Chapter 1608: [Encountering the Double Corpses Again] (Part I)

Seeing a Snow Eagle soar into the sky, Weichi Chong's soldiers worried he might encounter danger, and they all rushed over here. Weichi Chong shouted to stop them, gazing at the handsome Snow Eagle appearing ahead, he secretly praised, Hu Xiaotian's rise like a comet in a short time is no coincidence; his subordinates actually possess such extraordinary talents. Thinking of his adopted daughter Huo Shengnan, whose standards have always been high, back when she served in the Da Yong army, countless admirers pursued her, yet none entered her sight. Now she willingly follows Hu Xiaotian, showing his personal charm.

Xia Zhangming stepped before Weichi Chong, clasped his fists, and said, 'I am Xia Zhangming, paying respects to Grand Marshal Weichi!' Aside from the relationships involving Hu Xiaotian, Huo Shengnan, and Weichi Chong, Weichi Chong is also renowned far and wide. Xia Zhangming privately admired Weichi Chong's heroic feat of garrisoning Bei Jiang and resisting the Black Hu invasion, so he showed him considerable respect.

Seeing Hu Xiaotian's subordinates treat him with such respect, Weichi Chong also felt a surge of relief, thus he grew even more fond of Hu Xiaotian. He smiled and said, 'Master Xia, no need for excessive courtesy.'

Xia Zhangming subtly gave Hu Xiaotian a look, clearly having important matters to report. Hu Xiaotian said, 'Grand Marshal is one of us; speak freely about anything.'

Weichi Chong couldn't help but bitterly smile upon hearing this; if such words reached the ears of someone with ill intent, they would surely pin the charge of colluding with foreign enemies on him.

Xia Zhangming said, 'My lord, I have been tracking Shangguan Yun Chong all the way and discovered his hiding place.'

Hu Xiaotian nodded and said, 'Good!' He turned to Weichi Chong, clasped his fists, and said, 'Father-in-law, take care; from here to Yongdu there are still several days' journey, you must be extra careful.'

Weichi Chong guessed that he likely intended to go eradicate Shangguan Yun Chong; since this matter arose because of him, he could not stand idly by. He thus said, 'Why don't I join you? Together we can deal with that scoundrel and also uncover who the true mastermind behind him is.'

Hu Xiaotian said, 'Father-in-law, you should stay here; after all, your troops have not fully recovered. If the enemy takes advantage and returns, I fear none of them can resist.'

Weichi Chong, who always treated his soldiers like his own children, naturally agreed with Hu Xiaotian's words. He nodded and said, 'You too must take good care of yourself.'

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said, 'We'll meet again in Yongdu in two days!' He bowed deeply, turned, and walked forward with Xia Zhangming; soon their figures vanished into the wind and snow.

Weichi Chong's gaze turned back to the blazing front hall; his soldiers, who had regained full mobility, set up a isolation zone between the front and rear halls to prevent the fire from engulfing the entire Dragon King Temple.

Liang Wensheng tended to his wound, approached Weichi Chong's side, and respectfully said, 'Grand Marshal, how do you feel?'

Weichi Chong let out a long sigh but said nothing; at that moment two soldiers carried Yang Mingwei's corpse past him. These dead bodies could not be taken away, nor were they prepared to be buried on the spot; instead they were thrown into the fire to be reduced to ashes.

Weichi Chong had them stop, gazing at Yang Mingwei's blood‑blurred face, a wave of emotion rose in his heart. Yang Mingwei had followed him for many years, earning countless military merits; even he could not fathom why Yang Mingwei would betray him. He did not want to believe Yang Mingwei had been a long‑term lurking spy beside him. He preferred to think circumstances had changed him. After personally taking the life of a subordinate who once followed him and whom he had valued, the crisis passed and only then did Weichi Chong feel heartache. He did not hate Yang Mingwei, nor did he intend to question his choice; he merely felt it a pity that such a young life was lost.

After a while, Weichi Chong waved his hand, signaling them to take Yang Mingwei's corpse away.

Liang Wensheng said, 'Grand Marshal, when will we leave?' The poisoned companions have mostly recovered; this is no place to linger, for the blaze at the Dragon King Temple might attract even stronger foes.

Weichi Chong whispered, 'Wensheng, when we reach Yongdu, have everyone wait for me outside the city.'

Liang Wensheng's heart sank; Weichi Chong's words showed that even he himself was not optimistic about this trip to Yongdu. Liang Wensheng said, 'Grand Marshal, you are not without other options.'

Weichi Chong's smile clearly turned bitter; he retorted, 'Any options?'

Hu Xiaotian and Xia Zhangming respectively rode the Flying Eagle and the Snow Eagle, soaring through the night sky filled with wind and snow. If Xia Zhangming were not there, Hu Xiaotian could not discern direction in such harsh weather. The Snow Eagle leading the way suddenly slowed, spread its white wings, and drifted silently in the snowy night.

The Flying Eagle's keen eyes pierced the darkness; it had already made out the scene below.

Although Hu Xiaotian's vision was strong, at that altitude he could only see a blurry outline, likely a mountain peak. Xia Zhangming directed the Snow Eagle toward him and shouted, 'There is a cave in the northeast direction below the mountain peak.' He pointed it out to Hu Xiaotian; many pines and cypresses grew before the cave, but due to the heavy snow they had become sculpted like jade and ice, making them indistinguishable at a glance.

The two commanded the Flying Eagle and Snow Eagle to descend; the scenery below gradually became clear. To avoid detection, they chose to land on the peak. Hu Xiaotian had Xia Zhangming stay outside to provide support, while he alone went to the cave where Shangguan Yun Chong was hiding.

Arriving before the cave, although the snow fell heavily, footprints not fully covered by snow could still be seen on the ground. From the chaotic prints, it seemed more than one person had entered earlier. Hu Xiaotian pondered silently; it appeared Shangguan Yun Chong had come here to meet accomplices, though he did not know whether his father Shangguan Tianhuo or his elder brother Shangguan Yunfeng were also present.

The cave entrance was unguarded. Hu Xiaotian approached, listened closely, heard no movement inside, then quietly entered. The cave blocked the wind and snow, making it much warmer within. This narrow, deep passage; Hu Xiaotian went inward, having walked about half a li when he faintly heard voices ahead, and he lightened his steps to avoid detection.

Although Hu Xiaotian's hearing was sharp, careful listening still could not make out what they were saying. Just then he heard footsteps approaching his direction. He hurriedly climbed up the cave wall, found a crevice near the top where he could hide, and had just concealed himself when two people arrived below him.

One of them was precisely Shangguan Yun Chong; the other held a torch to light the way. When they stopped beneath Hu Xiaotian, the torch‑bearer muttered something in a foreign tongue, and Shangguan Yun Chong replied in kind.

Hu Xiaotian initially thought his hearing was faulty, but he quickly realized they were not speaking Chinese at all; it sounded like the Black Hu language.

After bidding farewell to that person, Shangguan Yun Chong strode away. The Black Hu waited until Shangguan Yun Chong was far off, then raised his torch and turned back into the cave. Hu Xiaotian secretly wondered; he did not choose to follow Shangguan Yun Chong away, but instead tailed the Black Hu deeper into the cave.

The cave was lit, the air filled with the aroma of roasting meat; four people sat around a fire roasting a yellow goat. The Black Hu returned to the group, planted his torch in the rock wall, uttered something in his language, and then all shook their heads simultaneously.

Hu Xiaotian did not want to invite trouble and prepared to slip away quietly, but one of those seated by the fire suddenly lifted his head toward Hu Xiaotian's hiding spot. The man's face was deathly pale as paper, devoid of any blood, his hair and eyebrows white as frost and snow. Hu Xiaotian saw it clearly and was startled; this person was exactly the White Corpse he had encountered when he sneaked into the Wild Goose Pavilion of the Red Mountain Club in Yongdu at night. Recall that back then he, Huo Shengnan, and Zong Tang had infiltrated the pavilion, only to face the Black and White Corpse couple, whose martial arts were superb. Had Hu Xiaotian not used the Void Great Art to drain the Black Corpse's inner strength, he would have nearly been killed by them. Times have changed, however; now Hu Xiaotian's skills have advanced leaps and bounds through experience, so even meeting them again would hold no fear.

Yet Hu Xiaotian wondered: he had clearly held his breath and concealed his presence, so why would the White Corpse sense his arrival? Could she have merely glanced this way by chance, not noticing his trace?

Hu Xiaotian didn't want to invite more trouble, preparing to slip away quietly, but the person sitting by the fire suddenly lifted his head and looked toward Hu Xiaotian's hiding place. That person's face was deathly pale as paper, without a trace of blood, his hair and eyebrows also white as frost and snow. Seeing this clearly, Hu Xiaotian couldn't help but startle — this person was actually the white corpse he had encountered when he sneaked into the Hongyan Tower of the Red Mountain Club in Yongdu at night. He remembered that at the time he, Huo Shengnan, and Zong Tang had sneaked into the Hongyan Tower, only to meet the black corpse and white corpse couple, whose martial arts were superb; if it weren't for Hu Xiaotian then using the Void Great Method to draw away the black corpse's inner strength, they would have almost been harmed by them. But times have changed; now Hu Xiaotian's martial arts have advanced rapidly through training, and even if he were to encounter them again, there would be nothing to fear.

At this moment Hu Xiaotian finally believed his cover was blown. He vaguely judged that the White Corpse perhaps did not locate him via breath or heartbeat; it was likely similar to the Northern Swamp Old Monster, possessing an extremely keen sense of smell that could discern an enemy's approach by distinguishing odors. Such ability is rare, yet extremely powerful. Even top experts can hold their breath for long, but they must still exchange air through their skin pores; every living body emits different scents. Though Hu Xiaotian could not perceive them, creatures with sharp olfaction—dogs, pigs, for example—can easily distinguish individuals by scent.

Hu Xiaotian thought, 'Oh no.' Since his concealment was exposed, there was no point in continuing to hide in the dark; he sprang up and ran straight toward the cave entrance. This was not because he feared the White Corpse, but because he did not want to engage in battle, especially when the enemy's situation was unknown.

Hu Xiaotian only now realized that his whereabouts had been exposed; he vaguely judged that the white corpse perhaps was not determining his position through breathing and heartbeat, but most likely similar to the Old Monster of Bei Ze—she possessed an extremely keen sense of smell, able to judge the arrival of enemies by discerning odors. Those who possess such ability are few and far between, yet this ability is extremely powerful. Even top experts can hold their breath for a long time, but he must achieve gas exchange through the pores all over his body; any living being's body will have different scents. Although he himself cannot feel it, when encountering smell-sensitive creatures such as dogs, pigs, etc., they can easily distinguish different targets by scent.

Hu Xiaotian secretly thought, "Not good." Since his hiding place had already been exposed, there was no need to keep lying low in the dark; he leapt down and sprinted straight toward the cave mouth—not because he feared the white corpse, but because he didn't want to get bogged down in a fight, especially with the opponent's situation unknown.

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