Yaxue picked up the letters one by one and read them.
Knowing Yaxue's dislike for reading, the last page probably contained a summary.
Yaxue knew this and only pretended to read the front pages, focusing on the last page.
"So."
He spoke and tossed the letter to Peizong.
"A brat from the Gu family."
"That's right..."
"Gu family, isn't that the bastard's clan?"
"Yes, it's the Shanxi Gu family where Haoxie is."
"Haoxie... fuck."
A few days ago, the person who burned his subordinates to death was from the Gu family.
No wonder he used fire techniques so rarely; it made sense now.
"Gu Chelyun."
Yaxue smiled, recalling the name.
Gu Chelyun was known as Haoxie in the righteous faction and had another name in the evil faction.
Yan Gui (炎鬼), Yan E (炎惡).
A cruel warrior who burned people alive with blazing fire.
The bodies of those burned by his hands could probably form a small mountain.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I confirmed that he is currently staying as a guest at Huashan Sect."
"Huashan Sect, why would the Gu family's brat come here?"
It would take a long time to travel from Shanxi to here. Why would Gu Chelyun's son come here?
"Perhaps because there is a descendant of the Gu family among Huashan's disciples."
I had heard of it before, but it wasn't important enough to remember.
"So, do you have a plan to capture him?"
"..."
Peizong couldn't answer Yaxue's question.
At the level of the Gu family's direct lineage, it wasn't easy to meddle.
Capturing a Huashan disciple required a much more systematic and detailed plan.
With the boy being part of Huashan, there was no immediate solution.
"...Fuck, of all the families, it has to be the Gu family."
It was easier to gather information because it was the Gu family, but there were problems in handling it.
The head of the family's direct lineage, especially the only son, if something went wrong without a plan...
"...Gu Chelyun might move personally."
This was also why he had to put in all his efforts to ensure no traces were left when capturing the disciple.
While this part was under the command of the main palace, the Gu family was different.
"How should we do this...?"
His dry throat gulped.
He had to find a way somehow.
Otherwise, his neck would be cut by that pig.
Yaxue laughed, echoing through the cave.
"Kid, I was just joking, don't make that face."
He chuckled.
Peizong clenched his fist with his remaining arm, out of Yaxue's sight.
Fuck, bastard.
"Alright, let's say the Gu family's brat is like that, what about Shen Yi?"
"..."
"That's it."
"The writing on the paper isn't certain, right? It's just a guess that he's in that barrier, Peizong."
"Shen Yi was reported to have arrived in Shanxi, and based on the traces, I believe Huashan Sect is involved."
"So."
"Based on the last known location and the traces that seem to have been deliberately erased... I suspect Shen Yi is currently inside the barrier created by Mei Huaxian."
The information from the main palace stated that Shen Yi was in Shanxi and should be captured and kept underground.
Based on the information Peizong gathered, the only place Shen Yi could be was the barrier where he had encountered the Gu family.
"So, it's just a guess, Peizong."
Peizong closed his mouth, knowing Yaxue was right.
"Is it certain that the barrier was created by Mei Huaxian?"
"Based on the level of the barrier, I believe only Mei Huaxian in Shanxi can create it."
"That's just a guess, you useless brat."
"..."
There was not enough information to find anything in such a short time.
However, the area near the barrier was where the former leader of Huashan retired and lived.
Who else could create such a barrier besides Mei Huaxian?
"Peizong."
"Yes, Branch Leader..."
"If this is wrong, you'll really die, got it?"
"...I understand."
He would have died anyway if he hadn't completed the task in four days.
Peizong knew Yaxue's despicable personality well.
"Hmm... Sending kids would be useless, I'll have to go myself, right?"
"..."
"I don't understand... There are no guards watching?"
"At least, none that I can see."
If Shen Yi was inside the barrier, it would be normal to have a few disciples watching.
Perhaps this was Mei Huaxian's arrogance.
Or he believed he could appear whenever there was a problem, or that the barrier couldn't be broken.
Indeed, a few disciples at Peizong's level couldn't break the barrier.
Ultimately, only Yaxue could break it.
Yaxue slowly stood up, gripping his sword.
A fierce aura immediately spread around.
Unlike his violent aura, Yaxue's expression was indifferent.
He didn't like complicated things.
If he didn't know, he could just break it and see.
That was Yaxue's nature.
Peizong cautiously spoke.
"As soon as the barrier breaks... Mei Huaxian might move, Branch Leader."
Yaxue's expression twisted.
"Kid, why do you keep explaining? If I break it and there's an old man inside, I'll capture him. Do you think I can't understand that? Or are you giving me orders?"
"No...!"
Yaxue swallowed the remaining scorpion and spoke to Peizong.
"Tell the kids to just keep an eye on the Gu family's brat."
"Yes...? What are you planning...?"
"If you're scared of that Yan Gui bastard, you can't work here."
Yaxue laughed softly, as if imagining something amusing.
He quickly regained his composure and looked at Peizong.
The dark clouds in his eyes made Peizong shiver.
"If I go and find nothing, Peizong... you know, right?"
"Yes, Branch Leader."
Yaxue patted Peizong's shoulder with his giant hand and walked towards the cave entrance, sword in hand.
Peizong, watching him, felt his strength drain and eventually sat down.
He had to find a way to survive somehow.
Gulinghua, who had been practicing with her sword until dawn, woke up in the sunlight.
Her body felt tired, as if she hadn't slept much, but she got up without hesitation.
"Ugh!"
She stumbled from the pain in her hand when she tried to get up.
Her hand was scabbed from overusing it, ignoring her injury from the previous night.
She carefully washed it with water and changed the bandage.
The process was quite painful, but Gulinghua gritted her teeth and endured it.
After changing the bandage, she changed her clothes.
Fortunately, there were a few sets of clothes in the hut where her master used to live before going to Shen Yi.
After washing her face and changing, she stepped outside.
Gulinghua, who had been half hoping for this day to come again, felt good as she walked.
As she descended the mountain, she saw the disciples training in groups.
Gulinghua watched them for a moment and then changed her path to avoid them.
She didn't want to meet them.
They probably felt the same way.
As she walked, she saw the residence where Ouyang Chuan was staying.
Thinking of Nangong Bia, she considered visiting for a moment but didn't act on it.
She was grateful for the help, but they weren't that close.
She just glanced and continued walking.
It didn't take long to reach the bottom of the mountain.
Passing through the bustling streets preparing for the festival, the smell of food from various stalls made her stop.
She hadn't eaten much for several days.
Perhaps because she had been skipping meals under the pretext of training, she finally couldn't resist and bought a few skewers from a passing stall.
She thought of the times she had eaten with her master.
"Can he eat it?"
She had bought them out of hunger, but now she wondered.
He might be making porridge, and bringing these might be a burden to him.
If she had known this before, it would have been better.
She still lacked maturity.
Perhaps because of these thoughts, her stomach was still hungry, but her appetite was gone.
She eventually gave the skewers to a passing child.
The money was a waste, but she couldn't eat them and didn't want to throw them away, so this was better.
"...Eating together is better."
She would rather eat porridge with her master than enjoy a delicious meal alone.
Thinking this, she ran for a long time.
Despite her tired body, the thought of seeing her master strangely didn't make her feel tired.
The heavy and suffocating feeling in her chest gradually eased as she got closer.
"A little faster!"
There were so many things she wanted to tell her master in just a few days.
From the duel with Nangong Bia, the guidance in the form of a duel, to Ouyang Chuan's appearance to save her.
She thought her master would surely smile as she told these stories one by one.
After running for a long time, she finally saw the hut in the distance.
Seeing a slight smoke from the hut, it seemed that Shen Yi's grandson was cooking.
Gulinghua was about to run up with a bright smile when someone grabbed her shoulder.
"Ah!"
She screamed and stumbled. Something brushed past her flying hair.
Crack!
Because it brushed past, one side of Gulinghua's hair was cut off.
Next to her, the person who had grabbed her shoulder was sitting.
"...Sister?"
The culprit was Nangong Bia, who was staring straight ahead with a tense face.