Qin Fujun waved her hand to signal the people around her not to move recklessly, ordering them to remain quiet so that the Earth Spirit could locate the murderer’s position as soon as possible.
However, the situation did not seem so straightforward. The Earth Spirit concentrated and calmed itself, pressing its ear to the ground and listening for quite a long time. It repeatedly switched ears to listen, but for a long time, it did not give a result.
This was not the speed at which the Earth Spirit conducted investigations that Qin Fujun knew of. After waiting for a good while, she finally could not help but ask, “Is it because there are too many people searching, and the footsteps trampling on the ground are too numerous, confusing your hearing?”
The Earth Spirit, which was pressed to the ground listening, spoke in human tongue, “There is indeed some confusion, but it is not a problem. The rhythmic stepping of the search personnel’s footsteps, and the rhythm and manner of movement of the murderer hiding and evading, cannot possibly be the same. Although there are many footsteps, I can still distinguish them. Give me some time.”
Qin Fujun, “It is best to remember the murderer’s footstep characteristics, to guard against accidents.”
The so-called guarding against accidents referred to preventing the possibility of failing to catch the murderer, and preserving clues for subsequent capture. She knew the Earth Spirit had this ability. It could remember the detailed characteristics of a person’s walking sounds. For example, with the people coming and going from the Meteor Hall, the Earth Spirit could tell who had arrived just by listening to their footsteps.
It was precisely because of this that this big-eared creature had previously been able to detect an outsider trespassing in the Meteor Hall. The manner of movement did not resemble that of a Kunling Mountain disciple.
Regarding this instruction, the Earth Spirit replied, “It is a bit difficult. The murderer is currently in a state of escape and evasion. The state between movements is abnormal. It is simply not a normal way of walking. The rhythmic stepping is different from usual. It is very difficult to confirm now. Even if I remember the current walking rhythm, I will not be able to recognise the murderer when I see them walking normally later.”
At this point, the voice abruptly stopped, and it was clearly concentrating even more.
Qin Fujun immediately realised something. While falling silent, she also raised her hand to signal everyone not to make a sound.
Sure enough, after a short while, the Earth Spirit suddenly rose and lifted its head, staring in one direction. “As expected, it is two people. They really do have some skill. They have actually already escaped to the periphery of the heavily searched areas. If the key areas where personnel are deployed cannot catch them, the scattered personnel on the periphery probably have even less chance. Quick, gather people and follow me!”
Before the voice had even faded, it had already darted out at high speed.
Qin Fujun did not rush to follow. Her role was not to fight and kill at the very front, but to command. She could not let everyone run around like headless flies.
But her spirits were lifted. Since the Earth Spirit had already determined the location, it should not be wrong. As long as the Earth Spirit had locked onto them, so what if they escaped the search area? The territory of Kunling Mountain was so vast. As long as the Earth Spirit held onto them, they could not escape. Kunling Mountain could mobilise forces to surround, pursue, and intercept at any time.
There was no need to think so much at this moment. She quickly waved her hand and called out, “Notify the encirclement forces. Stop running around everywhere. Concentrate your forces. Wherever the Earth Spirit goes, everyone follows. Be prepared to surround and capture at any moment. I want to see which sacred beings dare to act wildly at Kunling Mountain!”
Very quickly, as the news was continuously passed down, the scattered search personnel gradually gathered and successively followed behind the Earth Spirit.
“Shh…”
Under Qin Fujun’s continuous arrangements, the sharp whistling sound also rang out again.
The night owls flying in the night sky, and the night owls shuttling through the forest, also rose into the air one after another. A large number of wings flapped and gathered under the cover of night, all chasing in one search direction.
Unlike the Earth Spirit, which had to stop every so often to press itself to the ground and listen again to confirm whether the murderer’s direction of escape had changed, the gathered night owls directly flew over large and small peaks.
Such a formation naturally quickly aroused the vigilance of the two martial brothers who were fleeing. With a sudden swarm of night owls appearing overhead, it was difficult not to be vigilant.
Fortunately, the night owls now treated them as if they were invisible, and would no longer pester them or raise an alarm.
But Yu Qing still quickly slipped up into the canopy of a large tree. He looked in the direction they had come from and was startled. Under the moonlight, he saw a large number of night owls gathering and flying over. Unlike the scattered, chaotic flying search from before, they were clearly sweeping in this direction.
That was secondary. The undulating mist in the distance allowed him to read something else.
Although the distance was a bit far, and it was unclear in the moonlight, the amplitude of the mist’s undulation was too great. Although his cultivation in the Observation Character Technique could not make out the details at such a distance, such a large commotion was enough to make him feel that a large number of people were concentrating and rushing in this direction.
A cluster of night owls was coming, and a large number of people were also concentrating and pouncing here. What was this situation?
Yu Qing’s heart pounded with fear. He had previously thought his escape was a sure thing, and was preparing to take a detour to confuse the pursuers before turning back to hide in the “Dingyin” district’s station.
With the current situation, why did it feel as if the pursuers were absolutely certain of catching them? They were aggressively chasing their direction of escape.
How could he still hesitate? He quickly jumped down from the tree, called out to Mu Aotie, and hurriedly changed direction to flee, shaking off the search direction of the large number of night owls.
“Shh…”
They had not shaken off the pursuit for long before the two martial brothers faintly heard that sharp whistling sound again. The sound did not seem very loud, but its penetrating power was very strong, especially at night.
Both of them quickly scrambled up a tree and poked their heads out from the canopy to check. As a result, they watched with their own eyes as a large number of flying black shadows rose from the forest. Some that had flown past even turned back. In short, they had collectively changed direction and were flying towards this side together again.
This was all that Mu Aotie could see with his vision pushed to the limit. Yu Qing could see even more. Through his Observation Character Technique, he saw through the undulating movements of the large amount of mist that the large number of pursuers had also changed direction and were coming towards this side.
“It seems they have locked onto us.” Mu Aotie gave a reminder, also asking what they should do.
Under these circumstances, he admitted that whether in terms of strength or ability, he had no way to escape such a situation. If it were not for old fifteen’s ability to shake off pursuit along the way, he would definitely have been caught long ago. At this moment, he could only place his hopes on old fifteen once again.
Yu Qing’s expression was very grim. He said in a deep voice, “Go!”
The two of them landed one after another. Yu Qing looked around, then said another word, “Go!”
He led Mu Aotie slightly off course, but did not change their general direction.
Mu Aotie looked at him somewhat puzzled. Should they not change direction again to shake off the pursuit? He did not understand what this meant, but he did not ask further. He just followed and ran.
After a short while, a heart-stopping situation appeared. Two Kunling Mountain disciples suddenly appeared ahead. They were clearly scattered search personnel on the periphery.
The other party had obviously seen them as well, and had already stopped to size them up.
Mu Aotie had already tensed his heartstrings and was prepared to engage in battle. Who would have thought that Yu Qing would fly forward and actually actively approach them, shouting, “Two junior brothers, have you discovered anything?”
Hearing these words, Mu Aotie was slightly startled, and realised something.
When the two searching Kunling Mountain disciples saw their attire and recognised them as fellow disciples, they both relaxed. One person said, “We have not discovered anything for the time being. Which mountain peak are you from?”
Shh! What responded to him was a flash of cold light. A sharp edge slit open his throat.
The neck of the other Kunling Mountain disciple was also pinned by the blood-stained sword tip in Yu Qing’s hand. His figure, which was about to dodge urgently, also froze. The hand gripping the sword hilt, about to draw the sword, did not dare to move rashly.
Only now did he watch with his own eyes as blood sprayed from his companion’s neck. His companion gurgled, eyes wide open, and fell to the ground, twitching in pain. The smell of blood gradually spread out.
Taking advantage of the poor visibility in the night, Yu Qing confused his identity and attacked. Without hesitation, he directly took one person’s life, and controlled the other.
With a single sword draw and strike, he simultaneously controlled two people. The Dust-Sealing Sword Technique had not been cultivated in vain. The proficiency in sword control was unlike what it had been in the past.
To kill upon making a move was also something he had no choice about. He was already stained with the blood of two Kunling Mountain disciples. Although it was old nine who killed the people, he could not absolve himself of responsibility. Once caught by Kunling Mountain, they would not let them go. There was no longer any point in worrying about gains and losses.
In a contest of life and death, he could only preserve himself and eliminate others, first seeking a way to survive for himself and old nine!
“How… how can you kill a fellow disciple so recklessly… who are you?”
The other survivor glanced at the sword tip at his own neck and asked tremblingly. He had already begun to suspect the other party’s identity.
But Yu Qing did not hesitate in the slightest. He struck out with several consecutive finger jabs, placing a restriction on the other party’s body, causing him to faint and fall to the ground. He did not kill him.
Mu Aotie found this strange upon seeing it. What was the meaning of killing one and leaving one alive?
Yu Qing used a spell to shake off the bloodstains on his sword. After sheathing his long sword, he did not dare to delay in the slightest. He immediately warned in a low voice, “Do not undo the restriction on his body. Wake him up immediately and take him away. Remember to take him with you and make his feet walk.”
The moment these words were spoken, Mu Aotie immediately understood. Knocking the person out was to prevent anyone from hearing their conversation. But he truly did not understand what this meant. He asked explicitly, “I do not understand what you want to do?”
Yu Qing suddenly looked up and glanced at the scattered night owls that had already arrived overhead first. “If my guess is correct, that spirit beast ‘Fu Di’ has made a move and has already locked onto us. You take him and go, pretending to be the footsteps of two people fleeing, to lure the enemy. Lure them to continue the pursuit. I will go and meet that spirit beast ‘Fu Di’.”
Mu Aotie was shocked upon hearing this. “The other side definitely has more than one person. There must be a large number of people around it. You going to meet it alone is not seeking death?”
Yu Qing, “Do not talk nonsense. There is no time for nonsense now. If we do not make that spirit beast ‘Fu Di’ stop, none of us can escape. Do not be as fussy as old seven!”
He raised his finger and pointed at the highest peak looming in the night ahead. “You take the person and act as bait. Do not run too far. Hide on that mountain. I will meet up with you later using the old secret signal. If you encounter Kunling Mountain disciples along the way, greet them in the manner I just used. Adapt as you see fit.”
Mu Aotie silently nodded. He suddenly said, “If things cannot be done, you run away alone. Do not worry about me. Even if I am caught, I will not let them recognise who I am. Old fifteen, with your ability, try your best to take old seven away.”
The meaning in his words was simple. Since he could destroy others’ corpses and erase traces, he could also make others unable to recognise his face. He would try his best to delay the exposure of old seven and old fifteen’s identities, and try his best to buy time for them to escape.
Yu Qing’s jaw instantly tensed. He stared fixedly into the other party’s eyes, knowing what kind of resolute decision the other party had made in this instant. He felt as if his breath had instantly sharpened, stuck in his nasal cavity, making it difficult to breathe in or out. After taking a deep breath with great effort, he calmly said, “Understood. There is no time. Hurry up and go!”
He did not say anything about whether it would work or not to do that. Once this exchange and contest became clear, the foundation of a thousand-year-old great sect was beyond his imagination. If he could not escape, old nine could not escape either. By then, the consequences would no longer be up to them to consider.
Mu Aotie immediately bent down, tore off a piece of cloth from the dead person’s body, quickly blindfolded the unconscious person, then woke him up, and gave him a punch to make him behave. Then he propped up one arm and quickly helped the person away. He only glanced back at Yu Qing once, and did not look back again.