Chapter 306: Cloud-Feather Mad Eagle

In the night sky, a full moon as large as a basin drifted amidst the sea of clouds...

Duan Rong sat on the creaking, dilapidated ox cart, looking up at the rising moon, his gaze desolate and cold.

The ox cart moved very slowly; at this moment, their hearts were heavy and they were exceptionally exhausted, so moving slowly like this was just enough to let them rest.

Inside a dense forest beside the Official Road, three figures were hidden in the shadows of the trees, watching the three slowly moving ox carts on the moonlit Official Road, but their gazes gradually gathered on A Mo, who was walking slowly beside the ox carts...

Dang Haihong said, "Miss Ge Qingchuan, that fellow killed Yu Lieting, and with just one move!"

Ge Qingchuan remained silent. She was not at all surprised that someone who could kill Fan Hanzhou could wipe out Yu Lieting in one move.

Ge Qingchuan turned her head to look at Dang Haihong and Xiao Nan behind her.

She had brought a group of people out, and of those still alive, only the two before her remained.

Ge Qingchuan said, "You two should return to your respective Branches first. Lie low for a period of time and do not stir up trouble."

As Ge Qingchuan spoke, she turned her head to look fixedly at Xiao Nan and said, "Xiao Nan! Yu Lieting has fallen in battle; you shall temporarily serve as the Helmsman for the Ninefold Branch."

Xiao Nan felt a surge of joy in his heart. As a Branch Helmsman, not only could he learn more of the sect's secrets, but he would also receive preferential treatment regarding cultivation arts, yet he still suppressed the joy in his heart and feigned lamentation, saying, "Helmsman Yu died too miserably! If there is an opportunity in the future, I will definitely avenge him!"

Ge Qingchuan knew that Xiao Nan was merely speaking empty words, so she did not pick up on his remark at all and said, "You may go."

The two cupped their fists in farewell, and their figures vanished into the darkness of the dense forest.

Seeing the two depart, Ge Qingchuan glanced at the ox carts on the Official Road, then turned and exerted her movement technique, leaping away through the dense forest; the direction she was heading in was, surprisingly, also the direction of Xiangu County.

As Ge Qingchuan wove through the darkness of the dense forest, two lines of clear tears slid down her cheeks before she realized it...

This ambush targeting the Sect Emissary and the newly promoted Registered Disciples—from planning and preparation to the final coordination and implementation—had been plotted by her for several months, and she had mobilized a large number of elites from the Yuanyang Hall, all for the sake of a single decisive strike.

But she had not expected that the final result would be such a crushing defeat!

Although three Registered Disciples were killed, the price paid was truly too great, so great that she simply could not bear it.

Not only could she not bear it, but her father, Ge Qinglei, likely could not bear it either.

With this major defeat, her father's position as Yuanyang Hall Master would likely be in jeopardy. Thinking of this, Ge Qingchuan could not help but blame herself.

On the Official Road, sitting on the swaying ox cart, Duan Rong and Ximen Kankan were squeezed together. Meanwhile, Xiao Yu and Shen Mizhi were also huddled in a group, leaving only Lv Qingzhu sitting all alone at the back of the cart.

Every time the ox cart jolted, Lv Qingzhu felt uncomfortable from the bumping; although she was very drowsy, she could not fall asleep.

Seeing Lv Qingzhu being shaken by the ox cart, A Mo frowned, feeling a sudden pang of heartache, and said, "Miss, let A Mo carry you on my back."

Lv Qingzhu lifted her drooping, sleepy eyes and smiled slightly.

At this moment, A Mo had already crouched down at the tail of the ox cart, and Lv Qingzhu gave a light leap, wrapping her arms around A Mo's neck.

A Mo carried Lv Qingzhu on his back and walked steadily beside the ox cart.

Lv Qingzhu rested her head against A Mo's shoulder and said, "A Mo, when was the last time you carried me?"

A Mo said, "I have forgotten, Miss. It must have been many years ago..."

The two had grown up together; when they were young and went out to play, if Lv Qingzhu grew tired and did not want to walk, she would let A Mo carry her. Later, as the two grew older, Lv Qingzhu never let A Mo carry her again.

Lv Qingzhu had originally been sitting at the tail of the ox cart, her figure blocked by the huddled Xiao Yu and Shen Mizhi, so Duan Rong had not looked that way; now that A Mo was carrying her and walking alongside, Duan Rong's gaze immediately shifted over.

Xiao Yu and Shen Mizhi were snuggled together. Xiao Yu instantly sensed Duan Rong's gaze. Girls are always very sensitive to such changes.

Xiao Yu's brow was already furrowed.

Lv Qingzhu lay on A Mo's shoulder and murmured, "A Mo, I want to go home."

A Mo said, "Miss, we will be able to go home very soon."

Lv Qingzhu rubbed her face against A Mo's shoulder and said, "A Mo, when we go home this time, let's just stay in the mountains. Let's not come out again, alright?"

A Mo said, "Miss, if you want to stay in the mountains, A Mo will stay in the mountains with you. If you want to come out, A Mo will come out with you."

Lv Qingzhu lay on A Mo's shoulder, the corners of her eyes slightly moist.

"A Mo..."

Just as Lv Qingzhu was about to say something, a clear and distant eagle cry suddenly came from the high sky above their heads.

That sound seemed capable of piercing through the dome of the night!

Everyone was greatly alarmed and looked up, only to see a massive black shadow crossing the sea of clouds under the moonlight!

In a single breath, the two wings of that black shadow, like clouds hanging from the sky, flapped and arrived!

The black shadow blotted out the top, and a fierce wind swept past!

That enormous black shadow had already landed three or four zhang away in front of the ox carts, kicking up a large cloud of dust.

The black eagle folded its wings, its body still mountain-like, occupying almost half of the Official Road; under the moonlight, its giant eagle eyes, the size of human heads, shone like gemstones with a black luster.

Zhu Qunxiang was driving the first ox cart at the very front; looking at that massive black shadow, his face was full of horror, his jaw nearly dropping to the ground.

"This... the Cloud-Feather Mad Eagle?!..."

The Cloud-Feather Mad Eagle is a strategic-level resource of the Sect.

This type of falcon is extremely difficult to breed and not easy to raise; the entire Taiyi Sect has only seven of them.

An adult Cloud-Feather Mad Eagle can carry dozens of experts at once for a thousand-mile surprise attack, enough to turn the tide of a battle!

Zhu Qunxiang was both a scion of a noble family and an Outer Sect Disciple of the Sect, but this was still his first time seeing a Cloud-Feather Mad Eagle.

Before Zhu Qunxiang could recover from his astonishment, he saw two figures jump down from atop the mountain-like black shadow.

Those two figures leaped and, like ghosts, stood not far from Zhu Qunxiang.

Zhu Qunxiang immediately jumped off the ox cart and knelt in obeisance, saying, "This humble student pays respects to the Lord!"

Lv Zhongtang glanced at Zhu Qunxiang, ignoring him entirely, and looked only at A Mo not far away, his voice containing hidden anger as he said, "Qingzhu, are you not coming over yet?"

Upon hearing the eagle cry, Lv Qingzhu and A Mo already knew who had come.

The two walked to the front.

Lv Qingzhu lowered her head and called out in a weak voice, "Father."

A Mo stood to one side, bowed slightly, and said respectfully, "Master."

Duan Rong sat on the last ox cart; hearing Lv Qingzhu call out "Father," his heart skipped a beat, and he fixed his gaze on that person.

The two figures in the lead could be seen: one was a lean, middle-aged man wearing a green Daoist robe, while the other was a refined-looking youth.

That middle-aged man was the father of Lv Qingzhu. Duan Rong could not help but take a few extra looks.

Just then, the gaze of Lv Zhongtang suddenly shifted toward the ox cart behind Zhu Qunxiang; under the flickering moonlight, one could see corpses piled upon the cart, with dense threads of blood squirming and floating upon those corpses...

Lv Zhongtang's expression jumped as he looked at Zhu Qunxiang and asked, "What is the meaning of these Tainted Blood Demon corpses?"

Zhu Qunxiang was still kneeling there, not daring to rise, and replied, "Reporting to the Lord, we subordinates were escorting these newly promoted Registered Disciples when we encountered an ambush by demons of the Filthy Blood Sect in these wilds..."

Listening to Zhu Qunxiang's words, Lv Zhongtang's brows immediately knitted together; at this moment, by the moonlight, he also saw that A Mo's body was covered in bloodstains...

Lv Zhongtang was suddenly enraged, glared at Lv Qingzhu, and scolded, "Lv Qingzhu! You are becoming increasingly bold! I had already arranged everything for you to go to Shenyun Prefecture as an Inspector. Who gave you the gall to act on your own, swap places with someone, and run off to this godforsaken place!"

It was only in the last two days that Lv Zhongtang had received news that Lv Qingzhu was not inspecting in Shenyun Prefecture, but had swapped places and run a thousand miles away to Yuanyang Prefecture.

He had only this one daughter, whom he cherished like the apple of his eye. Although Lv Qingzhu had achieved the True Qi Realm Second Layer and had A Mo to protect her, the world of the jianghu was treacherous, and she had run a thousand miles away at that.

And the most dangerous thing here was the Filthy Blood Sect, yet they had truly run into them.

Looking at the bloodstains all over A Mo, a wave of lingering fear washed over Lv Zhongtang's heart. If anything were to happen to Qingzhu, how could he answer to the Ancestor?

Lv Qingzhu pursed her lips tightly, her expression stubborn, and said, "Father, you don't need to scold me anymore; I won't come out again in the future!"

"You..." Seeing the way Lv Qingzhu was acting, trying to spite him, Lv Zhongtang was even more furious.

At this time, the refined youth standing not far beside Lv Zhongtang said, "Master, there is no need to be overly vexed. Junior Sister is still young, and it is only human nature to be a bit playful. Besides, nothing happened in the end; encountering an ambush by the Filthy Blood Sect can also be considered a trial, which may not be a bad thing."

This youth who spoke was named Pei Du; he was a disciple of Lv Zhongtang, possessed quite good talent, and was highly regarded by Lv Zhongtang.

Once Pei Du spoke, Lv Zhongtang's expression indeed softened slightly; he looked at Lv Qingzhu and said, "Let's go, return to the mountain with me!"

As Lv Zhongtang spoke, he turned and walked toward the Cloud-Feather Mad Eagle that was standing there with its wings folded.

Lv Qingzhu followed silently.

Lv Zhongtang, Lv Qingzhu, and A Mo walked up to the Cloud-Feather Mad Eagle, leaped, and jumped onto the eagle's back.

The Cloud-Feather Mad Eagle's cloud-like wings suddenly spread and began to flap slowly...

When this eagle had landed, it had kicked up a cloud of dust, and now as it took off, the wing power was even more fierce; a great wind like a blade scraped across everyone's faces. Duan Rong's face was scraped until it stung, but he still forced his eyes open, staring fixedly at the form of the Cloud-Feather Mad Eagle, because he knew that Lv Qingzhu was on that great eagle.

The Cloud-Feather Mad Eagle flapped its great wings, and amidst the flying dust, it took off from above everyone's heads; with a flash of a black shadow, it suddenly ascended into the sky.

Duan Rong stared at the huge black shadow under the moonlight as it grew smaller and smaller, gradually disappearing into the vast sea of clouds...

Duan Rong looked at the place where the black eagle had vanished, lost in thought for a long time.

Xiao Yu chided, "It's long gone! Still looking?"

Duan Rong sighed heavily; when Lv Qingzhu had left just now, she hadn't even looked at him once, as if he didn't exist.

Duan Rong sat dejectedly on the ox cart, staring blankly with both eyes at the dark dense forest by the road.

Lv Zhongtang, Lv Qingzhu, and A Mo had already left, but Pei Du, who had come with Lv Zhongtang, was still standing in front of Zhu Qunxiang. Pei Du smiled, helped the kneeling Zhu Qunxiang up, and said, "This fellow disciple, how should I address you?"

Zhu Qunxiang said, "This subordinate is Zhu Qunxiang."

Pei Du smiled and said, "Junior Brother Zhu, Junior Sister Lv can no longer continue to fulfill the duties of a Sect Emissary. From now on, her duties as Sect Emissary will be fulfilled by me in her stead. This is my Sect Cloud Token; please examine it, Junior Brother."

As Pei Du spoke, he handed over his Sect Cloud Token.

In truth, being able to arrive riding a Cloud-Feather Mad Eagle already indicated the other party's status; there was no need to examine any Sect Cloud Token. However, since the other party had already handed it over, Zhu Qunxiang still received it respectfully, opened it to look, and his expression changed instantly.

This Pei Du was actually an Inner Sect Disciple!

How noble was the status of an Inner Sect Disciple!

Inner Sect Disciples were already considered the direct lineage of the Sect's core of power.

Even the person with the highest status in the secular world, the Prefecture Master of Shenyun Prefecture, was merely an Outer Sect Disciple.

According to etiquette, when meeting an Inner Sect Disciple, one had to perform the kneeling kowtow!

The Inner Sect was a chasm between the Sect and the secular world!

Because Inner Sect Disciples, unless the Sect had an order, generally would not involve themselves in secular affairs.

Let alone such tedious chores as escorting Registered Disciples?

Zhu Qunxiang closed the Cloud Token, held it with both hands to return it to Pei Du, and said respectfully, "We shall follow the lead of the Senior Brother in all things!"

Pei Du took the Cloud Token and said, "No need, I am just accompanying you. You should do as you were doing; I will not interfere!"

As Pei Du spoke, he sat down beside the front of the ox cart, then patted the cart board next to him and said, "Junior Brother Zhu, weren't you driving the cart just now? Continue..."

Zhu Qunxiang looked at Pei Du's humble, smiling face, sniffed, and understood this person's meaning. He didn't want to worry about anything at all; he was merely finishing the task of escorting the Registered Disciples in name for Lv Qingzhu.

Zhu Qunxiang sat beside Pei Du, cracked a whip against the old yellow ox, and the old ox cart went *creak-creak, creak-creak*, continuing along the Official Road, moving forward...

Duan Rong sat on the last ox cart, and in his mind, the image of Lv Qingzhu pointing her Sword at him inside the ruined temple flashed repeatedly.

"After today, the day we meet again will be the day I kill you!"

This voice echoed in his mind over and over again.

After a long while, Duan Rong looked at the vast sea of clouds and moonlight above his head and muttered, "Qingzhu, mountains and rivers may meet again; we are fated to see each other again!"

"At that time, if you still want to kill me, what does it matter if I let you kill me?!"

Above the sea of clouds, the heavenly winds raged!

Lv Qingzhu and A Mo grabbed the feathers of the Cloud-Feather Mad Eagle and sat on the eagle's back.

Lv Qingzhu turned her head and looked down at the ground behind her; she saw the clouds drifting, and only saw pitch-black darkness below. Unconsciously, Lv Qingzhu had already shed two lines of clear tears.

"Duan Rong, I hope we never meet again in this life!"

For some reason, Lv Qingzhu's heart was suddenly filled with a sense of sorrow.

She herself did not know from where this sentiment had arisen.

Outside the east gate of Xiangu County, there was a clamor of gongs and drums, and the double-reed wind instruments were playing in unison...

Yesterday at nightfall, the County Office had received an official document stating that the newly appointed Xiangu County Magistrate would arrive at Xiangu County the next morning.

Clerk Qin had notified his colleagues in the Ya Men overnight, as well as the local gentry and wealthy families of the county.

Early in the morning, everyone gathered outside the city gate to welcome the arrival of the new County Magistrate...

The joy of meeting, the bitterness of parting; among these, there are even more foolish boys and girls. Vast are the ten thousand miles of layered clouds, the evening scenery of a thousand mountains; to whom shall a solitary shadow go?

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(End of this chapter)