Chapter Ninety-Eight: Sudden Unforeseen Change

Yun Keke seemed even more eager than Lin Xiaobao to reach the Blood Victory Empire. Once she was sure the five of them were ready, she immediately pushed for departure.

“Alright, we’ll head to the Mercenary Guild first, confirm the mission, and then set out at once!” Bu Yongfeng spoke succinctly, wasting no words, and turned to lead the group toward the Mercenary Guild.

By this point, Lin Xiaobao had dismissed the notion that this was a plot by the Wind and Snow Pavilion. If it were a scheme, it would mean they had already predicted his arrival; and if they knew he’d come here, there would be no need for such roundabout methods—a single elder of Spirit Dao Seventh Rank or above would suffice to capture him.

The party returned to the Mercenary Guild, confirmed their acceptance of the mission, and promptly set out toward Heifeng Mountain.

Bu Yongfeng was thorough in his arrangements. Considering that Yun Keke hadn’t cultivated, he specially procured a Green Beast carriage for her.

The Green Beast, hairless and cloaked in blue skin, thus named, was a first-tier wild creature. It had no combat prowess, but its speed was remarkable and it excelled in long-distance travel—making it ideal for pulling carriages.

Though the Green Beast’s pace was merely equivalent to a typical Fifth Stage martial artist’s running speed, it was much faster than Yun Keke herself could manage.

With five people and one carriage, they entered the region of Heifeng Mountain. Though there was no official road through the mountains, the path was well-trodden enough for the Green Beast carriage to pass, thanks to years of foot traffic.

With the cultivation of Lin Xiaobao and Bu Yongfeng, neither needed rest, but the other three were true postnatal martial artists. While they could manage a day or two without issue, bringing Yun Keke along meant the journey across Heifeng Mountain would take seven to ten days. By nightfall, everyone settled down to rest.

Perhaps as a woman it was inconvenient, so Yun Keke stayed within the carriage, never venturing outside. A campfire was kindled, the five gathered around, each meditating and practicing their arts, and as dawn came, they resumed their journey.

On the third night of travel, they gathered again by the fire. This time, atop the flames was a wolf’s leg from a Silverfang Wolf—a third-tier wild beast—nearly cooked, its rich aroma wafting through the night air.

“Tomorrow, once we cross that peak, we’ll be inside the Blood Victory Empire!” Fang Pengfei pointed to the distant summit, visibly excited—he was about to set foot on the empire’s land for the first time.

Though they’d been mercenaries for years, this was their first venture so far afield. Without someone like Bu Yongfeng, a master accompanying them, they wouldn’t dare delve so deep into Heifeng Mountain. For instance, the Silverfang Wolf roasting now was not a foe they could handle alone.

The other two merely echoed his sentiments before lapsing into silence. As a temporary team, none were very familiar with each other. While Fang Pengfei tended to talkative, the others showed little inclination for conversation, making the atmosphere somewhat subdued.

Soon, with the wolf leg cooked, Fang Pengfei began dividing it among the group. Lin Xiaobao took a piece and headed toward the Green Beast carriage. He prided himself on his gentlemanly manners, and besides, he was somewhat curious about the Meizu. Throughout the journey, he’d been looking for an opportunity to get closer to Yun Keke.

“Miss Yun, here’s some roasted wolf meat for you to try.” Standing outside the carriage, Lin Xiaobao had barely finished speaking when he sensed a disturbance behind him. Instinctively, he pivoted and shifted sideways in one fluid motion.

He turned, knowing that the strongest among them was Bu Yongfeng, who was of Spirit Dao First Rank, and moved aside so as not to stand between Bu Yongfeng and Yun Keke.

Though his spiritual sense had long detected something amiss, Lin Xiaobao still struggled to believe what he saw: the three companions who had just been sitting together were now dead by Bu Yongfeng’s hand. Bu Yongfeng was gnawing on the wolf meat Fang Pengfei had handed him.

“You are…” Alerted by the commotion, Yun Keke emerged from the carriage, her expression suddenly shifting.

“Miss Yun, haven’t you already read my thoughts?” Bu Yongfeng seemed rather pleased with himself, chewing the wolf meat leisurely and not rushing to deal with Lin Xiaobao. He relished the idea of performing for an audience, even if there was only one—and even if that audience would ultimately die at his hands.

“You’re Xia Zihao?” Even in peril, Yun Keke showed no trace of fear. “To think the Xia family would send a Spirit Dao master just to deal with a powerless young woman like me!”

“To deceive Miss Yun for any length of time, it would be difficult unless one is at the Spirit Dao Realm.” Xia Zihao—Bu Yongfeng was merely a name he’d used at random—now, with victory assured, he grew even more smug. “If not for fear of attracting attention, the Xia family wouldn’t bother with such caution. Miss Yun, you’re in a hurry to return to Bloodwind City; I presume you’ve found the item?”

With Xia Zihao’s prompt, Lin Xiaobao finally understood why a Spirit Dao First Rank master had been dispatched against Yun Keke.

Yun Keke’s Heart-Reading Technique was still at the beginner’s stage, able only to sense what others were currently thinking. That is, whatever crossed one’s mind at the moment, she could read. The Xia family, seeking discretion, lured Yun Keke here before making their move. If it had been a postnatal martial artist, forcing oneself to dwell for days on the idea of being Bu Yongfeng would likely exhaust one’s mental strength—thus, everything made sense.

“So, I and the others have all stumbled into calamity?” Lin Xiaobao shook his head helplessly. “But can you at least tell me what that item actually is? Let me die with some understanding.”

Lin Xiaobao was curious about the item; anything that could stir Meizu and prompt the Xia family to send a Spirit Dao master to seize it was clearly extraordinary. Though he didn’t know the Xia family’s true strength, from his time in the Wind and Snow Pavilion, he knew that Spirit Dao experts were not ordinary.

“What a pity. At your age, you’ve reached Fifth Stage postnatal martial arts and remain so composed. Given time, you’d surely achieve greatness. If you must blame anything, blame your ill-fated luck!” Seeing Lin Xiaobao’s calm, Xia Zihao showed a hint of admiration. “Since you wish to know, I’ll tell you.”

“That item is…” Xia Zihao paused, appearing suddenly before Lin Xiaobao, his right hand lunging straight for Lin Xiaobao’s heart. “The dead need not know too much!”

From the very beginning, Lin Xiaobao’s spiritual sense had been locked onto Xia Zihao’s every move. Though the attack was sudden, he had anticipated it completely. “But the living have the right to know anything they wish!”

As he spoke, Lin Xiaobao threw a punch. In Yun Keke’s astonished gaze, Xia Zihao let out a muffled grunt and was sent flying backward, swift as a kite with a broken string.