Chapter 2099: Two Delays

The Spirit Clan receives the news and immediately questions Shui Muhua.

Shui Muhua replies bewildered: "How could that be? I've been staying with Ye Liuyun these past days, rebuilding Four‑direction City together! All his Martial Cultivators and the army are here!"

"What's going on over at the Murong Clan?"

"Are you sure all of Ye Liuyun's troops are here?"

"Didn't he send a squad out quietly?"

The Spirit Clan Elder questions Shui Muhua.

Shui Muhua, feeling aggrieved, replies: "Ye Liuyun had promised earlier.

And since I arrived, not a single soldier has been dispatched!"

"Go check right away to see if Ye Liuyun sent anyone! Maybe he's holding his troops back just to give you a show!"

The Spirit Clan Elder also knows that even if they now confirm it was Ye Liuyun's doing, it would be too late to matter.

But at least they can give Cao Yun Tian an explanation, and it wouldn't be for nothing that they received so many resources from him.

Even if they truly find it was Ye Liuyun's doing, they will shift all responsibility onto Shui Muhua, blaming him for not keeping an eye on Ye Liuyun.

After putting down the Transmission Talisman, Shui Muhua immediately goes to confront Ye Liuyun.

Ye Liuyun, of course, does not admit it.

"Then it must have been another faction taking the opportunity to rob the Murong Clan! You saw it yourself—my Martial Cultivators and army are all here, no one left!"

Ye Liuyun also helps him analyze who might have acted.

Shui Muhua, now obviously no longer trusting Ye Liuyun, immediately leaves the city to rush toward the Murong Clan.

But as soon as he exits the city, he runs into Shui Bingyue.

"Fourth Uncle?

What a coincidence?

Why are you in such a hurry—what are you going to do?"

Shui Bingyue calls out to Shui Muhua.

Shui Muhua, also curious, says: "Eh?

Why are you here?"

"A friend invited me over as a guest; on the way back I heard the war had ended, so I wanted to see Four‑direction City.

Didn't expect it to turn out like this.

And you, Fourth Uncle?"

Shui Bingyue rambles.

Shui Muhua, having no time for detailed questions, briefly explains to Shui Bingyue the Spirit Clan's orders and investigation he is to convey, then prepares to leave.

"Fourth Uncle, if you leave now, you'll fall into Ye Liuyun's treachery!"

Shui Bingyue says exaggeratedly to Shui Muhua.

"How so?

Shui Muhua asks, puzzled.

Shui Bingyue explains: "If you leave, then he can redeploy his troops, right?

Perhaps the ones attacking the Murong Clan are actual bandits, or maybe it's just a small squad he casually sent to deliberately lure you away.

As long as you leave Ye Liuyun, he can move his forces wherever he wants.

If he says he's moving troops back to the Eastern Border, would you really spend two months going to the Eastern Border to verify?"

"This… you make a point.

Then I'll still communicate with the Spirit Clan and have them send someone to investigate!"

Shui Muhua says this, then reaches for the Transmission Talisman again to communicate with the Spirit Clan.

"Oh dear, Fourth Uncle, why do you still trust the Spirit Clan so much! They could have sent people to investigate ages ago—why force you to go?"

Shui Bingyue asks Shui Muhua.

"Why?"

Shui Muhua truly doesn't understand.

"What else could it be?

Now the Murong Clan is already in trouble; they want to make you take the blame! If you go ask, they'll say you're shirking responsibility.

If you don't investigate, they'll say you're neglectful.

But even if you go, it's too late, and they'll say you didn't keep an eye on Ye Liuyun.

How come it's always your fault!"

Shui Bingyue reminds him.

"Then what should I do?"

Shui Muhua is also a bit stunned, not knowing what to do.

"How about this: you stay here and watch Ye Liuyun.

Since I'm free, I'll go check on the Murong Clan for you; that solves the problem!"

Shui Bingyue suggests.

"That's great!"

Shui Muhua repeatedly agrees, grateful to his niece.

Then Shui Muhua immediately returns to Four‑direction City.

When he gets back, Ye Liuyun is indeed gathering troops.

Seeing him return, Ye Liuyun is greatly surprised, so he disbands the troops again and continues arranging the reconstruction of Four‑direction City.

Shui Muhua still felt smug inside: "Thanks to meeting my niece, otherwise I would have been duped by Ye Liuyun! I must keep an eye on him!"

But how could he know that after Shui Bingyue separated from Shui Muhua, she went straight back to her own planting base.

She delayed Shui Muhua, and the mission was already accomplished.

From here to the Murong Clan takes more than ten days; after those ten‑plus days, even if Shui Muhua went himself, no trace could be found.

Shui Muhua also stayed peacefully by Ye Liuyun's side, waiting for Shui Bingyue to deliver news to him.

On the eighth day, Shui Muhua began contacting Shui Bingyue.

Because he instructed Shui Bingyue to hurry at full speed, the eight days should be enough to arrive.

Shui Bingyue replied that the Flying Boat was broken, so she would be two days later than originally scheduled.

Shui Muhua could only wait another two days, helplessly.

During this time, Ye Tiandao had long ago exterminated the Murong Clan's members, sorted out the resources, and even sent people to clean the battlefield.

Ye Tiandao also followed Ye Liuyun's orders, deliberately leaving a few resources in conspicuous spots inside and outside the Murong Clan to lure outsiders to scavenge.

Thus, once Ye Tiandao's group withdrew, many Martial Cultivators would go in, wreck the site, and leave the Spirit Clan unable to verify.

Ye Tiandao did not return directly to Ye Liuyun, but rushed to rendezvous with Yu Xiaofeng.

When his elite squad blended into the main army, it would be impossible to trace.

Shui Muhua waited another two days before asking Shui Bingyue again.

Shui Bingyue told him that she had already gone, the Murong Clan was nowhere to be found, and no trace could be located.

"They may have fled! They're not stupid; they wouldn't just stay there waiting to be killed!"

Shui Bingyue helped Shui Muhua analyze.

Shui Muhua also, as Shui Bingyue instructed, replied to the Spirit Clan, saying the Murong Clan members had fled and were not at the base.

The Spirit Clan received the message and thought that since nothing was wrong, there was no need to worry further.

So they made no further inquiries.

They only asked Shui Muhua to keep watch on Ye Liuyun.

But Cao Yun Tian suddenly returned to the Spirit Clan and told them that the Murong Clan had been annihilated.

"What on earth is happening?"

Why is Ye Liuyun's great army still pressing forward to attack each city?

Where exactly did the Murong Clan members go?

"Find out the reason immediately!"

The Spirit Clan had no choice but to have Shui Muhua investigate further.

Moreover, the Spirit Clan also received word that Ye Liuyun's army was already approaching the Spirit Clan's eastern city, Kangning City.

Shui Muhua was at a loss for words.

Ye Liuyun was truly cunning; he couldn't be kept under watch!

He set off for the east immediately, but as soon as he left the city, he ran into Guan Shanyue.

Guan Shanyue produced a Token of the Spirit Clan, and Shui Muhua, as if he had seen a savior, hurriedly explained the situation.

Guan Shanyue said the same to Shui Bingyue: "Now that you're leaving, there's no one watching Ye Liuyun?"

"You should stay here; I'll investigate the matters concerning Ye Liuyun's other forces!"

"Yes!"

Shui Muhua agreed and returned once more to Ye Liuyun's side.

These two delays allowed Ye Liuyun to completely finish the extermination of the Murong Clan and smoothly bring most eastern cities under the Eastern Dynasty.

A force of two hundred thousand troops also advanced to station at Lin'an City, just before Kangning City.