C270 Killing the Chicken to Warn the Monkey
Lau Wei's smile stiffened on his face.
"Wai Feng! Wai Feng!"
The soldier, who had amputated his own arm due to Yu Zhu's poison and possessed Penetrating Stage combat abilities, suddenly bellowed loudly.
His cries were distinctly out of the ordinary.
Spiritual Sense ripples emanated with each shout, directed at Wai Feng.
Yu Yuan, with his keen Heavenly Soul, could accurately detect that the ripples of Spiritual Sense were meant to rouse Wai Feng and prevent her from remaining unconscious.
Yu Yuan's brow furrowed as he quickly stepped behind Wai Feng, deftly removing a white jade belt from her waist and fastening it around her wrist.
Wai Feng, who had been knocked out, was jolted awake by the action.
Lei Xiao of the Thunder Sect frowned at the soldier's shouting, muttering irritably, "Enough with the noise!"
A hammer, as long as an arm, burst forth with dazzling lightning and descended upon the soldier.
The moment the silver hammer was unleashed, it transformed into a towering, silver peristele.
The peristele, resplendent with silver light and adorned with dragon and phoenix carvings, was densely inscribed with Matrix Diagrams.
Boom!
A thunderous roar shook the heavens as the silver hammer, now a towering peristele, crashed down with force.
The Tusk Troops, already grievously wounded and down an arm, saw their combat strength drastically diminished and stood no chance against the hammer.
He barely had time to react before looking up to see the silver hammer plummeting from the sky.
His heavy Tusk Armor, struck by the silver hammer, shattered like a pane of glass, splintering into myriad fragments in an instant.
The exposed Tusk Troops soldier's true face was revealed as his bones crackled ominously.
Thick silver lightning, like serpents and pythons, wrapped around him, squeezing ever tighter.
Amidst his agonized howls, the soldier's muscles atrophied, and he gradually succumbed to death.
"Wu! Wu!"
Wai Feng, her wrists bound by Yu Yuan and a gag in her mouth, snapped awake to the horrific sight of Lei Xiao executing the group's mightiest warrior.
Her reaction was different from when Yu Yuan had slain the Profound Break Stage individual earlier; there was no cold detachment in her eyes now. They were filled with urgency and despair, but after being captured by Yu Yuan, she was powerless to intervene.
"The Tusk Troops will not forgive you!"
In that moment, the remaining soldiers clad in heavy armor, driven by desperation, lunged at the young disciples accompanying Lei Xiao and Lau Wei.
They all seemed to understand that confronting Lei Xiao and Lau Wei would be futile.
Their hopes rested on eliminating the young and seemingly inexperienced disciples.
Yet the seven disciples from the Thunder Sect and Cold Yin Sect, fresh from the Heavenly Source Continent, wielded sharp blades and protective gear with confidence.
In terms of resources, these official disciples of the Thunder Sect and Cold Yin Sect far outstripped the Tusk Troops.
Their assault and any attempts at mutual annihilation were utterly pointless.
One Tusk Troops soldier, close to the brink, reversed his energy flow, causing his Yellow Court acupoints and the profound gate of his middle dantian to explode. He was torn asunder, with blood and bone fragments scattering in every direction.
The scene was a gruesome display of bloodshed and raw power.
Regrettably for the Tusk Troops, a round-faced woman from the Thunder Sect effortlessly opened a black umbrella, creating a lightning shield that repelled the spray of blood and bone.
The seven from the Thunder Sect and Cold Yin Sect watched the carnage with evident disgust.
"Thunder Sect! Cold Yin Sect!"
Bai Shenshen of the Medicine Sect stood by, witnessing the Black Tusk Troops that had nearly killed her dwindle to just Wei Feng in moments.
She should have felt a surge of triumph.
Yet, as the remaining Tusk Troops and the squad leader at the Penetrating Stage were effortlessly obliterated by the Thunder Sect and Cold Yin Sect, her joy was muted.
According to Lau Wei and Lei Xiao, capturing this band of Tusk Troops had been a challenge for more than a couple of days.
Their failure to succeed was partly due to not pinpointing their location and partly because they lacked full confidence in capturing Wei Feng alive.
Capturing her was significantly more challenging than killing her.
Especially Wei Feng, who, upon realizing escape was impossible, would instantly opt for suicide, seeking death by any means necessary.
"Cold Yin Sect!"
Not far from Bai Shenshen, Ning Ji, who had intended to collaborate with her as per Yu Yuan's instructions, was quietly regulating his breath to keep his emotions in check.
He had learned from Yu Yuan that it was Lau Wei who had covertly struck him during his attempt to advance to the Profound Break Stage.
Lau Wei had sabotaged his breakthrough, leaving behind a frigid current that incessantly gnawed at him, causing pain day and night.
Without Yu Yuan's intervention, he might have had to withstand the relentless assault of the cold, potentially freezing to death within mere months.
Now, his adversary stood before him. Although he had managed to advance to the Profound Break Stage with the help of the Rising Sun Pill, he was still no match.
He forced himself to bear the pain, constantly reminding himself not to make any rash moves.
He feared that losing his composure could have repercussions for Yu Yuan and spell trouble for the entire Yu family.
"Alright."
Lau Wei's mood was lifted as he watched the Tusk Troops decimate the Black Tusk Army, with Wei Feng still in captivity. Shifting his attention from the scene of defeat, he turned to Yu Yuan with a grin and said, "Young Master Yu, what was that you said earlier? I didn't quite catch it. Would you mind repeating it?"
The Penetrating Stage soldiers of the Black Tusk Army were swiftly eliminated.
This was a stark display of deterrence!
As Lau Wei spoke, Lei Xiao and the seven disciples from the Thunder Sect and Cold Yin Sect cast amused glances at Yu Yuan.
To them, Yu Yuan was merely entertainment against the backdrop of their inevitable victory.
The Tusk Troops, renowned as one of the top three forces on the Profound Sky Continent, might be feared here, but to those who considered themselves from a higher plane, viewing the Profound Sky Continent as an inferior realm, they were hardly a concern.
"I said she was captured by me, so naturally, she belongs to me."
Yu Yuan, pointing at Wei Feng, whose sobs were subsiding yet whose eyes blazed with unyielding hatred and intent to kill, spoke with a composed smile, "The Cold Yin Sect and the Thunder Sect are both esteemed and upright factions of the Heavenly Source Continent. Surely they wouldn't abandon all sense of reason, right?"
"Reason?" Lau Wei let out a scoff, amused.
The others wore peculiar expressions.
"Very well, let's talk about reason," Lau Wei said, nodding slowly. "Before my time at the Cold Yin Sect, I hailed from the Divine Might Empire, a scion of the Mighty Spirit King."
Upon hearing this, Yu Yuan's gaze shifted, taking on an odd expression.
Behind him, Bai Shenshen uttered an "Uh!" with a noticeably stronger reaction.
Lau Wei suddenly turned, casting a glance at Bai Shenshen, and declared, "Recently, I attended a trial at Jade Peak. Lau Zaihe, who vanished without a trace, is a junior member of our Lau family. We intend to seek answers from the Medicine Sect and demand Sect Master Shi provide a full account."
Bai Shenshen paused to consider, then admitted, "I'm not aware of the details."
"We'll set that aside for now," Lau Wei huffed before addressing Yu Yuan once more, "The Lau family is a pillar of the Divine Might Empire. Even though I'm now a disciple of the Cold Yin Sect, the imprint of the Lau family remains. The Tusk Troops betrayed the empire, committing unforgivable sins, and we of the Lau family are among the aggrieved."
"The empire and our clan have charged me with a crucial mission: to capture Wai Feng alive and deliver her to them."
"The one responsible for poisoning the Lau family and causing numerous deaths is none other than Wai Feng. That's why she's my primary target on this journey. She belongs to me."
Lei Xiao and the disciples from both the Cold Yin and Thunder Sects saw no issue with this.
Yu Yuan listened, then nodded, responding, "Given the circumstances, your pursuit of Wai Feng and the elimination of the Tusk Troops' soldiers is justified. However, Wai Feng clashed with us first and was subsequently apprehended by our side. Since she fell into my custody first, she is rightfully mine, correct?"
"You wouldn't attempt to take her from me without just cause, simply because she has wronged your Lau family, would you?"
He stood his ground, refusing to yield despite the other's affiliations with the Cold Yin and Thunder Sects.
"What are you suggesting?" Lau Wei was taken aback.
He had laid out his case plainly. Anyone sensible would have handed over Wai Feng willingly to ensure their own safety.
Yet Yu Yuan seemed unafraid to negotiate.
"If you want the person I've captured, shouldn't there be a price to discuss?" Yu Yuan proposed.
"Lau Wei, is this the young master of the Yu family? The betrothed of Junior Sister Lin?" A striking man in the middle period of the Profound Break Stage stepped forward, eyeing Yu Yuan skeptically, and remarked, "Not so foolish, are you? Wasn't there a rumor that Junior Sister Lin's fiancé was simple-minded?"
"Is he Junior Sister Lin's betrothed?"
"He looks a bit foolish, doesn't he? If he weren't, why would he even attempt to haggle with us?"
"Despite that, he's rather good-looking. It's just that his cultivation level is so low, merely at the Yellow Court Stage. I fear his future prospects aren't very bright, which is such a shame."
"Hold on, didn't Junior Sister Lin mention that he perished in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area?"
The seven young men and women from Thunder Sect and Cold Yin Sect, all first-timers on the Profound Sky Continent, observed Yu Yuan and launched into a lively debate.
Clearly, Lin Zhuyun, who had recently joined the Cold Yin Sect, had already made a name for herself.
"Set a price?" Lau Wei burst into hearty laughter, leaning forward and back as he pointed at Yu Yuan and said, "You're quite the character. Do you really think this is Elfview or Darkmoon City? You've ventured deep into this desolate place, surrounded by emptiness. Do you honestly believe a fair trade is possible here?"
On their journey, they had encountered criminals from the Silvermoon Empire and Divine Might Empire.
Each was swiftly dispatched, serving as stepping stones for the sect's young disciples to gain combat experience.
This peculiar land fell under no nation's rule; their actions here were bound only by their whims, without much need for consideration.
"The Cold Yin Sect claims to be a paragon of virtue, doesn't it?" Yu Yuan expressed his astonishment. "Does that mean the Cold Yin Sect, much like the Blood God Cult and the Ghoul Glyph Sect, believes in wanton killing as long as it's out of sight?"
At his words, some from the two sects looked visibly uncomfortable, their consciences pricked.
Yet Lau Wei remained composed and replied, "Ever since I embarked on the path of cultivation, danger has been a constant companion. One cannot always adhere to strict rules without constraining oneself."
"The Medicine Sect still has representatives here," Yu Yuan pointed out, gesturing towards Bai Shenshen.
Unperturbed, Lau Wei was about to respond when he suddenly furrowed his brow.
"I'm also present. Do you intend to murder someone from Darkmoon right before my eyes?"
Yuan Lianyao's voice, both charming and soft, rose at just the right moment. Soon after, a series of flaming lotuses encircled her, propelling her forward with a whoosh.
