Chapter 172 Cloud of Unease

Tian Erjun gestured an invitation and gave the white-clad guards who had come with You Sisi a look. The white-clad Qing guards understood and began to lead the way.

"Then we shall accept your kind invitation and rest our feet at your Qing Division."

"Haha! Lord Jun is too enthusiastic. Speaking of which, our Rongwo Sect hasn't had a good look around Qingsi County yet. This time, let the disciples broaden their horizons and appreciate the scenery of the number one county in the Black Green Mountain Range."

The mighty group followed the white-clad guards and entered the city in single file.

You Sisi frowned slightly, "Was there something wrong with the question I asked earlier? How can we allocate personnel and fight the enemy without assessing combat strength?"

Tian Erjun sighed, "They are from sects, not our Qing Division. Asking such a question publicly will not only get you no response, but also offend people."

Sects are not monolithic; they have relationships of mutual opposition and competition.

The strength of the sect's strongest member is a crucial trump card. There is no reason to easily reveal it to opponents in public.

Even if most sects have a general understanding of the strength of the other sects' experts, as long as the person hasn't said it themselves, it carries significant deterrent power.

Rumble!

The sound of thunder rang out, causing the long procession entering Qingsi County to look up at the dark cloud.

Tian Erjun frowned, "Do you have any solution to that black cloud?"

"Lord Han said it's a *gui zu* (strange curse) of the Black Rain Tribe. I asked around, and there's really no one in Qingsi County who can solve it, or even understands much about it."

"Then how do you plan to deal with Ye Baiyi?"

You Sisi didn't hide anything and told Tian Erjun her previous plan.

"Inappropriate."

Tian Erjun looked at the sect leaders entering Qingsi County. Seeing the dark cloud above their heads, they all showed hesitation and looked somewhat displeased. "If Ye Baiyi's black cloud erupts in Qingsi County, even if it enters the underground as you say, the huge black cloud will quickly affect half of Qingsi County. Once the *ye yu* (night rain) falls, everyone, including the *guiyi* (strange entities), will suffer. We already have little chance of winning against the *guiyi* (strange entities) , and with the *ye yu* (night rain), our chances are slim."

"...Then what's your idea?"

"..." Tian Erjun didn't speak, but looked away.

"Look me in the eye and tell me what you're thinking right now," You Sisi said, her tone gradually cooling.

Tian Erjun looked at her again and sighed, "Since we've opened up a refuge area, we can naturally open up an area for Ye Baiyi as well. Let him hide in a corner of Qingsi County, as far away from the battlefield as possible."

"That's not right, you want him to leave the city, don't you?" You Sisi said bluntly.

"...Yes."

"I..." You Sisi wanted to say she disagreed.

But the words got stuck in her throat.

Because she knew that Tian Erjun's idea was right. Letting Fang Yue leave the city and stay away from Qingsi County was the best protection for Qingsi County.

Sacrificing Fang Yue alone could greatly increase the chances of Qingsi County surviving.

But to drive out Fang Yue, who had a large black cloud over his head that could drop *ye yu* (night rain) at any time, who was suffering from a terrifying *gui zu* (strange curse), and whose life or death was uncertain, was something she really couldn't do.

'This is for his own good...' Tian Erjun wanted to say that, but he opened his mouth and didn't say it, because those words were too disgusting.

He wanted to be the villain this time, but when he thought of Ye Baiyi's contribution to Qingsi County, he really couldn't bring himself to repay kindness with hatred.

The two looked at each other in silence for a while, tacitly agreeing not to mention it again, and just said they would return to Qingsi County first.

Indeed, they needed to return to Qingsi County first.

While the two were talking, the sect members had already exploded.

The sudden black cloud gathered with the large black cloud over Qingsi County, creating a thunderous sound. This phenomenon was too frightening; it was clearly a precursor to *ye yu* (night rain).

But it was still daytime, and the surrounding area was full of white clouds and a clear sky. Only Qingsi County had rolling black clouds, lightning, and thunder.

Previously, You Sisi and Tian Erjun had explained the situation of the black cloud, but only a few high-level members of the surrounding sects had heard the general gist of it; the others were unaware.

If the high-level members hadn't told them to continue into the city, they probably wouldn't have dared to come in looking at the large black cloud.

Even after entering Qingsi County, everyone still felt panicked looking at the huge black cloud above their heads.

...

"Damn! Awesome! What a scene, the atmosphere is on point!"

Tian Long was secretly excited.

He was one of the first players with the game watch, but he wasn't very lucky and didn't have any talent.

After struggling, he joined the village guard team and became a member. Then, one dark night, he found a drunkard in the village temple. It was so dark that he mistakenly thought it was a *guiyi* (strange entity) and accidentally killed him.

After checking, he discovered that the drunkard was actually a Hengshan Sect disciple from somewhere, and there were identity documents such as tokens.

The matter was quickly discovered. If it was an ordinary villager who was killed, he might have been severely punished and that would have been the end of it.

But since it involved a sect, the village was afraid of being implicated and kicked him out.

Not every village guard team is loving, helpful, and mutually beneficial.

Most village guard teams, in extremely harsh and dangerous environments, become even more selfish and self-serving, seeking only to protect themselves.

Tian Long, who was kicked out of the village, muddled along and joined a small merchant caravan, barely making a living as a small bodyguard, earning little but not starving, and even increasing his strength by working together to kill small *guiyi* (strange entities).

Later, he followed the small merchant caravan through two villages and arrived in Qingsi County. By chance, he discovered... that the Hengshan Sect disciple he had killed was actually a sect traitor wanted by the Hengshan Sect!