Chapter 454: Chapter 204: Tuoba Yunhong, the Dynasty Sect
The atmosphere in the forest was extremely oppressive.
A group of Turkic people stared at Guer Khan’s body, feeling suffocated and utterly furious. They couldn’t imagine a scion of the Turkic Nobility would be pierced by a thousand arrows and left to die.
’What happened to the special protections he was promised?’
’Who did this?’
Without a doubt, their thoughts immediately turned to Guo Wei.
Guo Wei’s Six-Star Linked Pearls Archery Technique was renowned among the Turkic people. Not long ago, he had wreaked havoc on the national border. Guer Khan’s group had appeared in this forest specifically to deal with Guo Wei’s disciple. The only killer they could think of was Guo Wei.
"I want to know every detail of that night."
A corpulent Turkic man said to a Martial Artist with eastern features.
This was none other than the mysterious expert who had waited with Guer Khan in the forest that day for Chu Lingguang to walk into their trap.
The man’s name was Tang Mang, and he was from the Celestial Fragrance Pavilion.
The corpulent Turkic man was Gurzahan, Guer Khan’s uncle. Not only was he a member of the Turkic Nobility, but he also handled trade between the Turkic people and the Great Yuan Dynasty. He was the primary contact for Great Yuan officials, and over the past three years, he had visited nearly every Governor’s Mansion in the Great Yuan.
He had dispatched Guer Khan to South City to establish a shipyard and port. However, Guer Khan had clashed with the Shuiyu Gang and encountered Chu Lingguang, suffering a crushing defeat. To prevent the situation from escalating, and because the Great Yuan Court had already issued a warning, Gurzahan could only force Guer Khan to abandon the market in South City and come to Jin City to assist him.
He never expected Guer Khan would end up dead in this forest, pierced by a thousand arrows.
"I did not detect Guo Wei that night, nor did the two Iron Wolf Eagles notice anyone suspicious entering the mountain. With my Spiritual Power, I might not be able to find Guo Wei if he were hiding, but I should have sensed the danger."
"Furthermore, Guo Wei’s Archery is at the level of Six-Star Linked Pearls, yet the arrow wounds on Guer Khan and the others were only at the level of Four-Star Linked Pearls. Of course, we can’t rule out the possibility that Guo Wei did this intentionally."
"However, I just received intelligence that Guo Wei was drinking with his junior martial brother on a Song Boat that night. He didn’t leave until late, so it’s impossible for him to have been here."
"His disciple, Chu Lingguang, on the other hand, seems to have disappeared for a night. Guo Wei was even looking for him the next day. It was only later that we learned Chu Lingguang had achieved a Divine State in his cultivation, crashed into a merchant ship, and tore a hole in its hull."
"Besides... if he had followed us that night, there’s no way he could have avoided my Spiritual Sense search, and the two Iron Wolf Eagles would have discovered him as well. So..."
Tang Mang spoke slowly. The Celestial Fragrance Pavilion’s ability to gather intelligence was second to none in the Great Yuan Territory. When he learned that Guer Khan’s group had died tragically in the forest, his thoughts had immediately turned to Guo Wei and Chu Lingguang. He had someone collect information on their movements for the two days surrounding the incident.
"Are you trying to tell me that the ones who killed Guer Khan and his men were not Guo Wei and his disciple?"
Gurzahan said angrily.
"Unless Guo Wei has a doppelgänger, it couldn’t have been him. As for his disciple, Chu Lingguang, his Archery level is exactly Four-Star Linked Pearls. But if he had followed us that night, it’s impossible that I wouldn’t have found him."
Tang Mang said with a determined expression.
He was a True Martial Realm expert, after all. Chu Lingguang was merely at the Qi Sea Perfection realm. Even if his Spiritual Sense wasn’t weak, there was no way he could have evaded Tang Mang’s search. Tang Mang was confident of that much.
"Then why did Guer Khan and his men die in this forest? How do you explain this ’impossibility’ you speak of?"
Gurzahan demanded.
"This..."
Tang Mang was at a loss for words.
"There are no absolutes in this world. Even if Guo Wei and his disciple weren’t the ones who killed Guer Khan and his men, Guer Khan still ran into danger in this forest because he was trying to kill Chu Lingguang. Their deaths were still caused by Guo Wei and his disciple."
Gurzahan roared.
"The Provincial Martial Arts Examination is less than a month away. Guer Khan just died. If something were to happen to that master and disciple now, the Great Yuan Court would not let the matter rest."
Tang Mang reminded him.
"Then how am I supposed to let it rest?"
Gurzahan fumed.
"What you think doesn’t matter. This is the Great Yuan, and it’s a critical time when the Court has tightened security. I advise you not to cause trouble.
I was against Guer Khan targeting Chu Lingguang at a time like this from the very beginning.
I am simply relaying the Pavilion Master’s will. For the few months before and after the Martial Arts Examination, the Celestial Fragrance Pavilion will not accept any missions targeting any of the candidates."
Tang Mang was a True Martial Realm expert, after all, and Gurzahan’s attitude angered him. After saying his piece, he departed swiftly.
BANG!
Gurzahan was so enraged that he punched straight through a mulberry tree. He turned to Guer Khan’s body and said, "No matter who killed you, I will get justice for you. Even if it wasn’t Guo Wei and his disciple, I will find a way to send Chu Lingguang down to accompany you in death!"
In the end, Gurzahan had his men collect the bodies of Guer Khan and the others. They were cremated on the spot in the forest, and he took their ashes back to the Turkic lands.
They were in Great Yuan Territory, after all.
He had no choice but to consider Tang Mang’s words.
The Great Yuan Court might have turned a blind eye to their clashes with the Shuiyu Gang in the name of market expansion. But if they were to make a move against the top-ranked candidate from South City during the critical period of the Provincial Martial Arts Examination, the Court would not let it slide. Once evidence was found against them, leaving would not be so easy.
However, Chu Lingguang and Guo Wei did not let their guard down.
For safety’s sake, the master and disciple became inseparable in the following days. They both knew the Turkic people would inevitably suspect them in Guer Khan’s death. If they acted as if nothing had happened, it would only arouse more suspicion.
After all, Guer Khan’s group had entry papers and official records for their travel in the Great Yuan. Furthermore, Guer Khan was a member of the Turkic Nobility and was often received by local officials. For over a dozen people to die overnight—it was impossible to keep such a thing secret for long.
