160 Chapter 159: It’s a Trap! (1/2)
While Elder Zhao and the Blood Blades escorted Tang Qi Hong back to the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect, she couldn't help but complain to them for the umpteenth time.
”Fei Wu and I were ambushed at Free Trade Street! These bastards were trying to kill us!”
She jabbed a finger at the sullen Gray Shadow, who was being ferried on a gurney by the Blood Blades. Obviously they didn't intend to carry him all the way home, but instead loaded him into the armored transport they arrived in. An armored personnel carrier, to be exact, which could load up to 12 infantry in addition to the driver and an extra passenger up front.
Tang Qi Hong's eyes burned with anger as she elaborated on the details. Earlier, we didn't have the chance to go into the details, roughly summing up our account into a few sentences so as not to take advantage of Wu Tuo's hospitality for too long. After we exchanged information, we headed to the armored personnel carrier, Elder Zhao asked for a more detailed account (probably because he needed to write up a report for his superiors), and Tang Qi Hong was only too happy to oblige. I stayed quiet, allowing her to tell the tale.
From experience, the more modest I appeared, the more impressed people would be, and they would be convinced more than ever that I was some sort of hero.
”To think there would be people so audacious as to attack an inner sect disciple in Tushan City!” Elder Zhao was also furious. ”Don't worry, Qi Hong. I will thoroughly investigate this matter!”
”Yeah.” One of the accompanying Blood Blades turned to glare at Gray Shadow and kicked him. The middle-aged man didn't even flinch, despite the large bruise appearing on his leg. ”Spill it. Who sent you, and why are you aiming for Senior Tang?”
Gray Shadow said nothing. As much as I resented him for trying to kill us, I couldn't help but admire his tenacity.
”From what Master Wu Tuo and Tong Xue said, Liang Shao Yang must be the one who ordered them.” Tang Qi Hong glared at Gray Shadow as well. ”They are the direct subordinats of Liang Shao Yang, are they not? Who else would they be carrying out orders for then?”
Gray Shadow neither denied nor confirmed her accusation. He merely sat there, staring coldly at the metallic floor of the APC.
”He is the one with the most to gain from your death,” Elder Zhao agreed carefully. ”And he does have a motive for it. But until we get hard, concrete evidence, it will be hard to move against him. I will need to get a warrant from not just Sect Leader but also the Great Elders for his arrest. I think Sect Leader will agree, but it's the Great Elders I'm worried about.”
Gray Shadow smirked, and his expression was not lost on all the other passengers sharing the space with him.
”So it is Liang Shao Yang after all,” another Blood Blade growled icily. ”I won't forgive that bastard! Brothers, let's go hunt him down when we return to the sect!”
”Yeah!”
”That guy has been getting on my nerves all this while!”
”Yeah! He's always acting arrogant and looking down on the rest of us!”
”But…would he really try and murder a fellow sect disciple?” one of the Blood Blades, a thin, timid-looking guy asked nervously. ”I mean…no matter how rude and arrogant he acts, has he actually done anything as drastic as this before?”
”Have you not told them?” Tang Qi Hong asked Elder Zhao, who inclined his head quizzically. She sighed. ”Fei Wu here has been attacked by Liang Shao Yang before. He used Venomous Scarabs to attack Fei Wu, and then killed Senior Hao Ying after that.”
”Now that you mention it…” the thin Blood Blade fella nodded, his doubts evaporating. ”I remember that farcical trial last year. Even though Junior Fei testified that he saw Liang Shao Yang throwing the Venomous Scarabs at him, the Great Elders judged his eyewitness account unreliable and acquitted Liang Shao Yang. Not to mention, they ordered us to stop investigating the cause of Senior Hao Ying's death shortly after the trial…”
”That man is practically the scourge of everyone as long as he stays in the sect!” Tang Qi Hong snarled coldly. ”Elder Zhao, if you arrest him, and search his room, I'm sure you'll definitely find some clues or evidence!”
Elder Zhao fell silent for a moment, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. After half a minute, he opened his eyes and nodded.
”I know how you feel. I will definitely investigate this matter seriously, and if I find evidence that proves Liang Shao Yang's guilt beyond a doubt, I believe I will be able to convince even those stubborn Great Elders. However, as I said earlier, I will need a warrant to search his personal villa. I do not think it will be possible for me to get that warrant, especially given Liang Shao Yang's current status.” He then turned to give a warning look to his Blood Blade subordinates, including me for some reason. ”All of you, do not be reckless. Do not take matters into your own hands and attack Liang Shao Yang. Do not hunt him down. Do not approach him unless I tell you to do so. You are to leave him alone for now. This is a direct order from me. Understand?”
The Blood Blades looked unhappy, but none of them could go against Elder Zhao's instructions. They merely nodded obediently.
”I understand how you all feel, and I'm just as furious,” Elder Zhao continued, his eyes blazing. ”But with Liang Shao Yang's current status, even I cannot act against him carelessly, never mind you all. If something was to happen to him, then the whole organization of Blood Blades will be punished. Don't forget, we are subservient to the sect. We fight for the good of the sect. the moment we decide that we are above the law and resort to military might…we will end up destroying ourselves.”
”Yes, Elder Zhao.”
”We understand.”
”We promise.”
The Blood Blades chorused reluctantly, seeing the sense in their commander's words. I nodded quietly as well.
”Just because he also triggered a reaction from the Spirit Engraved Pillars?” Tang Qi Hong demanded, dissatisfied.
”That's right,” Elder Zhao admitted softly. ”He is the same as you. You are both the sect's treasures, and the candidates in line to be the future sect leader. You are both the future of the sect, essentially. That's why he's different from the other inner sect disciples. Even if he did commit atrocities, the great elders will turn a blind eye to it. Even if the Sect Leader wants to punish him, he will be pressured by the Great Elders to let him off.” he glanced at me. ”You all remember what happened at the trial last year, right?”
”He tried to kill me!” Tang Qi Hong yelled furiously.
”Yes, but we need cold, hard evidence for that.” Elder Zhao looked helpless. ”Without any solid evidence, the Great Elders will not take our accusations seriously. Even Sect Leader's hands will be tied. But you will want to stay close to your parents. They will be able to protect you if Liang Shao Yang tries to move against you in the sect grounds.”
”So I can't leave the main sect grounds in future, as long as Liang Shao Yang remains in the sect?” Tang Qi Hong snapped bitterly. ”I'm supposed to seclude myself at home and fend off all his assassination attempts?”
”Well, sooner or later he'll slip up and we'll find the evidence,” I pointed out. Pushing my glasses up thoughtfully, I continued, ”I think what we need now is patience…and we'll be able to capitalize on the moment he slips up.”
Gray Shadow snorted. The Blood Blade sitting next to him kicked him harshly, almost knocking him out of his gurney, but the bastard was strapped tight. Even so, we had the satisfaction of hearing him grunt in pain for the first time.
A few minutes later, the armored transport pulled up in the main sect grounds, rolling into the parking lot. The hatch slammed down, and the Blood Blades poured out in a disciplined formation, covering each other. The sentries responsible for guarding Gray Shadow hauled him out in a rough manner, but credit to the assassin, he did not complain.
”Fei Wu, you escort Qi Hong home. Make sure nobody harms her.” Elder Zhao turned to me and issued an order. I nodded, and he lowered his voice. ”Keep her out of trouble as well.”
”Yes, sir.” I comprehended the hidden meaning behind his words. Tang Qi Hong was known for having quite the short temper and being impulsive.
Tang Qi Hong was sulking as she headed straight up Flame Volcano. I noticed that she was taking Elder Zhao's advice and heading for her adopted family's manor at the peak instead of her personal villa. I hurried to catch up with her, and even though she was still simmering in rage, she nodded gratefully at me.
”Did Senior Tang trip on the road? It appears that you have a lot of dust on you, and you seem like you're in a bad mood. You don't look as beautiful as before.”
Liang Shao Yang seemed to appear out of nowhere, standing in the path. A cool breeze drifted along the mountain, causing his majestic-looking clothes to flutter. His lips curled up in a sneer as he taunted Tang Qi Hong, his voice clearly filled with scorn.
The hell? Was this idiot seriously trying to provoke Tang Qi Hong?
For her part, Tang Qi Hong was so angry that she wasn't paying attention to her surroundings. When she suddenly heard Liang Shao Yang speak, she abruptly looked up and glared at him hatefully, her eyes blazing.
”Are you looking for trouble, Junior Liang?”
Her spatial ring glowed and the Nether Ghost Claw materialized, hovering above her head. Already it was bursting with ominous, bloodthirsty qi, which was taking the form of ghostly, cyan will'o wisps.
”What do you think you are doing, Senior Tang? Are you going to attack me?” Liang Shao Yang laughed coldly, showing no trace of fear at all. ”Certainly, if you attack anyone else in the sect without any reason, then maybe Sect Leader and the six Great Elders will cover for you. But if you attack me, then even the Sect Leader will not be able to shield you from punishment!”
Even as he said that, dark, shadowy qi surged inside both of his sleeves. Liang Shao Yang was taking no chances, steeling himself for an attack just in case Tang Qi Hong went beserk. He was secretly activating his martial art technique.
”Qi Hong! What are you doing?” Upon hearing their argument, Lian Rou hurried out of her villa and frantically stopped her. ”This is Flame Volcano! You must not be reckless, or Sect Leader will punish you!”
”Senior Tang, Junior Liang, what are you guys doing?” Pang Yun also appeared, looking at the situation in astonishment.
More inner sect disciples were emerging from their apartments and dormitories, watching the commotion curiously. They were all surprised by the sight of Tang Qi Hong angrily confronting Liang Shao Yang.
Tang Qi Hong and Liang Shao Yang were both prodigies who had attained enlightenment from the Spirit Engraved Pillars, and were the hope and future of the sect, as well as the beloved children of the sect leader and the six Great Elders. This inevitably stirred up plenty of jealousy within their hearts.
Now that they got to see these two prodigies confront each other and getting ready to clash, the inner sect disciples immediately became excited. Not only did most of them not stop them, some of them were pouring fuel to the fire.
”Hmm, Senior Tang is currently better at blacksmithing and Spirit Engraving, but I don't know if she's better in combat?”
”Junior Liang is from the Divine Shadow Sect. He must have learned assassination techniques and is definitely proficient in combat. This will be an interesting battle!”
They were assuming that Tang Qi Hong and Liang Shao Yang were arguing over a trivial matter.
”Qi Hong!” Lian Rou pulled her back, trying to persuade her to back off. She was using brute strength to forcibly drag her best friend away from the confrontation. She turned to me. ”Fei Wu! What are you doing? Help me!”
”I will when the time is right,” I assured her. ”Don't worry, Qi Hong won't do anything stupid…”
”Senior Tang, be more careful when you leave for another shopping trip next time. Don't trip and come back dusty again!” Liang Shao Yang yelled coldly.
”You're asking for it, aren't you?!”
Tang Qi Hong was originally going to withdraw, but she snapped the moment she heard his provocation. As she boiled in fury, the Nether Ghost Claw responded to her raging emotions and streaked toward Liang Shao Yang.
Bang!
Before the Nether Ghost Claw could reach Liang Shao Yang, I had intercepted it with my bare hand. Grabbing it and ignoring the ghostly flames that scorched my right hand, I forcibly shoved it down and handed it back to a stunned Tang Qi Hong.