Chapter 391: Heaven's Fury, Earth's Shadow

Chapter 391: Heaven's Fury, Earth's Shadow

Mount Da Gai was in turmoil due to Wan Tianlin's ambush and injury, but Xu Yan remained patient, waiting to see if Wan Tianlin would show up at Yuzhu Slope in three days.

Regardless of Wan Tianlin's presence, Xu Yan would not let the matter rest.

Daring to assassinate him and attempting to steal the Blood Heart Fruit, they would have to pay the price.

As for the Wan family, what could they do even if they were powerful?

Today's defeat did not mean eternal defeat. One day, he would crush the Wan family into the dust.

"I shall take the Wan family as my target and strive to cultivate to destroy them!"

Xu Yan secretly made up his mind.

The divine avatar sat leisurely in a chair, awaiting his guests, while the true Xu Yan had already hidden himself, merging with his surroundings.

Even an Immortal Venerable would not be able to detect his concealment.

This was Xu Yan's trump card. As long as he wasn't intercepted head-on by an Immortal Venerable, he could use this ability to evade their pursuit.

As long as he successfully escaped Mount Da Gai and the Nine Mountains, the Wan family would no longer pose a threat. Once his strength increased, he would settle the score with them.

"If Wan Tianlin doesn't come, he'll probably send someone else," Xu Yan muttered to himself.

He was already plotting to use a different identity to lure Wan Tianlin out again with the Blood Heart Fruit.

The Wan Family.

Information about Xu Yan had already reached Wan Tianlin's hands.

"He entered the Serpent Peak Sky Cave and plucked the Blood Heart Fruit..."

Wan Tianlin mused.

Xu Yan's identity was still unknown, but it could be certain that he was not a warrior from Mount Da Gai.

It seemed like he had specifically entered the Serpent Peak Sky Cave for the Blood Heart Fruit?

"Something's not right!"

Wan Tianlin took a deep breath, his expression turning icy. According to the news from the Serpent Peak Sky Cave, the coincidences surrounding Xu Yan's appearance and the Serpent Peak Blood Child's madness were too convenient.

"Why did the Serpent Peak Blood Child go so insane? To the point of fighting to mutual destruction just because he appeared in the Serpent Peak Sky Cave..."

Wan Tianlin's gaze turned cold and sharp.

The changes in the Serpent Peak Sky Cave were clearly this person's doing, and there was a high possibility that they were connected to the Underworld.

However, upon further thought, if they were indeed working with the Underworld, why would the Serpent Peak Blood Child fight to mutual injury with the elder just because of their actions? What was their goal?

For the Serpent Peak Blood Child, there was no benefit.

"They might not be working with the Underworld. Perhaps they are just using the Underworld's hand to weaken my Wan family, targeting us specifically... The Blood Heart Fruit was probably not obtained this time. He merely entered the Serpent Peak Sky Cave, pretended to pluck the Blood Heart Fruit, and used some method to enrage the Serpent Peak Blood Child, causing him to go berserk," Wan Tianlin deduced, sensing a conspiracy.

"Has the person returned?" Wan Tianlin suddenly asked, looking up.

"No!" the guard replied heavily.

"The odds are stacked against him," Wan Tianlin said, his eyes filled with killing intent.

"Young Master, are you still going to Yuzhu Slope?" the guard asked after a moment of hesitation.

"You go and check if he's there or not," Wan Tianlin said after some thought.

"Young Master, what if he is there?"

"We'll proceed with the transaction as planned and get the Blood Heart Fruit first. If he's not there, then it's only natural that he's feeling guilty," Wan Tianlin coldly smiled. "Once we have the Blood Heart Fruit, we'll investigate the forces behind him and uproot them!"

"Young Master, I understand!" the guard nodded.

"This time, two elders will secretly follow you, so you can rest assured."

For Wan Tianlin, obtaining the Blood Heart Fruit was the top priority. It was a treasure he had to acquire.

The Blood Heart Fruit in the Serpent Peak Sky Cave had always been difficult to obtain, especially since the Serpent Peak Blood Child had just gone berserk, and the elder had also suffered a significant injury. It would be impossible to create another opportunity to pluck the fruit in a short time.

Therefore, the Blood Heart Fruit in Xu Yan's possession was extremely important to him.

"Also, find out who has obtained the Blood Heart Fruit in the past and who has entered the depths of the Serpent Peak Sky Cave with the opportunity to pluck the fruit.

"Make a list and investigate discreetly to see if we can uncover anything!" Wan Tianlin instructed after some thought.

The rarity and value of the Blood Heart Fruit meant that anyone who obtained it would consume it to comprehend martial arts techniques, especially those cultivators facing bottlenecks.

Even if they didn't use it themselves, they would trade it immediately to obtain the resources they desperately needed.

Even the Wan family had none in their possession.

To acquire the Blood Heart Fruit, one would have to wait for a war with the Underworld to create an opportunity to pluck it, and the quantity was limited, so not everyone could get their hands on one.

Only a genius like Wan Tianlin would receive special treatment, with people actively helping him obtain the fruit. However, plans often couldn't keep up with changes.

For now, if they wanted to get the Blood Heart Fruit quickly, they could only rely on a transaction with Xu Yan.

In a dark cave on Mount Da Gai, several figures gathered.

"The plan is proceeding smoothly so far," said the leader, his voice deep.

The people in the cave all wore masks, and the leader's mask had a pair of fangs, making him look incredibly sinister.

He was also the most powerful among them.

"Wan Tianlin wasn't killed, and Xu Yan didn't die either. How can you call the plan smooth?" one of them asked doubtfully.

"If it were that simple to kill Wan Tianlin and Xu Yan, we would have to question whether it would create enough chaos.

"Now, the Wan family is already investigating Xu Yan, and Xu Yan will surely believe that the Wan family is behind the attack. All we need to do is continue to intensify their conflict and deepen the hatred between them.

"Then, at the most critical moment, we kill either Wan Tianlin or Xu Yan, and our goal will be achieved. Conflict between the Qinghua Realm and the Nine Mountains will inevitably occur!" the sinister masked man explained with a cold smile.

"Can Xu Yan, who is not one of the three major powers in the Qinghua Realm, really cause a conflict between the two sides?" someone asked skeptically.

"The name of Sword God Xu Yan is famous in the Qinghua Realm, and he is even revered by sword cultivators. His identity is not ordinary. If I hadn't gone to the Qinghua Realm myself, we might not have been able to determine his importance.

"Now that Xu Yan has come to the Nine Mountains and intends to trade the Blood Heart Fruit with Wan Tianlin, this is a heaven-sent opportunity that we must not miss," the sinister masked man said confidently.

"What should we do next?" asked one of the masked men.

"Wan Tianlin urgently needs the Blood Heart Fruit, and Xu Yan has the fruit on him. They will definitely proceed with the transaction. The next step is to further intensify the conflict..." The sinister masked man coldly outlined their next move.

...

To Xu Yan's surprise, the person who arrived at the agreed-upon time was one of Wan Tianlin's original guards.

Moreover, he had actually come to trade the Blood Heart Fruit.

"Here is the treasure you desire. Please count it," the guard said bluntly, his expression cold as if they both knew something had happened but chose not to speak of it.

Xu Yan nodded and proceeded to count the items without hesitation. After confirming that everything was in order, he traded a Blood Heart Fruit.

Since the other party was so straightforward, Xu Yan, a man of his word, would honor the transaction. As for killing Wan Tianlin, he could act after the trade was complete.

The guard heaved a sigh of relief, having successfully obtained the Blood Heart Fruit. As for the subsequent actions, they were no longer any of his concern.

Xu Yan smiled and did not stop him. Judging from the other party's expression, he suspected that someone would be coming for him soon.

All he could do was wait.

Moreover, this divine avatar was incapable of detaining the guard.

Watching the guard leave, Xu Yan smirked inwardly, "The Blood Heart Fruit is already in my hands. Let's see what you, Wan Tianlin, will do now."

To Xu Yan's surprise, he never received any visitors from the Wan family.

He couldn't help but feel puzzled. Had he guessed wrong?

Did Wan Tianlin truly intend to go through with the transaction and let bygones be bygones?

Could he really swallow the insult of his guard being killed?

"It's strange that Wan Tianlin could swallow his pride like this, given the strength of the Wan family."

Xu Yan was perplexed. He was now feeling conflicted. Since Wan Tianlin had chosen to back down, should he still seek revenge?

After all, he hadn't suffered any losses!

"No, I can't just let the Wan family's attempt on my life slide. Even if Wan Tianlin is backing down, he hasn't compensated me at all."

With that thought, Xu Yan decided that he still needed to lure Wan Tianlin out and settle the score.

The divine avatar returned, and Xu Yan obtained the heavenly treasures he needed, filling his heart with excitement. He was now one step closer to accumulating sufficient foundations.

"There are still quite a few Blood Heart Fruits left. Aside from the Wan family, the geniuses of other forces will surely need them too. I'll just trade another one away, and I should be able to gather enough."

Xu Yan made his calculations and decided to find a place to consume the Blood Heart Fruit and comprehend the Small Heavenly Dao Eye.

As Xu Yan left Yuzhu Slope, Wan Tianlin's guard had already met his demise.

A true king at the peak of the Heavenly Venerable realm had been killed, and the Blood Heart Fruit they had obtained naturally disappeared without a trace.

The two clan elders who had secretly followed the guard were each confronted by powerful opponents, preventing them from keeping up with the guard throughout his journey.

They were unable to escort the Blood Heart Fruit back.

Instead, they both sustained minor injuries and hurried to catch up, only to discover the guard's corpse upon their arrival.

Boom!

Yuzhu Slope was swept by a powerful force, reducing the jade bamboo to dust. The warriors who had been cultivating there all changed their expressions and fled in a hurry.

The Wan family elders had gone crazy. This was not someone they could afford to offend.

Bang!

Wan Tianlin slammed his hand on the table, his eyes filled with killing intent.

For the sake of the Blood Heart Fruit, he had initially chosen to endure and proceed with the transaction. But now, the other party had dared to kill and steal! It was too much!

"Find him for me, and I'll tear him limb from limb!" Wan Tianlin roared in a low voice.

The entire Wan family was stirred by this incident. Both of Wan Tianlin's guards had died, and someone had used the Blood Heart Fruit to set up a trap, clearly targeting Wan Tianlin.

This meant that they were challenging the entire Wan family and aiming to eradicate their genius.

Even one of the Wan family's Immortal Revereds paid attention to this matter, and the clan began to display its formidable foundations and strength.

Mount Da Gai was in turmoil.

Any warriors with the slightest trace of suspicion were captured and interrogated before being released.

Those who resisted were killed without mercy!

"What's going on? Has the Underworld invaded, or is there a traitor hiding among us?"

"Unless it's an infiltrator from the Underworld or a traitor, the Wan family wouldn't go to such lengths to investigate."

"Something's not right. If it were really infiltrators from the Underworld or traitors, the Wan family would have offered a reward and wouldn't be keeping everything under wraps like this."

The warriors of Mount Da Gai were bewildered.

The only reason for the Wan family to conduct such a thorough investigation of Mount Da Gai was the presence of infiltrators from the Underworld or a powerful traitor who had defected to the Underworld.

However, in the past, they would have made this information public and offered a reward, but this time, the core forces affiliated with the Wan family, led by their core guard, were handling the investigation discreetly.

Many warriors suspected that something had happened within the Wan family, which was why they were relying solely on their core strength without offering a high reward.

In a city on Mount Da Gai, two ordinary-looking men, resembling low-level solitary cultivators, watched the Wan family guard searching the city. They exchanged a glance, their eyes reflecting mutual satisfaction.

"We need to stir the pot further. Let's have someone attack Xu Yan and involve the Earth Shadow from the Wan family guard."

"The Earth Shadow within the Wan family guard is already preparing to make a move. However, with his strength, he won't be able to kill Xu Yan."

"There's no rush to kill Xu Yan. For now, we just need both parties to confirm that the other is responsible, with no involvement from a third party. Then, we can leave Xu Yan to the Wan family to deal with."

"Understood. I, the Earth Shadow of Heavenly Calamity, will only sow discord and fuel their hatred. I won't get directly involved. All we need to do is ignite the flames of hatred, and they will naturally continue the slaughter. If I get too deeply involved, it will be easier to expose our scheme."

"In the face of an Underworld invasion, the thirty-six realms of the Divine Realm will unite as one. Let the conflict between the thirty-six realms begin with the Nine Mountains Realm and the Qinghua Realm...

"Not many people should know about our organization, the Earth Shadow of Heavenly Calamity, and that's a good thing."

The two men communicated via sound transmission, their eyes gleaming with satisfaction, as if they took pride in instigating the enmity between the Wan family and Xu Yan.

A day later.

In a dim cave, several masked individuals gathered once more.

"You haven't found Xu Yan?"

"No!"

"None of the Earth Shadows in various places or those embedded in different forces have any information on Xu Yan's whereabouts?"

"Yes, it's as if Xu Yan has vanished into thin air."

The cave fell silent. A crucial part of their plan had hit a snag.

Xu Yan's trail had gone cold, and without knowing his location, how could they assassinate him and further fuel the conflict between him and the Wan family?

"Has Xu Yan been captured by the Wan family?"

"The Earth Shadow embedded in the Wan family has received no news of Xu Yan being captured."

"What if an Immortal from the Wan family made a move?"

"Currently, the Immortal Revereds of the Wan family cannot easily leave their posts. Unless Wan Tianlin is dead, they won't take action.

"Even if Wan Tianlin dies, the Immortal Revereds won't be able to act immediately. They must first stabilize the situation and ensure that the Blood Children don't take advantage of the chaos to launch an attack."

The cave fell silent once more as everyone present was puzzled. If Xu Yan hadn't been captured by the Wan family and none of their Immortals had made a move, then how had Xu Yan disappeared?

"Find him. We must locate Xu Yan as soon as possible." The man with the sinister mask spoke in a deep voice.

With their plan so close to perfection, Xu Yan's disappearance was an unwelcome development.

They had to find him, no matter the cost!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end