Xu Jia thought Ye Rong’s way of thinking was quite peculiar; he could complicate even the simplest problems.
But rembering that he accompanied her to the Northern Border, she answered patiently, "No, he was just there playing the flute all night."
Seeing Ye Rong seed relieved, Xu Jia sighed helplessly, "Don’t overestimate your sister’s charm. If I were that capable, would Tang Yuan need to sneak around behind my back?"
ntioning that scoundrel, Ye Rong imdiately got angry, "It’s his own fault for being so blind, dood to stay in Suzhou and never move up!"
They fought all night; everyone was tired. No one rushed to set out early today. Instead, they cleaned up the scene and let the injured disciples rest for a few hours before starting their journey after lunch.
In the following days, assassins and spies sent by Bei Yan occasionally disrupted them. Fortunately, the Yun Family was prepared. Although so disciples were injured, the twenty or so people were all still alive, and no one died.
The final battle was in Liangzhou. After passing Liangzhou, they would imdiately enter the Northern Border.
This night was crucial; no one dared to sleep. Everyone stayed in the inn’s backyard, eyes fixed on the boxes containing the dicine.
Xu Jia asked Yun Feng, "Will we be completely safe once we get through tonight?"
Yun Feng had an uncertain expression, "I’m afraid tonight won’t be peaceful."
Xu Jia also sensed this. Previously, wherever they went, Bei Yan spies would follow and hunt them, but after entering Liangzhou during the day, the spies seed to suddenly disappear, and it remained unusually quiet until now.
This silence felt more like the calm before the storm.
"Everyone, stay alert!" Yun Feng walked away, instructing the disciples guarding the dicine boxes, "Make sure this batch of dicine enters the Northern Border without a single penny missing."
"Yes!"
The disciples replied in unison.
Yun Huai was nowhere to be found and had not appeared.
Xu Jia glanced around but didn’t see him. She lowered her eyelids, recalling the night he controlled wolves with his flute music.
Calm in crisis, unyielding in danger, able to think quickly and find a way out of a difficult situation.
No wonder the old Family Head of Yun favored the youngest Sixth Son as the successor over the eldest son.
For Sixth Son to possess such abilities at his age is truly impressive.
Xu Jia was lost in thought when a servant entered from the hallway, carrying a tray with a cheerful smile, "Esteed guests, I’m here to serve tea."
Yun Feng didn’t want to drink and asked the other disciples. A few were thirsty and accepted the tea.
Those who followed to deliver the dicine were elite disciples, skilled at detecting poison. After confirming the tea was safe, they started to drink.
The servant smiled and refilled their cups.
Once they had drunk enough, he excused himself.
This brief interlude seemingly eased the heavy atmosphere in the backyard slightly.
Yun Feng occasionally glanced at the dark sky, wondering why the Family Head hadn’t returned yet.
"Could he be trapped outside?" Ye Rong said.
"Impossible!" Yun Feng imdiately denied, "The Family Head has broken through to the Grandmaster level; those small fry from Bei Yan can’t trap him."
Ye Rong curled his lip, "Then why hasn’t he co back?"
Yun Feng was a bit annoyed, "Why are you asking so many questions?"
There was no moon tonight; the sky was dark and heavy.
The inn was originally quite quiet but gradually beca noisy at so point.
Yun Feng exchanged a glance with a disciple.
That disciple imdiately went out to investigate and returned saying soone had offered a high price to book the entire inn, and the shopkeeper wanted to evict the current guests, leading to a dispute.
He further asked Yun Feng, "Senior Brother, if the shopkeeper cos to drive us out of the backyard, should we leave or not?"
Yun Feng frowned, "We’ll see when the ti cos."
He instinctively felt this was a trick by Bei Yan, trying to strike when they were transporting the dicine.
However, before he could finish thinking, Yun Huai’s voice floated down from above, "Yun Feng, take everyone and retreat."
Startled, Yun Feng looked up to see Yun Huai standing on the roof with his hands behind his back. The night was too dark to see his expression clearly.
"Family Head," Yun Feng hesitated, "this is probably a trick by Bei Yan."
"The trap was set as soon as that servant ca in to serve tea," Yun Huai said, "Thunder Shock is hidden in the inn. They plan to destroy both the people and the dicine. I found a way to disperse the other guests. You only have half a mont to move."
Upon hearing this, everyone’s faces changed drastically.
Xu Jia couldn’t help but shiver.
Everyone in the Capital knew the power of Thunder Shock. The Su Family’s grand estate was leveled overnight by it, and the family of distinction, a noble house with a long lineage, ended right under everyone’s noses, with not even a complete corpse left at the end.
"Hurry, move the dicine first!" Yun Feng urgently commanded.
The carriage had been unloaded, and sixteen large boxes couldn’t be moved quickly by manpower alone. Even if they could, they wouldn’t get far.
"There’s no ti," Yun Huai’s voice had a hint of urgency, "Leave the boxes; you all leave. Run as far as you can, or we’ll all die if delayed any longer."
Yun Feng exclaid, "Family Head, we’re only one step away, what about these dicines..."
Yun Huai descended swiftly, his tone grave, "It’s an order."
Yun Feng gritted his teeth, steeling himself, "Retreat!"
The disciples placed the boxes down and followed Yun Feng in retreat.
Ye Rong saw Xu Jia standing still and tugged her, "Sister, hurry up."
Xu Jia’s gaze fell on Yun Huai, "Master Yun, aren’t you leaving?"
She rembered Yun Huai had said the Yun Family had taken a military oath for this Northern expedition. If they failed, they would bear all the consequences.
This batch of dicine was for the Northern Border’s people. If they failed, it ant more would die from the plague. How could the Yun Family bear such consequences?
Moreover, Yun Huai’s voice just now was lacking energy, as if he had suffered internal injuries.
No ti to think further, Xu Jia was dragged out of the backyard by Ye Rong.
Ye Rong was very angry, "This is not the ti to think about him! Save yourself first, auntie! If you get blown up, how will you face your father?"
Xu Jia didn’t respond; she just ran, keeping her eyes on the backyard direction.
After everyone had exited, Yun Huai couldn’t hold back and spat a mouthful of blood.
Bei Yan had mobilized the Chi Long Guards against him, a top-tier Hidden Guard force only appearing at state annihilation, including two Grandmasters who had just fought him, leaving Yun Huai severely injured.
Rushing back to warn the disciples to retreat had exhausted his inner strength. Escaping the backyard wasn’t difficult for him, but those two Grandmasters were still in the inn, so he couldn’t leave.
Xu Jia didn’t know how Ye Rong managed to drag her while running, only that they covered a large distance with each step, the cold night wind stinging their cheeks.
No idea how much ti passed, a thunderous "boom" erupted from the inn’s direction, followed by billowing smoke rising into the air. The inn that had been brightly lit monts ago collapsed instantly. The surrounding people scread in terror; the night was shattered by the sound of roaring flas, running, fleeing cries filling their eardrums.
Xu Jia and the others had already escaped a great distance but still felt the ground shake, a wave of heat rushing at them.
Witnessing a building destroyed before her eyes like this, Xu Jia couldn’t tell if she was more horrified or worried, "The Family Head hasn’t co out yet..."
Ye Rong also felt a bit fearful, his tone uncertain, "With his level of martial arts, he should be okay, right?"
"Master won’t die." Yun Feng ca over, and by the torchlight, Xu Jia saw his red-rimd eyes, "He’ll just get a little hurt. Let’s go, we need to reach the North City Gate and get into the Northern Border. Bei Yan planted too many hidden forces in Liangzhou; even a small misstep could be costly. We can’t let the Yun Family Head’s efforts go to waste."
They had walked a bit and found a horse caravan where they bought a few horses. Limited in number, they rode two per horse, swiftly heading to the North City Gate.
Yun Shisan and Yun Shiliu were already waiting there.
There was just one more step, the ones truly delivering the dicine were Yun Shisan and his team, while our side served as a decoy for Bei Yan’s attention?"
Yun Feng nodded, "The boxes we transported were decoys for Bei Yan’s attention. Our duty was to serve as bait. The real dicine was with Yun Shisan and his group, moving through the shadows as we stirred up attention in the open."
After walking so distance, they stopped by a horse dealership and bought a few horses. With limited numbers, they rode two to a horse, speeding towards the North City Gate.
Yun Shisan and Yun Shiliu were already waiting there. By the light of the torches, Xu Jia could see Yun Feng’s eyes were red.
She saw the two young n, as elegant as jade, now disguised as peddlers, squatting on the corner, chatting while eating lon seeds.
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