C10 Not Good

Once more, the fire phoenix's massive form was sent soaring through the air. It cast an embarrassed and furious glance at Qin Mu before turning to flee. Qin Mu, however, was not about to let it escape and readied himself to give chase.

"Master, don't pursue them. They're victims too!"

Qin Mu was perplexed. The adversary was formidable; how could Qing Shu discern that they were victims?

While pondering this, Qin Mu stowed the Ember Orb and handed it to Qing Shu. At that moment, a feather appeared on the ground, which Qin Mu picked up.

"These things are practically identical to chicken feathers," Qin Mu mused aloud. "Aside from a flashier color, there's nothing else that sets them apart."

Having collected the feather, Qin Mu and Qing Shu strode away.

Concealed in the forest's depths, the fire phoenix tended to its feathers, its eyes brimming with spite. A sharp voice echoed, "You'll see, reptile! I will have my revenge!"

Life was tranquil at the edge of the Mistmantle Mountain Range after Qin Mu and Qing Shu returned. Aside from the occasional elder requesting aid, all was calm.

Over a month passed in serenity, and Qin Mu counted the days. In just over ten days, it would be two months. The frequency of the elders' calls for help had dwindled, and Qin Mu relished the quietude.

He sat on the stone platform, eyes half-closed, while Qing Shu practiced her cultivation with the Ember Orb at his side.

Suddenly, Qin Mu's eyes snapped open, and he slipped away silently.

Down a narrow path, someone was hastening toward the Mistmantle Mountain Range. Qin Mu, soaring above, recognized Chu Feng and descended to inquire.

"Disciple, what brings you here?" Qin Mu was baffled, unsure of Chu Feng's reasons for returning.

Ling Siying knew that Qin Mu had been longing for some solitude with Qing Shu, so she had taken to exploring elsewhere. But Chu Feng seemed oblivious to such subtleties.

Qin Mu's gut told him something was amiss.

Upon seeing Qin Mu descend from the heavens, Chu Feng's face lit up with joy, but it quickly turned grim as he remembered the gravity of the situation.

"Master, the Oathbreakers have enlisted the Stormwrack Sect's aid, and they've banded together. The Skyhaven Clan faces serious trouble this time!"

Qin Mu's brow furrowed upon hearing Chu Feng's report.

A sect comparable to the Oathbreakers, its members practiced toxic arts, and it was home to a variety of bizarre poisons and vicious poisonous creatures.

Dealing with them this time would indeed be challenging. The Oathbreakers' strength was not quite on par with Stormwrack, but their alliance changed the game.

"Where are the Ling sisters? Are they still near Stormwrack?" Qin Mu inquired.

"Yes, they sent me back to relay the news. They're still on watch there," Chu Feng replied.

After a moment's thought, Qin Mu's eyes gleamed with determination. "Return to the Ling sisters, then head to the Oathbreakers' vicinity. Any messengers you encounter—eliminate them on sight! Understood?"

"Absolutely! I will not disappoint!" Chu Feng affirmed, then spun on his heel and dashed off, not expecting to have stumbled upon so much on his descent from the mountain.

Qin Mu stood still for a moment, nodded to himself, and made his way back to Mistmantle Mountain.

Within the grand hall of Stormwrack Sect, Zhang Lei looked at the old man in the green robe beside her and said with a smile, "Venom Lord, from now on, our two sects will join forces to rule this region. It will be our shared dominion!"

The elder in green chuckled in response, "Mr. Zhang, you flatter us. The Oathbreakers are happy to support you. We just hope for a seamless and mutually beneficial partnership."

Zhang Lei feigned indignation, "There's no need for such formalities, Venom Lord. We're partners; there's no subordinate here."

"Nevertheless, a partnership requires a leader, and I'm prepared to step up to that role."

"Indeed, Mr. Zhang is correct," the Venom Lord agreed, though inwardly he sneered, "Cunning old fox, sweet-talking as always. We both know each other's true colors."

"The Skyhaven Clan has been challenging us lately. We'll be counting on your support when the time comes."

With a smile still on his face, the Venom Lord replied, "Of course, we will support each other wholeheartedly. But I must attend to some affairs back at the sect, so I'll take my leave now."

"Please, Venom Lord, make yourself at home."

With that, the Venom Lord departed with his disciples in tow.

As the group dwindled in the distance, an elder suddenly inquired, "Mr. Zhang, why have the Oathbreakers sought collaboration with us now? Are they attempting to ingratiate themselves with us? Surely not!"

The Oathbreakers, while not as formidable as Stormwrack, were still a force to be reckoned with. So why did they offer their assistance upon hearing that the Oathbreakers were on the offensive?

This question lingered in the minds of many. Could this be some contingency plan of Zhang Lei's?

Zhang Lei offered a wry smile, eyeing the retreating figure of the Venom Lord. "The Venom Lord truly lives up to his name."

The elders looked puzzled.

Zhang Lei elaborated, "You all are aware that the Oathbreakers once reigned supreme in this region."

He paused, then continued, "But even a behemoth doesn't topple overnight when its top warriors vanish."

"This Venom Lord was the catalyst!"

The elders looked on, still perplexed. "What's his connection to all this?"

Zhang Lei's smile turned icy. "Back in the day, among the factions under the Oathbreakers' wing, they were considered the least. Yet, he was the first to lure away members from the Oathbreakers, sparking the rush to divide up their exceptional disciples."

"Without him, the Oathbreakers wouldn't be in the state they are today!"

Upon hearing Zhang Lei's explanation, a collective look of enlightenment dawned on the elders' faces.

"He's orchestrated so much. If the Oathbreakers were to regain their strength, could the Oathbreakers faction possibly escape their shadow?"

The elders nodded in agreement.

"Alright!" Zhang Lei called out to the elders, "It's been nearly three months. Go and make your preparations. The Oathbreakers' next move may not be as straightforward as we think!"

"Yes!" The elders responded in chorus before dispersing.

Zhang Lei gazed toward the Oathbreakers' direction, murmuring to himself, "After all these years, you stir once more. Are you plotting a comeback?"

Meanwhile, at the Venom Lord's quarters.

One of the Venom Lord's followers questioned, "Sect Master, are we truly going to align ourselves with Stormwrack?"

The Venom Lord glanced at the underling who had posed the question and responded with a frosty tone, "Zhang Lei, that fool, has no brains to speak of. She thinks she can outmaneuver me? In her dreams!"

"What does the Sect Master intend?"

With a smack of his lips, the Venom Lord explained, "The Oathbreakers are not to be underestimated. Assisting Stormwrack now is essentially helping ourselves."

No sooner had he finished this statement than the Venom Lord's anger flared up again. "If that fool hadn't locked up Sun Xing, I wouldn't even consider collaborating with Stormwrack! To think that idiot imprisoned the only person in the sect capable of turning the tide. A fool will always remain a fool!"

Sun Xing was indeed a member of the Oathbreakers. Her imprisonment by Stormwrack was a strategic move to coerce the Oathbreakers into an alliance.

With his final words, he dismissed everyone present.