The other party refused to answer directly, which only deepened Zhang Qingyao’s suspicion.
Had the Zhang family offended their sect leader?
“Are you people from the Five Spirits Sect?”
Zhang Qingyao assumed that the Five Spirits Sect had discovered that Zhang Yu had killed Wu De, the elder who had come to guide them.
“Yes, we are from the Five Spirits Sect,”
the man in white nodded in confirmation.
The sect leader had issued an order: all disciples of the Divine Phoenix Sect on this mission were forbidden from revealing their sect identities.
Since they had been identified as members of the Five Spirits Sect, then let the Five Spirits Sect take the blame.
“How did you find out?”
Zhang Qingyao asked.
She didn’t understand.
The young master had executed the plan flawlessly, and Wu De’s body had been disposed of without leaving a trace.
How had they been exposed?
“That’s not something you should be asking. Surrendering is your only choice now.”
The man in white vaguely sensed that Zhang Qingyao seemed to be stalling for time.
He had no intention of wasting more words.
“Shuangye, have them escorted onto the ship,”
the man in white said, turning his back.
“And you?”
The expressionless woman sheathed her sword.
“Wait a moment, I’ll be ready soon.”
The man in white lazily approached Zhang Qingyao, completely disregarding her.
Zhang Qingyao swallowed nervously, her eyes fixed on the man before her as she prepared to fight to the death.
“Alright, no one can disturb us now, little beauty.”
The man in white flashed a sinister smile.
At that moment, a sudden scream echoed from somewhere.
“Ahhhhhhh……”
The sound came from above, and everyone instinctively looked up.
Zhang Qingyao saw Li Yuluo free-falling.
Just as Li Yuluo was about to hit the ground, a figure suddenly appeared, catching her in a princess carry.
“Soft landing.”
The one holding Li Yuluo was Zhang Yuge, dressed in a black robe and wearing a shaman’s mask.
Zhang Yuge gently put down the shaken girl, glanced at the Zhang family members being escorted onto the ship nearby, the elder lying in a pool of blood, and the man in white confronting Zhang Qingyao.
“Looks like I’m a bit late,”
Zhang Yuge said.
“Y-young master…”
Seeing Zhang Yuge finally arrive, Zhang Qingyao, who had been on edge the whole time, involuntarily trembled.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Mm,”
the girl shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes.
“It’s good that you came, young master.”
Their interaction irritated the man in white.
He challenged Zhang Yuge,
“That woman calls you young master? Are you from the Zhang family too?”
“So what if I am?”
Zhang Yuge replied.
“Then perfect, none of you will be going anywhere. I want to take this woman with me, and as for you…”
The man in white devised a cruel plan.
Since Zhang Qingyao had a close relationship with this masked man, what expression would she show if he died before her eyes?
“Just die.”
He was eager to see Zhang Qingyao’s despair.
As one of the top sixteen in the last Duel at Xuanyan Peak and a leading figure among inner disciples, the man in white was confident the masked man couldn’t be his match.
Drawing his precious green sword, forged with costly materials, he unleashed his signature Qingyuan Sword Technique, aiming to kill the masked man.
“Die, clown!”
A green sword aura condensed along the blade—his full-power strike.
“Draw your sword.”
Zhang Qingyao suddenly felt a surge of heat.
She barely had time to process what was happening before Zhang Yuge’s hand reached toward his chest.
“Clang—”
The clash of swords sent sparks flying.
Zhang Yuge drew the [Panyan Jielv] sword from Zhang Qingyao’s body and easily blocked the man in white’s full-power strike.
Zhang Qingyao staggered but was quickly steadied by Li Yuluo, preventing her from falling.
“That’s it?”
Zhang Yuge chuckled lightly and with a slight push, sent the man in white flying back with tremendous force.
“Senior Brother!”
“Senior Brother, are you alright?”
The sect disciples helped the man in white back to his feet.
“How is this possible?”
the man in white said in disbelief.
The expressionless woman frowned, then drew her sword, preparing to fight.
The other six or seven Divine Phoenix Sect disciples also eyed Zhang Yuge warily.
Zhang Yuge stopped pretending and freely unleashed his Jiedan Realm Pressure, though the power didn’t actually belong to him.
At the same time, Ji Pangzi, who was escorting the Zhang family’s servants and slaves back to the prison, stepped forward.
He instantly recognized the man in the black robe and mask as the Imperial Advisor.
In his understanding, the Imperial Advisor was nothing but a charlatan, so he was stunned to see the Divine Phoenix Sect disciples on guard against him.
But when he witnessed the Imperial Advisor emitting Jiedan Realm Pressure, he immediately understood everything.
“Young master, boohoo, you must avenge the Zhang family. They… they killed so many of them.”
Zhang Qingyao wept bitterly, having witnessed the entire brutal massacre of her family.
“As long as you avenge Qingyao, young master, I’m willing to do anything you ask.”
“……”
Zhang Yuge made no reply.
He looked at the bodies of the fallen Zhang family members on the ground, including the remains of a child.
Without turning back, he said,
“I promise you.”
Zhang Yuge extended his right hand, displaying the green sword he held to the two behind him.
“This sword was drawn from inside you. Next, I will use this sword to cut down every bastard who harmed your people, one by one. I will use their flesh and blood to honor your fallen kin. Just watch.”
“Good, well said! This is the person Yunlan values. Go Zhang Yuge, protect your people and those dear to you. This is what a ruler, a true strong one, must do.”
“Go, husband, kill them all—leave no one alive.”
Li Yuluo encouraged Zhang Qingyao as she supported her.
Evening had fallen, and the sky gradually turned crimson, as if stained with blood.
The ground was littered with bodies, all disciples of the Divine Phoenix Sect.
The once clean white robes, soaked with blood pouring from severed necks, had turned into red clothes.
He should now be called the Red-Clothed Man.
No—more fitting was the Headless Red-Clothed Man.
His missing head was naturally held by the man in the black robe and mask, who approached Shuangye, kneeling on the ground with a vacant expression.
Her eternally icy face now twisted into a rare, vivid expression—one of utter terror and despair.
“I heard you and this man are Dao companions?”
Zhang Yuge asked.
When Shuangye didn’t respond, he asked again,
“I’m asking you, are you and this man Dao companions?”
Shuangye shook her head frantically.
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