Fleeing After the Deed

After causing havoc at the Revenue Officer's residence, wiping out all the pursuers, and traveling through the night, Li Yi and the others had spent no small amount of energy that evening.

Yet by the time Li Yi and the others reached the outskirts of Blackstone Town, the night was still black as ink.

But when Blackstone Town came into view, Li Yi abruptly changed direction and led Han Jia toward the mountains.

According to Liu Fang, the person who had saved them was most likely Uncle Liu, someone who had ties with their family.

Uncle Liu had taken Li Yi into the mountains to hunt many times before.

Thus, Li Yi was fairly familiar with several of Uncle Liu's footholds in the forest.

About half an hour later, Li Yi and the others had already ventured deep into the mountains.

A shabby thatched hut lay hidden beneath a cliff face.

When hunters went into the mountains, they would choose certain places as safe houses to rest and store supplies.

The thatched hut beneath this cliff had been built by Li Yi and Uncle Liu together.

Outside the hut, Uncle Liu was tending to a rabbit by lamplight.

Beside him crouched a youth, boiling something in a pot.

It was Li Xin!

Li Yi recognized the youth's figure at once and hurried toward the thatched hut.

The sound of their footsteps alerted Uncle Liu.

Instinctively, Uncle Liu grabbed the longbow at his side and raised his head to look beneath the cliff.

"Who's there?"

But the next instant, Uncle Liu let out a breath and lowered his bow.

Though he was not a cultivator, his years of hunting had given him eyes as sharp as an eagle's. Even in the darkness, he could make out objects.

Though they could not compare to Li Yi's Night Vision skill trait, they were enough for him to see clearly.

At a glance, Uncle Liu recognized the person approaching with a woman on his back. Wasn't that Li Yi?

Prompted by Uncle Liu, Li Xin sprang to his feet in delight.

A moment later, the three of them arrived at the thatched hut.

"Brother! Sister Fang!"

Seeing Li Yi and Liu Fang, Li Xin's nose stung, but he forced himself not to say anything more.

Though Li Xin had several wounds on his face, he looked well overall. Clearly, Uncle Liu had taken good care of him.

"Uncle Liu, thank you!"

Li Yi looked solemnly at Uncle Liu and gave him a deep bow.

If Uncle Liu had not risked his life to help them, Li Xin and Li Yue would likely have paid a terrible price.

"Oh, don't, don't."

Uncle Liu hurriedly pulled Li Yi back up.

"Where's Xiaoyue?" After exchanging a few pleasantries, Li Yi asked curiously.

At that, Uncle Liu sighed. "The girl was badly frightened. She's sleeping inside now."

Uncle Liu's words made Li Yi sigh as well.

If they had found a chance to kill the Revenue Officer in Hundred Trees Forest, Liu Fang and the others would not have had to suffer like this.

Perhaps noticing Li Yi's low spirits, Uncle Liu laughed heartily and pulled Li Xin in front of him.

"Your younger brother and sister are no ordinary children!"

"If your brother hadn't come up with ideas several times, we never would've shaken off those pursuers and escaped safely."

Embarrassed by Uncle Liu's praise, Li Xin waved his hands. "My brother taught me all of it."

Just then, the thatched hut's wooden door was pushed open, and a girl of fourteen or fifteen poked her head out.

"Brother, you're here!"

The moment she saw Li Yi, the girl rushed out and threw herself into his arms, bursting into tears.

"It's all right now, it's all right. Your brother's back. Those bad people will never bully you again."

Seeing his younger sister crying in his arms, Li Yi's heart softened, and he comforted her again and again.

Li Yue's tears soaked the clothes on Li Yi's chest. "Brother, I killed someone!"

"I killed someone!"

Li Yue's words startled Li Yi.

After asking in detail, Li Yi learned that during the struggle over Liu Fang, Li Yue had seen Li Xin being beaten down. In her panic, she took out the hunting bow Li Yi had discarded and shot a masked man dead with a single arrow.

It was precisely because of this that the yamen runners had viciously attacked Li Xin and Li Yue, forcing Uncle Liu to step in and save them.

Yet as Li Yi listened to Li Xin and the others describe what had happened, he sensed something faintly amiss.

After thinking it over, Li Yi borrowed Uncle Liu's hunting bow. "Xiaoyue, shoot an arrow and let me see."

Though Li Yue did not understand why, she obediently took the hunting bow. Aiming at a rock not far away, she drew the bow, nocked an arrow, and fired.

Whoosh!

The feathered arrow struck the rock in an instant.

Seeing this, Li Yi froze. The next moment, he looked at Li Yue happily and rubbed her head.

"Xiaoyue, who would've thought it? You've actually gotten started in archery!"

Li Yue's arrow just now had clearly crossed the threshold into archery.

Considering Li Yue's age, it seemed she was quite gifted in the way of the bow as well!

Looking at Li Yue and Li Xin before him, Li Yi was filled with emotion for a moment.

They said poor children grew up early, but Li Xin and Li Yue had truly performed exceptionally well.

After praising and encouraging them for a while, Li Yi went with Han Jia beneath a tree.

Looking toward Liu Fang, who was talking with Li Xin and Li Yue beside the thatched hut, Li Yi told Han Jia about witnessing the Household Clerk speaking with Qing Kingdom's secret envoy at the Household Clerk's residence.

"That damned thing! It's one thing for him to bully men and women and squeeze the people dry, but he's even feeding from the pot while smashing it from within!"

Han Jia was furious after hearing Li Yi's words.

"What are you going to do?"

During his time at Song Jie's side, aside from cultivating and training in martial arts, Han Jia had also learned to think.

Seeing Han Jia ask, Li Yi lowered his voice.

"I'm planning to return to the military camp overnight. Before word of what happened in Qinghe County reaches the camp, I'll report this to Lord Hundred Commander."

"Alright."

Han Jia nodded and said gravely to Li Yi, "Hurry back to the camp and see Hundred Commander Song Jie. Leave this place to me!"

Han Jia patted his chest. "With me here, not one of them will come to harm!"

Seeing this, Li Yi did not waste words. After giving Li Xin and the others a few instructions, he headed straight for the military camp under cover of night.

Song Jie and Cao Li had never seen eye to eye, while the Household Clerk who had colluded with the Qing Kingdom belonged to the same clan as Cao Li.

During tonight's break-in at the Household Clerk's residence, Li Yi had obtained even more evidence from the Household Clerk proving his collusion with the Qing Kingdom. Some of that evidence also implicated Cao Li.

Li Yi believed that with this evidence, Song Jie would certainly not let this opportunity slip by. He would use it to make his move and bring Cao Li down.

If he did not bring Cao Li down, then once dawn came and news of Qinghe County reached the military camp, Cao Li might realize that he knew about the Household Clerk's secret meeting with the Qing Kingdom's envoy. He might then go completely mad and retaliate against him at any cost!

This time, it was both for Wu Chuansheng and for himself!

As he plotted, Li Yi's steps grew ever swifter.

Without Liu Fang slowing him down, Li Yi reached the military camp in less than half an hour.

"I have urgent business with Lord Hundred Commander. Do not stop me!"

Holding up the token Song Jie had given him earlier, Li Yi encountered no obstruction along the way and soon barged into Song Jie's main tent.