Chapter Ninety-Three: Nameless

Haiyue slashed through the monk’s robe with a single stroke of her sword, then broke free of the Immortal Binding Rope and fled backward.

Shi Qi sent a Water Spirit Pellet after her, striking her in the back.

Haiyue coughed up a mouthful of blood, then in an instant shot out of the cave.

The others rushed out after her.

Outside, smoke billowed thickly, and Haiyue was already nowhere to be seen.

Shi Qi looked to Master Yuanwu.

Yuanwu shook his head. “She has fled. This humble monk can no longer sense her aura.”

Shi Qi nodded. “She was struck by my Water Spirit Pellet. She must have been injured. Besides, with your Buddhist insight keeping watch, she likely will not dare return.”

Bai Qiu nodded. “Still, I never would have guessed that among the famed Sun and Moon Brothers, the younger brother, Haiyue, was actually a woman.”

Sun Fanbai said, “It seems the so-called Sun and Moon Brothers were merely a title deliberately spread to disguise their true identity.”

No one dwelled on it further. They all turned back into the cave.

The night passed without incident.

At dawn the next day, Shi Qi rose early. He had spent the entire night painstakingly refining the straw effigy he had obtained from Hai Ri.

The effigy was called a Doppelganger Straw Man.

Fortunately, it was not a one-time item, but a genuine defensive magical treasure.

Its function was this: the instant one was struck, if the Doppelganger Straw Man was activated, it would summon a straw substitute to take one’s place, while the true body would be randomly transported to any location within five hundred meters. Even if the body were bound, it could still be transferred.

However, it could only be used once per day, and after use it required twelve hours to replenish its spiritual energy.

Shi Qi thought to himself that he had truly gambled correctly this time. This straw man was practically another life he could spend each day, an exceedingly formidable talisman for preserving one’s life.

Shi Qi stepped out of the cave and saw that Sun Fanbai was already standing by the cliff wall, gazing into the distance. The morning breeze gently stirred his long robe.

Shi Qi walked over and stood beside him.

Sun Fanbai did not turn his head, still looking ahead.

After a moment, he spoke. “Brother Shi, what are your plans after this?”

Shi Qi shook his head. “I’m not sure either. After narrowly surviving before, all I could think of was revenge. Now that revenge is more or less complete, I don’t know what I should do next. I want to go first to Mount Jiuhua and see the place where Su Xiaomu was born.”

Sun Fanbai nodded. “That would be good. This whole affair has truly been full of twists and turns. I also intend to set out and return to the Azure Cloud Sect. After all, the work of recording the archives is still in my hands, and I have not been back since the merger of the Heaven-Origin Sect.”

Shi Qi asked, “How is the matter of Bo Yunxin going?”

Sun Fanbai shook his head. “No clue at all. I had intended to head to Western Sand to look for leads, but my cultivation is insufficient, and the sect master emphasized that none may set foot in Western Sand before reaching the Nascent Soul stage. On top of that, there have been many matters lately, so I have set this matter aside for now.”

Shi Qi nodded. After a brief pause, he said, “Once I’ve been to Mount Jiuhua, I’d like to visit Brother Sun’s Azure Cloud Sect.”

Sun Fanbai said, “That would be excellent.”

Shi Qi sighed. “I want to see the portrait that records the face so similar to my master’s. After all that has happened recently, it seems there is little left that can truly surprise me. I keep feeling that my master, those ancient figures, and the Azure Cloud Sect are all linked by countless hidden threads.”

Sun Fanbai nodded. “I will head back to the sect first. Brother Shi, when you reach the Azure Cloud Sect, feel free to contact me.”

Shi Qi nodded.

At that moment, Bai Qiu, Yuanwu, and Shi Cai also emerged from the cave one after another.

Bai Qiu said, “Looks like we must part ways here again. I’ve discussed it with Shi Cai, and I’ll take him back to the headquarters of the Hundred Knowers in Central Province. My wife is waiting for me there as well. For your little trouble, Shi Qi, it’s already cost me several months.”

Shi Qi laughed. “Let me go to the Azure Cloud Sect first, then I’ll come find you in Central Province. And don’t forget, you still owe me ten bowls of plain noodle soup.”

Bai Qiu patted Shi Cai on the head and pointed at Shi Qi. “See that? Remember this brat’s face. Keep your distance from him in the future. He’s the type to hold grudges!”

Shi Cai nodded repeatedly.

“Amitabha.” Yuanwu also spoke. “This humble monk has been away from the temple for a long time and should return. I shall take this Soul-Summoning Banner back with me. I also ask that once you return to your sects, you report both the banner and the matter of the Ghost Gate to your elders. If the Ghost Gate truly rises again, we must prepare early, lest more innocent lives be harmed.”

Everyone nodded. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, they all rose into the air and flew off in different directions.

“Right.” Bai Qiu turned back and shouted to Shi Qi, “Be careful of Haiyue. That one won’t let this end so easily and will surely come back for revenge. When that happens, contact me directly.”

Shi Qi smiled and waved at Bai Qiu.

Having an enemy who keeps coming after you was not entirely a bad thing; it would keep him constantly alert, never allowing him to relax.

After the others had gone, Shi Qi summoned the Hundred-Mile Sword and slowly rose into the sky.

Once again, he was alone. A faint loneliness stirred in him. He had once grown used to Su Xiaomu’s endless chatter by his ear; back then he had found it irritating, but now he missed it unbearably.

Shi Qi rode the Hundred-Mile Sword and slowly flew toward the direction of Cloud Province...

Within the borders of Top Province.

A woman in blue flew through the air with a blank expression, speeding ahead as fast as she could.

Behind her chased a purple flying sword, clinging closely to her trail.

Half of the blue robe on the woman’s body had already been stained red; it was clear she had suffered severe injuries.

Below them, a burly man was running at full speed. It was Liao Hongda.

As he ran, Liao Hongda shouted toward the sky, “Leng Lingmeng! Stop fleeing! You can’t get away!”

The woman in the air was none other than the Holy Maiden of Moonfall Palace, the number one ranked young expert of the Twelve Provinces, Leng Lingmeng.

Leng Lingmeng’s face remained expressionless, but she let out a cold snort and said softly, “Liao Hongda, your two demonic factions joined forces and ambushed me with despicable methods. Are you trying to ignite a war between the righteous and the demonic?”

Liao Hongda smiled faintly. “What? Who joined forces with whom? I have no idea what you’re talking about. What does the disappearance of the Holy Maiden of Moonfall Palace have to do with us of the demonic path?”

A surge of anger rose in Leng Lingmeng’s heart, and she spat out another mouthful of blood.

She and Xue Qing had come to Top Province on business, never expecting an ambush from Liao Hongda. Xue Qing died on the spot, while Leng Lingmeng was also struck by poison and could only fight desperately to escape.

If it had been only Liao Hongda, it would have been manageable. The real problem was that Liao Hongda had somehow found someone from the Demon Sect.

That man’s purple flying sword moved where he moved, clearly using the sword-escape art of the Demon Sect.

He should have been the Demon Sect’s number four among the Twelve Provinces’ Ten Young Experts, though his name had never been revealed.

Leng Lingmeng forced herself onward with all her strength. Poison was coursing through her body, and she could feel the upper limit of her true energy diminishing little by little, while the rate of its recovery was also steadily falling.

If this chase continued, then within less than half an hour, even if she managed to escape, she would still be exhausted to death by depletion of true energy.

Seeing the flying sword behind her drawing ever closer, Leng Lingmeng frowned, as if she had finally made up her mind.

She took a silver needle from her spatial ring and drove it into the crown of her head.

The moment the needle pierced her heavenly aperture, Leng Lingmeng’s true energy surged explosively. She raised a hand, swept her blue robe backward, and struck out.

The purple flying sword behind her suddenly seemed to plunge into a mire, losing its former speed and laboring forward with great difficulty.

Black spots then began to appear upon the sword.

“Hmm?”

The purple flying sword spun once and transformed into a human figure.

The man was dressed in black and wore a black mask, making his face impossible to see.

He held the purple flying sword in his hand and examined it, murmuring, “Forceless power?”

The residual forceless power on the purple flying sword was slowly eroding it.

The black-clad man stopped at once and put the sword away.

Down below, Liao Hongda shouted, “Hey! Nameless! Why are you stopping the chase?!”

Because this Demon Sect disciple had never revealed his name, Liao Hongda addressed him simply as Nameless.

Nameless ignored him. He slowed his pace and followed slowly behind Leng Lingmeng.

Liao Hongda cursed inwardly. Damn it all. If my mechanical eagle hadn’t been smashed to pieces, would I be running on the ground right now? This time I was ordered from above to capture Leng Lingmeng. If I let her escape, I’ll have no way to explain myself when I go back.

But no matter how anxious he was, Liao Hongda had no means of catching up to Leng Lingmeng. The drawbacks of the body-refinement art of Tyrant Emperor City were becoming apparent.

Watching Leng Lingmeng fly farther and farther away, Liao Hongda could only stew in frustration.

Then came a sound of air splitting. Liao Hongda looked up and saw Nameless descending slowly on his flying sword beside him.

Liao Hongda barked, “Nameless, why aren’t you chasing her?!”

Nameless gave a cold snort and said slowly, “Liao Hongda, it is not your place to command me.”

Liao Hongda exploded in fury. “You took the treasure, so you should listen to me.”

Nameless took a gemstone from his chest and tossed it to Liao Hongda. “The treasure is yours again. If you want to chase her, go ahead.”

Liao Hongda caught the gemstone and stood there stunned. Just as he was about to rush forward, Nameless spoke again.

“Go on if you want to chase her. That woman forcibly opened her heavenly aperture, and her combat power has multiplied.”

At this, Liao Hongda suddenly stopped.

Nameless slowly turned and walked back.

Liao Hongda asked, “Hey, where are you going?”

Nameless said indifferently, “To clean up the other body. The woman who got away forcibly opened her heavenly aperture, and her spiritual energy is being consumed at a frightening pace. Sooner or later she’ll reach the point where her energy collapses and her true body perishes. Besides, she was struck by my Aphrodisiac Powder. With her injuries and poison compounded together, she will not live out an hour.”

He continued, “Go back and clean up the corpse of the other Moonfall Palace disciple. Leave no trace. Even if Leng Lingmeng’s body is discovered, neither of us used our sect’s techniques, so they won’t be able to pin anything on us. It’s just a pity I never got to taste the Holy Maiden.”

As he spoke, the face hidden beneath Nameless’s mask quietly licked its lips.

Liao Hongda lowered his head in thought for a moment, then slapped his own forehead. “Fine, fine. Do whatever you want. I can’t be bothered to care.”

With that, he tossed the gemstone in his hand back to Nameless.

“Take what’s yours. It’s not like it came out of my pocket anyway. I really don’t like ambushes like this. Of course, I don’t like you either.”

Nameless took the gemstone and tucked it into his robes. He said nothing, only flew slowly toward the rear.

Liao Hongda looked around, sighed, and followed after Nameless.