Chapter 88: Good People Have Heaven's Blessing

Excellent!

What Prince Nan was muttering about was precisely Miao Dingyi's concern. It wasn't that he couldn't afford to pay to see Shi Chun's current status via the mirror image, but rather that he didn't want people to misunderstand his family's relationship with Shi Chun. It was enough for the family to observe discreetly, especially since his daughter would eventually marry.

As for Prince Nan's actions, should he be thanked or not?

Miao Yilan also didn't know whether to thank him. She waved her hand, indicating it wasn't necessary, and at the same time stood up to offer her seat to the elders, dutifully walking over to stand by her mother.

Regardless of other matters, for Prince Nan, cutting in line for the various sects who had paid and queued was no problem at all. The image quickly appeared on the mirror screen.

However, Prince Nan and the others didn't quite grasp it at first, because the image showed a canyon without a single person in sight. Nobody knew whose requested image this was.

This image caused the atmosphere to change. Everyone stared at the screen simultaneously, unsure why a canyon was suddenly being shown to them.

They waited until the uneventful canyon image ended, and the screen switched to other people's images. Still, no one knew what was going on, and no one paid much attention to it.

Only Prince Nan, who had been waiting impatiently, grew a bit restless. Soon, the attendant in charge ran back to him and asked, "Prince Nan, did you see it?"

Prince Nan immediately lost his temper. "See what? Am I blind?"

Knowing he had misunderstood, the attendant quickly explained, "No, Prince Nan, that canyon image just now, that was Shi Chun's location."

As soon as he said this, Miao Dingyi and the others all turned their heads simultaneously, looking puzzled.

Prince Nan was also curious. "Where is he?"

The attendant stammered a bit. "I asked. They estimate he's either hiding underground, or... he's dead... They said if there's no movement for a long time, someone from the Western Extremities will go to investigate and confirm." He wasn't sure what Shi Chun's relationship was with Prince Nan and was afraid that bringing bad news would be awkward.

Hearing it might be a burial ground, Miao Dingyi's reaction was relatively calm, just slightly moved. Lan Qiaoyan and Miao Yilan, however, were visibly emotional. The mother and daughter looked at each other, on the verge of speaking but holding back.

Prince Nan immediately turned to look at the reactions of the family of three. His mind was also a bit muddled. 'This might be their son-in-law,' he thought. 'If we brought such bad news, aren't we tormenting them? Did we do something bad with good intentions?'

After this thought, he immediately turned back and said, "Go, cut in line again. I want both the location on the Mountain and River Map and the image from the mirror. And be quick!" He had caused them much anxiety; he had to give them an explanation, otherwise, it would be too dishonorable.

"Yes," the attendant acknowledged and quickly departed.

So, those in the training ground soon saw the desolate valley in the mirror image again.

"What's going on? Why is it this again?" "Do you think the Overlooking Heaven Mirror has a problem?"

"Who is that? What's so special about a broken gully?"

There was a slight commotion and discussion in the training ground. Some sects who had paid money and waited a long time without seeing their own people also started voicing complaints.

Prince Nan and Miao Dingyi, seeing this image, then looked at the red dot on the "Ultimate Mountain and River Map." The red dot was marked with "Wu Kang Mountain Four." The fact that the red dot was not flashing indicated that the person concerned was not moving.

Furthermore, there was no one in the canyon, nor any movement. Prince Nan felt a bit awkward, wondering if he had just delivered bad news.

Feng Chi, shrouded in her cloak, also saw the marker on the Mountain and River Map. She knew who "Wu Kang Mountain Four" referred to. 'Is Prince Nan paying attention to him again?' She turned her head to look at the hilltop behind her, but it was night, and the light was poor, so she couldn't see.

Elder Ke and a few others were even more confused. They looked around, as if trying to discern a reaction on someone's face, though they didn't know whose.

"Oh, people from the Heavenly Court!"

Suddenly, someone pointed at a few figures appearing in the mirror image and exclaimed. Prince Nan and Miao Dingyi on the mountain also saw them. They saw five armored warriors, dressed in Heavenly Court attire, flying down into the canyon. Then they disappeared, as the mirror image was not focused on these Heavenly Court personnel.

Clearly, as the attendant had said earlier, with no movement for a long time, the Heavenly Court personnel had gone to the site to confirm.

Whether he was alive or dead would be confirmed at this moment. Prince Nan reacted quickly, knowing the mirror image time might not be enough. He immediately turned to the attendant and said, "Go! Money is not an issue. I want to see the outcome of this scene. Quick, go!"

The attendant was right there, watching the canyon with them. Naturally, he knew what was meant and quickly darted off.

Miao Dingyi, Lan Qiaoyan, and Miao Yilan all intently watched for a reaction in the canyon.

Soon, Miao Dingyi snapped out of it, looking around. He thought, 'How strange, why am I so tense? I don't even know him. Am I nervous because of that one hundred thousand gold wager?' He almost laughed at himself. 'What am I thinking? Do I really expect that fellow to get first place?'

He turned his head and saw Prince Nan's reaction. He couldn't help but be stunned. 'Why is he also looking so anxious?'

"Wu Kang Mountain numbers Four and Five! Falling Moon Valley numbers One, Two, Three, Four, and Five, are you there?!"

The shouting suddenly echoed in the canyon. Shi Chun, who was sitting cross-legged, refining the demonic flames within him, opened his eyes quickly upon hearing the sound. He quickly stopped his cultivation, got up, gripped his sword, and stealthily peered out of the cave.

In the cave on the other side, Wu Jinliang also peeked out like a thief. After seeing they were Heavenly Court armored warriors, he was just about to pull his head back when he was pointed at. "You, which sect are you from? Come out!"

Having no choice, Wu Jinliang dragged his greatsword out of the cave and ambled over.

Seeing this, Shi Chun quickly pushed open the cave entrance and crawled out.

After the two brothers emerged from the cave, they exchanged a glance. They walked together towards the five Heavenly Court armored warriors, both holding their swords, secretly on guard.

As soon as Shi Chun appeared, the Overlooking Heaven Mirror in the training ground immediately switched its image to outside the canyon, displaying a close-up view of them. As he was close to Wu Jinliang, Wu Jinliang's image was also largely featured.

"Hey, don't those two look unfamiliar?" No one in the training ground asked. "They look quite familiar."

"Oh, I remember now! Aren't those the two guys who appeared in the seventh scene on the mirror, the ones before the Su Yuan Sect?"

"That's right, it's the two of them, so pale, like they just crawled out of a charcoal pile."

"Later, this one even had to be helped by the smaller guy, looking like a sickling. Now he looks quite spirited. Has he recovered from his injuries, then?"

"Tell me, don't you feel like this segment's screen time is a bit too long?"

Seeing Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang alone in the mirror image, having not kept up with the group and hiding in such a canyon, Miao Dingyi was also very puzzled. 'What's going on? Why did they separate from Miao Dingyi's group?'

The cloaked Feng Chi (spectator) was also very surprised to see them. 'What's going on? The more she thought, the more confused she became.'

Prince Nan and Elder Ke in the stands exchanged glances. Seeing that these two were still alive and well, both secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Yan Qiuyou also smiled and chuckled heartily to Sun Shiyi beside him. "Brother Miao, it's alright. I knew he would be fine. Fortune smiles on good people, fortune smiles on good people!"

He was just short of saying, "I knew your son-in-law would be fine."

Sun Shiyi turned to stare at him, his eyes gleaming. He wanted to curse and really wanted to ask him, "Do you even know what you're saying?"

He seemed to know what the other person was saying, but he had no proof. In the canyon, the leading armored warrior looked at the magic artifact in his hand, staring at Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang, and asked, "You two, which sect are you from?"

Shi Chun replied, "Miao Dingyi's."

The leading armored warrior said, "Show me your identification tags on your bracelets."

The two couldn't refuse, so they cooperated honestly and displayed the identities on their tags for the other party to see.

"Alright, it's good that you're alive," the leading armored warrior joked. "I'd say you two hid pretty well. So far, you two are the ones we've seen who hid the most remotely. If there weren't a barrier, you'd probably sneak out of the arena, wouldn't you? Were you planning to hide until the end?"

Shi Chun dryly laughed, seeing that the other party had no ill intent. He retorted, "Why are you so busy?"

Another armored warrior said, "You two holed up for so long without moving. We thought you were dead and came to collect your bodies. It's good that you're alive, we can save some effort."

So that was it. Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang breathed a sigh of relief. However, as soon as the other side spoke, their hearts sank.

"Are the people from Falling Moon Valley here?!" The leading armored warrior looked at the glowing dot on his magic artifact and then shouted loudly using his magic. The sound echoed in the canyon. Seeing no reply, he immediately asked the two people in front of him, "Did you see anyone from Falling Moon Valley?"

Wu Jinliang shook his head, and Shi Chun said no.

"That's not right, they're right here..." The leading armored warrior muttered, looking at the glowing dot on his magic artifact. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he lifted his head to look at the two people, scrutinizing them from head to toe, then suddenly barked, "Search the caves!"

Immediately, two armored warriors swiftly entered the two caves.

Wu Jinliang's expression changed dramatically. Shi Chun turned his head to look at him; seeing his reaction, he knew things were going to be bad. The living captives were still there and hadn't been dealt with.

Very quickly, a shout came from the cave where Wu Jinliang had just been: "They're here!"

The people also came out quickly. Using magic, they gathered the five people and threw them onto the ground. They saw the five people from Falling Moon Valley, stripped of their clothes, covered in blood, and so tormented they were barely recognizable, but evidently still alive.

In the training ground, the cloaked Yan Qiu immediately recognized Feng Chi Gang. She almost jumped up in surprise, her pupils constricting, unsure what was happening. She had not believed that the disappearance of Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang had no connection with Feng Chi Gang, but she hadn't expected there was a connection, and the situation looked wrong. It felt reversed. Why did it feel like Feng Chi Gang and his group had fallen into the hands of Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang?

She had considered the effects of the immobility talismans, but she felt it shouldn't be possible. Given Miao Dingyi's people, Feng Chi Gang would surely have been prepared. And immobility talismans weren't impossible to defend against. How could all five of them have fallen into their hands?

In the training ground, the three spectators from Falling Moon Valley could no longer suppress themselves and stood up. The one in front was a stern-faced woman, who stared intently at the scene on the screen.

Yan Qiuyou, who had been sitting upright, also found herself unable to stay seated upon seeing that scene in the mirror. She was on tenterhooks. Falling Moon Valley was one of the top-ranked sects in Shengzhou. She thought, 'These two newly recruited disciples shouldn't have made such a formidable enemy for Miao Dingyi, right? No, they couldn't have. They don't have that kind of strength.'

The leading armored warrior in the canyon wanted to step forward to check. Who knew Shi Chun stepped sideways, blocking him, and fiercely asked, "Didn't the Royal Court say that the supervising forces wouldn't interfere with the competition among various sects? Are you intervening now?"

The leading armored warrior frowned slightly. "That's not our intention. We're just checking if they're alive or dead. If they're dead, it's good to collect the bodies."