63: Chapter 62: Duty-bound 63: Chapter 62: Duty-bound Should these people die?

The Daoist Sect has its practices, and the Demon Sect has its methods; this is why the Quanzhen Sect is regarded as demonic—they lack tolerance.

These people, of course, could not ask for a cultivator from the Quanzhen Sect to guard them; they are now like dung, repulsive to everyone; and those loose cultivators are the sort who won’t lift a finger without the promise of benefit.

The cultivation items that belonged to the families of the outlaws had all been confiscated to fill the deficits they left behind; they were only allowed to take some gold and silver.

How could those materials catch the eye of a loose cultivator?

Perhaps Capital Commandant Li’s action was out of compassion, or maybe it was a lesson for his impulsive behavior, or perhaps it was a bit of both; therefore, at an appropriate time, he assigned him a suitable task, knowing he would definitely encounter this group of people here.

These people do not recognize him, but he cannot pretend they have nothing to do with him.

There are twenty-three people in total.

The key issue is that there are not many able-bodied men among them; mostly women, children, and the elderly.

How will they navigate the Poplar Forest?

The Poplar Forest measures an average of dozens of miles in width.

With its poor ground conditions, without the ferocious creatures, these people might not be able to get out in a day, and nightfall will greatly increase the frequency of activity of the creatures in the forest…

Seeing Hou Niao still with a furrowed brow, the elder probed, “Upper Cultivator, we have already been delayed here for over ten days.

Food and water are scarce, and most importantly, everyone’s morale is very low.

Several of the elderly and children are sick; we, we probably can’t wait much longer…”

“Moreover, before you, we already found a cultivator who agreed to help.

If two cultivators were to guard us, wouldn’t we be more assured?”

Finally, gathering his courage, “We know the Poplar Forest is very dangerous, but we have no other path to take.

For this, we are prepared to pay the price.”

Hou Niao looked up toward the not far slopes, beside a puddle, where a figure was leading a horse to drink.

He had noticed this person earlier but didn’t expect that there indeed was a cultivator willing to wade into these muddy waters.

“Wait here…”

Hou Niao rode swiftly towards the puddle.

The figure, alerted by the sound, stood up warily, hand already on the quiver on the horse’s back.

Stopping about ten yards from the figure, Hou Niao dismounted, raising his hands high,

“Brother, I mean no harm; I also want to help these people, but I think if we truly want to lead them through this Poplar Forest, we might need to discuss it?”

As the distance closed, Hou Niao saw a very young face, not yet twenty, marked by the traces of wind and frost; judging by his attire, he should be a local hunter.

Based on the experience that local people tend to look older due to life’s pressures, he doubted if the man was actually over sixteen years old?

It was only someone as young and lively as he who would have the courage to draw their sword to offer help.

The problem was, he was probably only at the Energy Induction Realm, perhaps not even as advanced as himself.

“Of course they won’t make it!

Otherwise, I wouldn’t be foolishly waiting here… Forcing a passage might spare only a few; the weak and frail would die inside, but I just…”

Hou Niao smiled; this was the thought process of a naive youngster, somehow coaxed by the elder with a tale of woe, only to find himself unable to fulfill his own promise.

To do so would not be right, as it could lead to greater calamity; to leave felt heartless, leaving him stupidly waiting here, unsure of what exactly he was waiting for?

Hou Niao approached, “You must be very familiar with this place, right?

If I’m not mistaken, we cannot stay overnight in the Poplar Forest, can we?”

The young boy relaxed a little.

At his age, it was easy to trust others, of course, but he also possessed a beast-like intuition all his own.

He felt this person was decent—the person’s gaze was sharp, yet very clear…

For a hunter like him, observing the eyes of wild beasts was crucial.

There was much to be discovered.

“You can’t stay overnight!

The night belongs to those monsters, and it’s ten times more dangerous than the day!

But these people are too weak; even on horseback, they wouldn’t make it out…”

Hou Niao shook his head, “We don’t have that many horses for them to ride.

The ones in their group are just cart-pulling nags which are useless for escaping.

So, they must pass through in a day, no overnights.

If it were your local people making the journey through here, what would they do?”

In harsh environments, turn to the locals!

Those who lived there naturally possessed generations of the most practical experience.

Hou Niao didn’t know, but he knew whom to ask.

The young boy scratched his head, “There is a way.

It’s a type of sled, without wheels.

Broad sled boards can slide over the rotten leaves, pulled by Lin Lu; their hooves are bigger than horses’, not easy to get stuck.

If our locals must cross through this Poplar Forest, reindeer sleds are definitely what we use!”

But, reindeer sleds are treasures to the locals; they wouldn’t agree to lend them to outsiders.”

Hou Niao understood.

Having a method was good, “Can you help to find some reindeer sleds?

The cost is negotiable.”

The young boy bowed his head, embarrassed, “I rarely go back to the village, and I’m not on good terms with them.

They say I’m a disaster, bringing misfortune to the village…”

Another tale of human comedy and tragedy born from ignorance—that made Hou Niao sigh,

“Alright, then I’ll go!

Can you tell me which village might lend the best reindeer sleds?

How many will we need?”

The boy hesitated a bit.

He knew the stubbornness and irrationality of his fellow villagers too well.

They were not the type that could be persuaded with grand principles.

Yet, for some reason, as the words reached his lips, he swallowed them back.

After all, it was a solution better than foolishly waiting and doing nothing; they had waited here for ten days for a cultivator willing to help.

Who else could they wait for?

He feared these people would have starved long before.

“Head northwest.

After an hour’s walk, there is Ancient North Village, the largest village near the border.

They have enough reindeer sleds and drivers; each sled can’t carry many people, we’ll need at least five reindeer sleds here.

If we move fast and encounter no monsters, it will take just two hours to rush through!”

Hou Niao mounted his horse, “Wait here for my news!”

The young boy stared blankly as the man spurred his horse and rushed away, not holding much hope in his heart; for nobody understood his villagers better than he did—their long-standing isolation had bred a wariness and distrust of the outside world that couldn’t be wiped away by a few words.

He had been waiting here for several days, torn between leaving and staying, in a difficult dilemma; he couldn’t help but deeply regret why he had decided to pass through here in the first place, needlessly attracting such a burden.

The key issue was, it exceeded his capabilities!

Few people would choose to pass through this expanse of the Poplar Forest as it stretched deep for forty li, but it was the shortest route to Anhe.

Typically, merchant caravans would take a slight detour under the guidance of locals, through a narrower stretch of the poplar woods.

This group, obviously from wealthy households, lacked such knowledge and got trapped here; they couldn’t even seek out a narrower path.

Not to mention the difficulty, which regular caravan would agree to take such a large and burdensome group on their journey?

That would be courting death!