He Yiming’s figure remained concealed within the thick, heavy mist. Even Hao Xue could only perceive a blurred outline. Furthermore, this blurry outline did not resemble a human in the slightest, seeming as though it might dissipate and vanish into the fog at any moment.
This was the unique capability of the Illusionary Concealment technique, and the fact that Hao Xue could name it immediately demonstrated a thorough understanding of this particular method.
“Who are you, and what is your connection to our sect?” He Yiming’s voice sounded aged and utterly ordinary.
It was a voice utterly devoid of distinguishing features. Hao Xue and the other two were certain that if they left this place, they would never be able to track this person down based on vocal characteristics alone.
Yet, the more unremarkable the voice was, the more convinced they became that this person must originate from the Yellow Springs Gate. After all, for an assassin, blandness in every aspect—appearance or voice—was essential; any unique trait signaled the end of their career.
Hao Xue took a deep breath. “I am Hao Xue of the Hao family in the central continent of Dongfang Dashen. Have you perhaps heard of us?”
He Yiming’s mind raced, leaving him somewhat hesitant on how to answer this query.
However, Hao Xue did not pause for long. Fearing that He Yiming might lose patience and depart, he cut straight to the chase: “My esteemed elder brother, you may not be aware of the relationship between the Changzhou Hao family and the Yellow Springs Gate. But the Venerables of your sect certainly would know.”
He Yiming let out a huge sigh of relief. His initial pretense of being from the Yellow Springs Gate was merely an instinctive reaction. While he had been playing along when Hao Xue began to invoke connections, he had remained somewhat uneasy, as he knew nothing of the true relationship between these three and the Yellow Springs Gate.
But when Hao Xue uttered those words, He Yiming was overcome with unexpected joy. If he wasn’t one of the Venerables of the Yellow Springs Gate, then not knowing the connections between the two families was perfectly normal. Thus, whatever choice he made now wouldn't expose him.
The only thing that puzzled He Yiming was why these three, upon seeing his display of the Illusionary Concealment and the dual swordsmanship, instantly concluded he was from the Yellow Springs Gate without even a moment of doubt.
After a brief moment of contemplation, He Yiming replied coldly, “The Venerables of our humble sect have not entered this location.”
The three of Hao Xue cursed inwardly; wasn't that stating the obvious? Ghost Cry Ridge was a forbidden zone for Venerables; any faction with even a minimal lineage knew that.
With a soft sigh, Hao Xue continued, “I know you still doubt our identities. However, I can tell you a method to easily verify the truth.”
He Yiming was greatly intrigued. “Speak.”
“Your sect’s Venerable Ding Li-yin is just outside Ghost Cry Ridge. If you step out and use your sect’s special communication method just once, you are guaranteed to meet his esteemed presence,” Hao Xue asserted confidently. “He can absolutely vouch for the three of us.”
He Yiming immediately felt overwhelmed. Forget not knowing the Yellow Springs Gate’s special communication method—even if he did know it, he would never dare step out to meet a Venerable of the Yellow Springs Gate. That would be walking straight into a trap, actively seeking death. Only an absolute fool would do such a thing.
A thought flashed, and He Yiming sneered, “My cultivation has reached its final critical juncture. I cannot leave Ghost Cry Ridge under any circumstances. Your method is out of the question.”
He spoke with such righteous indignation that there was no room for negotiation, and the three of Hao Xue did not doubt him, their faces showing clear signs of frustration.
Those who braved the life-threatening journey into Ghost Cry Ridge were top-tier masters desperate to break their limits. Whether at the Three Flowers Realm or the Apex Stance, their sole ambition was to advance further from their peak state. Nothing else held such importance. When a person had absorbed sufficient Heaven and Earth Qi and was at the cusp of advancement, they would naturally be unwilling to leave Ghost Cry Ridge; no one could reasonably object to that.
A moment later, Fang Sheng suddenly interjected, “Since your ascent is imminent, why bother getting involved in this mess? If you are willing to hand over the person and leave, the three of us will offer generous compensation.”
Among the three, Fang Sheng harbored the most resentment toward this supposed expert from the Yellow Springs Gate. Just thinking about the assassination attempt earlier sent a cold sweat down his back. Had his reaction been a fraction slower, or slightly off, he would be dead by now.
He Yiming paused, his eyes darting around as an idea struck him.
He roared in anger, “Do you think I’m being nosy? I was on the verge of a breakthrough over there, nearing the final stage, and you were all fighting and killing here! How could I possibly concentrate? Naturally, I had to come here and kill all of you to eliminate future trouble, so I could then resume my breakthrough.”
He delivered this statement with explosive fury, the very essence of the villain crying foul first. Moreover, when indicating the direction, his entire body swayed erratically; even he didn’t know which way "over there" was. If Hao Xue and the others could discern a specific direction from his gestures, He Yiming would admit defeat.
The three of Hao Xue were stunned into silence. They exchanged glances, recognizing the bitter realization in each other’s eyes. It turned out this person hadn't been following them all along but had been drawn by the sound of their battle. Had they known such a master was hiding nearby, they absolutely would not have targeted him.
However, recalling the Yellow Springs Gate’s world-famous Illusionary Concealment and their peerless stealth arts, the three felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness. Trying to track individuals using those techniques was a fool's errand.
Seeing their expressions, He Yiming’s mind settled; at least they hadn't questioned his identity yet.
His voice turned icy once more. “What are you doing here?”
Hao Xue managed a wry smile. “Esteemed elder, the person you apprehended just now was an enemy of ours. The three of us encountered him by chance and specifically laid an ambush to kill him here.” He bowed deeply. “We beg you to return this person’s corpse so that the three of us may carve him into a thousand pieces to vent our hatred.”
He Yiming let out a cold laugh. “A thousand pieces, you say? Your excuse is far too clumsy.”
Hao Xue’s expression shifted slightly. “Why do you say that, Elder?”
He Yiming’s voice suddenly sharpened. “Halt! Retreat. If you take one more step closer, I will leave immediately and publicize your entire scheme. Heh heh heh,” he chuckled menacingly. “Hao Xue of the Changzhou Hao family, is it? I will ensure every soul in Ghost Cry Ridge knows your name.”
Hao Xue’s face instantly paled. He deeply regretted blurting out his name the moment they met.
Fang Sheng retreated sullenly, a sharp glint of killing intent flashing in his eyes, though his surface expression shifted to one of mild shame.
Zhu Guanhao coughed lightly and hurried to smooth things over. “Elder, please do not misunderstand; we truly meant no harm.”
“Good if you meant no harm,” He Yiming stated gravely. “You first disrupted his focus, then struck his vital points with the Blood Coagulation technique, preventing him from resisting the invasion of this place’s Yin Sha energy, thus turning him into a mindless husk. Why? Also, what do you mean by fumbling around for half an hour and mentioning a ‘previous failure’?”
This sentence finally caused the expressions of the three Hao Xue to turn utterly terrifying. He Yiming was certain that even if he truly were a master from the Yellow Springs Gate, the moment he stepped outside, these three would kill him at any cost.
A deathly silence permeated the black mist. The distance between them was not vast; with He Yiming’s cultivation, he could even hear their slightly heavy breaths, revealing the shock they were enduring.
Zhu Guanhao forced a weak smile. “Elder, you might have misunderstood…”
He Yiming coldly chuckled for a moment. “Misunderstood? Fine. Tell me one thing, and I will believe it was a misunderstanding.”
Hao Xue’s eyes flashed with sharp light. “Ask away, Elder.”
“I want to ask: what exactly is the Blood Coagulation Bead, and what is its use?” He Yiming articulated each word deliberately.
The three were not surprised that He Yiming mentioned the name ‘Blood Coagulation Bead.’ By this point, they knew He Yiming had witnessed the entire process and had also gleaned clues from their conversation. Knowing about the Bead was entirely logical.
The three of Hao Xue exchanged another look. Zhu Guanhao nodded first. “Speak. If this elder brother wishes to join, our chances of success will be much greater.”
Fang Sheng hesitated, then recalling the ruthlessness and seasoned expertise of the other’s actions, he finally sighed in resignation and nodded slightly. “I agree.”
Hao Xue smiled bitterly. In truth, they all knew they already possessed six Blood Coagulation Beads. Adding the one from the man who just died would bring the total to seven. If they succeeded successfully just twice more, they could retreat perfectly unscathed. But adding this person meant they would have to continue hunting until they collected twelve before stopping. The difficulty of this task was almost unimaginable, and the closer they got to the end, the stronger the survivors would be, and the higher the chance of exposure. If there were any other option, Fang and Zhu would never have made such a reluctant choice.
But looking at the figure swaying in the black mist, Hao Xue finally conceded with unconcealed reluctance. “Very well. Since you insist on knowing, we have nothing to hide. However, I hope you will make a wise choice after hearing this. Otherwise, even if you return to the Yellow Springs Gate, your sect’s Ancestor of the Yellow Springs will not let you off…”
Ps: The answer is about to be revealed. In three or four more days, I should likely become a Venerable. Heh heh, have you been looking forward to it? Bai He’s monthly tickets are over nine thousand now. With three days left in the month, it seems Bai He hasn't yet surpassed ten thousand. I wonder if you all can help Bai He achieve this wish... Thank you!