After leading Xie Yang and Lu Zhenbang into the shantytown, one thing still had Zou Feng a little worried.
After all, he was currently raising three Human Gu in the shantytown.
Zou Feng was genuinely worried that his Human Gu would act too suspiciously when questioned during the search, giving themselves away with their guilty consciences.
If that happened, they could be mistaken for remnants of the Ten Directions Sect, or seen as accomplices who had provided them with a hiding place.
’It probably won’t come to that, though. I hope I’m just worrying over nothing.’
The search of the shantytown wasn’t just a casual stroll.
It required entering every single shack to investigate. Anyone who seemed even remotely suspicious would be subjected to intense questioning.
Fortunately, most of the residents were very cooperative.
For one, they couldn’t afford to provoke these local thugs of Yuan Guang County. For another, they didn’t want remnants of the Ten Directions Sect lurking near their homes either.
After all, the Ten Directions Sect was an infamous Evil Cult, and its reputation was utterly foul.
And so, after Zou Feng and his two men had searched more than ten shacks in a row, nothing had happened.
In the distance, however, the sound of fighting erupted from where another search party was operating.
They were too far away for Zou Feng to have any reason to provide support, so after a few quick glances, he went back to his own business.
Judging by the expressions on Xie Yang and Lu Zhenbang, however, the two were clearly eager to rush over and earn some merits.
For low-level gang members like them, the only way to get generous rewards and accumulate the vast resources needed for martial training was to achieve merits.
If a low-level gang member just wanted to get by, they had almost no hope of ever Entering Grade.
The rewards offered by the Black Flood Dragon Gang’s leadership for eliminating the remnants of the Ten Directions Sect were quite substantial this time.
Even just landing a surprise blow and injuring a member of the Ten Directions Sect would earn a bounty of ten taels of silver.
"Zou Incense Master, the shack is clear!"
Xie Yang emerged from another shack, his eyes filled with disappointment at having found nothing.
Zou Feng was rather speechless.
He understood their desperation to get ahead, but you had to stay alive first before you could talk about anything else.
’But I’m only thinking this way because I have an unfair advantage. It’s easy for me to talk...’
Seeing that this shack also turned up empty, Zou Feng secretly breathed a sigh of relief and was about to turn away.
But then, he happened to glance at the shack’s owner.
She was a rather beautiful young woman; even her coarse linen clothes couldn’t hide her good looks.
Right now, she was standing by the door, trembling with fear.
At this sight, Zou Feng’s eyes lit up.
Licking his lips, he eagerly stepped forward and tried to soothe her. "Don’t be afraid, miss. We’re the good guys!"
"Have you seen any strangers around lately?"
The woman frantically shook her head. "N-No... I haven’t seen anyone..."
Zou Feng gave her a warm smile. "Good that you haven’t. By the way, why are you home alone? Where’s your man? Out working?"
"No... I... I’m a widow..."
"A widow?" Zou Feng frowned, his voice full of pity. "You’re so pretty. Do ruffians harass you often?"
"It’s... manageable..."
"Unacceptable. You poor thing. Why don’t you come back with me? I’ll take care of you!"
This exchange left Xie Yang and Lu Zhenbang, who were standing behind him, utterly baffled.
It wasn’t that an Entering Grade Martial Artist harassing a respectable woman was unheard of, but he should at least consider the time and place.
A ferocious remnant of the Ten Directions Sect could pop out at any second. How could Zou Incense Master possibly be in the mood for such ’refined pleasures’?
’Then again, this Zou Incense Master really is cut from the same cloth as the Sixth Young Master!’
Over by the door, the widow was clearly terrified by Zou Feng’s words.
After a moment of shock, she immediately tried to flee back inside.
"There’s no need... I can take care of myself..."
But before she could get back inside, Zou Feng suddenly shot out a hand and yanked her into his embrace.
He held her tight, a sinister laugh escaping his lips.
"Don’t be in such a rush to leave, little lady. You smell so fragrant," he cackled.
"No! Let go... Let me go!"
Xie Yang couldn’t watch any longer. He might have been a gang member, but he still had a heart of gold and a strong sense of justice.
This righteousness gave him the courage to stand up to authority. He immediately stepped forward. "Zou Incense Master, doing this right now... isn’t it a bit inappropriate?"
While still holding the widow tight, Zou Feng replied impatiently, "What’s inappropriate about it? Aren’t we here to root out the remnants of the Ten Directions Sect?"
"Uh, but what could this widow possibly have to do with the Ten Directions Sect...?" Xie Yang hadn’t even finished his sentence, a wry smile on his face, when it finally dawned on him.
"This woman is..."
Zou Feng, of course, hadn’t suddenly been overcome with the ’refined pleasure’ of harassing a widow.
The line he’d said to the widow earlier, "You smell so fragrant," hadn’t been a casual remark.
He had smelled it: the familiar scent of the Evil Pills carried by the remnants of the Ten Directions Sect.
After all, he had confiscated a good number of them before, so Zou Feng was extremely familiar with the scent of those Elixirs.
The next moment, the "weak and helpless" widow, who had been crying and struggling in Zou Feng’s arms, apparently realized her act was useless. Her expression instantly shifted, twisting into one of pure ferocity.
"You’re courting death!"
The act was over. The female disciple of the Ten Directions Sect immediately began Cultivating her Skill and Bursting Qi, trying to break free from Zou Feng’s grasp.
Unfortunately for her, the escape she envisioned from Bursting Qi didn’t happen.
The arms holding her felt like they were rooted to the spot, unmoving!
But soon, those arms became mischievous again, suddenly beginning to roam and grope all over her body.
"AH—"
This quavering shriek made the atmosphere turn awkward again.
Xie Yang, who had just drawn his saber to charge in and help, was so startled by the spine-tingling shriek that he nearly dropped his weapon.
Yet this still wasn’t Zou Feng taking the opportunity to feel her up. He was trying to snatch the Evil Pills from her and put them in his pocket before anyone else arrived.
Otherwise, if other search parties were drawn to the commotion, it would be hard to say who the spoils would belong to.
Besides, everyone knew the Evil Pills refined by the Ten Directions Sect had massive side effects. Only the Evil Skills they themselves cultivated were compatible enough to suppress the negative effects to some degree.
If the pills fell into anyone else’s hands, they were mostly useless—with the exception of the Celestial Immortal Joy Powder.
Therefore, Zou Feng certainly didn’t want anyone to see him confiscating these Evil Pills for himself.
Soon enough, Zou Feng’s searching hands found a sachet. He immediately tore it free and clutched it in his hand.
"You bastard, let her go—"
A furious roar echoed as a brawny man holding a short saber suddenly sprang out of nowhere.
The brawny man leaped high into the air, bringing his blade down on Zou Feng’s head in a Powerful Slash of Hua Mountain.
As his Inner Qi billowed, a fierce wind howled, preventing Xie Yang and Lu Zhenbang from even getting close.
"Another Eighth Grade?"
Zou Feng had, of course, instantly identified the brawny man’s Realm.
Luckily, he had also advanced to the Eighth Grade, so he had several options for how to handle the current situation.
In a flash, Zou Feng decided on what he believed was the most rational course of action.