"Chief, since that's the case, I'll go down and give the brothers their orders."
Xue Ren cupped his fists.
"Good! Second Chief, your righteousness is admirable. I'll join you shortly." Hei Kui smiled.
Xue Ren smiled as well, then turned and went down.
At that moment, only Old Sword and Hei Kui remained in the hall. Old Sword thought for a moment. "Chief, I'll head down too."
Hei Kui considered it, then nodded.
"Go."
Hei Kui stood alone in the hall for a while.
His gaze fixed viciously on the direction Xue Ren and Old Sword had left, and every trace of a smile vanished from his face.
He clenched and loosened his fists, loosened and clenched them again, then turned and took a palm-sized wooden box from a hidden compartment in the corner.
When he opened it, more than a dozen dark-red incense pellets lay neatly arranged inside. Each gave off a pungent odor, like deadwood mixed with beast blood.
Hei Kui took one out and held it beneath his nose for a sniff, his expression easing slightly. He closed the box and strode out of the cave.
Night had already fallen.
A thin mist hung among the forests of Azure Radiance Mountain, the mountain's evening dampness.
Hei Kui stood atop a jutting boulder. Below him, shadowy figures filled the valley, the bandits of Blackwind Stronghold awaiting his command.
"Tan Bing," Hei Kui said in a low voice.
Tan Bing hurried out from the crowd and answered quietly, "Chief."
"Have all the Demon-Luring Incense been buried?"
"They were buried long ago."
Keeping his voice low, Tan Bing said, "They stretch from the outskirts of Azure Radiance Mountain all the way to the foot of Azure Radiance Peak, ninety-nine locations in all. As you ordered, one every three li."
Hei