Chapter 65: Letter

Wang Hai was finally caught up to.

He had already bled nearly dry and had no strength left to resist.

He could only lean on a long saber he had picked up from a corpse, gasping for air in large gulps.

All around him, the Ming Cult disciples had already surrounded him.

Zhou Mingxu did not step forward, but instead looked Wang Hai up and down.

He could see that Wang Hai was at the end of his rope, yet he still dared not approach. The bandaged wound on his own chest reminded him that he absolutely must not underestimate this young man.

That night, Wang Hai's frantic, ruthless drive—almost a posture of mutual destruction—had injured him, leaving a deep impression even on Zhou Mingxu, who was accustomed to life and death.

However, if he couldn't step forward, then he couldn't step forward.

Zhou Mingxu slowly pulled a gold coin dart from his robes and looked at Wang Hai.

"A dog of the Great Shu, you're quite ruthless."

"This single coin will serve as the price for your dog life!"

Having said that, he flicked his hand, and the dart whistled toward Wang Hai's face.

Wang Hai closed his eyes.

He truly had not a shred of strength left.

"Battalion Commander... Xiaosi..." he murmured.

He was already closing his eyes to await death.

In that instant, however, he heard Li Miao's light laughter by his ear: "What is this, Hai'er? Am I ranked before Xiaosi?"

"I'll halve the bride price for you."

Wang Hai instantly opened his eyes.

Clang! —

The gold coin dart flew back, passing straight through Zhou Mingxu's shoulder.

"Who!?" Zhou Mingxu clutched his wound, shouting in shock.

Li Miao stood before Wang Hai, his tall back casting a shadow that covered Wang Hai.

Wang Hai finally let out a breath, fell backward to sit on the ground, and couldn't help but laugh.

Li Miao turned his head to glance at Wang Hai, confirming that his injuries would not be a major problem in the short term.

Then, he raised a hand and threw an object in front of Zhou Mingxu.

Zhou Mingxu looked closely, and his face instantly turned pale as he exclaimed: "Left, Left Envoy!!!"

The object that Li Miao had carried the whole way, and now tossed before Zhou Mingxu, was none other than the head of Lan Lechuan, whose eyes were wide open!

Ever since Ji Tianrui died fifteen years ago, the Ming Cult had always been led by Lan Lechuan.

Coupled with the fact that Lan Lechuan had inherited Ji Tianrui's cultivation and reached the Peak Realm, he was the anchor in the hearts of everyone in the Ming Cult.

How could he have died so silently, his head tossed onto the ground like trash by someone!

"It's over..."

Zhou Mingxu's thoughts raced; his shoulders slumped, and he sighed.

When he looked up again, all he saw was Li Miao's fist, growing infinitely large in his field of vision.

————————

"... Battalion Commander, your subordinate failed in his duty and had to trouble you to abandon your mission at the Taishan Sect to save me..."

Wang Hai sat on horseback, speaking softly.

After Li Miao finished off the Ming Cult members, he had returned to treat Wang Hai's wounds. At this moment, the two had bought two horses from passing merchants and were heading toward the town where Wang Hai had escaped from.

"It doesn't affect anything."

Li Miao pondered: "This mission, while said to be about the Five Mountains Sword Sects, is actually aimed at the Ming Cult."

"Killing Lan Lechuan is more important than killing ten Zuo Lishans. If, as you said, there is another Ming Cult high-ranking member in this town who can interact freely with Zhou Mingxu, then the Guard Commander will likely be happy enough to give me a year of vacation."

"It's just that there is one thing Lan Lechuan did that is suspicious."

Wang Hai turned to look at Li Miao: "What is it?"

Li Miao rubbed his fingers and said slowly: "I originally went to kill Zuo Lishan; Lan Lechuan was just a chance encounter."

"At the time, I struck Zuo Lishan with one move, and Lan Lechuan didn't go to save him, clearly not valuing Zuo Lishan's life."

Li Miao frowned: "I was in a rush to save you, thinking that in the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, I would kill whoever I could."

"But later, when the two were fleeing for their lives, Lan Lechuan acted as if he were suddenly possessed, frantically entangling me, which allowed Zuo Lishan to escape with heavy injuries."

"Inconsistent."

Li Miao pondered: "Zuo Lishan is nothing special; trading Lan Lechuan's life for his is truly a losing deal..."

"If I really had to say, it might be because of the gu-insect in his body."

"It seems that the cultivation method Ji Tianrui created back then isn't as simple as turning a top expert into a short-lived half-peak expert."

The two galloped on horseback, and the small town in the distance came into view.

"The Ming Cult set up a branch altar so close to the Taishan Sect and left two high-ranking members above the rank of Flag Master here; I fear they have other plans."

The two entered the town, looking left and right.

Wang Hai gave a soft exclamation: "Battalion Commander, there are fewer people."

When Wang Hai came here to scout a few days ago, it was daytime; the town didn't have many people, but there were still some pedestrians on the street.

But right now, it seemed as if half the people in the town had vanished into thin air, and the streets were empty.

A few local residents were looking around at their doorways, clearly just as confused.

The two walked to the small courtyard where Wang Hai had escaped that night, and Wang Hai crouched down to examine the traces on the ground.

Following the traces, the two arrived at the gate of a large local residence.

Boom!!!

Li Miao kicked the gate open, walked into the residence, and looked around.

The courtyard was a mess, filled with discarded items, broken weapons, and torn clothing piled in the corners, clearly indicating that a significant number of people had lived here.

At this moment, however, it was deathly silent, clearly having been abandoned for some time.

Li Miao walked into the main room.

It looked like a woman's study, clean and tidy, faintly permeated with the scent of ink and powder. On the table lay a piece of paper with some words written faintly upon it.

Li Miao stepped forward to examine it.

"To be opened personally by Lord Li Miao:"

"When Left Envoy Lan sent word that you were at the Taishan Sect, I knew he would die at your hands."

"Seeing Young Master Wang's face that night, I recognized him. Knowing that you care for your subordinates and would surely come to save him, I fled overnight in a panic, not daring to soil your eyes with my lowly presence."

"Flag Master Zhou's life is a gift I offer you, a small token of my heart; I hope you do not disdain it."

"Since we parted fifteen years ago, I have long missed Lord Li's heroic bearing. At the Five Mountains Alliance, there will be another generous gift for you; I truly hope you do not decline."

"Respectfully, Right Envoy of the Moni Sect, Yun Zelin."

Li Miao smiled, put down the paper, and turned to walk out of the room.

"Hai'er, no need to search; everyone has left."

"We are returning to the Taishan Sect."

Wang Hai walked to Li Miao's side, thought for a moment, and asked: "Battalion Commander, did the people here all go to the Taishan Sect?"

Li Miao said: "Likely so."

"They say they aren't hiding anymore and want to have a clear confrontation with me."

"Just as well; I was originally thinking of finding trouble with the Ming Cult after finishing this mission. This counts as a meeting of minds."

"Let's go. Let's see what they are hiding that is worth trading Lan Lechuan's life for."

The two said no more, mounted their horses, and headed toward the Taishan Sect.

In terms of distance and horse speed, the two should be able to arrive just in time for the Five Mountains Alliance.

(End of chapter)