Chapter 18: Chapter 16 Crane Call
As dusk approached, Qing Yu finally neared Yang City.
He had set out early in the morning and waited by the tea stand for his prey. Yang City is the essential passageway from Qing Province to Ling Province. A normal person, who didn't possess any martial arts skills and intended to flee, would never escape into the perilous Southern Border Secret Forest. Instead, they would seek refuge in the peaceful Central Plains.
Therefore, Qing Yu was confident that he only needed to wait on this official road leading to Yang City for his prey to leap into the trap. Little did he imagine that Qing Yuan and his group, in their pursuit of certainty, had spent half the day making inquiries in Qingshui Town. Before returning, their horses had been running for an entire day, and in their rush, they hadn't even bothered to change horses and just whipped their steeds toward Yang City.
The horses were exhausted, and this haste had ultimately resulted in even more wasted time.
Qing Yu had waited from morning till afternoon and finally spotted someone before engaging in a one-sided battle. Then he had to walk back to Yang City; the majority of the day had been spent on travel and waiting.
"After this matter is settled, I must learn to ride a horse," Qing Yu swore, looking heavenward at a forty-five-degree angle.
However, right now the most pressing matter was to hurry back to the inn to rest, ideally with a bath. Recalling the feeling of full-body relaxation, his weary legs somehow mustered a new strength.
However, things don't always go as one wishes; just as Yang City came into view and Qing Yu contemplated running back using qinggong, a dark figure silently emerged on the right side of the road.
That was—Black-faced Brother.
Seeing him, Qing Yu felt his tired nerves further strained.
Indeed, Black-faced Brother, also known as Xiao Gao, looked at Qing Yu somberly, saying, "The Lord is waiting for you." His tone was cold and his gaze chilling, making Qing Yu feel his exhaustion recede somewhat due to the icy sting.
Although he was very reluctant, Qing Yu had no choice but to concede to the fist-that-speaks-louder-than-words principle and said without backbone, "Please, lead the way."
Black-faced Brother didn't respond, simply turning and leaping into the nearby woods. Qing Yu followed, using his Golden Wild Goose Skill to keep up.
Black-faced Brother forged ahead with swift leaps, not slow by any means. However, what Qing Yu was now best at was speed, and keeping up with him was not a problem at all.
Feeling Qing Yu's breath not far behind, and knowing his own current speed was not fast for him but nevertheless was beyond the capability of an ordinary Postnatal Realm martial artist, Black-faced Brother, with a thought of testing him, sped up again.
"Damn it, what trickery are you up to..." As the figure ahead swiftly pulled away, Qing Yu inwardly cursed. It wasn't impossible to catch up again, but doing so would expose his speed that far exceeded the norm for the Postnatal Realm—this was absolutely unacceptable. Resolved, Qing Yu slightly increased his pace, feigning an urgent expression.
Black-faced Brother quickly vanished from Qing Yu's sight. Maintaining his pace, Qing Yu's forehead began to sweat.
Further ahead, Qing Yu saw Black-faced Brother waiting on a tree branch. Qing Yu hurried a few leaps and landed on a solid, slightly behind branch.
"I say... Black-faced... Brother, could you slow down a bit, I... really can't keep up," Qing Yu supported himself on his knees, heaving deeply for breath.
Black-faced Brother silently nodded, then set off again at the pace he had initially maintained.
"Hey, wait for me..." Qing Yu called out from behind. For the following part, Qing Yu deliberately kept his inner strength erratic, imitating the appearance of disordered breathing, even a tad slower than before. In acting out this play, he couldn't suddenly appear fine after being so exhausted.
Black-faced Brother felt like he had trapped himself and, without any other choice, slowed down again to let Qing Yu catch up.
The two arrived at a nearby small mountain peak.
The mountain was not high, and standing on top, one could only see Yang City's towering walls. A clear view of the entire city, however, was hard to obtain.
Mr. Mo was still dressed in a black robe, with a black cloth hat covering his face, his back to Qing Yu, standing at the edge of the peak, with a cliff before him.
A light breeze blew, lifting the veil under the hat, revealing a very classic image of a mysterious figure.
"You've arrived," Mr. Mo said still facing away, addressing Qing Yu who had just arrived.
I've arrived, Qing Yu would like to respond similarly in keeping with the atmosphere, but lacking the qualifications to do so, he could only bow and fist his hands in etiquette, saying, "Yes, Master."
He paused, then continued, "The younger generation has already eliminated those two disciples of the True Martial Dao Sect. May I ask, when do we begin our actions against the Four Great Families?"
"No rush, you... Hmm!" Hearing Qing Yu's vigorous reply, Mr. Mo quickly turned around; his eyes, beneath the veil, staring intently at Qing Yu. 'I had just sensed his erratic breath and thought he might be injured. Who would have thought, he actually killed a Postnatal Sixth Realm and a Postnatal Seventh Realm without any harm. Moreover, in two to three days, he has reached the Postnatal Sixth Realm, and his breath suggests he has unblocked more than one of the Twelve Meridians. Even with the aid of elixirs, this young man's talent is extremely astonishing.' Thinking thus, Mr. Mo couldn't help but feel a sense of killing intent stir within him.
Suddenly, the atmosphere became tense, and Qing Yu felt a silent pressure bearing down on his back, causing his skin to prickle.
"He wants to kill me!" Qing Yu's instincts were sharp, sensing Mr. Mo's killing intent. Despite being cornered with no means of resistance, like a fish on the chopping board, even with one foot already in the Ghost Gate, he could only maintain his bowing gesture, the sweat on his forehead now streaming into his eyes; he dared not move rashly.
"It seems you've progressed remarkably fast. I imagine if your master has a spirit in heaven, he would also find solace in having such an outstanding disciple," Mr. Mo finally spoke, as the tension eased.
Chapter 19: Chapter 16 Crane Call_2
The cool breeze swept over Qing Yu's back, sending a chill over his sweat-soaked skin. Qing Yu knew that Mr. Mo must have harbored some murderous intent, and he felt as though he had just narrowly escaped a brush with the Ghost Gate.
"Where does that come from? It's all thanks to your elixirs, Mr. Mo. Your profound favor is something I will never forget," Qing Yu said with heartfelt sincerity, as if the recent sense of danger had been nothing but a figment of his imagination. Such is the sorrow of the weak; their lives hang by a thread, entirely at the mercy of others.
Mr. Mo waved his hand, saying, "It was nothing, just a trivial matter. Given the friendship between your master and me, it was the least I could do. If it weren't for the fear of you advancing too rapidly and compromising your foundation, I would have provided the best elixirs for my worthy nephew. But in the end, even the strongest elixirs are external aids. No matter how powerful, they require your own accumulation of effort. After all, to forge iron, one must be strong themselves."
In response to Mr. Mo's emotional words, Qing Yu could only offer a hollow laugh internally.
The two exchanged more pleasantries and, at last, moved on to the matter at hand.
"You didn't disappoint me. Although those two True Martial Disciples had exhausted their potential and, despite mastering exclusive skills from a distinguished school, have spent so many years in the Postnatal Realm, they were nevertheless quite competent within that realm. That you were able to kill them without sustaining any injuries suggests that I may have underestimated your potential," Mr. Mo acknowledged with an approving nod.
A chill ran through Qing Yu's heart as he finally understood where he had triggered Mr. Mo's murderous intent. His rapid advance of two minor realms in three days was one factor; the importance of killing two on the same level as himself and another a level higher, all without injury, was another significant point.
If this mysterious Mr. Mo truly were a friend of Xuanfa, naturally he would rejoice in his friend having a promising successor. But if he harbored malicious intent, he wouldn't be glad; instead, he would sense a threat from a chess piece slipping beyond his control. From the current situation, it was clear that Mr. Mo fell into the latter category.
"However, aside from having a somewhat special identity, there's nothing particularly remarkable about me. What, I wonder, could Mr. Mo possibly want from me?" Qing Yu pondered internally. To say it was for his extraordinary martial arts talent seemed far-fetched, especially since Mr. Mo had sought him out without prior knowledge of Qing Yu's astounding abilities. Such a high-level expert with unknown intentions toward a minor figure in the Postnatal Realm left Qing Yu stumped.
Although his mind was swimming with thoughts, his face betrayed nothing. Qing Yu bashfully scratched the back of his head and smiled shyly at Mr. Mo's compliment, perfectly embodying the innocence of a teenager of about fifteen or sixteen.
Whether Mr. Mo was fooled by Qing Yu's act, he didn't show it and continued, "Next, my worthy nephew, you will begin to strike against the Four Great Families. Do you feel confident about this task?"
"If I were to kill all the members of the Four Great Families, would that be considered mission accomplished?" Qing Yu asked with a shy smile, though the words he spoke were filled with murderous resolve.
Mr. Mo laughed in spite of himself and said, "If you, with your Postnatal Sixth Realm cultivation, could kill several of the Postnatal Eighth and Ninth Layers, and even one Innate First Layer from the Four Great Families, that would certainly be considered mission accomplished. But can you?"
"I've become overconfident," Qing Yu secretly admonished himself, his face breaking into an embarrassed grin. Although he had easily dispatched Qing Yuan and his partner through some trickery, this success had inflated his ego, making him think rather arrogantly that the Postnatal Realm was nothing to worry about. He had not considered that he too was just a Postnatal Sixth Layer, a mere pawn in the grand scheme of the worldly society that could be devoured by any fish.
Reigning in his hubris, Qing Yu replied, "I don't have much of a plan yet for this task. After all, I have been in Yang City for less than five days and am completely in the dark about the situation here. However, to come out on top against great odds typically involves inciting discord, conspiracy, and assassination. To stir up conflicts among the Four Great Families, leading them to fight among themselves while we seamlessly weaken and eliminate their forces step by step until we can capture them all in one fell swoop."
Whether it was feasible or not, he'd put on a bold front. He couldn't escape this predicament; failing meant death, so success was the only option. It had to be possible, because it had to be done.
Mr. Mo made no comment on Qing Yu's bold declaration but merely stated, "You have three months. In three months, even if the Four Great Families are not destroyed, you must show me hope for victory. If the task is successful, five percent of the gains, from the twenty percent you help win, will be your reward."
Mr. Mo didn't specify what would happen if Qing Yu failed, and Qing Yu didn't inquire.
"I thank Mr. Mo," Qing Yu bowed with his hand raised, appearing profoundly grateful, although inwardly he harbored bitter cynicism. The Shadow Market was known as Daqian shrouded in darkness, its profits immense. Even just five percent of the two states' gains was beyond his estimation. Mr. Mo's offer was likely one he never planned to fulfill. The day of success would be the day Qing Yu met his demise.
"The rest is up to you; don't disappoint me. I'll have Xiao Gao bring you the relevant information tomorrow. Regarding any manpower you require, just ask Xiao Gao, and he will fully support you." Mr. Mo gestured with his hand toward the Black-faced Brother standing by his side, introducing him as Xiao Gao.
The two once again exchanged pleasantries as befitting elder to junior. Eventually, Mr. Mo waved his hand to indicate that Qingyu should leave, and Qingyu bowed before taking his leave.
"Sir, do we really need to give that youngster such substantial benefits?" After Qingyu left, Xiao Gao couldn't help but express his concern to Mr. Mo.
Mr. Mo shot Xiao Gao a sideways glance that left him mumbling, unable to say another word.
"The wager was never the point. To win the wager, why would I rely on a junior of the Postnatal Sixth Layer? After the deed is done, how it unfolds will depend on the young man's own fortune. As for the distribution of benefits, heh, out of the sixty percent of gains we receive, a large part must be used to grease palms everywhere and to deliver up to the Main Building. How could I possibly want to cut out a portion of the already limited benefits to give to this junior?"
In his words, Mr. Mo already seemed confident of victory, as his arranging for Qingyu to take charge likely had a deeper motive.
A gust of wind blew, and from the horizon came a White Crane of incredible size, with a wingspan of six meters, landing beside Mr. Mo. Its feathers were simple and pure, with an elegant and refined stature, and its cry was extraordinary and noble. On its head was a patch of red feathers, resembling a red hat, and around its long neck was a ring of black feathers, like a black scarf, signifying it as an Immortal Crane. In ancient Chinese mythology and folklore, the Immortal Crane is praised as a symbol of high stature and longevity.
Mr. Mo leaped onto the "Immortal Crane," which let out a long, clear crane call that echoed to the heavens. With a flap of its wings, dust and stones scattered from the ground as the Immortal Crane took off, disappearing into the sunset.
As for the beleaguered Xiao Gao, he could only rely on his own legs, just like Qingyu.
Elsewhere, Qingyu, who had seen through Mr. Mo's malice, pondered as he walked along the road.
"What exactly is Mr. Mo's scheme against me?" This question deeply troubled Qingyu, leaving him without a solution.
The stipulation of the wager was to limit the use of force to below the Postnatal Sixth Layer. It seemed unfair to Mr. Mo on the surface, but in reality, for those in higher positions, there was no shortage of Postnatal Sixth Layer fighters; if quality was lacking, quantity could compensate, and matters requiring force were trivial.
As for showcasing tactics, the strategies that Qingyu had once been confident about were all talk with no concrete plan. He didn't believe Mr. Mo was unaware of this. However, Mr. Mo showed no reaction to Qingyu's empty talk, as if it did not concern his own interests.
Moreover, the limitation was on force, not on plotting strategies. With such huge interests at stake, it was possible to secretly arrange for an expert of the Innate Realm to step in. Qingyu didn't believe Mr. Mo would let someone else, especially an outsider with no significant ties, take over the overall plan. This outsider was also a novice in worldly society, where any old hand would have more experience than Qingyu.
"It's so frustrating, what's so special about me besides being the disciple of that old ghost, Xuanfa?"
"No, that's not right, the disciple of Xuanfa..."
When all impossible things are eliminated, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.
The only thing that set Qingyu apart from ordinary people was being the disciple of Xuanfa. Even though Xuanfa had died, he had been a notable figure in his life. Although Qingyu was unaware of who the prominent figures in worldly society were, it did not hinder his recognition of whether Xuanfa had been a prominent figure. Nonsense, a contender for the position of Zhenwu Sect Leader, if not a noteworthy figure, then who is.
Though Xuanfa was dead, it was possible he left behind an inheritance. And this was the only likely plot Mr. Mo could have, Qingyu felt he had discovered the truth.
The long, clear sound of a crane's call came through, and Qingyu looked up in the direction of the sound. Despite the trees obstructing his view, Qingyu was certain that the sound came from the mountain peak where he had met Mr. Mo earlier.
"This is... the call of the crane..."
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
9 Power
stone 
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