Chapter Forty-Five: Where Is Xiu Yue?

Su Yizhao stood behind Huang Jiaren, only three feet away.

But Huang Jiaren stared blankly at the night sky, listening to the “puff, puff” sounds that echoed above. Strands of silver light pierced one cultivator after another, trailing arcs of blood. The blood sprayed across the night sky, dissolving into misty rain, swept away by the night wind.

After two breaths, the three hundred cultivators finally reacted, their mouths opening in terrified cries. But it was already too late. Wherever the silver light swept, not a trace of life remained.

Bodies tumbled from the sky, falling directly onto the Li family’s courtyard. Suddenly, Huang Jiaren spun around!

But Su Yizhao was already moving!

Silver flashed, and a burst of blood shot toward him. He darted aside, avoiding the blood, and instantly transformed into countless shadowy images.

Liu Qiang and Mu Jingtian were about to distinguish the real from the false when suddenly their throats burned with pain; they flipped over and collapsed!

The myriad shadows merged into one!

Su Yizhao gazed at the last three bodies falling to the ground, silent.

Compared to the disciples of the Profound Battle Hall, these cultivators were far inferior. Even if their cultivation barely reached the required level, their understanding of spells and their mastery of profound energy were sorely lacking.

Now his direction was clearer than ever.

Heavenly Profound Sect in Vast City—he had to go, and immediately!

From the heights above, bodies fell like stones from the sky. In his spiritual sense, the first corpse touched down, making a muffled thud.

A Li family member jumped in fright and rushed into the courtyard. But when he saw the blood rain swirling wildly, he let out a cry and darted into the house even faster.

A storage pouch, by some stroke of luck, landed in his arms just as he dashed inside, and he carried it with him.

His scream woke even more Li family members.

Just then, a mass of bodies began to fall from the sky, crashing into the courtyard.

Su Yizhao withdrew his spiritual sense and murmured, “These are a considerable sum of profound stones. I’m sure the patriarch won’t be disappointed! I lost Xiu Yue and am ashamed to see you—when I find her, I’ll return!”

In the night sky, he no longer hesitated, turning away and speeding toward the Profound Energy Sect.

“Still no recent messages?” In the main hall of the Profound Energy Sect, Cheng Jiaojiao’s face looked slightly pale.

“None. That sea area has inexplicably deepened by a hundred yards, and since then, there’s been no word from the sect leader or the others.”

Cheng Jiaojiao’s exquisite face turned bitter. “Sect leader, sect leader, whether alive or dead, there must be an answer, a message! This uncertainty—it’s so hard for me!”

The elders all forced a bitter smile.

She suddenly asked, “What about the three families?”

“They arrived at Gravel City last night!”

“This is bad, really bad—they must be seeking revenge against Xiu Yue’s family. I must go see for myself!” With that, she tried to rush out of the hall.

An elder below stood to block her. “Elder Cheng, what use is there for you to go alone? Even if we go with you, it may not help!”

Cheng Jiaojiao frowned. “Even if it’s useless, I must go!”

“Su Yizhao is back!” At that moment, an elder received a message talisman and called out loudly.

Cheng Jiaojiao’s body trembled with delight. “Is it really him? Call him in immediately—no, we’ll go out!”

She flashed and was already out of the hall.

As soon as Su Yizhao entered the sect, he was recognized. After all, the incident with the elder’s apology and the family head’s dismissal had made such a stir that few in the sect didn’t know him.

He asked for the location of the Profound Weapon Hall and headed there.

He had spent very little time in the Profound Energy Sect, and only knew two or three people here.

Senior Brother Shi Feichen was one of them.

On his first day in the sect, he learned he’d been assigned to the outer Profound Weapon Hall, and he hadn’t seen Shi Feichen since.

He could leave without saying goodbye to others, but to Senior Brother, he had to say a word!

The Profound Weapon Hall was dedicated to forging weapons.

He heard the clanging of blades and knew he’d arrived.

Before he even approached, the gatekeeper shouted, “Su Yizhao, Su Yizhao—no, Senior Brother Su is here…!”

The disciple sounded as if he were announcing something extraordinary, shouting as he ran into the inner courtyard.

Su Yizhao was speechless!

At least greet me properly!

The inner courtyard erupted in commotion; after a few breaths, seventy or eighty cultivators surged out.

“It’s Su Yizhao, it really is him!”

“It really is him, no doubt—elder’s apology, family head’s dismissal!”

“Senior Brother Su, what brings you here?” The leading cultivator had a full beard, looking nothing like a cultivator, more like a genuine blacksmith, and stood before Su Yizhao nervously.

Su Yizhao cupped his hands politely. “I’m here to find someone.”

“To find someone?” From the crowd, a cultivator hurriedly asked, “Who are you looking for? I know everyone here—just a few profound stones and I’ll bring them right to you!”

Su Yizhao’s lips curled.

This disciple must have remembered when he lost his profound stones.

But now, he only had spirit stones, not profound stones.

“Don’t talk nonsense!” The bearded man said, “Are you looking for Shi Feichen?”

Su Yizhao was greatly surprised.

The man smiled. “Shi Feichen gets so excited talking about you—he says, with a junior like you, his life is complete!”

Thinking of Shi Feichen, Su Yizhao couldn’t help but smile and asked, “Where is he?”

The man’s smile suddenly vanished. He hesitated, “I heard he was in trouble, but I don’t know if it’s true!”

In trouble?

Su Yizhao was shocked. “He—he’s in trouble? What could he have done? Did he ruin a weapon?”

Coming to the Profound Weapon Hall naturally meant learning to forge weapons—what trouble could he get into?

“We didn’t ask.”

He had just entered the sect when he supposedly got in trouble, so naturally they didn’t want to get involved; not asking was normal.

Su Yizhao’s mind raced, but he couldn’t imagine what trouble Shi Feichen could have caused.

Senior Brother was always so steady!

“Who told you? Where is he?” Su Yizhao asked urgently.

The man looked a bit nervous. “The message came from the Discipline Hall. The day after you left, he departed the sect and hasn’t returned since.”

Su Yizhao turned to leave.

Suddenly, a voice sounded behind him: “I heard the Discipline Hall has sent inner sect disciples to deal with him. If they find him, they’ll execute him on the spot…!”

“What?” Su Yizhao spun around and barked!

The cultivator’s words were cut short.

Execute on the spot!

What sort of crime was this?

Su Yizhao, as a discipline disciple himself, was well versed in the standards.

Those executed on the spot were either traitors to the sect or unforgivable criminals.

Which could Senior Brother be?

How could he possibly be either?

“Su boy, you come back and don’t report to me immediately—have your wings grown strong?”

Seven or eight figures flew in from afar, landing in the courtyard.

The Profound Weapon Hall disciples immediately bowed, saying in unison, “Greetings, Elder Cheng, greetings, elders!”

This was the outer sect, and the disciples had never seen such a gathering.

Elder Cheng, who managed the affairs of the Profound Energy Sect!

“I’m asking you, Su boy—where are the others? Where is the sect leader? Where is Xiu Yue?” Cheng Jiaojiao’s face was both anxious and angry, and all the more beautiful for it…