Playing inventor in a cultivation world

The battle ended shortly after.

Fellin returned to the others, finding out that the girls had cleared all the remaining wolves.

"Good." He smiled in relief. "Is anyone injured? I have healing pills with me?"

Dera snorted and looked away. "I’ve already used healing pills. No need."

Meanwhile, Tamar lowered her head and nodded hesitantly.

While fighting against the wolves, she had been scratched a few times.

Fellin immediately passed the white pill to her, ensuring she took it immediately.

"We should take some time to rest. In the meantime, I’ll gather the spirit crystals of the wolves."

The girls agreed, and they stayed back for a few hours.

Some other spirit beasts came by, attracted by the scent of blood.

However, upon seeing the number of corpses on the ground, they immediately fled.

After recuperating and confirming that everyone had regained their lost energy, Fellin gave the call to move.

As they sprinted through the forest, his heart was heavy with worry.

’This forest is very dangerous... yet the bandits live here. How do they protect themselves from the spirit beasts?’

He really hoped the bandits were something they could handle.

By the time the sun started to set, they finally arrived at the center of the forest.

Unlike what any of them had expected, the place was cleared. There were no trees for more than a 500 meter radius.

In this clearing were a set of joint buildings with barricaded walls around them, and people standing on the walls as guards.

Hiding behind trees, the disciples looked at the structure in surprise.

"Tch, these guys actually built this? Where’d they get all the money and materials?"

Dera scowled in displeasure.

Fellin remained calm, but his smile was gone.

’Judging from the size of the buildings, there should be over a hundred people in there. There’s a possibility that hostages might be there, but I can’t guarantee.’

Folding his fan and sheathing it, he turned to the girls.

"We can’t do anything other than scout this place today."

Instantly, Sera retorted sharply. "What? Why? We have to kill them."

Fellin shook his head, his gaze resolute.

"We won’t be able to do that. They’re too many, and probably too strong."

The girl clicked her tongue and turned away, a conflicted expression on her face.

Meanwhile, Ariana asked hesitantly. "Then... what are we going to do?"

Fellin was relieved that someone was at least willing to listen to him.

"We’ll scout the place. If they have hostages, we need to know where and how many."

Tamar tilted her head, "We’re saving them?"

There was a glimmer of determination in her eyes.

Unfortunately, Fellin shook his head.

"We won’t be doing anything. Right now, we’re only here to scout. Then our report will be used by the sect to know how many disciples to send, and if the elders would join us."

Dera blinked, surprised. "The elders? Wouldn’t that be an overkill? They’re just bandits."

Fellin shook his head. "Probably not. I suspect that they have Master Stage Cultivators among them."

Hearing this, the twins instantly grew cautious. Although they were both Peak Advanced Stage Cultivators, they understood the gap between the Master Stage and the Advanced Stage.

It was no small difference.

"Do you get what we’re going to do now?" He asked seriously. "Infiltrate and scout. Do not kill unless you’re discovered. And don’t make it loud. Got it?"

The four girls nodded obediently.

Satisfied, Fellin produced five invisibility talismans and shared it with the team, keeping one for himself.

"Attach it to your clothes and approach the base from different angles."

"Tamar, left back. Dera, right back. Ariana, left front. Sera, right front."

"I’ll go from the gates. Return before nightfall. Is that clearly understood?"

The girls nodded like hen pecking at food, then immediately dispersed.

Fellin watched them disappear one by one after attaching the talismans to their robes, then he cast his gaze at the gates of the base.

Attaching a talisman to himself, he instantly disappeared from view. Without worrying about being seen, he walked towards the gates and waited patiently.

After about ten minutes, the gate was opened, and a group of seven came out.

"Hmm. Holk’s group hasn’t returned. Were they caught?"

One of them said casually.

"Who knows? They’re the weakest group after all. Hmph."

Another replied arrogantly, then they walked away.

Fellin slipped in while the gate was still open, entering into the courtyard.

The guards at the gates and on the walls weren’t that strong, so they couldn’t detect him.

Now on the inside, Fellin could see the true structure of the buildings.

It was like four normal buildings joined together like a cross, with a tall building at their center.

’This place is well structured. Doesn’t look like what a random bandit hiding should be.’

Brows furrowed, Fellin walked cautiously towards the door of the building closest to him.

It was open, with some men and women entering and leaving.

Some were carrying sacks, others carried crates, as if taking them to some storage room.

’Are these some of the things they stole? Probably from merchants, I guess.’

His eyes narrowed, and he slipped into the building.

It was larger than he expected, divided into different rooms where different things were kept.

He saw bags off foods stuffed in corners, looking like they had been there for months.

Then there was a room where some injured bandits were laid, healing and recuperating.

’Should I...?’

He felt an impulse to kill them right there, but he decided against it. Instead, he continued to explore the building.

There was even a room where he saw skeletons littering the ground, testaments of a decayed corpse.

He scrunched up his nose at the dusty, ancient odor of the place, then peeped through the window into another room.

What he saw left him flabbergasted.

Two male bandits were going at it heavily, knotting each other and groaning in pleasure.

Fellin was instantly disgusted, almost impulsively barging in and killing them both.

Closing his eyes, he clenched his teeth and moved on.

After minutes of search, there was nothing remarkable about the building.

Everything was filthy. He even saw a man and a woman openly making out in the passage, the sound of their wet kisses, akin to haunting wails of a ghost to his ears.

’I’ve been violated.’

Holding his head, he immediately rushed out of the building, still alert.

He wondered how the other disciples were doing.

..................

Ariana smoothly scaled down the walls, cautiously treading the compound.

Although she was currently invisible, she still couldn’t let down her guard.

Despite being a ten year old kid, her mind was like that of a teenager.

Her father had ensured she gained enough exposure before she set out of the clan.

He didn’t want her to be like the naive children who would easily get tricked, then killed randomly.

’Everyone here is a bad person. I can’t be fooled. Also, Senior Brother Fellin warned us not to kill anyone unless we’re noticed.’

Placing her hand on the hilt of her sword, she sneaked into the building closest to her.

The first thing that hit her was the heavy aroma of food.

"W-what?"

She stuttered, amazed.

The building she had entered was actually a large kitchen, with several women producing sumptuous meals and delicacies every now and then.

’Are these... bad people?’

She was almost confused. However, she soon saw the bloodstains on the womens’ clothes, and the unfriendly expressions on their faces.

’There is nothing valuable here.’

She nodded to herself, then prepared to leave.

That was when a burly man entered the building, scanning the women with a cold gaze.

"You slaves! You haven’t finished preparing our dinner yet?! My brothers and I would be leaving the base soon. You want us to go on empty stomachs?!"

The women flinched, and even Ariana flinched.

Someone turned to him and tried to speak.

"N-no. It’s almost d-do—"

Smack!

The burly man slapped the woman’s face, sending her tumbling to the ground.

"Did I say I’m done talking? Ah?!"

He took out a short knife, as if ready to kill her there.

Ariana couldn’t watch any longer, and instinctively drew her sword.

The sound was very clear in the silent building.

Everyone froze, including the burly man.

His head whipped toward the source of the sound, but he found nothing.

Ariana also froze, her heart gripped with fear.

Fellin’s warning still rang in her ears: Do not kill unless you’re discovered.

She wanted to defend the women and kill this man, but she had no doubt that it would jeopardize their mission here.

’If... if they catch the others because of me... or even kill them... I won’t be able to handle the guilt.’

Eyes teary, she lowered her sword and remained hidden.

Meanwhile, the man looked around in confusion, then threw the knife away.

Instead, he grabbed the woman by the throat and dragged her out of the building.

"While they cook, you’ll be responsible for pleasing me!"

Ariana remained standing there, feeling helpless and frustrated.

’Why can’t I just kill him?!’

The question remained unanswered in her heart.