Chapter 237

Wu Tie stared fixedly at Hua Ze's skull, his heart in turmoil.

Something happened.

Something must have happened over in the Three Linked City.

Like Hua Guang, Wu Tie's eyes suddenly bloodshot, his heart pounding violently; the nine drops of great witch's essence blood surrounding his heart released tremendous energy, Wu Tie's veins bulged all over, and the sound of his blood flowing like a tide spread throughout the Great Lake City.

Wu Tie lifted his right foot, about to stomp down hard.

Lao Tie opened his mouth and bit down hard on Wu Tie's calf; his sharp fangs sank deep into Wu Tie's calf muscle, and the intense pain caused Wu Tie's rage to ebb like a receding tide.

The panic was swiftly suppressed, and Wu Tie silently recited a few lines of the Multitude Heart Sutra he had taught the Six Paths Palace Master.

"Lord Hua Guang, it seems the Mysterious Spider's movements are faster than ours," Wu Tie said in a low voice to Hua Guang, whose eyes were also bloodshot. "We can no longer use this teleportation array… I need a detailed map of the Three Linked Region."

Hua Guang raised his head, his Adam's apple moving up and down forcefully.

With a "gulping" sound, a strong smell of blood rose from Hua Guang's mouth, and he forced himself to swallow the mouthful of blood that had surged up.

"It's me, I killed Hua Ze." Hua Guang's silver hair fluttered upward without wind, each strand standing straight, streaks of invisible sword intent soaring, and the ceiling of the hall where the teleportation array stood silently turned into a cloud of dust that drifted away.

"This debt… heh, no matter who…" Hua Guang opened his mouth, revealing two rows of blood‑stained teeth as he smiled at Wu Tie: "If they harmed the Master…"

Wu Tie gave Hua Guang a cold look: "If they harmed the Master, I will surely take revenge."

Hua Guang nodded firmly: "Such clansmen… even able to kill their own nephews and nieces with murderous hands… let them die, let them be dead. Without them, the Udumbara Clan won't get better, but it certainly won't get worse."

Clasping his hands tightly, Hua Guang said in a low voice: "But my burden will be heavy from now on… I must raise how many children, nurture them into talent, to rebuild a strong, pure Udumbara Clan that satisfies me?"

Amidst a cold chuckle, Hua Guang swiped his right hand across the bracelet on his left wrist, and a thumb‑sized multifaceted prismatic crystal sprang out, flashing with cold light. He flicked his finger, chanting an eighteen‑syllable incantation, and dozens of facets on the crystal burst forth with white light.

The entire Three Linked Region, together with the thirty great regions directly controlled by the present Three Linked City‑State, and the dozens of great regions in the surrounding area affected by its radiation, had their detailed map appear in the white light.

The Three Linked City‑State, what a colossal behemoth.

Beneath the Three Linked Region, thirty great regions are directly under its control, and farther out, dozens more are influenced by it.

Their territories combined stretch thousands of miles north‑south and tens of thousands east‑west, forming overall a huge iron disc thick in the centre and thin at the edges, set squarely within the thick stratum of the world.

Between these great regions, and within the large and small stone caves they control, tens of thousands of passages, secret tunnels, mines, and caverns criss‑cross, forming a vast, extraordinarily complex transport network.

Moreover, some top‑secret passages are known only to the twelve governing families; each is carefully concealed or heavily guarded.

Some passages are the Udumbara Clan's exclusive secrets. These secret routes wind and twist; the longest of these top‑secret passages runs from the core area of the Three Linked Region straight out beyond fifteen great regions to the outer territories—this is the Udumbara Clan's most vital strategic retreat route.

Wu Tie stared in astonishment at this overly detailed map.

The Udumbara Clan has spent generations paying what price to produce such a detailed map? If Hua Guang were not a core lineal descendant of the Udumbara Clan, such a map, tantamount to the clan's lifeline, could never have come into his possession.

"I feel we've met before; this map… heh, in my heart it isn't all that important." Hua Guang shook his head firmly and said in a low voice: "Moreover, since this belongs to the Udumbara Clan…"

He flicked his hand, tossing the crystal to Wu Tie, and Hua Guang vigorously rubbed his palm on his robes: "I find it dirty."

Wu Tie took the crystal, carefully examined the detailed map of the surrounding Three Linked Region for a moment, and committed to memory some of the key ingress‑egress routes, especially the hidden passages.

After slipping the crystal into his bracer, Wu Tie shook his head: "I don't disdain it."

Hua Guang nodded, about to speak, when ripples of light appeared again on the teleportation array, faintly revealing seven or eight figures swiftly emerging.

Hua Guang raised his eyebrows, looking at those people he let out a cold laugh: "Sure enough, it's these bastards… heh."

With a "heh", Hua Guang waved his right hand, a azure sword‑blade shot from his fingertips and slammed heavily onto the teleportation array.

The teleportation array, several meters in diameter, suddenly burst into blinding light; several almost fully solidified figures let out angry roars, the array exploded apart, the ground split with deep fissures, and those figures were shattered to dust amidst the exploding light points.

"This is your doing!" Hua Guang stared straight at Wu Tie, speaking solemnly: "The Mysterious Spider was incompetent, letting you break free and escape; I was stationed at Great Lake City, carelessly letting you sneak into the city… you destroyed the teleportation array."

"I did it." Wu Tie also spoke solemnly while spouting nonsense: "I admit, it was my doing… then now, I'm going to the Three Linked City."

Hua Guang slowly nodded, walked to the stone table in a corner of the hall, took out brush and ink, quickly wrote a command, then produced a small private seal and pressed it firmly onto the document.

Handing the order to Wu Tie, Hua Guang looked at him and said: "Remember these names; they are my trusted aides. If they are still alive, they will absolutely obey my orders… but you must be careful to discern, for perhaps they are already dead, and what waits there are impostors."

Hua Guang quickly spoke a passage—this is how to discern his trusted aides, including a whole set of secret codes he had agreed upon with them.

Wu Tie stared at Hua Guang in astonishment.

He actually designed such a meticulous verification method with his trusted aides beforehand… did he already foresee today?

"The Master taught me this." Hua Guang looked at Wu Tie and heaved a deep sigh: "Otherwise, why would he have sent me to Great Lake City? These secret contact methods, these identity‑verification marks—all were devised by the Master."

Lao Tie muttered softly on the side: "This… not bad. Looks like that little wolf‑head has some talent; after just a few days of study he can devise something like this?"

Wu Tie took Hua Guang's leader, silently memorized the set of things Hua Guang had told him, greeted his companions, and left the hall straight away.

Hua Guang walked to the hall's door, exerted his strength and roared: "Pass on my order—summon all cultivators of Perceive Mystery Realm and above in the Great Lake Region to gather at my Great Lake City."

"Those who dare not come will have their clans exterminated."

"Send urgent military intelligence to the Three Linked City… a powerful enemy has invaded, destroyed my Great Lake City's teleportation array, I 'am forced to' mobilize and prepare for war…" Hua Guang's icy voice, like a blade, swept harshly over the waters around the small island, tearing deep grooves across the lake surface.

"Tell those old fogies of our clan… Hua Ze is dead, and his death must be answered with a hundred heads." Hua Guang said coldly: "Pass my words back unchanged, and they will understand my meaning."

Wu Tie waved the Wind and Cloud Banner; wild wind swept up dark clouds, enveloping the group as they flew at full speed toward the Three Linked City.

Wu Tie knew what Hua Guang was doing.

Hua Guang was buying time for them.

And also buying time for Grey Master.

The Three Linked City‑State has twelve governing families, which directly control thirty great regions; put another way, each family's territory averages about two and a half great regions.

Hua Guang's ability to command the Great Lake Region shows he is undoubtedly a major pillar of the Udumbara Clan, whether in status or real power he is one of the clan's leading figures.

When such a regional heavyweight suddenly draws upon all the martial strength of his territory, and furthermore speaks murderously of demanding a hundred heads to answer for Hua Ze's death, the Udumbara Clan cannot but take his words seriously.

This is no longer empty intimidation; it is actual remonstrance with arms, a genuine military threat.

If the Udumbara Clan does not heed Hua Guang's opinion, and if he really carries out some irrational act, the clan could even, due to internal strife, be crushed by the other eleven governing families joining forces, suffering grave damage or even annihilation—none of which is impossible.

Under these circumstances, Grey Master's safety gains at least a slight safeguard.

The reason it is only a slight safeguard is mainly because of the Mysterious Spider.

The Udumbara Clan will heed Hua Guang's threat… but what about the Mysterious Spider?

Who knows what she will do?

Who knows what those people, bewitched by her to the point of losing their souls, will do?

They can even chop off Hua Xi's head and send it back to Big Lake City via a teleportation array; who knows if they won't do something even more outrageous?

Along the way, wild winds billowed and dark clouds swirled.

Now Wu Tie and his companions have made great progress in cultivation; the Wind and Cloud Banner flies much faster than before.

However, the power of the Wind and Cloud Banner lies more in concealing one's traces; its flight speed still falls short of expectations.

Thus, after leaving Big Lake City by over a hundred li, Wu Tie handed the Wind and Cloud Banner to the witch to control, had Lao Tie lead everyone, he himself donned the Eagle God Armor, and with the huge metal wings on his back flapping with all his might, he rushed forward with all his strength.

As magical power continuously flowed into the Eagle God Armor, a single flap of its huge metal wings sent Wu Tie flying forward several li.

Like lightning and illusion, Wu Tie could dash forward tens of li in a single breath; flying at full speed for most of a day, he charged alone over twenty thousand li and finally arrived outside Three Linked City.

Stowing his armor, Wu Tie's flesh twitched as he altered his appearance, he put away the White Tiger Split, drew a long sword and slung it on his back, disguising himself as an ordinary wandering cultivator, he strode along a main passage of Three Linked City and entered its outskirts.

In the high sky, the False Sun hung high, its warm light bathing the vast space in brightness.

There were mountains, water, lakes, forests, waterfalls, springs; green trees and red flowers filled the view, and the air was suffused with a sweet flavor.

Wu Tie had just stepped out of the passage when he was shocked by everything he saw.

The Demon Chapter King had said many times that Three Linked City was an extremely wonderful place, but only after seeing it with his own eyes did Wu Tie believe, just as the Demon Chapter King said, that Three Linked City truly was an extremely wonderful place.

Wave after wave of powerful energy surged in the air; on the distant mountain peaks, twelve thick pillars of light shot straight into the sky, like solid pillars firmly propping up the vault above, and they also emitted vast energy that nourished all living beings in the stone caves within a radius of over three thousand li.

In the high sky, a flock of birds flapped their silver wings as they flew past.

They were a flock of beautiful Silver Heaven Birds, their tails as long and lovely as a peacock's, and their cries were like beautiful melodies that made one intoxicated involuntarily.

A wind blew from afar; at an altitude of several thousand meters, a thick mass of water clouds drifted slowly and then shed a wide swath of raindrops.

Wu Tie stared blankly at the rain clouds above his head.

Three Linked City actually used manpower to create a four‑cycle cycle and imitate the natural heavenly phenomena of legend.

The exit of the passage was atop a high cliff, the cliff itself standing a full kilometer above the ground below; looking out, Wu Tie could see amidst the mountains and water, magnificent castles and tranquil villages scattered in an orderly fashion.

Farmland and orchards were everywhere, and everywhere one could see slaves toiling hard.

The slaves of Three Linked City were somewhat taller and more robust than those Wu Tie had seen before, with a hint of color on their faces, showing they were not often hungry.

Wu Tie's eyesight was excellent; he could easily make out fine details tens of li away.

He stared in amazement at every move of the villagers in a distant small settlement, and couldn't help exclaiming, "Truly… magnificent."

"No matter how beautiful, it's no concern of yours, you lowly folk… the entry fee is five gold coins, the daily stay fee is half a gold coin; if you can't pay, just get out, otherwise the city guard will catch you and force you to do hard labor until death."

Several soldiers in white silver armor, strutting arrogantly, marched up to Wu Tie, and one of them slapped his shoulder hard.

"Hey, fellow, the entry fee is five gold coins… Three Linked City isn't a place where just any trash can enter."

"Don't try to fool us with the shoddy goods privately made by those small clans. The purity and weight are a bit off… hehe!"

A soldier whipped the ground with a leather whip, producing a sharp crack.

"I think I'll stay a few more days in Three Linked City. It's such a nice place, I can't bear to leave lightly." Wu Tie gave the soldiers a deep look, took out several large gold nuggets from his waist pouch, and handed them over.

Several soldiers widened their eyes, swallowed saliva, and their faces instantly broke into smiles.