Chapter 94: Farewell, Arrival at Cloudhill (1)

"It's difficult to say," Custodian Qin shook his head, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "These are just the preliminary reports, and the truth within them cannot be confirmed. But Thousand Mountains is no fool - quite the opposite, he's bold yet meticulous. He must have predicted that news of his possession of the Chu-Jiang Token would have spread by now. It’s unlikely that he will make an appearance anytime soon."

"It's not just our Pleiades Guild. Which of the major powers across the seven continents of the Central Plains wouldn't want to get their hands on a Chu-Jiang Token? Besides, with our branch's strength, can we contain Thousand Mountains even if he does arrive?"

Branch Master Qing was left speechless. Indeed, even if Thousand Mountains were to appear, what could they possibly do? Resort to violence? With their branch's strength, they might be able to restrain a first-rate Adept, but a Savant expert? Even with ample preparation, there was a good chance of the entire branch being annihilated. Their chances of victory were slim to none.

"Report it," Branch Master Qing spat, "We'll wait for the decision from above."

...

Approximately 100 li from Southdream City was a mansion encompassing a small hill, home to a few hundred people. Among the plethora of mansions that dotted Southdream Province, this one appeared rather inconspicuous.

As the first light of dawn approached, numerous brightly lit secret chambers under the mansion bustled with activity.

"Senior Sister," a young man in silver robes walked into one such secret chamber, his lids still heavy with sleep.

"Zhiyou, I've made up my mind. You'll make a trip to our master's residence today," said a middle-aged woman in purple robes, sitting in the host seat. Her expression was cold and aloof.

"What?" The young man was taken aback. "Aren't I supposed to lead a team to assassinate Wu Yuan? Senior Sister, our last attempt in Li City only failed due to our lack of manpower, allowing Wu Yuan to escape."

"The previous failure is irrelevant," the middle-aged woman in the purple robe said softly. "There are more pressing matters we must attend to. Furthermore, we no longer have any time to eliminate him."

"Why?" The young man was puzzled. "What happened?"

"I’ve just received news that a Chu-Jiang Token has surfaced," the middle-aged woman handed him a scroll. "Take a look for yourself."

The young man eagerly took the scroll and read through it. He was now wide awake and utterly astounded. "A Savant expert? Where did this Shadow Blade come from? There was no mention of him before this."

"How fortunate for him to stumble upon a Chu-Jiang Token," the young man found it hard to believe. "There are only eighteen Chu-Jiang Tokens in existence." He stored away the scroll and looked up at the woman in purple robes.

"Wu Yuan is indeed a prodigy. According to the intelligence and evidence we've been collecting, he has the potential to become a Savant Expert, and even a slim chance of reaching the Land Rankings," said the middle-aged woman.

The young man nodded. After the whole assassination fiasco, the Great Jin Empire's agents had mostly been flushed out of the Cloudstride Sect, leading to gaping holes in their intelligence network. Incidents such as the Wingborne Sect's failed assassination attempt on Wu Yuan resulting in Luo Fu's death, and the incident during the Southdream Martial Academy's assessment remained partially unclear. However, multiple pieces of evidence pointed to the Cloudstride Sect placing great importance on Wu Yuan.

"Wu Yuan may pose a threat in the future and must be eliminated," said the middle-aged woman in purple. "Initially, our plan was to assassinate him on his way to the sect. But with the emergence of a Chu-Jiang Token, the Cloudstride Sect is likely to send numerous experts, including potential Land Rankers. If we proceed with the assassination at this moment, the risks we face will be exceedingly high. Therefore, we must abandon the plan."

"Compared to Wu Yuan, the Chu-Jiang Token holds greater significance," said the middle-aged woman in purple. "This Shadow Blade has dared to kill Old Yuanhu's direct disciples and even slay a general of defense of the Cloudstride Sect. It demonstrates his audacity and lack of fear towards Grandmasters. Furthermore, he showed mercy to the experts of the Cloudstride Sect...there’s a possibility that he is a hidden expert within their midst."

"When you meet our master, request him to grant us additional manpower and resources, as well as sufficient authority," the woman in purple robes instructed, "We must spare no effort to track down Shadow Blade."

"Are you suggesting that we track him down and eliminate him?" The youth voiced his uncertainty, "Savant experts are notoriously difficult to kill. Apart from our master, there are only two other Grandmasters from our Great Jin residing within the Jiang Continent."

"Eliminate? All you ever think about is violence and bloodshed," the woman in purple robes cast a sidelong glance at him, "Why go through the trouble of eradicating a lone expert? We will recruit him! Every individual has desires, whether it be power, wealth, or pleasure. And as long as he has desires, he will inevitably have weaknesses that may be exploited by us."

"Our Great Jin seeks to conquer the world, and we cannot rely on slaughter alone. We must attract more experts to our cause. We must convince more experts to wholeheartedly embrace the vision of our Great Jin - 'Unification of the world, peace for the people, and prosperity of martial arts'."

"As long as we can persuade him to join our ranks, not only will the Chu-Jiang Token be within our grasp, but even Shadow Blade himself will become a formidable weapon at our disposal!"

...

News of the battle at Li City spread quickly. The name Shadow Blade shook the Jiang Continent, leaving a deep impression on all major powers. And at noon the following day, news of Chen Tangru and Wang Zhushan’s demise reached Yuanhu Villa. The Yuanhu Lake, spanning an impressive 600 li, roiled with tumultuous waves.

Within the majestic hall atop the Yuanhu mountain adjacent to the lake.

"Tangru, Zhushan!" The usually imperturbable Old Yuanhu howled with fury, "Where did this Shadow Blade come from? How dare he kill my disciples? He must be tired of living!"

Old Yuanhu's real name was Chang Dong. In the depths of his fury, he let loose, allowing a palpable aura of malevolence to fill the hall, causing the maidservants and servants outside to tremble involuntarily. It had been many years since they last saw Old Yuanhu this furious.

A young man clad in beast hide and missing an arm respectfully kneeled to the side. He lowered his head to look at the report in his hands. "Savant expert? This Shadow Blade is a Savant expert?"

As memories of their battle flashed through his mind, Ming Lie couldn't help but wonder if his opponent had concealed his true strength. Thoughts raced through his head, mingling with a lingering sense of fear.

To survive a life-and-death struggle against a Savant expert, only losing an arm, it was clear that his opponent had shown mercy. Ming Lie didn't even consider the possibility that his opponent had rapidly risen in strength, going from a first-rate Adept to a top contender in the Human Rankings in a few months.

"Why did only my disciples die?" Old Yuanhu roared in rage. "Apart from a second-rate Adept, not a single expert from the Cloudstride Sect died?"

"Are these riffraffs from the Cloudstride Sect trying to deceive me? Could Tangru and Zhushan actually have been killed by them?" Old Yuanhu's anger erupted like a volcano, unstoppable and all-consuming. How could he not be incensed? Yet within the depths of his rage, there also lay a faint trace of panic!

These disciples were the fruits of his many years of labor and dedication. What was a direct disciple-master relationship? It was akin to the affection between father and son. He had taken meticulous care of his disciples, guiding them and viewing them as his successors, the inheritors of his legacy. Countless resources had been spent on his direct disciples.

With Wang Zhushan and Chen Tangru's talents, Old Yuanhu believed they could definitely reach the second grade in the future. They were his insurance in old age, when his strength began to wane. But more importantly, they were the future of Yuanhu Villa! First, Ming Lie's arm was severed, followed by the death of his two direct disciples. It could be said that half of Old Yuanhu's life work had been destroyed.

The fist fears the vigor of youth, the martial artist fears old age. Why? In a martial artist's prime, their enemies could only suppress their dissatisfaction. However, as their power waned in the twilight of their years, that was when their enemies sought retribution for past grievances. During such times, strong direct disciples were imperative to fend off their old enemies. Though he still had two Savant experts under his command, they were subordinates recruited with incentives. Once his strength declined, their loyalty could not be guaranteed!

"My Lord!" A bald man called out as he dashed into the hall. He dropped to one knee, his face filled with dread. "My Lord, something has happened!"