When Spirit City received Hu Liena's urgent letter, it was already the evening of the second day.
Di Yao was in a side hall of the Pope Palace, comparing maps of the underground mine tunnels beneath Iron Furnace Town.
Bibi Dong was there as well.
She had not allowed Di Yao to leave the city these past two days, but she had permitted him to organize the materials.
Gui Mei stood in the shadows.
Yue Guan's reply had arrived together with Hu Liena's secret letter.
Hu Liena's letter was highly detailed.
The recipient at Gray Stone Post.
Elder Palace deathsworn.
Internal division within the Tie Shan Line.
The old underground mine tunnel beneath Iron Furnace Town.
Black Stone Valley.
The Iron Sect Master would meet Tang Hao at Black Stone Valley.
After reading it, Di Yao placed the letter on the table.
Bibi Dong did not question him immediately. Instead, she looked at Gui Mei first.
Gui Mei's voice was low. "Black Stone Valley lies deeper within the Heaven Dou Northern Territory, roughly two days from Iron Furnace Town. The terrain is complicated, with narrow valleys. It is suitable for ambushes and blockades alike."
"If Tang Hao goes there, he will definitely scout the route first," Bibi Dong said.
Di Yao nodded.
"So we cannot send a large force into the valley."
Bibi Dong looked at him.
"You want to go yourself."
"Yes," Di Yao said.
Hu Liena was not here.
Otherwise, she would have glared at him first.
But Bibi Dong was not Hu Liena.
She would not merely ask about his injuries.
Her question was more direct. "Why?"
Di Yao answered clearly.
"First, Black Stone Valley is the handoff point between the Iron Sect Master and Tang Hao. We can capture both the Clear Sky Remnants and Tang