Qin Xiyue, Chi Yuyin and the others landed.

Thunder rolling noises continuously sounded from the distance. Sounds of snow fluttering down continued in Central Continent City.

The expressions of Lin Xi and Qin Xiyue on the city gate tower were both extremely miserable.

“These sounds should be from Thunder Academy’s direction.”

Qin Xiyue looked into Lin Xi’s eyes for a long time. Then, she broke the silence and slowly said, “It can only be him.”

Lin Xi looked at her, momentarily unable to find any words to reply with.

“I know that you aren’t willing to trust this, that you are still thinking that there might be other possibilities. For example, he has already been killed by someone, or he is being controlled by someone. However, you have to understand that the single-wheeled puppets and Flame Titans are the foundation of his strength in Purgatory Mountain. The refinement method of the single-wheeled metal puppets is something only he alone knows of to begin with. Seven days ago, Rong Family already began to produce some parts for the single-wheeled puppets, but seven days ago, he was still together with us, so there is no chance of him being controlled by others. Also, you cannot forget that since he could kill that Purgatory Mountain Great Elder, at this point, Nangong Weiyang might be the only Sacred Expert who can kill him. On top of all of this, even if it was Nangong Weiyang, there is no chance of her killing him without causing any type of disturbance. Once a battle of that level erupts in Central Continent City, there is no chance that it wouldn’t be noticed.” Qin Xiyue’s expression became increasingly cold, as if a piece of crystal was flickering. “I know you are extremely disappointed… I am extremely disappointed in him as well. However, regardless of what happens, these things have already been done. I only hope that you can completely calm down and respond like you normally do.”

Lin Xi remained quiet for a long time, and then he slowly nodded his head. “Have Teacher An and the others left the southern outskirts Central Continent Guard encampment yet?”

Qin Xiyue understood Lin Xi well, she also shared the same frame of mind as Lin Xi. However, she knew that it was okay if she fell apart, but Lin Xi had to recover his normal commanding and responding ability. Otherwise, more and more things would leave both her and Lin Xi in disappointment and despair.

That was why she didn’t immediately reply to Lin Xi’s questions, instead looking at him and asking another question. “Do you want them to leave the southern outskirts Central Continent Guard encampment or should they stay there to restrict the Central Continent Guards?”

Lin Xi looked at her and said, “The more scattered our forces, the greater the chances of issues arising. That is why they cannot remain by the Central Continent Guard encampment.”

“Your thoughts are the same as us.” Qin Xiyue nodded towards Lin Xi. “Teacher An and the others already left the southern outskirts. Only, because the Divine Wooden Flying Cranes can no longer ensure our safety, Chi Yuyin and the others are unable to control more Immortal Butterfly Flowers, so they are still on their way.”

“Make sure no one exposes their whereabouts. Do not use Green Luan Academy’s most common methods of contact.” Lin Xi tightened his clothing around himself, feeling rather cold as he quietly said, “He is familiar with our ways of contact, and we might not necessarily be able to defeat him.”

…

Gao Yanan and the others crawled out from among the rubble-filled valley.

Their bodies were also covered in debris, their black robes already no longer their original colors. Every single person was covered in many bloodstains. Even if it was someone like Xu Shengmo, his expression was completely filled with fear and disbelief, cutting a sorry figure.

The great Thunder Rolling Mountain looked like a pumpkin that was smashed open by a club. There were already no traces of those imposing and magnificent palaces or mountain paths to be seen at all.

“Just who exactly are you?”

Gao Yanan endured the astonishment she felt from excessive soul force consumption, looking at that cultivator who similarly climbed up from the sand with difficulty, asking this.

This cultivator clad in Yunqin black armor coughed out blood mixed with dust from within his black metal mask. “Huang Huoxiao.”

Gao Yanan recalled the true events that took place in Great Desolate Swamp’s battle back then from Lin Xi, remembering who this was. “Black Dragon Army’s Great Commander Huang Huoxiao… You didn’t die in the magnetic swamp?”

This cultivator who found it hard to even breathe tore off his metal mask. Even though his face was covered in smoke and blood, one could still vaguely see that his appearance was extremely beautiful.

“He left me with my life in Great Magnetic Swamp, allowing me to return to Great Mang, so I had to come and help him out once here[1].” This extremely beautiful past Dragon Snake Mountain Range Black Dragon Army Great Commander said with a light cough.

Gao Yanan still couldn’t recover from the shock of Thunder Academy’s destruction. She looked at Huang Huoxiao, thought about all of those Thunder Academy cultivators who were completely buried, subconsciously saying with a trembling voice, “Since you decided to help us… why didn’t you appear a bit earlier and give those Thunder Academy people enough time to escape too?”

“Because there was no time.” Huang Houxiao looked at her, saying with a bitter expression. “By the time I arrived on orders, only then did I notice that the ones we are acting against are you all. Moreover, when I finally noticed what kind of method was going to be used, there was already very little time.”

After a slight pause, he then looked at everyone who exhausted too much soul force just now from running with everything they had, saying with a grave voice, “Moreover, despite all of this, I didn’t even have the slightest bit of confidence in all of us being able to escape alive.”

When she heard these words, only then did Gao Yanan recover a bit of her normal thinking ability, only then did she realize a severe issue. Her dust, sand and blood covered face became even more pale. “You were previously a Purgatory Mountain spy?”

“Indeed.” Huang Huoxiao took a deep breath, coughing out even more bloody suds, continuing. “After that battle in Great Desolate Swamp when that Shentu Clan Sacred Expert entered Great Desolate Swamp, his mission was precisely to try and capture that Fiend Race cultivator with me or obtain more information regarding the Fiend Race cultivators.”

“That is why the things that were done here today were because of Zhang Ping?” Bian Linghan looked at Huang Huoxiao. Because of her anger, her entire body even began to continuously tremble.

“I do not know if it is definitely the newly appointed patriarch, but what I am certain of is that these orders came from Purgatory Mountain.” Huang Huoxiao said while looking at her.

Xu Shengmo began to return to his usual self from his previous fear and unease.

His usual insufferably arrogant and constantly irritated expression was nowhere to be seen right now.

He rarely admired people in this life of his. Even after Lin Xi did all of those inconceivable things, he still felt that Lin Xi was annoying. However, when he saw this type of method that instantly destroyed Thunder Academy, there was no way he could still remain unconvinced.

“What could have directly caused this mountain to collapse? What kind of methods are these?” He couldn’t help but ask Huang Huoxiao. He felt like this wasn’t something the power of cultivators could achieve at all.

“Purgatory Mountain has always been researching ways to destroy Yunqin’s three great academies over the years. Among them, there was one easiest method for destroying Thunder Academy.” Huang Huoxiao turned around to look at Xu Shengmo and said, “Thunder Rolling Mountain has many metal ore veins, among them, there is one type of metal ore that would become even more hot after making contact with boiling water, producing large amounts of gas and steam. That is why we only needed to make many holes leading into these ore veins, at the same time open up many paths in similarly suitable places. Once large amounts of boiling water are poured in, the rapidly expanding heat and gas will collapse those tunnels, and then trigger the collapse of the entire mountain. It wasn’t too difficult for Purgatory Mountain’s craftsmen to calculate how to pour in the boiling water and where to open up tunnels. After all, Purgatory Mountain has always been in contact with geothermal, lava, mountain and ore veins, these types of things. Collapsing a mountain through the ore veins themselves is the most simple method, and this type of method normally had no chance of appearing at all. It is because the past Purgatory Mountain had no chance of publicly digging out tunnels under Thunder Rolling Mountain.”

Gao Yanan picked up even more things from Huang Huoxiao’s words. Her expression became extremely unpleasant. “That is why it isn’t only Purgatory Mountain, this was only possible through the cooperation of a powerful influence in Yunqin… This is precisely the reason why even now, you don’t think we’ll definitely be able to escape?”

“If my deductions are not mistaken, it should be Rong Family’s people.” Huang Huoxiao looked at her and nodded. “Moreover, I’ve also discovered a Sacred Expert whose impression to me isn’t any weaker than a Purgatory Mountain Great Elder.”

Gao Yanan bit her lips. She quietly spoke with difficulty, “Regardless of whether it is Zhang Ping or nor, since the other party can even use these types of methods here… this can only mean that this individual has definitely made arrangements in Central Continent City.”

“Correct.” Jiang Xiaoyi looked at her and nodded. “That is why we must escape, or at the very least fight to the death here. We absolutely cannot fall into the enemy’s hands.”

“I want to die.” Xu Shengmo turned around to look at Madman Qin beside him. “Madman Qin, say, isn’t there something seriously wrong with my eyes? Even that dark brat Zhang Ping was actually able to get this far?”

Xu Shengmo’s wording was rather humorous.

However, Madman Qin just couldn’t bring himself to laugh at all.

…

Hua Jiyue slowly walked through Central Continent City’s streets.

Ever since she returned from Great Mang to Yunqin, she had taken control over almost all of Green Luan Academy’s outside intelligence network. Because of some of her unique talents, she was actually starting to become Green Luan Academy’s greatest secret agent in the outside world.

That was why now that so many things already happened before she noticed anything, on top of that still having no sign of Zhang Ping leaving Central Continent City, the frustrations and self blame she felt were much greater than an ordinary person.

Only, she still suppressed all of her emotions. Her sight became even calmer and more meticulous than usual.

As a past spy who was extremely successful, one who made even Wenren Cangyue sigh with admiration, she was naturally able to cast aside the element of her emotions and instead make a hypothesis with the highest probability of being true.

Supposing Zhang Ping was the one who schemed all of this and Thunder Academy’s side was already in disaster, yet he still didn’t show himself at this time, this could only mean that the early discovery of the single-wheeled puppets also disrupted some of his arrangements. He might be waiting for other sources of power before formally making an appearance.

That was why the earlier he was found, the greater their chances of victory.

She slowly walked and searched about. Suddenly, she noticed some areas that were off, her figure stopping.

1. B8C55