Phoenix's Requiem

Chapter 431: Tracking

After bidding farewell to the silver dragon elder, Pi Batian and Pi Yan continued to scheme within the room. “Tian’er, you heard the elder’s words. Our primary objective isn’t to defeat the Fengs, but rather to catch Yun Ruoyan and Li Mo,” Pi Yan stated.

“But, Father, if we lose this battle, we’ll lose our status as hegemons of the Mingyuan continent. If we focus too much on catching Yun Ruoyan and Li Mo, we might accomplish the silver dragon elder’s objective, but if we lose the war, won’t we have to submit to the Feng family?”

“Heh.” Pi Yan began to chuckle. “Tian’er, you’ve always been smart, but you seem to be missing something. As long as we satisfy the silver dragon elder, making the Feng family—no, even the entire Mingyuan continent!—submit is a simple matter.”

“Father, you mean...?”

Rather than answering Pi Batian outright, Pi Yan pointed toward his head.

Pi Batian’s eyes grew wide as he made a sudden realization. “Are you referring to the Jiyuan continent?”

Pi Yan smiled and nodded his head. “Exactly. The silver dragon elder is the head of the silver dragons, and the silver dragon clan controls the Jiyuan continent. As long as we remain in the silver dragon elder’s favor, we’ll soon be on our way to the Jiyuan continent.”

The Jiyuan continent, the highest of all realms! Pi Batian had never once dared dream of entering it, so when he heard Pi Yan’s words, he was so tantalized by the opportunity that he was at a loss for words.

“I’ll surely catch Li Mo and Yun Ruoyan without fail.” Pi Batian replied resolutely, clenching his fists.

Outside the house, Yun Ruoyan and Li Mo had already moved away from the windows, but Li Mo was still paying careful attention to the whispers he could hear from within. However, Yun Ruoyan was thinking of something else entirely: how to save her father, Long Yin, from the silver dragon elder.

With a creak, the door to the house was pushed open. Pi Batian stepped outside, ready to return to his own rooms. As he walked past Yun Ruoyan and Li Mo, his gaze suddenly landed on them.

Li Mo and Yun Ruoyan didn’t know if he had somehow recognized them, but he stopped walking forward. They both tensed up as they prepared for the possibility of a confrontation. However, just then, two flares of red light suddenly popped up above the town gates, then burst in mid-air. Pi Batian’s gaze was drawn to the commotion in shock.

“Lord Pi, Young Master Pi, someone’s attacking the town gates!” a swordsman called out, and Pi Yan also rushed out of the house to stand with Pi Batian.

Li Mo pulled Yun Ruoyan aside and fled Pi Batian’s gaze while everyone was distracted, and Pi Batian never looked back at them.

“Father, what should we do next?” Pi Batian asked.

“What’s up with Feng Yanyang? Why’s he so anxious?” Pi Yan frowned, murmuring to himself. “He’s not the type that would launch a sneak attack.”

“Father, should I bring my men to guard the town gates?” Pi Batian asked.

Pi Yan shook his head.

Yun Ruoyan and Li Mo, both hiding within the shadows, were both a little confused as to Pi Yan’s seeming indifference. “Bring me that woman from the courtesan troupe. We’ll prepare to depart from Yan.”

The town of Yan was unimportant in the grand scheme of things, and Pi Yan didn’t much care for it. However, neither Pi Yan nor Pi Batian would be willing to just flee from a battle and ruin their reputation, so Yun Ruoyan and Li Mo were certain that they had a plan in mind.

“Mistress,” Qiuqiu piped up. “Li Mo told me to tell you that, while Pi Yan and Pi Batian are fleeing, he’ll bring you to the city gates to gather with Feng Yicheng. Then, he’ll give chase on his own.”

Yun Ruoyan looked toward Li Mo, who nodded at her. Yun Ruoyan still wasn’t able to establish a mental link with Li Mo at her current level of cultivation, so they would use Qiuqiu as a communication tool during such situations.

Under usual circumstances, even if she knew that Pi Yan and Pi Batian were planning something, Yun Ruoyan would undoubtedly follow Li Mo into the thick of the battle. Now that she was with child, however, she had to try to suppress her desire for action. Yun Ruoyan was just about to agree when she saw a swordsman bring a woman to Pi Yan and Pi Batian. Madam Hong!

“Make sure this woman is secured,” Pi Batian instructed a few swordsmen, then left the yard with them.

“Qiuqiu, tell Li Mo that we have to follow behind Pi Batian and try to find a chance to rescue Madam Hong,” Yun Ruoyan thought to Qiuqiu, then turned to look resolutely at Li Mo. Li Mo frowned, and his hand tightened around Yun Ruoyan’s wrist.

Li Mo knew that Yun Ruoyan wouldn’t change her mind once she had made a decision, so he could only keep her by his side to make sure she was safe. Even if she were fighting, he would be right by his side.

Pi Yan and Pi Batian must already have been planning to desert the town of Yan, or they wouldn’t have gathered their swordsmen by their side, able to leave almost instantly.

Yun Ruoyan and Li Mo joined the other Pi swordsmen as they fled the Yan governor’s manor through a back door, then soared out of the town.

Behind them, they could see Feng Bo vanquishing a number of guards still guarding the town gates, then opening the gates and sounding a horn. Zhuo Yifeng led a hundred swordsmen in a charge into the city, rapidly killing the sentries patrolling the walls. Soon afterwards, Feng Yicheng led the Feng troops into the town.

The entire process took no longer than two hours. The Feng swordsmen only encountered some token resistance during their initial entrance; once they had entered, they found the town silent and deserted.

“Pi Yan and Pi Batian didn’t bring any of their men with them?” Feng Yicheng glanced at the empty, desolate streets. “What’s going on?!”

He brought his men with him to the governor’s manor, only to find that Pi Yan and Pi Batian had long since disappeared. The only ones left in the manor were the governor himself, as well as his own guards.

“Where are Pi Yan and Pi Batian?” Feng Yicheng interrogated. During the battle, the governor had actually remained hidden within his manor, not even stepping outside to check on his town.

“The moment you started attacking the city, they left,” the governor replied. “Lord Pi and Young Master Pi had no intention of defending the town at all.”

“In that case, what’s their plan?”

“I’m unaware of the specifics. All I know is that they’re here to catch a woman called Yun Ruoyan, and they claimed to have set up a trap for them.”

While Feng Yicheng interrogated the governor, Zhuo Yifeng arrived with his men.

“Zhuo Yifeng, have you seen Yun Ruoyan and Li Mo?” Feng Yicheng asked.

“Isn’t she with the reinforcements?”

“No. I had her and Li Mo enter the governor’s manor to save Madam Hong. While you and Feng Bo were doing your part in the invasion, they snuck into the manor to try to find Madam Hong. You really haven’t seen them?”

Zhuo Yifeng turned to the governor. “What did you say the Pis were trying to do?”

“They were... they were here to catch a woman called Yun Ruoyan, as well as a man called Li Mo,” the governor answered.

“Not good,” Feng Bo murmured urgently. “Looks like this is another of Pi Yan and Pi Batian’s traps. Yun Ruoyan’s pregnant, so she might be in danger if she ends up having to fight.”

“What?” Zhuo Yifeng whirled back around to Feng Bo. “Ruoyan’s pregnant?”

Few people knew of Yun Ruoyan’s pregnancy. Feng Yicheng had only found out from Feng Bo, but no one had told Zhuo Yifeng.

“Dammit!” Zhuo Yifeng cursed, suddenly deeply worried for her.

“We’d better hurry. If we chase them now, we might be able to be of some assistance to them,” Feng Bo urged, then soared off into the skies with Zhuo Yifeng.

“I’ll go with you!” Feng Yicheng shouted.

None of them knew in which direction Pi Yan and Pi Batian had headed, but the two closest towns to Yan, Qing and Ya, were respectively to the east and the west. After a short discussion, it was decided that Feng Bo and Feng Yicheng would head to Ya, which was slightly closer, whereas Feng Yicheng would head to Qing. If no one was present, they would turn back and head in the other direction.

The Pi procession was originally flying toward the town of Qing, but just as they were about to get there, they suddenly changed direction.

“Li Mo, where are we headed?” Li Mo looked all around him, noting the dozen first-rank sword saints scattered about the troops, as well as Pi Yan and Pi Batian themselves. Trying to save Madam Hong against such a defense was almost impossible; luckily, Li Mo had already sent word to the others via Mo’er.

“I don’t know what they’re planning,” Li Mo murmured, “so we’d better not be hasty. Wait for Feng Bo and the others to arrive.”

While they talked, the Pi procession entered a valley. By then, the skies were bright and clear. Because all the swordsmen were wearing face shields to guard against the wind, Li Mo and Yun Ruoyan didn’t have to worry about being recognized.

“Could the Pis have a secret hideaway here?” Yun Ruoyan wondered as Pi Yan and Pi Batian suddenly began to descend.

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