Chapter 282 - 148: Master Xuantan’s Fear, the Power to Influence Reality

Chapter 282: Chapter 148: Master Xuantan’s Fear, the Power to Influence Reality

As evening fell and the sky began to dim, the pedestrians on the streets of Ping’an Town had dwindled to just a few.

In a private room on the second floor of a restaurant near the Bi Family residence, Pan Heng, Commander-in-Chief of the Ping’an Town garrison, sat with the utmost respect. Across from him was a white-haired old man.

The old man was none other than Lu Fu, who had rushed here from Yun Port City.

Lu Fu was clutching a long, thin object completely wrapped in silk, which rested squarely on his lap.

Although Pan Heng couldn’t tell what was wrapped inside, Lu Fu’s solemn demeanor spoke volumes.

On the surface, Lu Fu was just an ordinary, gray-haired old man—the kind no one would look at twice in a crowd.

Pan Heng, however, was incredibly stirred. He sat ramrod straight, his hands resting primly on his knees. He spoke deliberately, choosing each word with care, as if terrified of misspeaking or leaving anything out.

’Who would have thought I’d get to meet one of Lord Lu’s own confidants today? What an incredibly rare opportunity.’

’In all of Yun Port City, you can count the number of people worthy of being called "Lord Lu’s confidant" on one hand.’

’And this ordinary-looking old man before me is one of them.’

"Elder Fu, that’s the general situation. Do you think we should deploy more men?"

He had already ordered a thousand plainclothes soldiers to secretly station themselves in the area around the Bi Family residence.

These men were scattered throughout the streets, alleys, and shops surrounding the Bi Family estate. Some posed as merchants, others as passersby, and some were hidden in private residences. In short, they had the Bi Family residence completely locked down.

But after mulling it over, Pan Heng felt it still wasn’t enough, so he ordered another five hundred men to be added.

A force of 1,500 men was already half the Ping’an Town garrison. Any more than that, and it might disrupt daily order in other parts of town.

But facing the fiends of the Lifeless Lotus Sect, Pan Heng didn’t dare let his guard down. Their methods were bizarre, and who knew what kind of sinister Techniques they might possess.

Lu Fu pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "That won’t be necessary. We mustn’t delay. You will immediately accompany me to storm the Bi Family residence and capture the fiends of the Lifeless Lotus Sect. As for any who resist, kill them without mercy."

’As long as we don’t run into a Grandmaster of Divine Intent, a few fiends from the Lifeless Lotus Sect are nothing more than target practice for our guns.’

’I’ve followed Lu Yun for so many years—what storms haven’t I weathered? I’m not about to be intimidated by a few cultists.’

Pan Heng shot to his feet, bringing his fist to his palm in a crisp salute. "Excellent! We’ll proceed as you command, Elder Fu!" he declared in a booming voice.

The Bi Family was the family of the town mayor, and their estate was located in the very heart of Ping’an Town, surrounded on all sides by bustling streets.

Normally, at this hour, the streets would be bustling with people, but today was completely different.

Thanks to Pan Heng’s covert arrangements, the crowds had already been quietly dispersed.

Though it was only early evening, not a single soul could be seen on the streets. The shops on both sides had closed early, a world apart from the usual noisy scene.

Outside the Bi Family’s main gate, seven guards leaned against the gateposts, yawning from sheer boredom.

They, too, were slowly beginning to sense that something was off. Normally, even at this hour, a few pedestrians would still be passing by in twos and threes on the main street outside. Occasionally, they’d even hear the sound of children chasing each other and laughing.

But now? There wasn’t a soul in sight, not even a ghost. The silence was so complete it gave them the creeps, as if something was watching them from the shadows.

A young guard scratched his head, looking around in confusion. "Brother Ma, why’s it so dead today? Did we forget about some festival or something? Is there a temple fair going on?"

The head guard, Brother Ma, frowned. He took a slow drag from the cigarette dangling from his lips and exhaled a puff of smoke. "What festival? There’s no festival today. You gone soft in the head from standing around too long, kid?"

Just then, another guard chimed in. "Yeah, Brother Ma’s right. I check the almanac every day. Today’s just a regular day, nothing special. It did say it was an inauspicious day for all activities, though. You don’t think people actually listened to that and stayed home, do you?"

The young guard who had spoken first glanced around, feeling more and more uneasy. "That’s weird, then. It’s not just that there are fewer people. Look over there—Li’s grocery, it’s already closed for the day."

"Old Li over there usually doesn’t close up until it’s dark enough to need lanterns. He’s closing before the sun has even fully set?"

A lanky guard beside him muttered as well, pointing across the street. "It’s true. The owner of Li’s wishes he could stay open 24/7. He even eats his meals in the shop. You’re telling me he’s willing to close up this early? Did the sun rise in the west or something?"

Another guard rubbed his stomach and grumbled, "Forget Li’s, even the An Family’s noodle shop is closed. I was planning on grabbing a bowl of their saozi noodles after my shift. Man, that meat sauce... tsk, just thinking about it makes my mouth water."

"Yeah, it’s like they all made a pact or something."

The more the young guard talked, the more uneasy he felt. His voice dropped instinctively. "Brother Ma, you don’t think... something’s about to happen, do you?"

The more Brother Ma listened, the more a chill crept down his spine. His brows knitted into a tight knot as he flicked away his cigarette butt, his eyes scanning the empty street.

Then, in a fleeting glance, Brother Ma saw them. At the end of every street leading to the Bi Family’s main gate, swarms of people surged out at almost the exact same instant.