Chapter 2286: Vice-leader Xuan Zhan (One)
After killing the lord of the Snowfall Peak, Jian Chen did not stick around. He turned around and left. He did not touch any of Zhou Yuan’s belongings, as he was afraid of leaving behind clues that could be traced back to him.
Afterwards, Jian Chen disguised himself as Radiant Saint Master Chang Yang again in an obscure location. He made his way around the Foreign Affairs Hall and returned to the Soaring Clouds Peak with an extremely low-profile.
The Radiant Saint Hall learnt of Zhou Yuan’s death very soon. Right when Jian Chen returned to the Soaring Clouds Peak, three elders and several violet-robed guards left the Radiant Saint Hall that stood above the clouds in an aggressive manner. They reached the location where the lord of the Snowfall Peak had died very soon.
The faces of the three elders sank the moment they saw the crushed corpse. Their faces became extremely ugly.
Zhou Yuan had died in a place where he had to pass through to return to the Radiant Saint Hall. This was place close to the Radiant Saint Hall, yet someone was bold enough to kill a peak lord here. This matter was basically a slap of naked provocation to the Radiant Saint Hall in the eyes of the three elders.
“Look around. We have to get to the bottom of this. We can’t spare Zhou Yuan’s murderer.”
“How dare he kill a lord of a peak? This person isn’t taking us seriously at all…”
“Immediately ask guest elder Mu Tian to come over. Get him to turn back time here. We need to know everything that happened…”
The three elders were furious. They did not care about Zhou Yuan’s life. They only cared about the dignity of the Radiant Saint Hall.
He was a peak lord, yet he had been mercilessly slain along the path back to the Radiant Saint Hall. If they did not look into this matter properly and failed to capture the murderer, it would damage the name of the Radiant Saint Hall.
Very soon, a grey-robed old man was brought over under the lead of several violet-robed guards.
He was Mu Tian. He was not a Radiant Saint Master but a fighter. He was an Infinite Prime that held a guest position in the Radiant Saint Hall, enjoying a status similar to the elders of the Radiant Saint Hall.
Mu Tian immediately used a secret technique to turn back time to reveal the events that had occurred.
Very soon, the peak lord’s death at Jian Chen’s hands was displayed clearly. However, the eyes of the elders and Mu Tian narrowed slightly when they saw the peak lord perish from a single palm strike.
“This person is very powerful. He probably has a foot planted in the Primordial realm. It’s quite tough for me to turn back time,” Mu Tian said emotionlessly.
“Looks like the black-robed man had grievances with Zhou Yuan. The peak lord’s death is related to revenge…”
“Hmph, it doesn’t matter why Zhou Yuan died. He’s still a peak lord from our Radiant Saint Hall. We must get to the bottom of his death…”
“Record his appearance and immediately set up a bounty for him…”
The three elders ordered the setting of a bounty without any hesitation.
Very soon, the bounty was set up, and the search for Zhou Yuan’s murderer began throughout the entire Desolate Plane.
At the same time, their investigation into the black-robed man began.
The Radiant Saint Hall was a peak organisation of the Desolate Plane after all. The more powerful an organisation was, the more they cared about their image. The death of a peak lord along the path back to the Radiant Saint Hall had basically crossed their bottom line. The Radiant Saint Hall would never drop the matter.
Meanwhile, the white-robed Donglin Yanxue was sitting on a bed within the Radiant Saint Hall as she rested with her eyes closed.
There were only three days until the competition between the candidates. She needed to adjust herself to her peak condition so that she could contend for the position she had longed for with all her might.
At this moment, the door was opened, and a graceful woman walked in. Despite looking middle-aged, she was still charming. Her skin was white and filled with a mature sense of beauty.
“Greetings to master!” Donglin Yanxue immediately got off her bed and bowed politely when she saw the middle-aged woman.
The middle-aged woman was Donglin Yanxue’s master in the Radiant Saint Hall; she was also one of the elders. Her name was Mu Shui.
Mu Shui nodded. She looked at Donglin Yanxue gently and said, “Yanxue, I’ve come to tell you something. The lord of the Snowfall Peak, Zhou Yuan, one of your nine retainers, has died outside. You now have a missing retainer spot, and someone new will be chosen soon.”
“The lord of the Snowfall Peak is dead?”
A strange light flickered through Donglin Yanxue’s beautiful eyes immediately.
“That’s right. He’s dead, and he died on his way back to the Radiant Saint Hall. The person who killed him sure is bold, daring to take action right outside the Radiant Saint Hall,” said Mu Shui.
“Master, do you know who the murderer is? The peak lord is one of my retainers after all. I can’t distance myself from his murder at a time like this,” Donglin Yanxue said.
“We have the appearance of the murderer. It’s in this crystal. However, you’re far too weak right now, so you can’t avenge Zhou Yuan. That’s because the murderer is very powerful. I think only the elders of the Radiant Saint Hall can deal with him.”
“Adjust your condition properly in the next two days. I’ll choose your new retainer for you,” Mu Shui left behind a crystal and was about to leave.
“Master, can I choose this retainer instead?” Donglin Yanxue immediately asked.
Mu Shui stopped. She looked back at Donglin Yanxue and sighed gently, “Are you thinking about giving the position to that disciple from the Soaring Clouds Peak? It’s a pity that he’s too weak.”
“Master, I owe Chang Yang a huge favour. Just help me out this time and let me return the favour. Otherwise, I’ll always be in guilt. It’ll affect my future cultivation,” Donglin Yanxue pleaded painstakingly.
Mu Shui sighed gently. She said with some helplessness, “Alright then, I’ll listen to you. I’ll do my best to persuade the other elders. In the end, it’s not my decision to make.”
…
Jian Chen sat in his dwelling on the Soaring Clouds Peak. The light in his eyes flickered as he sank into his thoughts.
“Although the peak lord’s death has opened up a spot among the nine retainers, Donglin Yanxue has said that she isn’t completely confident about this matter. As a result, I can’t place all my hopes on Donglin Yanxue.”
“Looks like it’s time for me to find Xuan Ming,” thought Jian Chen. After making up his mind, he sent a sliver of the senses of his soul into the Anatta Tower immediately.