Crows cawed on and off, their cries echoing through the mountains again and again. The wind swept past, making the withered yellow mugwort rustle. Wherever the eye could see, there was nothing but dead grass. The setting sun dyed the horizon the same withered yellow.
The gray-clad man gazed into the distance, then rubbed his sunken belly and said helplessly, "Brother Jia, we've come a long way. We should have shaken off Mount Hua Sect's eyes by now. Let's stop and catch our breath, and have everyone find something to eat!"
Elder Jia glanced over the battered, defeated troops and nodded.
Ever since leaving Mount Hua, they had been living on the run. They dared not take the main roads or enter the cities, afraid that Mount Hua Sect's people might spot them.
As elders of the Sun Moon Divine Cult, they were important figures wherever they went. Neither man had spent a night in the wilderness for many years.
But they had no choice. They had made a huge mess of things. If nothing unexpected had happened, their names were already at the top of the Five Mountains Alliance's wanted list.
The entire Guanzhong Martial Arts Alliance was searching for them. Unless they stayed cautious, they would never make it out of Guanzhong.
Without any need for extra orders, the disciples accompanying them split into two groups. Some went to gather firewood, while the others went hunting. Only Jia and Zhou remained, sitting on the ground.
"I never imagined Mount Hua Sect was hiding such strength. Besides Feng Qingyang, they also have a young expert this formidable.
"If I'm not mistaken, Cai and Yao were merely bait they put out in the open to draw the attention of outsiders. This expert, hidden in the shadows, is the heir they've truly been grooming."
Elder Jia sighed.
As their enemy, the Sun Moon Divine Cult had naturally planted no shortage of spies in Mount Hua Sect. Even this sneak attack had gone smoothly only because their inside agents helped them get past the disciples guarding the mountain.
But even the wisest can make mistakes. Who could have expected Li Mu, a cheat of a fighter, to suddenly appear?
Elder Zhou smiled. "Brother Jia, there's no need to worry. Mount Hua Sect may have deep reserves, but they've taken a heavy blow this time.
"I made a rough tally of our gains. This attack not only took out several of their senior elders, it also killed nearly a quarter of their inner disciples. They won't recover for eight or ten years.
"Mount Hua Sect isn't united, either. If the Eastward Expansion Plan fails again, that old fox Ning Qingyu will have a hard time of it. This might even be the beginning of Mount Hua Sect's decline.
"With achievements like these, who in the cult would dare look down on you and me?"
Elder Jia's expression eased considerably at Elder Zhou's words.
In a sense, failing to wipe them out completely was a good thing. Had they truly slaughtered Mount Hua Sect at its mountain gate, the sect would have hunted them down like madmen.
Once a major power set its sights on them, they would have to hide on Black Wood Cliff for the rest of their lives—or they would eventually be caught.
As if a frightening thought had crossed his mind, Elder Jia said uneasily, "Brother Zhou, something doesn't feel right. The forest is too quiet."
At the warning, Elder Zhou immediately realized the problem. Nearly the time it took an incense stick to burn had passed, and so many disciples had entered the woods, yet not a single one had come back out.
"Are you looking for me?"
A voice came from behind them. When the two turned around, their hair stood on end.
"Feng... Qing...yang!"
As they called out his name, both men circulated their full power and fled in opposite directions.
Clearly, they remembered that they should flee the moment they encountered a master—but forgot what happened when they exposed their backs to a peerless swordsman.
A flash of swordlight, and Elder Zhou, who had reacted a beat too slowly, was already on the ground. Elder Jia, who had outrun his companion, fared no better. After running a hundred yards, he was still caught by the swordlight.
From beginning to end, both men had focused solely on escaping. Neither had mounted a single effective counterattack. Had the two joined forces, their martial arts were good enough to hold out for at least eighty or a hundred moves.
If one had stayed behind to cover the other, perhaps one of them might have gotten away.
But there were no ifs. They had both made their way in the Demonic Cult, and neither possessed the spirit to sacrifice himself for another.
Killing the two was as easy as killing a pair of chickens. Only after cutting off their heads did Feng Qingyang's gloomy expression ease a little.
It was plain that he was in a terrible mood. The Sun Moon Divine Cult's attack on Mount Hua had clearly enraged the Sword Saint.
By then, Mount Hua's disciples were also coming out of the woods one after another. Clearly, Feng Qingyang hadn't been the only one involved in the ambush.
That was right: this was the Mount Hua Sect force sent to intercept the Ten Elders of the Demonic Cult. But by the time they arrived, the main Demonic Cult force had already retreated into Shanxi. Then came the news that their mountain gate had been attacked.
Realizing they had been tricked, the group immediately decided to keep the Demonic Cult's attackers in Guanzhong and wash away the shame of their sect's assault.
When Mount Hua Sect mobilized with all its strength, it was terrifying. Not only did the great martial arts forces of Guanzhong rise to action, but the powerful local families in the countryside were mobilized as well.
Though the Demonic Cult party had been extremely cautious, no matter how well they concealed their tracks, they could not evade everyone's eyes.
With a few clues, their whereabouts were soon exposed. In the end, Mount Hua Sect's people cornered them here.
"Junior Brother Feng, we've dealt with all the Demonic Cult members. Let's return to the mountain first. We can use their heads to pay tribute to—"
Before Zhou Qingyun could finish, Feng Qingyang cut him off. "No. This isn't enough!
"Senior Brother Zhou, take the others back first. Once I've taken the heads of the other eight, I'll return to the mountain and pay my respects to Master."
At Feng Qingyang's words, Zhou Qingyun's expression changed. The Ten Elders of the Demonic Cult were all peak first-rate experts. Though they had killed two, eight remained.
With the cult disciples accompanying them, even if their entire force went after them, they might not win.
Worried that hatred had clouded Feng Qingyang's judgment, Zhou Qingyun hurried to dissuade him. "Junior Brother, there'll be time for revenge later. Once we return to the mountain, we can gather our fellow martial artists and seek justice from the Demonic Cult together."
"The murder of my master is a blood feud. How could I leave it to someone else?"
Feng Qingyang replied with absolute resolve.
"Senior Brother Zhou, rest assured. I have a plan. Those old devils may be formidable, but they'll have to split up sooner or later. If any of them dares to go alone, I'll take his head.
"Besides, with my skills, if I want to leave, who under heaven can stop me?"
Seeing how firm Feng Qingyang was, Zhou Qingyun thought for a moment, then nodded.
He trusted Feng Qingyang's martial arts. As long as he didn't fight the Demonic Cult's full force head-on, he could roam the world at will.
"Since you've made up your mind, Junior Brother, I won't say more.
"Please be sure to take care on your journey. If you need anything, just send a letter. I and our fellow disciples will come to your aid.
"For now, I wish you a safe journey. When you've succeeded, we'll drink together and celebrate."
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