wraith, he would undoubtedly have a firm grip on the city.

The expected tiger in his own den.

If Wang Chen wanted to complete his task in the shortest time possible and eradicate the Mysterious Intent Bandits, then cooperating with Ji Yongtai to gain the latter's help and support was undoubtedly the best choice.

This was also what the Executor of the Sect Affairs Department had said to Wang Chen.

However, when Wang Chen requested Ji Yongtai's assistance to eliminate the bandits, the Guarding Envoy showed an embarrassed expression.

"Junior Brother Wang, it's not that I don't want to help you,"

Ji Yongtai said with furrowed brows, "I want to get rid of these horse bandits even more than you do, but most of my cultivators are currently deployed in the towns below."

Beiwang City was not large in scale, but it governed a vast territorial area. Recently, the local villagers, nomads, and hill tribes had been frequently attacked by bandits.

Not just that, there were disturbances from Evil Wraiths!

As the Guarding Envoy, Ji Yongtai was also in a state of great anxiety. Apart from dispatching his cultivators and disciples to guard there, he had also requested assistance from the Prefectural Government and the Sect.

"I've already sent out six of my seven disciples."

Ji Yongtai said with a wry smile, "I can't leave Beiwang City myself. I was hoping the Sect would..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but Wang Chen and Zuo Xiaomo could clearly understand the implication.

Ji Yongtai didn't expect that the Sect would only send the two of them to deal with the Mysterious Intent Bandits.

Embarrassed to speak his mind, he scratched his head and gave an awkward smile.

After thinking for a moment, Wang Chen said, "Since that's the case, Senior Brother Ji, I'll figure out a way myself. Could you arrange a place for us to stay, and another reason that allows us to recruit Loose Cultivators in Beiwang City to form a team to deal with the bandits?"

"That's easy!"

Ji Yongtai immediately clapped his chest and said, "I have a private residence in the city which you can use for accommodation, and first thing tomorrow morning. I'll have someone post a recruitment notice."

Wang Chen bowed his fists, "Thank you, Senior Brother!"

"No big deal,"

Ji Yongtai waved his hand and said, "Additionally, I will prepare a set of battle cultivator equipment for you, Junior Brother, and some supplies."

Wang Chen grinned and said, "Excellent!"

The host and guest were both pleased.

Since it was already very late, Ji Yongtai arranged for Wang Chen and his companion to stay in the Distinguished Guests' Pavilion at the Guarding Mansion for the night.

"Senior Brother Wang."

Once they were in their room, Zuo Xiaomo couldn't help but ask, "Are we really going to recruit Loose Cultivators in the city?"

There was only half a month left until the Outer Sect's assessment, and with the two days needed for the journey back and forth, they had just about ten days to complete this challenging task, which seemed hardly enough.

Now that Ji Yongtai couldn't allocate more people to assist them, and the recruiting of Loose Cultivators would take how much longer?

At once, Zuo Xiaomo felt his prospects growing grim.

"Yes!"

Wang Chen gestured with a wave of his hand, setting up mana restrictions in the room to ensure that no one could eavesdrop on the conversation between him and Zuo Xiaomo.

He spoke in a grave tone, "Not only do we need to recruit Loose Cultivators, but we also have to do it in a high-profile manner, making sure every cultivator in the Beiwang City area is aware!"

Zuo Xiaomo was perplexed, "Huh?"

Wang Chen gave a slight smile, "That task is yours to handle. You will stay in the city to recruit people while keeping an eye on Ji Yongtai."

Zuo Xiaomo felt a chill in his heart, "Do you think there's something wrong with Senior Brother Ji?"

Wang Chen addressed Ji Yongtai by name, without a trace of respect—so if it wasn't him who had the problem, then it was Ji Yongtai who was suspect!

Wang Chen nodded, "I suspect he has connections with the Mysterious Intent Taoist."

"How is this possible!"

Zuo Xiaomo exclaimed, "The Mysterious Intent Taoist is the leader of the horse bandits, and he is the Guarding Envoy of Beiwang. Without his report to the sect, there wouldn't be your mission to exterminate those bandits at all."

It was generally understood that horse bandits harassing the locality and harming the villagers would be mortal enemies with the local Guarding Envoy. Wang Chen's assertion that Ji Yongtai was conspiring with the Mysterious Intent Taoist truly turned Zuo Xiaomo's understanding on its head.

Zuo Xiaomo didn't disbelieve Wang Chen, but he found it all somewhat incredible!

A spark of Spiritual Light flashed in his mind, "Senior Brother Wang, could it be that you have evidence?"

To Zuo Xiaomo's surprise, Wang Chen shook his head and said, "No evidence, just intuition."
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Ji Yongtai's performance tonight, in front of the two of them, was practically flawless.

He lamented his struggles and seemed to be pouring out his heart and soul.

However, Wang Chen's intuition sensed falsehood in the man's behavior—or rather, an element of performance!

The Guarding Envoy spoke of the Mysterious Intent Taoist with such hatred that it seemed to make his teeth itch, but there was not the slightest ripple in the depths of his eyes.

He even deliberately displayed his roughness and disregard for trifles.

He gave the impression of someone straightforward, with a hearty and unguarded nature, devoid of scheming or calculation!

But Wang Chen's perception was extremely acute; his speculation about human nature never depended on outward words but relied entirely on his own intuition, to judge kindness or malice, sincerity or pretense.

He had never judged wrong!

Of course, Wang Chen did not have any evidence to prove that Ji Yongtai was in collusion with the Mysterious Intent Taoist.

Zuo Xiaomo was rendered speechless.

Wang Chen smiled and said, "If my guess is wrong, that would of course be the best outcome, but one cannot be without caution. Your task is to stay in the city and to send me a Talisman Message immediately if any problem arises."

For this mission, Wang Chen had specially exchanged for a batch of the sect's custom-made Communication Talismans.

The speed and range of the Communication Talisman couldn't compare with a Flying Sword, but it had the advantage of being discreet and was not easily discovered or intercepted.

Zuo Xiaomo nodded and asked, "And what about you?"

Wang Chen said with a meaningful tone, "Entering seclusion."

The next morning, under the arrangements made by Ji Yongtai, both Wang Chen and Zuo Xiaomo moved into the Guarding Envoy's private residence.

Although it was a private residence, its scale and layout were by no means inferior to the grand mansion of a local Noble Clan, with hundreds of servants and maids inside.

At the same time, the announcement for recruiting Loose Cultivators was posted at the gates of Beiwang City, as well as in its major streets and alleys.

Ji Yongtai said, "Junior Brother Wang, if there's anything else you need, just let me know!"

Wang Chen smiled and replied, "Thank you, Senior Brother. I won't trouble you for now. The task of recruiting Loose Cultivators I leave to Junior Brother Zuo; I myself am going to enter seclusion for a breakthrough."

"Entering seclusion for a breakthrough?"

Ji Yongtai was startled, "Junior Brother Wang, are you so soon to break through to the third tier of the Purple Mansion?"

The real ages of cultivators, especially high-tier cultivators, often cannot be judged from their appearance.

But as long as one did not deliberately conceal their aura and appearance,

experienced cultivators could often guess with considerable accuracy.

Zuo Xiaomo was very young, and Wang Chen was even younger!

For someone as young as Wang Chen to already be a second-tier Purple Mansion cultivator had already filled Ji Yongtai with envy and resentment.

He had never imagined that now Wang Chen was about to rush toward the third tier.

Ji Yongtai's own cultivation level was merely at the third tier of the Purple Mansion, and he was much older than Wang Chen.

This was a Golden Core seed!

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The first update is here.