Chapter 1168 - Diverting the Trouble

Several more hours later, Liu Wuxie committed the entire layout of the Spirit Martial Astral Domain to memory. Yet even after combing through every detail, he still could not find the Heavenly Dragon Sect's location.

A faint doubt crept into his mind—had someone already destroyed the sect?

Outside, night had fallen, and He Yingwu would return soon.

Footsteps echoed from the corridor, followed by the door creaking open. He Yingwu entered carrying food, and the aroma of freshly cooked dishes wafted into the room. The two sat down, eating as they talked.

"I've located the Azure Thunder Sect's branch," He Yingwu reported, setting a simple hand-drawn map on the table. "It's roughly two hours away, in a rather desolate area."

The map was crude, but it marked their target's location.

"Good. We'll get to work once we've eaten," Liu Wuxie said. With a wave of his hand, the map crumbled into ashes, erasing all evidence.

They dug into their meal. He Yingwu glanced at Liu Wuxie several times, wanting to ask about the plan, but since Liu Wuxie hadn't volunteered any explanation, he decided not to press. He would find out soon enough.

After eating their fill, they stretched, noting the lateness of the hour. Donning black clothing and masks that left only their eyes uncovered, they geared up in silence. Once ready, they slipped soundlessly out through the window.

The streets were unnervingly quiet. Since the Immortal Slaughter Palace began its search, few dared to step outside at night. On ordinary days, the Ancient Orchid Star still bustled after dark, but now, tension hushed it.

Moving with the silent grace of hunting cats, they navigated the shadows for two hours, until voices ahead brought them to a halt.

"We have to keep searching this late? I haven't slept in two days!" one man grumbled.

Two disciples of the Immortal Slaughter Palace emerged from the gloom, leaving an inn to head for the next. For days now, the Palace had been sweeping through the city, searching every inn and restaurant. At their current pace, they would reach Liu Wuxie's inn within two hours.

"Prepare for battle," Liu Wuxie murmured, summoning the Heretic Blade.

He Yingwu's eyelid twitched. He finally understood what Liu Wuxie meant by "causing trouble." They were going to kill Immortal Slaughter Palace disciples. There was no time for questions. The two men were close.

The disciples stood at the low stages of the Transcendent Realm, near the bottom among the Immortal Slaughter Palace's ranks.

As they drew closer, He Yingwu's tension mounted while Liu Wuxie's excitement grew. When they were only a few dozen meters away, Liu Wuxie struck without warning.

"Origin Blade!" His most potent attack flashed like lightning, the vicious arcs aimed directly at their necks. It happened too quickly for them to react; he cut their throats before they even sensed danger.

The close distance, combined with Liu Wuxie's mastery of the Ancient Breath-Concealing Art, blinded them to his presence until it was too late.

"Move them somewhere hidden," Liu Wuxie ordered.

They dragged the corpses into a shadowed corner. Without hesitation, Liu Wuxie began stripping the bodies, and though puzzled, He Yingwu followed suit. In less than a minute, they changed into the disciples' uniforms, making themselves indistinguishable from a real disciple at a casual glance.

Liu Wuxie then retrieved a flask of lamp oil he had prepared, dousing the corpses.

"Now, to the Azure Thunder Sect's branch," he said, and they vanished into the night.

Moments later, the fire drew a crowd. People put it out within minutes, but the flames distorted the faces of the two corpses. Despite that, they were still barely recognizable.

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

The street erupted into chaos as hundreds gathered to speculate on what had happened.

From afar, two more men in purple robes stopped and turned toward the commotion. Their attire marked them as disciples of the Immortal Slaughter Palace, just like the pair the attendant in the Three Mountain House had identified the day before.

"Go take a look!" one ordered.

The crowd parted for them. Crouching beside the bodies, one man studied the burned faces.

"Senior Brother Xia, don't they look like the third and fourth junior brothers?" the other asked after glancing at the two corpses.

The youth on the left didn't answer immediately. Instead, he reached under one body and drew out a jade token, its fire-resistant surface only blackened on the outside. A quick rub brought back its lustrous sheen. Every disciple of the Palace carried such a token; it served as proof of identity.

When Xia straightened, his eyes burned with murderous intent. "Who killed them?!"

The air grew cold. No one could slay even the lowest disciple of the Immortal Slaughter Palace lightly, and they were official members. Sensing the danger, the onlookers held their tongues. None of them would have come to gawk if they had known.

"Young sirs, we just arrived, and the street was as it is when we got here," a shopkeeper said nervously, and the others hastily agreed.

"Senior Brother Xia, the murderers must be nearby. Let's alert the elder," the second man urged, sweeping the crowd with a sharp gaze. Ordinary folk wouldn't dare to do such an act; the killers had to be outsiders.

A beam of light shot into the sky, a signal flare that roused half the city from sleep.

The Immortal Slaughter Palace sent hundreds of people to the Ancient Orchid Star for this operation, and they converged on the signal. After all, the death of their disciples was a major incident.

The commotion alerted the entire Ancient Orchid Star as people poured out to find the truth. In just fifteen minutes, dozens of Immortal Slaughter Palace disciples arrived; their murderous intent spiked when they saw the two corpses.

"It must be the Azure Thunder Sect! Just this afternoon, we killed one of their disciples—they're already taking revenge!" one of them snarled, gritting his teeth.

He Yingwu had mentioned earlier that the two factions clashed violently, resulting in casualties.

The Immortal Slaughter Palace slew a disciple of the Azure Thunder Sect, but people had grown accustomed to the conflict between the two forces.

"That's right! Not only did they humiliate us, but they've struck back!" another spat.

"Let's go to their branch and avenge our brothers!" Dozens of disciples rallied into a force brimming with hostility.

......

At the Azure Thunder Sect's branch, most of the members had gone to bed, leaving a single disciple on night watch. This outpost handled the sect's business on Ancient Orchid Star, as similar branches did throughout the astral Domain.

As one of the great powers with a million-year heritage, the Azure Thunder Sect's influence was vast, and these stations played an essential role in extending its reach.

Two shadowy figures slipped into the compound—Liu Wuxie and He Yingwu. By now, He Yingwu had guessed the plan: ignite conflict and create chaos so fierce that no one would care about Anlu Star any longer.

"I'll take this side, you take that. Pour the lamp oil around the buildings," Liu Wuxie whispered.

He Yingwu nodded, taking a flask and moving away. Together, they coated the area in oil, planning to burn the entire branch in one great blaze.

Under normal circumstances, Immortal Slaughter Palace disciples wouldn't dare approach this place, let alone attack it. However, Liu Wuxie thrived on doing what others feared.

When everything was ready, he lit a torch and tossed it into the oil.

Flames erupted instantly, racing across the ground and engulfing the structures.

"Bastards of the Azure Thunder Sect!" Liu Wuxie shouted, pitching his voice higher and carrying it through the night. "We, members of the Immortal Slaughter Palace, have come for revenge! You killed two of our brothers, so we'll slaughter every last one of you!"

Figures burst from the burning compound and scrambled to the walls. Through the wavering heat and smoke, they caught sight of the distinctive bright purple uniforms.

"Branch Master, they're disciples of the Immortal Slaughter Palace!" someone shouted.

"You're courting death!" the branch master roared, leaping toward Liu Wuxie.

Behind him, his disciples charged out in force, their killing intent crashing down like a torrent.

"You fall back first,” Liu Wuxie told He Yingwu. His plan wasn't complete; he needed one more push to make the fire rage harder.

His figure swayed and vanished. Slipping past the branch master, he reappeared at a vulnerable point where two Transcendent Realm disciples emerged.

The Heretic Blade flashed. He didn't aim to kill, only to wound. Both men toppled from the wall, landing where the flames licked hungrily.

The branch master had to save them, or the flames would devour them alive.

However, rescuing them meant abandoning the chase. Cursing, the branch master dove after his men, leaving Liu Wuxie the opening he needed to escape.

Without hesitation, Liu Wuxie slipped away into the night and vanished without leaving a trace.