C271 A New Poisonous Scheme!

Yuan Lianyao arrived, suspended in the air.

Surrounded by fiery lotus blossoms that burned with an intense heat, she seemed encircled by miniature suns.

At the late Penetrating Stage, her combat prowess could very well rival that of Lei Xiao and Lau Wei.

The support of the Silvermoon Empire and the Red Devil Sect was an open secret behind Yuan Lianyao's presence.

On the Quietus Continent, the Red Devil Sect was acknowledged as the third formidable force following the Devil Palace and the Demon Palace.

In terms of heritage and power, the Red Devil Sect surpassed both the Thunder Sect and the Cold Yin Sect.

With a tacit understanding between the Silvermoon Empire and the Red Devil Sect, Yuan Lianyao's influence grew, bolstering her confidence. She showed no fear, even in the face of representatives from the Thunder Sect and the Cold Yin Sect.

"City Lord Yuan."

Lau Wei's brow furrowed as he watched her arrival, his expression fluctuating. After a moment's contemplation, he gestured toward the fallen Tusk Troops and said, "These are the Divine Might Empire's turncoats, who fled near Darkmoon City. We encountered them and took care of the trouble for you. How will you thank me, City Lord?"

The young newcomers to the Profound Sky Continent gazed at Yuan Lianyao with curiosity and amazement.

Upon her arrival, Yu Yuan inwardly sighed, "Such a shame..."

In the shadows, Yu Zhu had the strength to easily dispatch the visitors from the Thunder Sect and the Cold Yin Sect.

He had intended to eliminate the threat in one fell swoop.

Now, with Yuan Lianyao's presence, silently dispatching Lei Xiao and Lau Wei was no longer feasible.

Yu Yuan preferred not to reveal Yu Zhu's abilities and talents prematurely, to avoid drawing unwanted attention.

For now, he would have to bide his time.

"The Tusk Troops have attacked our people of the Silvermoon Empire, and we will certainly seek justice," Yuan Lianyao declared as she floated next to Yu Yuan before descending. She eyed Wei Feng, who was bound and gagged, and inquired, "Is she a member of the Tusk Troops?"

Yu Yuan gave a nod in confirmation.

"I must have this soldier Wei Feng," Lau Wei stated emphatically, fixing his gaze on Yu Yuan. "Name your price."

Before Yuan Lianyao made her appearance, he was set on taking Wei Feng by force.

Had Yu Yuan interfered, he might have seized the chance to eliminate him and avert future threats.

However, with Yuan Lianyao's arrival, he realized that any rash action would pit the Cold Yin Sect against the Silvermoon Empire and the Red Devil Sect, likely constraining their future endeavors.

Considering the consequences, he decided the risk outweighed the gain and opted for a different approach.

"In Shadowhall, Zhan Tianyou of the Zhan family was nearly slain by her arrows," Yuan Lianyao said with a stern face. "I intend to uncover why the Tusk Troops were in Darkmoon City. Yu Yuan, may I handle this Tusk Troop officer named Wei Feng and take her back to Darkmoon City?"

Yu Yuan paused, his mind clear, and nodded in agreement, "As the City Lord wishes."

Lau Wei and Lei Xiao, upon hearing Yuan Lianyao's request, showed visible discontent.

"Very well, take her and we'll return to Darkmoon City," Yuan Lianyao decided firmly.

"Agreed."

Without further ado, Yu Yuan hoisted the bound Wei Feng onto his shoulder, gave Ning Ji a nod, and announced, "We're heading back."

Ning Ji, deliberately avoiding Lau Wei's gaze, quickly joined them.

Bai Shenshen of the Medicine Sect pondered briefly before speaking up, "Yu Yuan, I was hoping to pay a visit to your grandfather at the Yu family."

"Then come along," Yu Yuan replied with a nod.

With that, he strode off, Wei Feng in tow.

Ning Ji and Bai Shenshen kept pace, following closely behind. Only Yuan Lianyao remained still, her gaze fixed calmly on Lau Wei.

Lei Xiao, along with the seven disciples from the Thunder Sect and Cold Yin Sect, also turned their attention to Lau Wei.

It was as if Lau Wei's single command would disregard Yuan Lianyao's status and provoke a collective assault, aiming to kill Yu Yuan and his companions and snatch Wei Feng.

Lau Wei's expression was icy, his silence unbroken.

He continued to stare at Yuan Lianyao, who stood unaffected.

"This is where we part ways."

After some time had passed and Yu Yuan had vanished from sight, Yuan Lianyao turned to Lau Wei with a beaming smile, then, mounted on her fiery lotus, she too soared off into the distance.

Once she was gone, Lei Xiao, with a furrowed brow, questioned, "Why didn't we strike?"

"Lau Wei!"

A disciple from the Cold Yin Sect, unceremoniously addressing the formidable sect member by name, challenged him, "So what if the minor lord of Darkmoon City is somewhat linked to the Red Devil Sect? What do we have to fear? With your combined strength and Elder Lei's, couldn't you have taken her down?"

"And as for Lin's betrothed and the Medicine Sect, we could have easily subdued them all."

He couldn't fathom why Lau Wei, renowned for his decisiveness, was suddenly so hesitant.

"Did you see that arm?"

Lau Wei gestured to the severed limb of a Tusk Troops soldier.

"What about it?" Lei Xiao inquired.

"Before we arrived, he had already lost an arm, and Wei Feng, along with the Tusk Troops, were preparing to withdraw," Lau Wei explained with an unusual calmness. "Just with Yu Yuan, the Medicine Sect, and those three, what could possibly compel the Tusk Troops to retreat? If the Tusk Troops are pulling back and Wei Feng is seeking death, there's only one explanation."

"They see no chance of victory; that's why they've resorted to such a desperate measure!"

"In fact, I've been vigilant, suspecting someone else lurking in the shadows. My provocation of Yu Yuan was to see who would emerge, to test if we could handle them."

"But to our surprise, it was Yuan Lianyao who appeared."

Lei Xiao, along with the other young disciples, were perplexed, unable to decipher his reasoning.

"It wasn't Yuan Lianyao!"

Taking a deep breath, Lau Wei fixed his gaze on the Tusk Troops General, impaled through the heart and lungs by a bone, and declared, "The one forcing the Tusk Troops to flee, driving Wei Feng to seek his own end, isn't the City Lord of Darkmoon City!"

With this revelation, Lei Xiao had an epiphany. "There's someone else?"

"Yes, there's definitely another player in the game!" Lau Wei affirmed with a nod. "Had the newcomer matched the Tusk Troops' casualty, I would have given the order to attack. But Yuan Lianyao's method of attack doesn't align with the wounds on the fallen Tusk Troops. This confirms there's still someone else hiding in the shadows."

I've been covertly on alert, yet I failed to notice any sign of his presence. But when Yuan Lianyao drew near, my instincts screamed caution. At a certain distance, I was certain it was the City Lord of Darkmoon City."

At this revelation, the valiant youth from the Cold Yin Sect had an epiphany. "Someone lurking in the shadows is more fearsome than Yuan Lianyao? And you knew they weren't an ally, so you held back?"

"Exactly," Lau Wei confirmed.

With this explanation, the practitioners from both the Thunder Sect and the Cold Yin Sect pondered deeply before examining the wounds of the Tusk Troops to corroborate Lau Wei's assessment.

It didn't take long for them to reach a consensus—Lau Wei's speculation was spot on. The assailant who had slain the Tusk Troops General in secret wielded no fire power, ruling out any connection to Yuan Lianyao.

There was another player in the game.

Lei Xiao broke the silence with urgency. "Wai Feng has been captured by Yuan Lianyao. What's our move?"

Lau Wei scoffed dismissively. "If Yuan Lianyao is intent on playing with fire, let Darkmoon City share her fate. Why should we intervene? Besides, it wasn't only Wai Feng's group that traversed that perilous area. We're hesitant to act against Wei Feng for fear she might take her own life, which limits our options."

"Still, spreading the word that she's been seized by Yuan Lianyao to the remaining Tusk Troops shouldn't be a challenge."

Gazing toward Darkmoon City, Lau Wei's eyes were icy. "The Tusk Troops are rabid dogs, now unbound by any loyalty. Once they learn that Wei Feng has been taken by the City Lord of Darkmoon, will they sit idly by? They don't even fear the Divine Might Empire, so what's Darkmoon City to them—the weakest link in the Silvermoon Empire?"

His words carried a sinister undertone.

Lei Xiao's face grew tense as he contemplated the implications. "If the Tusk Troops were to rampage through Silvermoon City, the devastation could be immense. Yuan Lianyao's City Lord's Mansion might not withstand the onslaught."

"If that comes to pass," Lau Wei mused, "the Silvermoon Empire and the Red Devil Sect surely won't hold us accountable. Instead, they'll seek a solution for the Tusk Troops' threat, aligning perfectly with our objectives."

"You've really thought this through," the young man from the Cold Yin Sect acknowledged with genuine respect. "Experience does count for something."

...

Yu Yuan, after subduing Wei Feng following her persistent struggles, carried her with a heavy heart and uncertain eyes. He was caught in a moment of indecision.

Yu Zhu was lurking in the shadows, linked subtly to his Heavenly Soul. She could sense the thoughts he projected.

He contemplated whether to command Yu Zhu to silently take out Lei Xiao and Lau Wei. But they were still too close to Lau Wei and his group.

If Yu Zhu acted, the burst of spiritual energy would likely draw Yuan Lianyao's attention, prompting her to turn back and investigate.

He preferred to keep Yuan Lianyao in the dark about Yu Zhu's capabilities.

He continued to calculate the distance in silence, instructing Yu Zhu to shadow them discreetly.

Suddenly, a faint thread of soul essence emerged from Yu Zhu's direction.

On the other side, Yu Zhu, tapping into her innate instincts, had overheard Lei Xiao and Lau Wei's conversation. She communicated with Yu Yuan in a unique cadence that only he could perceive.

Yu Yuan paused, concentrating to interpret the message. Gradually, he grasped the meaning behind her rhythmic signals.

Her message was straightforward, and Yu Yuan could easily comprehend it. However, relaying others' conversations in her own style proved more complex for her, making it somewhat challenging for Yu Yuan to understand.

Eventually, he pieced together the situation.

"We can't take Wei Feng back to Darkmoon City."

Yuan Lianyao looked at him, puzzled by his sudden halt. He explained further, "This woman holds a unique position within the Tusk Troops. Both the Cold Yin Sect and the Thunder Sect are targeting her. From what I know, many Tusk Troops survivors remain, and it appears their commander is still alive. Bringing her to Darkmoon City could spell disaster if the Tusk Troops learn of it."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Lianyao's heart clenched, and she pondered deeply.

After a moment, she turned to Yu Yuan and asked, "Then what's our next move?"

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