From the fake emperor to the concubine

As soon as he stood firm, the round-faced disciple couldn't help but ask, "Elder, are we just going to let this go?"

"Forget it?" Mo Ku looked at him coldly. "If you're so capable, go and try attacking the city yourself."

The round-faced disciple opened his mouth, then immediately fell silent.

The tall, thin disciple was more cautious. He looked around first and whispered, "Elder, this Hongyun City is very different from what we thought. That kid Huang Yifei is probably not telling the truth."

Mo Ku snorted coldly: "Nonsense."

He looked up at the dark city ahead, his eyes so sinister they seemed to drip with poison.

This city is not easy to enter.

The defenses were tight, the formations were well hidden, and the soldiers on the city walls showed none of the fear that ordinary mortals should have when facing a celestial master. Even more troublesome was Zheng Yi. The man's aura was subtle, yet he gave Zheng Yi an extremely uncomfortable feeling, like a bottomless well; looking down at it for too long made his heart ache.

The round-faced disciple was unwilling to give up: "We can't have come all this way for nothing, can we? If anyone from the sect asks about the Huang family's affairs..."

"Who would ask?" Mo Ku glanced at him. "The secular family of an outer sect steward has been wiped out. How many people in the sect care? If it weren't for the so-called treasures involved, I wouldn't have bothered making this trip."

Upon hearing this, the two disciples dared not respond further.

Mo Ku walked back and forth a couple of steps on the low slope, his hands behind his back.

The frost on the ground had not yet melted, and it crunched when you stepped on it.

After a moment, he suddenly asked, "Have you figured out the secrets of the formation in the city?"

The tall, thin disciple smiled wryly: "I cultivate the way of the sword, so I don't understand it. I just feel that the energy of that formation is very heavy, as if it has enveloped the entire city."

The round-faced disciple scratched his head: "This disciple feels that it doesn't look like an ordinary city protection formation, but rather like... like it was built with some kind of beast bone and spiritual materials."

Mo Ku didn't speak.

He noticed it too.

That's precisely why it's even more annoying.

Ordinary formations can be set up using spirit stones and array flags, and their strengths and weaknesses are easily discernible. However, if you mix in demonic beast bone armor, fire-attribute leather, or even mineral vein energy, it becomes much more complicated. Without an array diagram in hand and enough people to test the formation, it would be too risky for him to break it alone.

Not to mention, the soldiers in the city weren't pushovers either.

The view from the air wasn't clear enough before, but now, with the distance increased, a closer look at the shifts on the city walls reveals much more clearly. The soldiers move with impeccable precision, showing no signs of crowding or delay even during shift changes. Heavy armor, crossbowmen, spearmen, and shield bearers are layered and positioned, working together like gears. The slightest movement instantly transforms them into a unified force.

This isn't a hastily put-together stunt.

This is something you get from practicing every day.

The round-faced disciple couldn't help but click his tongue: "How did a small, desolate border town train such a garrison? When I looked at those armored soldiers just now, their eyes didn't even waver. When we passed through other cities down the mountain, didn't the garrison soldiers all kneel down when they saw the flying sword?"

The tall, thin disciple murmured, "Could it be as Senior Brother Huang said, that there are demonic cultivators in the city using their methods to forcibly turn people into assassins?"

Mo Ku scoffed.

"Death warriors?" He stared at the dark gray flag on the city wall. "If they were truly trained using demonic methods, they wouldn't look like this."

"What does it look like?"

“Orderly.” Mo Ku uttered three words, his face growing increasingly gloomy. “Too orderly.”

The round-faced disciple was taken aback: "This... isn't order a good thing?"

Mo Ku turned to look at him, his gaze as if he were looking at a fool.

"This is certainly not a good thing for the sect."

The round-faced disciple belatedly shut his mouth.

A breeze swept across the hilltop, carrying the faint scent of cooking smoke drifting from the city. Inside Hongyun City, some residents had already begun to light fires and cook. Thin wisps of smoke rose one after another, peacefully as if nothing had happened.

It was as if the three Qingyun Sect cultivators outside the city were not worth mentioning at all.

This disregard was even more disheartening to Mo Ku than the earlier confrontation on the city wall.

"Elder, what do we do now?" the tall, thin disciple asked.

Mo Ku was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Wait."

"wait?"

“Wait until they slip up on their own.” Mo Ku narrowed his eyes. “Even if the city gates aren’t open, people will still have to come out. Those transporting grain, patrolling the mountains, and delivering messages will eventually find themselves alone.”

The round-faced disciple perked up: "That's right! If we keep watch outside, we're bound to catch a few. When we bring them in for interrogation, we're sure to get something out of them!"

Mo Ku said coldly, "Do you think they're fools? That soldier surnamed Guo may have been rough in his speech, but he's anything but. In the next few days, they'll probably be watching the city gates even more closely."

The tall, thin disciple frowned: "We can't just stay here forever."

Mo Ku looked up at the undulating slopes beside the north gate of Hongyun City and said slowly, "Let's find a place to settle down first. Don't get too close, and don't go too far away either. Keep an eye on it during the day and at night. I want to see how long this Hongyun City can shrink."

The two disciples exchanged a glance and had no choice but to agree.

The three traveled more than ten miles northeast, finally settling down beside an abandoned mountain god temple. The temple was dilapidated, half of its roof had collapsed, and only half of the face of the clay statue remained. However, it was situated on slightly higher ground, and looking south, one could barely see a corner of the city wall of Hongyun City.

The round-faced disciple looked disgusted as soon as he landed: "Elder, are we really staying here?"

"Otherwise what? Should I put it on your face?" Mo Ku was furious and retorted immediately.

The round-faced disciple immediately became obedient, shrinking his neck to tidy up the withered grass in the corner.

The tall, thin disciple was more astute. He first looked around and then returned to whisper, "Elder, there's not much of a human presence nearby, but there is a small river that's half frozen over. If we're only staying for two or three days, it should be quite peaceful."

Mo Ku hummed in agreement, then sat cross-legged on the broken futon in front of the shrine, closing his eyes and remaining silent.

But the frown between his brows never truly relaxed.

Meanwhile, inside the arrow tower at the north gate of Hongyun City, the atmosphere was much more relaxed than outside.

Guo Tianyou put one foot on the bench, grabbed a big meat bun and bit into it with his mouth full of oil, saying indistinctly between bites, "Sir, you really didn't see that old man's face just now, it was as black as the bottom of a pot. If I wasn't concerned about saving face, I almost laughed myself silly on the spot."

Zhao Sanhuai had just woken up, his hair still messy, holding a bowl of hot soup in his hand. Hearing this, he chuckled and said, "I also went to the city wall to take a look. Those two youngsters, at first their nostrils were pointing to the sky, but as soon as the crossbow was raised, their backs immediately became less stiff."

Iron One-Eyed lay on a newly made recliner. Although his injuries hadn't fully healed, he was full of energy. He patted the armrest with his uninjured hand, his one eye filled with regret.

"Damn it, it's a pity I didn't go up and yell at them. What's wrong with the Qingyun Sect? Does the Qingyun Sect think it can stand up for those bastards from the Huang family? I almost had half my face ripped off by a fire crow on the city wall that day, who do you want me to hold accountable for that?"

Han Wuhen sat by the brazier, blowing on his hot tea, but his expression was not as relaxed as the others.

“Sir, we managed to turn them away today, but they are, after all, members of the Qingyun Sect,” Han Wuhen said in a low voice. “Although there weren’t many of them, if they really went back to call for reinforcements…”

“It will call.” Zheng Yi sat by the window, flipping through a newly transcribed ledger in his hand, without looking up. “But it won’t call immediately.”

Elder Liu stroked his beard and nodded slowly: "Indeed. I have never met Mo Ku in person, but I have heard of his name. He is notoriously greedy and suspicious. If he really heard news of some great treasure from Huang Yifei, his first thought would definitely not be to report it to the sect, but to keep it for himself."

"Wouldn't that be even better?" Guo Tianyou swallowed the bun in his mouth. "If he doesn't call for help, we're even less afraid." "But don't be careless." Zheng Yi closed the ledger and looked up at everyone. "Not calling for help doesn't mean he'll leave. For the next few days, double the number of sentries outside the city. No group of less than thirty people is allowed to go far alone when leaving the city. All deliveries of grain, mine patrols, and herb gatherings must be escorted by armored soldiers."

Zhao Sanhuai immediately put down his bowl: "I'll go make the arrangements too."

"Sit down first and finish your soup," Zheng Yi said. "You haven't slept a full night for two nights, and your eyes are bloodshot. Starting tonight, you will personally lead a team to take turns patrolling the city, focusing on the northeast direction. If that old bastard is looking for a place to hide, he'll most likely hide in that high place."

Zhao Sanhuai was taken aback, then chuckled, "I went to take a look too. Sir, you and I are on the same page. Those abandoned temples in Northeast China are the perfect place for Tibetans. I'll take two old brothers who know how to navigate at night with me later and see if we can hear them grinding their teeth."

Upon hearing this, Iron One-Eyed exclaimed anxiously, "I'm going too!"

"Go to hell." Guo Tianyou retorted without any politeness. "You're already out of breath after just a couple of steps, and you still want to touch the immortal master's whistle? When the time comes, your cough will be heard three miles away."

Iron One-Eyed glared: "I wasn't fully healed!"

"If you're not better, just shut up and rest."

"Guo Tianyou, do you want to fight?"

"Get up from your chair first before you speak."

The room was immediately filled with laughter.

Han Wuhen's initial tension eased somewhat. He put down his teacup and asked softly, "Sir, those few outside the North Gate... have they just been left out to dry?"

Zheng Yi looked out the window.

The sun was already shining outside, casting a cold, hard light on the black rock walls.

"Let's wait and see," he said. "They dare not move, and we're not in a hurry to move either. Whoever loses their composure first will be the first to reveal their weakness."

A thoughtful look flashed in Elder Liu's eyes: "Does the master mean to deliberately let them see?"

“Look,” Zheng Yi nodded, “Let them see what Hongyun City looks like now.”

Guo Tianyou scratched his head: "What do you think? We even specially set it up for them to see?"

"Let's continue with our daily lives as usual," Zheng Yi said. "We'll continue training, transporting goods, and operating the market as usual. Just keep things relaxed on the surface but tight on the inside, not giving them any chance to take advantage."

Upon hearing the words "opening for business," Han Wuhen's eyes immediately lit up: "Sir, then I'll have the trade route to White Stone City resume. With the Huang family gone, many merchants who were originally hesitant to do business with us have been observing the situation these past few days. If they see that even the Qingyun Sect couldn't do anything to us, this business..."

“Okay.” Zheng Yi glanced at him, “but double the number of guards for the convoy.”

"understand!"

Outside the city, the sun rose higher and higher, and the frost on the ground gradually melted, turning into damp moisture.

Inside the abandoned temple, a round-faced disciple squatted on the threshold, munching on dry rations. After a couple of bites, he complained that they were too hard, spat them out, and muttered, "If I had known it would be like this, I would have eaten breakfast at the temple gate before coming here."

The tall, thin disciple, leaning against the broken wall with his sword in his arms, glanced at him sideways and said, "Aren't you afraid of getting scolded for complaining about this in front of the elders?"

“I didn’t say it to his face.” The round-faced disciple lowered his voice. “Tell me, what was that kid Huang Yifei thinking? He tricked us into coming here, and then Hongyun City wouldn’t even open its gates.”

“Who knows?” The tall, thin disciple’s gaze fell on the dark silhouette of the city in the distance. “But to be fair, the soldiers in that city are much more formidable than I thought.”

The round-faced disciple snorted, "What's the use of looking presentable? They're still just mortals. If the sect really gets serious, they can just send down a team of enforcement disciples and the city gates will still open."

The tall, thin disciple glanced at him: "Then why didn't you say that when you were down below the city walls?"

The round-faced disciple choked for a moment before reluctantly saying, "Well... the elder didn't give any orders."

The tall, thin disciple smiled and stopped teasing him.

After a while, the round-faced disciple couldn't help but ask again, "Don't you think that Zheng Yi looks a bit eerie?"

"What's so strange about it?"

“I can’t quite put my finger on it.” The round-faced disciple touched the back of his neck. “When he was standing there, I always felt a chill down my spine. But I couldn’t sense any particular spiritual pressure from him. It was like… like I was being stared at by something.”

The tall, thin disciple remained silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "You're not the only one who thinks this way."

The two exchanged a glance, but neither said anything more.

Inside the temple, Mo Ku sat with his eyes closed, but his mind was never truly at peace.

Huang Yifei's words kept replaying in his mind.

A sword with purple-gold flames.

Tens of thousands of mid-grade spirit stones.

A remote, desolate town, yet it hides a military formation and elite troops.

And then there's Zheng Yi.

No one would believe there's no opportunity here. But the greater the opportunity, the deeper the pitfall might be. If he acts rashly and gets caught in the trap, he'll become a laughingstock.

Thinking of this, Mo Ku suddenly opened his eyes and hissed, "Skinny guy."

The tall, thin disciple hurried into the temple: "Elder."

"You're fast on your feet, so go and circle around the area for about twenty miles and see if there are any groups coming out of Hongyun City. Just look, don't disturb them."

"Yes."

"Round face".

"The disciple is here."

"You stay here and keep watch at the city gate. Make sure to record the number of carriages and people entering and leaving."

The round-faced disciple nodded quickly: "Understood."

Mo Ku closed his eyes again, but his fingers tapped slowly inside his sleeve.

He didn't believe that Hongyuncheng could stay hidden forever.

As long as someone steps forward, there will always be an opportunity.

However, the north gate of Hongyun City was opened twice throughout the day.

The first time was at noon. A dozen oxcarts, escorted by thirty armored soldiers, left the city for a newly established quarry outside. The soldiers, all clad in bone armor and wielding long spears, walked alongside the oxcarts, their eyes more scrutinizing than those of someone escorting prisoners. The round-faced disciple watched from afar, his heart itching, yet he dared not move.

The second time was at dusk. A caravan of about a hundred people returned from the south and entered the city. The carts were covered with tarpaulins, and it was unclear what they were carrying. There were fifty heavily armored soldiers at the front and rear of the caravan, and even the axles of the carts had crossbows hanging from them. It was difficult to even get close, let alone attack.

As soon as it got dark, the city gates were immediately closed.

Torches were lit in rows on the city wall, and patrols continued all night long.

Inside the abandoned temple, the round-faced disciple reported what he had written down to Mo Ku, his voice growing softer and softer as he spoke. (End of Chapter)