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The elder and his companions noticed Su Yi too, and they were instantly on guard.
Night was fast approaching, and this far in, Oxhorn Mountain was a dangerous place. What ordinary person would dare come here on his own?
Furthermore, although Su Yi looked young, his bearing was extraordinary; he obviously wasn’t just some mountain-dwelling wildman.
“All of you, be careful,” the elder transmitted in a deep voice.
The four youths' hearts clenched. It was only after Su Yi disregarded them and continued ahead that they gradually started to relax.
Suddenly, the only woman among them couldn’t help but say, “Young Lord, the mountains up ahead are home to a Fire-Maned Golden-Horned Panther. It’s dangerous!”
Her clear, crisp voice emanated from afar.
Su Yi was a bit stunned. This girl’s actually quite kindhearted!
He waved without so much as turning his head, “Nothing to worry about.”
His voice still rang out, but his tall, lean figure was already disappearing from view.
“Junior Apprentice Sister Xiaohe, he’s nothing but a stranger, and one of suspicious origins at that. Why bother warning him?” rebuked a youth in indigo.
The young woman was quite young, roughly seventeen or eighteen. She said in embarrassment, “Senior Apprentice Brother, I was just a bit worried
.”
The elder in ornate robes smiled. “Enough. Xiaohe, you needn’t explain. That youth most likely isn’t a villain.”
“Martial Uncle, it’s getting late, but the Fire-Maned Golden-Horned Panther’s territory is up ahead. If we want to stop at Roiling Cloud Temple, I’m afraid we’ll have to go around,” a young man in gold said gravely.
“There’s no harm in going around. Let’s go.” As the elder spoke, he already started leading the three youths ahead.
Four hours later.
They finally traversed Oxhorn Mountain and arrived at a stretch of low hills. There were a few cliffs and ridges, but it wasn’t particularly dangerous.
“Martial Uncle, Roiling Cloud Temple is up ahead. It’s been in ruins for over a decade, and it’s no longer inhabited. We can spend the night inside, then resume our journey in the morning.” The young man in gold pointed at a distant hill and smiled.
When they heard this, the others’ spirits improved. Finding a place to spend the night out in the wilderness was rare indeed.
“Come on then, let’s go.” The elder in ornate robes relaxed too.
He was leading this group of disciples on a journey, but the road had been harsh and treacherous, and they’d been tense the entire time.
Especially earlier, when they came perilously close to encountering the Fire-Maned Golden-Horned Panther. Although, in the end, nothing happened, the elder felt mentally exhausted.
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At a time like this, getting a good night’s rest was paramount.
Before long, the group reached the top of the hill and saw the run-down Daoist temple built there.
There was a courtyard attached, but the entire place was in disrepair. It had obviously been abandoned for years, and it was overgrown with weeds. The walls had collapsed, the eaves were broken, and the gate was rotten and full of holes. It looked rather desolate.
“Eh? It seems there’s already someone inside,” exclaimed the youth in indigo. He could tell at a glance that there was a bonfire blazing in the temple’s main hall. The firelight shone through the window, and it stood out against the darkness of the night sky.
“Be careful.” The ornate-robed elder narrowed his eyes and led the way inside.
As soon as they entered the main hall, they saw a wicker chair placed beside the bonfire. A young man in blue sat there, dozing off.
The elder recognized him at a glance; it was the same youth they’d encountered not long ago. He couldn’t help but find this surprising.
The others then noticed Su Yi too. Miss Xiaohe exclaimed, “So it was you! Young Lord, you
 You didn’t encounter the Fire-Maned Golden-Horned Panther? You’re really lucky!”
Su Yi opened his eyes and laughed. “No, it’s the dirty beast that got lucky.”
The young woman was briefly stunned. Then, she realized the implications and smiled; it was obvious she thought he was joking.
“Young Lord, we meet again.” The elder in ornate robes gently clasped his fist. “Might we spend the night here too?”
Su Yi shook his head. “I urge you to leave this place.”
This response caught the elder off guard.
The young man in the indigo shirt furrowed his brow in displeasure. “Roiling Cloud Temple has been in disrepair for years, and it has no owner. Who are you to monopolize the place?”
Su Yi glanced at him, but he didn’t get angry. He just said, “Any other time, I’d let you do as you please, but staying here tonight will be far too dangerous for you.”
The young man in the indigo shirt laughed coldly. “Dangerous? Could it be more dangerous than encountering a Fire-Maned Golden-Horned Panther?”
It was obvious that he didn’t believe it; he figured Su Yi was just making up excuses to keep this place for himself.
“If this place is so dangerous, why would you stay here?” The young man in gold laughed too; he was quite displeased with Su Yi’s attitude.
Su Yi shook his head. “If you want to stay, go right ahead.” He then promptly shut his eyes.
However, this was clearly interpreted as a concession. The youth in indigo sneered.
The elder felt that something wasn’t quite right, but he was exhausted, so he didn’t say anything. He just followed the others inside, sat, and began meditating.
Meanwhile, the four youths built a fire of their own, took out meat and wine, and started eating.
“Young Lord, would you like some too?” Miss Xiaohe couldn’t help but ask.
Before Su Yi could respond, the young man in indigo frowned. “Junior Apprentice Sister Xiaohe, that guy only just tried kicking us out, yet you still plan on sharing our food with him? Ridiculous!”
He made no attempt to hide his words; it seemed he didn’t fear Su Yi overhearing them.
Miss Xiaohe sheepishly lowered her head.
When the young man in gold saw this, he couldn’t help but sigh. “Xiaohe, you’re inexperienced with worldly affairs and don’t know the darkness of the human heart. Remember: going forward, when you encounter strangers like this, especially out in the wilderness, you must not lower your guard.”
The girl couldn’t help but mutter, “But this young lord doesn’t seem like a bad person
.”
“He might not look evil, but you don’t know what’s in his heart. What do you know?” The young man in indigo laughed coldly. “Take what he said just now. He said this place is dangerous, so why isn’t he leaving? And why is it that I don’t sense the slightest trace of danger?”
He paused, then added, “Even if there is danger, Martial Uncle is a fourth-level Grandmaster. Surely he can protect us?”
The young man in gold said, “Junior Apprentice Brother Li Gui, say no more. Why waste so much energy on a stranger? Can’t you see that he has nothing else to say for himself?”
“That’s because he knows he’s in the wrong.” The young man in indigo, Li Gui, snorted coldly. “But you’re right. It’s truly not worth arguing with someone like him.”
Miss Xiaohe wanted to say something but hesitated. She felt her two senior apprentice brothers were being a bit overly imperious.
But it was then that she saw Su Yi silently open his eyes and look outside the hall. She instinctively followed his gaze and saw a sinister wind rustle the trees and grasses. The gates to the hall shook and creaked.
Everything blurred in front of her, and a lean figure strode inside.
It was a man in black robes, with fair skin and slightly sunken eyes. His gaze was icy and indifferent.
Shortly after he appeared, a terrifying, bloodthirsty energy spread out around him, almost extinguishing the bonfire. Even the air seemed to solidify.
Miss Xiaohe’s breathing stopped, and her face paled.
“Who are you!?” The seated elder instantly rose. When he saw the man in black, his entire body went rigid, and a chill coursed down his spine.
A Xiantian Martial Ancestor!
The other youths were stunned too. They crawled to their feet, their faces filled with terror.
Who is that man? Why is his aura so terrifying? Why is he here?
Wordless terror filled their hearts.
The elder in ornate robes took a deep breath, then clasped his fist in greeting. “Senior, this old man is called Wen Zhongyuan, and I’m from Lasting Peace Academy. I’m here leading several of our disciples on an expedition. Might I request your honorable name?”
He announced his name to prevent misunderstandings, but what made the elder feel rather awkward was that the man in black robes ignored him completely, as if he were deaf.
The man just walked right into the hall, swept his gaze across the group, then focused on the reclining Su Yi. He then sat cross-legged not far from him and smiled. “Young Lord Su, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Situ Gong. I apologize for disturbing your rest and humbly request your forgiveness.”
His aura was cold and bloodthirsty, and his smile was intimidating, but his words and tone were perfectly polite. The combination was rather strange.
When he heard the man’s name, the elder in ornate robes, Wen Zhongyuan, shook. His scalp went numb as he realized just two this was: the Bloody Butcher Knife, Situ Gong! One of the Ten Great Xiantian Martial Ancestors!
He was an expert of the older generation who’d long since gone into seclusion.
Many years ago, on a battlefield near the border, he’d used a single saber to slaughter an army of the ten thousand soldiers of the Great Wei, including over one hundred Grandmasters, becoming famous overnight.
The people of the Great Wei told tales of that ruthless massacre to this day!
And in the Great Zhou, Situ Gong was absolutely a famous, mighty expert!
Wen Zhongyuan would never have imagined that here, at night, in the middle of the wilderness, a lofty Xiantian Martial Ancestor like Situ Gong would show up!
His heart and mind shook, and when he next looked at Su Yi, his expression had changed completely; he’d have to be a complete idiot not to realize that Situ Gong was here for this blue-robed young man!
But Su Yi just sat there, perfectly at ease. “You aren’t the only one here tonight, are you?”
Situ Gong smiled faintly. “You’ve got keen eyes, Young Lord Su. I won’t hide it; against a peerless figure such as yourself, no Xiantian Martial Ancestor in the Great Zhou would dare be negligent. I’m certainly no exception. As such, I invited several friends to accompany me.”
“Oh?” said Su Yi, finally showing signs of interest. “In that case, why not have your friends come on out and say hello?”
Situ Gong burst into laughter, the sound shaking the hall. “What courage! But don’t be in such a hurry. Let me tell you why we’re here first.”
Su Yi raised his wine gourd and took a sip. “I’ve never liked wasting words. You’d best be direct; don’t waste my time.”
His tone was calm and casual, without the slightest politeness. It seemed he didn’t take even a terrifying expert like the Bloody Butcher Knife the least bit seriously.
Wen Zhongyuan’s eyes widened, and his jaw hung slack. As for the disciples accompanying him? They were completely dumbstruck.