Without a Trace

Senior Brother Tang, Tang Junzhan, searched along the lakeshore, thinking, Time is short. I'll search a few hundred meters along the shore. Whether I find her or not, I must leave this place at once.

After taking only a few steps, a miserable scream suddenly rang out behind him. Tang Junzhan was greatly alarmed and spun around. He saw a woman in palace robes standing beside the bonfire, a sword in one hand and a person in the other. Another person lay sprawled at her feet—it was Ma Renyi, who had left not long ago. The scream just now must have been his.

Junior Brother Ma was killed by her? How did she arrive so quickly? Tang Junzhan was instantly overcome with fear. Forcing down the terror in his heart, he plastered on a smile and said to the woman, "M-Master Ming, I-I'm Tang Junzhan! Why have you come?" His voice trembled without stop.

The woman in palace robes was naturally Mingzhu, the master of Qin Zitong and Li Tongtong, and an elder of the Nether Shade Sect. She stared expressionlessly at Senior Brother Tang, her gaze cold and sharp as a sword.

Seeing that Mingzhu did not answer, Tang Junzhan gritted his teeth and continued, "Junior Brother Ma drugged the two junior sisters and intended to commit vile acts. I happened to discover him and came out to rescue them, but Junior Sister Qin misunderstood me and jumped into the lake to escape." At this point, he could only dump everything onto Ma Renyi and treat a dead horse as if it were alive.

Seeing that Mingzhu remained unmoved, Tang Junzhan could only steel himself and continue, "Fortunately, Master arrived in time. Not only did you save Junior Sister Li, you also cleansed our sect of a scoundrel." As he spoke, he put on an expression of righteous indignation.

"Master, please rest first. I'll go into the lake and save Junior Sister Qin now." As he spoke, he slowly stepped back, preparing to turn and jump into the lake.

Mingzhu moved. Before he could even see her movements clearly, she was already in front of Tang Junzhan. The sword in her hand stabbed straight at him, swift as lightning.

Suddenly, the longsword stopped dead. Its tip was less than two inches from Tang Junzhan's face. His scalp went numb, and his body seemed to have plunged into an icy cellar. He froze there, not daring to move a muscle.

At that moment, Mingzhu's heart overflowed with rage and humiliation. Her eyes were blood-red, and she clenched her silver teeth, nearly disregarding everything to drive her sword through Tang Junzhan's head. Yet in the end, that sword did not thrust forward.

She silently recited the Heart Cleansing Mantra several times. Her eyes gradually regained their clarity, but the killing intent in her chest refused to disperse.

Fine. That one before could be killed, but this boy cannot be.

If I kill him, then even if the three of us return safely to the sect, I fear we will have ruined Sect Leader Wei's great undertaking.

With that thought, Mingzhu's killing intent abruptly faded, and her sword slowly withdrew.

When the sword moved away, Tang Junzhan's body went limp and he collapsed onto the ground.

Mingzhu looked down at Tang Junzhan and said coldly, "I'll spare your dog life for now. Get lost. Tell Tang Gula that I, Mingzhu, am irreconcilable with him. Today's humiliation will be repaid a hundredfold another day."

Tang Junzhan did not dare utter another word. He scrambled up and staggered away into the distance.

Mingzhu secretly sighed. Then she remembered that her eldest disciple was still in the lake, and anxiety immediately gripped her. Carrying Li Tongtong, she began searching along the shore.

"Zitong, Zitong, it's Master! Where are you?" she shouted as she searched, but even after combing the shore several times, she saw no sign of her disciple.

Looking at her unconscious younger disciple in her hand, she had no idea what poison Li Tongtong had been given. If it was not treated in time, something might happen. Yet her eldest disciple's fate remained unknown. Mingzhu was caught between two fires. Still, she was no ordinary person, and after only a moment's hesitation, she made her decision. Forget it. I won't be able to find Zitong anytime soon. Saving Tongtong from the poison comes first.

Mingzhu dared not delay any longer. Carrying Li Tongtong, she hurried into the tent and set her down beside the brazier. She sat behind her, pressing both palms against Li Tongtong's back. Mingzhu circulated her profound art, regulated her breathing, and sent a vast stream of true qi into Li Tongtong's body. She controlled the qi as it traveled through Li Tongtong's eight extraordinary meridians. After several cycles, the qi gradually diminished before finally dissipating. By then, a faint fishy stench filled the air, enough to make one retch.

Mingzhu withdrew her palms and ended the technique. Her face was pale, clearly showing that this exertion had consumed much of her strength.

About a quarter of an hour later, Li Tongtong slowly woke. Seeing her master seated before her, she asked groggily, "Master, what happened? Why are you here too?"

Mingzhu's anger flared. Raising her hand, she slapped her across the face and snapped, "You still don't think this is shameful enough? Can you walk? Hurry and go find your senior sister." With that, she walked straight out of the tent, as though she did not wish to look at her disciple another moment.

The Tianshan Sect's main headquarters was still dotted with lights despite the late hour, bustling with activity.

Tang Junzhan ran back to the sect gate in a miserable state. He encountered several familiar fellow disciples who greeted him along the way, but he hurried past them all without acknowledgment.

"What happened to Senior Brother Tang?" some asked in surprise.

"Isn't this Tang fellow far too rude?" others complained indignantly.

A few hundred meters along the main road paved with bluestone slabs lay a large square. Beyond it were three paths up the mountain. Without thinking, Tang Junzhan chose the leftmost path. After walking along it for roughly another quarter of an hour, passing several courtyards, he reached a courtyard at the end of the road. This was Golden Saber Ancestor Tanggula's residence within the sect.

The courtyard gates stood open, with no one guarding them. Tang Junzhan entered and saw light shining from the study on the left. He took several deep breaths, slowly approached the study door, and called out, "Master, your disciple Tang Junzhan has an urgent matter to report."

"Come in." A deep, magnetic voice came from within the room.

Tang Junzhan pushed open the door and entered. The room was quite large. A screen stood directly opposite the entrance, while a long row of bookshelves lined the left side, with a large desk before them. On the right was an open floor-to-ceiling window. At that moment, Tang Gula stood by the window with his hands clasped behind his back, looking outside.

Tang Gula was nearly sixty years old, tall and straight-backed, with his hair tied in a topknot. From the side, his large hooked nose gave him a sinister air.

With a thud, Tang Junzhan dropped to both knees and lowered his head. "Master, save me." Then he recounted everything that had happened from beginning to end.

After hearing him out, Tang Gula remained silent for a long while, his eyes fixed on the darkness outside the window as though something there had captured his attention.

"I understand. You may leave." Tang Gula glanced at his disciple and spoke without expression.

Tang Junzhan rose uneasily, bowed once more, and withdrew from the room.

"Go find your eldest senior brother. Do not go anywhere else for the next few days."

"Yes, Master." Only then did Tang Junzhan feel as though a great burden had been lifted. He slowly exhaled. I've finally gotten through this trial. He left the courtyard to find his eldest senior brother.

"According to reliable intelligence, the Nether Shade Sect's sacred relic, the Profound Nether Pearl, is very likely on Mingzhu or her disciples. As for why they brought the sacred relic to our Tianshan Sect, that remains unknown. Senior Brother, do you truly have no interest in this pearl?" A man emerged from behind the study screen and spoke slowly. He was Wu Lianshan.

"The Profound Nether Pearl is used by the Nether Shade Sect's true disciples for Spiritual Awakening and the transmission of cultivation. It is said to contain the Nether Shade Sect's supreme secret art, the Profound Nether Art. Such intelligence is not much of a secret to us." Tang Gula spoke slowly, then sighed. "But what use is any of it to me? If I can comprehend our sect's Heavenly River Sacred Canon within my lifetime, it will already be Heaven's blessing. How could I dare covet another sect's secret art?"

"This junior brother has been taught. I shall naturally place our sect's sacred canon first," Wu Lianshan said solemnly.

"Junior Brother, I have no authority to interfere in the affairs of your Secret Hall, but I hope this matter ends here. Do not lose the great for the small and delay the grand matter of cooperation between our two sects." Tang Gula's voice was unusually stern.

Cold sweat poured down Wu Lianshan's forehead. He hurriedly said, "Rest assured, Senior Brother. In all matters concerning the Nether Shade Sect, I will follow Senior Brother's lead. Wu Lianshan will never dare make decisions on his own again." Tang Gula stood first among the Five Venerables, second only to the Sect Leader in authority. Whether in status or martial strength, he surpassed Wu Lianshan by far.

Tang Gula nodded, and his tone eased. "Good. It is enough that you understand. Oh, yes—would Junior Brother be interested in my Tianshan Secret Treasure Map? I might as well lend it to you for a few days to admire." Tang Gula needed Wu Lianshan's Secret Hall to lend its full support to the cooperation with the Nether Shade Sect that he was directing, so he did not wish to antagonize him too severely. A slight knock was enough.

"Really? Wonderful! I've longed to see it for so long. Senior Brother, quickly let me have it." Wu Lianshan's eyes shone as he rubbed his hands in delight.

"It's on the desk. Take it yourself." Tang Gula waved a hand, then added, "First, the serious matter. Tomorrow, I will personally visit Mingzhu to apologize for what happened. But you must properly handle the rest. Do not let it become the talk of the town."

"Understood. I'll take care of it immediately," Wu Lianshan said.

"And keep a close eye on matters on the Martial Alliance's side. The moment there is any news, report it to me at once," Tang Gula added.

"Rest assured, Senior Brother. In such an important matter, this junior brother would not dare be careless." As he spoke, Wu Lianshan had already reached the desk, his eyes fixed firmly on the unfolded scroll atop it.

"Good. Then I'll leave everything to you, Junior Brother." Tang Gula secretly shook his head and snorted inwardly. He is so obsessed with trifles that he neglects his true purpose. This flaw of Junior Brother Wu's will bring him great trouble sooner or later.

Watching Wu Lianshan leave joyfully with the scroll in hand, Tang Gula once again gazed out at the blackness beyond the window, deep in thought. Mingzhu, who hates evil as though it were an enemy and has a temper like blazing fire, could actually endure such humiliation. It seems the Nether Shade Sect truly cannot wait for this cooperation. Sect Leader Wei's injuries must be far worse than imagined.

He walked to the desk, picked up several sheets of paper, and began reading through them, his brows tightly furrowed.