Chapter 208 - A Deep Web

"Ah…ah…," A woman sat down while panting heavily. She was injured everywhere. 

"He was too strong, I thought I could handle him for at least a little while more, but he handled me like nothing. But I did manage to hold him to get you enough time to kill Yang Zhai. And yet, you did not manage to kill him, he is just a rank 2 cultivator, and you still could not kill him. Anyway, where were you when Chen Meer was fighting Yang Zhai?" The woman asked a man who was beside her.

Both of them were the same who had attacked Yang Zhai and Zihao De.

"We tried to kill him, but he managed to protect himself against us. Also, he shouted for Yang Zhai to run away. So, to not take any chances, I went in the direction he shouted, as I got confused about whether he was Yang Zhai or not. But, I still looked at him while leaving, and I saw that he was scared the moment I left in the direction he shouted in. After seeing his scared expression, I was even more convinced that Yang Zhai might be in the direction he shouted in." The man said. He managed to stay alive because he had left before Zihao De came to help Yang Zhai.

It could be said that he was saved because of Yang Zhai's lie.

"You fool, he lied to you. I had told you before going there that you must kill Yang Zhai in a few breaths, and we would leave after this. Not only did you not manage to kill him, but you were also fooled by him."

"He is a rank 2 cultivator, I thought that Chen Meer would be able to handle him without me."

"But he proved out to be strong, right?"

"Yeah, he is stronger than he seems."

"Are you sure that he was a rank 2 cultivator?"

"Yes, I am. Even though he was a little stronger, his aura was sure of rank 2. Even his power and techniques were of rank 2." The man spoke with certainty.

"If he was, then why did you fail?!" The woman asked the man.

"Not sure. Maybe, because we did not have enough time." 

"You did not have enough time?! You were two, and you only had to kill a rank 2 cultivator, and you still say that you did not have enough time, are you playing around with me?" 

….. 

Meanwhile, 

"So, Yang Zhai was also attacked." Tai Qi muttered. 

In front of him were Zihao De, Shu Ti, Yang Zhai, and Si Kim. 

"Also?" Zihao De asked with confusion. 

"Yes, Si Kim was also attacked, but elder Shu Ti protected him. Not just Si Kim, but a few of our elders and disciples got attacked as well. Fortunately, no elder died, but seven disciples were killed in today's attack. What's even worse is that we have no evidence as to who attacked us. Most likely, it can be the Ma clan, but there's also a chance that someone else might be trying to start a conflict between the Ma clan and us. Therefore, we cannot consider the Ma clan as the culprit unless we have some strong evidence." Tai Qi spoke. 

"So, what do we do now?" 

"For now, wait. We will decide what to do after the final round of the competition. Before that, try to collect as much information as possible. Also, Yang Zhai and Si Kim, you two will stay with me in my residence, we can't take any chances with your lives. " Tai Qi looked at Yang Zhai and Si Kim and ordered. 

A secret web has already started, and even I am not spared. Once someone is stuck on this web, nothing can free that person except for himself. I had stepped into this myself when I came to this world. My first step was also my involvement in this, then my first kill after returning back to the past had pulled me into this even deeper. But, let this web trap everyone and then be connected to them through this web: Yang Zhai thought. 

Nobody was completely sure as to who was the attacker this time. But, everyone still suspected the Ma clan.

….. 

After two weeks,

"Clan leader, we were attacked once again. The Death Warrant was involved this time as well." A servant entered the hall and informed the Ma clan leader. 

There were also many other elders sitting in the hall. 

"Hmm, Death Warrant. We can't take this matter lightly. Even though the Death Warrant is still at rank 1 and there are not many losses, if this continues, we will incur a great loss. If it was any other treasure, I would not worry so much, but the treasure we are talking about is the Death Warrant. If we allow it to go on like this, our whole clan would be massacred, we must deal with this properly." Wan Liu's expression was serious. He looked at the elders around him and spoke. 

"Give me all the information related to the Death Warrant. And if I recall correctly, don't the Bai clan also have one?" Wan Liu asked Jun Nie. 

"Yes, clan leader, they do have one. But I heard that it was given to Yang Zhai, and then it was also broken in the middle of a fight." Jun Nie said after pondering. 

….. 

After two days, 

"So, what do you want to say?" Tai asked a man who was sitting in front of him. 

The man's name was Osu Ke. He was sent by the Ma clan to the Bai clan for investigation. 

"As I mentioned previously, we got attacked by someone continuously, and by the Death Warrant at that. And as you also have a Death Warrant, the Clan leader sent me here to ask you about your opinions." 

Osu Ke made sure to be respectful to Tai Qi. This was the reason he said that the Ma clan wanted Tai Qi's opinion instead of that the Ma clan suspected the Bai clan. The game of the higher-ups was too dangerous, even a single word could be used by them to start a war. Of course, everything depended on the benefits. If a war did not benefit the higher-ups, they could even endure their humiliation. Osu Ke was aware of this game and this was the reason that he was sent by the Ma Clan to investigate. 

"So, you suspect us." 

"No, Bai clan leader, I did not mean that, you clearly have a misunderstanding. I only wanted to ask your opinion. After all, your clan also has a Death Warrant, so you might be able to help us by telling us its uses. It would be even better if I could see how a Death Warrant looks like, it would be very helpful to the Ma clan. " Osu Ke indirectly asked Tai Qi to show him whether the Bai clan's Death Warrant was still in the Bai clan's treasury. And even if it was in the treasury, to what rank did it belong? 

"Sigh, elder Ke, you are too late. If you had arrived a month ago, you would have been able to see it, but I am afraid you can't do this anymore. The Death Warrant that we had was chosen by Yang Zhai, and broke in a fight three weeks ago, beyond repair." Tai Qi heaved a long sigh and shook his head. 

"So it's true. I heard the rumor about it three weeks ago, but I did not take it seriously. But it seems that sometimes the rumors are also true." 

I did not take it seriously and that sometimes rumors can also be true was an indication that he did not believe what Tai Qi said.

How can it be a coincidence that the Bai clan's Death Warrant broke right before our clan was attacked with the Death Warrant? Do they take us as fools: Osu Ke pondered inwardly. 

Even though he was thinking this inwardly, he did not dare to say it out loud. 

 

!*****!*****!