Chapter 116: Amidst Ten Thousand Soldiers (2)
"Just now, I concealed myself within the darkness, changing my position twice," the old man whispered, his words barely audible. "Yet, this Thousand Mountains possesses an uncanny perception. His right fingertip constantly moved, always pointing directly at me."
"The moment I was about to attack, I saw a glint of metal between his fingertips. He's skilled with the throwing knife! If I had launched an attack, he would surely have flung that throwing knife without hesitation." The hunched old man shook his head slightly, "Also, that saber slash he displayed. I'm not sure I would have been able to block it."
"That slash wasn't meant for you, it was meant for me. He was warning me not to make any rash moves. If I did, death might be the outcome," the hunchbacked old man glanced at Branch Master Ma, "I might not necessarily die, but you would be a goner."
Branch Master Ma felt a shiver down his neck. He hadn't expected that two Savant experts had already clashed in the shadows, and he had unwittingly danced on the brink of life and death.
"Senior Uncle, what should we do now?” Branch Master Ma asked anxiously.
"The strength this Shadow Blade wields doesn't match the information we've gathered." The hunchbacked old man shook his head slightly, "At present, we cannot ascertain whether his rapid advancement occurred in the past year or if he has been concealing his true strength all along."
"If he was just concealing his strength previously, that's understandable. But if he has truly grown that much over the past year? That’s terrifying." The hunchbacked man said, "However, his martial skills are on par with a Grandmaster’s."
"A Grandmaster?" Branch Master Ma exclaimed.
"It's hard to say." The hunchbacked old man shook his head, "But one thing is certain, we cannot afford to provoke Thousand Mountains."
"We should report this to the headquarters and let the guild master decide. If they want the Chu-Jiang Token, they’ll have to dispatch a Grandmaster."
"Haha, everyone wants the Chu-Jiang Token, but when it falls into the hands of such a high-level expert, how can it be easily obtained?" The hunchbacked old man shook his head.
Dispatch a Grandmaster expert? Branch Master Ma's pupils shrank slightly. Though the Pleiades Guild’s influence spread across thirteen continents, they didn’t have that many Grandmaster experts at their disposal. Moreover, several of them were affiliate assassins who couldn't be ordered around, and their whereabouts were unknown. The number of genuine in-house Grandmasters could be counted on one hand.
The crux of the matter was that Grandmasters had their pride. They were all considered guild elders and could simply refuse commands from the guild master if they were unwilling to obey them.
"If the guild master can't send a Grandmaster." The hunchbacked elderly man glanced at the branch master, "Then we wait for news. After Wang Xiaohe's demise, make a request to the headquarters for 50 drops of Ancient Immortal Dew."
"I am nothing but a bag of old bones. I have no intention of risking my life against an expert who is nearly a Grandmaster." With that, the elderly man stepped into the shadows and vanished without a trace.
...
Wu Yuan strolled leisurely along a quiet street, relying on the faint light from the roadside to read the scrolls in his hand.
That Savant expert concealed in the darkness must be Shadow Stinger Mo Gou from the Human Rankings. Wu Yuan pondered as he read through the scrolls.
If this had taken place two years ago, when Wu Yuan just reached the stage of Environmental Mastery, he might not have noticed the other party.
But the current Wu Yuan? After more than a year of cultivation on Cloudhill, his skills had undergone a massive improvement, and he was now able to seamlessly blend into any environment at a moment's notice. He could meld with the darkness or the wind, adapting effortlessly to any changes in his surroundings.
The moment Wu Yuan spread out his soul sense, the hunchbacked elderly man's attempt at concealment became nothing more than a joke. Every movement of his was as clear as a blazing light bulb.
If he chose not to act, then Wu Yuan would ignore him as well. But if he did?
I do indeed crave a bout with the top Savant experts on the Human Rankings. It will be helpful to gauge the gap I need to close.
Wu Yuan's heart bore no fear. Though there might still be a difference in their physical constitutions, it was no longer insurmountable.
As he strolled along, Wu Yuan maintained an air of nonchalance.
The mission requires Wang Xiaohe to be killed before June. Was this mission issued by my Cloudstride Sect? Or the Baijiang Kingdom? Or perhaps, a case of internal feud within the Great Jin Empire?
There had to be a reason for the stipulated time frame. Given that the assassin's share of the reward amounted to six million silver taels, the employer might have spent ten million silver taels! Such an astronomical sum of wealth was simply mind-blowing. Typically, only a Land Ranker would have the means to amass such vast resources.
Why were five-star missions so few and far between? A crucial reason was the exorbitant prices demanded by the Ninedeaths Circle and the Pleiades Guild. This resulted in very few employers with the capability to post missions rated at this difficulty.
Whatever the reason, it doesn't matter. A glimmer of coldness flashed across Wu Yuan's eyes as he closed the file. All that matters is his death.
This was because the Eastward Sixth Division served as Great Jin's main fighting force during the Battle of Hillstride City. Wu Yuan's father had perished in that very battle.
For over a decade now, Wang Xiaohe held the position of the sixth division's leader. In short, Wang Xiaohe had murdered Wu Yuan's father!
Whenever the memory of his father's demise surfaced, Wu Yuan felt an overwhelming surge of murderous intent welling up inside him, hungry for vengeance.
He understood that these were the memories and emotions of his body's predecessor. Rather than Wu Yuan's mind taking over after his transmigration, it was more accurate to say they had merged, with Wu Yuan's past life's consciousness in command.
My father's murderer can never be forgiven. Wu Yuan silently vowed.
Killing the enemy would release more blood-red mist, and he could claim a hefty reward from the Pleiades Guild. If he could get his hands on 50 drops of Ancient Immortal Dew, Wu Yuan wouldn’t have to worry about resources for a considerable time.
And there was one more matter.
The Battle of Hillstride occurred a decade ago. The Great Jin Empire has since been gearing up for war. It was only due to the clash between The Rain Hierarch and the East King of Great Jin that they temporarily ceased their attacks.
But such peace wouldn't last. Great Jin was thriving and abundant with experts. Meanwhile, Grandmaster Bu Yu was growing older, and the Cloudstride Sect's strength was dwindling. In three to five years, at most ten, the flames of war would reignite.
The last major battle took place in Hillstride Province. The next time, Great Jin's forces would undoubtedly target Cloudhill Province!
By killing one of their Savant experts, their entire army will be thrown into disarray. Wu Yuan flicked the scroll.
Whoosh~ A strange surge of energy rolled across the parchment, shredding it into countless pieces.
For every ounce of strength stripped from the Great Jin, the Cloudstride Sect's chances of victory in the next war will increase. Wu Yuan quickened his pace toward the Starcom Consortium.
Without realizing it, Wu Yuan now felt a clear sense of belonging to the Cloudstride Sect. This was in part due to the sacrifices made by the sect, and also his ties to his family and clan.
...
Just before dawn.
On the fifth floor of the Cloudhill branch of Starcom Consortium.
"Senior," a young man in black robes spoke softly, "this is the divine grade body armor you ordered a year ago. Please feel free to test it."
Within the open box lay a set of jet-black body armor, devoid of any reflection of light. It appeared simple yet extraordinary.
A year prior, when Wu Yuan left the mountain to visit his family, he came to the Starcom Consortium in secret and commissioned this piece of body armor with the third-grade Divine Weapon Token Gu Ji had given him. One year later, he had finally come to collect it.
Swish~ Wu Yuan reached into the box and equipped the body armor in one fluid motion. Where the scales joined, the material was slightly elastic. It fit him perfectly!
The body armor only covered the vital parts of his torso, and its defensive capabilities were much weaker than full-body heavy armor. But in exchange, it had the advantage of flexibility.
"Not bad, worthy of a divine grade body armor." Wu Yuan gripped the body armor, exerting more than 200,000 catties of force, yet it did not yield in the slightest. It was indeed crafted from divine weapon material.
"It does not impede my agility in battle at all," Wu Yuan remarked, his satisfaction evident. Every product from the Starcom Consortium was indeed exquisitely crafted, it was no empty boast.
For a real expert, guarding the vitals was sufficient. Agility was of utmost importance.
"Alright! I'm leaving." Wu Yuan rose from his seat, tossed down his Divine Weapon Token with a flick of his wrist, and quickly left the Starcom Consortium.
Just as he expected, Starcom Consortium deployed their 'eyes'. Unfortunately for them, he shook them off with ease.
As the first light of dawn broke, the crowing of roosters echoed throughout the city.
The city guards flung open the city gates. Along with the surging crowd, Wu Yuan left the Cloudhill Province.
...
It was the evening of the second day after Wu Yuan left Cloudhill City.
In Li City of Southdream Province, atop a desolate hill less than ten li from the Paddy Field Crossing, lay numerous solitary graves.
It seems the number has swelled from a year ago. With the aid of his sharp recollection, Wu Yuan could roughly discern the freshly made graves from the previous year's ones.
After a cursory assessment, Wu Yuan approached a specific grave and began to dig. Harnessing his strength, he swiftly unearthed the entire mound of soil within ten breaths, exposing the tattered garments concealed beneath.
Ripping the fabric, a shimmering silver spear was exposed! It was the divine weapon Wu Yuan had hidden here after slaying Chen Tangru.
What a treasure. Wu Yuan picked it up and stabbed it forth with a force of tens of thousands of catties. An explosion of power propelled the spear forth like an arrow! The spear tip tore through the air, fast as lightning, yet absent of any piercing screech. It seemed to merge into the wind, unaffected by air resistance.
Truly a divine weapon. It can effortlessly bear an explosive force of tens of thousands of catties. Now I can fight freely. Wu Yuan revealed a smile. I also have divine-grade inner armor for protection.
He was all set and ready!
It's time to head to Hillstride Province.
Wu Yuan wasted no more time. He quickly restored the grave to its original state and ensured all his belongings were in order.
Turning into a streak of light, he traversed hundreds of meters in a blink.
Under the cover of the dim light, he vanished into the vast land.
...
The Cloudstride Sect was first established in Cloudhill Province. For a hundred years, it recruited disciples and consolidated its influence in the Cloudhill and Hillstride Provinces. Its roots ran deep.
But all that changed ten years ago. The forces of the Great Jin Empire sank their fangs into their territory, capturing Hillstride Province. Even the powerful Grandmaster Bu Yu could only compel Great Jin to cease their assault, but not surrender their newly claimed lands.
For ten long years, the Hillstride Province remained ensnared in chaos. With the military might of the Great Jin Empire entrenched in the province’s borders, how could the Cloudstride Sect willingly retreat? They had been patiently prepared for a counterattack, entangled in a hidden struggle with the enemy nation!
On the nearly thousand-li-long border where Hillstride and Cloudhill met, heavy forces from both sides were stationed, ready for any unexpected incidents.
The Eastward Sixth Division had set up camp along the border, with over 10,000 highly skilled soldiers camped by the mountains and rivers. The advantageous terrain granted them the upper hand in defense, posing a challenge to opponents looking to assail the army.
As night fell, a number of guard teams were stationed around the major general's tent, the central tent in the camp, while a large number of soldiers patrolled the area.
"Major General, is it true that the ninth prince is on his way?" a lieutenant clad in armor softly questioned. "Isn't he merely a commander in name, lacking any genuine authority within Linjiang City?"
"Among the emperor’s sons, the ninth prince is one of the most talented. At a young age, he already possesses extraordinary strength," a burly, bearded man in heavy armor, seated in the host seat, replied, "His tactical maneuvers are equally remarkable."
"But the crown prince and the third prince are no pushovers either. The crown prince currently leading a northern expedition to the Yuan Continent, and the third prince is governing the southern state," the burly bearded man said, "Though the ninth prince has the support of the east king and is the empress's legitimate son, he must achieve great feats if he wishes to distinguish himself!"
"In our Great Jin, military accomplishments take precedence. If we wish to expand eastward, the Cloudstride Sect stands as the first tough nut to crack. Naturally, the ninth prince is eager to dismantle it," the burly bearded man remarked. "How can His Majesty be unaware that the ninth prince is simply a commander in name?"
"If one wishes to become the crown prince, one must lead by example. How can he be trusted to govern our vast territory from the Holy Capital if he doesn't even dare venture to the front lines of the border?" the burly bearded man said, "But don't worry, the ninth prince is only coming to rally the morale of the troops, and will leave after a few days."
The lieutenant nodded, "I understand, I shall make the necessary arrangements immediately."
After the lieutenant left, only the burly bearded man remained in the central tent, engrossed in studying the intricate map before him.
"Major General Wang, your unwavering dedication is truly commendable," a spectral voice echoed.
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