The sunshine in Western Prefecture was lovely, but even standing beneath it could not dispel the dark clouds on Huo Ge's face. He had dispatched nearly a hundred warriors, including two masters of soul control, yet Hu Xiaotian and his companions had slaughtered more than half of them. The deaths of so many warriors were secondary; Duoji's death was a tremendous loss. Seizing souls through the eyes was the highest realm a Soul Controller could attain. Even in all of Shajia, there were no more than ten Soul Controllers of that caliber, and Duoji was the only one truly willing to serve him. Huo Ge realized he had underestimated his enemy far too much. Compared with when they first met, Hu Xiaotian had undergone a transformation as profound as shedding his flesh and changing his bones, and that change was not limited to his martial arts.
Three full days had passed since the attempt on Li Tianheng's life, yet even now, Huo Ge, his son-in-law, had not been given an opportunity to visit him. He found that decidedly unusual. Had Li Tianheng already learned of his conspiracy with Xue Shengjing? If so, things would be very bad indeed. Western Sichuan would certainly take precautions well in advance.
A warrior approached Huo Ge and said quietly, "Your Highness, Great Yong's Prince of Yan has arrived."
Huo Ge nodded. "Show him in!" With his thick brows knitted tightly, he added, "Invite him to meet me at Clearwater Pavilion."
Clearwater Pavilion was a waterside pavilion within the post station, situated on the western side of a pond, with half the building standing over the water. Huo Ge loved water. Born in Shajia, he was accustomed to desert winds and sand and rarely saw scenery with such beautiful hills and clear waters. Living beside