Chapter 1472: Help Yourself

Something belonging to Yuan Se was unlikely to have left his possession for no reason.

Huo Kong did not dare delay.

He put away the ring and message and hurried out.

After the enormous disturbance in Nanzhou, he had been unable to contact Yuan Se. Nor could he reach Yuan Chun. He had no idea what Yuan Se intended and had already been trying to determine what had happened.

He had not gone far when Yue Guangming approached carrying a stack of intelligence reports, clearly intending to make some report.

“Sir.”

Huo Kong raised a hand. “If it isn’t urgent, we’ll discuss it later.”

Yue Guangming saw him stride past in obvious haste and immediately turned to follow. “Where is the Presiding Administrator going?”

“Later.”

Huo Kong waved him back again.

Yue Guangming had no choice but to stop.

Huo Kong requisitioned a flying mount and left alone.

He brought no one with him because the message had specifically ordered him to go in secret.

...

North Mountain Rock Valley was a barren, stony valley north of Misty Pavilion’s headquarters.

After arriving, Huo Kong circled overhead for a while before finally bringing his flying mount down into the gorge.

He jumped off and looked around.

No one was there.

While he was still wondering what was happening, a figure suddenly flashed down from above the gorge with speed so great that Huo Kong was caught completely unprepared.

They exchanged a move in passing.

The difference in strength was not even on the same level.

Huo Kong was subdued on the spot.

For an instant, that terrifying strength made him suspect his master, Yuan Se.

But one look at the newcomer’s figure ruled that out.

Huo Kong immediately demanded, “Who are you?”

The newcomer was Zhuge Chi, though he wore a false face.

He said nothing.

Carrying Huo Kong with him, he flashed away at high speed, rounded a bend, shot upward, and took him directly into a cave in the cliff wall.

Once inside the cave, Zhuge Chi released him and extended a hand, signaling for him to proceed farther in.

Huo Kong’s spiritual power remained completely unrestricted.

The man did not seem intent on making things difficult for him.

Suspicion rose in Huo Kong’s heart.

Could this be someone his master had sent?

Zhuge Chi gestured inward a second time.

With no better choice, Huo Kong proceeded deeper into the cave, full of doubt.

He did not go far before reaching the end.

A side opening led into another chamber.

A woman stood inside, calm and composed.

The moment Huo Kong recognized her face, he was shocked. “Lü Wushuang?”

“Come in. Your master is here as well.”

His master was here?

Huo Kong immediately hurried inside.

He looked around.

The chamber was not large, and there was no other person in sight.

Yet Lü Wushuang had no apparent reason to lie about something like this.

He demanded, “Where is my master?”

Lü Wushuang raised her chin toward a chest in front of him. “Open it and look.”

Huo Kong remained wary. “What is it?”

“See for yourself.”

“There is no need to be afraid. If I wanted to kill you, it would be effortless.”

Huo Kong did not know whether that was true.

According to the Six Sacred Venerables’ earlier judgment, something had very likely gone wrong with Lü Wushuang’s strength. Whether she had recovered was unknown.

But he glanced back at the man behind him.

They had just exchanged moves.

Huo Kong knew perfectly well that this man could kill him without difficulty.

In other words, if they wanted his life, there was no need for elaborate tricks.

After considering that, Huo Kong swept one broad sleeve and used spiritual power to throw open the lid.

The smell of blood struck him immediately.

Looking into the chest, it was obvious that a person had been stuffed inside.

More importantly, the style of the person’s clothing and that enormous, obese build made Huo Kong’s expression change.

His Adam’s apple bobbed again and again.

He abruptly raised his head. “What is this?”

Lü Wushuang said coldly, “You’ve already guessed. Why ask a question when you know the answer?”

Huo Kong’s breathing turned uneven.

Suddenly, he kicked the chest.

Bang!

The chest split apart.

The person stuffed inside spilled onto the ground, exposing the severed body—and the face.

Huo Kong’s pupils contracted violently.

Disbelief covered his face.

At last he crouched down with trembling hands, brushed the dirt from that face, and used his art to check for any disguise.

There was none.

Slowly, Huo Kong rose again.

His legs seemed unsteady.

He actually staggered two steps backward before asking in a trembling voice, “Who did this?”

Lü Wushuang replied, “Does it matter who did it?”

“Anyone capable of killing Fatty Yuan obviously possesses strength you can imagine for yourself.”

“I refuse to believe you intend to avenge Fatty Yuan.”

“And don’t start talking to me about master-disciple affection.”

She could not possibly tell him Niu Youdao’s side had done it.

If that were something they could reveal, Lü Wushuang would not be the one appearing here. Niu Youdao himself would have come.

There had been times in the past when Niu Youdao had exposed his true face because he had no choice. Given a choice, naturally it was better to reveal himself as little as possible.

For this matter, Lü Wushuang was genuinely more suitable than Niu Youdao anyway.

Her prestige alone gave her persuasive power over certain people that Niu Youdao simply did not possess.

If Niu Youdao himself came to approach someone of Huo Kong’s level, he would first have to explain a mountain of background and display enough strength before the man could be convinced.

Niu Youdao also believed that a matter like this was trivial for Lü Wushuang.

With her capabilities, handling Huo Kong should be easy.

A dazed look appeared on Huo Kong’s face.

True, at the level he and Yuan Se had reached, speaking of some deep master-disciple affection would have been absurd.

But one fact was very real.

The moment he lost Yuan Se as his great backing, his own ending would be miserable.

After recovering somewhat, Huo Kong tightened his jaw. “Was it you who put that ring in my room?”

“I may have lost the forces openly under my command, but I operated Misty Pavilion for many years.”

“The people I planted inside all your factions still exist.”

“Having someone leave a ring inside Misty Pavilion is not difficult. There’s nothing strange about it.”

Huo Kong asked, “What do you want?”

Lü Wushuang replied, “I should be asking what you intend to do next.”

Huo Kong let out a breath. “Why ask when you already know? What choice do I have except to flee for my life?”

“And then spend the rest of your life facing endless pursuit. Can you accept that?”

“Whether I accept it or not, what difference does that make...?”

Huo Kong paused, then looked at her suspiciously. “Don’t tell me you brought me here because you want to help me.”

“I’m not going to help you.”

“If anyone helps you, it will be you helping yourself.”

“Of course, I am willing to cooperate with you.”

Huo Kong did not understand. “I’m about to flee for my life, and you want to cooperate with me?”

The unspoken meaning was obvious.

What did he still possess that could be used for cooperation?

“I told you. The main thing is still for you to help yourself.”

Huo Kong said, “Matters have reached this point. Stop circling around the subject and speak plainly. What do you mean?”

Lü Wushuang gave a faint smile that was almost a cold snort.

“You are still the Presiding Administrator who commands Misty Pavilion.”

“Surely you know what everyone beneath Heaven fears most about Misty Pavilion?”

“You mean the eyes and ears Misty Pavilion has planted everywhere?”

“Good. Those are precisely what the sects beneath Heaven fear most.”

“You remnants of Dayuan Sacred Land can flee, but with Misty Pavilion’s manpower alone, how could they possibly catch you?”

“Misty Pavilion will inevitably mobilize the great sects scattered throughout the world—the very factions it uses to control all beneath Heaven—and make them participate in the hunt.”

“What sect would dare obey in public and resist in private?”

“My meaning should already be clear.”

“If you flee without first destroying the eyes and ears Misty Pavilion uses to control the world, wouldn’t that be idiotic?”

“Wouldn’t you merely be increasing the burden on your own escape?”

“You still hold Misty Pavilion’s authority right now.”

“If you do not act while you still possess it, then you truly are a fool.”

“Destroy Misty Pavilion’s hidden eyes and ears, and the people left openly on the surface will no longer be worth fearing.”

Huo Kong’s eyes shifted. “Are you joking?”

“My master is dead. The Five Sacred Venerables will soon purge everyone from Dayuan Sacred Land.”

“I barely have enough time to flee. Where would I find time to do something like this?”

“That is why I came.”

Huo Kong stared at her. “What do you mean?”

Lü Wushuang stood there with complete composure.

“I came to tell you that the Five Sacred Venerables do not know Fatty Yuan is dead.”

“Almost no one knows.”

“And the few who do know will not speak.”

“I came to tell you that before the Five Sacred Venerables notice something is wrong, you have more than enough time to finish this.”

Huo Kong raised one hand over his mouth and slowly rubbed it.

He was clearly tempted, yet troubled.

“This will not be easy.”

“You know as well as I do that the hidden lines spread throughout the world account for more than half of Misty Pavilion’s people.”

“There are too many. It’s impossible to eliminate so many in such a short time.”

Lü Wushuang remained expressionless.

“Stop imagining Misty Pavilion as something forever standing above everyone else.”

“Do not underestimate the sects spread across the world.”

“They represent the majority of the cultivation world’s true strength.”

“So long as they are willing to move, so long as they dare act, forget half of Misty Pavilion—even the entire Misty Pavilion could be overturned by them.”

Huo Kong shook his head. “You said it yourself. The premise is that they dare!”

“It seems Fatty Yuan was right whenever he cursed you.”

“Compared with Ding Wei, your ability really is inferior.”

“You still don’t understand?”

“Have you forgotten your current identity already?”

“Have you turned yourself into a fugitive in your own head this quickly?”

“You are still the Presiding Administrator of Misty Pavilion.”

“The sects beneath Heaven may not dare act on their own, but if the Presiding Administrator orders them to act, naturally they will obey.”

Huo Kong sneered. “How could the Presiding Administrator of Misty Pavilion issue an order like that?”

“The moment the sects receive it, they’ll panic, start suspecting something, and the whole affair will be exposed almost immediately.”

The bearing of Sacred Venerable Wushuang still clung to Lü Wushuang.

She showed no mercy in her words.

“An inflexible fool.”

“Do I really need to teach you even this?”

“Listen carefully.”

“First, issue the matter separately to each sect as a secret decree.”

“Send each faction the list of Misty Pavilion eyes and ears hidden inside its own ranks.”

“Tell each of them that although these people are Misty Pavilion agents hidden within their organization, they were originally placed there by the factions of Mu Lianze, Zhangsun Mi, and me.”

“Tell them those agents are still secretly passing intelligence to the remnants of our three fallen factions behind Misty Pavilion’s back.”

“Order every sect and faction to make secret preparations immediately and eliminate the people on its list within a fixed deadline.”

“Anyone who fails will be severely punished.”

“None of the sects will dare ask around about a matter like this.”

“Not one of them will know that other sects received the same secret decree.”

Huo Kong’s gaze flickered as he thought.

Lü Wushuang continued, “Those lists are among Misty Pavilion’s highest secrets.”

“Other than the Five Sacred Venerables, only you, the Presiding Administrator of Misty Pavilion, can enter the archive where they are kept.”

“Obtain the lists and immediately carry out what I just told you.”

“The moment the sects begin acting, escape.”

“If you think it necessary, you can also notify the other people of Dayuan Sacred Land to flee.”

“After the matter erupts, my side will spread the news for you.”

“By then, every faction will naturally learn what it has done.”

“The Five Sacred Venerables will not dare exterminate every sect beneath Heaven.”

“They do not have that ability either.”

“When everyone is guilty, punishment cannot fall on everyone.”

“Now think carefully.”

“Once the sects realize that Misty Pavilion’s hidden agents inside them have all been destroyed, what follows?”

“It means Misty Pavilion has lost its control over the various powers.”

“For the time being, the only thing holding the world in line will be the martial deterrence of the Five Sacred Venerables themselves.”

“At that point, both Misty Pavilion and the Five Sacred Venerables will be busy trying to stabilize the situation.”

“Who will still have the attention to spare for hunting you people?”

Huo Kong suddenly gave a bitter smile.

“I understand.”

“You want to destroy several hundred years of Misty Pavilion’s accumulated foundation in a single stroke.”

[End of Chapter 1472]