"Where was Seventh Peak Master during the ambush? Isn't he supposed to come out in case of an emergency?"
Jun Xie's words made everyone frown.
"Is he even following us? I feel like the Sect Leader Su just wanted to give us some confidence." Xiao Ming remarked.
Jun Xie shook his head, "No, that would be irresponsible of him. We're putting our lives at stake here, and this mission is important to him. There's no reason for him to lie about it."
Yuan Shuchun replied, "He is most probably delayed due to some reasons. Also, don't forget that we have changed our route. I am sure there's more to this than we see."
Ye Tian Yun was about to say something when he suddenly sensed a fluctuation.
Even Jun Xie slightly frowned.
Both of them had a moment of eye contact - both could see the surprise in each other's eyes.
Yuan Shuchun didn't notice it and continued to say, "Peak Master Duan is a Core Formation Realm Cultivator; he could have caught up to us within a few hours, even if he started to move a day later. Unexpectedly we changed the route this morning and headed to the Old Royal Palace."
Jun Xie nodded but didn't say anything else.
Ye Tian Yun, too, kept quiet.
Xiao Ming suddenly asked, "I noticed one more thing - both Fu Kai and Qing Shen - they didn't feel anything after their partner, Pan De, died from the ambush."
Jun Xie shook his head, "It's not that they didn't feel anything. They are good at hiding their emotions. Also, unlike us, this is not the first time they are seeing their friends die."
"This is a cultivation world; death and life move hand in hand."
Yuan Shuchun was about to say something, but someone interrupted -
"We're done."
It was Qing Shen, with Fu Kai following behind.
They were dressed in new robes and had taken a good bath.
"You guys now get ready; we won't waste any more time and head straight to the Silver Mist City."
Jun Xie and Ye Tian Yun stood up and took one key from Fu Kai and Qing Shen; both headed upstairs.
Fu Kai and Qing Shen headed out to look for carriages to buy, while Yuan Shuchun and Xiao Ming remained on the seats.
…
On the third floor.
Just as Ye Tian Yun was about to enter his room, Jun Xie called out.
"Wait."
"Hm?" Ye Tian Yun glanced at him.
"Did you feel it?" Jun Xie asked.
Ye Tian Yun let out a sigh and nodded his head, "Yes, I did."
Jun Xie pursed his lips, "Then why didn't he come out and help us at that time?"
Ye Tian Yun shook his head, "I have a bad feeling about this. There's something more than just a simple ambush in that incident."
Jun Xie nodded his head, "Yeah. Also, why would the enemy target the last carriage?"
Ye Tian Yun shrugged, "I thought of that too, but in the end, I felt I was overthinking too much. There are few variables that I haven't noticed earlier."
Jun Xie waved his hand, "No-no, it's not overthinking. Everything is as clear as day - the target of Mo Da was the last carriage. And we're the ones who were supposed to be in the last carriage."
Ye Tian Yun nodded his head, "Yeah, I know."
Jun Xie added, "Also, Yuan Shuchun's carriage was unharmed!:
Ye Tian Yun nodded his head, "I noticed that too. But you're forgetting a small detail here."
"What?" Jun Xie frowned.
Ye Tian Yun replied, "The things you have mentioned, I have already thought about them. And both of our thoughts were on the same page - but then I remembered something."
"Yuan Shuchun's carriage may have been unharmed, but you're forgetting that her carriage had also changed places."
"When we started the journey, her carriage was leading us, and during the ambush, her carriage was the middle one."
"If Mo Da attacked the third carriage because he was targeting us, then he should have also not attacked the first carriage. After all, according to his information, that should have been Yuan Shuchun's carriage."
"The only carriage that didn't face the first onslaught was the carriage in the middle."
"I mean, only that carriage had all survivors, even though the carriage was destroyed."
Jun Xie frowned, "Are you saying this was just a coincidence?"
Ye Tian Yun shrugged, "I thought a lot about this, and this is the only conclusion I can think of that fits this situation."
"Didn't you say that Yuan Shuchun wants the main treasures of the Gracious Sword Sect? Then this mission is very important to her - there's no way she would take risks like this by ruining the whole thing."
"The benefits she will get by getting the objective of this mission far surpass the benefit of killing you or me."
Jun Xie let out a sigh, "I guess you're right in this. We don't have much to support our information. Even though there are quite a few glaring inconsistencies that I can see."
Ye Tian Yun nodded, "It's alright, just forget it for now."
Just as he was about to turn around, Jun Xie asked, "Then what about him?"
"Hm?"
"Seventh Peak Master Duan."
"Oh, let him be. The situation is weird; it's hard to judge what's in his mind."
Jun Xie shook his head, "You don't understand. You felt it, right? You felt Peak Master Duan's aura when we were talking about him downstairs at the table?"
Ye Tian Yun nodded, "Yeah, I already told you."
Jun Xie narrowed his eyes while saying, "He was clearly following us the whole way. But never once did he show up. Even when Yuan Shuchun's life was in danger."
Ye Tian Yun suddenly had a bad premonition.
"Why would he come out when Yuan Shuchun's life was in danger? Shouldn't he be happy since this will make things easier for him and the Sect Leader?"
Jun Xie smiled, "Shu Xian, this is where you missed the plot twist."
"You are heavily underestimating Yuan Shuchun. Her power and connections run deep. And Peak Master Duan is a part of her faction, not the Sect Leader."
"He had always been a part of her group, and is also the reason why everything Sect Leader Su plans, Yuan Shuchun knows by sunset."