Fei You

The ebony sword was poised to strike. Concealed behind the door, Bai was also on the verge of making his move. Yet the young man's reaction caught both of them completely off guard. *Bang!* Bai slammed the door shut, blocking the young man's retreat. Qin Sang made a gesture toward the ebony sword, and the spirit sword halted abruptly in midair, its gleam pulsing as it pointed straight between the young man's eyes. The young man was startled by the scene inside the room. Feeling the sharp, biting edge of the sword, cold sweat instantly broke out all over him. When his gaze fell upon Steward Liu lying bound on the floor, he was shocked once more. Before his panicked mind could settle, Qin Sang and Bai had already flanked him, leaving him no way of escape. "You know me?" Qin Sang's eyes narrowed slightly as he scrutinized the young man. He was certain he had never met him before, yet there was something faintly familiar about his features. The young man's behavior had also taken him by surprise—it seemed he had come specifically looking for him. Seeing that the young man posed no threat, Qin Sang shot Bai a meaningful look. Bai understood immediately, hoisting Steward Liu and carrying him out of the quiet room, making haste to tie up any loose ends. "Senior, you truly are Daoist Qingfeng!" The young man did not dare inquire further. The heart that had been in his throat finally settled. He had risked his life to deliver a warning, expecting that he would have to maneuver around Steward Liu and dreading that he might give himself away. He had never imagined that Steward Liu was already a captive, his scheme apparently uncovered. "Senior certainly does not know this junior, but I have always held Senior's kindness close to my heart. My name is Fei You. My parents once followed Senior for a time and received many rewards from you, and Senior even saved their lives. After returning, they never forgot Senior's grace, keeping it engraved upon their hearts and constantly urging me to remember it as well. That this junior was able to achieve Core Formation was all thanks to Senior's benevolence..." Terrified of causing a misunderstanding, Fei You did not even pause to wipe the sweat from his brow, speaking at a rapid clip to explain his identity. Qin Sang let out a soft exclamation of surprise as the memories came back to him. When he first arrived in the Demon Sea to search for a flood dragon soul for the Nine Dragons Heavenly Chariot Talisman, he had hired several Foundation Establishment cultivators familiar with the region. Among them were the Wang sisters, an elderly couple, and a cultivator surnamed Peng. Later, the Wang sisters had followed him again for a time on Wuyuan Island, while the old couple had returned to the Inner Sea after failing to form their cores, saying they intended to nurture their only son. Fei You turned out to be their son—no wonder his features looked somewhat familiar. "You came specifically looking for me?" Qin Sang glanced down toward where Steward Liu had been lying, understanding dawning upon him. Fei You did not dare ask unnecessary questions, nodding repeatedly with urgency in his expression. "The guild intends to move against Senior. The two Senior Wangs and I couldn't reach Senior, and we've been anxious out of our minds. It so happened that I was stationed on Yinghuan Island. The moment I received the message sent by Steward Liu, I rushed over to warn you, never expecting that Senior had already seen through his scheme..." "The Senior Wangs you mentioned—do you mean the sisters, Wang Shi and Wang Xiang?" Qin Sang's heart stirred, and he promptly asked, "Did the guild make trouble for them?" In the Qiongyu Guild, he had been closest to the Wang sisters, who had followed him for years. If the guild was moving against him, they were likely to be implicated as well. "The guild has been hunting for them all along!" Fei You said with lingering fear, "After parting ways with Senior, the two Senior Wangs left the guild and returned to the Inner Sea, cultivating on Lingchun Island ever since. Fortunately, they were cautious, so the guild did not know their true background. Rest assured, Senior—I have already sent a secret transmission to warn them, so they will be safe. As for me, I only joined the guild after reaching Core Formation and never mentioned Senior to anyone. The guild has no idea that I share this connection with Senior, or else I'm afraid I would also..." Fei You spoke with visible dread. Hearing this, Qin Sang's expression darkened, fury roaring within him. It was not enough that the Qiongyu Guild had put a bounty on him; they even sought to round up his close acquaintances. Fortunately, the Wang sisters were vigilant. He wondered whether Ran Luo had also been dragged into this. "Since you're stationed on Yinghuan Island, you must have frequent contact with that Vice Envoy Zuo. Have you ever heard him mention why the guild is moving against me?" Qin Sang voiced the question weighing on his mind. Fei You shook his head. Knowing Qin Sang had likely extracted some information from Steward Liu already, he got straight to the point: "Vice Envoy Zuo is extremely tight-lipped. I tried to probe several times, but couldn't get anything out of him, and I didn't dare ask more for fear of arousing his suspicion. The order to place a bounty on Senior came down suddenly some time ago, and aside from Vice Envoy Zuo, no one knows what happened inside the guild. When the news arrived, Vice Envoy Zuo wasn't on the island, which gave me the chance to deliver the message. However, he didn't travel far and should be arriving soon. Senior, you must leave at once—" Before he could finish, Bai's voice suddenly drifted in from outside. "Too late. They're already here!" Qin Sang's and Fei You's expressions shifted, and they rushed out of the shop one after the other. It was early morning. On the empty street, Bai stood beside the restrained Steward Liu, facing off against another group of cultivators. An autumn breeze blew, sending yellow leaves fluttering downward. Clear ripples stirred across the river's surface. The row of shops along the bank had all shuttered their doors and windows. Some had even activated their protective spirit arrays, with curious heads occasionally peeking out from the windows. The few pedestrians on the street had long since fled in terror from the disturbance, fearful of being caught in the crossfire. The opposing side numbered five, fanned out in a wild-goose-wing formation that blocked Bai's path forward. Every one of them was a Core Formation expert. Standing in the center was an elderly man in lavish robes, his hair and beard snow-white, his demeanor cold and imposing. He stood with his hands behind his back, steady as a towering mountain, his gaze locked tightly on Bai with unmistakable wariness. At that moment, Qin Sang and Fei You emerged. The gazes of the lavishly robed elder and his companions shifted toward them. "You bastard Fei! You ungrateful traitor, how dare you collude with a guild fugitive and leak information!" A young man in tight-fitting martial robes pointed at Fei You and cursed venomously. "Senior, that old fellow is Vice Envoy Zuo." Fei You looked uneasy, not expecting Vice Envoy Zuo to arrive so quickly. What worried him even more was the overwhelming strength of the opposing force—five people in total. Not only Vice Envoy Zuo, but the others were also elites of the guild. Their own odds of victory were slim. Yet regret was useless now. "Foolish creature, courting death!" The lavishly robed elder cast a contemptuous glance at Fei You, snorted coldly, and turned his gaze to Qin Sang. "You must be Daoist Qingfeng?" Qin Sang narrowed his eyes slightly, sweeping his gaze across the five opponents. Vice Envoy Zuo's strength was likely on par with Elder Zou's, and besides him, there was another late Core Formation expert. The young man in martial attire had a cultivation comparable to Fei You's, while the remaining two were both mid Core Formation cultivators. On the surface, Qin Sang was merely at the mid Core Formation stage, yet Vice Envoy Zuo had brought such an extensive entourage—truly mobilizing in full force, Qin Sang noted inwardly. He secretly sent a voice transmission to Bai and Fei You, deciding to make his move. A force of this size was not enough to frighten him away. When Qin Sang did not answer, Vice Envoy Zuo showed no anger, merely remarking indifferently, "To think that the Daoist possesses such a formidable refined corpse. It is fortunate that Zuo did not underestimate you." Bai was furious, itching to interrogate Vice Envoy Zuo: *Have you ever seen a refined corpse with intelligence as sharp as mine?!* "The Qiongyu Guild is cleaning house! I ask all fellow Daoists for your accommodation; the guild shall bear all damages incurred! In my capacity as Vice Envoy of the Qiongyu Guild, I request the assistance of our fellow Daoists from the Business Alliance. You will be handsomely rewarded in the days to come!" Vice Envoy Zuo suddenly held up a token high in the air, his voice rolling like thunder across the entire street.