IOAFD - 1154. Without a Trace (II)

A few minutes after Luo Ping disappeared, he reappeared, stepping through a spatial crack as if nothing had happened. Only, he was no longer Luo Ping. He was Chen Wentian.

He had dragged Luo Ping to an underground chamber just outside the Limitless Sword Hall, a temporary safe house within the original plan to kill the sword master. They had intended to use it as a stepping stone to invade the sect in force. Now, it became a stepping stone for them to retreat without a trace.

Once inside the underground chamber, Chen Wentian immediately suppressed Luo Ping and began taking over his soul. The process was quick and without much drama. Luo Ping still had one more life-saving method; the same sword imprint that Luo Ming had. But Luo Ping was only a mortal so the sword imprint had a limited effect. The only danger was from the imprint’s ability to automatically launch spiritual message arrows and even teleporting message talismans. Thankfully, the underground chamber had been prepared. None of the messages could escape and they were all destroyed.

Chen Wentian waited for a little while before a sect elder flew over. It was Immortal Skyward Arrogance Luo Yang, who had participated in kidnapping Peng Lingxi.

“Luo Ping!” He shouted in shock, “Are you okay?”

Luo Yang quickly landed and checked his condition before asking anxiously, “What happened here? You were attacked?”

“Elder, I am alright but Peng Lingxi escaped. It was some kind of immortal realm spatial treasure. I didn’t get a good look. My attendants were powerless to stop her. She even tried to kidnap me as a hostage but thanks to grandfather…”

He showed the sword imprint on his right arm which was now much dimmer than before, so faint it was almost about to disappear.

Luo Yang’s expression twisted at the mention of the sword master, “This… it is good that you are safe. This Ten Thousand Flower Valley, how did they even manage to save their disciple?”

He walked around the garden, checking the residual spiritual energy. There wasn’t much, a hint of spatial energy left over. He was befuddled and full of frustration.

“How did they do it? It’s impossible… damn it!”

Luo Yang eventually gave up and left to bring a sword venerable. After the old venerable arrived, he also couldn’t figure anything out. It was as if Peng Lingxi had disappeared without a trace, just like their sword master and Chen Wentian.

This lack of understanding led to uncertainty which led to inaction. The four sword venerables argued with each other about what to do. The sword elders also argued with each other. Some wanted to charge over to Ten Thousand Flower Valley and flatten it to the ground. Others were afraid. They didn’t know what kind of power was behind Ten Thousand Flower Valley. Without their sword master, they didn’t dare to act rashly.

Chen Wentian knew that the Limitless Sword Hall would eventually retaliate. But now that he had Luo Ping, he was no longer worried. He even welcomed them. It just meant more Spirit Kings to feed him and Tiantian.

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Far away, Chen Wentian, Peng Lingxi, Jasmine, and the others finally left the boundaries of the Western Wumu Subcontinent and returned to the east. Aboard a ship sailing back to the Legendary Fighter League, everyone let out a sigh of relief. Nobody was chasing them. The Spirit King killing plan had been a great success and they had escaped without a trace.

Chen Wentian gathered with Tiantian and the others for a farewell.

It was Jasmine who spoke first, “Yu Guanyuang, you performed well this time. I will visit your clan soon and give you all a Lunar Blessing.”

“Thank you, my queen! Thank you!”

With a nod from Jasmine, the merlion king dived into the water and soon disappeared.

“Sundew, Huo Tu, after we get back, it’s time for tough training!”

The two beasts shivered and didn’t dare to look at Jasmine.

Chen Wentian took over from there and smiled at Tiantian, “We are a good team. Hope we can work together again soon.”

Tiantian’s tail wagged a little. She wasn’t as haughty or unapproachable as before. “Don’t forget, you still owe me forty kilograms of orange spiritual crystals. You had better pay up quickly or else there will be interest!”

He suppressed a laugh, “Of course, of course. I can repay a portion in a month after I gather some money. You are welcome to visit Ten Thousand Flower Valley to collect.”

Now, he had the perfect excuse to regularly invite Tiantian to his sect. It was a little bit of money, less than what he had spent on Long Yifei in the Martial Brilliance Continent. It was more than worth it.

“Fine! Then, we will be going first.”

Tiantian opened a spatial crack, letting Jasmine, Sundew, and Huo Tu go first. She glanced back at Chen Wentian and smiled, “Whether you are a human or a dragon, you are pretty good…”

He was about to say something when she cut him off, “Don’t forget my money!”

With that, she was gone.

The ship had only two people left, Chen Wentian and Peng Lingxi. But they were far from lonely. They was still a day or two from the Legendary Fight League, plenty of time.

“Master,” She said, walking up next to him.

He quickly snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her close.

She pouted, “Master, have you already set your eyes on Tiantian? She is quite capable and so beautiful, suitable for master’s fourteenth disciple.”

“Lingxi, I’m sorry I made you go through all that with Luo Ping. It is my fault. I let you suffer.”

“Master, it was all right. It was my duty. And besides, a man like Luo Ping would never interest me, so it wasn’t a problem at all.”

“Oh, really? Such a handsome young master who chased after you for a whole month, no interest at all?”

She shook her head, “No interest at all. Licking dogs like Luo Ping, I have met far too many men like him in my life.”

“Oh,” He turned to her and closed in until their noses were almost touching, “Then what kind of man interests you the most?”

Naturally, she answered him with a kiss.

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