"Oh! Did you find something else as well?" Inquired Qian Fa. His interest was already piqued.
"Not anything particular, but I saw a seal-type mark on the inner wall of the cave. I don't know what that was, so I left it as it was."
"You did well, Yang Zhai. It might have been a trap or something. However, we should still go and check it out. Can you bring me to that cave?"
If only entering the cave could give Yang Zhai this much of an advantage that his rank seems lower than it is, then there's a chance that it might be hiding something good as well. There's also a chance that I might find an inheritance there. Even if I don't, just the fact that I can hide my true strength is enough of an advantage: these were Qian Fa's thoughts.
He was smiling when he thought of this.
Yang Zhai saw this and also smiled, knowing that the arrow had struck the target.
"But brother Qian, can I ask you about something?"
Yang Zhai said with reluctance.
"What is it? Qian Fa was confused.
"Brother, can you activate your vines armor once again for me? It was really impressive and I have been wanting to see it again ever since then!" He spoke with excitement. It was clearly visible in his eyes.
"Oh, Just that? why not?"
Qian Fa didn't hesitate. After all, his armor was being praised and it wasn't that big of a request. He activated his ire with a smile and vines started to appear around his whole body. They covered him completely.
He didn't make them appear around his face though.
"So, how is it? Impressive, right? It's my favorite as well."
Sure, he is still a rank 3 cultivator and used essence water to activate the ire. I can be fine now and move along the plan: Yang Zhai thought.
He just wanted to make sure that Qian Fa was still a rank 3 peak stage cultivator and hadn't reached rank 4. This was the reason he had asked Qian Fa to activate his armor.
If Qian Fa turned out to be a rank 4 cultivator, then he would have to avoid Qian Fa. Otherwise, he would not just be putting his life in danger but there would also be no benefit.
"Yang Zhai, now attack me with a rank 2 technique." Now, it was Qian Fa's turn to find out if Yang Zhai was lying or not.
"Are you sure, brother?" Yang Zhai asked.
"It's fine, I am wearing a rank 3 ire, so you can't hurt me. Just go ahead and attack me with your full strength."
"Fine."
Yang Zhai said this and activated an earth path technique. A dust stone appeared in the air and shot towards Qian Fa.
Qian Fa didn't dodge and let the duststone hit him.
Even though the aura of the technique he activated appeared to be that of rank 2 mid-stage, its strength unquestionably matched that of rank 2 peak stage: reflected Qian Fa and said,
"You have indeed reached the rank 2 peak stage."
He was now sure that Yang Zhai was already a rank 2 peak stage cultivator and wasn't lying.
Yang Zhai activated a rank 2 technique and ensured it maintained its strength precisely at the peak stage, neither more nor less.
"Yang Zhai, let's discuss this matter somewhere more private, follow me."
After saying this, Qian Fa began to walk. Yang Zhai followed him closely.
He could see that greed had washed over Qian Fa.
"So, you should be aware that the elders have already dealt with the enemy cultivators waiting outside the village. Many have run and few have died. Some are also hiding in the forest. But as the elders are looking for them, also using the detection methods, they won't be able to hide for long."
"After the academy leaders return, the clan will for sure go for the inheritance place, this is when we will have the chance to go there. As both clans will be fighting to occupy that place, almost more than half of our cultivators will go there. After all, it might open anytime, so the first ones there will get the inheritance." Qian Fa analyzed proudly.
He was showing off as a senior in front of Yang Zhai. Of course, Yang Zhai had already speculated this, but he didn't interrupt Qian Fa. As Qian Fa was a potential future aspect, he definitely knew more about the clan's strategy than Yang Zhai.
"Senior brother, when will that be?" Yang Zhai asked.
"If I am not wrong, in about four days, they should return. The Ma clan did not attack us with rank 5 elders, so they definitely know that attacking us blindly would be foolish. So, their target will definitely be the inheritance," said Qian Fa.
Whenever a war was fought, there would be a place where it happened, it didn't matter whether it was in someone's home or an open field. Even though the Ma clan attacked the Bai clan, the battlefield was not this village.
As for why the Ma clan didn't attack all at once with the other clans, Yang Zhai had his doubts.
It could be possible that the other clans were not satisfied with the Ma clan's point of view. But as the inheritance is involved, they might have sent half of their forces half-heartedly. It's evident from how the Ma clan even invited the separated cultivators. If they had a few clans on their side, why would they even invite the separate cultivators? So, half of the cultivators the other clans sent might have been sent here by the Ma clan to disrupt the Bai clan. The rank 5 cultivators they recruited were sent to attack Tai Qi, the only rank 5 the Bai clan had in the Ma clan's eyes: these were all Yang Zhai's thoughts.
Otherwise, it would have been foolish to alert the Bai clan instead of directly attacking with their complete forces and annihilating them. While not easy, it was possible. Recruiting three to four clans would provide around five to six rank 5 cultivators. So, why didn't they do it? The answer was obvious.
Yang Zhai had his thoughts, but still listened to Qian Fa.
"After a week, meet me here. We will go and investigate the cave. In return, I will give you 100 low-grade essence stones. What do you say?" said Qian Fa.
He wasn't afraid of Yang Zhai at all. What could a rank 2 cultivator do to him? He didn't even for a second think that Yang Zhai was a rank 3 cultivator. After all, Yang Zhai had just become a cultivator about a year ago. Yang Zhai had already proven to him that he was a rank 2 peak stage cultivator, not mid-stage. So, he was fully prepared to go there with Yang Zhai the moment he got a chance.
…..
Time is a thing that entertains worldly affairs. A fear that scares the greatest of kings. It's speed, so fast that even the world feels unreal to have existed for so long.
When someone asked a man 'How long did you live in the world?', the answer came 'for about a day or two', few answered 'not even that'.
Six days passed, and the day came when the barrier around the village was about to be dispersed. The academy leaders and Elder Jen Wung had already returned the previous day.
"Elder Jen Wung, are you sure that there's nobody around the village in the area of ten miles?" Tai Qi asked Jen Wung
"Yes, clan leader. I even went out of the village this morning and searched the area with my observation methods and found nobody within the area of a ten-mile radius. Even though I didn't go beyond that, I am sure the elders cleaned the forest of any enemy cultivators within the previous days." replied Elder Jen Wung.
"Very well, then remove the barrier." Tai Qi signals to nearby cultivators and the barrier on this side of the village begins to disperse.
When the cultivators from the other side see this, they also react and start to remove the barrier. The orders had already reached them about an hour ago that the barrier would be dispersed as per the clan leader's orders.
Everyone is looking at this from their houses, ready to run at a moment's notice.
Yang Zhai is also looking at this from outside an inn, his arms folded.
Today will be the day when it will be decided whether the Bai clan's village will become a battle territory or not. If it does happen, then many of the Bai clan elders will also go for the Ma clan with other clans' cultivators and attack them as planned.
In return, the Bai clan will be giving each clan many gifts along with a share in the inheritance.
They have to remove the barrier as they aren't able to burn so many resources for just a barrier. Thousands upon thousands of essence stones go to waste to keep the barrier.
About a minute later, there is no barrier to be seen surrounding the village.
There were many cultivators of other clans standing near the Bai clan elders.
The academy leader brought half of the cultivators they recruited back with them. Half of them were directly going for the inheritance place.
"Get ready!"
As the barrier disperses, many of the rank 4 cultivators start to run. These cultivators were going to the inheritance place.
Only one side will win, the other side will end up annihilated, be it the Bai clan or the Ma clan.
"In my previous life, the war started by Jun Nie by killing his son went on for years. The clans involved were only the Bai clan and the Ma clan. This was the reason the war kept on going for years. After many years, the inheritance opened. The battlegrounds were the two clans' villages,"
"However, this time around, it has extended beyond the borders of the two mountains, involving many clans. The pace at which this war is progressing is also too fast. The battleground has changed to the inheritance place," Yang Zhai was contemplating when he heard a voice from behind.
He turns around and sees Qian Fa.
/!*****!*****!/