"The fourth pillar, shadow guards' captain Shadow King, answers directly to His Majesty. He may even be around us right now!" Zhuge Changfeng's eyes shone.
Zhuo Fan and Leng Wuchang nodded.
Zhuo Fan had heard of this Shadow King. Unlike the first three pillars, the fourth was very secretive and never left a trace.
Secretive to the point that only the emperor in all of Tianyu knew his face. Coming and leaving like a shade, worthy of being called just that.
"Steward Zhuo!"
A charming voice caught Zhuo Fan's attention. Yun Shuang rushed towards him in worry as she pleaded, "Xiao Dongzi and the others are in danger. Please save them!"
Zhuo Fan knew that she was talking about her clan on its way to Blackwind Mountain. [But how did she know they're in danger?]
Yun Shuang answered his thoughts, "Intuition!"
"Holy Maiden can read fate, so her intuitions must be true." Zhuge Changfeng nodded.
Zhuo Fan sighed, "Then I'll go take a look outside the imperial capital. Gents, please see that Miss Shuang'er arrives at the Luo clan safely."
"Ha-ha-ha, nothing to worry about." Leng Wuchang and Zhuge Changfeng smiled.
Leng Wuchang frowned though, "Is Steward Zhuo going to fight his way out of the sealed imperial capital?"
"Ha-ha-ha, you're quite shrewd. I'm not that stupid to give the emperor an excuse!" Laughing, Zhuo Fan's right eye flashed golden and he poofed out of existence.
Leng Wuchang praised, "Zhuo Fan is a true freak, with freaky skills to boot. If he wants to leave town, no one will know."
"Ha-ha-ha, so true. How else would you have suffered at his tricks?" Zhuge Changfeng nodded.
Leng Wuchang flushed.
He gave Huangpu Tianyuan a word, then fulfilled his promise of escorting Yun Shuang to the Luo clan with Zhuge Changfeng. While he was at it, he made sure to investigate the Yun clan and Luo clan's ties.
He learnt that the High Priest left Yun Shuang in Zhuo Fan's care, to even assist him.
Leng Wuchang and Zhuge Changfeng shared a look and realized the High Priest's cause of death, [He crossed the line!]
What still eluded them though was why the High Priest was willing to give his life for the Luo clan?
"Oh, we're here. Thank you so much for escorting me." Yun Shuang bowed deeply.
The two returned the gesture, then Leng Wuchang asked, "Miss Yun Shuang, what will you be doing with the High Priest's body?"
"Oh, as gratitude for His Majesty's favor, grandfather will be laid to rest in the imperial cemetery!" Yun Shuang spoke, subdued.
Leng Wuchang sighed, "As it should be, although… Will the High Priest ever rest knowing his enemy will pose at his funeral all to look good in front of the people?"
"What?"
Yun Shuang shuddered, "Sir Leng, what did you say?"
"Oh, did I speak out too loud? Ha-ha-ha, sorry. I was only mumbling to myself. Just take it as if it never happened." Leng Wuchang played the fool.
Yun Shuang frowned, "There's no way. I clearly heard you say enemy. Do you know who killed my grandfather? Please tell me."
Yun Shuang looked at him in tears, holding Leng Wuchang's arm.
Leng Wuchang gave her a long look, but removed her hands with a sigh, "Forgive me, but I know nothing. It's best if you ask Steward Zhuo."
Leng Wuchang turned away, yet glee danced in his and Zhuge Changfeng's eyes when they met, leaving with one final bow.
Yun Shuang just stood there dazed, muttering to herself, "Ask Steward Zhuo… Does he know who killed grandfather?"
After Leng Wuchang caught up, Zhuge Changfeng shook his head, "Sir Leng, that wasn't very nice of you. Zhuo Fan helped you in the court yet now you are leaving him with a headache. With the Yun clan and Luo clan's close relationship, if Yun clan causes trouble, Luo clan will be dragged into it."
"Ha-ha-ha, oh please, Prime Minister Zhuge. Didn't Zhuo Fan say we're only saving our own skin? And we're still enemies, aren't we? I'm sure he would've done the same thing if he were me. With how everything's a stalemate, there will be someone who will stir the water, no matter how much neither of us wants to be the one in the limelight. And since someone has stirred up the pot, we all have much to look forward to, don't we?"
Zhuge Changfeng's eyes shone with joy as well…
Meanwhile, twenty miles out of the imperial capital. A throng of thousands of people was marching towards Windgaze City. Li Jingtian and the power couple were hovering above, ensuring their safety.
Among the cooling breeze and the sun glaring through the mountains, this trip felt like a scenic route.
It was then that the wind came down fast and hard, stirring the birds. The entire sky turned black in seconds.
Then came the wails, grating at people's minds.
"Humph, they're finally here!"
Li Jingtian snickered and his knuckles cracked, his eyes shining in excitement. A martial fanatic would start feeling moody if he didn't get his daily dose of brawl.
Qiu Yanhai and Xue Qingjian showed a wide grin as well. Fire and ice spread as they looked up at the encroaching darkness.
Wu~
The howling of ghosts announced the incoming black figures descending in droves.
They all wore black armor and black helmets that hid their faces. Only the thin slits in those helmets showed heavy gazes, the only sight in this world of black and shuddering cold. They were not human, but closer to asuras from hell.
With each of them wielding a half-a-meter-long curved blade, the image of demons was further engraved in the hearts of men.
Swallowing dryly, the mass of people fell back.
Although they had the numbers, these hundreds of black men released such an icy chill that it crumbled any notion of resistance.
Li Jingtian frowned, "These Profound Heaven experts aren't normal. They're about to act, be careful!"
"Tch, what can some weirdo Profound Heaven experts do? I refuse to believe there is a second freak like Zhuo Fan on this earth!"
Xue Qingjian snickered and shot forth. Qiu Yanhai was right behind her.
Only Li Jingtian just stood there, affixed on these interlopers' movements.
"Look out, it's the Luo clan's Ice and Fire Lords!" The calm voice turned everyone in black armor serious. They held their curved blades ready, the blue glint on their tips indicating poison.
On top of being a 4th-grade spiritual weapon, of course.
Not that Xue Qingjian had a mind to care. With a laugh, she shot a white ray from her hand.
Bang!
Dozens of black men were encased in one huge iceberg then and there. And the subsequent explosion made sure only pieces of them were left.
The black army fell back two steps, making Xue Qingjian laugh harder, "What did I tell you, they're only Profound Heaven. They're not worth a single blow!"
Qiu Yanhai laughed as well, sucking up to his bossy lass, "Lady's gaze is so sharp, seeing their bluff with one look. Unlike that scaredy-cat old Li, less than even a woman!"
He shot a fire dragon, resulting in an explosion that turned another batch of dozen black guys to ashes. Xue Qingjian covered up her sweet and charming giggle.
Yun clan eased up, knowing their safety was in the hands of three bodyguards. They will safeguard their journey to their new haven.
Li Jingtian twitched, ticked off by the happy couple, yet he just couldn't shake the feeling that these black guys were not the pushovers like they looked.
In confirmation to his suspicions, the black guys watched their own teammates fall like flies, yet all they did was to be on guard.
As endless crackling commenced, the three elders watched in horror as the bloody pieces of bodies Xue Qingjian blew up shook.
With a sinister energy signature, the pieces let out a black smoke, each black mass forming a humanoid shadow.
The shadows re-assembled as each of them picked up their curved blade. And just like when they arrived, they released the same creepy snicker.