Chapter 69: A Bad Premonition (1/2)

Five days later, ten hunters had been killed, averaging two a day. The huge loss infuriated Can Bao, King of the Hunters. The ten hunters who died, in addition to more than a dozen men who had died previously, amounted to nearly thirty hunters lost. To lose a third of the hunters was a greatly unanticipated catastrophe.

“Da ge, this can’t continue! We have to change our methods. That Qin Yu is completely unpredictable and difficult to handle. If things continue at this rate, how are we going to account to Prince Qi in the future?” At the highest level of the pagoda, Shi Yan spoke furiously as he stood behind Can Bao. “That bastard Qin Yu is way too cunning, attacking our men when they’re alone. Furthermore, it’s doesn’t seem to be him alone.There should be at least four others.

“Only four people are necessary to bring us to this pathetic state. Don’t you find that embarrassing?” Can Bao’s scarred face darkened.

Shi Yan was depressed as well. “Da ge, I’m useless. Please punish me.”

“And how would that be useful?” Can Bao chided, turning around.

“Erm… Da ge, I have a plan to overturn our situation and regain control.” Three Eyes rolled his eyes and approached them. “There are around a thousand people left within the Illusory Battlefield. Why don’t we use them to make up for the lack of manpower on our side? We can still pit them against each other; it’ll be a win-win situation.”

“Elaborate on your plan.” Can Bao’s spirit lifted slightly, and he looked toward Three Eyes with hope.

“Da ge, we can split our forces: Some of us will spread the news that Qin Yu has found a Spirit Weapon, and the rest will offer a reward for Qin Yu’s head for murdering the guard in the tower. The reward will be five Black Grade Pills.” Hearing the plan, everyone’s eyes lit up. This was, indeed, a perfect solution! Either the Spirit Weapon or the five Black Grade Promotion Pills were sufficient incentive to have cultivators go crazy for them.

“Three Eyes, this is a good plan; but, where do we get the five Black Grade Pills?” Shi Yan asked with a frown.

“Hehe,” Three Eyes snickered. “Do you really think that we’ll give them the Promotion Pills?”

“How evil!” Everyone was impressed.

“Okay, do it now,” ordered Can Bao.

“Wait, Da ge, let me add,” Shi Yan interrupted quickly. “The three men who we captured know Qin Yu. We can release them and have them help us with our plan.”

“Sure, the both of you will go personally. This time around, I do not wish to hear of any of our men dying.” Can Bao’s eyes cast a cold glare upon the both of them.

With chilled hearts, Shi Yan and Three Eyes replied in unison, “Yes.”

……

At this time, Qin Yu and the rest had no idea their opponents were changing tactics; instead, the group had found something unusual: The hunters around them were decreasing gradually. They either vanished or formed groups of four or five. Hunters no longer operated in pairs or alone as they had before. “Master Qin, do you think they’ve given up on catching us now that they’re afraid?” Ruo Feng asked excitedly. Qin Yu and Ruo Feng were hiding in a bush, watching the hunters retreat from a distance.

Qin Yu shook his head immediately. “Don’t be too happy. Something’s strange.”

“Then, what’s going on?” Ruo Feng asked doubtfully. He lifted his head from the grass and looked at the silhouettes vanishing from sight. Qin Yu did the same and felt something was wrong. Unable to wrap his head around what the hunters were doing, Qin Yu had a bad premonition. He told Ruo Feng, “I’m going to check. Go back to Xiao Yu and Qing Yun and tell them that the ambush is canceled.”

“Okay.” Ruo Feng cautiously backed out of the bushes, and he ran to where Mu Rongyue and Qing Yun were hiding. Qin Yu had changed out of his tattered gray clothes and was now clad in the clothes he had peeled off a hunter. If people were to see him from the back, they would mistake him for a hunter as well.

The sky grew dark. Mu Rongyue, Qing Yun, and Ruo Feng waited for Qin Yu under a tree as they’d agreed upon before. “Ruo Feng, why is Qin Da ge not here yet?” Mu Rongyue, staring at the black sky, asked with worry. She was afraid Qin Yu would encounter trouble.

“Miss, I’m not sure about this either. However, with Master Qin’s strengths, he’ll be fine; rest assured.” Ruo Feng comforted her.

“I’ll take a look. The rest of you wait here,” Qing Yun suddenly declared after remaining quiet for some time. She turned to leave; yet, unusual sounds came from nearby. “Who is it?!” Qing Yun questioned the figure hidden in the dark and gripped her Qing Feng Sword.

“It’s me.” Qin Yu’s familiar voice calmed all of their hearts. He walked past the trees and reached them, his face grave.

“Da ge, how was it? Why have they retreated?”