Tiger Peak Manor.
You Wanying stood with her senior disciple Ban Wu and junior apprentice Shen Ao in front of Yu Yan’s grave.
Those who died tragically have their grievances unresolved, even their coffins cannot conceal them.
After winter set in, the weather remained gloomy.
You Wanying felt that her mood was just like this weather, never lightened up.
"Master, this time it’s my fault, there was an error in my arrangements..."
Ban Wu wore a trace of guilt on his face; they too had heard the news.
A team of returning guards from Tiger Peak Manor had been ambushed and killed halfway.
This was inconceivable in the past.
Who would dare to casually kill someone from Tiger Peak Manor?
Not to mention revenge; who would dare provoke the poison oozing from the guards?
Yet these events happened against all odds.
As Ban Wu’s voice trailed off, You Wanying remained silent, merely frowning while looking at her disciple’s grave.
Beside her, Shen Ao suddenly knelt down on the ground.
"When all is said and done, this is all my fault...
If I hadn’t provoked Shen Han, Senior Sister wouldn’t have been in trouble, and the manor wouldn’t have..."
Shen Ao spoke with a trembling voice; anyone could hear the regret in his words.
If words are left unsaid and spoken by others, the result is completely different.
So many people died in Tiger Peak Manor at once that the accidental deaths of a hundred years couldn’t compare to this year’s toll.
Surely, someone would blame Shen Ao for it.
Shen Ao opted to speak these words himself, retreating to advance, confessing his guilt proactively.
When he voiced his self-reproach, the effect was entirely different.
Sure enough, upon hearing Shen Ao’s words, You Wanying immediately pulled him up.
"Your master knows you are filled with self-reproach and regret.
But Yu Yan’s death cannot be blamed on you.
Must we, the people of Tiger Peak Manor, reflect upon ourselves just because we were ambushed?
Hatred must be repaid with a bloody hand.
Blind self-blame is meaningless.
If your senior sister knew, she would reprimand you for your weakness."
You Wanying’s voice grew louder, speaking not only to Shen Ao but also to Ban Wu.
"Don’t apologize to your master; there’s no need for you to apologize.
The only thing you brothers need to do is exact revenge.
Nothing else merits excessive thought."
Upon hearing this, both Ban Wu and Shen Ao nodded.
Shen Ao also released a breath, relieved that no blame was placed on him.
But truth be told, Shen Ao really didn’t expect such an outcome.
Tiger Peak Manor, notorious on the Southern Heaven Continent, suffered such a loss dealing with Shen Han.
The crux is that Tiger Peak Manor seems to have no recourse against Shen Han...
"Thinking back now, it was my oversight at the start. If I had known, I would have taken a few hostages, and it wouldn’t have come to this."
Telling her disciple not to blame himself, it was she who harbored self-reproach and regret.
Yet how could she have foreseen Shen Han would inflict such a loss on Tiger Peak Manor.
In You Wanying’s view, Great Wei was a realm she could handle with a wave of her hand.
Leaving a few hostages probably felt beneath her.
But reflecting now, if they had really kept a few hostages, Tiger Peak Manor wouldn’t be so passive.
"Wu’Er, have you found out how that person came to Great Wei?"
Ban Wu frowned, shaking his head.
"Disciple has inquired widely but hasn’t found a solution.
The entrance and exit of the passage are always guarded.
Other than those we permit, no one can approach the passage.
Unless there is more than one passage to the Southern Heaven Continent..."