Chapter 657: Chapter 196: Rescue Qiulong County! Entering the Great Yan Dynasty! (10,000-word Mega Chapter for Subscriptions)_2

"It was but a trifle." Fan Wu addressed Yang Yizi, "How many people are there approximately in this mine?"

Yang Yizi hurriedly replied, "The Blood Gu Sect Disciples have captured several hundred strong youths to toil in this iron mine. Those youths who are close to death from exhaustion are taken away by the people of the Blood Gu Sect, and I have no clue where they’re taken to."

As he said this, Yang Yizi’s voice was filled with endless outrage, "Those Blood Gu Sect people can hardly be called human! Their actions are downright demonic!"

"Even more cruel than demons and devils themselves, it can truly be said that the most wicked are known to the spirits, and the vilest hearts are known to mankind. Perhaps... the most cruel beings are humans themselves."

Even this old Taoist Priest, having cultivated for nearly a century, when speaking of the atrocities committed by the Blood Gu Sect in Qiulong County, felt a burning rage that he simply couldn’t quell.

But Yang Yizi also knew that, no matter how furious he was, his power as an old Taoist Priest was of little use.

He simply couldn’t defeat the Cultivators of the Blood Gu Sect.

"Alas!" Yang Yizi sighed, "If only my cultivation were a bit higher, perhaps I could have driven all the disciples of the Blood Gu Sect away."

But reality has no ’ifs’.

And there are no ’maybes’.

"Damn it all!" The Abbot of Jinlong Temple stepped out of the dark mine and felt the setting sun gracing his grimy face. Lacking any high monk’s demeanor, he cursed vividly, "It’s only because they, those dog-like creatures, outnumber us that they bully the few. Otherwise, I, your Buddha, would tear them all to shreds myself!"

After dropping such fierce words, the Abbot of Jinlong Temple turned to Fan Wu, overflowing with gratitude, "Daoist Priest Fan, you have once again saved the life of this Buddha... Uh-hem, cough cough, this monk!"

The Abbot of Jinlong Temple patted his belly, now so thin that no fat could be seen, and said, "No matter what you need, Daoist Priest Fan, anything Jinlong Temple can offer, we’ll find a way to deliver it to you!"

"If Daoist Priest Fan wishes Jinlong Temple to go east, Jinlong Temple will not head west! Even if Daoist Priest Fan desires to seize the Emperor’s throne, Jinlong Temple would not frown at the thought!"

Such vows sounded as though rebels meeting in secret.

Yang Yizi’s mouth twitched at hearing this.

But this was just the Abbot’s character; after all, before he practiced Buddhism, he had been a bandit for quite some time, engaged in all manner of murderous and thieving deeds.

Who knows what he did before becoming a bandit – maybe even dabbling in rebellion?

At that moment.

Citizens of Qiulong County were slowly emerging from the sunless mine, looking even more pitiable than the Abbot of Jinlong Temple and Yang Yizi.

Though these two were Cultivators, who had their mana sealed, but at least they naturally were more robust than ordinary citizens.

The condition of these regular citizens of Qiulong County was different.

In their daily lives, they were just average citizens, without the remarkable physique of Cultivators.

Mining continuously in the sunless mines, they couldn’t even eat their fill, let alone sleep warmly.

And they had to suffer the unprovoked beatings and scolding of Blood Gu Sect Disciples.

It’d be surprising if their condition was not dire!

Among them, one or two Qiulong County citizens were frighteningly thin, stirring pity in anyone who saw them.

When they learned who had rescued them, one by one they were exceedingly grateful and moved to tears.

They could not help but cry.

After all, they had endured such suffering for a long time; this life was even worse than being in prison. They thought they might spend the rest of their lives this way, but today they were rescued!

The one who saved them was a familiar face. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

It was Daoist Fan Wu from Qiulong Temple!

The proud disciple of the Heavenly Master!

"Many thanks to Daoist Priest Fan for saving my entire family!" A man, leading a half-grown boy with his left hand and a grimy-faced woman with his right, said, somewhat incoherently with emotion, "If not for... If not for Daoist Priest Fan saving us, we might have... probably died in this mine already."

"Indeed!" A thin, bald man who was skin and bones and moved with excitement stated, "If not for Daoist Priest Fan stepping in to save us, I would’ve possibly died here in the mine with the Abbot."

"Wuwuwu! My father didn’t make it, they took him away a month ago, and I don’t know if he’s dead or alive."

"Daoist Priest Fan is the savior of all us folks in Qiulong County!"

"Daoist Priest Fan truly is the Heavenly Master’s outstanding disciple!"

"That damned Qiulong County Magistrate, all he’s good for during peacetime is extortion and corruption, but facing this crisis, he was the first to defect and lead the way for the enemy!"

"If it weren’t for Daoist Priest Fan’s return, we would likely have all perished here."

"Yes!!"

"..."

The Qiulong County citizens’ eyes showed genuine gratitude, as the appearance of Fan Wu... gave them hope to live on.