Mage's Cultivation Journey 39

Hun Chu had never been a fan of staying in the headquarters of Iron Mountain. A part of it was the boring monotony of the headquarters. He found it unsettling, especially when the outer branches were under constant pressure.

“Well, today is the exception,” he muttered as he looked at the incapacitated attackers, bound for future interrogation. Who would have expected a bunch of madmen to attack the main compound with a bunch of explosives?

Amateur madmen, while such explosives, created by apothecaries using some rare plants, were useful against the walls, they weren't as effective against the martial artists. Even the Muscle Refinement juniors managed to escape the blast mostly unscathed, and the rest of the attackers had been handled easily —

“Something wrong,” Elder Kai declared and moved closer to the bound figures, but it was too late. Hun Chu tensed. Elder Kai might also be in Skin Refinement, but Hun Chu had no illusions about being equal. He was an old legend, whose cultivation had never progressed further because of a devastating injury.

But, that didn’t prevent him from rising in the authority of Iron Mountain, giving him unmatched authority.

So, when he declared something was wrong and moved closer to the prisoners, two dozen experts who accompanied them, a mixture of Skin Refinement and Bone Forging, fell silent. Elder Kai approached the prisoners and checked one’s pulse. “They are poisoned. Bring an apothecary immediately —” he declared.

But, that proved useless. Whatever poison they had used was effective. They started convulsing before the messenger could even depart. “It was a distraction!” Elder Kai declared, then his eyes widened. “Lord Steward!” he declared. “Return to the compound!”

Hun Chu stayed near, and heard one of the others ask. “Elder? Would someone really try to attack him? Isn’t he an expert? Maybe we should focus on following the trail of the attackers. I’m sure they aren’t just this bunch. Someone had sneaked in the explosives.”

“Idiot,” Elder Kai called. “They don’t need to defeat him,” Elder Kai said. “They just need to create enough distraction to take the young master captive, which would force him to obey whatever they need.”

But, Hun Chu froze, thinking of another possibility. What if they actually killed the young master? What would a master like him do when he failed his mission due to their negligence? Hun Chu gulped, shivering.

Elder Kai turned to him, and made a shushing gesture. He must have realized what Hun Chu had been thinking, and didn’t want to alarm the rest. Some of them might decide to run away.

It would be a lie to say Hun Chu wasn’t tempted, but he knew that it would be useless for him. If Lord Steward wanted to take revenge, he would be one of the first to go, as the one who brought them to the Iron Mountain Alliance. Running wouldn’t change anything.

Elder Kai didn’t answer. He ran at full speed, while the rest kept up, returning to the compound. The destroyed entrance was crowded. “What’s going on, Kai?” one of the other elders said as he stood in front of them. “You have your task, why have you returned?”

“Elder Ma, don’t delay us. The attack was just a distraction. We have reason to believe that they are targeting our guests.”

Hun Chu didn’t like the way Elder Ma’s lips quivered at the mention. “Ah, your precious guest. The one you were begging us to treat like a royal envoy? It’s amusing to see our great Elder Kai act like this.”

“Elder Ma, let us pass,” Elder Kai responded, his stone getting sharper. “Or...”

“Or what —” Elder Ma started, which was all he was able to say before Elder Kai launched forward and delivered several blows, each pushing Elder Ma further behind. No wonder Elder Kai had the reputation he had, Hun Chu decided. Despite his opponent being in Bone Forging, he was showing greater competence. “Stop. Are you rebelling?”

“Since you’re determined to stop me, I can only assume you’re collaborating with the enemy, Elder Ma,” he responded sharply. “What would it be? Are you going to stand, or let us pass?”

“You’re pushing your luck, Kai,” Elder Ma spat in anger, but he still pulled to the side and let them pass.

Hun Chu could see that if his assumption was not true, Elder Kai would be in a lot of trouble. But, as they arrived at the walled guest residence, that particular concern was laid to rest.

By the presence of one of the reserve guards, one of the Bone Forging Realm, lying in his own blood, his neck punctured by an arrow. Not an ordinary attack, somehow capable of penetrating the neck of an expert.

“We’re too late,” Elder Kai declared.

“There’s no sound? Are they already —” one of the guards started.

“Shut it,” Elder Kai cut him off. “We can’t take the risk. Hun Chu, come with me. You have a rapport with the young master. It might be useful.”

Hun Chu sighed, once again wondering whether that fateful encounter was a sign of luck, or misfortune. They entered the estate, the broken window visible. Hun Chu tensed.

“Come in,” called Lord Steward. He was still alive.

Elder Kai walked inside, and Hun Chu followed, wondering why one of the guards had died in the garden. Did he just predict the attack and try to prevent it, or was he just in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Those thoughts departed his mind the moment he entered the room, replaced by shock. The presence of three other reserve guards was shocking, but not as shocking as the sight of the Steward on one of the seats, reading like nothing was out of the ordinary.

While his gaze bounced between the dead guards and the Steward, he noticed that Elder Kai was looking in a different direction. A fifth dead body, one that he didn’t recognize.

“O-organ Refinement,” Elder Kai stammered in shock. “Lord Steward, is this?”

“Yes, the kidnapper who arranged four of your guards to distract me while he tried to kidnap the young master,” he declared, and Hun Chu shivered. That was … big.

“My apologies, Lord Steward. It must be one of our enemies who bribed those traitors to ruin your impression —”

“Either that, or some part of your organization doesn’t want you to ask that favor successfully. After all, one of them killed the last guard before he could talk,” he declared. “Either the price for that favor is too high, or...”

Hun Chu had no idea what they were talking about, but considering Elder Kai flinched in shock like he was slapped, it couldn’t be anything simple.

“Thank you for your wisdom, Lord Steward,” Elder Kai responded as he bowed low, seemingly ignoring the presence of the five corpses, even the weakest strong enough to carve their own domain. All dead, while Lord Steward didn’t show even a hint of exertion. No sweat, no hair outside its place.

Taking an Organ Refinement expert like that … just how strong he was?

“Is there anything we can do to make it up to you, Lord Steward?” Elder Kai said desperately. “It has been our grave lapse in judgment that has caused the disaster.”

“Think of it as the favor for all the books,” he declared. “A merit cancels out a mistake. Fair, right?”

Hun Chu thought so, but he could also see Elder Kai’s disappointment. “Yes, Lord Steward. That’s fair.”

To their surprise, he chuckled. “You can still ask for another favor. Just get your hands on the more advanced books on Furious Wind. Maybe find some other books based on the concept of wind. My young master could use some inspiration.”

That emboldened Elder Kai. “I will do so, Lord Steward,” he said. “Should I arrange servants to repair the window?”

“No, leave it. It’ll be a good reminder for my charge to remember that no place guarantees safety,” he said. “It’ll be a good preparation until he returns home. Just take the bodies, and deal with them however you wish.”

“It’ll be done,” Elder Kai bowed, then he signaled Hun Chu to carry the bodies. He had done so, though that didn’t help his shock.

He had never thought that, one day, he would be carrying the corpse of an Organ Refinement master like a sack of grain.

But, soon, something even more shocking happened. Right at the entrance, Elder Kai turned to him, his gaze sharp. “Don’t mention the comment about it being potentially an inside job. The guard at the outside has been killed by the assassin, and Lord Steward deals with the Assassin. Understood.”

Hun Chu couldn’t contain his gasp. “You think he’s right? That's a conspiracy from inside.”

Elder Kai didn’t respond, but the warning glare he received was enough. Hun Chu shivered. As an outer member, he hadn’t been familiar with the leadership, but he had always assumed them to be a united front. The thing that just happened…

Maybe he should find a safe mission to get away. Or, take a trip…