Chapter Three: Lethal Intent

Taking a path away, Suhe urged the clouds and mist, swiftly arriving at the borders of Shiliang Mountain. Ahead lay the region of Little Tong, so he pressed down from the clouds and entered the forest.

With a wave of his hand, his true features faded away, concealed from sight.

Immediately, he sped along the trail ahead. Yet, after covering only a few miles, a chilling murderous aura suddenly sliced through the air toward him.

Suhe shifted his step, dodging to the side. “Sir, have you come to slay me out of some grudge?”

The man leaned on a steel blade stuck in the earth, lifting his head with lazy indifference. “No. But someone else does.”

“Who?”

The other gave no answer, instead returning a cold, mocking laugh. “You know well enough, don’t you?”

At those words, Suhe’s heart gave a sudden jolt. The news had arrived slowly, or so it seemed; now it was rather swift. Could they already be losing their patience?

But outwardly, his tone shifted. “I am but a nameless wanderer—what could I possibly know? Or is it that you merely kill for amusement, lying in wait here to ambush travelers at random?”

“Nonsense. If it weren’t for the quota to enter Siyou, would I, Huai Yin, waste my time chatting with you in this godforsaken wilderness?”

With that, he braced his foot, and his great blade whistled through the air. Leaping upward, he seized the hilt and brought the weapon down upon Suhe.

Suhe arched a brow, raising his hand to summon Minshu. The whistling sword wind flickered like a serpent’s tongue, and in an instant, Huai Yin found himself unable to gain any ground.

From the first clash, Suhe knew his foe was no weakling.

The sword sang, the blade roared, and the two weapons clashed with showers of sparks.

Thoughts flashed through Suhe’s mind. He had been away from Yuhaitian for so long—he had no idea of the current state of affairs. Nor did he know how many men Baili Xiao Jing had dispatched to have him killed. Or perhaps, it was all a scheme to frame and incite...

He had awoken in Weiye Valley, never wandering the world. Yet, the moment he left the valley, pursuers appeared. How had they known his whereabouts so precisely, anticipating his every move to set up ambushes along his path?

Whether it was Baili Xiao Jing or some other schemer, how did they manage to orchestrate a pursuit the very moment he left the valley?

Was someone watching from outside? Or... No, impossible.

“Hey! Don’t let your mind wander in the middle of a fight—you’ll make me look like a poor sport.” Huai Yin twisted his blade, breath flaring white in the chill air.

His movements were swift and sinuous, like a dragon weaving through lightning, and in a blink he closed on Suhe once again.

After all, he was a figure of some renown in Yuhaitian. Did Suhe think him lacking in strength?

With a surge of true energy, Huai Yin’s blade gleamed even fiercer, forcing Suhe to parry, sword to sword.

Only then did Huai Yin spit to the side with a sneer. “That’s more like it.”

Suhe glanced up, a wry amusement in his eyes. He had not seen such people for some time—when had such characters emerged?

“For a mere quota to enter Siyou, is it truly worth gambling your life?”

“What do you know? People like you, born under lucky stars, denizens of Siyou by birth, can never fathom the struggle for survival beyond its borders. If I could enter Siyou to cultivate, give me time, and all would call me Lord Divine. The lowliest ant’s struggle—how could you possibly understand?”

With those words, he seized an opening, slicing into Suhe’s exposed flank, his face lighting up in anticipation of a kill.

But it was no more than a feint, a deliberate flaw offered by Suhe. Huai Yin failed to land a fatal blow and nearly fell into peril himself.

He sucked in a breath, stumbling back and glancing down at the rent in his garments, blood seeping through. Damn it, wasn’t this target supposed to have reincarnated into the lower realm, his cultivation feeble? Who was going to explain this to him?

Suhe’s sword flicked, and a strand of sword energy darted at Huai Yin’s blade, clanging with a sharp ring that startled him into raising his guard.

“How about we strike a bargain?”

Huai Yin snorted. “What sort?”

“Tell me all you know, and I’ll spare your life.”

He’d been careless at first, failing to think things through. His grasp of current affairs was too tenuous. Rushing out now would only startle the snakes in their grass. But then, perhaps startling them had its merits—better to move early than late when the enemy hides in the shadows.

Huai Yin rolled his eyes and spat covertly. “I don’t know.”

Suhe’s gaze narrowed. “Do you truly not know? Or do you simply not wish to say? Or is it that you dare not?”

His tone was calm, but the air bristled with killing intent.

Startled, Huai Yin stammered, “Wait, let’s talk this over. No need to go straight to bloodshed.”

“So you’re willing to speak?”

“Yes, yes, yes! Call it my rotten luck—I should’ve checked the almanac before leaving home. Thought I’d scored an easy mark, but it turned out to be a trap.”

“Get to the point.” As he spoke, Minshu’s blade shimmered.

Huai Yin shrank back, clutching his great blade, and muttered reluctantly, “There’s already word in Siyou: you—bah, the former young master of the Baili clan—have faked your death and returned. You also murdered the current young master, Baili Wushuang, so all of Yuhaitian is under orders to hunt you down. Anyone who reports your whereabouts to the Baili clan in Yuhaitian will receive a Near-Divine Pill. Anyone who kills you will be allowed to train in Siyou for a year.”

He glanced at Suhe, then retreated a few steps. “Don’t blame us. You don’t know how abundant the spiritual energy is in Siyou—just lying there, your cultivation soars. If you’re to blame, blame your own misfortune.”

Suddenly, Suhe sheathed Minshu, stepping forward until he was just a pace away. “I am not him, so that news means nothing to me. Surely you can offer something else?”

His sudden calm seemed to unsettle Huai Yin. He eyed Suhe askance, pondering, “Could the information be wrong? Have I got the wrong man? But it can’t be. Yet by the look of him, he’s not faking. Damn, my head hurts.”

His face fell, and he said bitterly, “If you’re not the one, you should’ve said so sooner! I ran around for nothing—if someone else snatches the quota, will you compensate me?”

“Your foundation is strong. Even without a quota, you’ll have a chance someday. No need for me to compensate. But if you keep dawdling, it really will go to someone else.”

At that, Huai Yin fell silent for a long while, then muttered, “Fine, I’ll be direct... What do you want to know?”

“I want a thorough account of the factions in Yuhaitian. That shouldn’t be difficult for you.”

“Well...”

“What? Is there some secret you can’t reveal?”

“No... not really. The Baili clan has always been the strongest in Yuhaitian, even their subsidiary branches are unmatched. As for the other powers, each has its own merits—none clearly above the rest. The roots and connections are tangled; I can’t explain it all at once. Besides, if you really care, just ask around—sooner or later you’ll find out.”

Suhe nodded. A standard, proper answer—just as expected. He shifted the topic. “Fair enough. One more question—has anything unusual happened lately?”

Huai Yin scratched his head as if searching his memory. “Heard that a while back, Shuxing Tower had suitors lining up at the door—does that count?”

“It does.” But why?

“Of course! The young mistress of the tower is famed for her beauty.”

“Oh? If it’s that simple, why didn’t you go? If you became the son-in-law of Shuxing Tower, even the Baili clan would have to respect you, wouldn’t they? Surely that’s better than a mere quota.”

He knew Huai Yin was evading, but didn’t press him. Instead, he gave him a meaningful glance.

Huai Yin pretended not to notice, sputtering, “You think I didn’t try? They said I cultivate my power but not my looks—too ugly for their taste. Otherwise, why would I be here wasting time with you?”

“Then I am at fault for bringing up your past. Forgive me.” With that, Suhe bowed deeply.

“...No need for your false courtesy. If you have more questions, ask them all now and be done with it.”

“No need. You may go.”

“Really?”

“Without a doubt.”

“Then I’ll take my leave.” Huai Yin clasped his fists and leapt into the forest, vanishing after a few bounds.

Once he was gone, Suhe turned away, lifting his gaze thoughtfully to the sky. After a moment, he lowered his eyes and paced slowly through the woods.

A sudden wind swept through, carrying a chill. The mountain’s lush greenery, if examined closely, was subtly changed, as if some of its vitality had been forcibly stolen—yet so subtly that none could tell.

Suhe quietly circulated his energy, dispelling a trace of discomfort, and glanced around.

The young mistress of Shuxing Tower had long been famed for her beauty; this was not new. Was the flood of suitors driven by true admiration, or was there another motive? Were they seeking favor? Power? Or were they after the Emperor Bird’s egg-stone as well?

But the Emperor Bird was known to devour immortals—many had died seeking it, and thus its egg-stone was rarely obtained.

The rarity of this treasure was thus obvious.

Few should know the stone was in Shuxing Tower, though not so few as to make it a secret. It had circulated only among the leaders of various factions, making it difficult for Suhe to discern who was orchestrating matters from behind the scenes.

The Baili clan was the most suspect, but others raised doubts as well.

Thinking thus, Suhe quickened his pace, then, impatient, summoned the clouds and sped onward. Once past the Little Tong region, he would reach Moon-Inviting Peak, where Shuxing Tower was located.

The moment he vanished, Huai Yin reappeared in the forest, grinning as he watched Suhe’s departure.

Suddenly, a voice rang out, “How did it go?”

Huai Yin turned and bowed. “Reporting to you, chief, all went as planned.”

“Well done. If Baili Xiao Jing thinks he can draw the enemy into his trap, he’ll have to see if anyone plays along. He wants to wait for Bai Li Suhe to rescue Bai Li Wushuang, only to kill the hero afterward—he’s a bit too greedy.”

“Exactly. If Baili Wushuang lives and Bai Li Suhe dies, the Baili clan keeps its supremacy over Yuhaitian, and everyone else must bow to them. Why not let them fight each other to the death, and then we all share the spoils?”

“Haha, well said, Huai Yin. I have other matters to attend to. I’ll leave this one to you—watch him closely, and don’t ruin the master’s plans.”

“I understand. Do you have any other orders?”

“None for now. If I need you, I’ll find you.”

“Yes, safe journey, chief.”

In a moment, the forest was still—no insects chirped, no birds flew. All was steeped in an unspeakable strangeness, as if some wild beast bared its fangs, ready to devour all.

Huai Yin straightened, his gaze fixed on the Little Tong region, a glint of cunning in his eyes. With a stomp, he sank into the earth and traveled beneath it, swiftly passing through Shiliang Mountain, heading straight for Little Tong...