Chapter 2256 — Searching the Mountains

"This Wild Fire Fist is a martial art belonging to one of the sects here. We can now be fairly certain that those two came for that precious treasure. Old Thirteen must have guessed as much from the woman's appearance, and then went up the mountain to intercept the prize—only to meet with some mishap, though we know not how..." Old Six analyzed.

"So that is how it was..." Old Twelve said in grief. "Sixth Brother, shall we go up the mountain now and hunt those two down? We must kill them with our own hands and avenge Old Thirteen!"

"It is dark now—where would you go looking for anyone? And so much time has passed. Even if we found the place by Old Thirteen's soul aura, those two would long since have fled!" Old Six waved his hand. "Tonight we take our men and keep watch at the foot of the mountain. Then at first light I will go up, and you will stay here with the men. If those two come down the mountain, you block their way and fire a signal flare. If I run into them up there, I will do the same!"

"As you say!" Old Twelve nodded in agreement. "Then let us be off..."

At Tagan Gao's command, the finest hands of the family turned out in full. Apart from the Old Ancestor, who was in secluded cultivation, Tagan Sha, Tagan Mo, the four wardens, and Tagan Long all hurried along with Old Six and Old Twelve to the foot of the Wulonghaote Mountains.

The other clans stationed below the mountains to keep watch and patrol found it rather strange, unable to guess what the Tagan family was up to with such a grand display. Yet none of them spoke up to ask; so long as their own interests were not touched, they could not be bothered.

If the Tagan family had met with trouble and they went to inquire, they might then be asked to send some of their able-bodied men to help—and that would be a loss with no gain.

The three great clans and two great factions were united in appearance but divided at heart, and so they simply let the Tagan family do as it pleased.

Fortunately, the Tagan family's people merely encamped at the foot of the mountain and made no other move.

Up in the Wulonghaote Mountains, Wei Zhao and Sun Jingyan followed the direction in which the Heaven-rank monstrosity had fled, yet found no trace of it.

"Ahead lies the middle range. We have already left the upper range behind!" Gazing at the dense jungle before him, Wei Zhao knew they had reached the middle range. The greatest difference between the middle and upper ranges lay in this dense jungle.

The upper range was all jagged rocks and grotesque boulders, with scarcely any trees; the middle range was dense jungle through and through. The dividing line was stark, plain at a single glance.

Still, having safely reached the middle range, Wei Zhao breathed a sigh of relief.

If the Grand Protector's companions or the Tagan family's people came searching, remaining in the upper range would have been perilous indeed for Wei Zhao and Sun Jingyan. After all, hiding places in the upper range were few and far between; with no dense jungle for cover, they could only shelter among boulders and caves, and if those people searched in earnest, they would be found with ease.

But the middle range was different. It was all dense jungle, offering excellent concealment. Even from the highest point of the mountains—the spot where the great hall stood—it was impossible to see into the middle range. Thus, by entering the middle range, Wei Zhao and Sun Jingyan had gained another layer of protection.

"There is no problem with us not going back the way we came, is there?" Sun Jingyan glanced at the jungle around them. There was no path at all in this part of the middle range, plainly a place few ever visited—or perhaps no one had ever set foot here at all.

"As things stand, going back is impossible anyway." Wei Zhao shrugged. "The Grand Protector is dead. Sooner or later the Tagan family or his comrades will come searching. If we took the same road we climbed by, the danger would be far too great."

"That is true." At Wei Zhao's words, Sun Jingyan's expression turned grave. "Your monstrous master has gone, and there is no one to help us now. How are we to get down the mountain? The Tagan family will not seal off the foot of the mountain against us, will they?"

"I do not know." Wei Zhao shook his head. To tell the truth, this was precisely what worried him.

It was not impossible to descend by way of places without a path, but it was far too dangerous. To begin with the middle range: the great fire-lion had said as much—the middle range was not home to the great fire-lion alone, but to other spirit beasts as well.

The Sky Thunder Pig was a spirit beast of peak late Mystic rank, but the great fire-lion's strength had already reached the Heaven rank. Anything able to contend with it must surely be a Heaven-rank spirit beast as well. Otherwise—the hierarchy among spirit beasts was strict, and rank suppression was plain to see; how could beasts not of the same rank be enemies of one another?

This in turn proved that the great fire-lion's rivals must also be Heaven-rank spirit beasts. In such a case the Sky Thunder Pig could be of no use at all and could not suppress the foe. If they met one, it would truly be trouble. One could only hope each would keep to its own side of the river.

No doubt spirit beasts were highly intelligent; without any profit to be had, they would not attack Wei Zhao for no reason. Reason with them, and there should be no problem.

What worried Wei Zhao, however, was the lower range.

There were no spirit beasts there, but there were savage beasts akin to spirit beasts and poisonous insects. The Sky Thunder Pig lacked the fearsome, killing aura of the Majestic General, and whether it could overawe such near-spirit beasts was hard to say.

Wei Zhao himself was not much concerned; his fear was that Sun Jingyan might fall into danger. If a near-spirit savage beast appeared and caught Wei Zhao off guard, that too would be a most troublesome matter. The Wulonghaote Mountains—even the Tagan family's people dared not climb by other routes at will; they must be exceedingly perilous.

"So, wolves before and tigers behind—it really is a hard choice." Wei Zhao smiled. "Stay with me and there should not be much trouble. Running into spirit beasts is better than running into the Tagan family."

After all, there was no mortal enmity between them and spirit beasts, whereas with the Tagan family it was another matter. Especially if they were bent on avenging the Grand Protector—then they would summon their finest hands and never let Wei Zhao and Sun Jingyan go. At that point, Wei Zhao would have no way to cope.

He had not even been able to deal with a single Grand Protector; only by joining forces with the Heaven-rank monstrosity had he barely managed to kill him. If several more such foes came, Wei Zhao would not be going home at all.

"Yes!" Sun Jingyan had no ideas of her own; she simply followed Wei Zhao's lead.

With the Sky Thunder Pig clearing the way ahead, Wei Zhao and Sun Jingyan followed carefully behind. Their purpose on this journey had been all but achieved, and their enemy was dead. If they could descend by another route and slip away from Ruileida Town unnoticed, that would be the most perfect ending of all.

Making their way through the jungle was plainly much slower than before. Though it could not be called riddled with danger, neither could they let down their guard.

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