It was getting late into the night, almost midnight. Chu Yang sat on a large boulder with his arms wrapped around his knees. He was immersed in his memories with his clothes fluttering in the night wind and wrapping around him, making him look like solid pine stump.
Another two hours passed. The night’s sky was at its darkest.
Just as Chu Yang was about to stand up to go back to his room, he suddenly sensed something out of the ordinary! His gaze sharpened, and he focused on the mountain range on the right.
There was a small path leading from another mountain range into Beyond the Heavens Sect that very few people knew about.
Under Chu Yang’s intense gaze, there appeared three black shadows gliding forward as quickly as the wind at the foot of the mountain. In the shadows of the night, they appeared and disappeared like apparitions.
Chu Yang frowned, this was the best time for secretive actions! Moreover, this darkest window barely lasts an hour. These people clearly hid there earlier and waited till this hour to take action.
They absolutely had bad intentions!
Remembering Meng Chao Ran’s words about protecting Beyond the Heavens Sect, Chu Yang’s eyes narrowed. He stood up and like a comet, he shot forward. Stepping on the vertical cliff face a few times, he was finally at the foot of the mountain. Using the trees and shrubs as covering, he moved at the fastest possible speed in the direction of the three people.
Even though Chu Yang was currently only a first grade Martial Warrior, he was not afraid at all! If he could not fight them he certainly was capable of escaping. If these people truly had malicious intents, Chu Yang felt he needed to get involved to pay back his master and the sect.
After only a few moments of giving chase, he had already covered a few miles.
Chu Yang moved his body lightly. He was as flexible as smoke. If there was an expert watching him on the side, he would have been shocked. Every place Chu Yang stepped on was in an absolute blind spot. Even though his speed was extremely fast, he continually ended up in places that completely covered his body. The hiding spots that he only just found were actually impeccable positions! Being a few meters away, he could take one glance at the terrain ahead and immediately created a perfect plan of action!
Chu Yang kept moving forward; after chasing for about five or six miles, he could see the entrance to Beyond the Heavens Sect in the distance. He suddenly realized something and stopped charging forth. In a flash, his body blended with the shadows of the night. Afterward, he slowly moved forward along the mountain side, not making even the slightest sound…
The three shadows huddled in a crack on the mountain side and quietly waited.
Not too far in front of them was the entrance to Beyond the Heavens Sect, a place well-guarded day and night by many disciples. Each of the nine peaks sent one disciple to monitor each other as well as jointly guard the entrance.
With the exception of Purple Bamboo Garden, all nine peaks of Beyond the Heavens Sect were part of this mountain range.
These people obviously did not dare storm the entrance even though, in term of strength, they were probably not afraid of these disciples. However, if an altercation were to occur then they basically rustled the grass and scared the snake. (TLN: another saying, meaning acting rashly and alert the enemy)
It seemed that they were either waiting or planned to take some action right there. Chu Yang calculated silently. His body moved little by little in an extremely careful manner. He finally gained another three meters putting the distance between them at less than ten meters.
The three all had black scarves covering their faces. They carefully hid themselves behind a large boulder. When Chu Yang saw where they were hiding he could not help but praise them. It would seem this was not their first time here. The place where they were hiding was blocked off on all three sides with on one side facing toward two possible escape routes, one of which was very well hidden. In the case of some unintended event, they could still quickly escape without being surrounded by the enemies.
Chu Yang slowed his breathing almost stopping it. His body became an extension of the rock as he quietly waited. When it comes to patience, he was certain that there was no one under the heavens comparable to him.
Time slowly drifted when a thin one of the three, having little patience, asked in a low voice, “What’s going on here? Weren’t the appointment time clearly stated already? Why is that wretch not here yet?”
“Be a little patient, don’t be quick to have a temper.” Another person in a black outfit looked around and gave warning. After that, he looked up again suspiciously and said, “Why do I feel like there are some little movements?”
Hearing this, the other two became alert as well. Their ears perked as they tried to listen to their surroundings.
Chu Yang maintained his breathing, and paid no more attention to their words than he would a passing breeze. He did not move.
This was a kind of sense, like when you are walking on a road alone and someone was following you, you can feel this without turning around. One does not have to be a martial artist, any regular person has this sensing ability. However, if one turns around and sees nothing, then one would just assume that such a sense was wrong.
Sure enough, the three looked around and were reassured. The black robed person who noticed something earlier now mocked himself and said, “I was just being paranoid.”
“Caution is always a good thing.” The other two said in low voices.
At this moment, there were some movements at the sect’s entrance. A voice shouted out, “Who goes there?”
A firm voice replied, “It is I!”
“Ah, it is second elder martial uncle. This disciple was disrespectful.”
“Hmm.”
“Second elder martial uncle, you are going to cultivate?”
“That’s right. Cultivation requires determination, you should also remember that if you put in enough effort to file down steel, you will have a needle one day. (TLN: with hard work, the most difficult of tasks can be accomplish) The natural energy of heaven and earth will be most potent at sunrise. This is also the best time to cultivate.”
“Yes, we will keep your teachings.”
A black shadow slowly went across the entrance. Behind him, the guarding disciples were still praising:
“Second elder martial uncle is an important person in our sect. Even though his cultivation level is so high, he is so down to earth. Moreover, he is extremely diligent; he went out every day at this time to cultivate. His stamina is admirable. I am sure I could not be like that.
Another voice said, “That doesn’t need to be said. Second Elder Martial Uncle is an incredible person; how can you compare?”
Chu Yang was shocked. This person was really Second Elder Martial Uncle, Li Jinsong! Li Jian Yin’s father – head of Locking Clouds Peak in Beyond the Heavens Sect, second top person of the sect!
Li Jinsong was dressed neatly with sword hanging on his waist. His appearance showed he was going to practice with his sword. He deliberately left the sect and with a jump he flew away, creating a graceful curve in the air…
After a few jumps, Li Jinsong neared that place, but he did a few rounds before arriving at that large boulder.
It seems this is not the first time they meet. Chu Yang thought to himself. Moreover, the disciple did say that “he went out every day at this time to cultivate.” This showed that Li Jinsong had secretly done this many times before.
“Why did you wait until this hour? Any news?” The thin one in the three asked briskly.
“Am I late?” Li Jinsong asked with a humph, showing that he was obviously annoyed with that question. He continued, “You brought the item?”
“No hurry with that item.” Another black outfit person quickly appeased him. “Elder brother Li, quickly tell us of the recent changes.”
With another humph, Li Jinsong suppressed his voice and said, “There is something devilish going on. I want to ask, besides you people, are there anyone else interested in Beyond the Heavens Sect?”
The three black outfits were stunned and stared at each other, “We are really not clear on this. In any case, Beyond the Heavens Sect is currently in a precarious situation, it is likely that there are people who want to cast their nets.”
Li Jinsong said, “Ah. A while ago, Wu Yun Liang sent the ninth master, Bao Kuang Lei, along with two top disciples of the sect and his daughter to Iron Cloud Nation.”
“Iron Cloud Nation?” The three cried out in unison.
“Exactly, moreover… This action was very secretive, but, from what I learned, the four of them were attacked en route more than once! Obviously, someone did not want them to get to their destination. Plus, they seem to have been very well informed.” Li Jinsong said with a calm face.
Behind them, Chu Yang was astounded. It seemed that Li Jinsong was not the only mole!
“What was the purpose for going to Iron Cloud Nation?” The three asked, only wanting to know the reasons and obviously without a care for the well-being of Bao Kuang Lei’s group.
“I don’t know.” Li Jinsong frowned, and immediately added, “In any case, no matter what happened, they have gone to Iron Cloud. For us, this means half of our goal has been achieved.”
“Exactly. Beyond the Heavens Sect is in the territory of our Great Zhao, but Wu Yun Liang dared sent people to collude with Iron Cloud! He is really audacious!” One of the black outfits said in a low voice.
“Just this piece of information alone made our journey worthwhile. Li brother, you have done well.” Said another black outfitted person. Even though his face was covered, the sound of his voice showed that he was only smiling outwardly.
“I dare not receive such compliments. It was what you have done that helped this situation along.” Li Jinsong said thoughtfully. “You are part of the imperial army; you have the resources and you certainly would not let things go on their own course if you could help it. Let alone the fact that we have been secretly putting more pressure on Wu Yun Liang making him lean toward Iron Cloud. Even though nothing is finalized yet, my mission is almost complete…”
Chu Yang was stunned. People from the imperial army? Beyond the Heaven Sect was a sect in Jiang Hu; what did the imperial army have anything to do with it?
And apparently, this ‘imperial army’ referred to the imperial army of the Great State of Zhao!
Chu Yang had a vague feeling that an astronomic conspiracy was unfolding. It was likely that the destruction of Beyond the Heavens Sect in his previous life was related to this!