Broken Clue! . . .
The chilling sounds of slaps reverberated through the fiery chaos below—six resonant strikes, each connecting with a different man's face. The sheer force of these blows obliterated their heads into an unrecognizable mass of flesh and bone, leaving them no time to utter a final exclamation. In an instant, six lives were extinguished.
The instigator of this gruesome act, the old man, harbored a grim determination. He couldn't bear the notion of enduring humiliation alone. Instead, he chose to lead his six subordinates into the abyss. The survival of their grand scheme rested in his resolve. No secrets could be allowed to leak from their lips, not even his own. With steely determination, he destroyed all the space rings belonging to his underlings and obliterated his own belongings, including the trusty weapon that had accompanied him for countless years.
However, his paranoia lingered, driving him to desecrate the corpses of his fallen comrades and consign them to the fiery inferno, leaving no remnants for Zhan Yunfei to investigate. Every moment counted as he swiftly executed these actions, but it was insufficient to avoid detection. The energy fluctuations generated when he dispatched his subordinates and obliterated the space rings did not go unnoticed by Zhan Yunfei.
Instantaneously, Zhan Yunfei bellowed, swiftly soaring towards the old man, his sword glinting with iridescent brilliance, his gaze intense and unrelenting. He was closing in on the old man with ferocity.
Despite the inevitable outcome, the old man offered a wan smile, acknowledging Zhan Yunfei's determination and the efficacy of his plan. He reveled in the fact that Zhan Yunfei would never uncover the identities of their organization. He emphasized that Zhan Yunfei was wasting his precious time on a futile endeavor.
Without a moment's hesitation, the old man channeled all his power into a devastating palm strike to his own face. The resulting impact mimicked the roar of thunder—a testament to the formidable strength he possessed as a Dao Origin Stage cultivator.
The forceful blow disintegrated his entire body, including his head. The remnants of his form cascaded like viscous mud to the ground, resulting in an unrecognizable heap of flesh and bone. The only identifiable fragment left intact was the arm, the very same arm that had served as the instrument of his demise.
In an act of detachment, Zhan Yunfei swept up the severed arm, brandishing it atop his sword as he made his return. When he met up with Xiao Mufei and the others, he dramatically cast the arm to the ground.
"Come and examine this closely," Zhan Yunfei urged. "Search for any distinguishing mark—a birthmark, perhaps, or a mark that might indicate a particular martial art style."
The girl Rongrong, still reeling from the shock of her first assassination mission, couldn't help but exclaim in fear. Though she was in the early stages of her career as an assassin, the sight of a broken, bloodied arm left her trembling.
Xiao Mufei and his companions diligently inspected the dismembered limb, scrutinizing every crevice, searching for a hint, a trace, anything that might offer a clue.
Zhan Yunfei, then, approached Cha Eun Xiao and questioned him, "Chongxiao, did you throw those two stones?"
Astonished by the inquiry, Cha Eun Xiao responded, "How did you know? Were you also monitoring our actions?"
Zhan Yunfei shook his head. "No, I didn't have the opportunity to do so. However, the stones you threw were distinct. If anyone else had been responsible, they wouldn't have been as unremarkable or small. So, to answer your question, I'm not teasing you. I'm offering you the recognition you deserve."
With a touch of playful sarcasm, he added, "What more do you want me to say?"
Zhan Yunfei's praise resonated with Cha Eun Xiao, who was genuinely surprised by the recognition. He tentatively rubbed his nose and inquired, "But how did you manage to procure so much kerosene? Where did you find it?"
Zhan Yunfei responded with an air of arrogance, "I liberally borrowed it from a nearby sect. The kerosene was theirs for the taking. And when I realized it wasn't enough, I helped myself to some of their rapeseed oil."
The shock on Cha Eun Xiao's face was evident. "Did you at least pay for it?" he inquired.
Zhan Yunfei's response was punctuated by a look of incredulity. "Pay for it?" he exclaimed, as though Cha Eun Xiao's question were preposterous. "Why would I bother?"
With that, Zhan Yunfei nonchalantly strolled away, his hands clasped behind his back, leaving Cha Eun Xiao at a loss for words.
As the group celebrated their victory, it was apparent that they had gleaned no significant clues about the clandestine organization. Despite a lengthy examination of the severed arm, nothing of value emerged. Zhan Yunfei ultimately claimed the limb, opting to return it to the sect in the hopes that their experts might uncover something useful, though he harbored little optimism.
Their journey back to the sect was relatively uneventful, but Cha Eun Xiao couldn't shake a sense of discomfort. Since Zhan Yunfei and his entourage had joined them, Cha Eun Xiao had become effectively tethered to the group, unable to venture far on his own.
Zhan Yunfei's unwavering vigilance persisted throughout the journey. For more than twenty hours a day, his keen scrutiny never wavered. Cha Eun Xiao dared not broach the subject, nor could he fathom how to communicate his unease. To say, "Please stop watching me, it's disconcerting," seemed impossible, particularly given that Zhan Yunfei monitored him through spiritual means. How could Cha Eun Xiao convey to a Dao Origin Stage cultivator of level eight that he found such scrutiny unnerving?
What made Cha Eun Xiao exceptional, and why was Zhan Yunfei watching him so intently? These questions weighed heavily on his mind, and they represented a conundrum he was eager to unravel.
Eventually, as they approached the sect's gate, an exhalation of relief swept through the group. However, their optimism was swiftly dampened. One by one, they realized that the sect's entrance had been sealed, hidden from view by an impenetrable veil of clouds and fog.
Surveying the ethereal shroud, Cha Eun Xiao discerned nothing beyond it. Although the gate was undoubtedly present, it remained cloaked in an impenetrable enigma, beyond the reach of both ordinary sight and spiritual perception.
Before Cha Eun Xiao could voice his observations, Zhan Yunfei took the lead, leading the group into the misty unknown. It was as if they were walking on solid ground, progressing higher into the cloud cover with each step. Despite their ascent, the landscape remained obscured by the ever-present clouds, an ethereal realm that seemed closer to heaven than earth.
With no visible terrain or landmarks, Cha Eun Xiao followed his companions cautiously, his feet treading on something substantial beneath the mysterious veil. Yet, no matter how high they ascended, the elusive sect gate remained elusive, completely shrouded from both sight and spiritual awareness.