Chapter 520: Chapter 520: Inspection

When Bai Mo received a reply from Immortal Arrival City and learned that several men from the Demon Hunting Team had been saved, he was momentarily stunned, but also felt fortunate.

’The Voodoo has actually started to spread?’

’That nearly led to a major disaster.’

Bai Mo pondered the implications, finally sighing.

"Brother Zhu really is in trouble."

Only after refining several more batches of Insecticide Pills and sending them to Immortal Arrival City did Bai Mo finally feel at ease.

In Immortal Arrival City, everyone was in a state of panic. When the Insecticide Pills appeared, they were naturally snatched up in a buying frenzy, selling out completely.

So Wei An sent several more letters.

Bai Mo followed the requests in the letters and sent several more shipments.

Ah Er still remembered the vicious appearance of the voodoo bugs. Having helped Bai Mo with the shipments several times, it couldn’t help but worry about Immortal Arrival City.

It was very fond of the kind and welcoming city.

Bai Mo smiled. "Don’t worry. If the Voodoo had been allowed to become a full-blown epidemic, that would naturally be a major disaster."

"But now that we’ve nipped it in the bud, there’s nothing to worry about."

Besides, there are Sect Disciples stationed in the city, so success is practically guaranteed.

Bai Mo was always cautious with his words.

Since he said so, Ah Er had nothing left to worry about.

But less than a month later, Wei An unexpectedly sent another letter, urging him to send more pills.

Bai Mo frowned deeply.

’What’s going on?’

Yuan Chu, who was recovering nearby, could sense the change in his mood.

"Junior Brother, you’ve been firing up the furnace every day. What for?"

Bai Mo shook his head and told him about the recent Voodoo incident.

Yuan Chu pondered this for a moment before saying perceptively,

"If things are quiet in Immortal Arrival City, why not have your shop clerk ask around? See if there’s anything strange happening in the other cities on the trade routes."

The people of Immortal Arrival City were in a panic. Cultivators emerging from the mountains were falling ill from time to time, and even a man as strong as Lanshan of the Demon Hunting Team was no exception.

The ordeal left the men completely drained, their vitality severely damaged.

Qin Wen and the others had no time for anything else.

After receiving Bai Mo’s inquiry by letter, they hurried out to gather information on the situation.

The news was not good.

The Voodoo had already spread outside. Several cities that traded in beast hides and bones had fallen, and the cultivators in Immortal Arrival City who engaged in this trade were all grim-faced.

Bai Mo was startled and discussed the matter with Yuan Chu.

Yuan Chu sighed. "It looks like someone is pulling the strings behind this. Those Insecticide Pills of yours... they’ve likely been scalped and resold, haven’t they?"

"When disaster strikes, this kind of business is the most profitable. But if things really get out of hand, our sect will have to step in..."

"It would be ugly if it came to another bloodbath with heads rolling."

Bai Mo looked at Wei An’s letter and said,

"There’s more to it than that."

"It’s true that the Insecticide Pills are being resold at several times the price, but the buyers are all wealthy cultivators."

Yuan Chu raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean, Junior Brother?"

Bai Mo said, "There are affordable Insecticide Pills for sale on the market."

Presumably because Bai Mo’s pills were the first to enter the market, other similar pills being sold had also adopted the name "Insecticide Pill".

"From the sect?"

"No, they’re coming from some temples."

Bai Mo double-checked before answering.

Yuan Chu stood up, his vacant eyes widening.

"In this climate, which Divine Beings would dare to be so brazen!?"

Bai Mo nodded.

"In quite a few cities, many local factions have taken the opportunity to pledge their allegiance to these Divine Beings."

"Only a few cultivators, who feel oppressed by and distrust these Divine Beings, can’t stomach it. They’re the ones still going through other channels to purchase my Insecticide Pills."

Yuan Chu plopped back down into his seat, felt he was crooked, and shifted to adjust himself.

"I feel like there’s something big going on here. My Divine Dao Mountain will definitely get involved. Just you wait and see."

...

「After the fifth day of the month.」

Thanks to the Insecticide Pills, the Sect Disciples were not greatly affected.

Zhu Tong, carrying Array Flags and leading a group of disciples who studied the Array Dao, arrived at the Celestial Barrier Mountain range. They began to hunt down and kill the giant moths that were spreading the Voodoo.

But the Voodoo was spreading like wildfire among the common folk.

"Our sect’s disciples clearly contained the Voodoo in the mountains. How did it spread so quickly?"

A disciple from Divine Dao Mountain had come, intending to escort Yuan Chu back.

"It’s clearly the work of those outside Divine Beings! They’re spreading the poison in secret to gather followers!"

"Most of the disciples on the mountain have already been dispatched. Brother Yuan, you need to set out as well..."

Yuan Chu pointed to his own eyes.

"The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. I’m completely blind now. If I step outside, I’ll trip a thousand times over."

The disciple who had come for him was instantly overwhelmed.

"What are we supposed to do? We don’t have enough disciples on the mountain as it is."

Yuan Chu thought for a moment, then bellowed,

"Junior Brother Bai! Where are you, Junior Brother Bai? Get over here!"

Ah Er was outside. Bai Mo had gone to the bamboo forest for some shoots and had been leaning to one side, listening to their conversation since he got back.

Hearing Yuan Chu call, he quickly spoke up.

"I’m right here, Senior Brother. No need to shout."

"Oh."

Yuan Chu asked, "These eyes of mine... if we were to use some stronger medicine, could they be cured faster?"

"My body can handle it."

Bai Mo rejected his idea.

"We have to proceed step by step. There are thirteen procedures, and not one can be skipped."

Yuan Chu nodded, then said,

"Since you don’t have much going on here anyway, how about you make a trip in my place?"

"We’re short-handed on the mountain, so you can take a newcomer from Divine Dao Mountain and make the trip for me. The reward is considerable."

He held up two fingers.

"I’ll have a Dharma Protector on the mountain grant you two Divine Techniques!"

It was a tempting price.

Bai Mo only hesitated for a couple of breaths before agreeing.

He had grown restless from the quiet and had wanted to get out for a while. It was a good chance to see the Alchemy Dao of the outside world; the destination itself didn’t matter.

"Where do I need to go, and what do I need to do?"

Yuan Chu turned his head to face the disciple from Divine Dao Mountain.

The disciple quickly unfurled a map. His finger drifted over it for a moment before pressing down on a particular country.

"Shuofang Country, a nation of two commanderies. A few days ago, their emperor and his court performed a state-sponsored ritual to worship a Divine Being."

"Junior Brother, go and see what sort of character this Divine Being really is."

The Divine Dao Mountain disciple’s eyes glinted.

"If it harbors malevolent intentions, the sect will have to act decisively. The emperor of Shuofang Country will face the consequences as well."

Bai Mo was puzzled.

’A mere territory of two commanderies is but a speck of land in the eyes of the Xuandao Sect. Why are they being so meticulous about it at such a critical time?’

"Can’t the sect just order the emperor to come and explain himself in person?"

"That way, the truth would be easy to find out, one way or another."

Yuan Chu coughed.

"You’re joking, Junior Brother. They’re still making their tribute payments as usual. They haven’t shorted the sect a single coin."

"Being too overbearing makes it easy to lose the people’s support."

Bai Mo nodded.

"In that case, I’ll make this trip for you, Senior Brother."

Yuan Chu thanked him with a few grateful compliments, then turned to the Divine Dao Mountain disciple.

"A lot of Divine Beings have been cropping up lately. They seem to think that by banding together, they can keep the sect from making any rash moves. It’s a delicate situation."

"Tell Junior Brother here everything you know. We can’t afford any mishaps..."

And so, after leaving behind the pills for the rest of Yuan Chu’s treatment and telling him to recuperate quietly, Bai Mo packed his belongings.

When Ah Er returned from Medicine Peak, the master and servant pair set out that very day.

Before leaving, he stopped by the Foreign Affairs Hall to register his trip. They didn’t pay it much mind, only reminding him to "be careful in all things".

There were a full nineteen Alchemists working for them.

If Bai Mo wanted to go out and about, he had plenty of freedom to do so.

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