Chapter 42: A Missing Disciple and a Master’s Accusation

As soon as it was mentioned that Deng Wenqing was missing, Zhou Xueqi and the others immediately grew anxious. They swiftly scanned the rescue teams present at the scene. The reality was, Deng Wenqing was nowhere to be found.

“How can this be?” Zhou Xueqi asked, her face etched with grave concern. “Could it be that the villains’ target wasn’t just Junior Sister Lin?”

Deng Wenqing’s identity was far from simple; he was the great-grandson of Deng Taiyan from Blazing Flame Peak. If anything untoward had happened to him, they would face considerable difficulty explaining it upon their return.

“That’s impossible,” a disciple from Blazing Flame Peak questioned, utterly bewildered. “Junior Brother Deng went after a Qi Condensation eighth-stage villain. With his skill, wouldn’t apprehending them be effortless?”

Su Yun observed their palpable anxiety and understood that Deng Wenqing had not rejoined the others after escaping her grasp. She immediately exchanged glances with Fan Yang.

Fan Yang knew Su Yun had been tasked with keeping an eye on Deng Wenqing and was certain she knew his whereabouts. However, Su Yun subtly shook her head at Fan Yang, giving him a distinct look that silently urged him not to speak carelessly.

The leading disciple of Blazing Flame Peak was already attempting to contact Deng Wenqing via his identity token. Unfortunately, the token remained shielded, making any communication impossible.

This only intensified the anxiety among the five Blazing Flame Peak disciples. Lin Xue’s expression, too, was complex at this moment.

She had initially suspected Deng Wenqing’s involvement, knowing he possessed both the motive and the capability to orchestrate such a scheme. However, if Deng Wenqing had genuinely met with an accident, she would have to re-evaluate the entire incident.

The group quickly held an emergency discussion, ultimately deciding to split into four teams. They would conduct a systematic search in four directions, hoping to uncover Deng Wenqing’s fate.

“Senior Brother Fan, Junior Sister Su, please join our team,” Zhou Xueqi requested of Fan Yang and Su Yun after making the arrangements. The safety of Lin Xue and Su Yun was paramount among everyone present, thus necessitating their placement in the strongest team.

Fan Yang and Su Yun offered no objections, and soon, the four teams dispersed.

****

Meanwhile, the Foundation Establishment mid-stage cultivator from the mercenary group had already rejoined his companions.

“Senior Brother Ran, how did the mission go? Where are Senior Brother Liu and Junior Brother Li?” the purple-clad woman hastily inquired, noticing the reduced numbers in their group.

Ran removed his mask, then shook his head with a somber expression. His gesture, coupled with his grim face, made it clear to everyone that their mission had likely encountered an unforeseen problem.

“How could this be? The mission failed? Impossible! Theoretically, our plan was flawless, unless the intelligence was incorrect,” the purple-clad woman quickly stated.

Ran immediately responded. “Just as Junior Brother Liu was about to eliminate the target, another Spirit Sword Mountain disciple suddenly appeared. This individual possessed mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, and I fear they were even stronger than me.”

At this revelation, everyone understood. “Damn it, did Deng Wenqing feed us false information?” The purple-clad woman’s face turned exceedingly grim.

Ran shook his head once more. “It shouldn’t be his fault. I already contacted him. He seems to have been attacked by a formidable cultivator and has fled back to Spirit Sword Mountain. Perhaps someone saw through his scheme and took the opportunity to interfere.”

“He assured us that the payment due to us would not be a single coin less.” Deng Wenqing certainly wouldn’t dare refuse payment due to the mission’s failure, as the problem clearly originated from his end.

“We lost two members, including a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Do we not deserve compensation?” the purple-clad woman retorted. “Heh, rest assured, we will certainly demand compensation for our losses. I believe he wouldn’t dare refuse. Let’s depart for now.”

Ran sneered before leading his group away from Yunfeng Ridge.

****

Back with Su Yun and the others, who were still searching for Deng Wenqing, a Blazing Flame Peak disciple suddenly received a sect transmission after about ten minutes. It reported that Deng Wenqing had been ambushed en route and narrowly escaped death. Relying on a protective artifact bestowed by Deng Taiyan, he had already fled back to Spirit Sword Mountain.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xueqi and the others immediately led their teams away from Yunfeng Ridge.

****

Deng Wenqing, meanwhile, stood before Deng Taiyan, his face etched with terror. He resembled a startled bird, his eyes darting left and right. The slightest sound behind him would send him spinning around in fright.

Deng Taiyan was already aware of the events and knew that Fan Yang from Artifact Forging Peak had ruined Deng Wenqing’s plan.

“Calm down! Look at you, what kind of behavior is this? So you were attacked; why are you so terrified? You’re not dead yet!” Deng Taiyan bellowed, exasperated by his great-grandson’s demeanor. This outburst barely managed to rouse Deng Wenqing from the shadow of death.

“No, Great-Grandfather, it’s not that your grandson is timid, but it was truly too bizarre. I never saw who the enemy was from beginning to end. Yet, from a position I couldn’t perceive, they continuously triggered my protective talismans four times in a very short span with a strange weapon. If I hadn’t reacted quickly, I definitely wouldn’t have made it back to Spirit Sword Mountain. Four times! That means your grandson died four times!”

“Also, Fan Yang from Artifact Forging Peak ruined our Deng family’s plan. Does that mean he stumbled upon our scheme, or did the sect discover my plan?” Deng Wenqing anxiously inquired. To Deng Wenqing, neither possibility was good; both would plunge him into despair.

“If the sect had discovered it long ago, you wouldn’t be here with me now,” Deng Taiyan stated in a deep voice. Deng Taiyan believed that Fan Yang’s disruption of Deng Wenqing’s plan was an accident, but the attempt on Deng Wenqing’s life certainly seemed suspicious.

Moreover, he felt it couldn’t possibly be the higher-ups of Spirit Sword Mountain, as they had all been together. No one had left to pursue, for why would Golden Core cultivators be needed to rescue merely six Qi Condensation disciples in danger?

However, if one were to insist that someone from the sect was responsible, it wasn’t entirely impossible. One Golden Core cultivator had been absent at the time: Lei Yan. And the one who had thwarted their plan was Lei Yan’s eldest disciple. This forced Deng Taiyan to consider Lei Yan as a suspect.

‘Is it Lei Yan? Impossible. If it were him, Wenqing would surely be dead,’ Deng Taiyan pondered, simultaneously suspecting and dismissing the idea. After a period of contemplation, Deng Taiyan decided it was best to observe and wait. They could not afford to fall into disarray first.

“Wenqing, you should go back for now. Remember to stay composed,” Deng Taiyan instructed sternly. Deng Wenqing had more to say, but seeing Deng Taiyan’s expression, he swallowed his words. “Yes, Great-Grandfather.” Deng Wenqing saluted with a sense of helplessness, then returned to his dwelling.

****

Soon after, Lin Xue and the others returned to Spirit Sword Mountain. No sooner had she arrived than Lin Shuang rushed over, her face alight with urgency.

“Phew! Thank goodness, you’re alright!” Lin Shuang’s face relaxed into a relieved smile the moment she saw Lin Xue. She had undoubtedly known that Lin Xue had been ambushed and nearly lost her life, and her concern for Lin Xue was absolute. She had immediately relayed the news to Jiang Shengming.

Jiang Shengming, while somewhat surprised, had appeared remarkably composed. He hadn’t even rushed to the rescue immediately, almost as if he had anticipated it all along.

“Yes, fortunately, Senior Brother Fan and Junior Sister Su rescued me,” Lin Xue said, smiling at Su Yun and Fan Yang. Lin Shuang’s gaze also settled on Su Yun.

She truly hadn’t expected that Su Yun, who had offered to go in her stead to help Lin Xue, would actually do so and genuinely protect her. The sisters’ expressions grew increasingly complex, for they genuinely couldn’t understand why Su Yun would help them so much.

Furthermore, they suspected that Fan Yang’s timely appearance was undoubtedly due to Su Yun. “Ah, well, my senior brother and I will return to Artifact Forging Peak now. Farewell.” Su Yun, feeling an inexplicable unease under the two women’s gazes, found an excuse and quickly departed with Fan Yang.

After their departure, Lin Xue and the others each returned to their respective peaks to report to their masters.

However, upon returning to Artifact Forging Peak, Fan Yang and Su Yun were immediately summoned by Lei Yan, especially Su Yun. Inside Su Yun’s artifact forging room, Lei Yan silently observed Su Yun, who was perplexed by her master’s demeanor.

“Master, what’s wrong? Why do you look so incredibly serious?” Su Yun asked, utterly bewildered. Lei Yan’s next words caused Su Yun’s expression to freeze. “Yun’er, do you have a vendetta against Deng Wenqing? Why did you try to kill him?”

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