Chapter 151: Jade Lotus Palace Sect Scout Party Got Ambushed
Without further ado, he shed his own garments, revealing his toned physique. Together, they stepped into the cool embrace of the pond.
The water swirled around them, washing away the dust and grime of the day. Liu Xue, her role as a devoted lover now in full play, began to wash his back, her gentle touch sending shivers down his spine.
Her hands, imbued with a delicate fragrance, gently scrubbed his back, his shoulders, then trailed down his chest, sending shivers down his spine.
“Does it feel good, Li?” she teased, her voice laced with a playful smile.
He sighed, closing his eyes in contentment. “Like heaven, Xue’er. Like absolute heaven.”
They continued their conversation interspersed with soft laughter and stolen kisses.
“So, Xue’er,” Wang Li murmured, his voice soft against the gentle lapping of the water, “tell me, did you enjoy… deceiving those lovesick fools?”
Liu Xue giggled. “Oh, immeasurably, Li! Fooling those young guys… having them gather herbs and send them on pointless ‘dates’. It was truly delightful. They truly believed they were vying for our affections, running themselves ragged to gather resources and then…” Her voice trailed off, replaced by a mischievous smile. “And then being politely rejected, with lighter pockets and heavier hearts.”
“True enough,” Wang Li chuckled. “Although, I must admit, some of the resources they brought back are quite valuable.”
“A bonus reward for our little scheme,” Liu Xue replied, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
As the moon reached its zenith, casting its silvery light upon the tranquil scene, Liu Xue and Wang Li emerged from the pond, their bodies renewed and their hearts overflowing with love. Wrapped in a shared towel, they sat on the grassy bank, gazing up at the star-studded sky.
“This is a perfect night, Li,” Liu Xue whispered, leaning her head against his shoulder.
“Indeed, my love,” he replied, his voice a low rumble.
As the first rays of dawn painted the eastern horizon with streaks of pink and gold, the Jade Lotus Palace disciples prepared for their departure. With a collective sigh of relief, they bid farewell to the combined camp of the Azure Peak Sect and Emerald Sea Palace Sect.
Flying north, their destination was the familiar Jade Lotus Palace camp, a haven after the day’s orchestrated chaos.
Their journey north was punctuated by skirmishes with small packs of beasts. With practiced ease, the Jade Lotus Palace disciples dispatched them, their movements a well-rehearsed dance of coordinated attacks. Each eliminated beast to the kill count meticulously inscribed on their palms.
After an hour of swift flight, familiar landmarks came into view – the winding river, the verdant meadows, and finally, the majestic peak that housed their sect’s temporary camp. Relief washed over Liu Xue as they descended towards the familiar wooden structures.
Yet, as they landed, an unsettling silence greeted them. The usual bustle of activity was absent, replaced by a heavy atmosphere that hung thick in the air. A knot of unease formed in Liu Xue’s stomach. This wasn’t the joyous homecoming she had envisioned.
Liu Xue, a flicker of unease creeping into her heart, approached a fellow disciple.
“Meiling,” Liu Xue addressed her softly, “what troubles you? Why this somber atmosphere?”
Meiling curtsied nervously. “Eldest Sister Liu Xue,” she stammered, “Master… Master Jiu Lan has left the camp. Apparently, a scouting mission sent to the Golden Bell Temple encountered a great danger, and Master rushed towards the East to help them.”
Liu Xue’s stomach clenched. “And… she hasn’t returned yet?”
Meiling shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. “No, Eldest Sister. It’s been… it’s been several hours. We don’t know what happened.”
A surge of anxiety welled up within Liu Xue. However, witnessing the fear in the eyes of her junior sisters fueled her resolve.
Putting on a brave face, Liu Xue addressed the gathered group. “Everyone, calm yourselves,” she commanded, her voice steady despite the turmoil within. “Master Jiu Lan is a powerful cultivator, a master of the Soul Integration Realm. She can handle herself.”
Her words seemed to have a calming effect. After all, Liu Xue was Palace Mistress Jiu Lan’s closest disciple, and her confidence was reassuring. Still, a tense silence lingered in the air.
The wait, however, was agonizingly long. Each passing hour stretched into an eternity. Finally, just as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the camp, a familiar figure emerged on the eastern horizon. It was Palace Mistress Jiu Lan. But something was off.
She wasn’t alone. Beside her flew a large, ornately carved cart, draped in a black cloth. An ominous silence descended upon the camp as the cart landed with a heavy thud. Palace Mistress Jiu Lan, her face etched with sorrow, landed gracefully in front of the gathered disciples.
With a deep breath, she addressed them, her voice heavy with grief. “One of the survivors from the scouting party managed to escape the clutches of the… attackers.” Her voice hitched for a moment, a flicker of rage replacing the initial sorrow.
“He informed me that upon leaving the Golden Bell Temple camp, they were ambushed by a group of devil sect cultivators. The White Bone Sect!” She spat out the name like a curse, her eyes blazing with fury.
“They… they killed them all. Elder Jin… and all the disciples who went with her.”
A collective gasp arose from the assembled crowd. Disbelief and anger contorted their faces. To lose a revered elder and a group of promising disciples so senselessly was a devastating blow for the Jade Lotus Palace.
Tears welled up in the eyes of many junior sisters as they absorbed the grim news.
Liu Xue, her own heart heavy with a mixture of grief and anger, stepped forward. “Master,” she said, her voice steady despite the tremor running through her body. “We will avenge them. The White Bone Sect will pay for their crimes!”
A wave of agreement rippled through the crowd. Their initial fear had been replaced by a fierce determination to seek justice for their fallen comrades.
Palace Mistress Jiu Lan, her eyes filled with a chilling resolve, nodded.
“Indeed,” she declared, her voice ringing with authority. “We will not rest until their blood stains the very ground they walk upon.”
Witnessing the devastation wrought by the White Bone Sect, a cold fury settled in Wang Li’s stomach. The playful charade was over, replaced by a grim determination. ‘The devil sects are finally making their move,’ he thought, his gaze lingering on the fallen disciples of the Jade Lotus Palace.
Something about this attack, however, struck him as off-kilter.
The White Bone Sect, known for their cunning brutality, wouldn’t launch such a reckless assault without a better plan. He couldn’t shake the feeling that the attack was a poorly orchestrated play, a blatant attempt to provoke the righteous sects.
A flicker of suspicion sparked within him. He needed answers. Reaching out with his spiritual sense, he contacted Liu Xue.
“Xue’er,” his voice resonated within her mind, “I’m heading east to investigate the scene of the attack. Stay by your Master’s side. If she’s injured, don’t hesitate to use those recovery pellets I gave you.”
“Li,” Liu Xue replied, her voice laced with worry, “be careful. I’ll be alright. Just come back safe.”
With a final squeeze of reassurance through their spiritual bond, Wang Li vanished from the Jade Lotus Palace camp, a blur of movement heading east.
He arrived at the battleground in a matter of minutes. The stench of blood hung heavy in the air, a grim testament to the violence that had transpired.
Ignoring the carnage, Wang Li activated his Heavenly Fate Pupils.
A keen observer might dismiss the landscape as desolate and unremarkable, but through his enhanced vision, he saw a different story.
Deep within the forest, a faint, pulsating darkness caught his eye.
It was subtle, but unmistakable – a dark aura, distinct from the residual bloodlust that lingered around the battlefield.
Curiosity piqued, Wang Li wasted no time.
He pushed through the dense foliage, drawn towards the anomalous energy. As he approached, the darkness intensified, coalescing into a swirling vortex in the heart of a clearing. A shiver ran down his spine as he sensed two distinct demonic auras emanating from the vortex.
One aura was familiar, a grotesque echo of the dark energy harnessed by the Iron Hammer Sect. This was the technique used to animate their terrifying puppet legions.
The other, however, was a chilling unknown.
It was something he hadn’t encountered before, a foreign and sinister signature.
‘Just as I suspected,’ he thought, his voice devoid of emotion. ‘The White Bone Sect must have been ambushed here by the Iron Hammer Sect. Their corpses…’ his stomach churned, ‘turned into puppets and then used against the Jade Lotus Palace scouting group.’
The realization sent a shiver down his spine. This wasn’t just a random attack; it was a calculated maneuver.
‘Clever,’ he thought, a dangerous glint in his eyes. ‘But I won’t let this stop me.’
A grim determination hardened his features. He wouldn’t let these scheming devils get away with it.
