Chapter 687: Change Of Plans (1/2)

Lin Mu read the scroll and furrowed his brows.

”They caught over ten members of the Hei corps of the sixteen that they had detected were in the kingdom. The remaining six are still missing and have been put at a high level of importance.

The ones that were caught were then sent to the empire itself, as was requested of them according to the orders.” Lin Mu muttered after reading the entire scroll.

He knew that it wasn't fully the Hong Lin kingdom's fault either in catching and sending the members of the Hei corps off. From all that he knew, the kingdoms needed to follow the orders of the empire, especially for highly wanted criminals like this.

Plus, it was not like they would listen if the members of the Hei corps protested. They were simply doing what they were asked to and anyone else would do the same if they didn't know that the sects and empires were being manipulated, no less.

~Sigh~

”This doesn't help us much. There is no more information about the six members that managed to escape either.” Lin Mu said while shaking his head.

Comparing the dates, Lin Mu was sure that it would be close to impossible if he wanted to find the members of the Hei corps here. The outpost that was located in the Hong Lin kingdom could be said to be as good as gone now.

'Perhaps they have left the kingdom a long time ago as well…' Lin Mu thought.

With these thoughts in his mind, Lin Mu didn't know if completing their mission here was even possible anymore.

”Things won't always go according to your plans. This is one of the very important things you need to learn. Fate is a fickle mistress and often likes to play without much rhyme or reason.” Xukong said in a sagely tone.

”I understand senior.” Lin Mu replied.

”Though… it's not like this is a complete failure for you, either. There are other things you can accomplish here from what I've been seeing till now.” Xukong stated.

Lin Mu thought over it and indeed found it to be true. There were a lot of things he could do in the Hong Lin kingdom, plus it didn't seem like Gu Yao had a very strong control here… at least not for now.

”Mmm, I'll see what else I can do here. At the very least, we'll get the Hong Lin wood before we leave for the Long Cloud sect.” Lin Mu stated.

With that done, Lin Mu felt a bit free now and felt like he could do some other things and didn't need to rush everything.

'I'll take a look at the other things here… might as well take the advantage of being here already.' Lin Mu thought before looking around.

Lin Mu read through many records and documents that were stored in the repository and even learned of the history of the Hong Lin kingdom.

It was said that the Hong Lin kingdom was founded over three thousand years ago by the first king of named Hong. He was an orphan as well, who was abandoned in the Hong Lin forest.

He grew up in the harshness of the forest and survived it all, taking up the forest as his parents and thus naming himself 'Hong'. He alone managed to cultivate all the way to the peak of the Qi refining realm upon coming across a secret cultivator abode in the forest.

Using the cultivation technique he found in it, his cultivation continued to soar, and so did his status.

Back then, while the unification of the entire continent was already done, the area where the Hong Lin forest was located was still free. And since the nearby powers were still struggling in their own troubles after the war, they didn't have the chance to expand or take over more things than they could deal with back then.

This allowed there to be several small clans that settled in the Hong Lin forest. These were the natives of the forest and lived in large circular houses, much like the royal place itself.

Over time, the architecture style had changed and been influenced by the rest of the empire, but the Royal palace still kept up the tradition.