The giant strode out of the forest with a blue-clad man dangling from one hand, as casually as if he were carrying a chicken. His body was spattered with blood—specks of crimson against the green robe, vivid as peach blossoms.
Li Feiyu sucked in a sharp breath.
The giant walked a few paces and dumped the blue-clad man onto the ground. Then Li Feiyu caught a pungent whiff of blood hitting him full in the face.
His expression changed drastically and he took half a step back instinctively, dropping into a defensive stance.
The giant paid no attention to Li Feiyu's small reaction. He simply took a single step and was once again standing behind Han Li, silent and motionless, as though he had never left in the first place.
Only then did Li Feiyu let out a long breath and relax his guard. He glanced at the blue-clad man on the ground, then at Han Li, who remained perfectly composed, and suddenly burst out laughing.
"So that's why you've been so calm all along! You had a monster like this hidden right beside you. Why didn't you tell me earlier? I've been wound up for nothing!" On the surface Li Feiyu sounded casual, but inwardly he was muttering, already trying to guess the nature of Han Li's relationship with this green-robed giant.
Han Li could see right through him, but had no intention of explaining. A faint, ambiguous smile played across his face as he said in an unhurried tone: "This Blue-Robed Enforcer should know quite a bit. Which one of us should do the interrogation? I figure a big shot like Hall Master Li is far more experienced at this sort of thing—leave it to the capable, I'd say. So I'll leave it to you."
Li Feiyu saw that Han Li was dodging the subject and had no intention of introducing the giant to him. He was somewhat dissatisfied.
However, he was quite interested in interrogating the enforcer himself, so hearing Han Li put it that way, he went with the flow and agreed.
Li Feiyu picked up the unconscious blue-clad man and slipped lightly into the forest to begin his interrogation work, while Han Li simply plopped down on the grass and relaxed.
Before long, Li Feiyu emerged from the forest alone, his face grim.
"That was fast. Did you get anything useful?" Han Li didn't even stand up—he merely raised an eyebrow and asked directly.
"Hmph! He was a coward who was terrified of dying. I barely touched him before he spilled everything. As for the news, there are two pieces—one good and one bad. Which do you want to hear first?" Li Feiyu said, clearly frustrated.
"Tell me the good one first—might as well hear something to lift my spirits." Han Li was obviously indifferent.
"The good news is, you guessed the Wild Wolf Gang's plan right. They've surrounded the other peaks without actively attacking and concentrated all their main forces below Sunset Peak. They're attacking like mad—I hear they've already broken through several defensive lines." Li Feiyu delivered this information in a flat tone, apparently not particularly concerned about the safety of the higher-ups.
"If even the good news sounds like that, there's no need to ask—the bad one must be truly terrible." Han Li rubbed his nose and muttered to himself.
"Your crow mouth is dead-on. The bad news is that the enemy force attacking the mountain this time isn't just the Wild Wolf Gang. The Iron Spear Society, Duanshui Gate, and several other mid-to-small factions have joined in too. It really looks like our sect is facing a major catastrophe."
Han Li froze for a moment—this was beyond his expectations as well.
"Never mind how many enemies there are. The priority is linking up with your little sweetheart and your subordinates. Things are chaotic outside right now—let's move while we can." Han Li didn't stay surprised for long before reaching a decision.
Li Feiyu nodded eagerly in agreement—the suggestion was exactly what he wanted to hear.
"What did you do with that guy?" Han Li suddenly asked.
"Silenced him. You didn't think I was going to carry him along, did you?" Li Feiyu said dismissively.
Han Li smiled faintly at this. He placed one hand on the ground and rose gracefully to his feet.
"Let's go. Try to avoid the enemy as much as possible. If we really can't avoid them, kill everyone who spots us—no mercy. Otherwise their numbers will only keep growing." Han Li said this lightly, but his words dripped with killing intent, heavy with the smell of blood.
*** Several li from Divine Hand Valley—in Elder Li's courtyard, the place was packed wall to wall with people. Men and women, old and young—none of them appeared to know any martial arts, yet they all murmured among themselves, each face etched with worry.
Around the courtyard, some twenty-odd young men in black, armed with swords and blades, kept watch on all sides. Compared to the unarmed people inside, they stood out strikingly.
In the main hall of the residence, two men were arguing.
"I don't agree with sending people outside! Our defenses here are already thin—send more people out and it'll be even weaker. No, absolutely not!" A corpulent middle-aged man sprayed spittle as he spoke, shaking his head like a rattle drum in emphatic opposition.
"But we don't know what's happening out there. If we don't send someone to scout, we'll be completely in the dark—that's far too passive." The one arguing against him was none other than Elder Li's beloved disciple, Ma Rong.
"Passive, so be it! What's happening out there is none of my concern. What matters to me is the safety of this place. Are you defying orders?" The fat man blinked his small eyes, suddenly pulled a golden waist token from inside his robe, and waved it in front of Ma Rong's face with an arrogant sneer.
Ma Rong looked at the fat man, then at the token, and let out a long sigh. He cupped his fists and bowed.
"I wouldn't dare. I shall follow your orders to the letter."