After letting them vent their frustrations for a while, Wu Jie said, “Do you two think that if this Wu had taken action the situation could have been saved? I’m sure you both saw, even if this Wu joined in the attack, nothing would have changed.”
“At the very least, we wouldn’t have been so badly embarra.s.sed!” Zhang Ao shouted, “Even with so many masters on our side, we were actually shamed by a snot nosed brat and forced to retreat!”
Saying so, he pounded his fist on the arm of his chair, pulverising it into dust.
“That little brat, I want him dead!” Cao Guan also chimed in, his eyes somewhat bloodshot.
Only after cursing a few more times did the mood inside the tent gradually calm down.
Cao Guan let out a long sigh, “In the end, we’re just a collection of loose sand. If those forces could unite together like Brother Zhang and I, what would we need to fear about attacking Nine Heavens Holy Land?”
“Indeed,” Zhang Ao nodded. Today it had essentially been the cultivators of Shattering Mystical Palace and War Spirit Temple battling against Yang Kai, everyone else had simply been standing on the sidelines watching the show. If everyone had worked together though, it might have been possible for them to break the Nine Peaks Barrier.
“Palace Master, Palace Master…” Suddenly, a cry came from outside the tent and a disciple of Shattering Mystical Palace rushed inside.
“What is it?” Zhang Ao asked unhappily, immediately feeling disgruntled about one of his own subordinates not understanding proper etiquette.
The disciple showed an awkward expression upon being scolded but still quickly said, “Palace Master, a number of small forces are preparing to leave.”
“Leave?” Zhang Ao’s eyes narrowed and a cold light flashed across their depths.
“En, they said they didn’t want to become enemies with Nine Heavens Holy Land, so they intend to withdraw.”
“Nonsense!” Cao Guan stood up and shouted, “No one may leave!”
At this critical moment, if anyone were to leave, it would have a devastating effect on morale and it would not be long before others started withdrawing as well.
“It appears there’s a need to have a good talk with those who wish to leave,” Zhang Ao muttered coldly, glancing over at Cao Guan and Wu Jie, “What about you two?”
“I was thinking so too!” Cao Guan nodded firmly.
Wu Jie also shrugged his shoulders indifferently.
With the three of them reaching a consensus, they quickly got up and left the tent.
In a different tent nearby, everyone from Bold Independent Union gathered around to discuss the situation.
Union Master Yun Cheng was constantly glancing over towards his daughter, a thoughtfully expression upon his face. Yun Xuan on the other hand seemed like she was in a daze, her somewhat gloomy and vacant expression only further convincing Yun Cheng that something significant had happened between his daughter and the new Holy Master of Nine Heavens Holy Land.
“Union Master,” Ji Yan, who was paying attention to the situation outside, quickly whispered, “It seems like Star Gathering Sect and Cold Snow Hall are preparing to leave.”
Yun Cheng nodded lightly, “When we returned, I overheard the leaders of those two Sects discussing this matter. Apparently the losses they suffered at Saintess Nan’s hands weren’t great, only a few common disciples. They came here essentially to join the fun thinking they might be able to extract some form of compensation from Nine Heavens Holy Land; they never antic.i.p.ated becoming blood enemies with them. After seeing the depths of Nine Heavens Holy Land’s heritage, them wanting to leave is reasonable.”
“En, what Union Master says make sense,” Ji Yan said, “From what I’ve heard, only a few forces suffered serious losses because of Saintess Nan, the rest only have some minor grievances like us. However, Zhang Ao and Cao Guan’s actions today are also quite thought provoking; it doesn’t seem like either of their Sects suffered any losses so are they just using this opportunity to add insult to injury?”
Yun Cheng sneered, “Of course they have a bigger purpose for doing all this. Just the nine spirit peaks of the Holy Land are enough to make them drool, but if my guess is right, their main objective is that new Holy Master and the only remaining Saintess. As long as they can capture those two…”
Ji Yan’s eyes lit up as he suddenly understood, “I see! Their appet.i.te is really not small!”
“I hadn’t thought of it before today, but now I understand why Zhang Ao and Cao Guan gathered up so many forces; they’re treating us all like p.a.w.ns, haa… We are still far too weak, if we had a strong enough background, why would our Bold Independent Union have to pay any heed to the schemes of Zhang Ao and Cao Guan.”
Saying so, Yun Cheng intentionally or unintentionally glanced over at Yun Xuan, secretly smiling after discovering that his daughter chose to remain silent.
Yun Cheng was obviously very concerned about what kind of relations.h.i.+p his daughter had with the new Holy Master.
“Then, Union Master, what do we do, should we also leave?” Ji Yan asked.
“Leave?” Yun Cheng snorted, “Do you think we can just casually leave now?”
“Hm?” Ji Yan was confused for a moment but his face soon went pale, “Union Master can’t possibly mean…”
“En!” Yun Cheng smiled calmly, his brow wrinkling a moment later as he looked up, “They’ve already made their move. Let’s go. There’s a good show to see.”
After saying so, he got up and walked out of the tent, the other members of Bold Independent Union quickly following after him.
Outside, the cultivators of Star Gathering Sect and Cold Snow Hall, who were preparing to leave, had been stopped by Zhang Ao, Cao Guan, and Wu Jie. No one knew what they were saying; all anyone could see was that Zhang Ao’s face grew quite gloomy as the leaders of these two small forces spoke. Suddenly, the situation changed.
A series of miserable screams rang out as Zhang Ao, Cao Guan and the masters who accompanied them began slaughtering the members of these two small forces.
After less than ten breaths, more than a hundred people had become fresh corpses.
All the onlookers were stunned, their eyes widening as they took in this tragic sight, feeling as if they had been trust out into a blizzard, s.h.i.+vering uncontrollably.
Sweeping his gaze across the crowd, Zhang Ao shouted, “Refusing to avenge the deaths of their friends and family and actually wanting to fawn over Nine Heavens Holy Land, these sc.u.m aren’t qualified to live in this world! This Zhang is ashamed to have once called them companions and has given them what they deserve! From now on, this Zhang will a.s.sume responsibility for seeking the justice their loved ones need in order to find eternal rest!”
Cao Guan followed up, “All of you can rest a.s.sured, Nine Heavens Holy Land is only a gra.s.shopper after autumn! Let them act arrogantly for a few more days; when we next attack, we will surely emerge victorious! Everyone disperse now and rest well. A few days from now, we will require everyone’s strength!”
Hearing the self-absorbed preaching of these two, no one responded. It was only now that everyone realized what kind of trouble they had gotten themselves into.
“We’re riding a tiger now, heh!” Yun Cheng smiled and shook his head, a look of self-ridicule upon his face.
The forces and masters who had been tempted and misled into coming here had all seen through the truth of this situation now, but facing Zhang Ao and Cao Guan’s tyrannical strength and methods, they could do nothing but shut their mouths and obey.
Judging from the way they had treated Star Gathering Sect and Cold Snow Hall, if anyone was to voice a dissenting opinion now, they would soon find themselves lying on the ground in a pool of their own blood.
Gradually, the crowd dispersed as a few people processed the dead.
After returning to their tent, Yun Cheng looked around and couldn’t help asking worriedly, “Where is Xuan’er?”
Yun Xuan have been with them until just a moment ago but now she was nowhere to be seen.
“Xin Yu is also not here, the two of them probably had something to take care of and have gone out,” Ji Yan replied.
Hearing this, Yun Cheng felt somewhat relieved and no longer asked any questions.
Somewhere in the surrounding jungle, Yun Xuan and Ruan Xin Yu both followed behind a young man vigilantly. The three of them had gone a fair distance from the gathering place and were now deep into the wilderness, but the young man in front of them simply kept walking.
“Hey, what force are you a disciple of? What’s your name?” Ruan Xin Yu wasn’t very patient so after seeing this youth lead her and Yun Xuan forward while not explaining anything she couldn’t help calling out and asking.
This young man’s cultivation wasn’t very high, so she wasn’t worried he would try something with her and Yun Xuan.
“Two young ladies, this one is called Liu Gui, a disciple of War Spirit Temple,” The young man responded quickly, his att.i.tude quite polite.
“War Spirit Temple?” Ruan Xin Yu’s brow furrowed, “Why did you call the two of us out here? What is this important matter you spoke of?”
“Hehe, young ladies will know when we arrive at our destination, please rest a.s.sured. I am not a bad person,” Liu Gui smiled.
Ruan Xin Yu coldly snorted, “Listening to you say that only makes you sound even more suspicious. If there really is some important matter happening up ahead, why not inform your Temple Master instead of covertly leading the two of us out to this remote jungle? Tell me, what are your true intentions?”
“I have no intentions at all,” Liu Gui desperately wanted to cry but was unable to shed any tears, “I was simply entrusted with this mission. A certain man asked me to bring you… no, to bring her to a certain place, you simply followed on your own.”
“Someone entrusted you to lead us here?” Yun Xuan heard these words and couldn’t help trembling, suddenly feeling a sense of expectation, hurriedly asking, “Who was it that entrusted you to do this?”
Liu Gui stammered for a moment only to helplessly reply, “Young lady, please don’t ask, I have my own difficulties so I really can’t say anymore. However, you can rest a.s.sured we will be there soon.”
Yun Xuan quickly turned her eyes forward and fully released her Divine Sense, but she was unable to sense anything or anyone up ahead.
“Yun Xuan, this kid is too suspicious. Maybe there is some kind of trap waiting for us up ahead. I think we should just go back,” Ruan Xin Yu whispered to Yun Xuan.
Yun Xuan however just smiled back at her, “You’re thinking too much. No matter what, he is a disciple of War Spirit Temple, there’s no need for him to do any of this.”
“No reason to do any of this? Isn’t it clear he has ulterior motives? Maybe he was just fascinated by your beauty!”
“Don’t scare me…” Yun Xuan quickly tightened her grip on her clothes.
“If two young ladies are really uncomfortable, why not seal this one’s strength first? That way, when we arrive at our destination, if there really is any danger, this one’s life will be in your hands,” Liu Gui heard them whispering to each other and suddenly understood why they didn’t feel relieved following him, immediately making this proposal.
“Good, then I won’t be polite!” Ruan Xin Yu immediately acted, quickly patting her palm on Liu Gui’s back a few times, sealing his True Qi.
Liu Gui didn’t mind and simply continued walking forward in a calm manner.
Seeing his appearance, Yun Xuan and Ruan Xin Yu felt relieved.
After walking more than a dozen kilometers, the trio came to a small lake and Liu Gui finally breathed a sigh of relief before pointing to the front, “We’re here, the man who wishes to see you is over there.”
Looking in the direction he was pointing, Ruan Xin Yu couldn’t help covering her mouth in shock as she let out a yelp while Yun Xuan also stared in disbelief, her beautiful eyes flas.h.i.+ng a brilliant light as she saw who was waiting for them.