While Chen Kuang and the straw-cloaked fisherman, Wen Si, sat facing each other in awkward silence, one man, one fish, their eyes locked, elsewhere, events were still rapidly unfolding.
After leaving the River of Death, Wei Yan flew east with a darkened expression, his figure streaking across the sky in a blur, covering thousands of feet in the blink of an eye.
Since Chen Kuang's claim had been a blatant lie, his true intention was obvious. Just as Wei Yan had suspected: to buy time for the Liang Kingdom's madam and her daughter to escape.
With his Moon-Embracing Realm cultivation, Wei Yan quickly caught up with the Three Calamities Sect disciples originally sent to capture them.
These disciples had already descended into the mountain forest and now appeared utterly lost, aimlessly scattering in all directions like headless flies.
Nearby was one of their squads.
"What are you doing? Have you found them or not?"
Wei Yan descended behind the team, his voice heavy with displeasure.
"Elder Wei!"
Startled, the team jumped.
Their leading core disciple quickly stepped forward, bowing awkwardly and hesitantly replied,
"Reporting, Elder... this disciple is incompetent... we followed their trail with the Tracking Technique to this point, but, then we lost all trace of them. We've been searching around aimlessly ever since."
Wei Yan's brows furrowed deeply.
He scolded, "Lost the trail? Those two are mere mortals! And with the cultivators of Lingtai Mountain already routed and gravely wounded, how could you lose them?!"
Without waiting for further excuses, Wei Yan extended his divine sense to scan the surroundings.
With Moon-Embracing Realm cultivation, one could project the soul outside the body, ride the wind, embrace the moon, unbound by heaven or earth, able to wield various Divine Abilities.
Even if the body perished, as long as the soul remained, one could use secret arts to continue living.
And with the refinement of the primordial spirit came an immense spiritual perception, one thought could comprehend myriad things.
In a blink, Wei Yan's divine sense swept across the surroundings. Every trace and disturbance stood out in vivid detail, even fragments of residual states from earlier events.
However, as his breakthrough to the Moon-Embracing Realm had relied heavily on medicinal pills, his foundation was shaky, and the range and duration of his divine sense were weaker than normal for someone of his level.
A moment later, Wei Yan reopened his eyes.
His face turned even darker.
They were gone, completely gone.
There was no sign of the mother and daughter, even under his divine sense's scrutiny.
Only the other Three Calamities Sect disciples scattered around the forest remained.
It was as if the women had vanished into thin air.
That meant their final lead on the Elixir of Immortality was lost.
The Eternal Life Lock formation had been destroyed.
The Elixir of Immortality had disappeared without a trace. Both the primary and secondary plans had crumbled to ruin, and even a Saint had died in the process.
Their mission had failed spectacularly.
Where exactly had it gone wrong?
Wei Yan took a deep breath, his expression stormy.
He thought back to Chen Kuang's smiling face, and the shame he'd suffered years ago in the Pure Land came bubbling back with seething rage.
This man... he didn't even know his name.
Like Zhao Lie, he had assumed the youth to be a mere ant, but Zhao Lie was now dead.
This ant had grown fangs.
And now it had bitten back.
Wei Yan's heart filled with killing intent. If he ever encountered that man again, he'd make sure not even his bones were left behind.
The core disciple nearby carefully offered,
"Before, during the pursuit, another cultivator appeared to help them..."
Wei Yan sneered and swept his sleeve,
"Who here isn't a cultivator?!"
"You're telling me a pair of mortals could conceal their trail alone? Utterly foolish!"
The disciple lowered his head, ashamed and silent.
"...Forget it."
Wei Yan's tone dulled.
"Stop searching. Notify the others. We return to the capital and clean up the aftermath."
The final outcome at the imperial city had been grim, but the Liang Kingdom was still destroyed.
Next, the Zhou Dynasty would dispatch officials to bring order.
And the Three Calamities Sect would take control of the cultivators in Zhou, further strengthening their power.
Until everything stabilized, His Majesty likely wouldn't act rashly against them.
After all, the Eastern Saint was dead.
At this moment, the Three Calamities Sect was the Zhou Dynasty's pillar of power.
Wei Yan took off again, flying back toward the ruined capital.
...
Not long after Wei Yan had left, the core disciple who had been so respectful suddenly froze.
Then, along with the two disciples behind him, their bodies blossomed open like flesh flowers in an instant.
The Three Calamities Sect members were merely hollow shells.
Emerging from inside them, were Chu Wenruo, her daughter, and Qingcuo.
As soon as she was out, Chu Wenruo collapsed to the ground, pale and trembling, vomiting violently.
Inside the smaller disguise was the little princess, who curiously poked her head out, then reached to feel her own chest.
"Mother, look! My handprint!"
Chu Wenruo turned to look.
On the front of the disguise was an unmistakable little handprint, as if a small creature had pushed out from inside.
"Ugh-"
Chu Wenruo turned green instantly.
If she had the strength, she would've given her daughter a hard smack right then and there.
Qingcuo calmly helped Chu Wenruo to her feet and said in a flat tone,
"Please endure, madam."
"This Blood Affliction technique from the southern barbarians may be disgusting, but it perfectly conceals one's presence for twelve hours and even temporarily grants some cultivation."
"Just a bit longer. Once we reach Jishao Prefecture, we'll be safe."
Chu Wenruo nodded, steadied herself, and allowed the bloody disguise to wrap back around her.
She took the little princess's hand.
The three immediately set off, in the opposite direction from the other sect members.
Chu Wenruo turned to glance back.
She wondered how Mr. Chen was doing now...
...
"Whoosh-"
Wei Yan flew overhead.
In the distance, the ruins of the capital swayed under the breaking dawn.
A thin ray of light pierced the sky, quickly blooming into glorious rays of sunlight.
From within that dawn light, a blurry figure stepped forth.
Wei Yan froze, then inhaled sharply.
It was a remnant soul of the Martial Saint!
Wait, where was Li Hongling?
Now that the chaotic war of the night had ended, and no Saints were clashing anymore, Wei Yan dared to spread his divine sense.
And only now did he realize that Li Hongling had never shown up.
Even if she'd been defeated by Huo Hengxuan, she should've fled the Saint-level battlefield.
Wei Yan's heart sank.
If anything could rouse the Martial Saint himself...
It would be the death of his disciple.
Could someone have killed Li Hongling in the chaos?
Were they insane?!
Wei Yan sped toward the location of the soul remnant.
There, amidst shattered ruins, stood the Martial Saint's soul, silent, his head bowed, staring at the horribly disfigured corpse of Li Hongling.
Wei Yan gasped and stepped forward to bow respectfully.
"Lord Martial Saint..."
The Saint raised his hand. Dust in the air coalesced into a mirage, the very events of moments past began to play out.
Wei Yan looked carefully.
The young man who'd slain Li Hongling was shockingly familiar.
How could he not be?
He had just spoken with this very person... and been completely played.
That youth, who crushed Li Hongling's skull beneath his heel, his eyes sharp as lightning, aura crashing like a mountain, was none other than Chen Kuang.
He had not only killed Wei Su, but now Li Hongling as well!
Wei Yan was overcome with horror.
In a single night, the man who had slain both the sect master's son and the Martial Saint's disciple... was the same person.
He silently reflected.
Compared to Li Hongling, his own strength was like the dim light of a firefly before the moon.
Maybe it was best to... shelve those earlier plans.
Others wanted this man dead too. Why rush?
He turned his gaze toward the Martial Saint.
The one who wanted revenge the most would surely be this man.
Martial Saint Mu Zhao sighed lightly, somehow seeming even older.
After a long silence, he asked solemnly,
"Who is this man? To strike so cruelly, without even leaving a shred of soul behind."
Wei Yan hesitated awkwardly.
"Uh... I do not know, Lord."
"However, I did see him earlier. He's currently under the protection of the great demon of the River of Death..."
"If you act, my lord, you'll surely be able to capture him."
Mu Zhao said coldly,
"My true body is still in closed-door cultivation at the ancient battlefield, seeking enlightenment through war. It will take time to break through."
Suddenly, he raised a hand and scattered the dust image.
His voice was icy.
"Cultivating without virtue will only give rise to demonic paths."
"I have decreed, effective immediately, this man is an enemy of the Martial Saint Pavilion."
"To all righteous cultivators in the world, this man is to be killed on sight. No exceptions."