Chapter 148: Shadow Blade Is Wu Yuan (1)
Taking down a Grandmaster is truly much tougher than killing a Savant expert.
His waist and abdomen still throbbed painfully. With the control he had over his body, he could tell that two of his bones were fractured. Thankfully, the third-grade divine soft armor had shielded him from the worst of it. Without its protection, Wang Huang's final strike would have inflicted severe damage, if not ended him altogether. Such was the nature of martial arts battles.
Although Wu Yuan appeared to hold the upper hand, a slight misstep could easily result in injury or death. Of course, if Wu Yuan had not gambled with his life, choosing to defeat Wang Huang methodically instead of killing him as quickly as possible, he wouldnt have gotten injured. But to him, trading a wound for his opponent's life was no loss.
If I had delayed any longer, I fear The Rain Hierarch and The Sword Hierarch would have arrived. Wu Yuan sighed inwardly.
Crack! Enduring the pain, his musculoskeletal system trembled, aligning the broken rib back into place.
Once that was done, he vanished in a blur, reappearing beside Grandmaster Wang Huang's lifeless body. With a swift gesture, he collected the divine-grade flexible sword, the close-fitting inner armor, and the assortment of gold and silver notes strewn about the ground.
Gu Wang and Zhang Changsheng are on their way. An inkling of unease crept into Wu Yuan's heart. Did they discover his absence from the Wu Mansion?
Whoosh! Wu Yuan darted into a street alley that remained untouched by the huge battle.
From the moment Wu Yuan killed Wang Huang, doubled back to collect his spoils of war, then made his exit, barely an instant had passed.
"Senior Shadow Blade!"
"Senior, please wait!" Gu Wang, Zhang Changsheng, and two other Savant experts immediately ran after him.
Wu Yuan didn't even turn to look at them. Enveloping his surroundings with Soul Force, he flicked his wrist. Three throwing knives whipped through the air, creating a deafening sonic boom as their speeds rocketed to 600 meters per second. Simultaneously, they were planted into the ground right at the feet of the four Savant experts. The impact showered the four with dirt and debris.
"Anyone who continues to pursue me will die!" Wu Yuan's cold voice echoed through the alleyways.
The four Savant experts halted in their tracks, none daring to defy the warning.
"Hall Master Gu, what should we do?" Zhang Changsheng and the others remained rooted in place, casting uncertain glances toward Gu Wang, who stood at the front of the group. In terms of status, Gu Wang, the master of the Inspection Hall, held the highest authority among them.
"Grandmaster Shadow Blade must have his reasons for avoiding us. Let us cease our pursuit," Gu Wang shook his head, suppressing the doubts gnawing at his mind.
"Wang Huang was a Grandmaster. His death today is a major incident. The news of his death in Cloudhill City will shake the entire Jiang Continent. Regardless of his purpose for being here, he is now no more," Gu Wang added solemnly, "Great Jin may seize this opportunity to strike."
The Savant experts couldn't help but nod in agreement. They were all higher-ups of the Cloudstride Sect, well aware of the ongoing conflict between their sect and the Great Jin Empire.
"Our top priority is to suppress any information leakage. The clash erupted in the eastern district of the city. Although the conversation between Wang Huang and the Grandmaster Shadow Blade has spread to some extent, it is unlikely that those in other districts have heard their exact words," Gu Wang calmly stated. "Therefore, General Tian, promptly issue orders to the city guard to seal off the entire eastern district and provide swift medical aid to the wounded."
"Enhance all security measures. It is highly probable that spies from various factions have infiltrated the eastern district. Order all sect members to isolate themselves within their homes. No movement or communication is allowed. Anyone found leaking the news shall be executed without mercy!" Gu Wang's killing intent flared, "Their decapitated heads shall be paraded through the streets, serving as a deterrent to all the scum within the city."
"Completely seal off Cloudhill City. I dont want to see a single bird fly out. Furthermore, enforce a curfew, strictly forbidding any faction from transmitting messages."
"Understood." General Tian's face turned solemn.
"Sect Elder Wu." Gu Wang turned to the sect elder next to him.
"Hall Master Gu." Sect Elder Wu responded.
"You are to lead the Cloudstride Army and Cloudhill Army to immediately surround the bases of the Starcom Consortium, Pleiades Guild, and Ninedeaths Circle," Gu Wang stated coolly. "No one shall be allowed to enter or exit. Inform them that a Grandmaster of the Cloudstride Sect is en route. Without proper authorization, no messages shall be passed.
This is Cloudhill! Our Cloudstride Sect's Cloudhill! Anyone who dares to defy these orders will be executed without mercy!"
"Understood." Sect Elder Wu nodded.
"Everyone." Gu Wang's gaze swept over the group, his voice low, "I know that all of you, including the many disciples stationed in the city, have many speculations regarding the identity of Grandmaster Shadow Blade. But as higher-ups of the sect, you should understand the gravity of the situation."
"Remember this well: without explicit acknowledgment by the Hierarchs, Shadow Blade is not a member of our Cloudstride Sect. If anyone under your command dares to question this, punish them directly. Kill anyone who dares to spread any false news, even if it's a first-rate Adept."
"No questions, no doubts, no guesses, just obedience! Obedience! And more obedience!" Gu Wang declared coldly, "Is that clear?"
In summary: seal off the news! Deny any association between Shadow Blade and the Cloudstride Sect.
"Understood!"
"Understood!" The Savant experts echoed in solemn agreement. None of them opposed his orders.
They understood the severity of a Grandmasters death. Crucial times called for severe measures! Anyone who dared violate the rules, be it a protectorate or member of a Grandmaster's family, would not be spared!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Sect Elder Wu and General Tian swiftly departed. The two of them were originally Savant experts overseeing the eastern district, making them the best-suited individuals to implement the necessary arrangements.
In reality, only a short time had passed since Shadow Blade scared off the four Savant experts of the Cloudstride Sect with his throwing knives, to the moment Gu Wang began issuing his orders.
Now, only Gu Wang and Zhang Changsheng remained in the alley.
"Let's go back. We must check if Wu Yuan has been found."
Whoosh! Whoosh! The two Savant experts quickly ran towards the Wu Mansion. They had barely covered 200 meters when they came across several experts and a group of city guards dealing with the bodies of three Savant experts in a deserted alley.
In a sudden burst of movement, a figure dashed out from the Wu Mansion, arriving in front of Zhang Changsheng and Gu Wang at astonishing speed. It was a thin, frail old man in black robes.
"What's the situation, Sect Elder Luo?" Gu Wang asked in a deep voice.
"Wu Yuan has just returned to his mansion," the frail black-robed figure replied. "He claims to have left the mansion for a stroll, only to rush back home after hearing sounds of battle."
"Out for a stroll?" Zhang Changsheng and Gu Wang exchanged a glance, a flicker of suspicion and doubt in their eyes. Could this truly be a mere coincidence?
When the fight between the Grandmasters had just begun, Gu Wang and Zhang Changsheng immediately checked the second floor to confirm Wu Yuan's safety. However, no one was there! The two of them guarded both the left and right of the mansion, yet Wu Yuan vanished under their watch?
At the time, both Savant experts instinctively assumed that Wu Yuan had been abducted. Though shocked and horrified, Gu Wang and Zhang Changsheng didn't have the time to dwell on it. They had sent out a distress signal and issued commands to their subordinates, then rushed to the scene of the battle between Grandmasters. After all, who else could have taken Wu Yuan right under their noses, if not a Grandmaster? Soon after, the two witnessed Shadow Blade killing Wang Huang.
Now, a myriad of questions arose in their minds. Why had the two Great Grandmasters clashed? Why was Wang Huang in Cloudhill City? Were the three deceased Savant experts killed by the Shadow Blade?
But above all, the most pressing question was: why did Wu Yuan disappear precisely during this critical juncture?
"Hall Master Gu, Sect Elder Zhang, what's the situation now?" Sect Elder Luo inquired.
He was one of the three Savant experts entrusted with guarding the eastern district of the city and had just returned from an exhaustive search for Wu Yuan, ignorant of the massive battle that had just taken place.
"Grandmaster Shadow Blade appeared and killed Wang Huang..." Zhang Changsheng began, his words leaving Sect Elder Luo dumbfounded.
Wang Huang was dead? A Grandmaster had perished?
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