35. Caught Off Guard!
After deciding on a course of action, Gong Yiling rummaged through the cave and finally found a key.
The Hehuan Sect had no idea what this key was for, assuming it opened some unknown treasure chest.
They had been collecting treasure chests for seven or eight hundred years. Their sect could practically be a recycling center. If it weren’t an ancestral heirloom, they would have probably smashed it out of impatience.
The key’s true purpose was to open a door within the Venerable Mansion of an ancient Divine Venerable from the Hehuan Sect’s lineage.
However, the Divine Venerable’s name had been lost to history until someone discovered the mansion and found some artifacts related to the Hehuan Sect’s origins.
Of course, the treasures within the mansion were mostly… indecent items.
Even if Gong Yiling obtained them, she wouldn’t use them. So, the key was better off returned to the Hehuan Sect, as they didn’t know its true purpose anyway.
To be safe, Gong Yiling asked Qiu Shui and Chun Lian to stay and guard their captive while she went to get reinforcements.
Once someone from the Dongyang Sect arrived to identify Yan Wuying, she could wash her hands of this matter.
Upon hearing that Gong Yiling had found Yan Wuying, with his ring as proof, Yan Danyang, responsible for handling this matter, immediately informed his father and brought a dozen guards to Yan Wuying’s hiding place.
“That rebellious son!”
Seeing Yan Wuying lying unconscious outside the cave, Elder Yan flew into a rage, drawing his sword to kill his son.
Fortunately, Yan Danyang stopped him.
“Father, blood is thicker than water. Let’s wait for Wuying to wake up and talk.”
“What’s there to talk about!?” Elder Yan roared. “Because of him, your second and third brothers were brutally murdered by those Hehuan Sect bastards! I want his life!”
Well…
Gong Yiling, listening to their conversation, simply stood beside Qiu Shui and Chun Lian, waiting for them to calm down and pay her.
As for how much she would get, she hoped the old man was reasonable.
However, as she waited, she sensed a faint trace of danger.
This sense of danger was honed by her body’s previous experiences, but… there was nothing around. Where was this feeling coming from?
Suddenly!
The wind rustled, leaves swayed, and shadows flickered.
Dozens of darts, bearing the unique markings of the Hehuan Sect, flew from all directions.
These darts claimed the lives of several low-level cultivators, while others were deflected, embedding themselves in the surrounding trees.
Then, a disorienting smoke spread from the darts, catching many off guard. Those who didn’t hold their breath or take an antidote immediately collapsed unconscious.
In an instant, only a dozen of Elder Yan’s guards remained standing.
“The Hehuan Sect!?”
Elder Yan reacted quickly, ordering his son, “Quickly fire the signal flare! The Hehuan Sect is attacking!—Ugh!”
To everyone’s surprise, Yan Danyang suddenly struck his father’s chest with a palm strike while he was busy defending against the smoke and darts.
Holy shit!
Seeing this, Gong Yiling quickly pulled Qiu Shui and Chun Lian to the ground, pretending to be unconscious from the smoke.
This wasn’t as simple as she had initially thought.
Although seriously injured, Elder Yan’s profound cultivation prevented him from collapsing immediately.
He struggled to his feet, disbelief in his voice. “Second Brother… why!?”
“Gahahahaha!”
A mocking laughter echoed as a black-robed Hehuan Sect cultivator landed beside Yan Danyang, sneering at Elder Yan. “Old man, your son is quite capable.”
“He cultivates a demonic art, one that requires human sacrifices. He has simply shifted the burden of those lives onto his brothers.”
“Who asked you to speak?” Yan Danyang’s demeanor changed completely, his eyes cold and indifferent. “He’s just a useless thief. Naturally, he should be used to his fullest potential.”
“You… you!?” Watching his remaining guards being slaughtered by the Hehuan Sect cultivators, Elder Yan was overcome with grief and rage. “Why would you do this!?”
“Because you only have eyes for Big Brother!” Yan Danyang snarled. “I work tirelessly for the Dongyang Sect, while Big Brother is just a wandering hero, and yet you plan to hand over the sect to him.”
“So, I’ll join forces with the Hehuan Sect to kill you first, then kill Big Brother. Then, the Dongyang Sect will be mine!”
“You… you!?”
Watching the old man’s fury, Gong Yiling, feigning unconsciousness, sighed inwardly.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to go…
But then again, the book never mentioned Yan Danyang’s personality. This part of the plot was largely left blank.
Perhaps this was Gong Youyuan’s original intention, but she never used this plot point.
Or maybe she forgot.
Either way, Gong Yiling was now in trouble.
If she had known Yan Danyang was colluding with the Hehuan Sect, she would never have brought him here. Now things were getting complicated.
These people were mostly at the Return to Origin realm. How could she fight them?
She couldn’t possibly use a three-protect-one strategy, guarding Elder Yan like an ADC against a group of enemies…
“Thud.”
Just as Gong Yiling was considering the feasibility of this tactic, their ADC collapsed, probably from a surge in blood pressure.
But Gong Yiling thought—You’re giving me a blood pressure spike too, damn it!
Oh right, she could still draw her indecent talismans and escape.
But coming all this way just for a useless key was a huge loss.
Seeing their biggest obstacle faint, the Hehuan Sect cultivators immediately started searching for the key.
“Reporting to Left Protector, he doesn’t have the key.”
“He doesn’t?” The Left Protector frowned. “What about inside the cave?”
One of the cultivators rushed into the cave, but unfortunately, he stepped right onto Chun Lian’s explosive talisman.
“Boom!!!”
The loud explosion startled the Left Protector.
He knew Elder Yan wouldn’t set a trap there. Only Yan Wuying or Yan Danyang would do such a thing. But if Yan Wuying was clever enough for that, he wouldn’t have been framed by his brother.
Meanwhile, Yan Danyang received a report from his subordinate.
Someone had placed a barrier talisman outside, trapping them inside.
He thought their plan was flawless. The Hehuan Sect had no reason to do this, unless they had ulterior motives.
Could it be…?
Left Protector: This kid is trying to double-cross us!
Yan Danyang: The Hehuan Sect is trying to double-cross us!
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