Outside the Earthen Fortress, Zhao Gang and Huang Shan waited anxiously in the open ground, while several servants stood guard beside the carriage, their faces filled with unease.
Zhao Gang paced back and forth, glancing toward the Earthen Fortress from time to time. The palm gripping his saber hilt was slick with cold sweat.
"Why isn't he out yet..." he muttered, his voice full of worry.
Huang Shan stood quietly with the Willow-Leaf Sword in her arms. Her cool, lovely face betrayed little emotion, but the slight trembling of her right hand around the sword revealed her nervousness.
Just as Zhao Gang could no longer restrain the urge to rush inside, the Earthen Fortress's gate creaked open.
Mo Yun walked out.
His expression was somber, his brows slightly furrowed as he approached them without a word.
Zhao Gang's heart lurched at the sight. He hurried forward and asked, "Mo Yun, what happened in there?"
Mo Yun drew a deep breath and said in a low voice, "It was indeed a demon attack. Everyone in the White Shark Gang's Clearwind Town branch was slaughtered. Not a single survivor."
"What?!" Zhao Gang's expression changed drastically, and he froze as though struck by lightning.
Huang Shan's face instantly turned deathly pale as well, her slender fingers tightening around her scabbard.
Mo Yun looked up at them, his gaze grave. "But Branch Master Han Lie fought to the death and severely wounded that demon. It has less than a tenth of its strength left."
He paused, then said firmly, "I intend to follow its trail and find a way to kill it while it's weak, to eliminate this threat once and for all!"
"Have you gone mad?!" Zhao Gang practically shouted, disbelief written all over his rugged, dark face. "Even badly wounded, it's still