Lu Ye still remembered the first time he met Amber, when he met her amber-colored eyes, he felt a momentary daze.
After that, Amber didn't show much abnormal behavior until this time.
Yi Yi thought for a moment and said, "No." She then turned to ask, "Amber, do you know any spells?"
Amber made an "ah-wo" sound in response.
Yi Yi then said, "She says no."
The corners of Lu Ye's mouth twitched. He still couldn't figure out how Yi Yi communicated with Amber, able to judge the meaning of her words from her sounds, which was quite amazing.
It could only be said that this was Yi Yi's unique ability as a spirit companion.
Lu Ye didn't continue to press the matter; he had just asked out of curiosity.
After eating and drinking to his heart's content, Lu Ye began to practice, while Amber lay beside him, snoring loudly.
The night passed without incident.
At the Xuanmen base, Chu Tian, following Lu Ye's request, was collecting spirit pills and food from his fellow disciples. As a result, the news of Yeshanhu (Overmountain Tiger) leaving spread quickly.
Before dawn, Chu Tian began to contact Lu Ye, confirmed the location, and brought two junior disciples to meet Lu Ye. After the exchange, Lu Ye received a large amount of food and over two hundred Spirit Nourishing Pills.
By then, it was already bright. Lu Ye climbed onto the tiger's back, and Chu Tian clasped his fists and said, "Until we meet again, stay in touch."
Lu Ye nodded slightly, and Amber darted out, heading deep into the Sky Splitting Gorge.
Watching Lu Ye's departing figure, Chu Tian suddenly felt a bit envious. Such a life of traveling and cultivation was truly carefree and free. However, since Lu Ye came from a major sect, he had the confidence and foundation to do so. If it were Chu Tian, he probably wouldn't survive for more than a few months.
Leading the two junior disciples back to the Xuanmen base, he was immediately summoned by Wang Yang and hurriedly went over.
When he arrived, he realized something was not quite right. All the hands in the base had been gathered, including not only the disciples of the sect but also the scattered cultivators under the sect. Hundreds of people gathered in a square, and Wang Yang stood there, his figure straight, his hand on the hilt of his sword, as if waiting for something.
The atmosphere was somewhat grim...
Chu Tian stepped forward, clasped his fists, and bowed, "Senior Brother!"
"Did the Overmountain Tiger leave?" Wang Yang asked.
"He left," Chu Tian replied.
Wang Yang nodded slightly, somewhat pleased, "Good, good. Join the ranks." He seemed to be eager for Lu Ye to leave as soon as possible.
"Yes!" Chu Tian joined his ranks, completely puzzled by the current situation. However, Wang Yang's sudden gathering of everyone clearly indicated that something big was about to happen.
Chu Tian had a vague guess. If it was true, there would be a major battle today.
Time slowly passed, and after an incense stick's time, Wang Yang suddenly raised his eyebrows and said loudly, "Our Xuanmen has been neighbors with the Jiuxing Sect for thirty years. During these thirty years, the disciples of both sects have been in constant conflict, with many casualties. The enmity between us is deep and irreconcilable. Although we won the recent battle in the Sky Splitting Gorge, as long as the Jiuxing Sect base remains, our disciples will not be at ease! Therefore, I intend to occupy the Jiuxing Sect base and ask all of you, my fellow disciples, to assist me!"
As soon as the words were spoken, the entire square was in an uproar.
It had only been a day since the declaration of war, and Wang Yang was already planning to occupy the Jiuxing Sect base. This shocked all the Xuanmen disciples. After winning the declaration of war, they should have been enjoying the fruits of victory, not stirring up more trouble.
Occupying a base was no easy task. The base was protected by a large array, and without breaking the array, it couldn't be occupied.
But thinking about Wang Yang's various actions over the years, everyone knew that he must have made preparations long ago.
Chu Tian was the first to raise his arm and shout, "I am willing to follow Senior Brother and uphold the glory of Xuanmen!"
Everyone shouted in unison, "We are willing to follow Senior Brother and uphold the glory of Xuanmen!"
At the front of the crowd, Wang Yang smiled, "Very good!"
He turned to look at Chu Tian, "Send a message to the Overmountian Tiger, telling him that Uncle Dong Shuye personally went to hunt him down an incense stick's time ago."
Chu Tian was startled by the news, both by Dong Shuye's boldness and by Wang Yang's well-informedness.
Dong Shuye was the highest-ranking cultivator stationed at the Jiuxing Sect base. With him there, the base was impregnable. But if he left, the base's defenses would be significantly weakened.
It seemed that the killing of the Jiuxing Sect's young master had seriously damaged their reputation. They could lose the declaration of war to Xuanmen, but the Overmountain Tiger must die. If not, Dong Shuye wouldn't risk leaving the base to personally hunt him down.
He wouldn't leave in a grand manner, as that would give Xuanmen an opportunity. But even so, Wang Yang had received accurate information, clearly having made arrangements outside the Jiuxing Sect base. As soon as Dong Shuye left the base, Wang Yang would receive the news.
He also recalled that several fellow disciples hadn't shown up at last night's celebration banquet...
But how did Dong Shuye know that the Overmountain Tiger had already left?
Chu Tian wasn't stupid; he understood the situation in an instant.
The information had leaked from the Xuanmen side.
No wonder when he reported the Overmountain Tiger's trading request to Senior Brother Wang Yang last night, he asked him to collect from his fellow disciples, even though it would have been simpler to allocate from within the sect.
When he was collecting spirit pills and food, many people asked him why, and he didn't hide it, mentioning that Lu Ye was preparing to leave.
The sect's disciples couldn't send messages to the Jiuxing Sect, so the leak must have come from the scattered cultivators who had joined the sect!
Just as he was thinking this, Wang Yang suddenly looked at a cultivator in the crowd and said, "Shi Jun, do you have anything to say?"
Shi Jun, the scattered cultivator, broke out in a sweat and nervously replied, "N... No..."
Wang Yang just looked at him.
Shi Jun's expression became even more tense, and he blurted out, "Senior Brother, spare my life!"
"It seems you really have nothing to say."
Wang Yang flicked his thumb against the hilt of his sword, and a clear sword cry echoed. The sword transformed into a beam of light, instantly reaching Shi Jun, circling around his neck. Shi Jun's body immediately stiffened.
When the sword returned to its sheath, Shi Jun's head fell off, and blood gushed from his neck like a fountain, his headless body collapsing to the ground.
This sudden change made all the scattered cultivators break out in cold sweat, looking at Wang Yang with suspicion and unease.
Wang Yang's expression was cold, "Shi Jun pretended to join our Xuanmen but was actually a spy for the Jiuxing Sect. Today, I have executed him as a warning. I hope everyone will take this to heart."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was in disbelief, but recalling Shi Jun's last words, they realized this must be the truth. Shi Jun's plea for mercy clearly showed his guilt.
"Let's go, destroy Jiuxing!" Wang Yang waved his hand.
A moment later, hundreds of Xuanmen cultivators filed out of the base, leaving it empty and desolate!