Back outside in the border region, Yang Wu Huang and the other two finally stopped, looking over their shoulders with some panic. Originally, they had thought that there would only be a handful of demonic cultivators if they messed with that place. Who knew that there would actually be so many and even several with such a high cultivation base?
Di Huan Bo patted his chest, sighing deeply. "Oh, that scared me! I really wouldn't have thought that there would be so many of them."
Yang Wu Huang furrowed his brows, looking at the direction they had come from with a difficult expression. These demonic cultivators seem to have totally ignored them. He couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive because of that. Was there some plan that the other side had? Did they actually want to let some of them escape? It certainly looked like that judging from what had just happened.
He wouldn't dare to go and try to find out more though. No, it was better if he continued with his own plan. For one, only this way would he be able to follow through with making a difficult for Mei Chao Bing, and second, only this way would he be able to earn some merits for himself. He didn't have the time to care about what the demonic practitioners wanted.
"We made it out alive. And we fast enough that we didn't get injured. Now, we definitely need to speed up to catch with to Mei Chao Bing's group. In the end, even though there were more of them than we expected, that was still to our advantage. If some of the others make it back to the town, what they say will make it sound as if we really had no other choice. That is very good."
Ao Jing nodded, also seeming a little uncomfortable but he did keep in mind what was important right now. "We'll have to make sure that it doesn't look like we escaped unscathed."
Yang Wu Huang nodded. That was precisely what he had meant the other time when he told them that at least one of them would have to suffer a bit for this. Turning to Di Huan Bo he raised his brows. "I'm afraid I'll have to wrong you."
Di Huan Bo looked from Yang Wu Huang to Ao Jing and gulped. "That … Why me though? Can't Ao Jing do this?"
Ao Jing just smiled at that and gave a scoff. "Your cultivation level is the lowest. It wouldn't make sense for the demonic cultivators to injure me instead of you. You should stay realistic."
Di Huan Bo pressed his lips together, unable to refute what he said. Yes, unfortunately, this was true. The person with the lowest level should be the one who would be injured the most. "Well, just don't forget that I did this for you."
Yang Wu Huang gave him a smile. "But of course not. I know that this is a huge sacrifice. But don't worry. It will all be worth it in the end." He took out his weapon and then attacked.
Di Huan Bo clenched his hands into fists and gritted his teeth, making sure that he stayed still and wouldn't flinch away. He also knew that this needed to look convincing. Otherwise, this really would spell trouble.
Ao Jing watched the two of them and then took out his weapon as well, turning it over in his hand. "I think that it wouldn't be completely convincing if it was just junior martial brother Di. We should probably also have at least a few wounds, senior martial brother Yang."
Yang Wu Huang glanced over his shoulder while still striking out, giving a nod. "You're right."
Ao Jing wielded his weapon and cut himself a few times, drawing blood. Anyway, for them, it just needed to look as if they had gotten into trouble because they helped Di Huan Bo get out of the range of his attackers. With their own cultivation level, it was alright that they would be less injured.
After a moment, he put his sword away and then squatted down, touching the ground and rubbing the dry sand between his hands. Rushing through this place, being embroiled in conflict … It was likely that some of the dirt would also cling to their robes, right?
With a smile, he made sure that the hem of his robe was dirtied while the rest was covered in a faint layer of dust. Looking up from where he was squatting, he saw that Yang Wu Huang had almost finished things. Di Huan Bo's robe was ripped apart in several places, blood flowing down his limbs and gathering in a puddle at his feet. He looked wretched.
Ao Jing got up from the ground and stepped next to Yang Wu Huang, taking a look at him. "I think this should be enough, right?"
Yang Wu Huang gave those junior martial brothers of his a once over and then nodded. "You're right. It should still be obvious that we made it out since both our cultivation levels were higher than those of his attackers. If he was too gravely wounded, it would likely also draw suspicion."
He put away his sword and then took a closer look at Ao Jing, seeing that he had done quite a bit to make sure he also looked like there had been a fight. Giving him a faint smile, Yang Wu Huang followed his example while keeping in mind that he was the one with the highest cultivation base. In the end, the three really looked as if they had gone through a rough time.
Yang Wu Huang brushed through his hair with his fingers, scattering a few strands before he motioned towards where Mei Chao Bing's group was headed. "Alright, we should be prepared well enough now. Let's go and meet up with them. We definitely can't lag behind too much or it would become too obvious what is going on. Mei Chao Bing isn't an idiot."
Ao Jing nodded and the two of them set off. Di Huan Bo watched them and winced but still rushed after them a moment later. Anyway, it had already happened. While he wasn't happy, there was no way to change it anymore.