Cannon Fodder Cultivation Guide

Chapter 117 - Emergence

Just as Zhang Yiyi chased after that figure, the two cultivators sent by Zheng He to secretly protect her were momentarily delayed by someone, seemingly unintentionally.

In that brief moment, when they looked again, their target—whom they were supposed to protect—had already disappeared.

Zhang Yiyi followed the figure out of the city, heading southwest. At this moment, she was truly shocked, because the figure she accidentally saw was at least 80% similar to one of the three outer disciples of the Yunxian Sect she was searching for.

However, whether the person was in trouble or in a hurry, their speed was extremely fast, and they were highly cautious. Regardless of whether someone was following or not, the figure was constantly alert, making it difficult for Zhang Yiyi to follow without being extra cautious herself.

After searching for so long, suddenly encountering someone who matched the description seemed too coincidental. This naturally raised suspicions in Zhang Yiyi's heart. But to confirm whether this person was truly her target, following them was the only option.

The longer Zhang Yiyi followed, the more wrong the situation felt. To verify her suspicion, she deliberately slowed down and stopped tailing as closely as before.

Sure enough, the figure, having already noticed someone following, also slowed down. They pretended to be carefully checking for anyone tailing them, clearly trying not to lose her.

"Stop pretending. Who are you, and why are you sneaking around, leading me here? What's your goal?"

Seeing this, Zhang Yiyi revealed herself and bluntly exposed the other's intentions, standing still and waiting.

She did not directly ask if the person was a disciple of the Yunxian Sect, nor did she reveal her own identity.

"Please, don't misunderstand, Fairy. I had no intention of leading you here, nor do I harbor any ill intentions," the figure, seeing their cover blown, could only awkwardly approach. "I just felt someone was following me, and I panicked, so my actions were a bit strange."

"If you knew someone was following you and panicked, shouldn't you have tried to shake them off? Why did you stop and start, as if afraid I wouldn't keep following?" Zhang Yiyi immediately exposed his lie. "In the city, you deliberately let me notice you, didn't you? If I hadn't stopped halfway and had followed you all the way, where were you planning to lead me?"

"No, no, I wouldn't dare deceive you, Fairy," the man nervously protested, carefully glancing around before cautiously asking, "I just thought you looked familiar. Could I ask if you are a disciple of Yunxian Sect?"

"Familiar? I don't recall ever meeting you."

Zhang Yiyi's expression remained unchanged, but her suspicions deepened, so she didn't tell the truth. "I'm just a rogue cultivator and have nothing to do with the Yunxian Sect disciples you mentioned."

The appearance of this person closely matched one of the outer disciples of the Yunxian Sect that Zhang Yiyi had been searching for. Based on looks and cultivation level, she could roughly confirm his identity. However, what was strange was that this person had appeared so suddenly, acting nervously and furtively, and even took the initiative to inquire about her identity, which made him even more suspicious.

When Zhang Yiyi outright denied any connection, the man was first stunned, then visibly disappointed, as if all hope had been lost in an instant.

"Apologies, I mistook you for someone else and acted rudely toward you, Fairy. Please forgive me."

He bowed and finally introduced himself, explaining, "Not to hide anything, I am Fang Chun, an outer disciple of the Yunxian Sect. Due to an unfortunate incident, two of my fellow disciples have fallen into danger. I have tried many ways to rescue them but failed. Today, I happened to see you, Fairy, and mistook you for a sect elder due to your familiar appearance, hoping to ask for help. I didn't expect it to be a misunderstanding, and I nearly made you think I had ill intentions. I beg your understanding."

His explanation was clear and straightforward. Regardless of its truth, the sincerity was evident. Zhang Yiyi frowned slightly, as Fang Chun voluntarily disclosed his name, background, and the trouble with his fellow disciples. She silently observed him, pondering the truth of his words.

Noticing her hesitation, Fang Chun seemed fearful that she wouldn't believe him and might take action against him. Steeling himself, he bit his lip and presented his sect identity token with both hands. "Please, Fairy, examine it yourself. I swear everything I said is true, and I harbor no ill will. I beg for your mercy and forgiveness for any unintentional offense."

Zhang Yiyi calmly took the identity token and examined it. After verifying its authenticity, she no longer had any doubts. Yunxian Sect's tokens had certain hidden marks that only their disciples could recognize, making it very difficult to fake. Additionally, Fang Chun's appearance and cultivation matched the person she was looking for.

"What happened to your two fellow disciples, and where are they now?" Zhang Yiyi asked as she returned the identity token to Fang Chun. "Why are you all in Jiagu Guan City? From what I know, Yunxian Sect is far from here, and this area isn't under its jurisdiction."

Whether out of caution or feeling it wasn't necessary, Zhang Yiyi still didn't reveal her own true identity. Although her guard had lessened, she still didn't fully trust him. Her questioning remained within the reasonable bounds of verifying his story.

Fang Chun, seeing that Zhang Yiyi wasn't going to let him go without a clear explanation, hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Fairy, my two fellow disciples and I arrived at Jiagu Guan City over half a year ago. We didn't know each other at first and each had our own matters. Later, due to certain circumstances, we teamed up to explore a treasure site for opportunities, but unfortunately, we fell into a trap that had been set long beforehand."

Fang Chun grew increasingly emotional as he spoke, his voice trembling. "We were imprisoned and tortured for nearly half a year. A few days ago, I managed to escape with the help of my fellow disciples who sacrificed themselves to cover my retreat. My life belongs to them now, so no matter what, I must find a way to save them. I beg you, Fairy, to let me live so that I can rescue my brothers."

"If you want to save them, why didn't you contact your sect directly?" Zhang Yiyi immediately asked.

If what Fang Chun said was true, it would explain the half-year disappearance. But if he had escaped, why hadn't he immediately reported the matter to his sect for help? Why was he still wandering around Jiagu Guan City, risking capture again?

"I did contact them. On the day I escaped, I sent word to the sect, but I've received no reply. I don't know why, but without hearing back from them, I grew desperate. Then, when I saw you in the city and thought you looked familiar, I guessed you might have been sent by the sect to rescue us."

Fang Chun tried to clarify once more. "I never thought that, Fairy, you..."