Chapter 140 (2): I've Been Ambushed By Dongfang Sansan

Along the way, Xue Fuxiao sent a message to Dongfang Sansan in secret.

"Duan Xiyang got away."

Dongfang Sansan was very much taken aback by this message.

What do you mean he got away? I only asked you to pass on a message for me and save Dong Changfeng while you're at it, why're you making it sound like I sent you to ambush him?

"How did you let him get away?"

Xue Fuxiao's jaw almost dropped straight to the ground.

Holy shit! Sansan really was trying to kill Old Man Duan! He's blaming me for letting Old Man Duan get away!

"We were just about to close in on him, but he fled using his White Bone Teleportation Gate. Bu Chou and Yang Luoyu were just a little too late."

Dongfang Sansan was bewildered.

Bu Chou? Yang Luoyu? What're they doing there?

He quickly realized that there had to be some type of misunderstanding at play, but he didn't bother to clear the air.

"It's fine, you'll have plenty of opportunities to get him in the future. Are all of you in the White Cloud Prefecture right now?"

"That's right. Bu Chou, Yang Luoyu, Dong Changfeng, and I are all in the White Cloud Prefecture."

"I'm assuming you're going out for drinks now, right?"

Xue Fuxiao was astonished beyond belief!

"How did you know we were going out for drinks?"

Dongfang Sansan slapped a hand to his forehead in exasperation.

Bu Chou was a renowned drunkard, so it would've been a miracle if he hadn't dragged everyone out for drinks!

"Don't forget about the question I sent you to ask Dong Changfeng!"

Dongfang Sansan tossed his communication jade onto his desk with a puzzled look of exasperation on his face. Even now, he still had no idea what Xue Fuxiao was thinking.

"Sansan seems to be a little angry that we let Duan Xiyang get away," Xue Fuxiao sighed.

Bu Chou and the others were astonished.

The mission was to take out Duan Xiyang?!

"I'm sorry for coming so late," Bu Chou said with a guilt-ridden expression.

"No, it's my fault," Yang Luoyu sighed.

"I was also too slow to get there," Xue Fuxiao said. "In any case, Sansan told me that we'll have plenty of opportunities in the future."

He then turned to Dong Changfeng as he said, "By the way, Sansan told me to ask you for a name."

Dong Changfeng faltered slightly upon hearing this, following which a look of realization quickly appeared on his face, and he replied, "Alright, I'll message Master Nine right away."

Xue Fuxiao was bewildered once again.

How important is this name that it has to be kept secret even from me? Sansan just keeps getting more mysterious by the day...

After messaging Dongfang Sansan, Dong Changfeng tucked his communication jade away, and the four men resumed their quest for wine.

***

At the Guardian headquarters, a wide smile had appeared on Dongfang Sansan's face at the name sent to him by Dong Changfeng.

I knew it! It really was him! He has been chosen by the heavens! With the heavens on our side, we will be sure to triumph!

Never had Dongfang Sansan been so confident that the Guardians would overcome the Church of the Self-Righteous someday.

***

At the headquarters of the Church of the Self-Righteous, Yan Nan was staring with a flabbergasted expression at the White Bone Teleportation Gate that had abruptly appeared before him.

Isn't he supposed to be out hunting Faceless Reapers? Why has he suddenly come back?

Duan Xiyang stepped out of the White Bone Teleportation Gate, and only after catching sight of Yan Nan did he allow himself a sigh of relief.

"I almost thought I wouldn't get to see you again."

"Huh? What happened?"

"I was ambushed by Dongfang Sansan! Thank heavens I was able to open my White Bone Teleportation Gate in time. Otherwise, you'd have to find a new chief enforcer to replace me!"

Yan Nan was completely dumbstruck. Ambushed by Dongfang Sansan?

"I went to go find Dong Changfeng, and I managed to catch him alone, but right as I was about to kill him, Xue Fuxiao suddenly arrived. After that, Bu Chou and Yang Luoyu also came to confront me. I'm assuming Bing Qianshan was also hiding somewhere nearby. I could see that I was in a lot of danger, so I immediately conjured up my teleportation gate and fled."

Yan Nan's mouth gaped open in shock.

"What's most unsettling to me is that Dongfang Sansan seems to be able to predict my every move," Duan Xiyang continued with a wary expression. "He somehow knows where I'll be even before I decide where I'm going... It's like he has some type of clairvoyant ability!"

"What do you mean?"

Duan Xiyang gave Yan Nan a recount of events, and the latter was left feeling more confounded and bewildered than ever.

"How is this possible? It doesn't make sense!"

In the end, he could only heave a forlorn sigh.

"Chief Strategist Dongfang's wisdom is truly unmatched."

The two men exchanged a helpless glance with one another, following which Yan Nan began, "You came back at the perfect time. The Faceless Assassins Guild..."

"I almost forgot about that!" Duan Xiyang snapped. "I'll go kill a few of them right away!"

Duan Xiyang was feeling extremely frustrated, as if he had somehow been wrapped around Dongfang Sansan's finger, and he was eager to vent some of his frustrations.

Thus, he picked up his spear and stormed out of the room, leaving Yan Nan to sit by himself in a perplexed silence.

How is Dongfang Sansan able to do this? Am I so inferior to him that I can't even hope to understand how his mind works?

***

Atop the city wall, Fang Che ultimately decided, after much deliberation, to go and fulfill his rendezvous with Dong Changfeng.

He was worried about encountering Duan Xiyang again along the way, so he made sure to tread slowly, and it was just past midnight when he arrived at the cave.

However, there was no one there.

Fang Che's heart immediately sank at Dong Changfeng's absence, and he hurriedly sprang up into the air to scour the surrounding area, but there were no signs of battle, nor any traces of blood to indicate that Duan Xiyang had gotten to him.

While it came as quite a relief to see that Dong Changfeng was most likely safe, Fang Che was also feeling very puzzled.

What is Senior Dong up to? He came to the Hall of Protectionists to tell me to meet him here, then doesn't show up himself? Could it be that he's just running late?

With that in mind, Fang Che began practicing his spear techniques while waiting for Dong Changfeng, but even after daylight arrived, there was still no sign of him.

In the end, Fang Che could only make his way back to the city in befuddlement and frustration.

***

By the time Fang Che returned to the Virtue Manor, it was already morning.

Ye Meng was in a great mood, having finally gotten a peaceful night of sleep, but Fang Che was clearly less than pleased, and after taking in his dark expression, she hurriedly scurried quietly into the kitchen to cook breakfast.

As they sat down to eat, Fang Che declared, "In a few days, I have to go take part in the Guardian selection trials for the friendly matches against the Church of the Self-Righteous."

Ye Meng was very surprised to hear this.

You're representing the Guardians? Shouldn't you be representing the Church of the Self-Righteous?

"Do you want to stay home or come with me?"

"I'm coming with you!" Ye Meng replied without any hesitation.

"Alright, in that case, you'll have to spar regularly with me over the next few days. You need to quickly accumulate more practical combat experience."

"Please don't be so rough with me, Young Master," Ye Meng implored. "Even if you're going to be rough with me, there's no need for you to apply any ointment for me. I can do that myself. I... I had my period this morning..."

"In that case, I'll go a little easier on you," Fang Che said in a disappointed manner, and Ye Meng heaved an immense internal sigh of relief.

***

Later that day, Fang Che practiced his Hell Spear Techniques for an entire afternoon before reluctantly relegating Hell back to his consciousness. The closer Hell was to fully taking shape, the more Fang Che felt a bloodline connection to it, bringing him a sense of joy while wielding it, and this was before he had even refined it with his blood.

Fang Che was very much looking forward to how strong their bond would become once the process of blood refinement was completed.

The little fairy within Hell immediately began transmitting emotions of discontentment into Fang Che's consciousness. Clearly, it wanted to play outside for a little longer.

Recently, the Golden Horn Flood Dragon had been almost constantly traveling throughout the entirety of the White Cloud Prefecture, repeatedly visiting places like graveyards, mass burial sites, and other places where many people had died throughout history.

Whenever anyone with relatively sharp senses came to the White Cloud Prefecture, they were immediately able to sense a difference.

Regardless of where they went, it always felt so safe and peaceful.

Even when walking in the dead of night through the darkest of places, one felt perfectly safe and secure.

This stemmed from the fact that even the residual soul particles and yin energy in the air had all been devoured by the Golden Horn Flood Dragon.

In addition, it was also constantly receiving sustenance from the baleful qi within the Formless Divine Jade, and as a result, it had been growing rapidly of late.

Initially, it had only just been over a foot in length, but it had since grown to almost three feet, and the horn on its head was also growing longer and longer.

Recently, it had been rather disgruntled by the fact that the little fairy had received the name "Hell." Fang Che could only console it by explaining that the little fairy was one with the spear, and that once he found a suitable weapon for the Golden Horn Flood Dragon to inhabit, he would give it a name as well.