Shennong Dao Master
Chapter 392 - 30: Stop fighting, Mr. Zhao, we’re on the same side!

Chapter 392: Chapter 30: Stop fighting, Mr. Zhao, we’re on the same side!

Upon entering the Fire Dragon Pass, their vigilance relaxed considerably.

The reason was simple—if a formidable pass couldn’t stop them, stricter measures beyond were futile as none could exceed the pass’s defense grade.

Especially since Liao Rulong’s Unit and Wen Shaoyang’s Division had recently made a feint attack that, instead of achieving anything notable, had resulted in dozens of casualties before they withdrew a thousand li back to Zhixiu City, causing the guards to become even more lax.

Of course, this was all relative.

In wartime, defensive measures still exceeded by several grades those taken during peacetime.

Zhao Xing, Chen Shijie, Yu Ziqi, and Long Xiao, masquerading as commanders, had safely passed through five checkpoints without incident.

Particularly since Zhao Xing used a soul-binding grass man to capture the commanders’ Life Souls and read their memories of the past few days, allowing them to easily deal with any questions that arose.

However, how to enter the Earth Fire Lotus plantation presented a problem for the four of them.

"Luo Ba, Xu Ba, Huo Wei, Rah, they are all commanders of the outer city’s underground defense area."

"The plantation zone has a completely different system; we can’t keep going forward, we won’t blend in."

Amidst some ruins, Zhao Xing and the others were discussing the matter.

"Now the only thing to do is to kill four people who can enter the Earth Fire Lotus plantation area, and take their places."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let’s kill," Long Xiao said, waving his fist.

"The problem is, we don’t know whom to kill," Zhao Xing said, "None of these people’s memories include anyone from the Earth Fire Lotus plantation area; they’re two completely separate systems."

"So we must wait here for someone from inside to come out or for new people planning to go in," Chen Shijie said.

Do we not have a better plan?" Zhao Xing asked.

Zhao Xing shook his head. They had reached a point where he no longer had good ideas. From his past life’s experience, he would use lives to lure people out and take advantage of the chaos.

Now, with only one life left, he had to be more frugal.

Once they got the item, retreat was easy; they could run into the territory of the Fire Demon Clan.

After avoiding pursuit, they could take a detour through Flame Mountain, without having to return the same way.

"Let’s just wait, patience is key, we still have time," Zhao Xing said. The grass man he left at the underground checkpoint could also buy them time.

.....

The Minotaur Ye Chongxian, leading Xia Jing and Guan Junyang, who were both ’disguised as members of the Fire Demon Clan,’ was heading toward the plantation area.

"Princely Heir, don’t say anything when we get there. I’ll handle everything."

Xia Jing nodded slightly, "Understood."

The three of them continued along the road, with Xia Jing and Guan Junyang remaining quiet and heads bowed.

The Earth Fire Lotus plantation area was, after all, one of Xia Jing’s primary objectives.

Ye Chongxian was a Power Warrior commander who had been operating undercover in the area for many years and had worked his way up to become a commander in charge of personnel transfers at Fire Dragon Pass.

As the three approached the Earth Fire Lotus plantation area and passed through a stretch of ruins, Xia Jing paused and cocked his head slightly.

"What’s wrong?" Ye Chongxian asked.

"It’s nothing," Xia Jing mused, "I might be too tense; I sensed a hint of killing intent."

Ye Chongxian also scanned the surroundings but found nothing amiss: "This ruin was once a residential area, but it was destroyed by an eruption of Earth Fire."

"It could be the grudge of the souls lost here."

"Hmm," Xia Jing nodded, "Let’s keep moving."

Soon, Xia Jing, Guan Junyang, and Ye Chongxian arrived at the entrance.

It was a wide tunnel exposed on the surface, sloping downwards at the mouth and several meters wide.

"Pabo, hey, my good brother," Ye Chongxian said with a smile, greeting the Fire Demon Clan commander guarding the entrance.

"Yaliduo, are these the two illegitimate children you’re trying to get in?" Pabo folded his arms across his chest and teased, "They don’t seem to take after you much, are they of pure bloodline?"

Responding to the taunt with a grin, Ye Chongxian said, "I may be from the Bull Demon Clan, but their mother is a bona fide member of the Fire Demon Clan. They take after their mother, not me."

With a lazy tone, Pabo said, "They look a bit weak, can they withstand the fiery heat below? Don’t cause me any troubles."

Pabo beat around the bush, clearly not ready to let them pass.

It was apparent that the previous bribe had not been enough, and he had changed his mind at the last moment, hoping to extort more.

Ye Chongxian cursed him silently while thankfully he had prepared for such an event, and took out another pouch to hand over: "I ask for your continued care, Pabo."

Weighing the pouch, Pabo beamed with joy: "Have you taught them the rules?"

"I have, I have. They are good, obedient kids who won’t cause any trouble for you, Pabo."

"All right then, go on in," Pabo conceded.

...

Outside the Earth Fire Lotus cave, among the ruins.

"Why didn’t you let me act just now?" Yu Ziqi asked, knowing that Zhao Xing’s soul-binding grass man could read memories—even if it was just three people, getting them could reveal more information.

"No, we couldn’t strike," Zhao Xing shook his head, "That Minotaur is weak, but the Fire Demon Clan member behind him might only be eighth-grade, but he’s not simple."

"I only made an overt inspection and he seemed to sense something," Zhao Xing continued.

"How could you tell?"

"Instinct."

Zhao Xing explained, "He could be the son of a major figure inspecting the Earth Fire Lotus, or he might possess some treasure. Anyway, it’s likely he could see through our disguise."

Chen Shijie nodded slightly, "I had the same feeling."

"The son of a major figure?" Long Xiao licked his lips, "That’s perfect, when we leave, we can take him down as well."

"All you think about is killing," Yu Ziqi mocked, "Can’t you use your brain?"

This time, Zhao Xing shook his head, "He’s a bit dangerous. If we don’t run into him, fine, but if we do and he notices something off, we have to take him down first or we risk being exposed."