Chapter 683: Chapter 405: The Surveillance of the Death Monarch_2
Hearing Yan Xiaobao’s words, the Rong twins and Deng Wu laughed. "Don’t worry. If he or the Royal Family wanted you dead, you’d already be dead. They’d send a Saint to deal with you." They conversed amongst themselves, and as Yan Xiaobao heard this, he grumbled somewhat; however, it did make sense.
"Alright, I’d like to see them try," Cai Jie and Yan Xiaobao said simultaneously, both of them flashing sinister smiles, their eyes filled with killing intent. Yan Xiaobao had acquired his killing intent from the red wolf. Initially, this killing intent was savage and wild, but after the war ended, Yan Xiaobao felt a change in it. Where it had once surged forth cold and unbridled, freezing and sweating his targets simultaneously, he had struggled to control it. However, after battling numerous experts during the war, he gained mastery over it. It now seemed as though the killing intent completely belonged to him.
Cai Jie also possessed a killing intent as strong as Yan Xiaobao’s. As for where or how he managed to acquire it, Yan Xiaobao did not know, but he was aware that if he were to fight these experts standing behind him, he’d have to think twice. Cai Jie had many secrets.
Seeing the expressions of the two young men, even the composed Deng Wu felt a shiver run through him. It was evident they had experienced war. Death had followed close at their heels, and they had slain countless foes. Clearly, they were used to narrowly escaping death’s clutches and carrying it with them to Hell World.
"If I’m not mistaken, aren’t you two both kings?" Deng Wu frowned and asked, "How could you possibly defeat Saints?" Yan Xiaobao and Cai Jie smirked, answering, "We have our ways." They didn’t elaborate. Yan Xiaobao was confident that if a Saint came to kill him, even if he couldn’t defeat them, he could absolutely rely on Velocity Flow to escape. Velocity Flow had evolved alongside him, growing stronger with his external training focus. If the Saint were mediocre, they simply wouldn’t be able to keep up with him. As for Cai Jie’s secrets, Yan Xiaobao didn’t know, but recalling the dead Crusaders, he felt a bit unsettled, as he still didn’t understand how they had been killed.
Deng Wu noticed the moment of discomfort in Yan Xiaobao’s eyes and nodded in acceptance of their reasoning. Though they hadn’t met for a long time, Deng Wu was still as adept at understanding Yan Xiaobao as ever, and he wasn’t about to pile additional stress on the white-haired man who had finally returned.
Just as Yan Xiaobao was about to open his mouth to ask about Sha Yun and Wang Julong’s whereabouts, he heard the door forced open, and a massive Snake Woman appeared before him. Her skin was still yellow as before, and her eyes shimmered silver from the beast contract they shared. Tears brimmed in her eyes, and as she caught sight of Yan Xiaobao, she burst into sobs and hugged him tightly. Seeing her, Yan Xiaobao’s face softened into a gentle expression. He lightly patted her hair with his hand.
"I’m back," he said tenderly, though his voice seemed unheard, as Sha Yun clung onto him for dear life. It was as if she feared he might disappear again at any moment. Deng Wu wanted to help her off him, but Yan Xiaobao simply shook his head. He had forced her to stay in the sacred underground city. The least he could now do was let her cry on his shoulder. He could only imagine how much she had worried in the time he had been away.
Sha Yun spent half an hour sobbing before she finally managed to compose herself. Yan Xiaobao smiled at her, gently lifting her gaze with his hand and smiling again. "Don’t worry," he chuckled softly, "I’m not going anywhere for now. I’ll stay here with you and everyone else."
Upon hearing this, Sha Yun’s face broke into a bittersweet smile. Yan Xiaobao took her hand and offered an apologetic smile to everyone else waiting for her crying to subside. Yet no one seemed angry, not even Cai Jie. Everyone clearly understood why Sha Yun was so elated to have Yan Xiaobao back by her side.
"We just need to find Gao Yan and Wang Julong," Yan Xiaobao said. Mentioning her name brought warmth to his heart, but at the same time, Sha Yun tightened her grip on his hand as if refusing to let go. It was as if she wouldn’t allow him to go find her.
"Gao Yan went out for work. He won’t be back until tonight," Rong Ming said from the side. "On the other hand, Wang Julong most likely is at the infirmary studying new healing techniques. Since her return, she’s been training harder than anyone else. Right now, she’s focused on poisons and healing and hasn’t even touched upon her skills with her surprising staff. Even though she’s only a Duke, it’s difficult for any of us to defeat her."
Knowing everyone would be back by night, Yan Xiaobao reluctantly accepted the City Lord’s dinner invitation but didn’t want to stand up the important figure. Acknowledging his later significant meeting, Deng Wu led Yan Xiaobao and Cai Jie upstairs to their rooms. Deng Wu selected two rooms at the end of the hallway and handed them to his two new guests. Upon entering, they discovered the suites were far superior to anything they’d stayed in during their travels to the capital.
"Thank you," Yan Xiaobao said to Deng Wu before the two young men entered their rooms. Each room had a bathtub, a luxury they’d missed for quite some time during their journey to the capital. After soaking for a long while in warm water, both managed to wash away all the grime from their travels. Once finished, they dressed in their best attire and tied their hair. Just as Yan Xiaobao finished, he heard a knock at the door. When he opened it, he found Cai Jie waiting outside. Yan Xiaobao wore a white robe embroidered with blue patterns of scarlet birds, while Cai Jie donned a red robe with golden embroidery. They glanced at each other and nodded in approval.
Descending the stairs, they saw Deng Wu, the Rong twins, Sha Yun, and Xu Biao waiting for them. "Save your formalities for the dinner appointment. When you return, we’ll ensure Gao Yan and Wang Julong are here." They promised. Sha Yun pouted when Yan Xiaobao told her she couldn’t join him for dinner. After all, it was just a meal.
With nods from his friends, Yan Xiaobao and Cai Jie left the home and began walking toward the direction they’d been given. The sun had set, and dusk had arrived. It was the perfect time for a dinner gathering, yet Yan Xiaobao couldn’t help but feel slightly uneasy about what the City Lord truly wanted. As they ventured into the night, a sense of foreboding settled over Yan Xiaobao.
Walking through the town, Yan Xiaobao wondered whether Saints might be preparing to attack him as soon as he reached their destination. The young man had to admit, ever since learning that the City Lord might be aware of his involvement in the war, he had become increasingly paranoid. At his side, Cai Jie appeared to be in high spirits, occasionally turning his head or glancing at him.
"Calm down," Cai Jie chuckled. "Although we’re going to meet the City Lord, even if he knows your involvement, he should thank you for choosing the Siban Empire instead of going to the Sun Kingdom. Though they’re allied, they haven’t had a friendly relationship for years. If anything, I’d bet the City Lord will appreciate you." Yan Xiaobao glanced at him skeptically but chose not to speak further, though he kept glancing over his shoulder.
"That guy’s much smarter than you," Lan Feng sighed, remarking. "I wouldn’t mind sharing a grave with him."
"Sorry for not being so smart," Yan Xiaobao said bitterly. "I’m trying to learn, okay?"
"I know," Lan Feng replied, his tone apologetic. "I’m eager to recover my strength quickly, but you’re right; we need to take our time, not rush it. I’m sorry."
Yan Xiaobao couldn’t blame the Phoenix in his heart. He too wished for the bird to restore his body, but he also painfully realized he couldn’t face the legendary An Hee in his current state. He was barely capable of handling a few Saints. People as strong as Wan Qiao or General Frozen were leagues beyond him. Thinking of Wan Qiao brought up thoughts of Li Xiaopeng, and he clenched his fists. He was still far from being able to challenge the most powerful Saints, and even those Saints admitted they couldn’t hold a candle to An Hee. If they stood no chance, how could he?
While Yan Xiaobao thought deeply, Cai Jie hummed a cheerful tune, looking around and evidently enjoying himself. He didn’t seem troubled like Yan Xiaobao and made no effort to ease the white-haired youth’s concerns.
They reached the mansion sooner than Yan Xiaobao had anticipated, as his mind had been entirely focused on his conversation with Lan Feng, leaving him annoyed for the remainder of the trip. Arriving was something Yan Xiaobao felt unprepared for.
Still, Cai Jie moved ahead to the front door, and Yan Xiaobao shook his head to clear his mind. Soon, as Cai Jie followed him through the gates, a calm sense of tranquility spread through Yan Xiaobao’s body. Whatever was going to happen would happen. Worrying over the City Lord’s actions wouldn’t change anything.
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