“Damn it!”
Li Feng chased Wild Fox and his men all the way to Kunyang Town, only to see the town bristling with defences, the entire place resembling a military camp.
“How could it be like this? Who are these people?”
Li Feng furrowed his brows deeply. The patrols at Kunyang Town’s gates were dressed just like those who had ambushed him earlier. Li Feng had no doubt that the town was now under this faction’s control.
What Li Feng did not understand was why this faction had occupied Kunyang Town. In this remote backwater, was there truly some profit to be made?
Originally, Li Feng had intended to kill Wild Fox and his lot before casually entering Kunyang Town for a look. But now, it seemed neither killing Wild Fox and his men nor entering the town was feasible.
With Li Feng’s skills, he could naturally infiltrate Kunyang Town and kill Wild Fox and his group. Though the town was heavily guarded, slipping in posed no trouble for him. However, first, he had no time now. His main purpose this time was to enter the Ten Thousand Great Mountains’ Black Wind Forest in search of golden cicada fruit. Wasting time in Kunyang Town might lead to returning empty-handed, which Li Feng deemed unworthy.
Second, Li Feng did not wish to stir up trouble. These assassins had come for him likely because he intended to visit Kunyang Town. Before knowing the full extent of this entrenched faction’s power, he preferred to avoid complications.
With this in mind, Li Feng could only abandon his plans to pursue and enter the town, turning back along the original path instead.
Soon, Li Feng returned to the site of the earlier battle. He retrieved his flying knives, then took two pistols, some ammunition, and grenades from the ruffians’ bodies. To Li Feng, these hot weapons were antiques among antiques, but he reckoned they might prove useful once inside the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.
In this desolate mountain wilds, Li Feng held nothing back in terms of speed. After gathering his things, he became a black shadow shooting towards the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.
Not long after Li Feng departed, a group of men arrived at the scene, led by Wild Wolf and Wild Fox. Wild Wolf’s face was ashen, while Wild Fox hung his head in dejection.
“Wild Fox, I need an explanation.” Wild Wolf said, his face grim. He had never imagined Wild Fox would fail this time, and with so many brothers dead to boot. This was the greatest loss the Du Sect had suffered since its founding.
“Wild Wolf, the opponent was too strong.” As fellow members of Old Master Du’s Four Great Vajras, there were ranks even among them. Wild Wolf was second among the Four Great Vajras, his status second only to Wild Leopard. In the Du Sect, when Old Master Du and Wild Leopard were absent, Wild Wolf’s orders superseded all.
“What sort of excuse is that? Did the opponent have three heads and six arms?” Wild Wolf snorted coldly, glaring at Wild Fox with some displeasure. “Have a few days without action dulled your skills, Wild Fox?”
“You…” Wild Fox shot Wild Wolf a furious glare. All this time, what irked him most was Wild Wolf’s constant air of superiority before him. He truly could not fathom where the man’s pride came from.
“Is it not so?” Wild Wolf looked at Wild Fox coldly and said, “Do you know that Old Master Du’s plan has entered a critical phase? At such a time, no one can be allowed to interfere. If something goes wrong, can you bear the responsibility?”
“Hmph, I know full well how vital Old Master Du’s plan is without your reminder. Do you truly think me the sort to watch my brothers die before my eyes without lifting a finger? Every one of these fallen brothers followed me for years. If the opponent had not been so formidable, how could they have perished?”
Wild Fox snorted coldly, meeting Wild Wolf’s gaze without flinching. “You wish to question me? I wish to question you. What is the deal with that bearded fellow you dealt with? This man was one he brought, was he not? And with such skills, do you not wonder why that bearded one brought him along? I say that bearded fellow is suspicious. You failed to kill him at once. Your intentions are hardly pure.”
Wild Wolf looked at Wild Fox coldly, a chilling intent gleaming in his eyes. “You dare suspect me?”
“Why not?” Wild Fox said coldly.
“Do you know that the bearded fellow’s line was arranged by Old Master Du himself?” Wild Wolf looked at Wild Fox coldly and said, “Per Old Master Du’s instructions, we are absolutely not to offend the bearded fellow.”
“What did you say?” Wild Fox’s expression shifted. All along, he had assumed the bearded fellow’s connection was one Wild Wolf had found on his own. He had never dreamed it was Old Master Du’s arrangement. He could disregard Wild Wolf, clash with him openly, but he would never dare question Old Master Du.
“This young fellow’s appearance was an accident. We cannot touch the bearded fellow’s side, but here, no one can enter Kunyang Town and disrupt Old Master Du’s plan.”
Wild Wolf withdrew his gaze from Wild Fox, letting it fall upon the corpses of their fallen Du Sect brothers. He said, “This man’s existence is an absolute threat. I have a feeling he might ruin Old Master Du’s opportunity. Thus, such a person cannot be left alive. Wild Fox, now is not the time for us to bicker over personal grievances. We must find this man quickly and kill him.”
Wild Fox nodded at his words. This concerned the Du Sect’s eternal dominance, Old Master Du’s plan meticulously laid over decades. It absolutely could not go awry. Though rife with contradictions between him and Wild Wolf, before great matters of right and wrong, he knew what to do.
“I shall certainly track him down. He killed so many of my brothers. If I do not kill him, how can I face their spirits in the heavens?” Cold, piercing light gleamed in Wild Fox’s eyes, his entire being like a sharpened blade.
Wild Wolf was satisfied with Wild Fox’s response. If Wild Fox had entangled him over personal grudges, Old Master Du would never have counted him among the Four Great Vajras. Though somewhat displeased with Wild Fox, he had nothing more to say.
After carefully surveying the terrain, Wild Wolf’s expression grew grave. “From the traces at the scene, it is clear the opponent chased you all the way to Kunyang Town.”
“You mean…” Wild Fox’s face changed as he cried out in alarm, “You mean this man might have entered Kunyang Town?”
“Not necessarily.” Wild Wolf shook his head and said, “Kunyang Town has long been turned into an iron bastion by the Du Sect. Every move within is under our surveillance. With Wild Cat in Kunyang Town, no one can enter without his notice. If the opponent has entered Kunyang Town, I would not worry. What concerns me is if he has not.”
Wild Fox looked at Wild Wolf in puzzlement. Though his name was Wild Fox, he lacked a fox’s cunning and was instead a fierce warrior in battle. Wild Wolf, on the other hand, lived up to his name, possessing a wolf’s temperament: vigilant and deeply suspicious. His analytical skills were second to none in the entire Du Sect.
“If the opponent leaves and spreads word of Kunyang Town’s situation, what do you think will happen?” Wild Wolf shot Wild Fox a cold glance.
Wild Fox’s face changed at his words. Kunyang Town’s current state owed much to its mystery. Under Old Master Du’s decades of operation, it had gradually severed ties with the outside world. Neither the government nor the Song family in Yongzhou had noticed the changes in Kunyang Town. But if the truth of Kunyang Town were exposed, both the government and the Song family would take notice. The town’s decades of peace would end.
“I shall dispatch men at once to seal off all routes. He absolutely cannot be allowed to leave.” Wild Fox said hurriedly.
Wild Wolf nodded. “Not only that. Notify our people in Yongzhou to spread rumours. I want the people of Yongzhou to believe this young fellow entered Kunyang Town and went mad. Even if he rants then, few will believe him.”
Wild Fox shuddered at his words and said hastily, “I shall arrange it at once.” Without waiting for Wild Wolf to reply, he led his men away.
Wild Wolf watched Wild Fox depart, his gaze falling upon the vast mountains. With a grave expression, he murmured to himself, “There is one other possibility. This man’s target is the Ten Thousand Great Mountains. It seems arrangements must be made.”
