Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 1717 - 1710: Moonrise Behind the Clouds

Chapter 1717: Chapter 1710: Moonrise Behind the Clouds

Feng held her breath, suppressing her impulsive heart as she leaped to a higher vantage point to observe. She was barely twenty meters away from those people, and under the moonlight, it wasn’t difficult to see what was happening over there.

Very soon, she saw a figure with their back to her appear ten meters away from those individuals, locked in confrontation with them.

"What a lively evening at the end," the leader of the group sneered in response to the oppressive tension in the air.

Hearing this, the person with their back to Feng took a deep breath and spoke in a tone filled with killing intent: "You deliberately lured me here—what do you intend to do? Is this about avenging your kin?"

"Of course not," the leader laughed heartily, "You should know, the Emperor’s Sect never concerns itself with trivial matters like that."

"The Emperor’s Sect!!"

Hearing those words, the man with his back to Feng inhaled sharply, his voice trembling with palpable unease.

"Will you confess willingly, or shall we assist you, Anxiang Zheng?" the leader asked with a smile.

"You... I don’t know what you’re talking about..." The man froze for a moment, his breathing growing more erratic.

"Unwilling to admit it?" The leader spoke confidently, "You should know, there’s nothing the Emperor’s Sect cannot uncover if we set our minds to it. Don’t think that no one knows about this—it’s just that we’ve been too indifferent to bother until now."

"You’re threatening me. What exactly are you after?" the man pressed on stubbornly.

"Anxiang Zheng, we’ve gone to great lengths to send Anxiang Cai away. Now, within the entire Guyi Government, you’re the one in charge. Do me a favor," the leader cut straight to the point, unwilling to waste further words.

"It was you who sent Anxiang Cai away? No wonder..." The man sucked in a cold breath.

"A small trick, that’s all. After all, none of you seem capable of keeping your hands clean," the leader said with a smile.

"I suppose this is related to the Saints?" the man ventured cautiously.

"Straightforward—I like that. In that case, I don’t need to say more," the leader nodded with satisfaction.

"If you’re so resourceful, why not go after the higher-ups instead?" The man took a deep breath, his tone laced with confusion.

"The higher-ups, huh." The leader let out a cold snort before continuing, "The higher-ups of the Anxiang family are nothing but a pack of obstinate fools. The only solution for people like them is eradication—there’s never been room for negotiation."

"If I release the person, and the higher-ups pursue the matter, I’ll be held accountable," the man replied.

"Think carefully: would you rather face punishment from the higher-ups or have the world discover that you, Anxiang Zheng, are the Star-shattering Assassin? Which would disgrace you more?" The leader issued the threat without hesitation.

Before Anxiang Zheng could respond, the leader continued, "If you’re willing to cooperate with us, we can mediate with your superiors. While we can’t absolve you entirely, we can at least ensure you keep your official position. How about that?"

"You... you Wen Family members are truly despicable," Anxiang Zheng said, his breathing growing uneven.

"Hmph, what right do you have to judge the Wen Family’s actions? Do you think overt crimes are less tolerable than covert ones?" The leader’s smile faded, replaced by a chilling expression.

"How did you discover me?" Anxiang Zheng asked, taking another deep breath, his tone probing.

"Was it so hard?" The leader spoke with a calm confidence, "A Star-shattering Assassin must first be a cultivator, and second, they must have operated in the martial world to master such a Nine Streams Skill. These two qualifications alone narrow the field considerably."

"Furthermore, nearly all the cases occurred within Guyi Government. Over three years, more than a hundred incidents. Someone with such capabilities, who could remain within Guyi Government for such a long time, is hardly a common presence."

"Therefore, even without evidence, mere speculation would immediately lead us to suspect you. Not to mention, the Emperor’s Sect has countless informants. Getting to the bottom of a suspect’s background is as easy as eating or drinking for us."

"I knew it—I shouldn’t have crossed you people. You’re like flies: wherever the Saints go, you follow," Anxiang Zheng said, visibly shaken.

"That’s one way to look at it," the leader responded bluntly. "If the Saints weren’t here, the Emperor’s Sect wouldn’t care in the slightest about what happens in Guyi Government. But alas, fate dictates otherwise. With the Saints here, we’re compelled to keep a close eye on you."

"So, what do you intend to do with the Saints?"

"Don’t ask it like that, as if you genuinely cared about the Saints’ fate," the leader said. "Our needs are simple—the Saints shouldn’t remain in Qi State. They should continue north, eventually reaching Shengyuan Prefecture."

"The Saints have been here for only a few days. Can’t you even wait that long?" Anxiang Zheng inquired.

"To you, it’s just a matter of days, but to the Young Lord, each day drags on like a year," the leader replied.

"So, for the sake of the Saints, you don’t hesitate to kill and set fire in the city?" Anxiang Zheng asked, pressing down his anger as he glanced at the corpses lying before them.

"Just a few insignificant nobodies," the leader remarked, before switching to a mocking tone. "And really, isn’t it true that you don’t particularly care about these deaths? Your frustration comes only from us disrupting your order, am I right? If they’d died outside the city, I doubt you’d have bothered at all."

Anxiang Zheng remained silent, his head bowed. Whether it was because the leader’s words had hit the mark or for some other reason, it was unclear.

"Anxiang Zheng, release the Saints, and we’ll guarantee your safety. After tonight, you’ll still be the governor. You can continue to maintain order in Guyi Government, and we promise never to cause trouble here again," the leader added.

"In that case..." Anxiang Zheng took a deep breath, seemingly swayed.

Just as he was about to agree, he suddenly sensed something amiss behind him. He snapped around and shouted sharply, "Who’s there? Show yourself!"

From the shadows, a figure slowly emerged, holding a long sword and staring coldly at him.

"So it’s you, Anxiang Zheng!" the person exclaimed in a voice full of disbelief.

"It’s... you..."

Anxiang Zheng’s eyes widened in shock as he exclaimed, for the person was none other than Xing Hu, a disciple of the Hongying Sect.

"So it was you who killed my senior brother! No wonder you’ve been so uncooperative, no wonder you fear the Saints so much," Xing Hu said, raising his long sword and pointing it at Anxiang Zheng.

"Are you here to avenge your senior brother?" Anxiang Zheng asked after a moment’s thought.

"I’d like to, but," Xing Hu’s eyes shifted from Anxiang Zheng to the group of people standing not far away, "I promised someone I’d keep you alive. But as for those people—killing innocents indiscriminately—I will end them to atone for my senior brother’s death."

"Oh, this Young Lord plans to kill us, does he?" the leader responded lightly upon hearing Xing Hu’s words.

"Exactly!" Xing Hu declared resolutely.

"This insignificant whelp—I’ll deal with him to avoid complications," one of the leader’s subordinates suggested cautiously.

"Wait," the leader motioned for him to stop, adopting a thoughtful look as he turned to Xing Hu. "If you plan to face us in combat, shouldn’t we at least know the Young Lord’s name? I wouldn’t want to kill an unknown nobody."

"You don’t hesitate to lay hands on commoners, yet now you spout such shameless words," Xing Hu retorted angrily. "Listen well: my name is Xing Hu, a Xing-generation disciple of the Hongying Sect!"

"Xing Hu!!"

Hearing this name, the previously composed leader was suddenly visibly shaken, muttering the name under his breath.

"Manor Lord, are you alright?" a subordinate asked, clearly concerned.

"I’m fine. I want to duel him personally. Fall back," the leader ordered with a wave of his hand.

"Why trouble the Manor Lord to deal with such a fledgling brat? I could..."

"Shut up!" Before the subordinate could finish, the leader spun around and snapped angrily, "Listen carefully—you are not to harm this man. Disobey, and regardless of your allegiance to the Emperor’s Sect, you’ll be decapitated without exception."

"What kind of identity could this person have to prompt the Manor Lord to say such things?" the subordinate asked, baffled.

"That’s not something you should know. Just remember the rules. Understood?" the leader replied coldly.

"Y-Yes, I overstepped," the subordinate stammered, retreating sullenly.