Hearing that, He Bi came into wide-eyed amazement. He took a deep breath and then pointed at Su Lai and spoke loudly, "Senior fellow apprentice, you should be responsible for this matter as our master is not here and the two presbyters do not take charge of it. You should not let them keep making trouble at the gate."

"Do not be so anxious. If those people want to create trouble, just let them go." Su Lai said, picking up the cup from the table and taking a sip.

Seeing Su Lai's behavior, He Bi hovered nervously. He clapped his hands and said, "Senior fellow apprentice, I think you'd better bring the situation under control..."

"How to control? Since they refuse to leave and are willing to stay there, just let them go. When they feel tired and find no one care about them, they will go voluntarily." Su Lai interrupted He Bi, looking straight ahead and fondling his cup.

Hearing that, He Bi took a tumble. He clapped his hands, thumbed up to Su Lai, and said, "Senior fellow apprentice, you are so clever to come up with this brilliant idea to take a step back. I'll issue the order."

Then, He Bi walked up to that person, nudged him, and said, "Why you still stay there? Follow me!"

Then they ran to the gate.

At the gate

Looking around, they found that so far hundreds of people had gathered at the gate. However, there were only a few people here in the beginning.

At that time, dozens of apprentices had been sent to the gate and advised them to go back. However, they yielded neither to persuasion nor to coercion. Still, they refused to leave and kept shouting.

"If you guys truly want to learn witchcraft, you could come here and try our annual test. Why are you just causing trouble here?" He Bi said loudly. He did not give up persuading them.

A person standing in the front pointed at them and said, "You need to give us an explanation. We know that we are too mediocre to call at the master's house. However, we are fond of witchcraft. Why couldn't we just learn some superficial knowledge? Besides, we will pay for it. Why couldn't it be a deal based on our mutual agreement?"

"He is right. As the former king of witchcraft didn't put too many restrictions on this matter, how could the new king issue such a regulation? We refuse to accept!" Someone in the crowd echoed.

He Bi frowned and continued, "I've told you that you go back as the king of witchcraft is not here now. We'll tell him your ideas when he comes back. It's useless for you to keep making trouble here, and we do not have the right to make the decision."

"No, we can't leave. How could we know that whether it is an excuse to stall us off? If you could not give us a proper explanation, we will not leave." That person said with a tough stance.

Then that person shouted in the crowd, "Do you agree with me?"

Then a group of people echoed, "Yes. We will not leave until we get your agreement."

Then, those people sat on the ground.

Seeing that, He Bi sneered and spoke loudly, "Guys, we've said every fine word. If you still want to wait here, just enjoy yourselves."

Then He Bi turned to people beside him, "Close the gate."

"Uh..." The apprentice said with hesitation.

He Bi interrupted him, "Why do you hesitate? It's senior fellow apprentice's decision. Do not open the gate without order."

Hearing that, those apprentices hurriedly ran to close the gate.

Then He Bi said to them, "You guard here. Do not go anywhere and do not care about what they say outside. I'll send people to take over your shift when time's up."

"Yes." They nodded.

Then He Bi turned to leave.

Immediately He Bi had gone, one apprentice clutched his stomach and murmured, "Ow... Ow."

Seeing that, others asked him, "What's wrong with you?"

"I feel a sudden pain in my stomach." That person said.

"Are you OK?" Someone asked, supporting that apprentice with his hands.

That apprentice waved his hand and said, "Nothing. Maybe I ate something wrong. You stay here, and I'll go back soon."

Then he ran away.

"Be quick! Do not poop in your pants!" Others at the gate said and laughed.

When that man ran to the place where nobody was there and had a careful look of his back, he straightened up and went directly to where the eldest presbyter Ren Qian lived.

At this time, Su Lai, putting on a serious face, fetched a deep sigh.

Just a few days after the master's departure, the Witchcraft City had been in great chaos. Su Lai knew neither when his master would come back nor how long he could hang on.

When Su Lai was thinking of this, He Bi ran over and said to him, "Senior fellow apprentice, everything is in order."

"How about those people outside?" Su Lai asked.

He Bi walked to a chair and sat down. Then he took a sip of water and said, "How could they be? They seemed to be fully assured and just sat in front of the gate."

Su Lai nodded and said to He Bi, "I know. Just let them go. But I'm afraid that it doesn't seem quite as simple as that. Ask someone to keep watch on those people."

Hearing that, He Bi frowned and asked, "Senior fellow apprentice, what do you mean? Why did you say that it's not a simple matter? Don't those people come for learning some witchcraft?"

"You are too young to understand some matters. If they truly want to learn witchcraft, why don't they participate in our examination held twice a year?" Su Lai said to He Bi.

He Bi scratched his head and was still in great confusion. Then he said, "Perhaps they're afraid of losing face if they fail the exam."

Su Lai shook his head.

"Not that. Or maybe they're afraid of various regulations of our master." He Bi went on putting forward his own opinion.

Su Lai closed his eyes and continued, "If they're afraid of losing face, why are they making trouble at the gate now? They also lose face by doing this. As to the regulations of our master..."

Su Lai couldn't help sneering and continued, "Now that they want so much to learn witchcraft, how could they be afraid of those regulations!"

"So why do they do this? I could not find out the reason." He Bi asked Su Lai.

Su Lai hove a deep sigh and said, "I'm afraid someone is pulling the strings."

Hearing that, He Bi could not help speaking loudly, "What? Someone is behind them?"

Su Lai glared at He Bi and nodded, "Yes."

He Bi quickly covered his mouth with his hand and looked around. Then he whispered, "Senior fellow apprentice, how do you have that idea?"

Su Lai stood up, shook his head, and said, "I have a feeling but don't know how to say it."

Su lai's words made He Bi choke. Then he wiped his mouth with his sleeve, stood up, and walked up to Su Lai, "Well, so it's just your feeling, senior fellow apprentice. Perhaps you think too much."

Su Lai turned to take a glance at him and sighed, "I hope so."

"When could Master come back?" He Bi asked.

Su Lai shook his head and said, "I don't know. He didn't tell me."

"Umm... how could Master not tell us where he went?" He Bi complained about Hou Shi.

Hearing that, Su Lai said, "He Bi, don't speak ill of Master in his absence. Master must have his own affairs to deal with."

"I know, senior fellow apprentice." He Bi made a face to Su Lai when Su Lai was not looking at him.

At this time, that man who excused himself from the gate came to the residence of the eldest presbyter Ren Qian. He looked around before knocking on the door.

Hearing the sound, Ren Qian looked at the door and asked, "Who's that?"

"Your Honor, I am Lin Ce." That man whispered at the door.

Ren Qian frowned slightly and opened the door. He looked behind him and said, "Come in."

When Lin Ce walked into the room, Ren Qian nodded and asked him, "Why you come here at this time? What is matter that couldn't be discussed later? Aren't you afraid of being seen by others?"

That man named Lin Ce was a subordinate of the eldest presbyter.

"Your Honor, at the gate..." Lin Ce said to Ren Qian, arching his hands.

Hearing Lin Ce mentioned the gate, Ren Qian felt his heart tighten. He asked Lin Ce nervously, "What happened? Did Su Lai agree?"

"No, he didn't." Lin Ce shook his head.

Ren Qian's forehead knotted in a frown. Then he asked, "Then what's the matter?"

"It's that the senior fellow apprentice asked someone to close the gate and could not open it without orders. Just let those people wait outside as long as they want to." Lin Ce said to Ren Qian.

Hearing that, Ren Qian still frowned and repeated, "Close the gate?"

"Yes, Your Honor." Lin Ce nodded.

Ren Qian sighed and said to Lin Ce, "I know that. You back off quickly for fear that someone may see you. Keep watch on the gate and tell me as soon as possible if there's something wrong."

"Yes." Lin Ce nodded. Then he walked to the door and looked outside. Seeing that no one was there, he quickly left the room.

After Lin Ce had left, Ren Qian made a cold hum. He thought to himself, "Su Lai indeed has some skills."

Now that this plan did not work, he must take the next step.

Then Ren Qian hove a sigh and whispered to himself, "Hou Shi, do not blame me. As you cut off our source of making money just after becoming the king of witchcraft, sooner or later someone will rise in revolt."

Thinking of this, Ren Qian walked to the table and sat down. Then he took the pen and wrote four characters "Sui Shi Gong Ying" on the paper, which means welcoming someone at any time.