Lin Yun had originally thought that with his People Panel, he would quickly find clues about the Crimson Ghost Sect. But to his surprise, after two full days had passed, he hadn't found a single lead. It was as if the Crimson Ghost Sect had simply vanished from the face of the earth. Every time he thought about it, he found it incredible.
"If this continues, who knows how long it will take to catch these cunning foxes," Lin Yun said, a hint of helplessness in his voice. He wanted to catch these bastards from the Crimson Ghost Sect, but it was a pity. They were simply too crafty. Even if they weren't overwhelmingly strong, they never gave him an opportunity.
The Chongqing Bird suggested, "You should check with the authorities. If it's the Crimson Ghost Sect, it's not impossible that they've committed some crime."
It was a good suggestion. But just then, Ezu spoke up.
"If only it were that simple. The Crimson Ghost Sect's purpose in coming here is to find clues about the Zhenhuang Hall. How can you be so sure that this clue is located within Wangjing City?"
For Ezu, who rarely spoke, to suddenly open his mouth, there was naturally a reason.
Lin Yun said directly, "If you have something to say, just say it. Don't speak in riddles. If I knew what you meant, why would I be wasting my breath talking to you here?"
Ezu snorted twice. "Since the Crimson Ghost Sect wants to investigate clues about the Zhenhuang Hall, they would naturally start their search from ancient ruins. And in all of Wangjing, the only place worth mentioning is that Imperial Clan's Forbidden Land. However, I do know of another place. I can tell you, consider it a repayment of my debt to you."
Long ago, before Wangjing was established, this area was a massive volcanic crater. It was unknown what happened later to transform it into the place it was today. But according to Ezu's knowledge, although the volcano had disappeared, a very mysterious legend still remained in the vicinity.
The Blazing Fire Earth Palace.
No one knew where it was, and it was said that no one had ever truly been there. But rumor had it that one could find a treasure within capable of changing a person's destiny. Some even said it had a great connection to the Zhenhuang Hall.
And for the Crimson Ghost Sect to show up here now, it was very likely that they were also after the Blazing Fire Earth Palace.
After hearing this, Lin Yun rubbed his nose. He had just gotten out of the Nether River Dragon Palace, and now there was some Blazing Fire Earth Palace. He had no idea what kind of commotion would come next. But he had little desire to get involved in this so-called Earth Palace.
"Our goal is just to capture one member of the Crimson Ghost Sect alive. We don't need to actually compete with them for some so-called treasure," Lin Yun said aloud. But in his heart, he knew that if he wanted to find them now, his only option was to go to the Blazing Fire Earth Palace and try his luck.
The legend of the Blazing Fire Earth Palace was not exactly a secret in Wangjing, but the great masters of the city were clearly not interested in such so-called legends. It was, however, a frequent topic of discussion among the common people nearby. Some said that if one could find the Blazing Fire Earth Palace, they could escape their current social class. But that was easier said than done. So many years had passed, and no one had ever truly found it.
Lin Yun followed the clues and soon arrived at a small town called Maoshan. He had intended to gather some information here, but the moment he stepped into Maoshan Town, he sensed something sinister.
The way everyone looked at him was not quite right.
He shifted his gaze, and one by one, he called up their panels.
The Crimson Ghost Sect!
As far as the eye could see, they were all members of the Crimson Ghost Sect. Even though he had been mentally prepared, the scene still gave him quite a scare.
How could this be? What are so many Crimson Ghost Sect disciples doing here?
At this thought, Lin Yun took a deep breath. He wasn't nervous. On the contrary, he was a little pleased. He had finally found these guys. Now, he just had to see what they were planning.
After a short while, an old man walked up to him with a smile. "Young man, I wonder, what might you be looking for here?"
Although the man's face was all smiles, Lin Yun couldn't feel a trace of friendliness from him. He just gave a casual laugh in response. "Old sir, I am just an ordinary person who likes to wander. I came here this time to look into some of the local legends."
Seeing Lin Yun's serious, straight-faced demeanor, the old man took his hand and said with a laugh, "Then you've really come to the right place. Our Maoshan Village is the only resting spot for a hundred li around. If you want to check out Maoshan Mountain up ahead, why don't you rest here for a bit first?"
Lin Yun knew this old man was definitely planning to cause trouble for him, but he wasn't worried in the slightest. "Wouldn't that be too much trouble?"
The old man shook his head like a rattle drum. "No trouble, no trouble at all! We people of Maoshan Village are the most enthusiastic and hospitable."
As he spoke, a woman with a bewitching appearance came over. "The village chief is right. Our Maoshan Village is most welcoming to outsiders."
Lin Yun glanced around. Although most of the people here were from the Crimson Ghost Sect, it was worth noting that there were also some original villagers trapped here. It seemed they had rounded up all the common people.
Lin Yun sneered inwardly. The Crimson Ghost Sect was as unscrupulous as ever.
"May I ask the village chief's esteemed name?"
The old man finally seemed to remember himself. "Oh, look at me, I completely forgot. You can just call me Fang Wenhe. This is my daughter, Fang Yu'er."
Lin Yun paused. Fang Yu'er? The name sounded amusingly similar to the phrase "to set out bait." Interesting.
Looking at Fang Yu'er's mesmerizing eyes, Lin Yun smiled and nodded. "Since the old sir has said so, it would be rude to refuse. I will rest my feet here today. I don't need any special place; anywhere to stay will be fine."
Fang Wenhe shook his head. "How could that do? You are our guest."
Then, Fang Yu'er led Lin Yun toward the center of the village. Along the way, Lin Yun did a rough count. The entire Maoshan Village had about two hundred Crimson Ghost Sect disciples. The ordinary villagers, however, numbered only around fifty. It seemed the others had either been killed or taken somewhere else. Most of those who remained were either elderly or women with some good looks. So, it didn't seem like they had killed everyone.
Considering the previous cooperation between the Flowing Cloud Sect and the Crimson Ghost Sect, Lin Yun had a strong suspicion that Prince Zuo Cheng was involved in this damn mess as well.