Chapter 204: Bai Yixue Has Come
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Han Sanhe and the youth in black looked at each other, both at a loss for words. They knew that it was a lost cause and their hopes had been flushed down the drain.
"Perhaps this Thousand Feet Lake doesn’t actually have Qirin Fish." The youth in back grimaced as he unwillingly uttered what they were both thinking.
Han Sanhe frowned but could not bring himself to speak. He was puzzled about it as well, but he did not wish to lie to himself.
"If the Thousand Feet Lake doesn’t have any Qirin Fish, why did Ling Xiaozui come all the way here to fish?"
The youth spoke softly, almost as if to himself, "My master said that Ling Xiaozui had need of the Qirin Fish. Where Ling Xiaozui stopped to fish, there the Qirin Fish must exist."
"This is an unmistakable fact."
"Furthermore, Fish Fatale is our school’s top treasured medicine. It is of a much higher grade than the bait Ling Xiaozui uses and it was made specifically for Qirin Fish. It is ridiculous that he could catch them but we can’t…" The youth in black was growing increasingly agitated by second.
The effect of Fish Fatale was amazing; so was its rarity. Be it the ingredients or the difficulty of making it, its complexity was close to being unimaginable.
He had brought a lot of Fish Fatale out this time, thinking that he could achieve something big. He had entertained visions of a school of Qirin Fish which would improve his cultivation base by leaps and bounds. Who would have known that the bait would eventually be fed to a random assortment of fish?
If the news was relayed to his school, he would definitely become the school’s laughing stock, even when his master would not really blame him since he was the favorite...
"Did you know, master’s favorite pet, Gugu, brought a tonne of Fish Fatale out to catch a bunch of tiny, miscellaneous fish…"
"That is hilarious!"
Gugu was near his wit’s end thinking about what could happen.
"Has it been confirmed that Ling Xiaozui himself caught Qirin Fish here at the Thousand Feet Lake?" Han Sanhe asked softly, "Perhaps they were merely rumors..."
Gugu fell silent. It was truly uncertain if Ling Xiaozui had ever caught any Qirin Fish. After all, no one dared go to Ling Xiaozui to verify this.
"If Ling Xiaozui didn’t catch them, perhaps the Thousand Feet Lake really doesn’t have this species of fish…" Han Sanhe said.
Gugu, the youth clad in large, black, clothing, lowered his head without saying anything.
"Let’s head back," Han Sanhe sighed.
"Qirin Fish is a divine creature of heaven and earth. If it could be so easily obtained, it wouldn’t have been as precious." Han Sanhe attempted to console himself. "Nonetheless, with your peerless potential of nine innately awakened chakras, you shall still be Tianxuan Continent’s notable figure in future. Perhaps it’s your fate not to take such a shortcut."
The youth sighed and stood up dejectedly, saying, "I guess that's the only way left to me now."
Both of them did not even bother to pack their fishing rods, leaving them behind. Since they could not catch any Qirin Fish, what was the use of keeping the rods?
They picked themselves up and walked back slowly, sighing to themselves all the way.
"About Bai Yixue’s incident... I’ve reported it to my school." The youth dressed in black said, "My master has sent someone to search for Bai Yixue. He has to provide an explanation for this, somehow."
"Gugu, Bai Yixue isn’t any ordinary person. Who has your master sent? Will it…"
Han Sanhe reminded, "Precautions must be considered. The situation must not be taken lightly."
"My master has sent the eldest senior brother this time. Senior eldest brother has fought once with Bai Yixue back in his time, so he knows all about Bai Yixue. I believe there won’t be an accident. Don’t worry, marshal," Gugu said.
He paused before continuing, "Marshal, I'm actually more surprised by something else."
Han Sanhe was startled. "What is it?"
Gugu thought for a bit and said, "Actually, I’m doubtful about that Old He, He Hanqing…"
Still startled, Han Sanhe asked curiously, "Do say what you think."
"Does marshal still remember the day when we met Bai Yixue?" Gugu asked.
Han Sanhe was sharp; with a swift change of direction in thought, he could vaguely guess what Gugu meant. "You mean to say that He Hanqing held back on his words and wasn’t truthful?"
"Not only so, I’m greatly doubtful of him. Marshal, please think about it. You have eight guards with you who are all equipped with the best of skills; although they aren’t the best in the world, four of them combined can still fight with the best in the world. Even if they will ultimately lose, they can still drag the battle on for some time. However, the combination of four guards didn’t bother Bai Yixue; he easily broke through their combined effort. This was why when Bai Yixue said that he could definitely kill you, the rest of us had nothing to say to that. Marshal’s guards already the best regardless of which nation they are compared to, yet how could that Old He escape Bai Yixue’s assassination attempt? Based on his word alone?" Gugu explained in a low voice.
Han Sanhe allowed the words to simmer in his head before he slowly said, "He Hanqing is rather reputable. He’s well respected in Yutang as well. Perhaps he really has some kind of experts around to help him."
"If so, it's even more obvious that Old He isn't an ordinary man. To form a squad that could defend Bai Yixue, the power he has to wield must be terrifying. If he were to target us, our journey back will really be a long one!" Gugu answered.
Han Sanhe nodded. "I understand what you mean. It’s not plausible for us to stay in Tiantang City much longer. Since we didn’t get any Qirin Fish, let us go back soon."
Gugu, the youth dressed in black, answered, "Yes." He then turned to glance at the undisturbed waters of the Thousand Feet Lake, defiance flashing across his eyes.
…
Early the next morning, Han Sanhe sent someone to deliver his letter, written in simple words, to Old Marshal Qiu’s residence to say that he had left.
Qiu Jianhan heaved a sigh of relief when he saw the letter. The god of misfortune had finally left. He wanted to send off himself but was told that Han Sanhe and his company had left the city gates early in the morning. They would already be several dozen miles away from the city by now.
"The next time we meet, it will be a matter of life and death."
Qiu Jianhan sighed and raised his goblet, as a toast to his departing enemy.
"Han Sanhe, have a safe trip home."
…
Yun Yang had just woken up and was greeted by Lao Mei and Fang Mofei, who were standing outside his door with grim expressions.
"What is it?" Yun Yang asked while he wiped his face with a towel.
"Something big. Bai Yixue is here," Fang Mofei said.
Yun Yang gave a faint nod. "I shall take a look."
When he did see Bai Yixue though, he was astonished.
Bai Yixue was here, but he did not look the least bit human. Although he was standing, albeit with some effort, he appeared utterly wretched. His eyes, however, were glaring daggers at Yun Yang.
The pristine white clothes he wore were torn, almost hanging on his body in strips; he was covered in blood stains. There was a bloody puncture on his shoulder while a dozen more covered both sides of his thighs.
If it had been anyone else who had suffered such grievous wounds, they would have died long ago.
"What happened?" Yun Yang asked shocked, "Brother Bai, how did you end up like this?"
It was fine before Yun Yang spoke. Once his question drifted through the air, Bai Yixue’s eyes glimmered red. "What happened? How can you not know what happened?"
Yun Yang’s mouth hung open. "I really don’t…"
Bai Yixue’s eyes were about to spew fire. "Stop acting f*cking dumb! Tell me, honestly, that He Hanqing – who is he?"
Yun Yang answered in a surprised tone, "The sage of Yutang scholars, a leader of Confucianism…"
Before he could finish his words, Bai Yixue cut him off impatiently, "F*ck scholars and leaders of Confucianism. You’re f*cking leading me to hell…"
Bai Yixue growled in despair, "I wasn’t even this whipped when I went up against the Concourse of the Underworld!"
Bai Yixue felt utterly wronged. He had never met someone who could mislead others like this.
Ever since he left the Residence of He, he realized that he had suddenly become a public target! Wherever he went, there were assassins waiting for him; whoever he met, they would attack him.
So far, he had been ambushed and engaged in at least a hundred and twenty battles. How long had it been?
What was worse was that there was actually a dozen of them among whom had fought him who possessed a similar cultivation base as the eight men in the He residence. There was even one who had a higher cultivation base than he did; out there looking for him.
If Bai Yixue were not this alert, he would have long been a resident of hell. He was none the better now though, going from being a free man to a rodent crossing the street – everyone was trying to kill him!
Even when he had been hunted by First Court King Qinguang, it was not as dangerous. There was still a gap for a breather even when it was a hunt for his life since the First Court King was only a man.
This time, it was like a hunting party that surged in endless waves!
He had just killed a fifth peak expert before a seventh peak one popped out; when he had killed the seventh peak one, a ninth peak one came; upon injuring the ninth peak expert, several Tenth Perfection ones appeared… The opponents who came only got stronger and increasingly skilled…
It was as if the men who were sent to get him would only increase in skills and power as long as he could still fend them off until he was killed!
Bai Yixue really could not take it anymore. He had initiated a Blood Shield and expended his potential energy to come to Yun Yang directly with incredible speed after a particularly harsh battle.
Murphy’s Law had said that if something can go wrong, it will. He had even met First Court King Qinguang, who had disappeared for a dozen days prior to his way back.
After a fight that saw him gain severe injuries and putting him very near death, he finally escaped using all the skills he could muster, struggling to keep his breath to come to Yun Yang.
"I have to get a clear explanation now!" The more Bai Yixue thought of it, the more he felt wronged. He said in utter grief, "What sort of lion’s den did you make me walk into?"
How could he cheat him like this?