"I doubt that I will be able to refuse. So I will come along. But release her" Wu Guang calmly said after hearing Shen Yimu's words
"That can't be done"
"Then, guarantee her safety"
"If young master swears to accompany me peacefully, her safety will be assured. But, she will remain here until we return"
"I see. Okay then, I, Wu Guang, swear under the heavens that if she is spared I will accompany you to the destination you speak by my own will and without making a fuss. If I lie, let the heaven's law enforce punishment on me!" Wu Guang swore without even batting an eye.
"Huh? It seems this lass is important for you, it's okay, I guarantee that she will not be touched" Shen Yimu was flabbergasted to see Wu Guang instantly swear without reaction, but he still accepted the oath.
He also released his aura, intending to check if Wu Guang was sincere. And it was indeed so, as the latter did not make any attempt to shout for help or escape.
"Let's go, young master Wu" Shen Yimu spoke up a few moments later.
"Where to?"
"Heh, you will see"
"Lead the way then"
Wu Guang's had a clear objective in mind when accepting the conditions, and it was by far not Lan Yanzhi's safety. Granted, he did not want to provoke her death, but he also did not want her to accompany him. As for the main reason, it was that she would have to be left here, and so the other soul realm expert would remain as to guard or silence her after Wu Guang leaves. Obviously, with Elder Di and Elder Yanshen around, how could that happen? And they would even get a possible interrogation target!
As for Lan Yanzhi herself, she at first did not understand Wu Guang but could not speak while under full suppression. Still, after he left along Shen Yimu and she was rescued right away, she felt deeply indebted for him to go so far for her safety.
Wu Guang was not sure of what would happen, but he was sure that Elder Di would not let Yan Lanzhi die back there. He was calmly following Shen Yimu while they walked towards the district gates and did not even try to do anything except walk. After all, if the latter wanted to say something, he would, and questions in such a situation? That's only something people who don't understand how to act would do.
Their journey took a few hours, even though Shen Yimu used his aura to envelop Wu Guang and accelerate him with his movement technique after clearing the other two districts and leaving the city per se.
Unsurprisingly their destination was the 'Earth Cry's Ridge'.
This ridge was the top of a few smaller hills part of the Boundary Hills that were far smaller and went towards the south. Thus outcropping of smaller hills had indeed formed a small, not more than seven square miles in total plain area with nothing except a few trees.
As Wu Guang approached, he examined the area and found that the only suspicious location would be a huge boulder in the center of this ridge, and he was indeed led towards there.
Only after circling about this huge, at least two times his own height and twenty or so feet in width, boulder did Wu Guang see the mentioned rune door. And as expected, near it he saw everyone he expected to see there. Chun Zemin, Lu Shuren, 'Double Shadow Assasin', and another person he should not know. Still, Wu Guang did know the identity of this person, after all, he had seen his image inside Jiang Bing's memories, as this was none other than Lord Liao.
Truthfully, Wu Guang had expected to see him hereafter connecting Chun Zemin and Lu Shuren to the new boss of the Underhill group. And how could he not? After all, people like 'Double Shadow Assasin' would not willingly disguise themselves as soldiers and accompany Lu Shuren in the city if not ordered to do so. And considering that the new boss was someone from the Eagle Kingdom's secret ops team, he had guessed that an unknown expert like this so-called Lord Liao should be from there as well.
"Huh, so young friend Wu Guang has decided to join us today of his own will?" Lu Shuren did not need to keep up his previous appearances and so sneered right after seeing the approaching Wu Guang.
"Well, if Lord Lu is here, how could this junior not come?" Wu Guang did not have any qualms at jabbing back. In any case, they could not kill him yet, and even if they wanted to, they still needed to safeguard him until he opened and they fully examined the area behind the door.
"You!"
"Please remain calm" Chun Zemin interdicted before asking Shen Yimu
"Did the key react?"
"Yes"
"Any trouble?"
"No"
"Good" Only after this, Chun Zemin turned towards Wu Guang while saying
"We meet again"
"Hmm? I don't recall being introduced to you, guest elder of the Wei family, Chun Zemin"
"But you do know who I am" The latter had a far better temper and so simply let the jarring tone slide while answering with a smile.
"How could I not? Elder Chun is a known expert, a guarantee of safety for a lot of the customers in the auction house. I have long heard of your name, though mostly from some bastard that accused me of cheating during the entrance exams"
"Hoh? I wonder who would invoke my name on such occasion"
"Mmm... It was some idiot called Ang? Feng? Oh, Fang! Yeah, Chun Fang"
"You! Don't think that you can go along provoking us. You will die sooner or later, but how you die is still in our hands!" Chun Zemin had a better temper indeed, but how could he not react to Wu Guang's constant insults towards his grandson? Especially as that grandson was currently missing.
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"I did not mean any disrespect to you, Elder Chun. And if I knew that this Chun Fang was your relative..." Wu Guang made a panicked expression surface on his face, but his tone was still full of mockery.
"What?!"
"Well, I maybe would have shared what do I know about his location. Hahahahaha!" Wu Guang sneered and laughed like there was no tomorrow. After all, they could not kill him, and he needed to gain time.
He had not spent the time used up for the travel under Shen Yimu's aura for naught. He had used his mind power to slowly disguise his senses to appear like the latter's, and so he was currently able to use his senses inside all Shen Yimu's area of coverage. His senses being a pair of levels more advanced, and his consciousness surpassing his for two full realms, he would sense even Elder Di and others, even if Shen Yimu and the present people did not. Still, he could not sense anyone except the people he saw and so... He knew that he needed to gain time.
"Stop! Don't get agitated because of his words. If he knows where is your precious grandson, we will ask him later. But first, we need to finish the main matter" Before Chun Zemin could continue questioning or act, Lord Liao spoke. His voice was pleasant to the ear, something that would be expected from his good and proper appearance. The tone he spoke with was a commanding one, and so Wu Guang determined that indeed, this so-called Lord Liao was the one in charge. Though he was far younger than the others, his strength was also over theirs and so it was pretty logical.
"Hmm? And this senior that spoke up should be Lord Liao? if so, this Wu Guang is very honored to meet you" Wu Guang did not let such an opportunity to gain time escape. Still, as this man was the one calling the shots, the manner to deal with him had to be different. In such a case, why not surprise him by pointing out his identity?"
"You know me?" Surely, Lord Liao was surprised to hear that Wu Guang would know of him.
"Obviously! How could I not know someone that helped my senior escape the 'Inverted Tower'? or I should say the 'Underwater Hell' how he referred to it" Wu Guang continued sharing his knowledge with a smile, while even attempting to bow towards Lord Liao.
"..."
"Hey! I am sincere in my praises Lord Liao! Whatever they have told you about me, how could I not be praising Lord Liao for letting out someone's falsely accused as Jiang Bing?" As people say, strike the iron while it's hot. And so after the lack of reaction to the previous statement, Wu Guang started adding some lies to his words, especially as he knew that Jiang Bing was not falsely accused. Granted, he had a leading accomplice, but he still was at fault. Still, if Wu Guang wanted to confirm that he knew someone like that, what's better than absolve him of guilt?
"You say that you know 'Black and White Evil'?"
"This Wu Guang indeed knows him. Although senior Jiang Bing is a bit ungrateful even to you, his benefactor, he still told me that Lord Liao helped him escape"
"You have seen him? When?!" This question was blurted out by Lord Liao practically against his will. Although this could be understood, after all, yesterday the lair where the last batch of the escapees was hidden was attacked. Lord Liao himself had left to catch an inner elder of the 'Three Hills Sect', but did not encounter him. Still, when he returned, he found out that the zone was under the control of enforcers from the Sect and there were no signs of anyone else!
"He came to me yesterday morning to ask about my family"
"Why would he?" Lord Liao still maintained a calm facade, but Wu Guang could see that he started panicking. Indeed, if Jiang Bing whose location was unknown revealed so much to someone already, if he was captured and told about Lord Liao to people from the Sect or other powers, his mission would be considered a failure! Granted, the mission was nothing important, but the Black Eagles were famous for punishing even slight mistakes, not to mention a botched task.
"He was very well acquainted with my aunt. My late aunt was the one that told me she could not believe senior Jiang Bing was capable of doing things like the ones he was accused of"
"Where did he go?!"
"Lord Liao, you are his benefactor but I don't know much about your dealings. Senior Jiang Bing did not forbid me of sharing his destination, but how could I do so to someone who intends to kill me?"
"Hmm... That's fair, but you seem to forget that you are in my power right now. If I want to know, you better tell me or I will torture you until you tell me!" Lord Liao was indeed not a good person at all. After hearing Wu Guang's refusal, he shouted in anger and let out his aura. One of a 6th level Soul Realm cultivator.
"You will kill me anyway, so what do I care?" Wu Guang did not back down, although he deliberately let out a fearful expression and added a bit of panic to his voice.
"Lord Liao..." Unexpectedly the one to intercede now and try to calm Lord Liao was 'Double Shadow Assasin'.
"Huu... I know. Let's do it like this. After you open this door and we confirm there are no dangers, I will let you go if you tell me and Chun Zemin what we want to know. If your words are honest, we will surely spare you" After exhaling and calming down, Lord Liao made an offer.
"My life is indeed precious and so I have no other choice but to agree" Wu Guang answered while showing up that he believed this offer to be true.