The enormous mountain peak stood lonely and silent in a plain. The cloudy, tall mountain peak was just like a the tip of a blade, faintly emitting a sharp sword aura as it pierced through the clouds. Loud and clear training noises and the collision of metals were lingering within the fog.
The Misty Cloud Mountain was still the Misty Cloud Mountain from back then. However, the Misty Cloud Sect located on it had changed drastically from back then. The entire mountain peak was filled with a countless number of patrols. Anyone who stepped into it would be immediately observed by the hidden gazes. It was just like a mountainous fortress with extremely tight defenses.
This place was the enormous camp of the Misty Cloud Sect!
Due to the Misty Cloud Sect have recruited a large number of disciples, the current Misty Cloud Sect was undoubtedly much larger than it was compared to three years ago. This was the reason that they had enough people to truly put in place a tight defensive line with sentries three steps apart all over this enormous mountain peak.
Although the strength of the sect had become much stronger, not only did the outsiders but also some of those Misty Cloud Sect’s disciples sensed that the current Misty Cloud Sect was no longer the place viewed by every person within the Jia Ma Empire as a training holy ground. After three years of varying actions by the Misty Cloud Sect, they had already become no different than an ordinary faction, using all fair and foul means in order to expand their strength.
The enormous base of the sect extended all the way to the edge of their sight on the peak of the Misty Cloud Mountain. Human figures were rushing about on the enormous open ground. Various curses and sounds of colliding blades gathered together. Even quite a bit of the faint fog that lingered in the sky had been expelled. The training holy ground back then no longer possessed that kind of ethereal and extraordinary atmosphere.
A grand hall stood at the middle of the mountain peak, much like a ferocious beast creeping up on this place. It faintly emitted a feeling of having gone through many changes and hardships. This grand hall had been passed down through the generations since the Misty Cloud Sect had been established. Hence, it still maintained some of the old ethereal feeling of the Misty Cloud Sect. However, the dark, cold faces of the white-clothed guards outside the grand hall created an additional gloomy feeling to the one that had remained around for a long time.
There were quite a number of people quietly sitting within the large hall. Their gaze contained some fear as they stared at the old man on the leader’s seat. They did not dare to emit any unusual sounds.
The old man was wearing a white robe. Cloud lines had been sewn on the robe. Both of his sleeves had a sword drawn on them. When the sleeves moved, the sword image appeared real and a sharp sword aura faintly seeped out from it. The old man had a head covered with white air but his face had a kind of faint smooth luster, appearing just like that of a young persom.
The old man’s shut eyes were slowly opened. A glow that caused one’s body to feel a chill rushed through his indifferent eyes. Anyone who accidentally saw the glow within his eyes would immediately feel cold sweat flowing. They hurriedly shifted their gaze away, not daring to look directly at him.
Who else other than Yun Shan possessed such a reputation within the Misty Cloud Sect?
“Is there any news from Yun Fan’s side?” The silence in the hall continued for awhile. Only then did Yun Shan slowly raise his eyes and faintly open his mouth to speak.
Everyone in the hall could not help but straighten their bodies after Yun Shan opened his mouth to speak. One of them hesitated for a moment before he replied respectively, “Sect leader, Yun Fan has not sent any news back. I think that he is still waiting for an opportunity.”
“It is just the ‘Zhen Gui Pass’, yet he actually needs to procrastinate to such an extent.” Yun Shan knit his brows slightly and said, “Send this order to him. He must control the ‘Zhen Gui Pass’ within five days. Additionally, order the others in the remaining places to act according to the situation. We will not need to worry about them stirring any waves.”
“Yes sir!” Everyone hurriedly responded upon hearing Yun Shan’s orders.
“Ke ke, sect leader has made decisive and bold decisions these years. Without realizing it, the Misty Cloud Sect’s disciples have already seeped into all the major cities within the Jia Ma Empire. As long as the order is given when the time comes, it is likely that over half of the territory of the Jia Ma Empire will belong to us, the Misty Cloud Sect.” A middle-aged man spoke to Yun Shan with a smile. That smile was a flattering one.
“This is merely the first step. The footsteps of our Misty Cloud Sect will not stop at the Jia Ma Empire. Once we completely control the Jia Ma Empire, the Misty Cloud Sect’s strength will definitely soar. At that time, there would likely be no other factions within this north-western region of the Dou Qi continent who can contend with us. At that time, we only need to wait for the Misty Cloud Sect to become the overlords of the north-western region, it is only a matter of time for us to truly dominate the continent.” Yun Shan laughed. His eyes was filled with a wild ambition that did not match his age.
“Ke ke, sect leader is right. At last, our Misty Cloud Sect could at the very most be considered a mid-tier faction in the South-Western Region Factions Grand Meeting. I think that by the time of the next meeting, we will definitely cause the eyeballs of those who say our Misty Cloud Sect is short-sighted to fall off.” Agreeing laughter quickly followed behind Yun Shan’s words.
A faint smile was pulled on Yun Shan’s face. He waved his hand and said, “How is the progress of the matter that I have ordered?”
A person in the hall immediately stood up after hearing this. He respectfully said, “Relying on Sect Leader, we have gathered all the men we need. We are only waiting for sect leader’s order before we can enter the capital and completely eliminate the Primer clan!” He paused slightly when he spoke to this point. After which, he spoke in a hesitating manner, “However, the Primer’s clan Hai Bodong has the strength of a Dou Huang. I’m afraid it won’t be enough if we simply rely on those people...”
“Yun Du, Yun Sha, the both of you will lead the troops to completely eliminate the Primer clan this time around. Remember, after you have eliminated the Primer clan, you must find the remaining members of the Xiao clan!” Yun Shan’s gaze looked toward a corner of the hall and cried out in a low voice.
“Yes sir!”
Two old men who had remained quiet in one corner swiftly stood up and respectfully replied when they heard Yun Shan’s orders.
Although these two old men kept a low profile, they clearly possessed quite a high position within the Misty Cloud Sect. This could be seen from how the voices in the hall became much weaker after they stood up.
“Ke ke, Elders Yun Du and Yun Sha had broken through to the Dou Huang class with the help of sect leader during these three years. That Hai Bodong won’t be able to create much trouble with these two people around.” The person who was reporting earlier smiled and spoke when he saw these two old men stand up.
Yun Du and Yu Sha also smiled when they heard the somewhat fawning words. They immediately looked at one another. A strange black glow flashed through their eyes without leaving a trace behind.
“Your mission is to exterminate the Primer clan and to search for the remaining members of the Xiao clan. It is likely that the other factions within the capital will not dare to intervene. Of course, if there are any factions who are blind, you can just exterminate them together.” Yun Shan’s gaze slowly swept across the entire place as he spoke in a faint voice.
Yun Du and Yun Sha once again nodded after hearing this.
Yun Shan leaned his body on the soft chair after he had given all his instructions. He waved his hand and said, “Since that is the case, everyone should return to their posts. We will first eliminate the Primer clan during this period of time...”
Everyone in the hall hurriedly nodded after hearing these words dismissing them from Yun Shan. They immediately stood up, bowed to Yun Shan, and slowly withdrew from the large hall.
The hall once again became silent after everyone left. However, this silence continued for only a period of time before a shadow fluctuated in a certain dark corner in the hall. Immediately, a cluster of black-colored fog strangely appeared...
“Remember, you cannot let off any single person of the Xiao clan this time around! What you did the last time wasn’t very satisfactory.” The black-colored fog withered and surfaced in the middle of the hall as a dark sinister voice was slowly emitted from within it.
“What exactly do you want to find from the Xiao clan? It is but a small clan... yet they actually possess something that can attract you?” Yun Shan knit his brows. He had been curious about this question for a long time.
“It is best that you do not ask the questions you aren’t supposed to ask. There are some things that have no benefit to you if you come to know about them. Our ‘Hall of Souls’ is able to help you breakthrough to an expert Dou Zong, but we are also able to turn you back into your original state.” The dark, cold voice reverberated within the hall, causing one’s pores to stand.
Yun Shan’s face trembled slightly. The imposing and powerful manner of Yun Shan from earlier could only nod his head in a somewhat displeased manner at this moment. He said,”But what if we still cannot find the thing that you want after killing all the members of the Xiao clan?”
“The Xiao clan is definitely in possession of the thing that we need. However, we don’t know exactly who is holding on to it. If we cannot find it here, we can only go and search for Xiao Yan who fled the Jia Ma Empire.”
“Xiao Yan?” Yun Shan possessed a deep memory of this name. Hence, his expression became somewhat unnatural when he heard it. He said, “There has not been much news about that brat during these three years. He might have long died in some unknown place...”
“Tsk tsk, I’m afraid that I will have to disappoint you...” The black fog immediately emitted a strange laugh when he heard this, “I have received some news from the hall some time earlier. Xiao Yan’s trail was found in the ‘Black-Corner Region,’ which is thousands of kilometers from the Jia Ma Empire. Moreover, that fellow’s strength is already sufficient to kill expert Dou Huangs.”
“Kill Dou Huangs? How is that possible?” Yun Shan’s expression immediately changed. He stood from his chair in shock as he let out an involuntary cry. Although that fellow had displayed a kind of extremely powerful fire lotus Dou Skill to kill Yun Leng whose strength was that of a Dou Wang, but killing a Dou Huang was a completely different concept. The gap between them was as different as the Heavens and Earth.
“This is nothing impossible... back then, it was a mistake for you to allow him to flee from the Jia Ma Empire. Hmph, in the future, you might really end up being killed by that brat’s hands.” The voice from the black fog was dark and cold.
Yun Shan’s face twitched. A denseness surged into his eyes as he spoke in a sinister manner, “So what if he can kill a Dou Huang? Back then, I forced him to flee like a dog that had lost its home. This time around, I can do the same!”
“Tsk tsk, in that case, I will wish you luck. However, it is best that you capture all of the remaining members of the Xiao clan before this. Otherwise, the hall’s chief will really be angry...” The black fog drifted around aimlessly. It left behind a cold laugh before it strangely disappeared with a ripple...
When he heard the two words: hall’s chief, the face of even someone as powerful as Yun Shan became somewhat pale. He looked at the spot where the black fog had disappeared and he tightened his fist slowly. A dense, cold glint flashed in his eyes.
“This time around, I will definitely finish off the entire Xiao clan!”