Another Anomaly?

The voice of the Border Duke was low and carried the same indifferent tone as before, but from the sudden pressure that engulfed him, and the murderous intent that was invading the previously calm atmosphere, Feng Hui knew something was wrong, terribly wrong.

But he had already ridden the tiger. Getting off mid-way wasn't an option.

"Yes, it was the Grand Duke who wrote the letter, Duke Han. So please don't release your anger onto this poor old man. I am just the messenger and not the true person you are truly angry at." Feng Hui answered back.

However, as he did, he bowed his head, hoping that it would show his subservience.

'The monster is a general. Surely he knows never to kill the messenger, right?' Feng Hui was shaking inside.

And to his hopes, his great choice of words managed to save his life.

If not for his referring to himself as a messenger, Duke Han would've turned the man into a meat paste without any care for the repercussions!

'I already swore never to interfere with the Empire! Why are those old dogs still hounding me!' Duke Han was infuriated after he read the letter and wished for nothing more than something to vent his anger on.

Yet he couldn't release it on Feng Hui.

"Leave!" Duke Han angrily snorted as he tried to suppress his ever-growing murderous intent.

Then waving his paper fan with force toward Feng Hui, Duke Han summoned a 5-meter-tall wave of water and let it loose.

'This brute!' These were Feng Hui and Lin Fu's last thoughts as they were both instantly engulfed in the tidal wave.

Duke Han's anger slightly subsided as he saw the two idiots swept away so pathetically, but even then, his brows were still deeply furrowed, and his face looked deep in thought.

'We know your secret, Fei'er.'

"How did they find out?"

==

"Speak! Tell me who the hell Xiao Xuan is!"

"Pah! I'd rather die!"

Deep in the forest surrounding Steel Moon City, an odd scene was occurring.

From a distance, it might sound like that there were two males who were in the middle of a rather intense discussion, but once you get closer, the more you'd realize just how wrong that guess was.

If you get within line of sight of them, you'll quickly see one figure was currently strung up from a tree, armless and with a bruised-up face. While the other was perfectly fine yelling out question after question and dealing heavy-handed smacks in between.

These figures were Xue Bai and the lucky winner Kun Empire citizen he first found, with Xue Bai being the interrogator and the strung-up Kun Empire citizen being the armless chap.

Xue Bai had found the fool squatting being a tree doing his business, and not wanting to let the perfect chance slip, Xue Bai sent out three arrows and quickly crippled the man, taking both of his arms and destroying his dantian without even giving him a chance to react.

And since this unlucky chap was only in the early stages of the Qi Sea realm, he hadn't cleared enough spirit meridians to be able to dodge in time.

Xue Bai would've taken his legs too, but he was scared that the man would've died from either shock or blood loss.

Even now, with only two arms missing, the man's face was visibly pale and white. He looked even worse than Xue Bai when he first woke up.

That was around an hour ago, and after making sure the young man didn't bleed out, Xue Bai started questioning.

Luckily enough for Xue Bai, he had managed to find a coward, and after just a few threats, the Kun Empire young man spilled.

Apparently, he was from the Kun Empire's Academy, the rival academy of the Gen Empire. There instead of having Grey, Black, and Gold-Robed Students, they just had the standard Outer, Inner, and Core Disciple.

And this chap was an Outer Disciple. The Kun Empire's standards were higher, and in order to reach the second stage of schooling, one had to be at least in the Dharma Idol realm.

Moreover, since this young man was also at the bottom of the Qi Sea realm, he was also at the bottom of the hierarchy of students who came to the secret realm today.

This was the reason why he had to walk so far away from the Kun Empire's camp to relieve himself.

To phrase it lightly, no students liked him, and they made him go at least 2 kilometers away before doing his business.

Xue Bai also learned about some of the Kun Empire's greatest talents who were in attendance today, their cultivation bases, their skills, and even some of their habits.

The young man had no spine and confessed everything in hopes he could live.

But to Xue Bai's anger, that was where he stopped complying.

Once Xue Bai mentioned Xiao Xuan, the man turned into the most loyal soldier and refused to speak of anything. Not even what the anomaly looked like.

It was beyond annoying, and Xue Bai was at a crossroads regarding how to continue this interrogation.

Obviously, the man had no care about whether he exposed his fellow students, but once the topic switched to Xiao Xuan, he would rather die than say anything about it.

'Maybe he swore a Dao Oath or something? I can't think of anything else that would make him so tight-lipped when he isn't such a person.' Xue Bai thought to himself.

That was indeed the most probable train of thought, but it also had one core mistake.

This dude was a random weakling, while Xiao Xuan was the Kun Empire's pride and hope.

And Dao Oaths were a heavy thing—almost taboo in some societies. So unless someone was forced, it was practically impossible to get someone to swear one.

So why would this random mid-tier genius be forced to swear a Dao Oath to protect Xiao Xuan and his likeness?

He couldn't even have no known much about Xiao Xuan in the first place, yet he was forced to swear a Dao Oath not to expose the little information he had. The situation was a conundrum, but it was one Xue Bai would have to face.

'Whatever, I'll just get another one. Maybe just this dude is useless.'

Thinking this much, Xue Bai stopped caring about this spineless man and quickly decapitated him using his Lava Spring Sword and burnt his corpse using his fire element.

After covering his tracks and storing the rope he used, Xue Bai activated his physique once more and disappeared.

–-

Even though the secret realm was in the No Man's Land between the Kun and Gen Empire, it was extremely close to the Gen Empire, being only a few kilometers out from Steel Moon City.

So this meant that it was extremely far away from the Kun Empire. And since the Kun Empire higher-ups didn't trust their enemies, instead of relaxing in their city until the secret realm opened up like the Gen Empire Academy's students, they were forced to set up camp in the wild.

Thankfully there was a Law Manifestation realm powerhouse with them. This way, they would be safe from any threats.

The Kun Empire students and higher-ups had set up their camp just a few hundred meters away from the entrance of the secret realm. However, unlike Huli Jing's secret realm entrance back in the Southern Continent, which was inside of a wall, this one was in the middle of the air, floating a few inches above the ground.

The entrance was a 5-meter tall glistening portal that was rapidly sucking all of the Spiritual Qi in the air as it tried to power itself and open up.

Standing just a few meters away from the portal was a tall figure wearing a sky-blue-colored robe.

With their hands clasped behind their back and a raised chin, the figure stood calm, studying the sky blue pulsating portal in front of him, the scene the figure created was almost something out of a movie.

Minutes slowly passed, and the figure stood still, not even moving a muscle, almost as if it wanted to phase into the portal and become one with it.

However, before it achieved its goal, a student quickly ran up to it, out of breath, with an expression that was full of panic.

"Sage Yang! Something has happened!" The young man yelled out as he neared the figure.

The figure had long sensed the arrival of the student, but he didn't turn around to answer and just spoke as he continued to analyze the portal.

"Mo Chou, you have to be calm. Everything is ordained by the Heavens. Fate has a course and will run it. No matter how much you panic, fate will not change its course. So you must learn to be calm. Only by being calm can you continue to follow your fate." The figure calmly spoke, its voice drifting into the air like a warm gust of wind.

And shockingly enough, once his voice reached the ears of the student named Mo Chou, the boy stopped. His once panicked expression eased, and his eyes lost their hysteria.

He became calm just from one response of the figure.

"Yes, sorry, Sage Yang. Forgive this reckless child." Mo Chou's enlightenment came quickly, and just as fast, he bowed in apology. This time, however, he was clear-headed and coherent.

It was the polar opposite to just how he was acting just a few seconds ago, but Mo Chou knew that had to do with this figure in front of him.

"It's good that you're sensible and able to correct your mistakes. Rather than Martial Veins, only people like that are truly talented. No matter how fast you can cultivate, if you are stubborn and unable to adapt, what use is it? Cultivation isn't just about getting stronger and absorbing more Spiritual Qi, but it's instead evolution, both of mind and body." Sage Yang calmly spoke with a tone full of approval.

historical

But oddly enough, throughout the entire conversation, it still hadn't moved a muscle, firmly placing its sight on the pulsating portal in front of him as if it was afraid that it would dissipate.

"Sage Yang, about the problem," Mo Chou suddenly remembered what made him so panic-stricken, "Ao Teng's soul lamp dissipated just a few moments ago."

"Ao Teng? Is that the boy you all chased away?" Sage Yang asked.

Mo Chou nodded at this.

"And do you know which direction he went?" Sage Yang asked.

Mo Chou nodded at this.

"Then do you know what to do?" Sage Yang asked.

Mo Chou nodded at this.

"Then go. You have my permission. Nothing can get between us and this secret realm." Sage Yang spoke.

Mo Chou bowed deeply and left.

Left alone, Sage Yang still stayed immobile and continued to look at the portal.

'Oh, First Young Master, how can you be so cruel to this servant? These neanderthals aren't fun. Why couldn't you have taken me with you.' Sage Yang sighed inwardly.

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Every little thing helps - /slarbi123.

There is now a discord for this novel. However, be warned. It is rather bare bones. I suck at discord.

https://discord.gg/zKyXRvPr