Chapter 80 - Shadowing
That night, at the North Gate of Tianyun City.
Shi Yan, Han Feng and Ku Long secretly left the city from the gate.
A four-horses carriage was waiting in the deserted tombs outside the North Gate. An old man was standing beside the carriage and staring at the starry sky in a daze.
Whisperings could be heard from the carriage.
The carriage was surrounded by many high and low tombs, and the green wildfire beside them was giving out a very gloomy atmosphere in the dark night.
“It’s the Zuo Family’s.” Ku Long got to one unmarked burial-mounds and remarked after taking a glimpse from afar.
Shi Yan nodded and said indifferently, “It seems we are late anyway.”
The old man overheard their talk, and as he withdrew his eyes and looked in their direction, he raised the whip in his hand.
Receiving his signal, the three including Shi Yan walked over.
“Miss, people from the Shi family have arrived.” The old man reported to that carriage at a cautious low voice.
“About time they got here.” Zuo Shi’s voice came from the carriage.
An elegant and graceful woman came out of the carriage quietly, glanced at Shi Yan, and said to Zuo Shi with a big smile, “That kid is here.”
“Aunt Lian!” Zuo Shi cried with a sweet girlish and angry voice, “I told you, there is nothing between us! Please stop teasing me!”
“Hehe, okay, okay.” That woman giggled, and waved at Shi Yan standing beside the carriage. As Shi Yan came near, she said, “Young Master Yan, you three didn’t take a carriage?”
“It will be arranged for us when we get to the Xuelai City in the North.” Shi Yan looked indifferent. He took a glimpse at the woman and complimented her secretly, then walked to the carriage at a leisurely pace and put a huge package into it, “Xiao Shi, this is your Dragon Turtle Armor. My grandpa asked me to return it to you.”
“Okay.” Zuo Shi replied and whispered, “You ungrateful guy! You wasted our good will!”
Shi Yan withdrew his smile, “You had told me that whoever uses the Dragon Turtle Armor is a turtle. I don’t want to be a turtle.”
“Haha!”
Sitting in the carriage, Zuo Shi couldn’t help but giggle, “You guys have really good memory huh? I had said that to infuriate my grandpa so that you could take the Armor. You helped me unlock the shell and get me the treasure, of course you deserve the Dragon Turtle Armor.”
“The Martial Spirit of Shi family is more than enough for defending. I don’t need that Armor.” Shi Yan shook his head.
“Miss, shall we go now?” The warrior from the Zuo Family got on the carriage, waved his whip and asked softly.
“Yes, let’s go.”
“Wait. Please let me introduce first. This is Chu Ping, First Sky of the Nirvana Realm. I’m Wu Yunlian.” That graceful woman elegantly smiled and said to Han Feng, “I know Brother Han, and this is?” She looked to Ku Long.
“Ku Long, First Sky of the Nirvana Realm.” Ku Long introduced himself in a friendly manner as he scratched his head, “I have been staying out of the town and just came back for the Martial Competition. Ha, we haven’t have a chance to meet.”
“So you are Brother Ku Long!” Wu Yunlian beamed and nodded, “It’s an honor for me to work with Brother Han and Brother Ku Long! Hope we can get to know each other well!”
“You are too modest.” Han Feng and Ku Long said together.
This woman looked dignified, and was at the First Sky of the Nirvana Realm. She was a warrior from the Cloud Mountain.
Since she was once helped by Chi Xiao, she attached herself to the Zuo family at Chi Xiao’s introduction, and was rather cared for by Zuo Xu and became an intimate friend to Zuo Shi.
Han Feng and Ku Long knew she was someone of status, so they were both polite to her.
“Then let’s start our journey.” Shi Yan looked up at the sky but suddenly furrowed his brows as he pointed at a dark spot in the sky, “Mmm, what’s that?”
Chu Ping, Han Feng, Ku Long and Wu Yunlian raised their heads together.
“A Cloud Eagle!”
Han Feng’s expression changed as he yelled, “It’s the Beiming Family’s! A Cloud Eagle has perfect eyesight and can see people on the ground clearly!”
“The Beiming Family is tailing us?” Ku Long was a bit confused, “They knew we were getting out of the town?”
“I’m not sure.” Chu Ping was a little surprised as well. He gazed at the departing eagle and said, “Maybe it’s on the way back the Beiming family from somewhere else, and happened to be here. It may not be trailing us specially.”
“We have to be cautious anyway.” Wu Yunlian sighed softly, “We need to be quick. Even if the Beiming Family is shadowing us, they can’t find us easily if we are cautious enough.”
“Okay.”
---
Later that night, in the Ice Room of the Beiming family.
“Father, news came that people from the Shi and Zuo families secretly left from the North Gate. The Shi family have sent Han Feng, Ku Long and Shi Yan, and the Zuo family have sent Chu Ping, Wu Yunlian and one other in a carriage. It must be Miss Zuo Shi.”
Beiming Qi hurried back to the Ice Room, and told the latest news after a bow.
Beiming Ce was in the Ice Room too. He was training with the aid of the freezing air in the Ice Room. Hearing upon the news, he opened his eyes and cried out, “It is the Shi family and the Zuo family!”
Beiming Shang looked gloomy as he sat there still, with cold air diffusing in his eyes.
After a long time, Beiming Shang said, “The other half of the treasure map must be in their hands. It must be Chi Xiao who grabbed the map from the Misty Pavilion. That girl in the Misty Pavilion is too wicked and she used Mo Tuo to distract us. We would have been cheated if we weren’t cautious enough to let the Cloud Eagle shadow them.”
“Father, what should we do now?”
“I will go after them with Ce, to see where they are heading for?”
“Ce is going too?”
“It is not peaceful in the Tianyun City recently. I will take Yin Kui and Jiu Shan with me this time. It’s not safe to leave Ce alone in the town.” Beiming Shang ordered, “You stay at home, and tell people that I’m cultivating in seclusion. Don’t stir any suspicion.”
“Got it.”
“Grandpa, the Zuo and Shi families must have come to a certain agreement with the Misty Pavilion. If Chi Xiao allied with that woman, will you be in danger when in a battle with them?”
Beiming Ce took a breath and said indifferently, “I’ve made some preparations.”
His eyes sparkled.
“The Dark Master from the Dark World sent a message days ago that he wants Mu Yu Die. I haven’t replied yet.” Beiming Shang thought for a while, and looked at Beiming Ce, “He is at the Sky Realm, it would be fine with his help. Chi Xiao and that girl can hardly compete with us. They could only choose to cooperate with us to explore the Gate of Heaven.”
“The Dark Master from the Dark World!”
Beiming Ce was shocked, but also sad. He whispered after a long while, “Grandpa, what on earth do you mean?”
“Mu Yu Die’s Martial Spirit is great, but it’s useless for us. Rather, that Di Yalan may be able to combine with our Ice Martial Spirit.” Staring at him, Beiming Shang shouted, “Merely a woman! You can’t even let it go?”
Beiming Ce frowned and shook his head, “No. It’s just… just too unexpected. I will give up anything for the Beiming Family.”
“Good. You are going to take over the whole family. Don’t be so emotional.” Beiming Shang nodded with satisfaction and comforted, “Don’t worry child. That Dark Master only wants to use that girl to train his Martial Spirit. He won’t care if she is a virgin or not. I will let you two be together for three days before I hand her to the Dark Master.”
“Thank you Grandpa!” Beiming Ce beamed.
“For this time, take Mu Yu Die and Di Yalan with you. Later, I will hand Mu Yu Die over to the Dark Master without letting Di Yalan know.” Beiming Shang said.
“Grandson understands.”
---
Beiming Ce walked out of the Ice Room. Irrespective of the deep night and he headed for the island in the lake directly.
Mu Yu Die and Di Yalan weren’t asleep, but kept training quietly.
Seeing that Beiming Ce had arrived, the two girls dressed to welcome him.
Beiming Ce beamed, “Get prepared, we need to be out of town before dawn.”
“What’s up?” Mu Yu Die was surprised.
“The map to the Gate of Heaven is now complete. Someone has already set off for the exploration, so we are to follow them secretly.” Beiming Ce said earnestly to Mu Yu Die, “Xiao Die, there are many treasures in the Gate of Heaven, and my grandpa thinks you and Di Yalan should try your luck. Maybe you will harvest a lot from it. It’s a once-in-a-hundred-year chance. Don’t miss it!”
Mu Yu Die and Di Yalan’s eyes lit up at the same moment.
“Many thanks, Young Master Ce.” Mu Yu Die bowed, with dimple smile on her pretty small face, “I won’t forget your favor if I harvest something from the Gate of Heaven!”
“What are you talking about?!” Beiming Ce pretended to be angry, “Do we need that?”
“Well, I’m sorry. I will go get prepared.” Mu Yu Die said with a big smile.
“Okay. I will wait for you outside. Be quick. Remember, don’t expose yourselves. Let’s go quietly.” Beiming Ce reminded and left the lake with a satisfied smile.
“Xiao Die, it came to me suddenly that...” Di Yalan’s face dimmed, “The treasure map is complete, which means Ding Yan was found by them. According to their way of acting, I’m afraid he was already...”
Upon hearing that, Mu Yu Die realized it as well. Her expression changed with sorrow.
However, she was very relieved when she came to the thought that she may get lots of treasure in the Gate of Heaven.
“Don’t worry, he will be fine. They only wanted the map, not his life. Sister Lan, we have to grab this opportunity! Maybe we can get a good fortune from it and our revenge!” Mu Yu Die said ambitiously, clenching her fists.
“Sigh, I hope he is fine.” Di Yalan sighed with profound resignation.
“Stop thinking about him. We have to have a good plan to take the most advantage from it!” Mu Yu Die was quite excited.
She already pictured the Dark World smashed by her in the near future, as her enemies fallen, covered in blood.
She was rather very satisfied every time she came up with that scene; she was totally intoxicated by hatred.