"Uncle Ba, it's rather strange that such a prominent Wang Village has so few strong guardians!"
"Indeed, I find it odd as well. I initially expected it would take considerable effort to escape, but I never anticipated it would be this effortless," replied Ye Tian.
On the mountain path not far from Wang Village, two figures rode on horseback, Ye Tian and Ye Ba, who had just departed from Wang Village.
Upon learning of the covert alliance between Lin Village and Wang Village, Ye Tian and Ye Ba agreed that it was imperative to inform the village chief immediately, lest they face dire consequences later.
Thus, early this morning, before dawn had broken, they quietly slipped out of Wang Village.
Ordinarily, it would be impossible for the renowned Wang Village to allow them to leave unnoticed, but for some inexplicable reason, the village appeared unusually eerie today, with very few strong warriors in sight. Given Ye Tian and Ye Ba's strength, they managed to escape with surprising ease.
"Hm, this is fortuitous; it saves us time," Ye Tian nodded, though a sense of unease lingered in his heart.
Could it be that the killing of Lin Fei had been exposed?
Ye Tian pondered briefly before shaking his head. They had been alone in the tranquil woods outside Wang Village, with no other presence around. How could they possibly be discovered?
"Ye Tian, what's on your mind?" Ye Ba's voice interrupted Ye Tian's thoughts.
"Oh, nothing. Let's hasten our pace and return to Ye Village," Ye Tian replied, snapping back to the moment.
"Yes, indeed! How dare Lin Village secretly ally with Wang Village! Hmph!" Ye Ba nodded, and the two quickened their pace along the mountain path.
Meanwhile, at a courtyard within Wang Village, all of its elite warriors had gathered, including Wang Xu, Wang Tian, Wang Hong, and Wang Hu, surrounded by many other elite fighters. It was precisely because of their presence that Ye Ba and Ye Tian had managed to leave Wang Village unnoticed.
At that moment, Wang Xu and the others were examining a corpse that was missing its lower half. The tattered clothing was stained with blood, and it was only through some remnants of fabric that they could discern the identity of the deceased.
"Indeed, this is Lin Fei. I recognize his attire, and this pair of shoes is from our Wang Village," Wang Hu stated gravely after inspecting the half-corpse.
"Correct. I brought these shoes from Blood Jade City; there are only a few pairs, and I personally gifted this pair to Lin Fei," Wang Xu confirmed solemnly.
At this point, they had unequivocally identified the body as belonging to Lin Fei.
"Village Chief, can you discern how he met his end?" a nearby elder inquired respectfully.
The others turned their attention to Wang Xu. Just moments ago, they had all become aware of the secret alliance between Wang Village and Lin Village, making it clear how significantly Lin Fei's death would impact their strategic position.
After a moment's contemplation, Wang Xu surveyed the half-corpse on the ground, a flicker of insight crossing his eyes. "From the bite marks left by the beasts, it's evident they were merely ordinary creatures; they couldn't possibly have been a match for Lin Fei, a ninth-rank martial artist. Thus, he must have died first, only to be discovered and dismembered by these beasts afterward."
"Indeed, the Village Chief is correct. I concur. However, aside from these bite marks, there are hardly any other injuries to his lower half, making it difficult to determine how he actually died!" Wang Tian nodded in agreement.
Wang Xu remained silent, tacitly acknowledging this.
Wang Hu's gaze flickered with doubt. "Lin Fei was quite formidable. To kill him in Wang Village without anyone noticing, only the captain and the village chief could manage such a feat. Therefore, he certainly didn't die here but was likely killed in the woods. But why would he venture into the mountains?"
"I could easily kill him without anyone knowing!" Wang Hong coldly interjected, her voice cutting through the air.
Wang Hu forced a wry smile, not daring to counter her—she was not someone to provoke.
"Your analysis is astute!" Wang Xu regarded Wang Hu with a hint of appreciation, then his eyes sparkled with determination. "If I am not mistaken, Lin Fei must have lost trust in our Wang Village and sought a quiet place in the woods to consume a Zhu fruit and break through his limits. Unfortunately for him, he either encountered a powerful beast or was discovered by another strong individual, leading to his demise and robbery."
"What a fool, seeking his own death!" Wang Tian scoffed, his thoughts mirroring Wang Xu's.
"However, he did die in our Wang Village, and the people of Lin Village will not accept our explanation," Wang Hu furrowed his brow.
"Indeed, we must alter our plans. Wang Hong!" Wang Xu nodded and commanded sharply.
"Village Chief!" Wang Hong replied respectfully. In all of Wang Village, only Wang Xu had the authority to command her—not merely due to his strength, but because he had saved her life, compelling her obedience.
"Wang Hong, I need you to eliminate Ye Ba and the others." Wang Xu's gaze turned icy, his voice cold.
"Hmm?"
Wang Hong was momentarily taken aback.
Others looked at Wang Xu in astonishment, realizing that attempting to eliminate Ye Ba would simultaneously offend both Lin Family Village and Ye Family Village. Even if Wang Family Village ultimately triumphed over the two, they would likely suffer devastating losses, rendering any hope of unifying Baiyun Town virtually impossible.
"Wang Hu, you will take a team to Lin Family Village. Inform them that during the recent birthday banquet, Ye Feng secretly followed us, uncovered our alliance, and killed Lin Fei," Wang Xu continued, disregarding the crowd's astonishment.
Upon hearing this, Wang Tian was the first to react, his face filled with respect. "Your plan is brilliant, Village Head. While this may not convince Lin Family Village, it will sow seeds of doubt against Ye Family Village. At the very least, it will prevent them from uniting against us."
"Then we can deal with Ye Family Village first. The remaining threat from Lin Family Village will be minimal," Wang Xu coldly interjected.
The other strong members of Wang Family Village immediately expressed their admiration, acknowledging the Village Head's cunning strategy. Wang Hong and Wang Hu also found the plan feasible and promptly set off to execute it.
However, it wasn't long before Wang Hu rushed back, panic etched across his face.
"Not good, Village Head! That scoundrel Ye Ba has escaped."
Wang Xu, Wang Tian, and the others instantly darkened their expressions.
"He left ahead of schedule? If not for his cultivation level, he would be no match for Lin Fei. I would almost suspect he killed Lin Fei himself," Wang Tian exclaimed, astonished.
"Could it be that the Village Head's guess was right? Ye Feng secretly followed us, discovered our alliance with Lin Family Village, and then stealthily killed Lin Fei?" Wang Hu speculated.
Wang Xu was momentarily taken aback; this was merely a fabricated story he had concocted, one even he didn't truly believe. Yet now, with Ye Ba's premature departure from Wang Family Village, there must be some underlying reason.
After a moment's contemplation, Wang Xu inquired, "What about Wang Hong?"
"She has already mounted her Black Blood Horse and set off in pursuit. With its speed being ten times that of a regular horse, I'm confident that Ye Ba and the others won't be able to escape," Wang Hu quickly replied.
The Black Blood Horse, purchased by Wang Xu from Blood Jade City, was one of only four in Wang Family Village, each held by Wang Xu, Wang Tian, Wang Hu, and Wang Hong. Renowned for its remarkable speed, it reigned supreme among horses.
Hearing this, Wang Xu felt a wave of relief wash over him, but then turned to Wang Tian, commanding, "You should also ride a Black Blood Horse and give chase."
Wang Tian hesitated, asking, "Do you really believe Ye Feng is behind this?"
"Such a possibility cannot be ruled out!" Wang Xu replied coldly. He was meticulous in his actions, allowing no room for error. Although it was unlikely Ye Feng was present, having Wang Tian pursue Ye Ba would at least provide a measure of security.
"Understood! I'll leave at once!" Wang Tian nodded and departed.
Wang Hu also left to inform Lin Family Village, bringing along Lin Wudi. The poor boy, upon seeing the remains of Lin Fei's body, burst into inconsolable tears.
Meanwhile, Ye Ba and Ye Tian continued their swift journey towards Ye Family Village, oblivious to the fact that the warriors from Wang Family Village were already in pursuit. Ye Tian could hardly fathom that his hasty handling of Lin Fei's corpse would lead to such trouble.
Though he had buried Lin Fei, the lingering scent of blood had attracted fierce beasts, which then fought over the remains. Ultimately, someone passed by and discovered Lin Fei's body. Such a slim chance had, by coincidence, fallen upon Ye Tian.
Ultimately, this predicament stemmed from Ye Tian's recent surge in confidence due to his enhanced strength; otherwise, his inherent caution would have ensured proper disposal of Lin Fei's remains.
Suddenly, the sound of thundering hooves echoed from behind. With his keen senses, Ye Tian detected a chilling intent closing in on them.
"It's the vile Wang Hong!" Ye Ba exclaimed, turning abruptly, his expression shifting to one of alarm.
Not far behind them, an unattractive woman clad in red raced toward them atop a black horse, quickly closing the distance.
"Wang Hong? The vice-captain of the Beast Hunting Team from Wang Family Village, at the ninth level of martial arts," Ye Tian glanced back, nearly retching at her grotesque appearance.
"Wang Hong, what do you intend to do?" Ye Ba shouted angrily, his face taut with concern. Wang Hong's pursuit clearly bore ill intent.
"Why, I intend to kill you, of course. Do you think I'd invite you for a drink?" Wang Hong replied with a faint smile, yet her ugly visage twisted her expression into something menacing.
Ye Ba's heart sank, and he quickly turned to Ye Tian. "Ye Tian, she rides a Black Blood Horse, ten times faster than ours. You should flee; I'll hold her off."
He was prepared to fight desperately. No matter what, Ye Tian must not come to harm; after all, Ye Tian was the hope of Ye Family Village.
"Do you doubt my abilities, Uncle Ba?" Ye Tian replied incredulously. He had slain a peak ninth-level Purple Cloud Leopard; how could he fear Wang Hong? Moreover, he had just ascended to the ninth level of martial arts himself, with only Wang Xu posing a threat within Wang Family Village.
"It's not that I doubt your strength, but I fear that Wang Tian and the others might also be in pursuit. We've only just left Wang Family Village; if we delay here, we'll inevitably face an assault from their warriors," Ye Ba explained calmly.
"In that case, let's dispatch her swiftly!"
Upon hearing this, Ye Tian ceased his objections, turning his Tiger Head and charging toward Wang Hong.
"Ye Tian!" Ye Ba exclaimed, panic rising within him.