Chapter 543: 543
“You… and Mo Nian… are you?” Long Chen felt it was a bit inconceivable .
“Where did your thoughts stray? It’s not like that at all . ” Mu Xue was a bit resentful . “Our Muxue Mercenary Unit was very weak when we were first established . We were always suppressed by the other powers .
“During that time, our unit almost completely collapsed . However, those people still didn’t let up, forcing us to the brink of despair .
“It was Mo Gate who couldn’t bear to see that happen and warned our enemies that in the next three years, they were not allowed to do anything to us . Without Mo Gate, we’d have been destroyed before ever maturing .
“So we owe Mo Gate a great debt . It was Mo Gate who made the request to the Mercenary Guild, causing them to create this mission for the Hidden Ground Spider’s core . Furthermore, it is extremely urgent .
“I’ve heard it’s something they’re preparing for their junior gate master, Mo Nian . Mo Gate has treated us with kindness, but Mo Gate is too large, and we don’t even have the qualifications to return the favor . This is our only chance to repay them, so no matter what, we have to obtain the Hidden Ground Spider’s core . ”
Long Chen understood now . These people were all open and candid . They didn’t like owing favors, but it was impossible for them to repay Mo Gate’s favor . That was a constant knot in their hearts .
So even though this Hidden Ground Spider was extremely powerful, and this mission was extremely dangerous, their honor did not allow them to turn back .
That made Long Chen feel a kind of respect for them . Within the cultivation world, where schemes and inner strife were everywhere, where it was either you deceive me or I deceive you, such people had already almost gone extinct .
“In truth, you should have given this information to Mo Gate, and Mo Gate would have sent several Xiantian experts to fight with you . Wouldn’t that be much easier? Why must you risk this danger?” asked Long Chen .
“There are two reasons we came to attack it on our own . The first is that we noticed the Hidden Ground Spider a year ago, but the Hidden Ground Spider often switches territories, so no one can be sure whether or not it will still be there .
“The second is that Mo Gate has now offended the Pill Tower, and the Pill Tower has stopped selling medicinal pills to them . Furthermore, it seems there are people targeting Mo Nian from behind the scenes .
“Other than Mo Gate, Qing Prefecture has three powerful sects . They stood up to publicly challenge Mo Gate at the same time, beginning to fight with them over Qing Prefecture’s natural resources . Right now, Mo Gate is in an extremely disadvantageous position and is very busy . Otherwise, they wouldn’t have asked the Mercenary Guild to set up this mission,” sighed Mu Xue .
Long Chen narrowed his eyes . Was the Pill Tower trying to show their prestige? After being cut by the Huayun Sect, they raised their own blade against Mo Gate, cutting them off from medicinal pills .
Furthermore, now those other sects were fighting against Mo Gate . That would sever Mo Gate not only from the medicinal pills, but from all their other resources . They really were vicious .
As for the three large sects Mu Xue mentioned, Long Chen did have some impression of them . Back in the Jiuli secret realm, Mo Nian had been entangled by three powerful experts . It seemed they were very familiar with each other, and they should have each come from their own powerful sect .
But in the end, two of those experts had been cut down, while the last one’s situation was something he wasn’t aware of because the battle had been too chaotic .
He really hadn’t expected the three huge sects to challenge Mo Gate now . It was without a doubt that there was a powerful backer behind them . And the power supporting them was very likely the Pill Tower .
Recently, the Pill Tower had lost all their prestige because of the Huayun Sect . Now, it seemed they were planning on using Mo Gate to retrieve that prestige and warn the other sects of their power .
“Definitely looking to die,” said Long Chen lightly .
“Whether or not we’re looking to die, we still have to pay back our favor, especially now that Mo Gate is in such an urgent state . We can only do this much . ” Mu Xue bitterly smiled .
“I’m not talking about you . ” Long Chen shook his head . “Although my own combat strength is the weakest of everyone here, I know a great deal about Magical Beasts’ habits and characters . I can probably help you a bit . ”
“Really?” Mu Xue was a bit startled .
“Yes . I often have to deal with brutes and animals, so I’m very familiar with them . This time, I was chased down miserably by a group of brutes, so don’t worry, this is my specialty,” laughed Long Chen .
“Senior apprentice-sister, we’ve set up the tents and food . ” One of the women ran over .
“Good, then we should eat . Long Chen, I don’t want to wrong you, so how about you change into our clothes too? Otherwise, it’ll feel odd,” said Mu Xue .
Long Chen was currently wearing blue robes, while they were all wearing black training clothes . He truly did stand out .
Other than that, he was also covered in dust and blood . However, although he had all kinds of various things in his spatial ring, he didn’t have an extra set of robes for himself .
“Then I’ll have to thank you . ”
Long Chen naturally wouldn’t refuse . This woman took out a new set of clothes for him .
“Your face is a bit dirty . Let sister help you clean up a bit . I’ll also tidy up your hair . ” The woman suddenly brazenly pulled Long Chen over to the lakeside .
“Hey… this is a bit inappropriate . ” Long Chen really hadn’t expected this woman to be so direct .
“You two hurry up . Don’t make us wait too long,” called out Mu Xue .
An incense stick’s worth of time later, Long Chen was wearing their black clothes, and his face had also been cleaned up . When he entered the tent, everyone was startled, as they no longer even recognized him .
“Oh, how handsome!”
The other woman in the squad couldn’t help letting out a startled cry .
Long Chen’s sword-like eyebrows framed his starry eyes, and a special aura came from his body that possessed an extremely fatal attraction to women .
More importantly, the other men here all had bulky builds, which made his regular build even more eye-catching .
As soon as he entered, everyone’s gazes landed on him . The other woman’s arm was wrapped around his, and her immensely pleased expression made him feel very unnatural .
“Sit . ” Mu Xue quickly recovered and pointed to a seat .
“About that, I see there are a lot more wine over there . I think I’ll sit with those brothers instead . That way it’ll be more convenient for me to drink . Otherwise, I really would feel a bit unwilling . ” Long Chen smiled .
His words caused those two women to be a bit disappointed, but Mu Xue nodded with approval . Long Chen clearly wasn’t a thoughtless person .
“Haha, brother Long Chen, quick, come over! Come, let’s properly drink . ” Long Chen’s actions also won him the good opinion of quite a few others .
Long Chen wasn’t afraid of anything, but he did feel that as a person, it was best not to be so ostentatious . Furthermore, he had no romantic feelings for these three, so there was no need to provoke anyone .
“Haha, thank you, thank you . ” Long Chen cupped his fists and sat down next to that person .
There was a large, circular table in the middle of over twenty people . The table was filled with wine and meat . It was very rich, and just seeing it made Long Chen’s stomach rumble . To tell the truth, he hadn’t eaten anything in the past few days, so seeing all this laid out before him made him stealthily gulp down his saliva .
“I have a good announcement to make . Brother Long Chen has temporarily joined our Muxue Mercenary Unit to help us handle the Hidden Ground Spider,” announced Mu Xue .
“Haha, welcome, welcome . Don’t worry brother Long, when the time to handle the Hidden Ground Spider comes, stand by my side and I’ll protect you . ” Zhang Wu patted Long Chen on the shoulder grandly .
Long Chen didn’t know whether to laugh or cry . Zhang Wu’s cultivation base was only at the mid Meridian Opening realm . Just what did he plan on using to protect him? It was unknown just who would be protecting who .
“This place is a safe zone . We don’t need any guards tonight . Just eat and drink as much as you want .
“After rus.h.i.+ng for nearly a month, I’m sure you’re all a bit tired . So just relax today so that you’ll be in your peak condition for tomorrow . Then we’ll take down that Hidden Ground Spider . Come, cheers!” Mu Xue raised her gla.s.s .
The current Mu Xue was truly grand and heroic . She was not lacking compared to any man and was truly worthy of being their squad’s leader .
Everyone cheered and gulped down three cups in one go . Only then did they begin eating and drinking . Long Chen was truly hungry, and he followed along with everyone else, holding a chicken leg in one hand and a chunk of meat in the other, crazily devouring them both .
“Long Chen, come, let me offer you a cup!”
“Another one!”
Long Chen’s mouth was full of food, but no matter who came to offer him a cup, he would down his cup . This was extremely refres.h.i.+ng, and after a few dozen cups, everyone began to become a bit noisy .
This wine was no ordinary wine, but wine made for cultivators . It was extremely potent; thus, they were starting to get drunk .
What Long Chen hadn’t expected was that these fellows were actually conspiring against him to get him drunk . He laughed and drank over and over again, never refusing anyone . In less than two hours, the only ones who were still capable of sitting were just Mu Xue and the other two women . The others had already collapsed, their snoring shaking the tent .
Long Chen knew these fellows hadn’t circulated their qi to resist the alcohol . They were borrowing the wine to make themselves completely relaxed .
After continuous days of weary travel, they were about to face a Xiantian Magical Beast tomorrow . To say they weren’t nervous would be a lie . That was a battle in which the slightest mistake could cost them their lives .
After drinking and eating to his full, Long Chen sat cross-legged, continuing to insert his Blood Qi into his new meridians .
Mu Xue and the other two women were meditating to preserve their strength . Although this place was a safe zone, there were no absolutes . It was always best to not be careless .
After expanding his meridians to their limit, he began to circulate his two stars to urge on the primal chaos s.p.a.ce . Although the growth was slow because there were too many trees, this investment would definitely lead to a bountiful harvest in the future . He couldn’t waste his time .
When the sun finally spilled its light over them, the Muxue Mercenary Unit all stood up completely refreshed .
The drinking yesterday had completely calmed their nerves, and then their sleep had been incredibly refres.h.i.+ng . Their mental state had reached a peak .
After the tents were put away, Mu Xue led them towards the west . After four hours, they arrived at a mountain range .
Then after several dozen miles, Mu Xue raised her hand, causing everyone to immediately stop . Everyone held their breaths, because they saw a mountain-like figure ahead of them that emitted an aura that chilled them to the bone .