Da Jue Gui (2)
Flip.
Flip.
Ye Xue Chi read through the letters handed to him by Pei Zong one by one.
Knowing Ye Xue Chi's dislike for reading, there would likely be a summary on the final page.
Knowing this, Ye Xue Chi only pretended to read the front before shifting his gaze to the very last page.
"So."
He spoke and tossed the letter dismissively in front of Pei Zong.
"You're saying it's a brat from the Gu Family?"
"That is correct..."
"If it's the Gu Family, isn't that their Great Clan?"
"Yes, the Gu Family of Shanxi, where the Hao Xia resides."
"Hao Xia... Fuck."
So the guy who burned a few of his subordinates to death a few days ago was of the Gu bloodline.
He thought it was strange that someone rarely used fire arts, but if it was that guy's bloodline, it made perfect sense.
'Gu Tieyun.'
Ye Xue Chi grinned as he recalled the name.
While Gu Tieyun was called the Hao Xia in the Righteous Sect, he had a different name in the Demonic Sect.
Yan Gui (Flame Ghost), Yan E (Flame Evil).
A ruthless martial artist who burned people alive with blazing flames.
If you piled up the demonic practitioners who died burning at his hands, you could probably build a small mountain.
"Are you certain?"
"...Yes, I have confirmed that he is currently staying as a guest of the Huashan Sect."
"Huashan Sect. Why would a Gu Family bastard come all the way here?"
It takes a long time to travel from Shanxi to here, so why would Gu Tieyun's child come all this way?
"I suspect it might be because there is a disciple of the Gu bloodline within the Huashan Sect."
He seemed to have heard of it before, but it wasn't a crucial piece of information, so it seemed he had erased it from his memory.
"So, is there a way to capture him?"
"..."
Pei Zong couldn't answer Ye Xue Chi's question.
This was because once it reached the level of the Gu Family's direct line, it was a position that couldn't be touched carelessly.
Even bringing back a disciple of the Huashan Sect had been carried out with a much more systematic and meticulous plan than expected.
As long as the boy was residing in Huashan, there was no immediate way.
'...Fuck, of all things, it had to be a Noble Clan.'
Rather, because it was a Noble Clan, it was easy to gather information, but problems arose when it came to dealing with them.
If he were to carelessly make a move without a plan and something went wrong with the Family Head's direct descendant, the only son at that.
'...Gu Tieyun might move directly.'
This was also the reason he had put all his effort into leaving no loose ends when capturing the disciple.
While this part was unavoidable due to the Main Palace's orders, the Gu Family was a different story.
'What should I do...?'
He gulped down dry saliva.
He had to find a way, somehow.
Otherwise, that pig bastard would slit his throat right away.
Ye Xue Chi looked at Pei Zong like that and laughed so loudly that the cave echoed.
"You bastard, it's a joke, so don't look so glum."
He said so and snickered.
Pei Zong clenched his fist tightly with his remaining arm in a spot where Ye Xue Chi wouldn't notice.
Fucking bastard.
"Alright, put the Gu Family bastard aside, what about the Divine Physician?"
"...Well."
"What's written on the paper lacks certainty. Saying he's just inside that Qi Barrier is merely a guess, Pei Zong."
"Upon hearing that the Divine Physician had arrived in Shaanxi and tracking his traces, I thought the Huashan Sect's involvement was certain."
"And so."
"Looking at his last confirmed location and the traces that seemed deliberately erased... I guessed that the Divine Physician is currently inside the Qi Barrier cast by Meihua Xian."
The information sent from the Main Palace was that the Divine Physician was currently in Shaanxi, and to capture and imprison him underground.
Based on the information Pei Zong had gathered by running around like crazy, he concluded that the only place the Divine Physician could be was within the Qi Barrier where they encountered the Gu Family's direct descendant.
"So that's just a guess, Pei Zong."
Pei Zong shut his mouth at Ye Xue Chi's words.
It was because, as Ye Xue Chi said, it wasn't a part he was certain of.
"Are you sure Meihua Xian cast that Qi Barrier too?"
"...I assume that the only one in Shaanxi capable of deploying a Qi Barrier of that level is Meihua Xian."
"That's also a guess, you useless piece of shit."
"..."
The information was far too lacking to find anything in such a short time.
However, the vicinity of the Qi Barrier was around the hut where the former Sect Leader of Huashan resided after retiring.
Who else but Meihua Xian could recklessly cast a Qi Barrier of that level in such a place?
"Pei Zong."
"Yes, Branch Leader..."
"If this is wrong too, you're really dead, you know?"
"...I know."
He would have died even if he hadn't fallen short of the three days anyway.
Pei Zong knew Ye Xue Chi's shitty personality very well.
"Hmm... Sending the guys will be useless, so I have to go myself, right?"
"..."
"I don't get it... You're saying there's no one guarding the surroundings either?"
"At least, from what I could ascertain, none were visible."
If they had deployed a Qi Barrier of that level and the Divine Physician was inside, it would be normal to station a few disciples to keep watch.
Was this the arrogance of Meihua Xian, who cast the Qi Barrier?
Thinking she could appear whenever a problem arose...? Or thinking it could absolutely never be broken?
In reality, it wasn't a Qi Barrier that could be broken even if several martial artists of Pei Zong's level joined forces.
Ultimately, the only one who could shatter the Qi Barrier was Ye Xue Chi.
Ye Xue Chi slowly rose from his seat and gripped his great blade.
Immediately, a chilling killing intent spewed out in all directions.
In contrast to the violent killing intent, Ye Xue Chi's expression was indifferent.
He didn't really like complicated things.
If he didn't know what it was, he just had to break it.
Ye Xue Chi's personality had always been like that.
Seeing that, Pei Zong cautiously brought up a topic.
"As soon as the Qi Barrier breaks... Meihua Xian might move, Branch Leader."
At those words, Ye Xue Chi's expression crumpled.
"You bastard, why do you keep explaining? I smash it, and if the old man is inside, I grab him, isn't that it? Do you think I'm a guy who can't even understand that? Or are you trying to give me orders?"
"No, sir...!"
Ye Xue Chi chewed and swallowed the remaining scorpion whole, then said to Pei Zong.
"Tell the guys to just keep a moderate watch on that Gu Family brat."
"Pardon...? What are you planning to do..."
"He's not one of the San Zun, just a mere Yan Gui bastard. If I'm going to be scared of him, I can't work here."
Keuk-keuk! Ye Xue Chi suppressed his laughter as if he was having an amusing imagination.
Ye Xue Chi, who was laughing while covering his face with his palm, suddenly turned serious and looked at Pei Zong.
At the dark clouds deeply settled in his eyes, Pei Zong shuddered briefly.
"If I go all the way there and there's nothing, Pei Zong... you know, right?"
"...Yes, Branch Leader."
Ye Xue Chi patted Pei Zong's shoulder lightly with his huge palm and then dragged his great blade as he walked toward the cave entrance.
Pei Zong watched him go, his strength leaving him as he finally slumped down.
He had to think of a way to survive, somehow.
Gu Linghua, who had fallen asleep after swinging her sword until dawn, opened her eyes to the sunlight.
Looking at her exhausted body, it seemed she hadn't slept much, but she rose without hesitation.
"...Ugh!"
Gu Linghua staggered at the pain felt in the palm that pressed against the ground to get up.
Perhaps because she had overexerted herself while ignoring last night's injuries, scabs of blood had clumped on her hands.
After carefully washing them with water, she changed the bandages.
The process was quite painful, but Gu Linghua just tightly closed her mouth and endured it.
After changing the bandages, she changed her clothes.
Fortunately, there were a few sets of clothes kept there, as it was the hut where her Master stayed before going to the Divine Physician.
After washing her face clean and changing her clothes, she stepped out the door.
Since Gu Linghua had half-expected today to come again, she could set off in a good mood.
As she came down the mountain, she saw disciples training in a group.
Gu Linghua quietly watched them before turning her path to sneak past.
She didn't really want to run into them.
It would be the same for them, surely.
As she walked, she saw the quarters where Gu Yangtian was staying.
Gu Linghua thought of Nangong Bi'a and pondered whether to visit for a moment, but didn't put it into action.
She was grateful for the help, but she thought they weren't close enough for that.
She merely lingered her gaze for a brief moment before moving her steps again.
Coming down to the entrance was quick.
As she passed through the streets bustling with preparations for the Zhihe Hall, the smell of food from all around kept making her stop.
It was because she had barely eaten for days.
Perhaps because she had kept skipping meals under the excuse of training, she eventually couldn't bear it and stopped by a passing street stall to wrap up a few skewers.
It was because she remembered the times she often ate them with her Master.
'...Will you be able to eat this?'
She had bought them, unable to overcome her hunger, but the thought only occurred to her now.
He would probably only be able to eat porridge, so bringing this might be poison to her Master.
It would have been better if she had known that before buying them.
She was still too immature.
Perhaps because various thoughts swept through her mind at once, her stomach was hungry, but her appetite completely vanished.
In the end, she casually handed the skewers to a passing child.
It was a waste of the money spent, but since she couldn't bring herself to eat them and couldn't throw them away, she thought this would be better.
'...Eating together is better.'
Rather than eating something delicious alone, it would be happier to eat porridge with her Master.
Thinking so, Gu Linghua ran for a long while.
Although her body was exhausted, strangely, she didn't feel tired at the thought of going to see her Master.
Her stifling, suffocating heart also felt like it was gradually unwinding as she neared the vicinity.
'Just a little faster!'
The things she wanted to say to her Master had piled up in just a few days.
From her duel with Nangong Bi'a, to how she helped in the form of a guiding match, and even... how Gu Yangtian had appeared to save her.
If she talked about them one by one, surely her Master would have something to smile about, Gu Linghua thought.
After running for a long time, the hut finally came into view in the distance.
Seeing a faint wisp of smoke rising from the hut, it seemed the Divine Physician's grandson was cooking.
Just as Gu Linghua was about to run up with a bright smile, someone yanked her shoulder.
"Kyaa!"
Gu Linghua screamed and staggered, and something brushed past her fluttering hair.
Kwagagak-!
Because it grazed past, a portion of Gu Linghua's hair on one side was sliced off.
Beside the staggering, fallen Gu Linghua sat the very person who had pulled her shoulder.
"...Sister?"
The perpetrator was none other than Nangong Bi'a, who was staring straight ahead with a stiff face for a while.
"Why is Sister..."
"...Stay still."
"Pardon...?"
Looking at the suddenly appeared Nangong Bi'a, Gu Linghua panicked.
But looking at Nangong Bi'a's trembling eyes and the beads of sweat running down her jaw, Gu Linghua gradually felt anxious.
Where is she looking?
Nangong Bi'a's gaze was fixed on the dense forest filled with trees.
Gu Linghua, looking in the same direction, suddenly shuddered at the goosebumps she felt.
-Ah, how did you dodge that?
A voice echoed from beyond the forest.
Gu Linghua's body trembled at the thick, filthy killing intent contained within it.
-...Hmm, this was unexpected.
The rustling sound of the grass gradually drew closer.
Gu Linghua felt it becoming increasingly difficult to breathe under the energy constricting her entire body.
Nangong Bi'a, who was holding her shoulder, suddenly drew her sword and swung it into the air.
Paaang-!
A sonic boom erupted in the air.
...
Could this be the sound of Sword Qi colliding and bursting?
"Sister...!"
Gu Linghua tried to call out to Nangong Bi'a but stopped.
It was because she saw that Nangong Bi'a's hand holding the sword was trembling.
Geu-geuk-kung...!
As if dragging something heavy, someone appeared, pushing through the grass while making an eerie sound.
A giant of a man, over eight feet tall with a build to match.
In one hand, he held a massive blade that one could hardly dare call a sword.
Under the overwhelming pressure pressing down on the surroundings, Gu Linghua's complexion grew increasingly pale.
"Not only dodging but also blocking? Wow, this is a bit interesting."
The man's voice, speaking as if he found it interesting, and his gaze seemed full of dirty desires.