138 Healing 2 (1/2)
‘Yin Yang Jade Crane Skill: Level Four. Special Effect(s): Accelerated Qi Replenishment, Accelerated Healing, Balances Yin and Yang.’
‘I’ve been pursuing strength too exclusively…’ Lu Sheng contemplated, gripping his palm. ‘If only I had upgraded Yin Yang Jade Crane Skill at the same pace like what I did at the beginning, my healing abilities and resistance to poison would surely be more effective than currently and I wouldn’t end up gravely wounded and poisoned, with my meridians damaged, like now.’
‘Begin martial arts extrapolation?’ the dialogue box popped up in the Modifier screen.
Sucking in a deep breath of air, Lu Sheng cleared his mind.
‘Yes,’ he confirmed.
***
Pale yellow lanterns rocked in the wind.
Xiao Hongye stood in the courtyard, gazing at the full moon in the night sky.
”Not back yet?” he asked in a whisper.
”Senior Black has gone to look for him. I believe we’ll hear news soon,” behind him, Taoist Bai Feng frowned. ”The four Emissaries have left a long time ago and there’s been no word from them ever since. And now, we’ve even lost contact with Lord Officiator who went out after them. When did the Northern Lands turn so perilous?”
Bai Feng shook his head, ”What if there’s no news from Senior Black either?” he glanced at Xiao Hongye.
”I’ll report the truth as it is,” Xiao Hongye sighed.
”One Officiator, a top-notch expert, has gone missing together with four Emissaries. I guess this must count as a big blow for Ashoka Manor,” Bai Feng whispered.
Xiao Hongye did not reply. In actual fact, given the connections and intelligence networks of these two individuals, they had discovered the loud explosions and traces of a savage fight in Windless Valley very quickly. Apart from a battle involving experts in the Officiator and Emissaries’ league, nothing else could leave behind such a tragic scene of ruin.
They had left to ambush Martial League. But now, unexpectedly, they all went missing. Since Martial League was Ashoka Manor’s foe, it naturally drew their suspicions.
”Perhaps Martial League’s League Master personally made a move. But, it’s too early to tell,” Xiao Hongye shook his head slightly.
”If some mishap truly happened this time, then perhaps the location of the Ritual Offering needs to change. The Northern Lands are too unstable,” Bai Feng said softly.
”Yeah…” Xiao Hongye spoke no further.
”Scarlet Dragon Tribulation, Zhen Family’s departure, Scarlet District going into hiding… apart from Martial League, no other power can hold back Lord Officiator now,” Bai Feng continued.
”BAM!!”
While the two of them were talking, the doors of the courtyard were slammed opened unceremoniously. The hunch-backed single-eyed Senior Black, dressed in black robes, glared sinisterly at Xiao Hongye.
He tossed a sack on his shoulder to the ground. Blood was seeping out of the sack. ”Inform the Manor: The four great Emissaries were killed in action. Lord Officiator has gone missing. Likely killed. Request for reinforcements!!”
At the end of the sentence, he turned and headed out again.
Xiao Hongye and Bai Feng were stunned. Seeing that Senior Black was walking out, Xiao Hongye hurriedly asked, ”Senior Black, where’re you going?!”
”Find the real culprit. Avenge my master!” Senior Black paused and turned around to glare at Xiao Hongye suddenly.
”Are you very happy? Master isn’t here to contest your authority anymore. The Northern Lands are once again your territory!”
Xiao Hongye’s face fell.
”How can you say that, Senior Black? If I truly cared for all these, I could have rejected Lord Officiator’s arrangements right from the beginning! If I refused to give up my power, even Lord Officiator wouldn’t be able to do anything about it!”
”It sounds nice on your lips, but who knows what you really think?” Senior Black laughed coldly. ”Who’s to say that you weren’t the one who tipped off Martial League in the dark and caused Master to get caught in an ambush?”
”Senior Black!” Xiao Hongye’s face was now extremely ugly. He shouted sternly, ”Some things cannot be said irresponsibly!”
”You know the truth best in your heart. Don’t let me find out that you were the one who stabbed him in the back. Otherwise…” a red spark flashed across Senior Black’s eyes. Turning around and leaping forward, he disappeared beyond the door.
Taoist Bai Feng stepped forward and slit open the sack gently with his long sword. Some carcass parts, like broken limbs and a bird leg, rolled out immediately.
”These are…!?” Bai Feng could not recognize them.
However, once Xiao Hongye’s sight landed on some of the clothes and accessories among the carcasses, his face turned pale and he breathed in deeply.
”These are the bodily remains of Emissaries Bai Jing and Quan Huan! I see their jade pendants.”
At those words, Bai Feng’s face immediately changed in shock as well.
Earlier, their guesses were merely just that—guesses. But now, they were thoroughly shocked at the sight of these tragic remains.
”This can’t be the work of Martial League’s League Master…” Xiao Hongye evaluated. Martial League’s League Master was too merciful to use such cruel methods on the four Emissaries, even if he did kill them.
He exchanged a glance with Bai Feng, both of them clearly shaken.
The Northern Lands… were getting more and more chaotic and mysterious…
”News!”
Outside the courtyard, a muscular man dressed in a purple soldier’s uniform rushed in and knelt on one knee. Then, he passed a letter sealed in wax to Bai Feng.
”Urgent memo from the Intelligence Agency!”
Bai Feng received the memo and unfurled it. Scanning it quickly, his eyes turned grave.
”That Sect Master Lu has also been wounded in this mission. If we want to know the truth, we’ll be sure to gain something from asking him.”
He folded the letter and looked at Xiao Hongye.
”This Sect Master Lu must be in the know. I just received intelligence that he led a team of men out at night. The destination was the Windless Valley at the foot of the Eastern Mountain. That’s precisely the site of the ambush against Martial League, which the Officiator mentioned.”
”Looks like there’s more than meets the eye to this Sect Master Lu,” Xiao Hongye said calmly.
***
In the sanctuary.