Ever since the fall of the Chu-Jiang Empire decades ago, Li City had not been embroiled in large-scale warfare. This era of peace led to the establishment of residential dwellings outside the city walls.
On this particular night, as a battle raged within the city, the citizens residing beyond the walls remained blissfully unaware, their slumber undisturbed.
Wu Yuan landed softly, leaving only a faint imprint. Then, he sprang forward, leaping over ten zhangs without leaving a trace. He covered hundreds of meters in just a few powerful strides.
No one’s following. Wu Yuan darted swiftly between the scattered dwellings, leaving no tracks behind. He glanced back at the city walls, confirming that there were no pursuers.
If Lu Yuming and Mo Jingchen insist on chasing me, then they can’t blame me for what comes next. A chilling glint appeared in Wu Yuan’s eyes. He was reluctant to engage in combat with them, fearing the consequences that might arise if today’s events ever came to light. How would the Cloudstride Sect’s members view him then?
If Wu Yuan were alone in this world, he would have nothing to fear. But he had a family and a clan. Joining the Cloudstride Sect had been his way of accessing their power and ensuring the safety of his loved ones. After all, he couldn’t always be by their side as he ventured into the wider world, and he had no desire to establish his own sect.
Of course, if Lu Yuming and the others were foolish enough to seek their own demise, Wu Yuan wouldn’t mind helping them on their way.
However, caution is the key to survival. First, I will head 30 li south, deliberately leaving some clues to mislead them into thinking I’m heading towards Yuanhu Province. Then, I’ll double back and make my way to the boat at the Paddy Field Crossing.
He hadn’t forgotten his previous conversation with Branch Master Qing of the Pleiades Guild, where he mentioned that his mission to assassinate Xu Shouyi was a mere side quest on his journey to Yuanhu Province. He claimed that he was vengeance against Xu Shouyi due to a grudge formed fifteen years ago. True or false, all were but veils of deception.
The more openly I act and the stronger my power appears, the more information the various forces will gradually gather. Eventually, the information about my second identity as Thousand Mountains will become increasingly detailed. I must lead them on the wrong path. The further off from the truth, the better.
With time, the power exhibited by Wu Yuan’s original identity would also grow. His moves, techniques, and the like would gradually overlap with Thousand Mountains. Currently, Wu Yuan looked like a teenager, thus no one would suspect him. But he had to make an effort to conceal his characteristics and mislead their investigations. Otherwise, in ten to twenty years, when Wu Yuan’s strength was fully revealed and his fame grew, it would easily arouse the suspicions of discerning minds. Wu Yuan’s principle had always been to nip potential problems in the bud.
I’ll try to hide the identity of Thousand Mountains as far as possible. Even if I were to expose it, that will have to wait until I possess the strength of a Land Ranker.
Or perhaps a Heavenly Ranker!
With Tangru’s spear in hand, Wu Yuan stuffed the gold notes and jade vial into the folds of his clothing and vanished into the night.
…
Within Li City, the area where the battle took place lay in ruins.
Whoosh!
“Senior Uncle.” Lu Yuming rushed over in panic, supporting the heavily wounded Mo Jingchen, who was coughing up copious amounts of blood.
“How are you faring?” Lu Yuming asked, his nerves taut as a bowstring, fearing the worst for Mo Jingchen.
“After coughing up a bit of blood, I’m feeling much better.” Mo Jingchen managed to rise to his feet. His face was pale, but he mustered a feeble smile. “Do not fret, I’m not going to die just yet.”
With a swift movement, Mo Jingchen tore open his outer garment, revealing the silver body armor underneath.
“Thankfully, I’ve always kept this divine grade inner armor on. If it had been a fourth-grade one, I fear this bag of old bones might have genuinely…cough…cough…” Mo Jingchen’s words were interrupted by a fit of coughing, streaked with traces of blood.
“Senior Uncle.” Lu Yuming’s worry did not ease.
“The saber wound has affected my lungs, but some recuperation should do.” Mo Jingchen shook his head slightly. “However, when I can fight again, my strength will have diminished significantly.”
“I have truly grown old,” Mo Jingchen lamented with a sigh.
“It’s all because of Shadow Blade. He must be killed,” Lu Yuming growled. He had trained under Mo Jingchen in his formative years and held a deep affection for him. Naturally, Mo Jingchen’s injury kindled anger in his belly.
“Shadow Blade? He has already shown me mercy. If he truly wanted to kill me, he could’ve returned to finish me off after killing Tangru, and I would’ve stood no chance,” Mo Jingchen shook his head. “When martial artists fight, life and death hang by a thread. It’s already my great fortune that he was willing to spare my life.”
Lu Yuming fell silent.
“However, Shadow Blade’s departure has presented us with an enormous predicament,” Mo Jingchen heaved a weighty sigh.
“What do you mean?” Lu Yuming was taken aback.
“Tangru and Zhushan have both perished,” Mo Jingchen shook his head. “Yuanhu will not let this go.”
“Tangru and Zhushan’s appearance in Li City and the ensuing fight were of their own making,” Lu Yuming frowned. “Moreover, it was Shadow Blade who ultimately dispatched them, what concern is it of ours?” In his eyes, this was hardly a significant problem.
“Old Yuanhu trained five direct disciples. Tangru and Zhushan, having completed their training under him, possessed immense strength. Given a few more years, they could potentially rise to the Savant level,” Mo Jingchen said in a soft voice.
“His fifth direct disciple, Ming Lie, was the most talented but is now crippled. The other two disciples are quite ordinary. One can say that the lineage of Yuanhu Villa is on the verge of extinction.”
“Being over 90 years old, it will become increasingly challenging for him to find and nurture another worthy disciple. Don’t you think he will be enraged? Though it was Shadow Blade who killed them, the fact remains that they perished in Li City,” Mo Jingchen shook his head.
“Furthermore, despite Tangru and Zhushan joining forces, they were defeated by Shadow Blade. One can only imagine how powerful that man is. Ironically, Shadow Blade only killed one second-rate Adept from our Cloudstride Sect. Although the three of us were injured, Shadow Blade spared our lives. If you were Old Yuanhu, how would you feel?” Mo Jingchen glanced at Lu Yuming.
Though stunned, Lu Yuming protested, “But shouldn’t he approach this logically…”
“If logic prevailed in this world, why would we bother cultivating martial arts? We might as well focus on refining our rhetoric,” countered Mo Jingchen. “Old Yuanhu is a Land Ranker. He seized control of Yuanhu Province through his martial prowess, not through reason and logic.”
“Master, what should we do?” Lu Yuming began to grow anxious.
“When dawn breaks, inform the county mayor and instruct him to seal off the battlefield to prevent any disturbances or tampering. This will serve as evidence for future investigations,” Mo Jingchen advised in a calm tone. “Additionally, center the investigation on the residences of Tangru and Zhushan. Also, carefully collect the bodies and belongings of the two deceased, and prepare them for their return to Yuanhu Villa.”
“Compose a thorough account of today’s events and dispatch it to the sect headquarters with utmost urgency, informing the Hierarchs of the situation. This matter must be handled directly by the Hierarchs themselves.”
“Yes,” replied Lu Yuming, committing every word to memory.
Noticing Mo Jingchen deep in thought, he couldn’t help but inquire, “Senior Uncle, is there anything else?”
“Not at the moment.” Mo Jingchen shook his head. “I’m thinking about this individual, Shadow Blade. It’s possible that he resides within the Cloudstride Sect’s territory, maybe even in the Southdream Province.”
“Why?” Lu Yuming asked curiously.
“There has never been any sign of him in the past. He only appeared in recent months, striking multiple times, each time causing a bigger commotion than the last and displaying increasingly terrifying power.” Mo Jingchen explained.
“With his strength, eliminating us wouldn’t be a challenge. He dared to kill Chen Tangru, which proves he is not afraid of a Land Ranker’s retaliation. Yet he showed mercy towards us. If he truly is an unbound wanderer, why would he hold back?”
“According to his words, he doesn’t wish to be enemies with our Cloudstride Sect. Two possibilities come to mind. Either he has connections with our Cloudstride Sect, or he is indeed a lone cultivator, but his family or clan resides under our jurisdiction. Hence, he doesn’t wish to provoke us too much.”
Mo Jingchen continued to speculate, deducing, “Based on these clues, I believe that Shadow Blade is a hidden expert who has been living in Southdream, Cloudhill, or Baihu for a considerable time. His ability to employ secret techniques with ease suggests he is relatively young.”
“His forte lies in the saber and stealth weapons. Stealth weapons are difficult to master, implying he must have received some form of mentorship, or at least acquired a certain inheritance.”
“He should be around the age of 30 to 50. If he has been training in solitude, possessing such strength at a young age would indicate extraordinary talent. There should be some records of his early years in the martial academies. He was probably a disciple from one of the three tertiary martial academies.”
“There should be a significant number of family members in his household, making it difficult for him to relocate his clan.” Line by line, deduction after deduction, Mo Jingchen swiftly constructed a rough profile of Shadow Blade, narrowing down the scope of their investigation.
“By the way, Senior Uncle, didn’t he mention having a grudge with Xu Shouyi from fifteen years ago?” Lu Yuming suddenly asked.
“That can be mostly ruled out,” said Mo Jingchen with a sigh. “Are you a fool, or is he one? Considering Shadow Blade’s actions, he’s an extremely cautious man. He would never leave such blatant clues for us to investigate. It’s merely an attempt to deceive us.”
Lu Yuming felt that his senior uncle’s words made sense.
“As I suggested earlier, report everything to the sect. The Inspection Hall will carry out a thorough investigation,” Mo Jingchen said softly, “Such a formidable character, who acts wantonly without any remorse and hides within the territory of our Cloudstride Sect, is truly a menace.”
“Understood,” Lu Yu Ming acknowledged.
“Cough…cough…” Mo Jingchen erupted into another fit of coughing.
…
The first light of dawn was on the verge of illuminating the sky, casting its gentle glow upon a desolate hill located more than a hundred miles from Li City. Though the hill was overrun by weeds, the presence of several small paths hinted at occasional visitors.
Abandoned graves dotted the hill, forgotten and decrepit. In an inconspicuous spot, a freshly dug pit stood, large enough to accommodate a corpse.
What a fine spear, truly worthy of being called a divine weapon. Wu Yuan stood by the pit, holding the spear. With a force of 200,000 catties, the spear lunged forward, piercing through the air with a supersonic screech.
It can effortlessly withstand 200,000 catties of force. Wu Yuan marveled with a hint of reluctance.
Divine weapons surpassed superior weapons in all aspects, especially in terms of their maximum force capacity. The flaws of the Black Mountain Saber grew increasingly apparent to Wu Yuan.
Alas, I’m not fated to wield it, at least not for now. Wu Yuan shook his head, wrapping the spear in a cloth he had conveniently picked up on the way. Tossing it into the pit, he covered it with dirt again. With Wu Yuan’s strength, these tasks were accomplished with little effort. At a glance, this mound of earth was indistinguishable from the adjacent graves.
I doubt anyone would suspect a divine weapon is concealed in this graveyard. A faint smile played on his lips.
Time was of the essence, and he was anxious to depart the scene. However, he couldn’t bring himself to part with the divine silver spear. Hence, this was the only plan he could conceive. He meticulously erased any trace of his presence, surveying the surroundings to ensure no one lurked in the shadows.
Time to leave! Wu Yuan leaped into the air, making his exit.
Soon, he arrived at the Paddy Field Crossing, ten li away. Silently, he returned to his room on the second floor, with no one noticing anything amiss.
Calming his mind, Wu Yuan retrieved another item from his harvest. Earlier, he had counted the gold notes. There were 4000 of them, equivalent to 40,000 silver taels! Wu Yuan carefully removed the small jade vial from his bosom, gently removing the stopper. Instantly, a refreshing aroma filled the air.
Spiritual liquid? Or perhaps I should say Ancient Immortal Dew? Wu Yuan’s eyes brightened.
Upon closer examination, it indeed resembled the spiritual liquid he had previously obtained. He took a moment to study it.
Around ten drops? Wu Yuan was overjoyed. This tiny bottle was probably worth a million taels of silver!