Chapter 208

Wind Thunder Valley lies among the mountains, its scenery breathtakingly beautiful.

Not only are there outstanding peaks, but also jade-green cold pools, various auspicious birds and beasts, lingzhi and precious medicines—truly a blessed land.

During the previous mountain sweep, busy tracking mountain ghosts and demons, Qin Shuo didn't even have a chance to properly take in the view.

This time going up the mountain, his feeling was completely different.

The blazing sun hung high, the cold pool beside it, its waters shimmering with rippling light.

Many disciples were crossing the pool by boat, and in the sky, true disciples rode hawks to travel.

On the mountainside, groups of disciples practiced martial arts and swordplay together; everywhere was a vibrant, energetic scene, the martial atmosphere thick.

"If only I could someday get a Wind Thunder Falcon as a mount!"

Watching that thunder hawk soaring through the sky, Qin Shuo's eyes held no small envy.

Although he can now rely on moonlight to soar, and even use yuan-magnetic true qi to accelerate his movement in the air,

but compared to the speed of spirit birds, it's truly like a great witch seeing a little witch.

Especially the thunder hawks of Wind Thunder Valley, their flight speed can reach a thousand li in a day.

One day's flight equals the nonstop gallop of a top-tier spirit horse for three or four days.

With his archery skill, if he were paired with a flying spirit bird, where in the world could he not go?

Turning thoughts in his mind, his eyes never stopped scanning, looking around like a sightseeing tourist, his whole self utterly relaxed.

Along the way, the two encountered many Wind Thunder Valley disciples, all respectfully greeting Yuwen Tai while also curiously sizing up Qin Shuo.

As for that, Qin Shuo didn't mind, letting those disciples stare.

But soon, someone recognized him and cried out in alarm.

"Qin Shuo!"

As soon as that name was spoken, on the square almost all disciples halted their actions and turned their gazes upon him.

"It really is him!"

"Damn it, how dare he show up in Wind Thunder Valley—doesn't he fear the elders striking him dead?"

Many disciples were filled with righteous indignation, their looks at Qin Shuo full of hatred and hostility.

Qin Shuo furrowed his brow slightly.

"What is this old coot up to?"

"Is he provoking a fight?"

Among those people on the nearby square, some familiar faces—likely part of the three-hundred formation that once blocked the Demon-Suppressing Office's law enforcers.

Now seeing their enemy, each of them had eyes bloodshot red.

If not for Yuwen Tai's deterrence, they would have already rushed forward to gang up on him.

"What does Elder Yuwen mean? Why is he guiding this sect's enemy?"

"Could it be that this kid has seen the light and come to apologize with a bundle of thorns?"

"Bullshit! Look at him—does he look like someone coming to apologize with thorns?"

"Even if he really were coming to apologize with thorns, we wouldn't forgive him—he killed so many of our disciples; he ought to be hacked to death outright."

Hearing the hostile words of the mountain-guarding disciples in the square, Yuwen Tai's mouth corner twitched up slightly.

"What does it matter if he's an illegitimate son?"

Wind Thunder Valley is not the private property of any one family or surname.

"As long as all disciples and elders oppose and hate him, even if this youth truly is the Valley Master's own child, what then?"

"Could the Valley Master possibly defy heaven's great taboo and forcibly establish this child as junior valley master?"

"Get out!"

Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted angrily.

Then everyone became agitated, shouting loudly:

"Get out!"

"Surname Qin, get out!"

"Wind Thunder Valley doesn't welcome you!"

In an instant, the whole square exploded, passions running high.

Over a hundred mountain-guarding disciples surged forward with fierce momentum, some glaring angrily, some pointing and cursing, appearing ready to tear Qin Shuo apart alive.

"Hah!"

Qin Shuo glanced with interest at Yuwen Tai walking ahead, thinking the latter was deliberately trying to embarrass him, and considered giving him a verbal reprimand.

But unexpectedly, Yuwen Tai spoke first, his tone very stern.

"Impudent!"

His voice wasn't particularly loud, yet it instantly silenced the clamor of nearly a hundred disciples.

"Colonel Qin is an honored guest of the Valley Master—how can you be so rude?"

Upon these words, not only the Wind Thunder Valley disciples in the square, but even Qin Shuo's eyes showed surprise.

"Well damn!"

"It turns out this isn't aimed at him!"

"It's aimed at Old Nie, right?"

Sure enough, as soon as Yuwen Tai's words landed, the mountain-guarding disciples in the square instantly exploded.

"Honored guest?"

"How does he qualify as an honored guest?"

Exactly, if he's an honored guest, then what are those fellow apprentices of ours who died in front of the mountain gate?

Many present had personally experienced that day's battle at the Yellow Mud Plaza, witnessing with their own eyes the gruesome deaths of their fellow apprentices nearby; they are the group in the entire Fenglei Valley who harbor the deepest hatred for Qin Shuo.

At this moment, the emotions of these people were all ignited by Yuwen Tai.

Their eyes bloodshot, relying on their numbers and momentum, they surged forward with a menacing aura, pressing toward Qin Shuo.

This brainless bunch...

Qin Shuo coldly snorted in his heart.

Although he didn't know why Yuwen Tai had gone mad, trying to redirect hatred toward his own sect master, Nie Jin Feng...

But the more they acted this way, the more relieved he felt.

In his view, as long as it wasn't Old Nie coming after him, the Fenglei Valley posed no threat to him.

As for these impotent barking dogs before him, he hardly needed to pay them any heed.

Enough!

Yuwen Tai again put on a show, shouting loudly, and coldly rebuked:

"When is it your turn to question the Valley Master's decision?"

"Scatter, all of you!"

"Elder Yuwen!"

A burly man clenched his teeth, fists tightly clenched, his eyes full of anger and resentment.

He was the one who previously led three hundred heavy-armored troops against Qin Shuo.

The dozen or so disciples who died were counted among his subordinates.

At this moment, seeing Yuwen Tai so protective of Qin Shuo, his heart felt like a volcano blazing, ready to erupt at any moment.

"Hold it in!"

Yuwen Tai coldly spat out two words, then no longer glanced at these mountain-guarding disciples, continuing to stride forward.

Although their hearts were filled with myriad grief and indignation, these disciples nevertheless dared not block the two's path.

Only after the two had completely walked away did the burly man roar, slamming a fist with a bang onto the nearby iron post, sending the iron training post used for practice flying with a single punch.

"Too much bullying!"

"Really, too much bullying!"

Wu Kui Shuang felt his lungs about to explode from rage.

Obviously that brat killed so many disciples in the valley, yet now he swaggered into the valley and even became an honored guest of the Valley Master...

How could we, disciples who fought to the death for the mountain gate, possibly accept this?

"No, we can't just let that brat off like this!"

Wu Kui Shuang's eyes were both blood-red, he fixed his stare on Qin Shuo's retreating back, turned and walked toward a mountain peak, muttering under his breath.

"If Elder Yuwen won't intervene, Senior Brother Cao Gang certainly won't!"

"As long as Senior Brother Cao Gang leaves his seclusion, he will surely obtain justice for us disciples of the mountain-guarding lineage!"

……

Inside the pavilion built on the cliff of Divine Arrow Peak.

Zhang Youlong stood on the cliff's edge, smoking dry tobacco, gazing at the mountain-guarding plaza from the railing, his eyes deep and cold, he said:

"Junior Brother, Yuwen Tai harbors malicious intentions; aren't you going to manage it?"

"Manage? Why should I manage it?"

Nie Jin Feng unhurriedly lifted his teacup and took a light sip:

"Lately, rumors have been rampant in the valley, claiming this brat is my illegitimate son and may one day inherit the position of Young Valley Master!"

"If I were to intervene, wouldn't that just confirm the rumors?"

"But Qin Shuo indeed slew over a dozen disciples of the mountain-guarding lineage; given Yuwen Tai's vengeful nature, he surely won't let it rest!"

A hint of worry appeared in Zhang Youlong's eyes.

"So what if he won't let it rest? Does he dare to attack right in front of this old man?"

Nie Jin Feng gave a cold chuckle: "If it weren't for him and Xue Wanlong taking advantage of my entry into the Divine Armament Secret Realm for trial, acting on their own initiative, how could we have ended up in this situation?"

"On the other hand, Senior Brother, you clearly saw everything yet did not stop it,"

"making the junior brother sometimes can't help but suspect: are you also seeking revenge for that surnamed Xue's wayward disciple!"

"Seek revenge for that wayward disciple? Hah!"

Zhang Youlong exhaled a smoke ring, his eyes indifferent,

"If it weren't for that old bastard Xue Wanlong risking his life to block him, on that day atop Divine Arrow Peak, that surnamed Xue's wayward disciple would already be dead."

"Furthermore, Divine Arrow Peak does not interfere in internal affairs, focusing solely on cultivating arrow-path seedlings; this is a rule set by our patriarch, so how could I make an exception?"

"Fine!"

Nie Jin Feng showed an expression of indifference, speaking nonchalantly:

"Anyway, I also find that brat unpleasant; having someone help beat him up is fine."

"As long as those old fogeys don't step in, we can just treat it as polishing the valley's disciples, also giving that brat some practice."

"You sure take it lightly!"

Zhang Youlong gave a wry smile, shook his head, then turned his gaze toward a mountain peak to the west,

"You say, will that brat Cao Gang really emerge from seclusion?"

"Even if he emerges, what then?"

"If he hasn't reached the Great Completion of Organ Refinement, he's still due for a beating!"

"You junior brother, you think highly of Qin Shuo?"

Wait and see! This old man is also curious—just how far can this brat's strength go!

Let's wait and see!

He's gone! This brat never shows up at the Three Treasures Hall without a reason; this time he's come to see me, surely not for anything good.