Chapter 111: Moon Sea Has No Beasts

The Apex!

What is called night and day is merely a matter of sunrise and sunset.

As the sky began to brighten, news arrived from a certain location, reporting that people had entered Moon Sea. Similar reports arrived from multiple locations more than once. Yan Ji, upon receiving these reports, had held back, waiting until dawn broke. Only then did he stand up and begin allocating his forces based on the information received, dispatching them to the relevant locations for support. The fifty or so people left by Guan Wen were all assigned to the same place.

Just as this group was about to depart, and just as Shi Chun was about to pull Yan Ji aside for a private word, looking for an excuse to stay by his side, Yan Ji suddenly said, "Wang Sheng, Gao Qiang, I still have some questions for you two. You both stay with me." Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang paused, startled, then exchanged a glance, their eyebrows simultaneously raising as they both realized something.

The fifty or so companions were also startled by this and looked uniformly at the two who were told to stay behind.

Soon, someone came over, slung an arm around each of them, and led them into the crowd, warning in a low voice, "Gentlemen, be careful what you say and hear."

Knowing what they were worried about, Shi Chun said, "Don't worry, I know what can be said and what cannot."

It would have been better if he hadn't said that. As soon as he did, the group grew even more uneasy. They realized that this fellow truly didn't understand why he was being warned; wasn't it precisely because he didn't know what to say and what not to say that he needed the warning? The moment this fellow opened his mouth, it made people's hearts pound.

However, this was the only way they could warn him. What else could they do?

Shi Chun ignored their thoughts, extended his hand, and said, "Brother Chu, could I have a mother-child talisman? It would be convenient for future contact."

Chu Jingting hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he had a fellow disciple hand over a mother-child talisman from their possession.

At Yan Ji's urging, the group departed.

Afterward, Yan Ji also dispatched the twenty people he had brought with him, using the same excuse.

After only three people remained at the scene, Wu Jinliang glanced around, then couldn't help but give Shi Chun a look, while patting the magical artifact in his pocket. He signaled that the perfect opportunity had arrived, and perhaps they should just act now.

Shi Chun shook his head slightly, refusing. Without absolute certainty, and without a significant distraction to occupy Yan Ji, it would be unwise for their low cultivation levels to attempt a surprise attack on someone of higher cultivation. Moreover, Yan Ji was a renowned disciple of the Su Yuan Sect, and other matters were at stake. Once they failed, the result would be total ruin; all their efforts would be in vain.

Most importantly, letting Yan Ji die so easily would be too cheap; they wouldn't be able to maximize his value.

After suppressing Wu Jinliang's eagerness, Shi Chun walked up to Yan Ji and probed, "Brother Yan, why are we staying here?"

Yan Ji, who had taken out a mother-child talisman, gazed into his eyes and slowly said, "I've decided to adopt Brother Wang's method from yesterday. That's why I've moved the informed parties away. You understand."

"Oh, I see." Shi Chun feigned realization, nodding repeatedly. "Understood, understood, perfectly clear."

Wu Jinliang, looking bewildered, asked, "What method, senior brother? What's going on?"

Seeing his reaction, Yan Ji was a little puzzled. He wondered, "Did 'Wang Sheng' not tell this fellow? If I had known, I would have just kept 'Wang Sheng' alone."

Before, seeing the two whispering conspiratorially, he had assumed that 'Gao Qiang' was also in the know.

Ignoring him, Yan Ji turned and walked away with the mother-child talisman, sending a message to Mu Lanqingqing. Only after receiving a reply did he walk back and say, "Help will arrive shortly, but someone still needs to lead the way. You two were present when Guan Wen disappeared, so I'll have to trouble you both to lead."

To him, this was the last bit of utility the two men had.

"What?!" Wu Jinliang exclaimed, looking startled.

Yan Ji raised an eyebrow. "What, you don't want to be friends with my Su Yuan Sect?"

Against those eager to curry favor with the Su Yuan Sect, this tactic was always very effective.

Shi Chun seemed no exception. After much hesitation, he asked, "Brother Yan, are you going in?"

Yan Ji calmly replied, "I need to stay outside and be responsible for contacting all parties."

Shi Chun shook his head and said decisively, "If Brother Yan isn't going in, then neither are we."

Yan Ji's expression darkened. He said flatly, "Why?" Shi Chun replied, "To avoid suspicion." Yan Ji, puzzled, asked, "Avoid what suspicion?"

Shi Chun: "Once we're in there and things get dangerous, if I grow resentful, aren't you afraid, Brother Yan, that we might tell others the truth? I think staying by your side would better alleviate any suspicion. Secondly, with Brother Yan protecting us, we would feel more at ease going in."

"Most importantly, if Brother Yan doesn't go in, how can others feel at ease going in? Some things might not sound good when said aloud, but Brother Yan, you wouldn't think the Su Yuan Sect is more important than one's own life in everyone's eyes, would you? There are some things they just didn't say before. The truth is, if Guan Wen hadn't led the way in, no one else would have gone in. I believe the people who are about to arrive will also feel the same way. Brother Yan, perhaps you should put yourself in their shoes, otherwise you might find yourself in an awkward situation later."

Yan Ji was silenced by his words.

Shi Chun then quietly added, "We've been inside before. As long as you don't wander off in unsafe areas, there won't actually be much danger. Who knows what Guan Wen ran off to do in there."

Suddenly, all three turned their heads to look, seeing hundreds of people swiftly flying over. Clearly, the dispatched forces had arrived.

Indeed. After landing, the group walked directly towards Yan Ji to greet him. "Brother Yan, Brother Guan sent us to receive your orders. What are your instructions?"

Yan Ji slowly turned, looking at the faintly mist-shrouded Moon Sea, remaining silent. He was clearly still pondering someone's words from moments ago.

This gaze, however, already gave away some clues. Among the newcomers, someone tentatively asked, "You're not planning to enter Moon Sea, are you?"

Yan Ji nodded slightly, then took out the Insect Essence Crystals he had collected from various factions last night from his waist. He shook them and in a low voice said, "There are a lot of Insect Essence Crystals inside. I just casually looked around and found this much. Guan Wen has already taken a group of people inside." Everyone exchanged glances, their faces filled with reluctance.

Shi Chun spoke up, "Actually, it's not as dangerous inside as everyone imagines. As long as you don't go to the central area, you'll be fine. Brother Yan is personally leading the team, and he's going in too. What else is there to be afraid of?"

Everyone looked at Yan Ji in unison. Yan Ji was caught by the words. After a brief silence, he said, "Heh, I'll lead the team!" Even so, no one was particularly enthusiastic. While no one refused outright, no one directly expressed willingness to go forward either.

It was a silent acceptance.

Yan Ji didn't say much more, knowing it was difficult to press the matter further; silent acceptance was good enough. He tilted his head and signaled Shi Chun to depart.

"Let's go, let's go, follow us!" Shi Chun waved enthusiastically, looking as if there was truly no danger.

He and Wu Jinliang walked to the edge of the cliff, then soared away one after another.

Yan Ji also walked to the edge of the cliff and called out, "Go!"

And so, a reluctant group reluctantly followed, plunging into the misty mountain forest.

Upon landing, they were at the familiar spot. Shi Chun looked back at the hilltop where they had dealt with Guan Wen, and waited for Yan Ji to land. He pointed at the footprints on the ground, indicating it was the place they had visited before, then swept his hand forward in a fan shape, whispering, "It's this area."

Yan Ji, alert to his surroundings, nodded slightly. After waiting for the group to land, he immediately divided the search area. He also instructed everyone that if they saw Guan Wen, they should tell him to come over.

Once the cautious group had dispersed into the mountain forest, Yan Ji cast a sidelong glance at Shi Chun and his companion, his eyes already betraying a killing intent. Now that they were inside, he had no intention of letting the two leave here alive.

He then looked at the figures searching in the forest, waiting for them to move further away.

As for whether Guan Wen could be found, it genuinely didn't matter to him; he just needed to go through the motions of searching.

Meanwhile, Shi Chun turned and pointed to the mountain peak behind them. "Brother Jin," he said, "this hilltop is where Guan Wen disappeared last night."

While Yan Ji turned to look, he also gave Wu Jinliang a quick glance.

Wu Jinliang immediately said, "The light wasn't good last night; we should be able to see more clearly in daylight." Having said that, he flashed and soared upwards.

Shi Chun asked Yan Ji, "Do you want to go up and take a look?"

Yan Ji responded with action, also flashing upwards. Shi Chun quickly leaped and followed.

Upon reaching the summit, they could see prominent large characters on a tree: "Returned to shore for regrouping. Return quickly!"

Shi Chun, who landed shortly after, explained, "These are the words we left for Guan Wen when he didn't return after a long wait."

Yan Ji said nothing, beginning to survey his surroundings, when he suddenly heard Wu Jinliang exclaim, "What is this?"

He turned to look, and saw Wu Jinliang beneath a large tree, poking a mud-covered iron lump with his toe, looking utterly unknowledgeable.

Yan Ji, however, was filled with shock. He was all too familiar with that metal, pinecone-shaped object. Even covered in mud, he recognized it at a glance. He immediately flashed over, and remotely drew it into his hand for examination. "What else could it be but the magical artifact Wind Scale?"

Shi Chun, following behind him, drew a short knife from his sleeve. With practiced ease, his movement was light and without any unnecessary flair. While Yan Ji was extremely distracted, a flash of light quietly glided into Yan Ji's back, delivering a precise and fatal blow.

Yan Ji, still holding the Wind Scale, trembled, his eyes wide with shock. Wu Jinliang, quick as a knife, delivered a chop to his throat. His large broadsword then fell, positioned to block in front of the opponent, anticipating any possible unexpected moves.

The Wind Scale fell to the ground. Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang quickly got to work, following the exact same procedure as when they had dealt with Guan Wen. Their coordination was highly skilled, and they appeared completely unaffected by the fact that a person had just died.

Picking up the Wind Scale and lifting Yan Ji's body, the two swiftly slipped away, heading back to the familiar spot. Soon, they entered the deep ravine where Guan Wen was buried, preparing to do a 'good deed' by burying the two 'brothers' together.

However, the two, who had slipped to the burial spot, froze in unison as if struck by an immobilizing talisman.

A purple glow illuminated the ravine, which wasn't too dark even in daylight. To get a clear look, Shi Chun pulled out a piece of sandalwood gold. They saw that the earth and stones at Guan Wen's burial site had been dug up, and the corpse was gone. "What's going on?" A chill ran down their spines.

"We didn't come to the wrong place, did we?" Wu Jinliang asked, stating the obvious.

Shi Chun, having dropped the body, raised his hand to draw his knife from behind him, holding the sandalwood gold as he circled and scanned the dark ravine.

Wu Jinliang, also holding his knife ready for defense, asked again, "Carried off by wild beasts?"