C886 Dragon Attendant

The clanging of Sunsilver echoed through the dark wilderness, unceasing to the ear. A group of cultivators, each at varying levels of mastery, emerged from different carriages, halting their journey. They were now locked in combat with another set of cultivators who had appeared from nowhere. To Yu Yuan, observing the scene, the skills of both parties were hardly noteworthy. The majority were merely at the Golden Sanctum or Veil Breaking levels, with only a few reaching Subtlety.

Yu Yuan instructed Qin Yun and Qi Yunhong to remain inside the carriage while he lifted the curtain to survey the battle. His mastery of Evil Body Refining allowed him to sculpt his features into an unrecognizable visage. His skin took on a sallow tone, making him appear to be an unremarkable man in his mid-thirties.

"Dragon Attendants from Dragon Lake..." he muttered to himself. Still under the influence of the Shadowfruit, he refrained from using his remnant soul to sense his surroundings. However, he could identify the assailants as Dragon Attendants by the unique nature of their spells. Yu Yuan harbored no fondness for Dragon Lake.

Unexpectedly, the cultivators concealed within the caravan proved stronger than the attacking Dragon Attendants, who seemed just as taken aback by this revelation. The skirmish ended with the Dragon Lake forces leaving behind several bodies as they retreated hastily.

An elderly woman, her face etched with wrinkles and back hunched, directed her companions to dispose of the Dragon Attendants' remains. She wielded a Dragon Head Staff, signifying her status as the most advanced cultivator among them, a practitioner in the late period of Subtlety. After issuing her commands, she disappeared into one of the black carriages.

Meanwhile, Wu Dong, an elder from the caravan, approached to offer his greetings. Soon after, he stood beside Yu Yuan, his expression filled with regret. "I apologize; we didn't foresee such an event. It's a two-day journey from here to Flamehold. If you're concerned, we can refund some of your payment and you can proceed on your own," he offered.

As Wu Dong spoke, several individuals from the caravan had already decided to leave, packing their belongings and departing swiftly. The stretch of wilderness between Emberhold and Flamehold was rife with bandit activity. Wu Dong, hailing from Emberhold, was known for his integrity and amicable relations with local bandits, which often spared his caravans from their mischief.

However, this incident wasn't the result of a bandit attack...

"No need, we'll stay with the group," Yu Yuan said with a smile.

"Young man, I actually recommend that you leave," Wu Dong said earnestly, glancing at the seven black carriages at the center of the group. "I have a premonition that this situation isn't over. Plus, as you've probably noticed, it involves the powers of cultivators."

His voice dropped noticeably when he spoke of cultivators.

"I've always been lucky; I should be fine," Yu Yuan said, pulling back the curtain and stepping into the carriage.

Wu Dong paused, then let out a soft sigh. "Stubborn fellow."

He moved on to another carriage, urging those uninvolved to leave the merchant caravan.

"Do you know Wu Dong?"

Once inside the carriage, Yu Yuan turned to Qin Yun with a curious expression.

It was Qin Yun's idea to join this merchant group traveling from Emberhold to Flamehold, and Wu Dong was the one who handled the negotiations.

"I've heard some tales about him, which is why I chose this merchant group under his protection," Qin Yun nodded. "But we've never actually met. He's been quite eager to make my acquaintance through various intermediaries."

Qin Yun used to be the sect master of Midnightshields, a prominent figure in the Crimson Sun Empire. Wu Dong had only recently reached the early stages of Subtlety in the past few years, so they were not exactly peers.

"We didn't notice the seven black carriages before, but some Dragon Attendants from Dragon Lake showed up recently, targeting them. I'm not well-acquainted with the Crimson Sun Empire, so I'm not sure who those in the black carriages are. For now, they've managed to fend off the Dragon Attendants," Yu Yuan mentioned offhandedly.

Qi Yunhong was resting in the corner of the carriage, eyes half-closed, showing no interest in joining the conversation.

In the recent skirmish, the most powerful were only in the Subtlety Realm. Whether it was the individuals from the seven black carriages or the attacking Dragon Attendants, most were still in the Veil Breaking or Golden Sanctum realms.

For someone like Qi Yunhong, who had risen to the rank of Solar Spirit, such individuals were insignificant.

"It must be the Wen family from Emberhold," Qin Yun had observed through a gap in the curtain and noticed some peculiarities. "There's something odd about this. To my knowledge, the Wen family has always been on good terms with Dragon Lake. Actually, their relationship with Dragon Lake is quite like the early relationship between the Zhao family of Asvetaesi and Dragon Lake."

Yu Yuan was taken aback, "Then why would a Dragon Attendant from Dragon Lake attack them?"

"I'm not sure," Qin Yun replied, shaking his head. "The Wen family holds significant influence in Emberhold. They openly declared their identity on their way to Flamehold, and no bandits would dare to approach them. Yet, they concealed themselves in those black carriages and even enlisted Wu Dong for protection."

"Master, there's no need to concern ourselves with such trifles," yawned Qi Yunhong, curling up inside the carriage. "I'm feeling rather sleepy." With that, he promptly fell asleep.

"Young Master, indeed, there's no need for concern," Qin Yun said with a smile.

"Alright."

Over the next half-day, Wu Dong managed to convince most of the mixed group of travelers to leave.

Inside one of the black carriages, an elderly woman leaning on a Dragon Head Staff eyed Wu Dong warily as he entered with caution. Her tone was frosty, "What's the meaning of sending those people away?"

Wu Dong forced a smile, "Sister, the Dragon Attendants from Dragon Lake have found us, and I fear they won't let up. It's best not to drag innocents into the Wen family's feud with Dragon Lake."

"You had one job: to assemble a caravan to disguise our true purpose. Without those people, how can we maintain our cover? You've sent everyone away, leaving only us. We might as well fly the Wen family banner now," the old woman's wrinkled face darkened with anger. "What does it matter if a few commoners die?"

"Wu Dong, remember, you owe a debt to our Wu family!" She jabbed the Dragon Head Staff toward Wu Dong's face.

Wu Dong maintained his smile. "The Dragon Attendants have already found us, haven't they? Since we've been exposed, there's no need for them to stick around any longer."

"The Dragon Attendant has been located, but what about the others?" The old crone's face soured as she let the Dragon Head Staff drop heavily onto Wu Dong's shoulder. "Misfortune has befallen not only us in the Wen family. There are those in Emberhold and Flamehold City who may harbor ill intentions and could strike at any moment."

"Your actions only serve to draw more attention to us. Forget about leaving the Crimson Sun Empire; we'll likely be ambushed and killed before we even make it to Flamehold City."

Overcome with rage, she struck Wu Dong several times with the Dragon Head Staff.

Wu Dong bore the pain, waiting for her anger to subside before he dared to ask, "Why must we leave the empire?"

"Curiosity will get you nowhere!" she snapped.

The sharp end of the Dragon Head Staff was now pressed against Wu Dong's throat. "Listen well! From this moment on, you are forbidden from convincing anyone to leave. Moreover, I'm aware of your close ties with numerous outlaws. Those scoundrels are as good as dead anyway. I need you to find fifty of them to infiltrate the caravan!"

"Now scram! And see to it immediately!"

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