Chapter 1648: Chapter 1650: The Child
Uncle Wu left, unwilling to communicate much with Li Xiaobai. In his view, this young man’s approach to the Wu Clan was too aggressive, clearly with ulterior motives. The young lady had no sense of precaution, but he could see it clearly. He needed to report this to the Clan Leader for him to decide.
Li Xiaobai took a simple stroll around the exquisite pavilion and noticed a few suspicious signs. Many rooms inside the pavilion had clothes and bedding messily stacked together, clearly traces of someone having lived there, yet he hadn’t seen a single person during his entire tour of the pavilion.
In some rooms, there was even a layer of water left at the bottom of teacups, indicating that the people left in a hurry. This was very unusual. Where had everyone gone?
“Brother, do you know where everyone else in this pavilion went?”
Li Xiaobai asked the guard downstairs.
“Once they’ve left, they’re gone. We never question these matters. They are all homeless people picked up by the young lady out of kindness. Perhaps, feeling embarrassed from staying too long, they left secretly.”
“They’re not cultivators of the Wu Clan. Their lives and deaths are none of our business. Wherever they wish to go, they can just go.”
The guards seemed somewhat evasive, but they spoke irritably. It was clear they knew something, and Li Xiaobai’s immediate notice of this issue upon arrival left them slightly surprised.
“Oh right, you were also picked up by the young lady. She hands out porridge and elixirs at the village entrance every day. You might want to take a look.”
One of the guards said.
Li Xiaobai thanked him and walked towards the village entrance.
The Wu Clan did not have the demeanor of a prestigious family or the grand construction of a sect. It was simply a force concealed within the village, adept at hiding its tracks. Along the way, he had already discovered over ten cultivators hidden in the shadows.
This Wu Clan should be a force skilled in assassination; their behavior and mannerisms all too similar to those of assassins.
At the village entrance, just as the guard said, Wu Guo stood behind a large pot, smiling as she served porridge and elixirs to the many tattered cultivators.
Some of these people were cultivators wandering from the outside, others were village cultivators disabled from fighting demons, now gratefully drinking the porridge to the last drop, a look of intoxication on every face.
Some even began snatching the porridge near Wu Guo, pouring it into their stomachs zealously.
Guards on either side subdued these troublemakers and threw them out, restoring order to the chaotic line.
Li Xiaobai squinted; all those present had some cultivation level, so why would they fight over a bowl of porridge? Something was off. These people seemed addicted to the porridge and elixirs.
Blending into the group of beggars, Li Xiaobai moved closer to Wu Guo, gazing eagerly at the white porridge in the pot.
“Does Young Master Li also wish to taste the porridge?”
Wu Guo smiled sweetly, pausing her hand but still placing a bowl of porridge before Li Xiaobai.
“I see my fellow cultivators enjoying it thoroughly, so I’m curious to taste the young lady’s handiwork.”
“The young lady is truly beautiful, kind-hearted, with a sweet voice. The way she aids these street-hardened cultivators moves me deeply.”
Li Xiaobai took the bowl of porridge and drank it down in one gulp.
In his mind, the system’s notification sounded.
[Detected host exposed to Heart-shattering Poison, Attribute Points +6 million…]
[…Attribute Points +6 million…]
The system panel values fluctuated, indicating everything. Seemingly sweet and kind, this Wu Clan’s young lady, like a saint, was far from as innocent and charming as she appeared. She was drugging these beggars with a toxin that induced infatuation.
“It’s nothing more than a little help from me. This porridge is for cultivators retired from nearby battlefields, cooked with Soul-devouring Grass. Rather than porridge, it’s medicinal cuisine, strengthening their cultivation levels and nourishing injuries.”
Wu Guo smiled.
Li Xiaobai nodded: “I see, then let me try one of these elixirs as well.”
“Young master doesn’t seem to be someone in need of aid. You’ve already had the porridge, might you leave the elixirs to others who might need them more?”
Wu Guo seemed a bit hesitant, with a troubled look.
“Exactly. Young man, dressed so well, how are you not ashamed to lick your face and mooch? Get out of here and stop hogging resources without using them. The Immortal’s medicinal cuisine isn’t for the likes of you!”
The crowd behind the ranks, hearing this, immediately became agitated. With limited resources daily, the elixirs weren’t easy to get, and the thought of a pretty-faced opportunist taking a place infuriated them.
“Why not try it? I’ve also been picked up by the young lady. I’ve always held myself with dignity, not weaker than others, and even if begging, I’d do it with righteousness!”
Li Xiaobai proudly thumped his chest, swallowed an elixir, as the system panel values surged again. No doubt, these elixirs were another tool to poison and addict cultivators; the purpose unclear for now.
“It’s no trouble; I can make more today if needed. Everyone will get a share.”
“Please, Young Master Li, return to the pavilion and rest first. I shall visit later, I hope you don’t mind.”
Wu Guo covered her face, laughing gently, exuding an air of sincerity that caught the eye of many cultivators who found the maiden’s innocent allure impossible to resist.
Watching these cultivators scramble for porridge and elixirs, Li Xiaobai shook his head. None among them were real experts and fell victim to the toxins with ease, signifying unimpressive skills.
After wandering the village, he found nothing else of value. Contrary to Uncle Wu’s words, every villager he encountered along the way warmly greeted him with smiles and even received an egg from an old woman.
The whole village was shrouded in an aura of simplicity and kindness.
“Something isn’t right; what village welcomes outsiders so openly? In contrast, Uncle Wu seemed the most sensible. These villagers aren’t afraid of cultivators causing trouble. They must be relying on something.”
Li Xiaobai pondered, returning to the pavilion. This time the room had a young boy, around twelve or thirteen, disdainfully tossing junk out the window.
“Are you also brought back by Sister Guo?”
“Seeing your silly face, follow me!”
The boy glanced at the young man observing the door and scolded him grumpily, starting to direct him in tidying the mess together.
“What are we doing here?”
Li Xiaobai wasn’t one to fuss with the child. He found the boy’s actions strange and thought perhaps this was another child taken in who might know something about the pavilion’s secrets.
“Sister Guo is so good to us, with food and drink and a big house to live in. We should repay her well.”
“Clear all this garbage, so Sister Guo feels at ease upon arrival!”
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