Chapter 160 - Yu Yezi
Edited by RED
Xu Qi and the three girls waited quietly by the cave entrance after Wen Xiang brought everyone from Luo Xiang House into the cave.
After some time, footsteps could be heard from within. Xu Qi and the others looked over, and saw that Wen Xiang and her men were walking out.
Wen Xiang came to Xu Qi's side and smiled at him, then turned around to face the others behind her.
As Wen Xiang turned around, the crowd all half knelt on the ground and greeted Xu Qi respectfully, "Young Master."
Xu Qi wasn't surprised by this. He expected his aunt to have some methods of her own. He asked them to get up plainly, and spoke no longer.
Xu Qi and Wen Xiang had a discussion, and decided that he would bring the Constellation Guards back first, and Wen Xiang would return with the men from Luo Xiang House, separated by batches.
Xu Qi then left with the girls and the Constellation Guards.
---
Wen Xiang stood atop the mountain, watching as Xu Qi's figure slowly getting farther away, sadness welling up in her heart. With Xu Qi's appearance, she was reminded of her sister.
After Xu Qi and the others disappeared from sight, Wen Xiang returned to the cave. Some time later, a black shadow flashed past the quiet mountain, descending quickly.
The next day, nearing the break of dawn, the black shadow quickly returned to the mountain.
A short while later, Wen Xiang gathered everyone from the Luo Xiang House and descended the mountain. Their destination: Rivulet City of Mirrorlink. She only brought a few members with her. The others separated into smaller groups after descending the mountain.
---
As the number one school of Earthdream, the Imperial Void Valley was situated in Qin City, not far away from Shen City. As a prominent cultivation school in the Spirit Domain, the reason they were called the Imperial Void Valley was because they weren't located within Qin City. Instead, their base was located on a mountain valley outside of Qin City.
In a grand hall in this valley, the current Valley Master of Imperial Void Valley, Yu Yezi was sat in the main seat in the hall, looking furiously at the four men kneeling before him.
Mo Dingtian had taken their Second Elder, Yu Tuzi, and his personal disciple, Yu Fanzi, to Mirrorlink for an extended period, yet there wasn't any news of them. This had left Yu Yezi, who had always been a firm man, feeling restless.
"The few of you, make haste to that Rivulet City personally, and head over to that Xu Clan or whatever. Find out why they have yet to return!" Yu Yezi commanded the four kneeling before him furiously.
The four kneeling down right now were all Elders of the Imperial Void Valley. All of them hurriedly responded with a "Yes!" at their Valley Master's order.
Yu Yezi looked at the four kneeling down, and began lamenting in his heart. The Imperial Void Valley was originally brimming with talent, but in the recent years, they kept suffering losses, and were only left with four Elders now.
At this moment, a young disciple walked into the grand hall. He respectfully saluted Yu Yezi and said, "Reporting to Valley Master, there's someone outside who claims to be from the Shadow Wind Sect requesting an audience with you, saying that he needs to inform you of something."
Hearing this, Yu Yezi furrowed his brow, but responded, "Let him in."
The reporting disciple slowly exited the hall. Yu Yezi waved his hand at the four kneeling Elders, indicating they should stand to the side.
Soon, the young reporting disciple brought a man wearing a black cloak into the hall.
Yu Yezi asked this black-clothed man whose appearance was concealed, "Who of the Shadow Wind Sect are you? And what did you find me for?"
The man wearing a black cloak said coldly, "Valley Master Yu, I'm really doubtful of how the Imperial Void Valley managed to become the number one cultivation school in Earthdream. You actually didn't know anything about something that happened right under your noses?"
Yu Yezi let out a cold humph and he vanished on the spot, instantly reappearing before the black-clothed man. Yu Yezi easily forced him to retreat several steps with a palm.
"Our Imperial Void Valley's situation in the Earthdream isn't something you, a member of the Shadow Wind Sect, are qualified to comment on. Don't think that I won't dare to do anything against you just because you're from the Shadow Wind Sect. If you don't clarify your intentions coming here soon, I'll have you permanently stay here today! Hmph!" Yu Yezi snorted. The imposing air of someone being in a great position for years instantly erupted.
After stabilizing himself, the black-clothed man didn't do anything in retaliation, as if nothing had happened. He maintained his cold attitude and asked, "I wonder if Valley Master Yu knows, that last night, the Mo Clan of Shen City was massacred?"
"What?! The Mo Clan was massacred?" Yu Yezi cried out in shock.
"Don't get agitated, Valley Master Yu. Isn't it only an inconsequential Mo Clan? So be it if they were massacred. However, Valley Master Yu should be more interested in the people who massacred the Mo Clan," the black-clothed man said.
"Who are you of the Shadow Wind Sect? Why would you know of this, and how do I know whether your information is accurate?" Yu Yezi asked calmly.
At this moment, the disciple who was reporting earlier came running frantically again and said to Yu Yezi, "Valley Master, news came from Shen City. The Mo Clan, including Mo Dingtian's younger brother, Mo Dingkong, their entire clan of over two hundred people were massacred overnight."
Yu Yezi didn't say anything in response to the report, only waving his hand at him. The reporting disciple left the hall, and Yu Yezi sent a cold gaze toward that black-clothed man, saying, "You can continue speaking."
"Haha, don't be so agitated, Valley Master Yu. I'm only here to convey a message. The people who massacred the Mo Clan came from Rivulet City of Mirrorlink," the black-clothed man said with a smirk.
A powerful aura burst forth from Yu Yezi's body at hearing this. Red energy instantly enveloped his body.
"Please calm down, Valley Master Yu. The group of people that massacred the Mo Clan seemed to have just left Shen City. If you were to give chase now, you can still make it in time," the black-clothed man said. His tone turned better after he felt the aura from Yu Yezi.
"Is there anything else?" Yu Yezi asked coldly.
The black-clothed man immediately understood his meaning, which was asking him to leave. Thus, he replied, "I'll be taking my leave first then, Valley Master Yu."
Then, the black-clothed man slowly exited the hall without looking back.
Yu Yezi stood there as he watched the black-clothed man leave. Then, he turned to the four Elders and said, "You four, bring more men with you. Capture those people and bring them back here. If they are really people from Rivulet City of Mirrorlink, it would seem that something untoward has happened to Mo Dingtian and the Second Elder."
The four Elders answered "Yes!" and left the hall.
"Wait. Ask the First Elder, who is on secluded cultivation, to go with you. Say that it was I who told him to," Yu Yezi suddenly said as the four were leaving.
The four of them hurriedly bowed to Yu Yezi again, and departed.
Yu Yezi sighed as a green sword appeared in his hand. He looked at this sword and muttered, "I'm afraid my disciple has met with misfortune, too. Rivulet City… Xu Clan… what exactly is going on?"
If Xu Qi were present, he would definitely recognize the sword in Yu Yezi's hand. It was none other than the bronze sword he used years ago.
After a short while, the Imperial Void Valley's disciples on guard duty by the entrance saw an imposing group of people approaching them.
The disciples hurriedly saluted on seeing who it was, because the one leading them was actually the First Elder, Yu Qingzi, who seldom showed himself. Behind him, there were also four Elders.
Yu Qingzi was originally in secluded cultivation, but the four Elders got to him and summarized the situation. Yu Qingzi then quickly came out of seclusion to execute the mission their Valley Master had given them.
However, just as Yu Qingzi exited the valley with his men, they saw a black-clothed man standing right in the middle of the road.
The four Elders realized that it was actually the black-clothed man who came to find their Valley Master, and explained this to Yu Qingzi.
"We're short on time. I wish to travel alongside you, to see if there's any help I can provide," the black-clothed man said to Yu Qingzi's group.
Yu Qingzi was a man with few words. He only nodded and turned behind to say a few sentences to his men and flew away with the four Elders. The black-clothed man quickly followed.
------
At this moment, Xu Qi, who was still unaware of the situation, was travelling leisurely with the girls and the Constellation Guards. Xu Zi and the others were injured, especially their Third Brother, Xu Yin, who had to be carried. Naturally they wouldn't be able to travel quickly.
"Young Master, Aunt Wen's group should be able to keep up, right?" Qian Yin asked.
As they travelled, Qian Yin and the girls had learned some matters about Wen Xiang from Xu Qi, causing her to be too embarrassed to address her as Aunt, and chose to call her Aunt Wen instead.1
Xu Qi looked at Qian Yin and smiled, "Oh, Qian Yin, actually I feel that there are a lot of similarities between you and this aunt of mine in terms of your character. However, she is someone with richer experience. Do you know why I didn't ask her what she told those people from Luo Xiang House to have them act so politely towards me after they came out?"
"Why didn't you ask? I was puzzled about how Aunt Wen would have everyone submit to you with little to no effort," Qian Yin asked.
"Qian Yin, this is the difference between you and her. Perhaps it's a matter of how much you've experienced in your life. I won't explain this matter to you explicitly. Let's see if you can understand it on your own," Xu Qi smiled.
Qian Yin nodded, not understanding everything. She spoke no longer, pondering over what Xu Qi said.
Seeing her acting like this, Xu Qi didn't say anything, either. He continued leading his men toward the mountain by the borders. He had agreed with Wen Xiang to meet up there.
---
Meanwhile, Wen Xiang, who set off slightly later, had brought about a dozen men with her, walking along the route Xu Qi had taken. When they descended the mountain earlier, Xu Qi split Luo Xiang House's men into three groups, heading for Rivulet City separately.
"Master, I have something in my mind, but I'm not sure whether I should speak about it," a well-built man next to Wen Xiang said suddenly.
Translator's Note:
1: The raw for Aunt is 小姨/Xiao Yi, which is the term in Chinese to address someone that is your mother's younger sister. Addressing Wen Xiang as Aunt Wen/温姨/Wen Yi would remove the blood or marriage related implication and just means that she was using Aunt as a title to address her, a woman from the older generation.