Chapter 130 - 127: Yin Ghost Mountain

Chapter 130: Chapter 127: Yin Ghost Mountain"Brother Ye, over here." Among the three of them, the female disciple with the attractive appearance waved to the figure at the entrance. However, when she took a clear look at the person’s face, she was also taken aback. This Brother Ye seemed much younger than she had anticipated. Not only was she surprised, but the two square-faced young men were also secretly puzzled. This "Brother" in front of them was too young, and he was a stranger. Even though they, as Outer Hall Disciples, did not hold high positions, they still basically recognized the outstanding disciples among the four halls of the Heavenly Martial Hall. But they had no recollection of Ye Xuan at all. It seemed that sensing the confusion in the trio’s eyes, Ye Xuan flipped his hand and passed the golden scroll containing the mission to the square-faced young man. After they checked it, they finally put their minds at ease. "I’m Hua Hong, these two are Yang Jun and Dong Lin. The three of us are responsible for this mission," the square-faced young man introduced to Ye Xuan. "Ye Xuan." Ye Xuan greeted the three with a cupped fist salute. "So, it’s Brother Ye. Please forgive our ignorance. We’ve been in the Heavenly Martial Hall for several years and yet didn’t recognize Brother Ye," Hua Hong said slightly stunned and then somewhat apologetically. "I only joined the Sect a month ago, it’s normal for you three not to recognize me," Ye Xuan sat down in front of the three and obviously didn’t mind. Hearing this, Hua Hong frowned. This mission was related to the remnants of the Black Demon Sect, a matter of great importance. Does the Sect not care at all, sending someone so casually? How could a disciple who had just joined take on a Golden List mission? With a belly full of doubts, Hua Hong found it inappropriate to directly ask Ye Xuan, so he decided to wait and see for now. "Please tell me about the results of your investigations these past days." Ye Xuan picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and then looked at the three. He had just taken over this missing persons case and knew nothing about it. Since the three here had already been investigating for some time and had even found traces of the remnants of the Black Demon Sect, it indicated progress in their investigation. However, such progress had hit obstacles that the Outer Hall Disciples couldn’t handle, which was why this mission had become a Golden List one. "Alright, I’ll talk." Although Hua Hong had doubts about Ye Xuan’s strength, the latter, after all, was the Inner Hall Disciple who took on the Golden List mission, leading this mission. They naturally had to cooperate. Hua Hong nodded right away, regardless of what Ye Xuan’s strength was like, and decided he would just focus on doing his own part well. "The missing persons in this incident are mainly young men, and the number of missing people is increasing. Initially, we thought it was just an ordinary missing persons case, but three days ago, in a small town, we found traces of the Black Demon Sect remnants." Mentioning the remnants of the Black Demon Sect, Hua Hong’s expression turned serious. In the Tiannan Region, the remnants of the Black Demon Sect were among the few who could make the disciples of the Heavenly Martial Hall so apprehensive. "How did you determine that the people you found were remnants of the Black Demon Sect?" Ye Xuan’s expression unchanged, merely glanced briefly at Hua Hong and then continued sipping the steaming tea in his hands. "People of the Black Demon Sect, I’ve seen them before. Probably due to the Cultivation Technique, they all have a distinctive, abstruse aura. Moreover, the individuals were stealthy and sneaky and highly skillful in combat. I’m almost certain they were remnants of the Black Demon Sect," Hua Hong stated with certainty. Listening to this, Ye Xuan also nodded slightly. He had noticed that as well. The people of the Black Demon Sect, mostly because they practiced demonic cultivation techniques, had a vastly different aura compared to other Sect Disciples. No matter how they disguised themselves, it was difficult to completely conceal. Also, with the Black Demon Sect being likened to rats crossing the street, operating in the shadows, and moving stealthily, they were even more suspicious. "Then, have you found out where they last went?" Ye Xuan continued to inquire. The more these three had discovered, the easier his job would be going forward, allowing him to avoid much unnecessary trouble. "We found out," Holding his breath slightly, Hua Hong exchanged glances with Yang Jun and Dong Lin before saying, "Only, the place is somewhat eerie. We were afraid it might be a stronghold of the Black Demon Sect, so we didn’t dare to continue tracking. We could only report it to the Sect." "What place?" Finally reaching the crucial point, Ye Xuan’s eyes slightly brightened. As long as they knew the specific location, the next actions would have a clear target, no longer needing to search blind for traces of the Black Demon Sect remnants. "Northern part of Black Wind County, Yin Ghost Mountain," Hua Hong said, his expression grave. As soon as he finished speaking, Ye Xuan stood up from his seat and waved to the three, "Let’s go." He then turned and walked outside. "Where to?" Hua Hong and the others were instinctively stunned, following up with the question. "Yin Ghost Mountain." Without turning his head, Ye Xuan walked out of the inn. Now that he knew the location, his style dictated swift action to avoid any potential mishaps due to delay. The faster he acted, the more likely he was to catch his enemies off guard. Once his intentions were revealed, the enemy could prepare, making a surprise attack extremely difficult. However, upon hearing Ye Xuan’s words, Brother Hua and his two companions could not help but exchange glances. Knowing the likelihood of the Black Demon Sect’s remnants having a stronghold in Yin Ghost Mountain, they wondered if Ye Xuan truly possessed the strength and assurance for the task, or whether it was a spur-of-the-moment decision made in haste. "Brother Hua, what should we do?" Yang Jun and Dong Lin both looked toward Brother Hua, visibly lacking confidence in Ye Xuan. After all, they were facing the remnants of the Black Demon Sect, and Ye Xuan had admitted he was only a newcomer who had started a month ago. With such an unplanned approach, was it likely more a death wish? "Let’s follow him. After all, it is our designated mission, and we must follow his command. If we disobey, and it gets reported back to the Sect, we’ll be in big trouble." After gritting his teeth and contemplating for a moment, Brother Hua decided to continue following Ye Xuan. He still harbored a glimmer of hope for him, reasoning that a Sect Disciple dispatched on a mission from the Golden List couldn’t possibly be a reckless novice, right? If the situation turned dire, they could consider retreat later. With that thought, the three of them continued to follow. ... Northern part of Black Wind County. It was a vast wasteland, where the cold wind, as sharp as a knife, swept fiercely across the expansive plains, chilling to the bone. The weather, which should have been sunny, turned much colder in this desolate area. From the northwest of the wasteland, bone-chilling cold winds seemed to surge. To the north of the wasteland stood several tall, straight mountain peaks stretching for dozens of miles. This was the location of Yin Ghost Mountain. Tat-tat-tat... Across the wilderness, the sound of horse hooves echoed as four figures rapidly galloped toward the mountain, pulling the reins under the mountain, and looked deep into the depths of Yin Ghost Mountain. These four figures were Ye Xuan and his companions, who had hurried from the city of Black Wind County. By this time, it was dusk, and the vast Yin Ghost Mountain exuded an eerily cold vibration. Within their view under the dim sky, a peak shaped like a goat’s horn in the depths of Yin Ghost Mountain seemed particularly sinister. "Brother Ye, it’s getting late, and entering the mountain now seems quite dangerous. Should we camp at the base tonight and head into the mountain first thing tomorrow morning?" As Brother Hua looked at the dark Yin Ghost Mountain in front of him, he felt uneasy. Entering such a place in the middle of the night could mean they wouldn’t even know when they might die. "No, I’m afraid that the Black Demon Sect’s people might expect you to think that way. It’s easy to be spotted during the day, but at night, they may let their guard down. We will take action tonight." Ye Xuan’s expression hardened, and he shook his head. To confront such evil enemies, they had to adopt equally ruthless measures. If they allowed fear to take hold, then they would have lost the opportunity even before the battle began. Hearing Ye Xuan’s decision, all three of his companions showed signs of hesitation. Ye Xuan’s pace was too fast and risky. The Black Demon Sect’s remnants were known to be more active at night, and charging into Yin Ghost Mountain without clear information could likely end in disaster. "Those who are afraid can go back now. Don’t worry, I won’t report you to the Sect." Sensing their hesitance, Ye Xuan left them with those words, dismounted, tied up his horse, and prepared to ascend the mountain. This mission did not necessarily require any assistance. If those three were too afraid to even enter the mountain, there was no need for them to continue following. Ye Xuan did not want to carry any burdens. "Let’s go." Finally, Brother Hua and his companions resolved to follow Ye Xuan into the mountain. He could see that Ye Xuan showed no sign of fear, whereas the three of them were timid, as if the mere mention of the Black Demon Sect’s remnants had terrified them. Such demeanor was truly unworthy of a disciple of Heavenly Martial Hall. Being a disciple of Heavenly Martial Hall wasn’t just about enjoying wealth and prestige. As Sect Disciples, they had a duty. Upholding justice and acting as heaven’s agents was their pursuit and responsibility, and the remnants of the Black Demon Sect were their natural enemies, deserving elimination by all Sect Disciples. If Ye Xuan wasn’t afraid, what reason did the three of them have to be fearful? Was Ye Xuan the only brave one among them, leaving them to be cowards? Watching the three follow him, Ye Xuan couldn’t help but slightly curl his lips. These people indeed possessed some backbone worthy of Sect Disciples. If they lacked even this bit of courage, they certainly wouldn’t achieve much in the future. Drawing his gaze back, Ye Xuan paid no further_attention_to Brother Hua and his companions. As he moved forward, his thoughts raced, his eyes flickering with determination. Tonight’s goal was to find the whereabouts of the Black Demon Sect’s remnants. These foes wouldn’t abduct so many people without a sinister plot in the works; he had to expose them before they could execute their plans.