The Unassuming Woman Before Him Was None Other Than a Nightwatcher!

Chen Fan and the green-robed man walked side by side through the canyon. Hou and several others followed behind them, while dozens of retainers from the Gongyang clan dismounted and led their horses by the reins, bringing up the rear of the procession. Zhou Mo cast what seemed like casual glances back at the Gongyang clan's caravan, ripples of astonishment stirring in his heart. They truly lived up to their name as a great clan from Jiangnan. Even with only their eyes exposed through the visors of their armor, these retainers radiated a callous detachment born from surviving countless battlefields. They were seasoned hands. Their cultivation was likely far from weak as well. That armor looked anything but light; an ordinary man could never bear the strain of wearing it on such a long journey. Having passed through the canyon, they arrived at the sinkhole. The green-robed man instinctively looked around and could not help marveling inwardly at how prime a location this was. Precipitous cliffs surrounded it on all sides; so long as the canyon was held, it was an impregnable redoubt that was easy to defend and difficult to attack. The drawback, however, was equally obvious: once the canyon entrance was blocked, there would be no way to flee. "That is..." He froze slightly, noticing several rather eerie craters on one of the sinkhole's cliff walls. They were spread-eagled into the shape of the character *da*, looking exactly like human silhouettes. "Oh, those?" Chen Fan followed his gaze and said casually, "The Jiangbei Wasteland wasn't very peaceful during the rainy season. The day before yesterday, a ghost king barged in, and the fight got a bit loud. "The ghost king's body was fairly tough. "Those craters were left after he got slammed into the rock wall. "Things have been busy lately, so I haven't gotten around to repairing them. I hope Senior doesn't laugh at the mess." The green-robed man's heart surged like a tempestuous sea. After a long silence, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly, and he gave a wry smile. "Sect Master Chen, please don't flatter me so. I truly cannot bear the title of 'Senior.' Just call me... Qi Yue." "It's all the same, all the same, Chen Fan replied cheerfully. "Come, Senior Qi, this way please." Yesterday, Chen Fan had constructed several stone houses on the sinkhole floor and designated the area as the "Reception Area," specifically to entertain visitors of distinguished status. Cave No. 1 held far too many secrets to let outsiders inside. His plan was that once the settlement grew further, he would construct a fortress city at the mouth of the canyon to serve as a resting station for passing caravans—building a proper city right here in the Jiangbei Wasteland. Sick Monkey, following behind, murmured under his breath, though he politely gestured to the others, "Everyone, please." He remembered clearly that yesterday, the young master had specifically instructed them not to repair those humanoid craters... From inside one of the Gongyang clan's carriages parked in the sinkhole, a young girl in a white dress lifted the curtain and poked her head out. She first stole a timid glance at Chen Fan, then trotted all the way over to Qi Yue, tugging at the hem of his robe with stars shining in her eyes. "So your name is Qi Yue! "You never told me your name before! My name is Gongyang Yue. Our names match so well!" Immediately afterward, a middle-aged man in hemp robes walking alongside the carriage quickened his pace to approach Chen Fan. Cupping his fists, he said in a raspy voice, "I am Gongyang Yiyue, Grand Elder of the Gongyang clan. Greetings, Sect Master Chen. "Gongyang Yue is our family head's only child, spoiled since childhood. Please do not take offense at any lack of manners, Sect Master Chen." "Not at all." Chen Fan stood before the entrance of a wooden cabin in the reception area. Glancing over the group, he waved cheerfully to invite them inside, though a strange thought crossed his mind... Qi Yue. Gongyang Yue. Gongyang Yiyue. Did the folks in Jiangnan hold a particular fondness for the moon? Right at that moment— Just as Gongyang Yiyue was about to speak further, he suddenly seemed to sense something. Turning his gaze toward a woman busy at work in the depths of the cave, his body froze on the spot, and a flicker of horror flashed through his eyes. As a Nightwatcher himself, his perception toward his own kind was extraordinarily keen. The unassuming woman before him was none other than a Nightwatcher! What was more... She had activated her power at least two to three times. She looked seventeen or eighteen, meaning she could activate it at most once more. Though a storm raged in his mind, his expression remained placid. This meant that Fan Gate's threat level had to be elevated another notch. The deterrence an organization commanded with a Nightwatcher versus one without was worlds apart. Most importantly, there were vast differences among Nightwatchers. The lower tier consisted of those who had never activated their power. Although they retained more uses, such people rarely possessed the resolve to sacrifice themselves for their faction; when faced with burning away their remaining lifespan, very few could bring themselves to take that step. It was not unheard of for a clan to deploy a Nightwatcher against a powerful foe, only for the Nightwatcher to turn tail and flee halfway through. The higher tier consisted of individuals like him and this woman. Those who had already activated their power had proven their willingness to sacrifice for their faction. Should their faction face mortal peril, they were ready to activate it again at any moment. Only a Nightwatcher who had already made that sacrifice once possessed genuine external deterrence. Inside the wooden cabin, Chen Fan sat on a wooden chair, personally pouring tea for Qi Yue and the others. With a helpless smile, he said, "These past days, Fan Gate has been cooped up through the rainy season. It only ended yesterday, and we are still in the middle of repairs. Trade with the outside world hasn't begun yet, so we have nothing decent with which to entertain our guests. "I hope you will forgive our humble hospitality. "We were just planning to rest for a day before heading into Jiangbei City tomorrow. "You must have passed Jiangbei City on your way here. How did the city fare?" "Practically unscathed." Sitting in his chair, Qi Yue bore none of Old Demon Jiangbei's usual indolence; his back was rod-straight as he answered earnestly, "Few people in the city were in mourning. The city walls suffered some damage, but it didn't look too severe." In the first half of his life, he had roamed the martial world with nothing but a single sword. He had never feared raw power. Nor had he feared nobility. Even before the patriarch of the Gongyang clan, he had never adopted such an attitude. No matter how formidable others were, they wouldn't share a single coin with him, so why should he bow and scrape? Yet facing Chen Fan, an instinctive feeling kept him from holding his head high... The main problem was that he had strutted and put on airs before Chen Fan just a month ago. Now that the tables had turned, he felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles, thoroughly embarrassed and eager to leave as soon as possible. "That is good to hear." Chen Fan let out a quiet breath of relief. There were chickens in Jiangbei City he had long intended to slaughter; they couldn't just go and die on him. He then asked, "May I ask what other business brings Senior Qi on this trip?" Before the words had even settled, and before Qi Yue could reply, Chen Fan shook his head with an amused sigh. "I recall Mount Nameless sits at the northernmost edge of the Jiangbei Wasteland, yet why is it so lively today? More people have arrived at the canyon mouth, bearing a banner with an alchemy furnace on it. I wonder which faction they hail from." "It's Medicine King Valley," Qi Yue blurted out instinctively, surprised that Medicine King Valley had come as well. "Would you care to accompany me to the canyon mouth to welcome them?" "That would be excellent." At the canyon entrance of Mount Nameless, the party from Medicine King Valley pulled up slowly, halting without advancing further. The Fan Gate banner planted at the canyon mouth clearly proclaimed this as Fan Gate territory. Barging in uninvited would be tantamount to an act of war. Yet the problem was... "Where is everyone?" A young man with feminine features leaped down from a carriage, scratching his head as he looked around the canyon entrance in bewilderment. "They don't even have a sentry or messenger here? "For a faction capable of slaying a ghost king, isn't this a bit too shabby?" Just then, the sound of hoofbeats echoed from inside the canyon. Soon, a young man riding a Skeleton Horse appeared, leading a group of men before coming to a halt before them. He called out, "I am Chen Fan, Master of Fan Gate. Hearing that esteemed guests from Medicine King Valley have arrived, forgive me for not coming out sooner to welcome you." The sect master had come out in person. The elderly man behind the youth straightened his expression and hurriedly poked the youth's waist from a hidden angle. The young man caught on immediately. Cupping his fists respectfully, he said in a solemn voice, "Junior is named Qi Feng, a direct disciple of Medicine King Valley. My father is the Valley Master." Though the Chen Fan before him appeared roughly the same age as him, his standing and status were an entire tier higher—on par with his father's. Naturally, he had to address himself as a junior. "Please," Chen Fan said with a smile. "Let us talk inside. Just your presence is honor enough; there was no need to bring gifts." Back in the sinkhole, Chen Fan turned to the group from Medicine King Valley and said warmly, "Come, inside please." Standing to the side, Qi Feng's mouth twitched slightly. He could only rejoice in his father's foresight; before departing, his father had sent someone to deliver a batch of gifts for him to bring along. Nearby, Wang Kui had already stacked the chests brought by Medicine King Valley and the Gongyang clan out in the open, planting signboards indicating each faction in front of their respective piles. A single glance at the Gongyang clan's chests showed roughly five thousand ghost stones. Meanwhile, the chests from Medicine King Valley held... A full ten thousand ghost stones, five unopened white exotic treasures, one unopened green exotic treasure, fifty bottles of pills, and two heavenly materials and earthly treasures. It completely overshadowed the Gongyang clan's congratulatory gift. "Come, drink some tea." At the tea table, Chen Fan brewed tea for his guests with a smile more genuine than it had ever been. From time to time, he checked the Shadow-Projecting Formation stationed at the canyon mouth through the Eternal Night Lord panel in his soul, watching for any new arrivals. He had suddenly realized the perks of fame. One could collect gifts. He knew full well these factions had learned of his victory over the ghost king through the celestial phenomenon and had come specifically to pay their respects and curry favor. After all, when dealing with a newly risen power, even if one could not forge a deep friendship, one certainly could not afford to offend them. Still... He was more than happy to see it. Just in ghost stones alone, he had already gathered fifteen thousand. That was equivalent to several cesspools' worth for Weiwei, and it had basically fallen into his lap. How could he not be thrilled? Though Qi Yue felt somewhat awkward sitting at the table, he was far better off than at the start and could bring himself to converse with Chen Fan. As for Gongyang Yiyue, he grew increasingly uneasy. He kept glancing sideways at the two piles of gifts sitting directly outside the window. When they set out, they had never planned to visit Fan Gate; it had been an impromptu decision made only after arriving at Jiangnan Water City. Consequently, they had brought no proper gifts at all. Those five thousand ghost stones had been scraped together from the spare reserves the caravan carried for travel. Under normal circumstances, such a gift was quite respectable. Yet compared to Medicine King Valley, it appeared terribly stingy. Qi Yue didn't have to care, but Gongyang Yiyue was the true representative of the Gongyang clan... It was his face being dragged through the dirt. "By the way—" After a round of lively conversation, Chen Fan suddenly thought of something. Brow furrowing, he looked at Qi Feng. "Is everyone in Medicine King Valley an alchemist?" "Not everyone, but we have a greater concentration of alchemists, and their skills are superior to those in other factions." "You people from Jiangnan are knowledgeable and well-traveled. Do you know of a kind of beast that is not a ghost creature, yet is far larger and stronger than ordinary beasts, and possesses a fair degree of intelligence?" "Is Sect Master referring to... an exotic beast?" Qi Feng asked tentatively. "An exotic beast..." Chen Fan murmured the words under his breath before nodding. "Yes, an exotic beast. Do you know if the holy water from an altar can heal wounds on an exotic beast?" "It can." Qi Feng cleared his throat, finally arriving on his home turf. With a serious expression, he explained, "Naturally. The holy water from an altar isn't well-suited for complex conditions like detoxification, but it works wonders for external trauma. "It leaves no lingering ailments, and the recovery time is exceptionally brief. "However, the consumption is rather steep. Most factions therefore employ a combination of the altar and medicinal pills for treatment, whether for exotic beasts or humans. That way, fewer ghost stones are spent, and the healing speed remains very swift. "Has Sect Master... subdued an exotic beast?" He wasn't particularly surprised by the notion. People in Jiangbei knew little of exotic beasts, mainly because beasts chose hospitable environments to dwell in. Jiangbei was entirely wasteland without a single proper city, and exotic beasts feared being swallowed by ghost tides just as much as humans did. In Jiangnan, exotic beasts were hardly uncommon. Medicine King Valley possessed one itself: a Gold-Devouring Toad that guarded their valley entrance. "Indeed," Chen Fan nodded without concealing the fact. "During the battle against the ghost king the night before last, it suffered some injuries. I placed it in the altar to soak for a full day and night, yet the wounds show no sign of mending. Would you... be willing to come have a look?" "It would be my honor." Chen Fan led Medicine King Valley's Qi Feng to the mouth of Cave No. 1. Weiwei was lying prone at the base of the rock face, where holy water from the altar flowed continuously down upon it through a copper pipe embedded in the stone. At that moment, Weiwei was looking toward Chen Fan with longing eyes, a brand-new porcelain vat placed beside it. Atop its head was a massive, bloody crater; though it was no longer bleeding, the exposed flesh and bone were clearly visible. Even as holy water poured over it in an endless stream, there was not the slightest indication of healing. The instant it caught sight of Qi Feng, Weiwei instinctively rose, retreated a step, and let out a fierce growl that masked its inner fear. "It's fine, Weiwei," Chen Fan patted its head gently. "This is a physician I found for you. Let him take a look at what's going on." Weiwei let out a soft whimper before obediently lying back down on the ground. *Phew...* Qi Feng took a deep breath, stepped forward earnestly, and began inspecting the wound. Yet... his brow furrowed deeper, and deeper, and deeper still... "Stop scowling and tell me what the situation is." Chen Fan sighed softly. Across two lifetimes, what he dreaded most was a doctor knitting their brows; a furrowed brow always felt like a diagnosis of some terminal, incurable disease. "The situation is very strange," Qi Feng said hoarsely after a long silence. "I don't recognize this species of exotic beast, nor can I make sense of its injury. By all logic, with such a massive supply of holy water, a minor wound like this should have healed long ago. "My knowledge is limited. I may need to consult my father and have him examine it personally to understand what is happening. "I have a technique that allows my father to view the beast's condition from afar through my eyes, but... it might reveal the surrounding structures..." He trailed off, speaking with hesitation.