Everyone looked at the wheel of setting sun and doubts filled their eyes. They were anxious as if they were hoping the last glimpse of the sun could hang there forever. This way, the five days would not end.
Only, the movements of the natural law would not be moved by wills of man.
This sun continued to drop and half of it seemed to have been swallowed by the distant mountain. The remaining half appeared b.l.o.o.d.y and made the dusk seem even more bleak.
Qin Wushuang fixed his gaze on the distance. He was starting to doubt whether it had been the correct choice to allow Wei Yi embrace the danger himself.
If something were to truly happen to Wei Yi, how could he still have the courage to face the Head Palace Master?
And how would others treat Qin Wushuang?
Suddenly, a trace of a smile emerged on Qin Wushuang’s cold face. It was because he had sensed that Wei Yi had returned!
Indeed, a figure emerged from the lush forest of the Green Jade Mountain. Under the remains of the disappearing sunlight, although the figure appeared somewhat exhausted, his strides appeared determined as he walked over quickly.
"It’s Senior Brother, Senior Brother!" Huang Chaoyang was overjoyed.
Qin Wushuang went up and punched him on the shoulder as he asked with a caring tone: "Senior Brother Wei Yi, how is it?’
A trace of anger flashed across Wei Yi’s eyes: "Although Martial Saint Ba Liming had died, his information proved useful. I had searched all three places. In one of them, there is indeed an army camped out there. Around that area, there were many traces of Upper Sky presence. It was not appropriate for me to go closer. However, I am sure that something is going on there."
Wei Yi spoke with a determined tone. He revealed everything he had seen and the details he had observed from the past five days.
"Junior Brother Qin, for sure, the devastation of the Purple Cloud Town is related to that place. I could feel the evil aura that extended from that place. I could feel this same evil aura from the Purple Cloud Town and in that deep valley."
It was apparent that Wei Yi was extremely furious about the ma.s.sacre of the Purple Cloud Town. Whenever he mentioned it, a fire lit up in his eyes. Although the people of the Purple Cloud Town had no relation with the Stargaze Palace, they were, after all, people of the Great Luo and they had the responsibility to protect them.
Now, a few tens of thousands of lives had been extinguished without a word. They had also suffered a tragic death. Naturally, these Core disciples all had a stomach full of anger.
Not conceding to man, Zhou Fu said: "If that’s the case, let’s go now and kill every single one of them! We are useless if we leave a single one alive!"
In her personality, there was a type of straightforwardness that hated evil.
The rest of the Core disciples also fixed their gaze on Qin Wushuang’s face and waited for his final decision. Under everyone’s eager gazes, Qin Wushuang could feel everyone was rubbing their fists. Of course, he was also furious inside. However, he knew that to go deep behind the enemy’s line, having just a hot-temper and bravery was not enough.
They must have a brain and a general strategy.
After a moment of silence, he opened his mouth to speak: "Since we’ve discovered their location, we must go. However, we cannot all go together. We should still divide into three groups. I will be the scout to check their skills. And Senior Brother Wei Yi, Lu Shaonan, and Huang Chaoyang will be the second group. The other six will make up the third group."
While he saw everyone still had some doubts, Qin Wushuang explained: "After I go in first, if I discover something is wrong, I will alert you guys with three short and piercing whistles. If you hear my signal, then stop and retreat. If there are no elite warriors present among the enemy’s numbers, I will give a long whistle. By hearing this, you guys should go in and regroup."
Zhou Fu said: "Isn’t this an act to let you put yourself in the thick of danger, how could do we do this?"
"Senior Sister, this task is not like anything else and we cannot judge it with impudence. I arranged it this way to prevent too many risks. And I have the confidence that even if I am caught in a dangerous situation, I have the skills to escape. I would never force myself."
Wei Yi nodded and agreed with Qin Wushuang’s words: "I think that Junior Brother Qin’s suggestion is very good. Regarding nimbleness and agility, Junior Brother Qin is the best among us ten. He does have the upper hand of going in first. From the viewpoint of the Stargaze Palace, us ten are the elite among the younger generations. It’s not appropriate to put all of us in danger."
Zhao Muzhi also said: "Then let’s use Junior Brother Qin’s idea. I refuse to believe that this little Green Jade Mountain would have some strong warriors in defiance of the natural order."
Seeing everyone agree to the plan, Zhou Fu could only obey and instructed: "Junior Brother Wushuang, you better be careful and don’t force yourself."
"Don’t worry, I still want to live. If it’s beyond me, I will run with all I’ve got. Firstly, I must see the truth for myself. Secondly, I want to see the true culprit behind the Purple Cloud incident. I’ve always felt that this thing is not as simple as it looks."
With the plan set in stone, the ten Core disciples divided into three groups and departed one after another.
Qin Wushuang left first and rushed towards the depths of the Green Jade Mountain with the routes provided by Wei Yi. It was a deep valley hidden behind a large group of white poplar trees and extremely difficult to find.
After half a day, Qin Wushuang had arrived before the large groups of white poplar trees. He concealed his body and slowed down. Then, he approached slowly by using the white poplar trees as a disguise.
With Wei Yi’s precise information, Qin Wushuang found it much easier to move. When he arrived closer, he let go that white sable, gave some instructions, and let it go.
This white sable was a Spiritual beast. With its tiny body and fast speed, it would be difficult to detect by travelling through the gra.s.s. As for Qin Wushuang, he was not in a rush to get closer.
He hid in a corner and concealed his body. Inwardly, Qin Wushuang also thought: "If that b.l.o.o.d.y ma.s.sacre of the Purple Cloud Town is truly related to these people, regardless, today I will slaughter them in return. I don’t care who they care, I must make them understand that the Great Luo is not easy to bully. Between nations, the strength and weakness of its people’s att.i.tude and the use of methods must be demonstrated through great incidents. Or else, retreating would only allow the enemy to feel unsatisfied with small gains."
About this point, Qin Wushuang had a lot of experience after living for two times. Protests and criticisms alone were not enough, the iron claw method would not become unpopular any time soon.
"I wonder what kind of people are grouped over here? What are their motives for making camp deep in the Green Jade Mountain? They could not have just stationed a group of elite warriors for the sake of killing the innocent people of the Purple Cloud Town, right?" Qin Wushuang felt that this reason would not make sense.
No country would be senseless enough to station a group of elite warriors to slaughter a group of ordinary civilians.
"For sure, there are more deeper reasons for this matter and is waiting for me to find out." Qin Wushuang thought inwardly, "I only hope that no Advanced warriors are around this area. Or else, it would make things difficult."
Qin Wushuang also felt somewhat worried. If this incident was truly tied to the Heavenly Lake Empire, then they must have Advanced warriors. It was equivalent to the Five Palace Masters at the Stargaze Palace.
With one warrior of that level present, all ten Core disciples of the Stargaze Palace would not even whet his appet.i.te even they went up together.
It was the reason behind why Qin Wushuang had divided his team into three groups. He hoped that his first task would end up in completely failure as his first outing as the team leader.
Qin Wushuang worked hard to calm his emotions and to not think of anything else. He also did not let the hatred and grudge from the memories of the fate of the Purple Cloud Town to cloud his mind.
After an hour, a white light flashed in the gra.s.sland as the white sable scrambled back. It started to chatter with a buzzing sound on Qin Wushuang’s shoulder.
After processing the words, Qin Wushuang finally understood. This white sable said that behind these white poplar trees, there was a deep valley. There were guards everywhere in the valley. It seemed there was a cave up front. The inside of the cave seemed empty and there were vibrations in the ley lines. Some type of digging activity was going on inside the cave.
Regarding of the number of Upper Sky warriors, the white sable could not give any answer. After all, this white sable was nurtured by humans and did not have a strong sensing ability of the Spiritual Qi. Plus with its naturally timid personality, it would not bother those Upper Sky warriors. Thus, it could only gather so much information.
Qin Wushuang put the white sable back into the storage pack. He bit his teeth and went out. By following the geographical region, he kept going deeper and did not worry about getting discovered by the sentry.
Many of these sentries were Pre-Sky Realm warriors. From time to time, one or two Initial Stage Upper Sky warriors led the team and patrolled back and forth. Qin Wushuang hid behind a green rock. Suddenly, he waved the soft whip and wrapped it around the neck of a sentry and pulled him over. The power he used in his movements were precisely controlled as avoided taking the sentries head off.
Along the way, he blocked his mute Acupoint to prevent him from talking. After carrying him to a safe distance, Qin Wushuang asked coldly: "Tell me your ident.i.ty."
Although that person wore a terrified expression, cunning lights flashed across his eyes. Qin Wushuang knew that if he did not put on a little show of strength, he would continue to harbor ill-intentions.
Instantly, he wrapped his chest with the soft whip. Then, by using the slightest power, that person’s entire body felt as if a pair of giant hands were squeezing him and he could hardly breath.
The muscle on his upper body seemed like it was being cut by a sharp blade slowly from the inside-out. The undescribable pain made his four limbs tremble.
"Let me ask you again, who are you?"
Qin Wushuang opened his mute Acupoint and put his palm on top of his skull. As soon as this person showed any signs of attempting to cry for help, he would swiftly kill him before the sound had spread.
"Who are you?"
"I am from the Purple Cloud Town."
"Impossible! How could there still be people alive from the Purple Cloud Town?" Once this person spoke the words, he regretted it.
A trace of ruthlessness flashed across Qin Wushuang’s eyes. He thought that indeed, the ma.s.sacre of the Purple Cloud Town had originated from here.
"You are either from the Heavenly Lake or the Vermillion Empire. Today, let me see how tough you are, still don’t want to tell me who you are?"
After he had finished, he turned his palm into the knife and slashed his hand across his face. In one movement, that person only felt coldness from the tip of his nose as the entire left side of his face was cut away.
Qin Wushuang put away his palm and poked his two fingers before his eyes: "Anymore hesitation, you will be blind for the rest of your life."
A trace of fear flashed across his eyes: "No, I will tell you, we are from the Vermillion Empire. We came to kill people of the Great Luo and to put the blame on the Heavenly Lake."
Qin Wushuang carried a trace of smile as he nodded: "Good, you are telling the truth."
Hearing the words from Qin Wushuang, that person twitched the corner of his mouth lightly and closed his eyes as if waiting for death. Suddenly, Qin Wushuang laughed: "You don’t think I could see your trickery by closing your eyes? Vermillion Empire, you really think, you could lie to me?"
After he had finished, he poured in some power into both of his fingers and stabbed it into the man’s eyes. At the same time, he clapped his left hand and blocked his mute Acupoint. Thus, the miserable cry of the man was stifled before it could leave his throat.
Qin Wushuang slapped his skull and ended his life.
As he stood up, coldness glinted in his eyes: "Heavenly Lake Empire, indeed, it’s you guys…"