Demon Sword Sect's Undercover-Chapter 495 - 494: After the Carnival

Guo Yanzhi was not discouraged. "Hou Niao, I know your secret now," he said.

Hou Niao rolled his eyes. "I know your secret as well," he replied.

The two looked at each other and smiled. Since they were secrets, it was better for both to keep tight-lipped.

Clouds gathered, obscuring the view, blocking Divine Sense. This was a characteristic of fighting in the Cloud Sea; even a Flying Sword could be half-crippled, let alone other things.

Therefore, only Guo Yanzhi knew of Hou Niao’s last Body Sword Skill, and only Hou Niao was aware of the illusionary changes of Guo Yanzhi’s Life Pearl. They were even, and these were the secrets among cultivators, unspoken yet understood.

In the end, Hou Niao did not destroy Guo Yanzhi’s Life Pearl. This had been his strategy all along in the competition, starting from Bao Wen, he had not harbored a reckless desire to kill, and of course, that was even less likely at the end, especially with Guo Yanzhi.

It was then that Guo Yanzhi began to talk about camaraderie. "Tan asked me to remind you not to forget your agreement with him," he said.

Hou Niao was a bit worried. "That guy is still alive? Really could worry a person to death. Alright, I will definitely go, but it’s a long journey, and I’ll need to find the right opportunity."

Guo Yanzhi spread his hands, "That’s your agreement with him, not my business. I’ve just passed on the message."

Hou Niao was still a bit indignant. "You only have one Life Pearl, right? And you let it out just like that? Like a Demon Beast spitting out a Demon Core..."

Guo Yanzhi didn’t hide it from him. "How dare I use it like this normally? Knowing that you wouldn’t harm it allowed me to be fearless. Who made you so secretive? How else could I have witnessed your true skills?"

"In the Chu Sect, only a handful of the Tongtian disciples are able to condense a Life Pearl; it’s too difficult. But you be careful, if I condense another one, sooner or later I’ll make you pay," Guo Yanzhi said.

The two chatted for a while, and other leaders gathered around as well. Both sides then made clear definitions regarding various disputes among the thief groups.

The Cang Pirates didn’t ask for much, and the Chasing Wind Bandits gave ground readily, actually both understood without saying that they were suppressing a third force, a basic exercise of power for those who control the big picture. Since neither could swallow the other, they chose to join forces against the third.

The tumult of the thief groups over Lizhi Sea had come to an end. Some were elated, some disheartened, but most just went with the flow. No matter who was in charge, life had to go on.

... On a small island, the Dugu sisters had found a sea vessel. The ship had changed, but the cargo was intact, not missing a thing. Groups with roots like the Chasing Wind Bandits would never do anything too extreme, as they wouldn’t truly offend a family backed by a Nascent Transformation Sword Cultivator. Only the transient thieves would act recklessly and strike regardless.

The sailors were all aboard, and as soon as the sisters arrived, the ship set sail. This time, they wouldn’t be hijacked again. ƒгeewёbnovel.com

To have lost and then regained should be a happy occasion, but for some reason, neither sister could find joy. In the course of this incident, some things had gradually become more significant than those valuable goods.

They could report the completion of their task, yet their mood was inexplicably heavy; those people, those events.

Forty years ago, starting from the great harvest in Jin City, out of hundreds of disciples, they were certainly among the very few who had done extremely well. Those from their cohort, including the so-called prodigies who had appeared so promising and well-endowed, the vast majority had withered away, their presence gone.

But the fear in such matters is comparison, among the very few, they might be the ones who fare the worst because they aren’t in control of their lives, because they live at the mercy of others.

"That Bai Qingqian, she’s really lucky." Even Dugu Lan couldn’t help but sigh at the unpredictability of people’s fates, after all, hadn’t they met Hou Niao long before that woman did?

Xiao Qiang, however, uncharacteristically kept her thoughts to herself, knowing that discussing these matters was useless at the moment.

"What shall we say when we return to the Prince Manor? Do we tell the truth, or do we gloss over it?"

Her question was reasonable; Wu Weijiang was alright in other respects, and although he had the air of someone from a major family, he was fairly decent about understanding social nuances. But there was one thing he was particularly strong about: his possessiveness. When it came to possessions, he would do anything to achieve his goals, and with his women, it manifested as an intense jealousy. That’s why she asked.

Initially, when they joined the Prince Manor, he seemed indifferent about their pasts, but in reality, he had thoroughly investigated everyone they had ever been in contact with, including Hou Niao, who was a primary subject of inquiry.

Luckily, their past interactions with him had been minimal. They had neither lived in the same territory nor worked on the same matters, which allowed the issue to fade away. However, if they reported the truth upon their return, it would inevitably stir up many of Wu’s old memories.

Cultivators should be big-hearted, at least in theory, though there are always a few who don’t fit the category, especially those who grew up high above the rest.

Dugu Lan was also troubled. "We can’t tell the truth, but how can we keep such a thing secret? How about we downplay Brother Hou and focus on the Quanzhen power from Mirage City? I heard that Brother Hou is now with the Sikong Mansion, commanding forces near the Lizhi Sea from the Shan Sect..."

Xiao Qiang felt it was not quite right, but she also knew that given the current situation, this was the best approach they had. What else could they do?

It was as if they, who were meant to help King Wucheng’s Manor recover its property, were instead behaving like thieves. Such was the magic of the Cultivation World.

The ship headed towards Mirage City; the great battle had just ended, marking a brief period of calm for the Lizhi Sea;

The sea surface was calm, but their hearts were not. Dugu Lan looked at her cousin beside her and, just as Xiao Qiang was keenly aware of her feelings, she too was extremely familiar with her cousin.

"Xiao Qiang, some things are better left in the past. Don’t try to pick them up again; it’s not good for anyone, not just for you but also for Brother Hou. Letting go is not easy, but no matter how difficult, we must do it. Since we’ve joined the Prince Manor, some things are destined and cannot be changed..."

Xiao Qiang did not reply. She wondered if things really couldn’t change. It’s not that she was deeply infatuated with Hou Niao — far from it — but what made her despondent was the lifestyle in King Wucheng’s Manor: dull, repressive, monotonous, barely a ripple on stagnant water.

All she wanted to escape was this lifestyle, but she couldn’t do it on her own; she needed an external stimulus.

A journey to the Lihai showed her the vast and vibrant outside world, the kind that a cultivator should experience.

Such thoughts didn’t arise overnight; they had appeared many years ago. She had been unsure before, but after entering the Prince Manor, she became certain of her beliefs. It might have been late, but it finally happened.

Resigning to fate as Sister Lan suggested? She didn’t see it that way. The purpose of cultivation was to defy the heavens and change one’s fate. If one lacked even this resolve, they should never have embarked on the path of cultivation.

There was no need to express all this, even to the best of sisters, for there comes a day when paths diverge.