Chapter 102: Deliberation

Yang Xiao glanced at the others and found that they were all cultivators at the Qi Condensation stage, except for the delicate young girl whose cultivation seemed slightly lower—likely just having entered the Qi Condensation realm. The girl’s brother and another man dressed as a woodcutter had cultivation levels similar to Yang Xiao’s, roughly at the second or third level of Qi Condensation. It seemed they were all stuck at the bottleneck of this stage, which was why they had teamed up with Cang Yuan to take the risk of stealing spirit herbs.

“Everyone is here because of me, so you might not be familiar with each other yet. Let me introduce you: this woodcutter is my longtime friend Jiao Fei. These two siblings are also my friends, Yu Yong and Yu Jing. As for the young gentleman here, that’s Yang Xiao, whom I just recently met. Naturally, you have all come for the same goal—to obtain spirit herbs to refine pills and further advance your cultivation. I have already investigated the Murong family’s spirit herb garden, and they do have the herbs we need. The next step is how we are going to get them. Everyone can share their opinions so we can proceed accordingly,” Cang Yuan explained to the group.

“We’ve come together because we are all lone cultivators, lacking many resources for cultivation. That’s why we need to find spirit herbs to refine pills. Since we share the same goal, it only makes sense to cooperate and accomplish it together. As for the specific plan, I trust Cang Yuan has made thorough preparations, so just tell us what to do, and I’ll carry it out,” said Jiao Fei, the woodcutter.

“Indeed, since we siblings came because of Cang Yuan, we naturally trust him completely. Just tell us what to do,” Yu Yong, the older brother of the pair, agreed.

Yu Jing, the younger sister, nodded silently in agreement with her brother.

Yang Xiao also remained silent, his eyes fixed on Cang Yuan, eager to hear his next move.

Cang Yuan glanced around before saying, “Since everyone trusts me so much, I’ll share my plan. Once we reach Murong Town, where the Murong family is based, we will quietly settle into an inn. Then, when night falls, we act. I’ve already scouted the spirit herb garden. There is a Murong family cultivator at the Qi Condensation stage guarding it, but his strength is only around the fourth or fifth level. If we coordinate and strike unexpectedly, we should be able to deal with him smoothly. Once he’s dealt with, obtaining the spirit herbs will be much easier.”

“What has Murong Ba, of the Murong family, been doing lately? If we steal the herbs, could he suddenly appear? If he does, it would be a tremendous threat, and we might all end up dead. This must be fully investigated,” Yu Yong said with concern.

“Yu Yong is right. Murong Ba is the greatest threat from the Murong family. I’ve looked into this as well. Recently, Murong Ba should be cultivating a crucial technique in seclusion, so he’s unlikely to appear casually. Besides, with my expertise in formations, I can easily dispel the family’s protective arrays. When the time comes, we just go straight to the herb garden and kill the guardian. That should make acquiring the herbs quite straightforward,” Cang Yuan explained.

“I hope it really goes as smoothly as you say, Cang Yuan,” Yu Yong nodded.

“If things do go smoothly, that’s ideal. But if something unexpected happens, and Murong Ba appears, we will have to rely on our own skills and fate. His strength is formidable. We would have to scatter and escape, saving as many as we can. Of course, this is the worst-case scenario, which I hope won’t happen. But we must be prepared for all eventualities,” Cang Yuan said, looking at everyone again.

“Cang Yuan, we understand your meaning. If we want the rewards, we must accept the risks. As cultivators, we are always prepared for death. Besides, if we cannot improve our cultivation and rise to the top among cultivators in this life, what meaning is there in survival? Don’t hesitate, Cang Yuan. If Murong Ba does appear, just escape alone without worrying about our lives. You have the highest cultivation among us. If you risk yourself for us and fail to escape, it would be a great loss,” Jiao Fei said solemnly, as if everyone was going to their deaths.

Still, Jiao Fei’s words were reasonable. If Murong Ba appeared, everyone would have to rely on their own abilities to flee. None present could match him, even together. Escape would be the only option.

“Don’t be too pessimistic, Jiao Fei. I have prepared thoroughly this time, so the success rate should exceed eighty percent. Didn’t many friends already give me the nickname ‘Divine Thief’? I rarely fail to steal anything, and this time should be no exception,” Cang Yuan regained his confidence quickly.

“I trust your abilities, Cang Yuan, or else I wouldn’t have come,” Jiao Fei said happily.

“Good. Then it’s settled. We will head to the Murong family quickly and act swiftly to avoid complications,” Cang Yuan said firmly.

“Brother Cang Yuan, I have a suggestion I’d like to share,” Yang Xiao interrupted.

“Oh? Brother Yang, please speak freely,” Cang Yuan said, valuing Yang Xiao’s input.

“We are indeed planning to steal, which is not a pleasant thing. If caught, we would be executed with no recourse. I thought of a way to obtain the materials for refining pills without stealing. I wonder if you want to hear it,” Yang Xiao said.

“There is such a way? If we can get the spirit herbs without stealing, that would be even better. Brother Yang, please share,” Cang Yuan said, interested as he looked at Yang Xiao.