In the grand hall, when Xiao Yan and Xiao Lie arrived, they found that there were already many people present, including Little Healer Immortal and Zi Yan. Su Qian sat in the middle of the great hall with a somber expression. Spotting the two men entering, he couldn’t help but give a faint smile. A nearby quick-eyed and dexterous maid respectfully placed two empty chairs at the top position for them. The two strolled into the hall and, without any hesitation, sat directly down, then turned to Su Qian, smiling, “Great Elder, have you heard anything about the Old Man Eaglesmount?”
Su Qian nodded slightly and slowly said, “According to the latest intelligence, it seems that the Old Man Eaglesmount has already left the city. What’s strange is, this old fellow didn’t try to hide his tracks at all. Instead, he exited from the east gate, which is the most watched-over exit. No doubt, many forces within the Black Emperor City have already received the news.”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan’s brows couldn’t help but furrow. Just what was Old Man Eaglesmount planning? In the face of such intense scrutiny, to act so openly; even if he was a Battle Sect, dealing with a sea of greedy adversaries would be quite a hassle.
“Could it be a decoy? Not the real one?” Xiao Lie also asked, frowning.
“Among those who spied on him, there were no shortage of powerful individuals. But even they, when seeing the figure of Old Man Eaglesmount from afar, felt a sense of dread. If it were a stand-in, Old Man Eaglesmount would hardly go through the trouble of finding another Battle Sect. If he really did, he could simply ignore everything and leave directly. Two Battle Sects—there aren’t many people in the Black-Corner Region who would dare to stop them,” Su Qian shook his head and said, “Or does he truly plan to single-handedly take on all these forces and strong individuals in the Black-Corner Region who are watching him intently?”
“That, with this old guy’s rampant and vicious nature, isn’t an impossible thought,” Xiao Yan, with furrowed brows, remarked offhandedly.
Hearing this, Su Qian hesitated a bit. “If that’s the case, then he’s too brazen, don’t you think? With his keen senses, he should know that it’s not just him interested in the Bodhisattva Silhouette Sap back in the auction. If it’s just ordinary people, he might not care, but for those of the same level, he can’t possibly disregard them, right?”
“What about the Magic Flame Valley? Any moves from them?” Xiao Yan lightly tapped the table with his finger and suddenly asked.
“They’ve also learned of Old Man Eaglesmount leaving the city and are following closely behind him. It seems they’re not in a hurry to act either,” Su Qian replied.
Xiao Yan nodded slightly, pondered for a moment, then slowly rose to his feet, saying, “Then, let’s move out as well. Wild speculations here are useless. We should follow Old Man Eaglesmount and see what he’s up to. Anyway, I think given how precious the Bodhisattva Silhouette Sap is, and considering Old Man Eaglesmount’s cautious nature, he wouldn’t hand it over to anyone else. After all, he has a high confidence in his own strength.”
“Agreed.” No one objected to Xiao Yan’s suggestion. Under the command of Xiao Lie and Elder Su Qian, the Xiao clan and the Gan Nan Academy began to tidy up and quietly left the compound from the rear. They soon exited the Black Emperor City and started to follow the trail of Old Man Eaglesmount.
Soon after Xiao Yan and his group left the Black Emperor City, the news of their departure quickly spread to the Black Emperor Sect. In the council chamber of the Black Emperor Sect, Mo Tian Xing listened coldly to the report from the spy. Nodding slightly after a while, he waved the spy away.
“I never expected the Rock Python to have joined the Xiao Clan… This makes things troublesome. Now, they have two Battle Sects,” Qi Shan, standing behind Mo Tian Xing, commented with a frown.
“If it wasn’t because the Rock Python was an acquaintance, then maybe the Xiao Clan offered the measuring technique they bought from the auction to the Rock Python, making them join hands…” Mo Tian Xing nodded slightly, his face looking a bit grim.
He had thought that after the auction, Xiao Yan and the Xiao Clan would have become enemies, yet now they were together.
“What should we do? Now that they’re united, their strength is even greater. The Pill Breaking Pill is even further out of our reach,” Mo Yao, who was beside him, said somewhat anxiously. Even Qi Shan couldn’t refine the Pill Breaking Pill, so if they didn’t get the one in Xiao Yan’s possession, who knew when another one would appear.
“Don’t panic. They’ve already teamed up. Can you separate them? Two Battle Sects? Even I wouldn’t dare to act. Stay quiet and wait for now. They’re clearly targeting Old Man Eaglesmount, but this old guy isn’t someone to be underestimated. Taking the Bodhisattva Silhouette Sap from him won’t be easy.”
Mo Tian Xing’s tone darkened, scolding them. Scolded by Mo Tian Xing, Yan Mo could only swallow his frustration and stay silent.
“Sect Master, I also find it odd about Old Man Eaglesmount. With his cautious nature, it’s unlikely he would travel so openly. He should know many strong individuals are waiting for him outside the city.”
Qi Shan, frowning, said hesitantly.
“This old chap is always cautious and crafty. It’s unlikely for him to do something like this.” A meaningful, eerie smile appeared on Mo Tian Xing’s face as he spoke softly.
Seeing the eerie smile on Mo Tian Xing’s face, Qi Shan and Mo Yan exchanged glances. As they waited for more information, Mo Tian Xing just stopped talking. Qi Shan cautiously asked, “Sect Master, do you know what that old man is up to?”
“In due time, you’ll know. Heehee, our Black Emperor Sect won’t just hand over the Bodhisattva Silhouette Sap so easily…” Mo Tian Xing waved a hand, eyes glittering with menace, as he sneered. “Now, just watch the chaos as these forces tangle with Old Man Eaglesmount. The more deaths, the better.”
Qi Shan and Mo Yannan looked at each other and laughed along.
“Ah, if it weren’t for our Black Emperor Sect’s long study, still yielding no results on the Heart of the Bodhi from the Bodhisattva Silhouette Sap, we wouldn’t have put it up for auction,” Mo Tian Xing muttered, staring at the expanse beyond the Black Emperor City, his brows furrowing coldly.
“But regardless of whether we can study it or not, it’s always best to keep it in our hands. Whatever my Black Emperor Sect can’t get, no one else can!”
On a small hill, Xiao Yan and his group overlooked the forest path. At the head of the path, the gray-haired old man seemed oblivious to the tense atmosphere, walking slowly. Shadowy figures followed at a distance, their greedy, heated gazes fixed on the aging back in front of them. Although their greed was fierce, the formidable strength of the old man deterred any immediate action. Yet, this restraint was fragile, and the allure of the Bodhisattva Silhouette Sap was hard to resist.
“Is this old chap not worried at all? Walking so leisurely, doesn’t he want to attract more people?” Xiao Lie, observing the aging figure, frowned and remarked.
Beside Xiao Yan, both Xiao Yan and Su Qian also frowned. The old man’s actions were puzzling. Generally, having such a valuable treasure, one would leave swiftly. Yet, this old man…
“More and more powerful auras are emerging in the mountains. Many are no pushovers. Once someone attacks, it could unleash a chain reaction, triggering chaos. And then, Old Man Eaglesmount will be in serious trouble,” Su Qian observed slowly.
Xiao Yan nodded slightly, scanning the surrounding woods. Suddenly, he asked, “Where are the people from the Magic Flame Valley?”
“They’re likely keeping an eye on Old Man Eaglesmount, but they’re adept at concealment. It’s hard to spot them in these woods,” Su Qian whispered.
Xiao Yan nodded again, his gaze returning to the old man. Something felt off, for despite the old man’s usual caution, his current actions were quite different.
As Xiao Yan mulled over this, commotion stirred among the followers below. Sensing the stir, Xiao Yan’s gaze shifted, and he said softly, “Is it finally time for some action?”
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