Mr. Jin declared firmly.
Mo Hua hidden in the tree couldn’t help but look down at his own soft little hands, blinking in confusion.
Crossing River Dragon’s face was pale, his voice hoarse, he asked,
“Can’t we find out who this ‘puppet master’ behind the scenes is?”
Mr. Jin’s gaze tightened slightly, “Mr. Tu didn’t say, but in my heart, I already have a candidate…”
Mo Hua was curious and couldn’t help but prick up her ears.
Mr. Jin said in a deep voice, “This person is very likely… the Dao Court Canon…”
Mr. Jin paused for a moment, his gaze sharp:
“…Gu Changhuai!”
Mo Hua was stunned.
Mr. Jin continued, “The Gu Family, for generations, have held positions in the Taoist Court, with rigid and outdated manners, not our kind of people.”
“This Gu Changhuai, he is from the direct lineage of the Gu Family, with Golden Core Cultivation, a solitary disposition, his moods are unpredictable, and his thoughts inscrutable.”
“His Cultivation Technique is of superior quality; his strength must not be underestimated.”
“He even possesses Forbidden Techniques. It’s said that Fire Venerable, deemed invincible below Golden Core within the Second Grade State Border, also perished at the hands of this Gu Changhuai!”
Mr. Jin’s eyes carried a mix of hatred and wariness.
“This Gu Changhuai, even if he’s not the ‘puppeteer behind the curtain’, must certainly be an extremely important ‘pawn’ in the hands of that person behind the scenes!”
“This man, he is undoubtedly our mortal enemy!”
Crossing River Dragon also agreed, nodding solemnly.
Mo Hua didn’t know what to say…
Mr. Jin glanced at Crossing River Dragon and spoke indifferently:
“Remember my words, in these times, act with utmost caution.”
“Times have changed; we can no longer afford to slip up, as it could draw fire upon ourselves, involving the young masters and spoiling the big picture. Even death would not come easily to you.”
Crossing River Dragon pursed his lips and nodded tremulously.
Still not reassured, Mr. Jin added another piece of advice:
“Also… keep a tighter hold on your tongue.”
“No matter who asks, you must say nothing. If they press you hard, you just directly…”
Mr. Jin brought his fingers together and drew them across his throat, signaling to Crossing River Dragon.
Crossing River Dragon’s face turned deathly pale.
Mr. Jin patted his shoulder and said:
“Physical death does not signify true death. You’ve seen some things; you should understand…”
Crossing River Dragon looked panicked and remained silent.
Mr. Jin nodded in satisfaction, “Remember what I’ve said…”
There was a disturbance on the outskirts of the woods, as if someone was approaching.
Mr. Jin flicked two Sword Qi’s from his fingers, shredding two Sound Isolation Formation Flags to pieces, then kicked Crossing River Dragon to the ground with one foot.
Crossing River Dragon fell to the ground, feigning unconsciousness.
After a while, the disciples of Sever Gold Sect who had been sent to search the area returned, respectfully saying:
“Young Master, there are no traces of that monster’s accomplices around.”
Mr. Jin’s face showed displeasure, but after a moment, he sighed and said:
“Well, catching this one is enough. Find two people to escort this ‘Crossing River Dragon’ to the Taoist Court, and the rewards will be divided equally among everyone.”
All the Sever Gold Sect disciples showed joy and bowed, saying:
“Thank you, Young Master!”
Mr. Jin gave a slight nod. Finally, he looked disdainfully at Crossing River Dragon one last time before leaving arrogantly.
The other disciples followed behind him, leaving only two to carry the “unconscious” Crossing River Dragon to the Taoist Court.
It wasn’t long before everyone in the small woods had left, and the surroundings fell into silence.
Mo Hua, who had been hiding, finally jumped down from the big tree and left unnoticed.
He had intended to head directly to the ferry to meet up with Cheng Mo and the others, but not long after leaving the small woods, he ran into Cheng Mo and his party.
Cheng Mo and his group were lying in ambush in the bushes, eyes intently fixed on the small woods, seemingly waiting for him.
Mo Hua felt a warmth in his heart and revealed himself.
The four members of Cheng Mo’s party were shocked and asked in quick succession:
“Mo Hua, are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Mo Hua said.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, then Cheng Mo asked, “Are we going back to the Sect now?”
His expression was somewhat disheartened. Situ Jian and the others also shared a similar dim look.
The hostage had been taken, and the original one hundred and twenty Merit Points per person were lost.
But Mo Hua shook her head and said, “Not in a hurry, we can’t come all this way for nothing.”
Everyone was startled and turned to look at Mo Hua.
Mo Hua stated confidently, “A gentleman seeks revenge, it need not wait until the next day. They dared to take what is ours; now let’s go take what is theirs!”