One of them was a rugged-faced middle-aged man, whose cultivation was roughly at the third-stage mid-phase, which was quite good among lone cultivators.
He suppressed the unease in his heart, cupped his fists, and said in a deep voice, "Junior Li Feng, a third-stage blade cultivator skilled in fast blades, is willing to offer my humble service to you, master."
He felt that his cultivation was higher than Mei Sanniang's and Sun Facai's, showcasing greater value.
Moreover, after observing for so long, he found that the Buddha Lord seemed easy to talk to, and the mysterious master had never shown any killing intent.
Monk Ku Chan's benevolent smile seemed etched onto his face as he squinted, looking at the kneeling figures before him.
He neither agreed nor refused.
His compassionate smile, however, left Li Feng and the others feeling uneasy, cold sweat seeping from their foreheads.
After a long while, just as Li Feng felt he couldn't endure any longer, Ku Chan slowly spoke.
"Amitabha. Since you benefactors are willing to follow, it is clear you are destined for our Buddha and for our lord."
He then changed his tone: "Indeed, there is a matter at hand that requires some effort.
"Go and gather information. This copper poison in Thousand Isles County is causing widespread panic. Which counties were the first to experience outbreaks?
"Find out the specific locations clearly for this Buddha Lord."
As a member of the Buddhist Aspect of All Beings, even if just peripheral fodder.
Ku Chan understood the habits of copper poison better than ordinary people.
He knew that the places most severely affected, with the most deaths, weren't necessarily the source.
It might just be that the environment there was particularly suitable as a breeding ground for the copper poison.
After all, each demon acting as a host was different, so the manifestation of the copper poison would vary slightly from person to person.
The true origin was often where the first anomalies appeared and the copper poison first broke out.
The kneeling figures, upon hearing this, felt as if they had been granted a great pardon and quickly agreed: "Yes, we respectfully obey the Buddha Lord's decree!"
Even Mei Sanniang and Sun Facai, who had just received rewards, understood perfectly.
This was the Buddha Lord's test of allegiance, an ordeal.
Among lone cultivators who had managed to survive in the lower echelons of the cultivation world until now, who didn't have connections for gathering information?
Merely investigating the order of outbreaks, if done carefully, shouldn't cost them their lives.
Ku Chan slowly added another sentence, as if an afterthought, yet it made their hearts leap.
"If you handle the task well and the information you gather is accurate, Lord Rat is benevolent and will naturally not mistreat you."
Sun Facai reacted the fastest, wanting to leave a good impression on Ku Chan, and was the first to agree.
"Don't worry, Buddha Lord, I'll go at once! I'll surely get all the details for you!"
With that, without waiting for the others to react, he vanished in a flash.
Li Feng and the others exchanged glances, then bowed in unison before rising and scattering quickly in different directions.
Once these lone cultivators had all departed, Ku Chan cheerfully turned to Shitou, a hint of pride in his demeanor.
"See? The task that lord assigned us, finding the source of the copper poison—haven't we already finished a small part of it?
"These willing individuals will run errands for us."
Shitou looked at Ku Chan's smile, feeling a mix of emotions, but he had to admit, the old monk certainly had his ways.
He nodded, saying nothing more, committing Ku Chan's words to heart.
With this batch of temporarily recruited informants, the trio wasted no more time and continued their journey.
With the trio's cultivation, their pace was extremely fast. In just a day, the massive outline of Lantao City appeared before them.
Lantao City, rather than a mere city, was a magnificent fortress built upon a single colossal island.
The city walls, crafted from deep blue giant reef stones, stood over twenty zhang high, as imposing as mountain ranges.
The closer they got, the more they felt a heavy atmosphere.
Before the massive city gate, a winding queue had formed.
These were cultivators and small family groups seeking refuge inside, and the area was bustling with noise.
The number of guards at the city gate was several times more than usual, each fully armored and armed.
They not only strictly checked identification and travel permits, but specialized cultivators also held strange compass-shaped artifacts, carefully scanning everyone who wished to enter, clearly to screen for those afflicted with copper poison.
A simple Test Immortal Stone was also set up nearby, with dedicated personnel responsible for checking the cultivation and spiritual root aptitude of those entering.
Some small families, dragging their kin along, whose members were mostly mortal martial artists or possessed inferior spiritual roots, were often rudely rebuffed by the guards and denied entry, even if they weren't detected with copper poison.
No matter how much they pleaded and cried, it was futile.
"Those below first-stage cultivation are not permitted entry!"
"Spiritual roots below mortal grade require a guarantor from within the city, otherwise, entry is strictly forbidden!"
"Get out! Don't block the way!"
Watching the slow-moving queue before the city gate, Shitou couldn't help but whisper, "Do we have to queue as well?"
Ku Chan showed a hint of arrogance, his voice low.
"Queue? No need for that.
"Shitou, my young friend, you must remember that most rules in this world are made for the weak. True powerhouses receive preferential treatment everywhere."
The last time he came alone, he hadn't found his old friend Blood Jiao, and being unsure of the city's true depths, he naturally dared not act rashly.
But today was different!
Two fifth-stage experts stood beside him.
More importantly, behind him stood a lord with heaven-defying abilities.
His confidence was more than sufficient!
Ku Chan's faint golden Buddha's light once again illuminated his body. Although not as dazzling as when he intimidated the lone cultivators earlier, the pure Buddhist aura and fourth-stage pressure were undeniable.
He completely ignored the long queue and strode with a confident gait directly towards the city gate checkpoint.
The gate soldiers, seeing someone dare to not queue, were about to shout sternly.
But feeling the pressure of the Buddha's light, the curses died in their throats, their faces showing startled and uncertain expressions.
A military officer, who looked like a squad leader, quickly stepped forward, cautiously smiling, "Master, please queue according to the rules."
Ku Chan didn't even bother to lift his eyelids, saying flatly, "The Buddha Lord wishes to enter the city. Make way quickly."
The officer dared not make a decision and immediately sent someone to hurry into the city to report.
Not long after, a middle-aged man wearing the standard uniform of the Blackwater Guard and a long, curved blade at his waist, walked swiftly out from within the city.
The emblem on his chest displayed his identity.
Deputy commander of the Blackwater Guard, Zhao Qianjun.
Zhao Qianjun came closer, his gaze first falling on Ku Chan.
He felt the fourth-stage aura, no less than his own, and the pure Buddha's light, and his heart tightened.
Zhao Qianjun cupped his fists, his tone cautious as he asked probing questions:
"All beings have their aspects, all aspects can be Buddha?"
Ku Chan subtly raised his chin. Though a little surprised, he still showed an expression that said 'you're sensible'.
Then he let out a sound from his nose: "Hmm."
Zhao Qianjun's heart settled slightly, confirming that this was indeed a Buddhist visitor.
But his gaze then swept over Shitou beside Ku Chan, and with that look, his heart was filled with even greater dread.
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