Chapter 181

Wang Hai, Xiao Si, Mei Qinghe, and Gao Ling followed behind the butterfly, pursuing all the way.

But they arrived at the foot of the city wall.

It was already late at night, and the city gate had long been closed. But after Wang Hai showed his Imperial Guard waist token, the soldiers guarding the city naturally opened the gate to let them pass.

The four left the city, and as they pursued, they felt more and more that something was wrong.

Xiao Si did not know martial arts and couldn't keep up with the four, so she was carried on Wang Hai's back. At this time, she said softly.

"Is it too far out of the city?"

Gao Ling turned her head and looked behind her.

On the horizon behind the four was a faint glimmer of light. And beneath the feet of the four was a wilderness, and in the distance, one could faintly see some scattered farmland.

This place was long since outside the range of common people living around the capital, and it was already a full thirty miles away from the city wall. And that butterfly showed no sign of stopping at all, still flying forward on its own.

No matter how cautious the Ming Sect people were, they shouldn't be hiding so far away. By then, just getting to the city gate would take half a day, so what talk of a plot against the Emperor? Moreover, it was already only five days until New Year's Eve; no matter how cautious, they should have disguised themselves and entered the city.

Gao Ling asked.

"Little sister Xiao Si, is this Gu insect reliable? Did it sense it wrong?"

Xiao Si shook her head.

"I don't know either."

"It was forcibly refined into a defective product; perhaps it really made a mistake."

"But, we only have this one method. Even if it's wrong, we should go take a look."

Everyone nodded and continued to pursue forward behind the butterfly.

The four pursued from the You hour until the Chou hour.

It was already the second half of the night, and in another hour, the sky would be bright.

And that butterfly was no longer flying as fast as before, rising and falling from time to time, and its wings were flapping more slowly.

Finally, in the process of falling once, the butterfly could no longer rise, but fell straight to the ground.

After struggling a few times, it had no more sound.

The four stopped around the butterfly's corpse, their expressions not very good.

Surrounded by branches and leaves, covered by wild grass, it was a mountain forest.

After pursuing all night, fully expecting a result, they didn't expect to pursue into a mountain forest. The four couldn't help but sigh secretly.

"How far out of the city are we?"

Wang Hai asked.

"Over eighty miles."

Mei Qinghe said.

Gao Ling let out a long sigh.

"I'm afraid it really went wrong."

"Eighty miles, no matter what, the Ming Sect shouldn't be hiding so far away."

"Let's go back; it seems this path won't work. We still have to rely on looking for a needle in a haystack to see if we can find a few high-level members of the Ming Sect."

After speaking, Gao Ling was about to turn and leave.

After walking a few steps, she suddenly turned her head.

Because except for her, Wang Hai, Xiao Si, and Mei Qinghe were all standing in place, not moving.

Wang Hai frowned tightly, pondering to himself. Xiao Si and Mei Qinghe looked at each other and immediately understood the other's thoughts.

Wang Hai spoke slowly.

"No, it might not be wrong."

"There isn't nothing around here."

Xiao Si nodded and looked at Mei Qinghe.

"Sister Mei, you thought of it too, right?"

Mei Qinghe nodded.

"There is a wine shop I often went to eat at after I came to Shuntian Prefecture; their fish is made very well."

"Last time, I heard him say that the Emperor mobilized soldiers to build a mausoleum, and it happened to conscript his son. After the mausoleum was built, he never came back."

"I heard him say a few words."

"At that time, the direction he pointed out to me was this direction."

The three said in unison.

"Imperial Mausoleum!"

Once the words were out, the three were all silent. And Gao Ling, who was standing on the side listening, also suddenly changed color.

"No way..."

She said slowly.

"The Ming Sect isn't seeking wealth, so why run to the Imperial Mausoleum to do something? Moreover, the Imperial Mausoleum is guarded by the Imperial Guards. If she stirs up trouble there, isn't she afraid she won't be able to leave? That butterfly really must have gone wrong..."

Gao Ling said, as if trying to convince the three, and as if trying to convince herself.

Before the words fell, she sighed herself.

"The three of you, it's not that I'm cowardly. My Huashan Sect disciples were able to survive all thanks to Lord Li."

"For him, I can risk my life."

"But, offending the Imperial Mausoleum is punishable by the extermination of the nine clans... when the time comes, none of our relatives and old friends will be able to escape. Even Lord Li will be implicated by us. Why don't we just go back!"

No one answered.

Gao Ling stomped her feet.

"Forget it, there are only the four of us here, let's look at the numbers!"

"Whoever among you wants to go to the Imperial Mausoleum, speak up! If you all want to go, I'll accompany you too!"

Wang Hai and Xiao Si chuckled.

"Elder Gao, you might as well ask Miss Mei directly if she wants to go."

"Whether you two go or not, we two are definitely going."

Wang Hai said.

Gao Ling turned her head to look at Mei Qinghe.

"Junior Sister Mei, you must think clearly!"

"You have a master and a sect; don't be impulsive for a moment and bury the entire Huashan Sect!"

"Moreover, that butterfly might not necessarily be right!"

Mei Qinghe was silent.

Gao Ling wanted to persuade her again, but suddenly, Mei Qinghe raised a hand to stop her.

"Elder Gao, I've thought it through."

"I'm going."

Mei Qinghe slowly drew her long sword.

Gao Ling looked at her in confusion.

Suddenly, Mei Qinghe raised her sword and actually slashed directly at her own face!

Splash!

Blood flowed like a fountain; this sword actually cut off half of her facial skin. And Mei Qinghe still didn't stop, and slashed again.

In an instant, her originally beautiful and heroic face was already unrecognizable.

"Junior Sister Mei! What are you doing!?"

Gao Ling stepped forward quickly, wanting to stop her, but it was already too late.

Mei Qinghe raised her hand to press her acupoints to stop the bleeding, and then tore off a piece of her clothing and slowly wrapped her face.

Only a pair of unwavering eyes were revealed.

"Lord Li has the grace of rebirth for me. I told him long ago that I would follow his orders and die without turning back."

"But, I won't leave trouble for my sect."

"If we can leave alive, Lord Li can naturally heal my face. But if I die here, I won't leave a corpse that can be traced back to my sect."

"That's all."

Gao Ling took a few steps back, silent for a moment, and then let out a long sigh.

"Forget it, forget it. I really am old, lacking the sharpness of young people, looking forward and backward, but I was the one acting like a villain."

"However, my Huashan Sect is not a group that forgets favors!"

After speaking, she drew her sword from its scabbard and immediately destroyed her own face as well.

Wang Hai and Xiao Si smiled.

A Gu insect crawled out from Xiao Si's bosom and bit the necks of the two.

Pus immediately erupted on their faces, their skin and flesh rotting, equally miserable and unrecognizable.

The four looked at each other's ugly faces and laughed together.

"Let's go."

Wang Hai said.

"Act under the cover of night!"

(End of chapter)