The Mole

Lu Chuan had wanted to chase after them as well, but the two men were simply too fast. In the blink of an eye, they had vanished without a trace.

Left with no choice, he returned to the carriage.

Only then did Wang Zhi and the others fully come to their senses. One by one, they climbed up from the ground with their blades in hand, their faces filled with confusion.

They had heard Lu Chuan's shout just now, but Wang Zhi and Mo Lao Er, who had been keeping watch, had somehow let the campfire go out. The surroundings had been so dark that they could not even see their own hands before their faces.

A Martial Artist at the First Qi and Blood level still lacked the ability to see in the dark. At the very least, one needed to reach the Second Qi and Blood level.

Seeing them groping around in the darkness as they drew their blades, Lu Chuan sighed. He hurried over to the campfire and tossed a few pieces of dry firewood inside.

The flames leaped up with a whoosh, illuminating the surroundings.

Wang Zhi saw that it was Lu Chuan, let out a sigh of relief, and came over.

"Brother Lu, thanks to you just now. Otherwise, Biaotou Fang would have suffered a serious loss."

Lu Chuan was in no mood for small talk. His gaze swept toward the carriage. "Hurry and check. What medicinal material was stolen?"

Wang Zhi and another guard ran over to the slashed-open sack and rummaged through it by the firelight.

"Damn it!" Wang Zhi's voice instantly became flustered.

"That fellow took the Blood Sun Flower. That entire sack is worth three hundred taels!"

As soon as he said this, the others' expressions turned ugly. With such a huge loss, this escort mission might as well have been for nothing!

Lu Chuan's brows furrowed as well, but after thinking it over, he said, "All right. Although the Blood Sun Flower is extraordinarily expensive, it's also heavy. That bandit is carrying such a large sack and is injured too. Biaotou Fang will definitely be able to catch him!"

He had watched carefully just now. Biaotou Fang's blade had cut extremely deep. Since they were both at the Second Qi and Blood level, there was no way Biaotou Fang would let that fellow escape.

But then, a deeper thought surfaced.

That bandit had suffered a severe injury, yet he had still risked his life to take away such a large sack of Blood Sun Flowers. Could it be... because he was simply too greedy for money?

"No, that fellow's skills are excellent. If he failed this time, he could just wait for another opportunity. Why would he take such a huge risk..."

That made no sense.

Unless... his true purpose was to lure Biaotou Fang away. That was why he had taken such a large sack of Blood Sun Flowers!

Suddenly, this thought flashed through Lu Chuan's mind, and his back instantly turned cold.

"Everyone, gather around!" Lu Chuan shouted in a low voice. "There may still be someone nearby!"

The moment his voice fell, before the others could move, Lu Chuan caught sight of a black shadow pouncing from the side out of the corner of his eye. It was astonishingly fast, heading straight for him!

That speed... Could it be the Second Qi and Blood level?!

He had no time to think. He turned sideways and held his blade horizontally.

Clang!

The two blades collided, sending sparks flying in all directions.

The terrifying force of the Second Qi and Blood level he had expected did not arrive. Although his opponent's strength was greater than his own, it was obvious that the man was also at the First Qi and Blood level.

When the sneak attack failed, the man retreated immediately after that single strike, swiftly widening the distance between them. He faced the five men from afar.

Wang Zhi sensed the strength of his opponent's qi and blood, then burst into loud laughter.

"Good lad! I thought you were some formidable character. Turns out you're only at First Qi and Blood Complete? How dare you come here alone to deliver yourself to death?"

The man stood in the darkness, his expression impossible to make out. Only a soft chuckle could be heard.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Ye Qi, a disciple of the Night Roaming Gate. The one who lured your escort leader away just now was my senior brother, Ye Wu."

As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Zhi and the others' faces turned deathly pale.

Lu Chuan slightly furrowed his brows. "The Night Roaming Gate?"

"Brother Lu, you don't know?" Wang Zhi's voice tightened, and his hand gripping the blade grew tense.

"The Night Roaming Gate... is a notorious den of bandits infamous for hundreds of miles around."

"Their disciples possess two great specialties. First, Seven Star Steps. It's elusive and unfathomable, swift as a ghost, capable of advancing or retreating at will. Among those of the same rank, hardly anyone can keep up with their footsteps."

"Second, from childhood, they soak their eyes in secret medicine and train the Night Eye, allowing them to see in the dark as clearly as in broad daylight."

"With those two skills at their disposal, encountering them at night is practically..."

Lu Chuan's heart tightened.

No wonder that blade had come so quickly just now. Although the attacker was clearly only at the First Qi and Blood level, his movement technique had been astonishingly fast.

If not for his extraordinary Eagle Eye, that blade would probably have drawn blood already.

"So what?" Wang Zhi gritted his teeth and forced himself to hold firm. "No matter how formidable he is, he's still only one person. There are five of us..."

Before he could finish speaking,

a shrill scream suddenly rang out behind them!

Lu Chuan whipped around. A blade's gleam was already slashing toward his back, its chill piercing to the bone!

With no time to think, he swung his blade backward to block while kicking out at the same time, forcing the attacker back two steps.

The firelight flickered, illuminating the man's face.

Mo Lao Er.

His face wore an expression that was both regretful and excited, and blood was still dripping from the broad blade in his hand.

Wang Zhi's eyes widened in utter disbelief. "Mo Lao Er... you... How dare you betray us?!"

The corners of Mo Lao Er's lips slowly curled into a smile.

"What a pity." He glanced at the corpse on the ground, his tone as cold as frost. "I only managed to butcher one. What a pity. If you had been any slower, it would be two against two by now."

Wang Zhi stared fixedly at him.

"Mo Lao Er, you were the mole!"

"No wonder you kept saying dawn was almost here and told me not to add more firewood... But don't forget, your uncle was your guarantor! Aren't you afraid this will implicate him?"

"My uncle?" The mockery at the corners of Mo Lao Er's lips deepened.

"Then do you know that my uncle died seven days ago?"

Wang Zhi froze.

"Dead?"

"After I finish this job, I'll probably have enough capital to reach the Third Qi and Blood level. Why would I still need to slave away at Renhetang Pharmacy?" Mo Lao Er chuckled.

Wang Zhi opened and closed his mouth, unable to utter a single word.

Mo Lao Er stopped looking at him and turned his head toward Ye Qi, who stood not far away.

"That kid is strange. Just now, in the pitch-black darkness, my blade was hidden so well, yet he could actually see it... You deal with him. Leave the other two to me. Let's finish this quickly."

"Fine." Ye Qi sounded indifferent, his gaze settling on Lu Chuan.

Mo Lao Er raised his blade and advanced toward Wang Zhi and the other man.

Watching Ye Qi draw closer step by step, Lu Chuan took a deep breath and tightened his grip on his long blade.

Not only could his opponent see in the dark, but he was also extremely fast, and his qi and blood were slightly stronger than Lu Chuan's. This battle was certain to be a bitter one.

"You can see in the dark too?"

Ye Qi studied him as well. "You weren't fumigated with secret medicine. Were you born with it?"

Lu Chuan did not answer.

"Interesting." A cold smile appeared at the corners of Ye Qi's lips.

"Then let's see whether your inborn Night Eye is more formidable, or whether the Night Roaming Gate's skills have the upper hand."

The moment his voice fell, his figure swayed and vanished from where he stood.